The Stanley Common Council met Monday, Nov. 3 after 7 p.m. in the city hall.
On the night’s agenda were several items, including meeting minutes, construction and road project pay approvals, a certified survey map approval, and the reinstatement of Third Ward Alderperson Keith Samuelson.
“He thought he was going to be offered a job,” Mayor Mike Henke said of the reason for Samuelson’s earlier resignation, with reinstatement contained in the consent agenda. Samuelson was among applicants to the water operator job and had resigned after the Oct. 6 regular council meeting, in which the council voted to offer the job at $25 per hour, a vote Samuelson abstained from.
As for council business from Nov. 3, the council discussed the wage as advertised for the water operator position, applications closing Nov. 10.
“Just because it says $25 per hour doesn’t mean that’s all you’ll ever make,” Alderperson Aaron Dickson shared, with others present from the public sharing that they thought $25 per hour wasn’t enough, given the skill set that was required.
Countering this point it was shared by others that Neillsville was posting for a water operator at $18.83 per hour while Chippewa Falls was $27 per hour. The position was one to work into that required training, with pay increases coming as progress was made.
Also from Nov. 3, the city administrator’s report was accepted with motion made by Alderperson Mark Fitzsimmons and seconded by Theresa Metzger to approve the city administrator’s bimonthly report.
The council also moved to approve five separate pay applications, including one to Haas Sons in the amount of $929,856.96 for Payment 3 of the Maple Street Reconstruction Project, the motion by Fitzsimmons, seconded by Alderperson Laurie Foster. Also included in approvals was an application in the amount of $417,168.75 for Payment 1 of the West Business Park Road project (motion Fitzsimmons, second Theresa Metzger), one to Haas Sons of $1,164,395.53 for Payment 4 of the Maple Street Reconstruction (motion Fitzsimmons, second Foster), and one to Haas Sons in the amount of $207,642.45 for Payment 2 of the the West Business Park Road Project, the motion by Fitzsimmons seconded by Alderperson Theresa Metzger. Recommendation for approval of the four pay applications was made by CBS Squared.
A fifth pay request was approved Nov. 3 as well, totaling $334,107.36 to Hoeft Builders for Payment 3 of the D.R. Moon Library Project, as recommended by River Architects. Motion to approve the library project pay request was made by Fitzsimmons and seconded by Ben Wald.
Approved as well Nov. 3 were a well 8 rehab proposal from Water Well Solutions, as recommended by Committee of the Whole (motion Fitzsimmons, second Foster) several resolutions related to the water and wastewater utility budgets (both separate from the main city budget), a certified survey map, and bills payable in the amount of $3,272,143.59 (motion Fitzsimmons, second Metzger). Last in the council update from Nov. 3 is the approval of a proposal to start the process of soliciting applications for a 2026 campground attendant (motion Foster, second Wald).
The meeting was then adjourned.