The Withee Village Board held a short budget hearing before their regular meeting on Monday, November 10. No changes were made since the budget meeting held on October 27. Revenue and expenses balance at 615,609.68, down from $634,334.72 in 2024. The water budget is $103,419.19 and the sewer budget is $20,361.00. Clerk Niemi and DPW Schad were given a 3% raise and part-time employee Dave Laabs was given a 1% raise. The library funding from the village will not be raised, nor will their rent, which hasn’t been raised since 2013.
During the regular meeting, Trustee Bill Kroeplin said the library meeting would be the following night. Trustee Nancy Amacher brought a handout prepared by Clark County Economic Development on local deer processing plants, taxidermists and sports shops. She noted that deer can be donated to River Valley Meats for processing and the meat will be given to the Owen-Withee Food Pantry.
Under the Police Report, Village President Larry Klabon said the report doesn’t contain any detail and that the police are just trying to justify their hours. Amacher said she would like to see more narrative and information on how much time the police spend at school. Kroeplin asked a question about the municipal code violations. Amacher said she would like to see numbers on types of cases even if it was only once per quarter.
For Public Works, DPW Derek Schad said that part-time employee Dave Laabs was done for the year. The hydrants have been pumped down for winter. The VFD (variable frequency drive) was fixed on Well #3. The part is under warranty but there will be a labor charge. They will still need to pull the pump but the well is doing better. Sewage is being hauled from the Withee Lift Station by truck 24/7 as the standpipe at the Wastewater Treatment Plant is being repaired.
Owen did not increase sewer rates, so the expected 3% increase was removed from Withee’s increase. Withee sewer volume rates and meter rates will increase 25% beginning January 1, 2026. For a family using 1,000 gallons per month, the rate will go from $23.84 per month to $29.04. Clerk Niemi will put something in the next water bill and with the tax bills to let residents know of the increase. The PSC will be holding a hearing on Withee’s water rate case on November 12.
The board voted to put their two 9-month CDs coming due into two 6-month CDs at Forward Bank and re-evaluate in six months.
The board also looked at where they are at in the 2025 budget. They have approximately $195,000 available for expenses for the rest of the year.