TOWN OF WASHBURN
MEETING NOTES – July 8, 2025

Attendees: Scottie Sandstrom, Fran Rechcygl, Christina Eliason, Seth Vasser, Matt Tetzner, Jim Park (Remote), Trevor Schwenzfeier, Bill Bailey, Ryan VanLanduyt, Darren Nyrose (Remote), Wendy Stein (Remote), Joe Groshek, Sandy Sky, Kim Bro.

Call to order 7:00PM

Pledge of Allegiance

Public Comment Period:

• Trevor Schwenzfeier said spraying helps but that it’s starting to burn off and needs redoing again.

Motion made to accept the agenda with the following amendments:
• Discuss Forest Service contract.
• Potential additional striping costs
• Move tandem truck repair issue up to Road Crew Report
Motion to accept agenda with amendments made by Seth, Matt 2nd, all aye.

Motion to accept June 10th 2025 minutes made by Matt, 2nd by Seth, all aye.

Motion made to open public input to dust mitigation made by Scottie, 2nd by Matt, all aye.

• Ordinance sent to WTA for review. They don’t do Ordinance review. Suggested it be turned over to attorney.
• Matt mentioned that this would probably cost more than fixing the problem. He suggested sitting down with Bob re his trucks and let him know what is/will be done. Inform him of costs as they can run from $500 – $5,000. Mike will figure out cost (to incl salt, spreader, man hours, etc.) and get back to us at August meeting. Get Bob involved in price sharing twice a year.

Motion to exit public input made by Seth, 2nd by Matt, all aye.

Clerk Report: Bills paid and up to date. Voting equipment maintenance during early August. Mike and Matt to get them over there. Tried balancing the checkbook and got close. SAM reporting finally resolved. MOE submitted. WTA is working to get this unnecessary reporting removed.

Treasurer Report: Received shared tax revenue of $6K from the state. Bremer Bank CD to renew 7/9/2025. What do we want to do with it. Worked on cleaning up QB. Keep treasurer report format along with the Budget. Discontinue sending a P&L / Balance Sheet. 2nd half of tax payments should be received end of July to early August.

Road Crew Report: Cold mix repairs ongoing. Each load costs around $1,000. Tandem truck has broken down and will cost around $3,500 to fix per Zifco Auto. Road crew was asked to make sure that when the budgeting process comes around, we need to try and make sure we anticipate possible repairs/improvements to avoid future overages.

Motion to repair tandem truck made by Seth, 2nd by Matt, all aye.

Work to begin on the big culvert. All homes involved have received notification of work to begin. They will need additional gravel for shouldering. Crooked Lake Dr – $21/ton for shouldering – need 252 ton @ $5,292; $22/ton Crossroad Brevak @ $21,010; Maple Hill N – 238/ton – $5,236 AND 2” minus $23/ton – $5,520.

Motion to approve $15,000 of gravel and 2” rock but retain the ability to discern when purchased based on budget made by Matt, 2nd by Seth, all aye.

They will be purchasing one (1) filter at a time.

Chair Report: Forest Service sent an agreement for forest rock for their use. We will order the rock and they will reimburse us.

Motion to order forest rock made by Matt, 2nd by Seth, all aye.

We were informed by Washburn County that we must mark the center line of the roads. If we don’t do it, they will, at an additional cost of $2,250, over and above the $15k+ for striping.

Motion to spend up to $2,250 to mark roads if Mike can’t do it made by Matt, 2nd by Seth, all aye.

Recognize the 4 previous board members with $35 gift certificates paid for by town.  WISLR & PASER training is to happen next week. We are eligible for a free series because of SNAFU with CD. Mike feels that Matt Lippo should take the class. This will allow him to fulfill WISLER/PASER reporting online. Clerk will need to set up a training session for Matt L.

Motion to accept reports made by Seth, 2nd by Matt, all aye.

Bill Bailey & Ryan VanLanduyt indicated that the solar system is scheduled to install next summer. If construction begins before July, we will get a tax credit of $26,000. Money must be paid upfront.

Planning Commission Report: Landfill clay added last fall is to be re-graded by the City of Washburn to utilize current clay for more effective coverage, and the Public Works director is to come up with a plan going forward, including using more fill which would be available with the 2nd phase of the City of Washburn paving project in 2027. Important to prevent spreading of invasive weeds. Suggested that the Town board confirm there is an emergency address system in place. The gravel portion of Sky Rd has been noted as being a private driveway, so Resolution 2025-1 was crafted, read, and signed, which confirms that status of that portion of the road, and will be sent to WisDOT, for removal from the Gas Tax Role of the Town roads.

Motion made to move ahead with the Resolution was made by Seth, 2nd by Matt, all ayes. Motion carried.

Darren Nyrose with Delmore Consulting gave a presentation on how his firm could provide the PASER road rating service for all blacktop roads in the Town, and placing them on the state WISLR system for $2500. This reporting is due to the state this year, and will get our ratings back on track. They will also add all of the gravel road ratings into WISLR at the same time, but those will be rated by Mike and Matt and provided to Delmore to add at the same time as the blacktop roads at no additional charge. Delmore will drive every road in the township and assign each section a PASER rating based on surface condition. This will then allow them to submit the data into WISLR and to update PASER ratings.

Motion made by Matt and seconded by Seth to contract with Delmore Consulting on this service for $2500. All ayes. Motion carried.

5 Year Road Plan – road repair priority to be discussed at August meeting. Mike to review priorities and have report for 8/12/2025 meeting.

Motion to authorize bills made by Seth, 2nd by Matt, all aye.

Motion to adjourn at 9:33PM made by Seth, 2nd by Matt, all aye.

Respectfully submitted by
Fran Rechcygl, Clerk