The city of Stanley is looking to borrow $8 million, pending a council meeting in October. The proposed amount comes as the Federal Reserve recently announced a rate hike and will allow the city to pay and roll over $4 million borrowed earlier this year while also paying for the central water treatment plant and $500,000 for the library as it awaits outside reimbursement on city projects.
On the night’s agenda as well were three closed sessions, a routine audit, and several consent agenda items.
As to the regular audit, Baker Tilly gave the city a clean audit opinion, noting segregation of duties among items for improvement.
As to closed session items, results were many. Council members voted to move forward with the city law firm’s recommendation on a separate forensic audit, ordered last year amidst staff turnover. The council then voted to name Maggie Wurst as Clerk/Treasurer at a wage of $25 per hour.
A second closed session saw the council vote to credit SEI with $153,249.15 for industrial billing over four quarterly bills.
Results from a third closed session saw council members vote to deduct 10 percent per paycheck from the WRS pay of an unnamed “affected employee” until all funds were recovered.
Listed among items on the approved consent agenda meanwhile was an operator’s license for Jayme Yates through June 30, 2027, and authorization for Clerk Maggie Wurst to attend Clark County election training.
Also included was a consideration to hire Nicholas Leech for the Stanley Fire Department, which was approved, as well as authorization for Officer Andrew Straszkowski to attend a 40-hour Advanced Fire Investigation course at Milwaukee Area Technical College Oct. 19-23. The Chippewa Fire District agreed to cover tuition, materials, testing fees, books, parking and housing up to $1,500, leaving Stanley responsible for wages and transportation.
Closing out approved consent items, the third annual Candy Crawl put on by the Stanley Chamber will take place on Friday, Oct. 30 from 5 to 7 p.m. Traditional trick-or-treat hours will be held in Stanley on Saturday, Oct. 31 from 5 to 7 p.m., preceded that same day by the Sixth Annual Trunk or Treat from 9 a.m. to noon at Chapman Park, put on by the Stanley Community Association.
In other council business from Monday the council approved Application for Payment No. 11 to Market & Johnson for $625,511.13 for work on the Central Water Treatment Plant. The payment covered construction completed through Aug. 31. The original contract totaled $6.549 million, with change orders increasing the contract to approximately $6.641 million. About $5.82 million in work and stored materials had been completed through the end of August.
Council members also approved change order 43 totaled $3,965.68. while tabling change order 42 totaling $1,979.61 connected with the D.R. Moon Library project.
The tabling of change order 42 comes as the library board had sent the order back to Hoeft and was not prepared to give the council a recommendation. The city also addressed several library change orders in a special meeting Tuesday, Sept. 15, approving change orders 36 and 39 while rejecting change order 41.
Other items from Monday council meanwhile included several contracts, including an eight-year, $4,988.74 per year contract with Spillman for the Stanley Police Department’s records management system, along with a five-year one with Motorola for $21,735 related to bodycams. Stanley Police Chief Lance Weiland reported that the city’s existing Motorola Solutions contract was expiring. The department had been paying approximately $4,347 annually, with an increase expected in 2027. Under the proposed eight-year arrangement, annual increases would be limited to two percent. Weiland estimated the longer contract would save the city approximately $6,500 over the agreement’s term.
A five-year contract with the Chippewa County Humane Society meanwhile was also renewed, allowing the police department to partner with the organization to transport lost animals to Chippewa County.
The council meanwhile approved hiring Paige Taylor as deputy clerk/treasurer and police administrative assistant, effective Oct. 5, at a starting wage of $21.50 per hour, with an increase to $22.50 following a successful six-month review. The council also approved hiring a new member of the Stanley Fire/EMS Department.
Council members voted to temporarily reduce City Hall hours through Nov. 13, with the building closing at 1 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays. The change comes as the clerk’s office handles staffing changes and election-related responsibilities. Seasonal clerk Rebecca Couillard had submitted her resignation, with a new deputy clerk to train in.
Closing out the council update, members approved the city’s Sept. 21 accounts payable totaling $250,603.96, separate from the $625,511.13 Market & Johnson payment for the water treatment plant. The invoice register contained 112 invoices covering general city operations, utilities, library expenses and other municipal costs.