The city of Clintonville will pay $7,500 to have a financial analysis plan and recommendations report prepared.
The council unanimously approved a proposal for Ehlers to prepare a five year financial analysis plan and recommendations for the city.
Interim City Administrator Chuck Kell told the council that there are more than $11 million of issues and projects the city will be facing.
“I’ve already asked department heads to submit proposed capital items to me over the next five years that would typically not be handled by their budgets,” Kell said.
Kell provided the council with a sample of a plan he had for a different city.
“I really think the city needs this,” Kell said.
The city needs to be aware of what its debt and expenditures mean in regard to rate structures in the utilities, and what it’s going to mean in tax levy requirements, Kell said.
“I think you need a solid financial plan going forward, partly for your new administrator to track and follow when they come on board, and for the council to be able to follow. And to keep you on task knowing what’s coming up and how that’s impacting the city,” Kell said.
The plan will include a debt retirement schedule, as well as information on the TIF districts.
It will cost $7,500 to have Ehlers prepare the plan. The money will come from the capital budget.
Angelus/Aster update
Kell told the council he was hoping to provide it with an update regarding the Angelus/Aster situation. He said he and Clintonville City Attorney April Dunlavy had a meeting scheduled with the attorney representing Aster. Prior to the meeting that attorney canceled the meeting.
“We are waiting to hear when they reschedule it,” Kell said.
Agenda timetable
Kell told the council city staff has some concerns about how the municipal code is written regarding having items placed on meeting agendas. He said the city currently allows agenda items to be turned in by 4 p.m. on Fridays prior to meetings.
This created a problem with the last set of Monday committee meetings, Kell said, as some committee members didn’t receive the agenda via mail prior to the meeting.
“It puts the office in kind of a bind because when things come in that late in the afternoon, the office closes at 4:30 p.m., sometimes they have to redo the agendas and redo the printing,” Kell said. “It’s just not working smoothly for us.”
Kell suggested the deadline be changed to noon on the Thursday prior to the meeting the agenda is being prepared for.
The council agreed to implement that change. An amendment to the municipal code will be brought back to the council.
164 N Main Street
Kell told the council that Waupaca County has offered the property at 164 N Main Street to the city of Clintonville.
He said this property has been in disrepair, and papers have been served to raze the property. Property taxes also haven’t been paid on the property for a number of years. The county will take the property for back taxes, Kell said.
“However, the county will not agree to take that property back until the house has been removed,” Kell said.
The city is currently scheduled to remove the house from that property. The cost to raze the house is estimated at $10,000-$15,000.
Kell said once the house is removed, Waupaca County has agreed to write-off the property taxes and deed the property to the city if the council will accept it. This would allow the city to sell the property to recoup some of the cost of tearing the house down.
Kell said the property would preferably be sold to an adjoining property holder because of the size of the property.
Alderwoman Gloria Dunlavy asked if the lot could be used for parking during the Main Street reconstruction.
Alderman John Wilson said if he lived next to that property he wouldn’t want cars parked next to his house.
“If you had to look out your window and see that all the time, no, it’s a bad suggestion,” Wilson said.
The council unanimously approved to accept the property once it is taken by the county and the taxes are written off.
City pool
Kell informed the council that there was some pipe breakage at the city’s outdoor swimming pool that appeared to be serious, but the city was able to make repairs for less than $1,000.
The outdoor pool is facing a shortage of applicants to work at the pool this summer. Justin Mc Auly, Parks and Recreation director told the council that he is looking for staff to work at the pool this summer.
He said he usually hires nine employees to work at the pool, but as of the date of the council meeting he had received an application from only one person. He said a lot of past employees have found other jobs.
“We’re in need of staff. That’s our biggest concern right now,” Mc Auly said.
Anyone interested in being a lifeguard at the city’s outdoor pool should contact the Park and Recreation Department.
Personnel
At the council meeting, Kell introduced David Tichinel to the council. Tichinel has been hired to be the water and wastewater manager for the city of Clintonville.
“Dave comes to us with over 20 years of experience in water and wastewater,” Kell said.
“I’m glad to be here and I hope to make a difference,” Tichinel told the council.
“We’ve put a lot on his plate with the reconstruction of all our utilities on Main Street and new well being constructed next year, and also the potential upgrade to the wastewater treatment plant. I think he’s going to have a lot on his plate his first couple years of service to the city. We’re glad to have him aboard, and I think so far he’s working out real well.”