The Withee Village Board held their regular meeting on Monday August 11, 2025.
Before the Financial Statements were approved, trustee Nancy Amacher asked questions about a couple of income items. The liquor license was for IGYS. The Video Fees Aid is aid that the village receives from the Wisconsin Department of Revenue in place of money no longer received from cable provider fees. The village still gets a quarterly franchise fee. Payment of bills was approved with Clerk Ellen Niemi noting that the fire dues in the amount of $1,672.78 is an in and out item that is received from the state and then paid to the Fire District. It was also noted that the bill from the town of Longwood was for the gravel base on Hixwood Road and did not include the gravel.
Under the Payroll Report, Village President Larry Klabon asked a question about vacation hours. Clerk Niemi said they are based on anniversary date of hire. Her date is June and DPW Derek Schad’s is March.
During Community Input, Trustee Bill Kroeplin said he had been asked by a resident about whether solicitors could knock on doors in the village. Clerk Niemi did not think there was an ordinance prohibiting it, although they should probably register at the village hall so if someone calls with questions, the village is aware of them being in town and that they are legitimate. Clerk Niemi will check into this further.
Under the Public Works report, DPW Schad said that he had sold the 1992 dump truck as is for $2,525. He had to replace the battery so it would run. He also said that ditch mowing had been done.
They went on to a discussion of a potential sewer rate increase. The General Fund currently subsidizes the sewer. The auditors were surprised by this. Clerk Niemi said it can’t continue as the General Fund cannot afford to continue the practice and the sewer should be supporting itself. Niemi said it has been going on for at least 10 years. Owen’s increases have been covered by Withee increasing fees in the past but nothing is built in the budget for Withee to have money for repairs, etc. DPW Schad said the average transferred from the General Fund to the Sewer Fund has been $25,000 per year. Wes Hoem from the Great Lakes Community Action Partnership did an analysis of sewer rates and how various rates would increase revenue. He will be asked to attend the next meeting to answer questions. Schad said they can do a large increase to start and then do smaller increases going forward. Clerk Niemi talked about doing a 25 percent increase to the meter charge and a 28 percent increase to the volume charge. For someone who uses 1,000 gallons of water per month, this would increase their bill by approximately $76.56 per year. Klabon felt they might as well do the large increase at this time and get the sticker shock over with. The issue will be on the next agenda for more discussion and approval.
The board also approved allowing Niemi and Schad to purchase safety items, yet to be decided, with a $600 LWMMI Safety Grant.