Meeting Wednesday July 10 at 6:00 p.m. in the Village Hall, the Gilman Village Board covered mostly routine business, with Trustee Russell Baker asked to continue working on the Township of Aurora agreement regarding Gilman Drive and Babit Avenue, but with no board action taken. No ordinance changes are made, and no action was taken on the annual Capacity Management Operation Maintenance (CMOM) review.

Updating the Board with the President’s Report, Village President Jane DeStaercke said she and Village Clerk Candice Grunseth had watched the video on developing a comprehensive plan and voiced the importance to do so with the interest of Gilman in mind. DeStaercke also stated that she had signed the LRIP paper for the village to be set to receive funds for future road improvements, sending out a huge thank you to Public Works Director Dave Kroeplin and staff for their help with the preparation and clean- up related to June Dairy Days.

“Without their help we might not have been able to prepare,” she said. DeStaercke noted that the Lions Club and Community Betterment Association were in need of more active members.

“Thanks again Dave and Grady,” she said of public works.

Writing in the Clerk’s Report, meanwhile, Village Clerk Grunseth shared an update on the visit to Mellen by the Development/Design Wisconsin group. The meeting had gone well, showing intergovernmental cooperation between county, village, and township at Mellen. Grunseth said they were hoping to get Design Wisconsin back in operation at Gilman and that she would keep everyone updated. Liquor licenses had been hand delivered to area businesses and Grunseth had also completed insurance renewal paperwork for the League of Wisconsin Municipalities.

Also included on the regular board agenda, the current Leased Land Agreement with Larry Romanowski was approved for another five years, with Romanowski renting 15 acres of cropland at a cost of $100 per acre per year through 2029.

Plan Commission

Called to order by Dee Bornheimer June 13 at 6:00 p.m., the Plan Commission heard from Northwest Regional Planning Commission (NWRPC) Representative Sheldon Johnson on the work of updating the Village’s Comprehensive Plan. With the last approval from the board in 2009, the once in 10 year Comp Plan is currently overdue for a review. With this in mind, Sheldon told Commission members the old plan had outdated data and suggested working with law enforcement and public works for utility information. He also said a colleague was working on the County Hazard Mitigation Plan and that information could be pulled from this.

Overall, Sheldon advised Commission members that they review the current Smart Growth plan and start putting together new goals and objectives to go with this. With public engagement meetings still to come, the Plan Commission meets July 24 to continue work on the Comp Plan.

Finance Committee

Called to order July 8 at 2:30 p.m., the Finance Committee heard from Eric Davidson of Bauman on the 2023 audit report. Among report highlights Davidson discussed operating revenues and said that with the increase in water these were doing better. There was also discussion on the need for a possible budget amendment this years and how it would affect 2025 Expenditure Restraint.

Having heard the audit, the Finance Committee reviewed and signed vouchers for the July 10 village Board meeting, with Grunseth noting bills for MSA with the finalization of the TID district creation. Bills from American Asphalt and On The Edge related to Fourth Avenue were also addressed. Grunseth discussed looking into a grant for facades, signs, and events on Main Street as a way to move the community forward, citing Rib Lake and their development page as an example.

As for water accounts, there were 15 accounts with over $50 past due from March, the present quarter’s billings due July 17.

The Water and Sewer budgets for 2024 were reviewed, with sewer at 54.46 percent for income and 47.67 percent for expenses, deemed better than 2023. The Water budget is at 73.467 percent for income and 41.05 percent for expenses, also deemed to be good.

The next Finance Committee meeting will be August 12 at 3:00 p.m.

Improvement and Services Committee

Meeting Monday July 8 at 5:30 p.m., the Improvement and Services Committee heard estimates for chip sealing 8th Avenue, Pauline and Delos Streets, the total coming to $13,646. This constitutes just under half of the remaining streets construction budget of $30,978.

Also in Improvements and Services, Chuck and Virginia Webster had contacted Committee Chair Russell Baker regarding Trucker Lane, stating that they were promised almost 50 to 55 years ago that it would be blacktopped since they had given Webster Lane to the Village. Baker stated from his last time on the board that with one village resident on the road and three homes total it had not proven feasible to blacktop the road for the estimated $70,000 that it would have cost. No agreement was known about but Baker will check up with past village clerk Darrell Romig, who it was thought might know something.

Baker also discussed agreements with the Towns of Aurora and Ford. The  agreement with Ford split responsibility for Trucker Lane, the village responsible for that part west of the bridge. The agreement with Aurora had the village responsible for Gilman Drive while Aurora was in charge of Babit Avenue. Discussion of sidewalks and what was reimbursed was also made, but with no estimates to be sought at this time. The next meeting is not scheduled at this time.

Parks and Recreation Committee

Chairperson Cheryl Rosemeyer called the meeting to order July 8 at 6:00 p.m. The phone controlled scoreboard had reportedly gone fine for June Dairy Days, some concern voiced prior to the event being that people wouldn’t want to use their phones and data.

No update was given on the snowmobile trail, the next meeting being scheduled for October.

Discussion was made of the wood on the walking bridge, with Board Chair Dee Bornheimer stating she and her husband had been looking at some wood for the project that would cost $3,000, asking what the budget was. Grunseth replied there was $1,800 in the park budget and $750 in the campground budget.

Also discussed in Parks and Recreation, the prospect of cleaning up the Boy Scout cabin and getting it updated was discussed by Liz Schmitt, the idea of a screened window and door being raised. Schmitt said she would talk with Fred Romig of the Boy Scouts to see if they had anything for the door.

Also discussed by Schmitt and the Committee was having a Facebook page specific to the campground, such a page serving as a way to showcase the area and get work on how nice it is.

The next Parks and Recreation meeting is scheduled for August 12 at 6:00 p.m.