4.11.22 REGULAR BOARD MEETING

VILLAGE OF ORFORDVILLE

Regular Board Meeting

Monday, April 11, 2022  7:00 P.M.

Orfordville Village Hall

303 E. Beloit Street

CALL TO ORDER

                Village President Gary Phillips called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m.  Present were President Phillips, Tina Suiter-Meyers, Beth Schmidt, Cami Myers-Alstat, Terry Gerber, Nikki Tuffree, and Jason Knox.  Also present were Angel Garcia Jimenez, Engineer Nick Bubolz, Interim Chief Jeremiah Burdick, Librarian Sarah Strunz, DPW Director Nick Todd, and Clerk Sherri Waege.

AGENDA VERFICATION

                Clerk Waege verified that on April 9, 2022, copies of the agenda were delivered to the President and Trustees; and posted at the Village Hall, Library, Post Office, and the Bank of Brodhead.  There were no additions made to the agenda.

MINUTE APPROVAL

                Motion by Tuffree, seconded by Gerber to approve the March 28, 2022 Regular Board Meeting minutes.  Motion carried.

CITIZENS WISHING TO BE HEARD

                Jason Knox of 305 N. Main Street explained that he is very concerned about the Footville Contract since the Chief resigned.  Knox further explained that he would like to rectify the contract so the Village doesn’t lose a third officer.

                Knox also asked when the job postings will be placed on WileNet.

UNFINISHED BUSINESS

                Street Closure Request.  Angel Garcia-Jimenez was present to request a portion of E. Spring Street be closed for a  Cinco de Mayo event on March 7th.  Garcia-Jimenez explained that he would like the event to run from 10:00 a.m. through 10:00 p.m. and to allow two hours after close for clean up.  President Phillips explained that they would like to close the section from Highway 213 to N. Wright Street.  President Phillips further explained that N. Wright Street would remain open.  President Phillips  explained that Fire Chief Wright was fine with the closure.  Garcia-Jimenez explained that he would fence off the area, have one entrance, and have wrist bracelets available for those that are able to drink alcohol.   Interim Chief Burdick suggested that the Village allow 24 hour parking in the Municipal Parking Lot by the Fire Department for the event.    President Phillips explained that it is 24 hour parking now due to the construction on N. Center Street.   President Phillips further explained that the row of parking along the Fire Station needs to be open for the fire department.  Schmidt explained that the parking lot at the Village Hall is available for overflow parking.  Garcia-Jimenez asked that the Village share his event so everyone knows it is open to the public.  Motion by Gerber, seconded by Suiter-Meyers to approve Angel Garcia-Jimenez’s request to close E. Spring Street from Highway 213 to N. Wright Street from 10:00 a.m. to Midnight on Saturday, May 7th for a Cinco de Mayo event at Taqueria Guzman.  Motion carried.   Clerk Waege explained that Garcia-Jimenez will have to come back to the Regular Board Meting on April 25, 2022 to get outside consumption approved if they are going to be selling fermented beverages.

NEW BUSINESS

                Pay Request #1 for the 2022 Street & Utility Project.  Nick Bubolz from Town & Country Engineering was present to explain the pay request.  Bubolz explained that the project is going well.   Bubolz further explained that they did run into some soft areas near Church Street which will have to be dug out and replaced.  Bubolz further explained that there is contingency money for unexpected repairs.  Motion by Tuffree, seconded by Schmidt to approve Pay Request #1 for the Street & Utility Project for $92,652.08.  Motion carried.

                Request to offer meetings via Zoom.   Knox explained that he would like to table it as he is getting information from other municipalities.    Tuffree explained that she checked the websites of the area municipalities and learned that Footville and Milton allow dial in only for meetings;  Evansville offers Google-live only, Beloit offers YouTube & TV, Janesville offers JATV coverage with video, Brodhead offers GoTo Meeting-live only;  and the following Towns do not offer anything-Spring Valley, Town of Beloit, Town of Janesville, Town of Plymouth, Town of Magnolia, Town of Fulton, Town of Union, and Town of Avon. 

                Tuffree explained that she is not against offering the Zoom option; however, she wants everyone to understand it.   Tuffree further explained that the Village purchased a laptop and a cheap microphone, using Covid funds, to deal with village board member absences during Covid.   Tuffree further explained that each person has to be heard, so each board member would have to have their own microphone.   Tuffree further added that the Village would need a dial up service and a video camera if the video option was offered.  Tuffree explained that the Village does not have any of the equipment.  Tuffree further explained that there is nothing in the budget to purchase the equipment. 

                Tuffree explained that meetings that utilize YouTube or Social Media for video coverage would require space on the Village server.  Tuffree further added that posting the videos on YouTube of Social Media poses a control risk and the risk of the content being taken down without the ability to save the meeting.   Tuffree further added that most offer the dial in for streaming during the meeting, and that there is no playback option.  Tuffree explained that she does technology for a living and that she wanted everyone to know what is required.

                Knox explained that Rock County does offer live and Youtube, and that he would prefer the meetings be posted on YouTube.

                Gerber explained that the Zoom option could be popular now and than have no interest after all of the money has been spent.   Knox would rather have the Youtube option with a backup.   Gerber asked if it was worth the cost if interest was low.

                Myers-Alstat asked if the Village offered it during covid.  Tuffree explained that it was only offered to the Village Board.  Gerber explained that the school board had it and nobody listened.  Suiter-Meyers explained that the school did offer it during covid and it was mostly teachers that used it.  Knox explained that he knows that several people listened to school board meetings.  Suiter-Meyers further explained that the school stopped doing it a few months ago.

                President Phillips explained that the content would have to be saved to the Cloud as the existing server has to host police video and camera footage,

                Tuffree reminded those present that the existing equipment is not enough.  Suiter-Meyers explained that there is the challenge of feedback in the room that could interfere with the recording.  Knox explained that the videos that members of the crowd at board meetings have taken have been pretty good.

                Tuffree suggested that the Village bring it up at budget time for 2023. 

                President Phillips advised the board that we should get better numbers before we take action.

                No action was taken.

                Amend Resolution R-2021-18 Election Board.   Clerk Waege explained that Tory Baars and Darla Grenawalt approached her after the last board meeting to volunteer to work elections for the Village.  Motion by Gerber, seconded by Schmidt to amend Resolution R-2021-18 to add Tory Baars and Darla Grenawalt to the Election Board.  Motion carried.

DEPARTMENT HEAD REPORTS

                Motion by Gerber, seconded by Tuffree to approve the Department Head Reports.  Motion carried.

VOUCHERS

                Motion by Tuffree, seconded by Schmidt to approve the vouchers for $54,698.06, check range 34303-34337.  Motion carried.

ADJOURN

                Before adjournment, President Phillips thanked Terry Gerber and Tina Suiter-Meyers for serving the Village.

                Gerber thanked the Village for allowing him to be a board member as it has been a privilege.  Gerber explained that we have made a lot of tough decisions with more to be made.  Gerber explained that the board has worked hard and it has not been for one group but for what is best for everybody.  Gerber further explained that things started during the ATV discussion.    Gerber explained that it was questioned by the board which then lead to being called stupid and idiots on Facebook, and were also told they would be voted off.  Gerber added that the ATV’s were allowed, it has gone well, and it was done for the whole village not just one group.

                Gerber added that board members are still being called dumb on Facebook.  Gerber reminded those present that the Chief resigned, nobody fired him.  Gerber explained that it is the Village Boards responsibility to oversee Department Heads to make sure that they are following the laws that are set forth in the Village, and that if they are just left to run wild with whatever they want to in the village, chaos is created.   

                Gerber explained that the Board is being told they have done things wrong, but those saying it have not attended meetings until after the Chief resigned.    Gerber felt that it is unfair as we are here throughout the month and nobody has been here.  Gerber felt criticizing one problem has brought people in.   Gerber addressed Mr. Giddley for saying “this damn board let Nate Olson go” at a previous meeting and advised Mr. Giddley that some of the people on the board do not know who Nate Olson was and it is not the same board that served at that time. 

                Gerber closed by stating the following:  “Nick runs a hell of a Public Works Department, Sarah thank you for everything you do for the library-you do a hell of a job. Board members it has been a privilege to work with you all this time, we don’t always agree with every decision that goes on, we don’t’ have too which is why this is a great  place.  Majority rules, and we can still get along, that is the great thing about this Country.  We have a great President who is doing what is best for this village.  There are some people that got butt hurt because the Chief resigned, now you want us to spend more money to run a recall election because you want to cancel the President because he is doing his job.  That is the bad part.    If you are going to fund the election, then great.  If you are going to make us fund the election, that is bad use of money.  I will  say that again, that is bad use of money.   This gal right here, there is a lot of accusations  about these two, that are unfair and unwarranted.  This is the best damn clerk we have and I would put her up against anybody.   She does her job and has been here a lot of years.   A lot of people just want to cancel because the Chief resigned.    We all were shocked, but I wanted to say my piece.  Thank you very much, I am still living in this village, I am not moving away, and I will probably be back some day. “

                The Village Board thanked Gerber for his service to the community,

                Motion by Tuffree, seconded by Schmidt to adjourn at 7:27 p.m.  Motion carried.

                                                                                                                                                Submitted by,

                                                                                                                                                Gary Phillips-Village President

                                                                                                                                                Sherri Waege-Village Clerk