Spring has come and summer is expected shortly.
To that end, the Stanley Common Council approved several summer event applications at the Monday, May 4 council meeting, held at 7 p.m. in city hall.
Mayor Ben Wald presided over the meeting, officially taking the role of former mayor Mike Henke. Included in the night’s meeting agenda were several items, with the consent agenda including seasonal events and operator licenses.
As for events in consent, the agenda included Bonnie Weber’s Yee Haw Fun Shows, for May 15 to Oct. 11, the annual truck and tractor pull on June 12, and a special event permit for the STPR Rodeo, coming this year June 19 and 20. Event applications for each included a variance on time for leaving Chapman Park, the events stretching into the evening.
Also included in consent approvals was the Stanley Lions Watermelon Fest, scheduled to take place July 26 this year.
Council member Jason Meyer pulled the Yee Haw Fun Show for further discussion, with the council later approving all items on the agenda. Yee Haw Fun Show was pulled for questions related to use of the rodeo grounds, with interim clerk Maggie Wurst saying Weber had consulted the Rodeo and questions were being worked out.
Also in consent but separate from events were permit and operator license approvals from outside events included a one year issuance for Harley Burke to expire June 30, 2026 and a two year license for Dakota Phelps, due to expire June 30, 2027.
Also from Monday council, several items were moved forward from committee of the whole. The council discussed payments totaling more than $192,000 to the State of Wisconsin Department of CHIPPEWA County Housing Authority for redevelopment bond debt service. In addition, the council approved more than $649,000 in accounts payable checks covering expenditures across the general fund, utility funds, wastewater operations, and debt service obligations.
Payments included in accounts payable included $291,076.58 from the general fund, $636.98 from the library fund, $97,97,510.73 from the water fund, $12,076.02 from the wastewater fund, and $248,070.09 from CDBG-RLF account. The city has moved to attempt more transparency, including debt service with principal and interest in the breakdown.
These numbers, included as part of accounts payable, are $300,772.88 for principal and $97,883.88 for interest, respectively.
Council members meanwhile also approved a contract amendment connected to Well 11 involving CBS2, following recommendations from the Public Works, Streets, and Grounds Committee and earlier discussion in Committee of the Whole. The council ultimately tabled the matter of crossover connection control quotes while approving concrete repair projects by Everlast Rehab on city manholes for $39,500, as well as a quote from ESS brothers and Sons for $12,540 to seal Maple Street manhole covers as recommended by the Public Works, Streets, and Grounds Committee.
The council additionally approved several revisions to internal banking access and financial controls, allowing /Finance Chair Keith Samuelson to approve payroll in the event of mayor or clerk unavailability, as recommended by the Personnel Committee.
In personnel news, meanwhile, the council approved the hiring of Carter Weltzin and Jayden McKnight as seasonal employees in the public works department as recommended by the Personnel Committee, with a pay rate of $14 per hour. Weltzin is in school and and will start May 26 while McKnight will start May 11.
Other personnel and administrative matters meanwhile also surfaced during the meeting. The council approved a revised public office hours schedule for City Hall that would remain in place from May 5 through July 2, with city hall closing at 1 p.m. on Mondays and Wednesdays under the temporary revised hours, as recommended by the Personnel Committee. The change is being made to allow uninterrupted time for needed tasks with one person in the office, as well as helping with training. See the ad inside this issue for office help.
Also from Monday meanwhile, the council approved adding Mayor Wald and Interim Clerk/Treasurer Maggie Wurst access to all City of Stanley checking, savings, CD, and trust account as well as having online banking access as recommended by the Finance Committee. The council also voted to permit Henke, Finance Committee Chair Keith Samuelson and other designated officials continued access to city financial accounts and banking tools.
Closing the Monday meeting, the council brought forward closed session regarding employee pay, approving a pay increase to $18 per hour for Greg Steinke and Roy Fredrickson, effective May 17.
City of Stanley council meetings are held on the first and third Monday of each month at 7 p.m. in city hall. The public is invited and welcome to attend.