Aztalan Town Board covers variety of topics at meeting

By Rachel Primmer for the Daily Times
Monday, May 14, 2007 12:29 PM CDT

TOWN OF AZTALAN - A group of new faces has joined the crowd of regulars participating in the monthly town of Aztalan meetings. The nearly two-hour May meeting included discussion between residents and the town board concerning employment issues, safety issues with parking on Junction Road, roadwork and everything in between.

Following the approval of the clerk and treasurer reports, Troy Klecker provided the board with a report from the Plan Commission. The commission reviewed and recommended certified surveys, amendments to zoning, variances and acreage splits at the last meeting. The commission is also looking for all of the maps that used to hang on the walls of the town hall, including those that depict the bypass, the fire districts and the school districts.

The commission will be meeting with Vandewalle and Associates on either June 12 or June 5 to discuss options for the land development plan. Klecker requested that as many of the board members as possible attend that meeting and also asked that at least one board member attend the land development grant steering committee meetings that are taking place on the first Wednesday of each month at the extension building.

The public questions and comments kicked off the discussion end of the meeting with observations from Mike Burow, the District 12 County Supervisor. Burow informed the board that a free immunization clinic for children ages 11-18 will take place on Tuesday, from 4-6 p.m. at the health clinic on Annex Road in Jefferson. Thursday the Farm Preservation Committee held an open house on the Purchase of Development Rights (PDR), the first in a series of public informational meetings that are to take place. Burow will try to keep the township informed of upcoming PDR meetings and will ask that notices of upcoming meetings be sent to townships within the county.

Resident Randy Schoepen questioned the follow-through of items discussed at the annual meeting, including the accountability of the town employee, the highway budget and the road project list. “I understand that by law there's nothing binding the town to follow the recommendation or motions that were made there, but I certainly would assume that it would carry some weight.”

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Town chairman Gene Olson addressed the issues, explaining that town employees are now required to fill out time sheets and that they are working on the electrical issues with the time clock. Olson also clarified sick pay and stated that the full-time employee will receive 12 sick days a year and that unused sick days can be accrued, not to exceed 60 days in five years. In addition, the employee handbook is being reviewed and will be revised. Both the existing and the newly revised handbooks will be made available for the public to view.

Town supervisor Dave Kuhl presented residents with more information pertaining to the code of ethics and his employment with the Jefferson County Highway Department, following his contact with the Wisconsin Towns Association. According to the paperwork read by Kuhl, “The local ethics code does apply to a local official participating in matters affecting another local unit of government with which the official is associated in either an elected or employed capacity.”

Olson too, did his homework with the Wisconsin Towns Association, pertaining to the code of ethics and his employment with Napa Auto Parts. Olson's restrictions are different, however, in lieu of the fact that his salary is affected by a sale-commissioned bonus. Olson read, “It is the board's decision to purchase items such as this, so it is an advisory vote only. The chairman already contacted the office regarding this and we told him he should abstain from voting when there is a decision to be made concerning purchased items from Napa. We also stated that the town should not purchase more than $15,000 worth of goods at Napa because according to the Wisconsin State Statute 946.13, spending more than that at any business that the chairman is affiliated with could be considered as a felony.”

The procedure for items to be placed on the agenda was brought up by town resident Dennis Stilling. Olson assured the audience that requests for items to be placed on the agenda could be made by both the supervisors and by the chairman, but that the chairman would make final approvals.

Kuhl presented residents with the option of having state Rep. Andy Jorgensen visit the town of Aztalan for a question and answer session. It was agreed that, upon the requested time frame from Jorgensen, the meeting will be allowed to take place at the town hall on Friday from 9-9:30 a.m.

The board was asked to clarify the amount of town money held in certificates of deposit (CD's). The town currently owns two CD's that will mature in the first half of 2007, one that matured on May 7 in the amount of $66,680.25 and one that will mature on June 4 in the amount of $80,832.76. These CD's were set aside with money to cover EMS and fire expenses with the original Johnson Creek organization and $8,129.21 of one was set aside to repair Marabehl Lane. The town has two additional certificates, in the amount of $30,000 each that will mature in the second half of 2007, one on July 11 and one on Oct. 9. The latter money was set aside to earn more interest for the town.

According to Olson, the town will have an additional $127,564.86 in income that needs to be applied to something in the near future. Options for this money could include payment for part-time employees, equipment maintenance and replacement and/or additional roadwork. This item of business will be place on the June agenda.

As the board moved on to new business, a preliminary review for certified survey was approved for Pete Thomsen. Thomsen is splitting off an A-1, one-acre lot, at N5659 Popp Road. A petition to amend the zoning ordinance and a preliminary review for certified survey for Mike Kleinsteiber was also approved. Kleinsteiber is rezoning a one-acre split from A-1 to A-3 at N5327 Popp Road.

A petition for a variance was approved for Chwala-T acres at N5411 Dewey Road. Permission was granted, by the town, for Chwala to place a manure storage center closer than the 350 feet from the lot line, as required by regulation.

The board also approved a Jefferson County resolution for limiting phosphorus in lawn fertilizers, at the town level. The resolution is being presented to all the townships in Jefferson County and only shows support of future regulation. A memorandum from the Land and Water Conservation Department to the County Board of Supervisors stated, “Our waterways suffer from excess phosphorus loadings as evidenced by noxious weed and algae growth, and decreases in water clarity. Lawn fertilizer is one of many sources of phosphorus runoff pollution.”

After a considerable amount of discussion about safety issues and no-parking signs on Junction Road, it was decided to leave well enough alone. The board took no action and no further action is planned at this time.

Town supervisor Jim Frohmader has been assisting the town as a part-time employee, but according to statutes he can earn no more than $5,000. The board reviewed an application from and approved the employment of town resident Aubrey Weber as part-time, seasonal help for mowing.

Bartender licenses for the Aztalan Cycle Club were approved for Sharlene Gleisner of Jefferson, Dave Lange of Fort Atkinson, Ronald J. Blazek of Waukesha and Mark Schmidt of Fort Atkinson. The four earned their certification from various institutions, including learn2 serve.com, MATC and Waukesha WCTI.

In old business, four road bids were opened and action was tabled until next month. The board will review the bids, make comparisons and will recommend the contracts to either the Jefferson County Highway Department, Scott Construction, Fahrner Asphalt Sealers or BR Amon and Sons. While the board did not orally reveal the proposed bids, copies of the bids were made available to the public.

Eleven roads in the town of Aztalan are next in line for work in 2007. First on the list is the final mile of Popp Road. Following in order of importance for wedging, seal coating and possible ditch work, are Siegmann Road, Onahill Lane, Olszewski Lane, Vogel Road, Ann Street, Lee Street, Bradley Court, Harold Street, Masche Court and Urban Drive.