Digger Don’s Towing is the new owner of a retired Soldiers Grove Fire Department truck. Digger Don’s provided the highest of four bids received at the Soldiers Grove Village Board meeting on Thursday, March 6 with a bid of $1,552.
The money will be placed in a savings bond for the fire department, according to Soldiers Grove Village President Laurel Hestetune.
Room tax payments to the Soldiers Grove Community Development Corporation are lagging, according to Vicki Campbell.
“We have not received anything for the third or fourth quarter of 2013,” Campbell stated.
Campbell asked if the village could notify room-tax payers and was informed by village clerk Tammy Kepler that notices had been sent for delinquent payments. Kepler also said the notices were a regular item she sent out to remind the hotel and bed and breakfasts that the tax was due.
The CDC finalized a $30,000 loan to the Driftless Brewing Company, according to Campbell. That brings their outstanding loan total on two loans to $36,961.14.
Driftless Brewing Company will have 24 months of interest payments only and then will pay $500 per month with the loan coming due in full in 2020, Campbell informed the board.
The CDC currently has $76,889.90 invested in a money market account with an additional $804.40 available in checking.
A mistake in changing sewer fees last year resulted in a few people being overcharged and more being undercharged, according to Kepler. Kepler recommending paying the overcharged residents and then spreading payments for those undercharged over several months.
“I thought the easiest way for people to pay would be if it was spread out over time instead of one bill, so it doesn’t make things difficult for anyone,” Kepler said.
“Why not let them decide if they want to pay all at once or in payments,” suggested trustee Shayne Chapman.
“We could send them a letter, giving them an option to come in for an explanation and to choose how they want to take care of it,” concurred trustee Jim Helgerson.
The board agreed to have Kepler notify those affected and leave the option of a single payment or installments up to them.
The board addressed a question from Campbell about electricity being used at the park gazebo. Campbell noted that she had seen a semi-tractor plugging into the gazebo outlet and asked why it had not been shut off for the winter.
The village was asked before the semi-owner used the outlet, according to Hestetune, who said they were paying for their use.
In other business, the Soldiers Grove Village Board:
• approved the minutes of the February 7, 2014 board meeting;
• approved all regular monthly bills for payment;
• approved a final Christmas party bill for the Fire Department, for which the village will be reimbursed;
• approved the bid from Tractor Central for a lawn tractor for $8,976.50;
• received an initial estimate of $720 for the tower and $283 for cement and pouring to replace the campground dump station rinse out/riser hose;
• received an initial estimate of $7,000 - $9,500 to have the pump for Well #2 pulled with any repairs/renovation costs unknown until it has been pulled and inspected;
• approved Kepler attending the League of Wisconsin Municipalities Insurance Policy Holder Conference on April 10 and 11; and
• set the Spring Clean-up date for April 26, with the following week as a backup date if the waste disposal company cannot accommodate that day.
