We will call to order the village board work session through June 16th at 5 p.m.
Kelly, would you please note the role?
Announcements, I have no announcements.
Discussion items, we're going to kick off with discussion regarding priorities for the 2027 budget.
Brandon.
Excellent.
Thank you so much.
Good afternoon.
Hope everyone's doing well and everyone is in chew.
Well, no, I'll be fine.
I say that by now it's kind of.
Yeah, let's do it.
Thank you.
All right, so we've mentioned a few times here about how we're going to be starting our 2027 budget process.
We wanted to put together just a quick presentation here just kind of going over some of the priorities of the 2027 budget.
The kind of a review of 2026 where taxes are spent the relationship amongst assessed value and property tax looking into 2027 and getting into some details of some high level budget impacts financial goals and objectives and next steps within here.
Presentation has put together by bill and myself, but then also the department heads and other team members were able to weigh in on this as well too.
To begin with, we can kind of take a look and review of 2026.
So if you didn't know, when you look at your local property tax bill, it is not just the villages portion that's on there.
There's other portions, including your local tech college so Madison college, the local school district to forest area school district and the county overall.
As a part of the financial transparency telling the story we like to show exactly where the levy dollars are going.
And as you can see within the pie graph or the representation, the dollar bill, the villages portion is slightly over 30% just under 31% of the total levees that's coming in compared to the school district, which is 51.4%.
The county at 14.3% and the tech college at 3.4%.
So it's just more justification for us for when we inevitably get the call saying, why is everything going on with this? Why is it go up?
Well, it's not just our local portion. There's also the school district with potential rough random impacts within there, your county, your tech college.
It's the entire picture is just more than just the local municipality.
So when you look at that, just under 31% of the villages portion, we need to ask ourselves, well, where do those tax dollars go within here?
So we can this pie graph, you can kind of see some of the overall general summaries of like police department, other public safety makes up a little over 26% fire and EMS makes up 7.6% public works 12.2.
A lot of them are pretty self explanatory, but the one that's often question or was question to me before was general government of what does general government even mean?
General government just consists more of expenses related to the village board, administration expenses, judicial expenses, legal expenses and insurance and elections as well too.
So instead of just breaking out each of those individual categories, it's kind of lumped together as a general government.
And that's what general government is. One thing that you'll notice on here is equipment replacement is pretty low at a 0.4%.
That's actually something that we're looking at a kind of a higher level of making more of a equipment replacement policy and where we can solidify a better number directly towards equipment replacement moving forward.
So on the flip side as well too, we talk about how much property tax levy we get in. However, we need to also explain to that we are the villages revenue is not just from the property tax levy, while it makes up the most amount at 66, just under 67%.
The village does receive the remaining revenue in a bunch of other fashions, other taxes that is a lump sum of payment in lieu of taxes.
So we have agreements with public utilities or tax exam properties for a payment that subsidizes what their tax payment would be within their intergovernmental charges.
Those are the sum of the town of Windsor court fees within here and then our school liaison agreement. So the school pays us directly for the services of the liaison.
So that goes towards that within their licenses and permits, some of licenses and permits that we get within here.
A lot of the other charges are kind of self explanatory within here. The only other one that is slightly can be questioned is miscellaneous income.
It comes up at just under 1%, but miscellaneous income includes the revenue gain from the rental of our facilities within here.
We have a line that is just actually miscellaneous revenue for different types of revenue that has no specific account code classification towards it.
Village budget a whole $5,000 towards that. So we like to try to recognize revenue expenses as what they actually are versus just lumping it as miscellaneous.
That would also include within their sales of equipment and donations overall.
So again, it's just a part of telling that story of the village does not just get property tax lovely within here, but we also offset it with other forms of revenue that we get in.
Okay, get the hand. I'm patient's all done. Okay.
Can I ask you a quick question? Yeah, absolutely. If you go back to slides, just to the village portion last year, there was like one segment that was listed.
If I'm remembering correctly as other that I believe Carol said accounted for like retirement of certain village employees.
Is that something that we one more slide on the expenses? Yeah.
Like, is that something? How do we project out for that in our budget?
And maybe it might you just have to fall back, but I wasn't sure if, you know, maybe those were expenses that were just captured last year or, you know, as we have employees who are retiring.
So what we do is we transfer percentage after the end year into the future benefits fund, and then we go up to, I think, $300,000 rings about to be.
But there's a limit that we go up to to fully move that.
What we do is what we do is that take a look at how close our our employees are to retirement and make an assessment off of that.
And so the finance takes care of that and provides us with the number to transfer at the end of every year.
So whatever surplus we run, and then if there is ever a deficit, which we have not run into,
you know, we would consider cutting back from that particular year or at the direction of the board.
Maybe, you know, take a look at fund balance to try to balance that out, but we haven't had that instance here.
I too had a question on this page.
Remind me, Brandon, what goes, what expenses are in debt service?
Yeah, so the debt service is the total amount of the principal and interest payments at the make on to our debt.
This year, I'll get into it in a much later slide as well to our debt service actually spiked up this year compared to other years.
The reason for that is because the village projects out balloon payments for debt.
So in 2026, it was budgeted for a little over a million dollar in bloom payment for a one year spike to get the debt levy back down to a reasonable amount for future year borrowings.
Thank you, of course.
Anyone else quick or no.
I was going to ask this later, but when I was well now.
Debt service, how much is that is projected from our tips expenditures.
In terms of like a percentage of the overall debt service.
I think break it down and see exactly what the percentage is, but I can get back to you on that.
Okay, go back to this slide. Thank you.
So each year, the village gets new assessments within its houses are within the entire village. So we have to take a look at the comparison of 2024 to 2025.
The total assessed value of the village in 2024 was just under $2.1 million.
In 2025, that new assessment came up to 2.36 million, which is a 12.88% increase overall the assessed value.
Summarizing to 270,000 of increased assessed value within here.
So when it comes to assessed value, there's formulas in the background to figure out how much your budget you're going to be allowed to increase off of that with the levy.
So it takes your allowable levy and you subtract off your personal property payments and you subtract off debt services as well.
And then you multiply it by a figure that DOR has calculated for a net new construction.
So that's 7.9% next to the budget increase of 1.2 million is the village's net new construction last year.
So that allowed the village to increase its levy capability by just under $600,000 for the levy within there for how much property taxes were allowed to levy.
So looking at 2025 compared to the 2026 budget, the expenditure budget itself increased from 12.6 million to 13.8 million, which is a $1.2 million increase.
Just under 600,000 of that was covered by the levy portion.
The remainder was covered by other offsetting revenues that we kind of classified before within there.
So when you take a look at that as well, too, we like to look at housing within here and just kind of how the impact of what that is.
So on the left side, there's the 2024 column, which we categories as a house of 200,000 300,000, et cetera down there.
You take the 2024 mill rate, which is $5.76 for the villages portion. Again, that doesn't include the school district tech college, et cetera within there.
So we come up with how much the property tax dollar was. So, for example, 200,000, the mill rate of 576 was $1,153 for that year for the general property tax.
With the new assessments in 2025, that $200,000 house was actually now valued at $200,500.
And with the municipalities new mill rate that year, which was set at $5.86, that house now had a property tax bill $1,175, $23 increase, which averages down to a 1.98% increase.
So going down, you can kind of see how each of the houses within here have kind of fared throughout normal increases.
Hey, Brandon, before you get too far ahead, can you go to the last slide, please? Absolutely.
Question on the bottom of that.
So you were saying the budget, the comparison of 2025 to 2026, the 12.6 versus 13.87 and you had broken it down and said that there's a portion of that's from the tax levy versus other revenues. Can you just repeat those figures?
Yeah, absolutely. So if you look at that slide again, the 2026 general or the expenditure budget was $13.8 million.
The 2025 budget was $12.6 million. So that difference in there is that $1,212,000, which was an overall increase of 7.9%.
That's the net new construction percentage and there's 7.9%.
And to cover that increase, the village was allowed to levy another $599,000 more within there to help cover that.
And then the other portion, which equates to another $600,000 was a mixture of the other revenues that we discussed before in there.
Got it. Thanks. Absolutely.
Yeah, Jim.
I think it's a combination of both these slides, but and the next slide, it shows the different houses and how when it gets a new bill rate, say for the next, well, it's actually getting a new assessment.
So if you wanted to keep the same tax for the individual house, you'd have to actually lower the mill rate when the assessment goes up.
Correct. And then along with that, say, even if we did that and kept it zero for for the average home, which we often talk about, it's the budget could still go up because of these, the new growth.
Correct.
The budget, the budget could still go up as the overall taxes, depending on your growth is split out between your commercial, your industrial, your residential within there.
However, all because we keep our zero doesn't mean that the school district, the tech college, any of them will keep it zero.
So we could be physically responsible ourselves. However, your local school district could pass a referendum and there's as skyrocketing anyways within there.
Could you tell me if we went back in history, say, in 2025, if we would have kept the assessment or the taxes, zero, so lowering the mill weight.
What could we have gone up in the budget and still kept zero to the average home, you know, I don't know off the top of my head. That's something I'd at the look into our bills unmuting now for a comment.
So I don't have that number either, but I want to encourage this group to think about, you know, if you cut that to zero and you balance out the rest of the numbers, then we're not going all the way up to the levy limit.
That's allowed for us. And so we lose out on that opportunity. So the next year, what we lovey, if we do, if we go up to the limit in the second year, we're then going up a certain percentage of the previous year.
And so based or leaving that on the table. And so as that continues to compound, you can, you can see that we're falling behind as in regards to our ability to go to what's allowed by state.
And the reason that's important, it's a policy decision for you to make, whether you want to maximize that and meet the levy limit or not. But ultimately, what happens is then you lose the ability to utilize that maximum allowed levy limit.
And in a situation where inflation is high or cost cost continuous high, then you would have locked yourself in. So you have to pay attention to both of that when when looking at a 0% impact on the assessment.
Also, you know, in situations where assessments may go down and haven't seen that yet, but in those situations, then you're inverse.
So just those are all things to consider as you look at financial strategy here.
Thank you. And can you clarify? You said you lose that opportunity. I'm assuming it's losing the opportunity to continue to increase the amount of taxing. Is that what you mean by that?
Yeah. So expanding your budget is what it is. Right. So say, for example, this year, we're allowed to go up 5% because of that new construction.
Our evaluation went up. I mean, our net ecosystem, one of five said 5%. We take out say 3% of that, that allowed levy limit.
The next year, when you take out, when you go up another 5%, and so you want to levy a 5%, you're only loving 5% of the 3% of your expenditure amount from last year, and so on and so forth. And so it compounds off of each other.
And so you'd never make that amount back in allowing your operational budget to expand to follow how growth is expanding within the physical setting.
And then you multiply that with impacts of markets, right? So just because you're going at 5%, and you're chasing at 5%, if the market indexes are closer to like 7%, you're losing that in percentages. Does that make sense?
It makes sense to me, but I think if I have a goal of not necessarily increasing out that much, that's not necessarily the policy I'd want.
Correct. And again, it's a policy for the village board to make, but when we look at projecting numbers and looking at forecasting and the referendum discussion,
that's what we kind of look at. And then understanding also that the net new construction calculation is based off your current equalized value.
So what you build next year is in the same amount of dollars as less in percentage than what you would have built the year prior.
And so it's working against you there too.
Okay. Thank you. Something else I'll add as well too is that, like Bill was saying, it's based off of equalized value.
And every year, getting up to a percentage of the equalized value makes it harder. So for example, let's say you're just at a flat $3 million and you went up 10% net new growth.
And now you're at $3.3 million for within there. Now to get 10% of $3.3 million is larger than 10% of $3 million within there.
So every single year you go up the ability to levy significantly gets challenging just because of how much more money you have to get a new assessed value by within there.
So the ability to take out as much as you can is definitely needed.
And also to get other revenue while the village gets 32% other revenue from everywhere else that's challenging to make up. Let's say we need another 10% on there.
Because there's not way too many other opportunities we already partner with another municipality for like Fire and EMS in there.
We can't just get more state aides to get state aides. Unfortunately, the state will only allow and only grant us so much.
We can look at very specific services and look at different ways to do it. However, just this year dollar amounts is not going to make too much of a difference in there.
So like property taxes and the way the state of Wisconsin has it is that they incentivize the net new growth within there.
So by the village just strategically going after the hat and allowing them levy capability it has it has allowed us to expand our services and resources to have a dedicated parks person and a community development director.
All these different things were like in my municipalities to come in, for example, I wore 10 different hats of community development parks HR, et cetera, all within there and being able to get all those within your funds within there just expands your ability and your services for everyone.
I just I just punched some numbers into the budget worksheet and to reduce it, Jim to a 0% impact would have to you'd have to cut about $200,000 from the budget currently.
Thank you. So we cut 200,000, but the budget still would have increased from 2025 to 2026.
That's correct. Yeah, it would have increased approximately. It looks like the expenditure is about 3.7% total.
Although fund property, total general fund property tax would increase 4.32.
Okay.
But again, it's, it's mainly the growth of our community that keeps increasing the budget. Sorry.
Yep.
Of course.
Okay. And speaking of ourselves communities, we like to try to compare ourselves to other neighboring communities.
So this graph here shows the medium home value, which are, which is given off a Zillow, where you can say exactly where you are in 2026 and forecasting on 2027, comparing ourselves across the spectrum.
So that red line shows us the exact top of where we're at of just about a $450,000 medium home value home.
And you can see that we are relatively comparative to a lot of communities cottage Grove,
Fitchburg, McFarland. And then the very last column is actually Dane County as a whole.
So within Dane County, the fair market housing value is 470,000 within here.
So again, it's showing that we're not quite a middle 10 of having $620,000 homes or a Verona or Wanaki and that we are kind of consistent with a lot of municipalities,
which also makes it a challenge as well too, because when you're wanting a resident to move to the forest, well, there's a lot of neighboring municipalities that have a same housing value as ever or else.
So it's, why should you move to the forest? So it's us allocating the funds into our park systems.
Our events are public safety are everything else that makes the forest a place to move to compared to the rest of the other communities.
So looking at those communities again as well and looking at the municipal mill rates where we're at that red line again is the top of where we're at compared to everyone else.
You'll notice at the very bottom, I also added a percentage thing. It's in there. It's called assess to equalized value ratio.
And so what that means is that when municipalities per the state rules is you have to maintain at least 10% of your equalized value.
And as soon as you dip below that, so you dip below that 90%, you have five years to go through a full reassessment.
And when you do reassess, you take the village of Oregon, want a key Windsor, for example, all your mill rates drop down then with that, because if you kept your mill rate the same, which you brought your value up all the way, well, then you'd be taking on significantly more levy and taxes than you need.
So you drop the mill rate to bring it to the exact same levy tax dollars as it was compared to when you're at 70% or 60% of your ratio.
So village right now is at 92.01%. Tom, we're still above that 10% mark.
However, kind of looking at next year in the year after, it's going to probably start that countdown of, hey, within five years, like we have to go through the entire process again.
So looking a bit further and comparing ourselves to Windsor and want a key, for example, we wanted to look at how do we compare when it comes to total revenues, expenditures, our mill rates, et cetera.
So the actual figures I want to focus on is the access, or the access or the deficiency of revenues over expenditures and the taxes collected.
So if you look at the forest, our deficiency and our taxes collected match exactly to a zero dollar figure, but Windsor and Wanna Key do not.
So in budgeting 101, you always want your budget to be zero.
So for each of those municipalities and make up their budgets, they actually utilize their fund balances to fix those.
So Windsor had put in 431,000 of fund balance expense and Wanna Key put in 504,000 of their budgets.
It's a move. It's not a recommended move as fund balance, again, is for your emergencies, your one time situations.
If any of the storms we just had here recently caused catastrophic damage and it's nothing that we had budgeted for.
Well, we have a healthy fund balance reserve to help pay for everything within them.
So generally, I mean, our budget policy, which was another attachment to all this, we like to budget to zero and not utilize our fund balance when we have to.
This slide is one that I was referencing to in a future one, especially when it came to debt service.
But again, looking at those municipalities and those expenditure groups and just kind of comparing where do we sit amongst each of them.
So again, I'll point out the debt service. We village of the forest had spiked up this year of it due to the one year balloon payment that we have within there.
If we take out the balloon payment, we're pretty comparable to Wanna Key's debt service as well too.
So just again, taking a look at those and comparing ourselves, I'll call out equipment replacement again as you can barely even see our line on there compared to the other municipalities.
So something that we want to bring up in the in the future, just to ensure that we are budgeting funds, specifically for equipment replacement.
So talking about 2027 and what are going to be some potential budget impacts as you all are known aware of, there's currently negotiations going on with the union.
That will have an update or a potential budget impact within here.
The assessment schedule, something I just touched on as well to figuring out when a assessment is going to be needed.
The next three items in there are just more of state of Wisconsin schedules reports within here.
So we'll find out what our equalized value net new construction numbers going to be around August 15th.
What our shared revenue estimates going to be September 15th.
And then that expenditure restraint program, which takes the 2% plus the consumer price index, figuring out exactly how much we're going to be allowed to increase so that we still qualify for that expenditure restraint program.
When I was kind of looking at DOR figures, that's consumer price index was hovering around 2.1 to 2.4% right now.
Compared to last year, it was like around 3, 3.5%.
So if that's a lower percentage, that means that we are unallowed or we're going to be able to increase our budget less to still qualify for that program.
So taking a look at the village's strategic plan.
This is a slide that similarly matches last year's.
But again, taking those strategic goals and objectives, we're trying to correlate them within the budget as well too, but highlighting key words.
So high quality of life, social connectedness, cool and creative events, land attraction tools.
All these things are things that your village team finance department heads.
We all think about when we come to our budgets as well too.
So if we take those, and if you remember your last board meeting, we're talking about the strategic action steps.
Well, looking at those action steps that are projected out for 2027.
These are the specific steps in there that may have a budget impact in here.
So develop a process for testing written processes and refining if needed with employee input.
So that may have some type of budget impact within the budget.
Identifying a vendor to build policies on so on and so forth.
Each one of these, we could argue that if we do this step, there's going to be some type of budget impact on that.
And then we're talking with all the department heads.
Here's kind of a summary so far of proposed budget priorities for them.
So public services.
We're looking at a full time streets position and then additional funds within their part time bucket for a new LTE position and just competitive pay.
So again, comparing ourselves to the other neighboring municipalities.
Why would somebody want to work for a parks position or a part time position in village of the forest when they can get paid more to work at Windsor or Wannakey or somewhere like that.
So public services is kind of thinking about that and wanting to allocate funds towards that to attract talent.
Community development is looking at a full time junior planner within their department.
Communication currently has a part time position in there looking to transition that to a full time position.
Recreation looking to get a part time coordinator and the library a part time library aid.
Pay adjustments as we talk about within here and what the village board decides on what a pay adjustment will be for village team members and staff.
And then we'd also be looking at a pay scale for salary team members.
And then like the mountain bike course planning, for example, that was a discussion amongst village board before and you all were passionate and wanted to see some type of budget impact on that for 2027.
And then the three items on the bottom in particular with stars, those will be coming more out of our special revenue funds versus the general fund.
And so like the tourism program and laborism, there's a resolution in tonight's work session that discusses that some more, but again, budget impacts for 2027.
I think that is the last slide so questions.
Yes.
Could you explain more what you mean by the pay scale for salary team members.
So that's what that's something that we've been exploring.
As you know, over the last couple of budgeted cycles, we've, we've done a lot to try to keep catch up on pay equity. I think we've done it for many different departments library.
Public works.
One year, we had some adjustment for some folks and finance the other year.
And that, that basically got us up to about 55% to 60% of the CCVA salary study that was conducted a couple of years back.
And so in keeping with that and understanding where we are.
Compared to other communities, our size and ending county.
Brandy, our HR general is and Gavin, our intern have been working on serving other communities to see where they are at.
Now, the idea is to put together, put that together, provide a report back to you as a board and then see if there's an opportunity.
Should the board desire to move to a step scale for employees so that we can better understand.
What future impacts would be for the for wages versus it can be decided annually.
And so what that does is it provides some certainty for staff to know that they can step up in their position and be able to achieve.
Set amounts and then for our planning purposes, we know what that means because we can take a look at each of the employees.
And what step they are and potentially what that that increase may mean.
So similar to what the state has in their steps schedule.
And I know that other communities do that.
There's not a right or wrong way to do it. It just provides more clarity and transparency.
I guess I would just state as far as my position or my field.
I do not know of a step program in the state. So you say that the state does it. It's going to be other fields, but.
I can think of it as far as I think what you're saying is what I've seen in like school districts where it's based on site different levels of education so they can continue to get.
Experience in that like education and years of experience. That's sort of what I'm picturing different graphs like that. Is that what you're getting to?
Yes, that's similar. Yeah. So you don't have grades.
Scales. I have no. Okay. The deal to you.
Yeah, any other questions?
Right.
One of the questions I had was about policies.
You had some like the maximum of 25% or something like that that you're going to have for general revenue or whatever it might have been and that you're not going to go over that.
I thought I made a note to get exact. Sorry.
But one of my questions was why wouldn't we use if we had overages in any of those areas to pay down debt service?
Overages to pay down debt service. Yeah, so that's good.
Go ahead. So, so like for example, this year when we had the balloon payment that is taking like some overages and paying down debt service within there instead of like taking out extra debt to pay that out.
Like we, the, the fund balance for like fund 400 within there actually did go down for that average or for that balloon payment. So yes, we, the village actually does do that.
Great.
Thank you. Of course. Thank you.
All right. Next presentation is regarding agenda management program. Granicus.
And that will be Kelly.
Go ahead, Jim.
So I think it was in our packet, but not necessarily presented Brandon.
There was the different policies and I wonder how we maybe want to talk about that or should I, if I have suggestions and.
Possible changes. Should I submit that to you?
Yes, Jim, you can submit it to us.
I know that you requested it to take a look at it last year. We didn't get comments from you last year.
Submit it. Okay.
We'd appreciate it.
Yep. That's just more of a review for you all. And if there's any suggestions or anything, send it over our way.
Kelly, it's your show whenever you're ready.
All right.
So we currently use on base for our agenda management program.
And as many people have experienced, we sometimes have some issues with that.
So this year we decided to move to a different.
Platform for agenda management. We will be using Granicus.
Let's see if I can get that out of the way.
And this here is, well, our change over date is scheduled for July 1st. So this will be our last village board meeting.
Besides our special meeting that we do have on the 30th that we will be using on base.
So with Granicus, this is going to be what our landing page looks like when somebody comes to look at an agenda.
The current upcoming meetings is going are going to be listed at the top.
There'll be an agenda and a packet.
I am currently still working with them on some formatting. If I click on this agenda, you can clearly see that the formatting is a little wonky.
It's all a work in progress that we're working through those things.
But if it's a past meeting, they are going to be sorted at the bottom.
Where it says previous meetings and they will be sorted by committee commission board names.
When you we've all been playing around in this, so you're going to see random meetings, but they will be organized by year.
So after 2026, you will see another tab that says 2027.
It'll make it a I feel easier for residents to find our previous.
Agendas, then how we currently have it in on base.
Another thing that members of the public will be able to do is sign up for email agendas to be sent to them.
They'll have to put their email address in here, hit submit.
Once they go through verify that there's a real address, they will be able to go through and hand pick which agendas they want mailed to them.
After those agendas are published.
So currently what we have right now is Stacy sends out a email blast, I believe on Monday to everybody that the agenda has been published.
This will allow people to get an agenda to get that email quicker and sooner when that agenda is actually published.
It is the program will do it rather than Stacy.
So we will have you see appears as previous meetings click here.
This will take you to our current on base site.
We will have that that way for a while, I believe, but then I'm looking into using our new program.
We are implementing also is laser fish looking there to have our previous agendas available to the public through that.
A portal there more to come on that.
Here is a sample of some prairie who also uses granite kiss for their.
Agendas they have you can see here they have with they have attachments.
There's a little paperclip and you can click on that item to get to the attachments.
Ours is going to be set up this way to it currently is not they are working to make those changes, but when we do go live it will be that way.
And it will publish or you can go through the packet the PDF file of the packet and.
Scroll through the whole packet if people wish.
With granite kiss.
I know now we have the agenda to go program which is an app that.
We have all had an issue with, but with granite kiss there's a program called legislate that is a web based program.
It offers those same.
Things where you will see your packet your agenda you're able to make notes bookmark things.
Mark it up how you wish so that you can be prepared for the meeting.
I will be now that I have presented this to you guys I will be setting everybody up in the program.
So you will have get an email to creative name a user name password.
And that will be your login to the website and I will email out that too.
You can just bookmark that link in your.
On your browsers.
So any questions.
A question so I'm not familiar if you have to subscribe now for the updates will the list automatically be sent over to the new program or will everybody have to go and resubscribe.
We are look to Stacy we are working to import what we have.
But people will have to go and they'll just get the village board so somebody wanted the planning and zoning email to them they would need to go and physically update their stuff for that.
Any other questions.
I'm just follow up. I'm just assuming we'll send some communication out to people to let them know. Absolutely. Yeah.
Thank you ma'am.
Perfect.
Private updates administration.
So last week we met for the first time to negotiate the union contract with the police officers.
I think that was constructive it went well. I would like to say that.
Hopefully we can get that.
Negotiation concluded earlier than normal this year so that we can have that.
In front of you and so you can understand how that looks like going into the.
Some of the budget decisions that you'll have to make later on this year.
You should have received if you subscribe to the legal Wisconsin municipalities.
An invitation to the civic connections that is their fall conference.
And so that is an apple to an October 7th through 9th. So please let me know. I'm killing off. You're interested.
We are budgeted to be able to pay for your conference costs. However, we are not budgeted for travel and lodging. So.
You are interested in that come and let me know and we can discuss further about how we can make it work for you.
Thank you Bill. Finance update Brandon.
Yeah, so 2027 budgets kicked off. We're just having some high level conversations amongst the department heads and getting their spreadsheets up and.
Coming in ready to go this today besides budget we had a meeting with quarrels.
It is a bonding and rating organization. So when we had just done our parameters resolution for the borrowing, we need to get.
Recertified or upgraded for our borrowing. So we had a high level meeting with them to go over village operations, the financials and their preliminary scorecard has us graded as a.
A one, which is their second highest tier, which means we're very low credit risk.
I was meeting with Moody's.
Moody's. Thank you. Sorry about that.
Thank you Brandon. Chief Olson, police department.
Chief, can you unmute yourself?
Yeah, thank you. Sorry about that.
Yeah, one one update last month.
Officer Jared Carfron was awarded the Dane County Chiefs of police officer of the year award for last year.
So kudos to him for his effort. And then officer Zach Blifordich, who was with him in July was received a merit award from the same group from.
Dane County Chiefs. So other than that, we're gearing up for the 4th of July already. It's hard to believe we're saying the 4th of July already, but we're gearing up for that event.
And we're looking in good shape from there. So that's it.
Thanks, chief.
I'll make sure we're subject.
Acre parkways moving along on that reconstruction project, seminal resurfacing.
We've that road is built to a different standard when it was first implemented. So we're reviewing what we might do to what we might have to do to impact the.
How that resurfacing project goes forward.
So there may be a budget implication. We're going to try to minimize that. But again, there's not a whole lot of under base base to that road at this point in time.
So that just came to light yesterday.
We had a meeting this morning with the folks doing the stream bank enhancement tracks as our contractor to do that. So they're going to be mobilizing. They're going to be doing the.
Can you launches here starting on Thursday and then ideally next week, some time starting on the stream bank enhancement project. And then finally, this last storm.
Has generated almost as much brush as the April storm. So my guys have been incredibly busy picking up sticks and brush from people's yards. They're making the ways around.
So we just asked residents to be patient. I know they've got a lot stacked out on their corners and curbs. We're getting to them as quick as we can. But there's a lot to pick up.
So just share that out if you hear from residents who are frustrated that they have been picked up and they can't mow in their front yard or whatever we're trying.
So that's it.
Community development, Alex.
Still slow on the uptake for the home reach program, although we are working through our first dump and assistance grant. So that's exciting.
And then just want to sort of foreshadow something that may be coming in a few meetings here. We've been receiving.
Not the greatest feedback on our third party code enforcement services over the last six months had some internal issues that we're working through as well. So I think we're going to have some.
Interesting challenging conversations here in the not too distant future. And if you get feedback from residents related to that, I'd appreciate you communicating that to me as well.
Thank you.
Administrative Services, Kelly.
The ballots for the August partisan primary were delivered today.
So they will be going out to mail to any voter that has an absentee application on file on Monday. And there is a copy of the ballot on our website. If you wish to see it.
And the other thing is.
We every month send out a new resident letter to all new utility customers. And we realized that we are missing residents within our community.
Mainly renters and people that.
That are not.
Don't have a utility account because their landlord pays that.
So Cindy is working on getting a list and contacting all landlords and management companies that run some of the apartment complexes to see if we.
They would pass on a letter of information that we send out to everybody else to their new residents and current residents so that they can be.
Informed on what's going on in the village, voting information and services and different events that are within the.
The community. So it's a big undertaking. No kidding.
Thank you.
Recreation and community enrichment.
The Dragon Art Fair was well attended again this year. So we had over 6,000 attendees.
It was very nice and warm for anyone that was able to come out discover Wisconsin was there filming the event and interviewed Tricia.
We got great feedback from the vendors sponsors and shoppers.
We did send out a survey to all the artists to get their feedback and will look to share the feedback once that's on compiled.
And then it was pretty exciting this year.
Epic actually sent out a buyer to shop the artists to have for their campus, which to our knowledge is the first time that's ever happened normally go to art on the square. So it's exciting to have them there.
And then like chief said, now we're kind of full had a speed for 4th of July for events.
And then over the next couple weeks of about 39 different programs starting for summer. So I'm pretty, pretty busy there as well.
Schools out and programs around.
Okay. Thanks. Communications.
Stacey Harmon.
No real update. We've just been busy getting all the information out.
Okay. Good enough.
Any other business that lawfully comes before the committee for discussion? Only anyone have anything.
Next up motion for adjournment.
I'll make a motion to adjourn.
Motion by Alicia. I'll second that second by Jan. All those in favor and keep it saying aye.
All those opposed no.
Motion carries. We are adjourned at 5.53.
See you back here for the board meeting at six.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
The storms we've had though were pretty terrible for navigating the channel of the river.
And we just haven't been able to get it as clear as we'd like.
The village does an amazing job helping us do that.
But with that many trees come down is pretty, pretty tough.
So it'll probably take us through the fall cleanup to get it back to where it was before the big storms.
The spring cleanup though we had an amazing showing.
Jeff talked to the high school.
And usually we'll get a couple youth who are doing community service time for to make amends.
This time we netted like 20, 25 honor students.
And we've had honor students and those making amends at the same time.
Which is kind of like what's that teenage movie.
Breakfast club.
Yeah.
So it's a great opportunity for them to interact and actually build some friendships while cleaning, getting muddy.
You know, clean up the river.
But a great showing from the youth.
We are really excited about that.
One of the perpetual issues we have for a need for funding is the waiters.
Because that's what protects our youth and our older folks who are cleaning the river.
And there are sticks and there's pipes and stuff like that still in the river bed.
And so we have to be really careful.
Fortunately no accidents but the waiters do suffer and they get tears and stuff like that.
And then they're not really dry at all.
They're just kind of damp.
So we also did, I don't know if you've seen this, but we put out a newsletter to a lot of the river adjacent homes into forest.
I've got copies for you guys.
You didn't get one.
We did a lot of hand delivery to save money because postage is so high.
But we are doing that as a educational part of our service.
Which helps with the grants and stuff that the village puts forth.
So a lot of promotion of the forest and the river and of keeping things clean so we can keep enjoying them.
I just think that one of the things I would follow up on with the number of participants that we had this year.
That also stresses out the resources that we have for either canoes and or waiters.
So of course the more people you want to help and you want more people.
We need to be able to supply them with gear to do the work.
We do have other donors, Fiskers donates a lot of the tools that we've had.
So we have loppers and saws and things like that.
They donate that.
That's been really helpful.
But that gets you know a tool in most of the people's hands.
But also you know one of the things is like canoes where we put the trash so that we can portage it out of the river.
So that's one of the things that we have in our budget to help with is the waiters to protect the people.
And then the canoes to help you know travel you know carry the gear carry the waste get it out of the river.
Yeah I would add too that we're just we have two chainsaws one works sometimes one works most of the time.
But they leak oil they're old gas ones and I don't want to bring in the water anymore.
Because the last thing we want to do is bring in you know oil or gas to water.
So at some point in the next year or so we're going to be looking to move to electric.
Just I've been watching them and they're getting really good.
So I much rather have people using electric near the water than the gas oil.
Cool.
Thank you gentlemen and thank you for everything you do to keep that river full and clean.
Cool.
We'll leave some some of these samples out now for you.
Brad has a question.
Yeah I initially thought the next steps of installing the pole was strange but then I thought oh it's continuous monitoring equipment.
So your hand held is just like spot checking throughout.
Yeah and they do seven to nine spots at different tributaries to the headwaters.
This is Dan Paulson he's been doing it for 15 years and they report that into the DNR system which then compiles it all to kind of look at river health and temperature.
And just all the oxygen which you know if it spikes the wrong direction you can lose your fish.
So yeah.
Jim.
Sorry I'm on the friends board so I'm trying to refrain from talking but you did say Dan Paulson Dave.
Yeah I'm going to.
Anyone else?
Okay.
Well I would take a motion for rewarding the funding to the friends of the however we were headwaters.
I'll make a motion.
Motion by Jan is there a second?
Second by Alicia.
Is there any further discussion?
All those in favor and to keep it saying aye.
Aye.
All those opposed no.
Motion carries unanimously.
Thank you.
Could you please note that I refrain from I abstained from the voting.
Oh you did.
All these got that.
I can't see over here.
Thank you gentlemen.
Old business resolution 2026 045 a resolution to vacate and discontinue a portion of cake parkway in the village of the forest Dane County Alex.
Kind of gave the shapila during the public hearing.
The only thing that I would add is that the resolution itself would not take effect until a certified survey map with the reconfigured lots and the rededicated portion of cake parkway were recorded, which I know that the development team is working through some
comments on the CSM, but that should happen.
Say within the next couple weeks.
Oh, so for the benefit of those who are online.
And I think we might have been muted for the first part.
This vacation is associated with the development along Hickory Lane for distribution facility that development has gone through its entitlement process has a certified survey map and infrastructure development agreement.
Site plan and conditional use permit associated with it.
And this resolution would vacate previously dedicated right away associated with prior development.
And then the subsequent certified survey map would rededicate that right away in a different location.
Thank you, Alex.
Brett.
Did you ever get a response from the DNR for the email you sent.
All the wetlands.
Yes, so I think I think I forwarded this along to the board in terms of their response. So we had previous correspondence from.
I don't remember his last name, but his first name was Tim.
And he was the one that this DNR staffer had deferred to in terms of them having the authoritative approval of that.
And so they just basically acknowledge that their maps were outdated and.
I doesn't sound like there's a process for them to update those, but they update on a regular schedule.
Jim, did you have a question?
No, he's just going to recommend approval the resolution 2026 043.
Thank you.
We have a five.
Pardon me glasses.
Motion to approve resolution 2026 045 as written.
Motion by Jim is a second second.
Seconded by Melanie.
Are there any public appearances on this, Kelly?
No.
Okay.
Any discussion on this?
All those who favor in the Cape are saying aye.
Aye.
All those opposed? No.
Motion carries unanimously.
Resolution 2026 046, a resolution to vacate and discontinue a portion of Montesolo drive in the village of the forest in County, Wisconsin, Alex.
Similarly for the benefit of those who missed the first overview of this, this would be a vacation.
Currently constructed roadways are different than the previous development along highway 19 heading into the Savannah Brooks neighborhood.
There's a section of Montesolo drive, which extends from 19 into that area there.
This vacation would be associated with the development of a hotel and then a sports athletic complex.
And similar to the last one, the vacation wouldn't take place until the certified survey map for those sites would be approved and recorded with the registered deeds as well.
Thank you.
Kelly, any public appearances?
Public appearances. Is there a motion on resolution 2026 046?
I'll make a motion to approve 2026 046.
Motion by Jam to approve. Is there a second? Second. Seconded by Jim.
Any further discussion? All those in favor, and a key by saying aye.
Aye.
All those opposed? No.
Motion carries unanimously.
Discussion and possible action regarding applications received for the vacant village trustee seat.
Bill Chang.
Okay, so including your packet are the applications submitted for the vacant trustee seat.
We received five in that application period.
So part of the policy that was adopted by the village board here at this point, we need the board needs to decide potentially up to five who they would like to interview.
And now seeing that we do just we have exactly five, you can decide to interview them all or if you want to go through the process and procedure.
I think we're prepared here for you to provide your recommendations to move forward.
I'll answer the question first. I guess I can answer the question first if Brad has a question.
I was just going to make a motion to move all five to interview stage.
Second by Brad to interview all five candidates. Is there a second second that second by?
I think I heard Melanie first.
Any discussion on that?
So as we move on to the interview process, we have that schedule for June 30 starting at five o'clock to provide us a little bit more direction.
To clarify how many questions you would like to interview with and.
You know, how long of a timeframe do you want to provide the candidate to provide a response?
Okay, can we back up a second and deal with the number of candidates first?
Okay, we have a motion and a second for interview of five candidates.
Almost in favor say aye.
Aye.
Aye.
No.
Did I do something wrong Jim?
I guess I'm looking at how we do that.
No.
Okay, so good.
So we passed that unanimously to interview of the five applicants for the trustee seat.
Did we have any public appearances on this killing?
Okay.
Bill, what was your second part of this? I'm sorry.
Yeah, so the second part is as we prepare for the June 30th meeting for interviews.
I'd like to understand how many questions you want to prepare for the interviews and assuming that we're asking each interview each candidate the same question.
How much time are you going to allow for each candidate to answer that question?
Suggestions.
Folk.
Did we do last time?
Five questions that I'm in and a half of these.
Yeah.
It's 90 seconds.
Five questions.
And what?
What period of time?
Minute and a half.
Yeah.
That seemed like a good amount to me to be able to get people's perspective and there's only five this time instead of 10.
So I think it I'd be in favor of continuing that.
Okay.
Well, you've been there done that.
Somebody down here got a question.
Yeah.
I was just going to agree.
The only thing that I would like to have being that there's five questions and five applicants.
I think each one should go being the first one to answer a question each.
Rather than that's sort of unfair.
I think it's messed up.
And I didn't hear all that book.
You're saying one to saying that everybody second question for everybody.
I don't want one person to be the first every time.
I think it should be on sort of rotation.
I question if it should be a consistent rotation because you might have one person continually following another.
Maybe it needs to be varied a bit.
For the last time we did.
I just put the names in a randomizer.
There you go.
Each question.
And that's how we the order we did.
I like that.
And if the same person kept coming up, then I would just do a different one so that we'd never had anybody that always was first or always was last or always in those same spots.
Can we have it as a randomizer?
But just make sure that each person gets the goal first once.
So like you could select who goes first for each question and then randomize the other four.
Sure.
That's no problem.
Quick question.
Are we including opening and closing statements as well?
I would recommend just get to the questions.
It's up to the board.
That's my two cents.
Go ahead, folks.
I'd say let's just get to the questions because everybody submitted further paperwork.
So we're good there.
Yeah, that's fine.
I think mine was more so for the for the public watching, but I think also the submission is available to everyone else.
So that makes sense.
Yeah.
Public can see it online.
All the information.
So.
Let's see.
Okay, you want to randomize and it's important who goes first.
Yeah, I think I have a one.
I think I have what we need here.
Okay.
You need is that it?
You don't need anything more?
That should be it.
Yeah.
One.
What about questions?
Should we submit questions to you or do you have?
Yeah, if you if you have questions that you want to to ask, send them to me so that I can make sure that they're not.
Make sure that they're in line.
I do have a list of questions that I've been collecting.
And so I can offer those if I do not receive any.
I know that we've also posted online that if anybody of any member of the public wanted to submit their questions.
That they could do so also that deadline has expired.
That was I think today that expired and we did not receive any additional questions for this round.
Okay, that's settled.
Next up.
Resolution 2026 078.
This is new business resolution authorizing the village president and village clerk.
To execute an agreement with the divorce Windsor area chamber of commerce for tourism promotion services.
Staff presentation by bill and Luke just been from the chamber.
I'm going to come up to the microphone here.
Thank you.
First, I'll like to introduce Luke.
He is the new executive director for the chamber.
And I don't know if he's met everyone here, but he's been doing a great job.
Making the rounds and introducing himself and then talking about or given updates about the chamber.
And I will give him a bit of time to do that here.
I first want to explain this.
The proposal here and kind of the situation.
That has brought up this item for discussion.
So, as you know, the village currently has two proposed hotels in the forest.
These are our first two hotels within the municipal boundary.
The first one being.
The Hilton, excuse me, the Hampton in off of county highway V.
That's an 80 room hotel.
That's under construction currently.
And we expect that to be included with construction later this year.
The second hotel is a 89 room area, a town place suites being constructed into forest yards on the south side along highway 19.
They are looking to break ground middle of July here.
We expect that to be about a 15 month construction.
So, as you can see, we're going to have approximately 170 rooms available.
We do currently have an ordinance that collects room tax.
And so we are currently collecting off of.
I believe there's some cabins at the campground and then there are.
Airbnbs that we collect from also.
We have not done anything with those funds.
They're just being reserved in a tourism special revenue fund currently waiting to be utilized.
Stacey actually requires that any revenues collected through the state.
Due to the loan tax ordinance that 70% of that be spent for tourism.
30% can then be spent at the discretion of the village.
To spend it for tourism, it has to be spent by.
To spend it for tourism commission or a.
Agent qualified to.
Do work in the world of tourism.
And the chamber qualifies as one of those being a nonprofit and establish before a certain date.
So therefore we engaged in the chamber to see what their interest may be.
In leading tourism efforts for the village of the forest.
And utilizing those revenues.
They expressed that they were and then we started we went down the road of negotiating.
What that would look like. And that's included in your packet.
I'll pause there and I'll let Luke talk about the chamber and their mission and goals.
And then we can come back and I can walk through the agreement for you.
Okay.
Am I on now? There we go. Thanks, Bill. Thanks to the board for having me here for today.
Many of you, I think every one of you have shaken the hand of, but haven't spent time with y'all yet.
So it's still sinking in for me. So thanks for having me here today.
Just want to share a little bit about what the chamber is doing and how that relates to this tourism item.
So it is the mission of the divorce Windsor area chamber chamber of commerce to provide proactive leadership.
And innovation to advance a positive business environment and foster economic growth through community involvement and membership participation.
So that ties hand in hand, you know, our part of the community mission of growing the good life is the economic, the business side.
So we're leaning into our objectives in that realm.
Primarily to how to become the resource organizations think of first when they need anything related to business or economic needs.
We want to realign with our mission more closely and increase membership and community value in business and economic spheres.
So those are our core strategic objectives right now.
Currently working on a few objectives, a few items in those realms,
where kind of the village has taken over some of those community focused events and we're focused more on the business, the organizational support.
So we continue to retain members that are not businesses, nonprofits, libraries, other municipal and those are valued partnerships.
But we hope to partner with them in the realm of workforce development, organizational support, networking, communication, advertising and other realms.
We think we can be more effective than running community oriented events.
So currently we're working on gaining value in our regular networking educational events.
We have those scheduled for the first Tuesdays of every month, reduced overhead to be able to get to those.
There's no cost.
They're open to anyone, increase the value in terms of the educational input.
Our first event was on chamber member benefits and services.
Our next event, July 7th is going to be on youth apprenticeship, partnering with the school district and the workforce development board of south central Wisconsin and some area business partners.
And then our August topic is going to be AI used for business and small business development council will be talking about what services free services they offer small to medium sized business in the area.
We're working on regular networking or excuse me, ribbon cutting events as well.
So welcoming new members to the area to the area business community, advertising and promotion, moving from those community spaces of event organization.
I like to tell people we have a double the value, double the value half the cost in terms of advertising and promotion.
We run a number of unique local specific high value advertising channels, Facebook newsletter and our website.
So it's a hub for local business and economic related information.
And we want to be able to give our area businesses access to that.
Last big current agenda item for us or priority topic is just reestablishing routine business retention and expansion services concierge relationship management services for our businesses in the area, whether that's help with finding the future site or workforce development or
education or advertising.
We're here to be that relationship manager for any area business or organization that has alignment with our mission. So this priority will help the chamber deliver value to our membership while also contributing to the broader economic development of our area.
And we think both the chamber and the village will benefit greatly from this partnership.
Thank you for your time.
Thank you for coming here and I appreciate a lot of what you said as far as I growing business and things, but what I'm a bit puzzled in is that this is money that's supposed to be directed towards tourism and I just heard a lot about business and I wonder how this plays
into say your mission, because I know of other communities that I've worked in where they have a directly a tourism board or whatever they want to call it.
So I'm wondering if this is going to be like an offshoot of the chamber or I know in what we're probably going to go over soon.
We talked about hiring staff so that that person to be directly tourism related so that's actually potentially changing the mission that you just went through because it's a different service than I think what you just ran through with us.
Very great and core question to the nuance of doing it correctly and I think the way I'm envisioning rolling this out is as a new division of the chamber new website new Facebook, new social media.
The position would be entirely independent tourism and marketing develop director.
So that person would report to me at the chamber, but they would have oversight with the report jointly to me and the village through bill and Alex.
So the job description, the reporting, the financials, the strategic oversight is all a collaborative effort between the chamber and the village through the admin and the community developer positions.
But we would be spinning it out as a separate division of the chamber, but as part of the chamber.
And the overlap is not 100% but it is there 20% of our membership would fall in the category of tourism related industries restaurants hotels attractions various other services.
And those rounds are only growing.
Thank you.
So I'm happy to walk through the agreement here and maybe that can provide some clarification as to what we are anticipating here and proposing.
And then we can talk a bit about how potential implementation looks like.
As we move forward, we know we're kind of early to the bat here in that we're not actively collecting rumor revenue from the hotels yet.
But as you can see, there are a lot of questions and what this agreement does helps to confirm that there's a desire for most sides to enter into such a relationship to build this program.
So with that being said, the first section here just defines what exactly is tourism promotion and tourism development services covers everything from marketing.
To information and services to recruitment of conventions, sporting events, et cetera.
And then it also.
Thousand on what, what particular activities the chamber will provide, especially providing a dedicated employee.
And so it specifies what we intend for the employee to be employee to be.
It was very important to us as we developed this agreement that we ensure that the dollars that are created from hotel rooms in the forest went to benefit the hotel rooms and the hotels in the forest.
Now, if it and similarly benefits other communities, I think that's fine, but the primary objective is to benefit the rooms and the forest.
We've written in here a number of protections for the villas.
So as with any other department, we are requiring a budget request from the chamber.
And so we know exactly where those funds go.
Not only is it something that we desire, I believe that on the backside that there is an accounting.
That's required by the state of where the fun, the funding is going towards.
And as you can see, there's restricted restrictions of use and quarterly reports on tourism promotion and no financial report to the, to the village.
And so the idea is that, you know, either myself or Alex will help guide Luke and the tourism coordinator or director, along in this process.
And so that we can adjust as we go accordingly.
You also see that we've written to provide some flexibility in here in regards to the length of agreement and ability to terminate the agreement in a situation that if it doesn't work, then, you know, we're, we're mutually separating.
At that point, then the village would then be responsible for looking for either replacement agency or consideration of a tourism commission.
So that's, you know, that's the highlights of the agreement.
I'm happy to answer any questions in regards to specifics.
You'll see that as part of the agreement, it creates this relationship, but provide some flexibility for the village and chamber to work through the job description to define.
Why we really want from this.
And then allows us the flexibility to go out and hire.
When we determine that it's the right time to hire.
To look about this, we don't want it to be a cash flow.
We don't want there to be a cash flow issue.
So the intention is to wait and see how the room rents are going and to see how those revenues come in.
And what we would like to do is make sure that we build a effective and efficient fund balance.
So that if they do hire a person that they're working off a budgeted amount, not necessarily a cash flow through the village, which I believe we collect.
We collect the room tax and would likely distribute it on a quarterly schedule.
I'm happy to take any questions or pause. I've talked a lot.
I have a question.
So regarding the employee, two questions. One is regarding the scope of duties and are there.
Duties and promoting tourism tied specifically to these two hotel developments or is it broader than that?
And then what is the term of their employment? Is that tied to the term of this agreement, which is year to year or something different?
Yeah, so I don't believe that there's anywhere in stage of this as it ties it to the hotel specifically as long as it's tourism activities are are for the village.
Yeah, I'll correct me if I'm wrong on that.
The limitation is the money has to be used to promote tourism that itself will generate.
Stays and hotels. So there's no.
The money doesn't go directly to the hotels that are in town. It goes to promoting events that bring people into town that we use hotels.
And then in regards to drafting the job description and term limits.
You know, in order to do that effectively, you know, I think we're going to have to disclose it right on the job posting and saying that this is a.
I'm probably not going to say this right contracted position by which may be extended.
Okay, thanks.
Go ahead.
Yeah, two questions. One, just looking at, you know, special events or other things that could be considered for tours and dollars.
You know, could things like sponsoring the 4th of July fireworks be used for tours and dollars or is that.
Kind of out of scope for how we can use this funding.
You'd have to be able to make the case that you're going to be bringing people in far enough from far enough away that they will be staying in hotels after watching the fireworks show I think that might be.
And argument, I don't want to have to make at least not without thinking about it.
Fair enough. Okay.
The other thing I have is I saw they anticipated hiring somebody by August.
2026. So I think you might have partially answered that already, but you're not going to realize a full amount of the room collection fees for a year and a half.
Is that really feasible to have funding until that happens.
Yeah, again, it's our intention to kind of hold off until we ensure that the funding is there. I mean, there's no point in hiring someone just to terminate them.
So I think, again, I believe that.
This agreement can be read to provide that flexibility if it hasn't already.
I think the first line there on a dedicated employee says upon notice by the village.
And then the last line says it anticipates just to put a date to it.
But as we've discussed this further, I mean, we.
Again, anticipate that the revenues are necessarily going to be there to support a full time employee and we would not hire one until we have that set aside.
And Brad to answer first question, we can definitely advertise in places like Chicago at Memphis for our 4th of July show.
Anybody else have anything Jim?
I just wanted to clarify, say, what dollars are we talking about?
Because from what I wrote down from what I read is like 315,000 is what you're anticipating.
So that is 70% of what we plan on bringing in.
Yeah, so, you know, when we take a look at each of the establishments and running and looking at the studies that they conducted and talking to the developer.
They expect to bring in annual revenues as stabilization of, I believe, a close to.
Say.
Yeah, some of them are at like $215,000 annually and 90%.
So if you take 70% of that, you're approximately about 150 give or take for room tax.
And so if you think about the timing of everything, so you'll have the first hotel 80 rooms getting opening up for service.
About a year earlier than the second hotel.
And so as you work towards stabilization, which is generally three to five years is the maximum that they expect since the hotel rooms are not all all the time.
So that's again, it has to do with what their calculations of when they can ramp up.
Now the situations in each of the hotels are different also, whereas the Hampton Inn is really focused on primarily traffic that comes by and or specific events that will reserve that hotel.
The Mary at town place, we has a totally different customer base. And so it'll be.
Interesting to find out who gets the stabilization first, even though one is built after the other.
That answer your question.
I think an answer is my question. I just feel like it's a lot of money.
When you're talking one salary, it seems like it's going to be quite quite a sum above that.
I'm wondering how that's going to be spent, but I think that's for the future director of the figure out.
Yeah, that's why it was important for us to include much more than just the position in the agreement.
As you know, it gives the chamber an opportunity to work with whoever they hire for this tourism position to get creative.
And what does marketing look like or tourism into for us?
What kind of programs can you run?
Is there some kind of program that can benefit local businesses and the hotels for when folks come in for a baseball tournament or a hockey tournament or hockey game?
What other areas in the village can they go to to enjoy the experience?
What we want to do is have people stay here for a longer, a longer time out of time instead of just coming here for the game going to made a sudden spending money in Madison.
So all of that I think is to be determined and I leave it to the economic development professionals to come up with that proposal for us.
When Bill and I had our discussion today, we talked about this and going back to when we were bringing these hotels into the forest.
I remember being sold on room tax room tax.
Yay, yay.
That's a great thing.
It's an extra form of revenue.
Nowhere in those talks or presentations, do I remember this state law about 70% as to be used for tourism?
Maybe it was there and I missed it.
But anyways, that was a bit of a shocker for me.
And I am having a little bit of a hard time getting through that today.
But knowing that now that we have to use a 70% for the tourism,
what other things can it be used for besides a director's salary?
Tourism director's salary.
What other options do we have?
Yeah, so it has so 70% has to be allocated either to a tourism commission and or an agency to spend on tourism activities.
So that's not necessarily defined to a level of detail that I think you're wanting in the statute unless I'm wrong.
So that does open up opportunities to get creative about how to utilize it.
As long as on the report side, we can show that it benefits the village.
I do want to say in regards to January initial conversation or initial conversation and why I think hotels are generally desirable in communities.
I want to remind folks that there was no tax and grant financing used on either of these two projects.
And the reason why I think that folks or communities want it is because they get not only the property tax, but can capture the 8% sales tax.
So that's an additional revenue on top of what is the standard.
So 30% of something is better than zero or 100% of nothing.
And so I know that when I was hired, I was informed that, hey, we want a hotel here in the forest.
And I think I think there was efforts prior to me to try to get two hotels.
If you remember, there was also a cobblestone that was proposed and did, well, first of all, until five and then now into eight.
And we provided taxing and finance for that. That's not going to merit materialize and that just goes to reflect, even if you give money to or provide money to to develop one of these things.
That's not a for sure thing that it's going to happen.
So I don't know, Luke, did you want to talk to any programs that you had in mind or I know you're, you're, you're talking about the statutes.
I want to first go back and say, first of all, with the hotels, I am glad they're here and the ones that we are bringing in our class act brand names.
So I'm happy about all that. But like I said, the shocker was that, wait a minute, we're only getting 30% of their room tax.
So that's my concern. And I am kind of curious as to what other things that we might be able to use that for.
If I could just give you one example that I can think of and I'm certainly not a tourism expert of any kind and I don't play one on TV.
But right now you are spending tax dollars to promote regional tournaments for your athletic complex.
There'll be regional, maybe national hockey tournaments down at the ice rink down in.
The forest yards. All of that promotion, all of that sending out letters, sending out brochures, taking in real registrations that can all be paid with the fee tourism dollars, the 70% that you're otherwise paying your staff to do here.
I would add to the other communities have actually invested in physical infrastructure for those sort of generating facilities to maintenance upgrades and things like that too.
Jim, I was just going to say I've worked in communities where they've used tourism dollars for signing either temporary and permanent.
And to kind of add a little bit into potential usage, the area events is a big one, you know, the athletic complex GRB.
There's a number of other the deforest.
The baseball diamond special Olympics is there. We could do the funding for that.
There's potential for, you know, doing collaboration with bus tours in the area or other area businesses that are north of us.
So there's a lot of tourism in the Wisconsin Dells region, the drift list north of us.
So we could promote some sort of tours or distillery, winery tours, and then they can stay here and have access to both the Madison Metro, but also be able to go to the Dells, get outside, but have better rates in this area relative to the Madison market.
But still have close reach. So there's, you know, collaboration on sponsorship and advertising, marketing of events, anything that brings in people into town that spend could be tourism dollars.
So I want to touch on kind of a house point here.
So currently we have a special revenue fund for the athletic complex, and we have a spend out of there.
Question is how to how can we get creative and how to use some of those sorts of dollars, especially for promotion.
And, you know, how does that help supplement the village have to go through the chamber for that, but we'd have to coordinate that.
Now, you know, we're just talking about that 70% we haven't discussed that 30% that is coming to the village and the village has opportunity to utilize that.
Because it's a special revenue, so we can't depend on it like we do tax dollars.
What we are recommending is that that also then goes into that special revenue fund to help offset things that we're doing for marketing for the village overall, not just tourism.
But then if you remember to the budgeting process, a part of that is special events and our special events coordinator.
Her salary is part of that special revenue fund.
What we can do now is then use that 30% to cover costs in that special revenue fund and pull out the $100,000 or so in tax transfers that that we have been doing over the last couple of years.
And that then brings $100,000 back to the general fund doesn't impact the expenditure restraint because we've already we've already spent that or history of spending that.
And then be able to to, you know, if the desire is of the village to provide relief on the taxpayer side, you can utilize that to address those those issues.
There's ways that you can get creative and how you shift dollars within the various funds to provide relief for the taxpayers.
I wouldn't recommend that you utilize it directly in the general fund because if that source ever dries up, then you have yourself a whole.
Alicia just have a quick question. So, for example, with the partnership with the chamber, say, for example, the golf course and their wedding venue.
Are they able to partner with the tourism board to do advertising for their venue or weddings because in essence, that's going to maybe bring people in for a hotel block is that like definitely that would be right on target. Yeah.
Okay. We're envisioning kind of this partnership and that person in that role, how they would work. Yeah. And the tourism director would be the person or the, you know, whatever the role definition is would be the person in the middle, right?
They'd be connecting the country club and the hotel and mediating the what does it look like for you to use the forest hotels to for your hotel block for your for your weddings.
Anybody else? Is a chair B? Is that Windsor or is that before us? What? GRB, the baseball. That's the forest. That is. Okay. Thank you.
Any appearances on this, Kelly? Nothing.
Well, if we have no further discussion, I would entertain a motion to approve resolution 2026 078 authorizing the village president clerk to execute an agreement with the divorce, when you're a chamber of commerce for tourism promotion services.
I'll make a motion to approve resolution 2026 078. Motion by Alicia. There's a second.
I mean, I'll second.
A second by Melanie.
All those in favor indicate by saying aye.
Aye. All those opposed? No. No.
Motion carries.
Aye. One.
Ordinance 2026 011, an ordinance approving a certified survey map, facilitating the Enclav multiple family residential development along Peterson crossing north of Highway 19.
Staff presentation, Mark Raufers and Bill Chang. Thank you, Luke.
Mark is absent tonight. No, Mark. Okay. Bill. I don't know if Bill's.
So this is this is a certified survey map associated with the multifamily development on Peterson crossing just north of the forest yards and south of Hooper's headquarters.
This development is proposed by cascade.
I believe we've seen it for the rezoning as well as some concept presentations that did secure conditional use permit, as well as the rezoning and site plan approval, most recently at planning and zoning on May 26.
We also have a recreation facility use agreement associated with the sports complex just south of here, but tied to this development as well.
This is a total of just over 11 and a half acres that will entail the construction of a multi use path, which will be publicly available on the north, just north of this development.
The developer will be constructing that as well.
The next item here on our agenda will be the infrastructure development agreement associated with that.
Trying to note one of the conditions of the ordinance that's in the packet to is that they'll need to be separate easements for the sanitary and water main that'll be shown up there on screen actually on the lower page on this.
And then cross access and shared parking among the various lots as well.
The primary driver behind this land division is for financing so that each component of the development can be on its own separate owner, separate ownership.
With that, I guess I'll pause there and open to questions or we can go into detail on any particular.
I just got a general question from someone they wanted to know like they said that particular area seems to be a breeding down for birds mammals reptiles and amphibians.
There's been a push for with the recent developments that says they said that they feel like there's been a push to some of the species to that place.
So just generally how will it be managed will be managed as a park or nature area.
So the village I'll probably defer to these two guys because we've got a basin just north of this development that may have some of that wildlife so I don't know how that's currently being managed.
Yeah, so we manage the stormwater base and just north of this these lots.
They've got native prairies and there'll be a trail on the north side of the pond in between the, let's say the woods and the pond there.
The rest of that area will continue to be what it is.
Will at some point look to fund like Quarkus to get in there to remove buckthorn and honeysuckle and get it back to quality native natural areas.
Okay, thank you.
I would just add that the trail connection, which won't impact any of the delineated wetlands that are in that area.
That could also provide a nice opportunity for people who may want to go and bird watch in a low impact way.
Anybody else.
Question just in general in regards to bird watching when I first moved here.
I remember I like signed up for something at the library to go over on the trail of innovation to bird watch like there were actual bird houses.
And then I noticed that those were taken down.
You know, they were placed.
Not appropriately by somebody. We don't know who put them up.
And they were all the same size. So they were not, they were inviting sparrows to come, which are aggressive birds and scare up other birds.
So we removed all of those. We have put up additional bird houses and there's opportunities for residents to sponsor bird houses and we can place them there bearing.
So every bird house, the whole size matters. If it's a bigger, smaller size and invites birds in. So that's why those are all we still do bird watching events.
We have those annually happening.
And we have an engaged page as well about it. So.
So we do that we do have them there there, but those were removed because they were not.
Sure. Okay. Thanks for.
Okay, then back on topic.
That's all right.
Kelly, do we have any.
Okay.
If we have no further discussion, then I would look for a motion.
For ordinance 2026 011.
Proving a certified survey map facilitating the uncle of multiple family residential development along Peterson crossing north of 19.
Is there a motion?
I'll make that motion for approval.
My gym is there second.
Okay, I'll second that.
All those in favor indicate by saying aye.
Aye. All those opposed, no.
Motion carries unanimously.
Resolution 2026 079, a resolution authorizing the village president and clerk.
Execute a development agreement with on cloth at D Y LLC staff presentation by.
Alex.
So every CSM that contains a public dedication has one of these infrastructure development agreements in place.
It basically makes sure that all the public infrastructure meets our standards processes.
Primarily for this development, the bigger ones are the sanitary water main distribution and then the public path that we discussed as well, just making sure that all that meets our standards.
Park fees are also dealt with in here.
Judge, did you want to add anything?
I was just saying Greg touched on.
There's a the purple path that we're doing between the woods and the water.
This development has one that's south of the water.
So you'll have a loop around that water with a trail system.
So that's the trail that Alex was alluding to.
Nice.
Yeah.
So the infrastructure agreement will be covering the one that's south or the component of it that would be on the.
Right, but land.
Public appearances.
None.
I would entertain a motion to approve 2026 079.
Motion to approve.
Motion to approve by Brad.
Is there a second?
Second.
Seconded by Jim discussion.
Seeing no discussion.
All those in favor indicate by saying aye.
I suppose no motion carries unanimously.
Resolution 2026 080, a resolution changing the polling location for electors in more 10 of the village.
Callie.
So in the memo, I listed out the numbers of registered voters at each polling location.
Ward 779 and 10 are all at the library currently.
And those are the words that we are seeing the most most growth in.
So my suggestion is to move ward 10, which is the Savannah Brooks bear tree farms area.
And move that to voting at the village hall versus the library to help even out some numbers.
It looked like this was going to take effect immediately.
Yes, it would be an effect for the August election.
Then we have about a month to give what 700 people notice.
Correct.
We will be mailing out notices.
Soon.
With all of that information also utilizing our social media.
And website to let them know.
And there is the state voter website, the my vote.
And that would be updated also.
So anybody in that area would.
And look themselves up, which many people do before they come to vote.
We'll see that they would vote at the village hall.
And I also intend to have.
People at the front door of the library for both.
August and November to verify that everybody is in the correct polling location before anybody.
Spend some time in a line.
And so that we can get people to the right places.
Plus you might get it in the star Tribune.
And it will be in the newspaper.
Is that what the records was back there?
Okay.
Public appearances.
None.
Motion to approve resolution 2026.
0 8 0.
Motion by Jan to approve is a second.
Second.
Seconded by Jim.
Any further discussion?
All those in favor, any cases saying aye.
All those opposed, no.
Motion carries unanimously.
Let's see.
Resolution 2026 0 8 1 a resolution amending section.
Be that I of the village of the forest employee handbook regarding holiday pay.
Bill.
Okay.
So.
This proposal is intended to address.
Holiday pay for sale, primarily salary folks.
On staff.
So generally what how holiday hours are applied.
In the village is that staff receives the 96 hours as bank.
At the beginning of the year.
That is then applied as holiday pay.
The specific holidays listed here before you.
Or as observed, whether it's a day before or after.
At the holiday falls on the weekend.
So.
As we've adopted or taken over the 4th of July event.
Over the last 2 years, we've been keeping track of what the numbers look like.
As far as hours of commitment, either leading to the event during the event or after the event.
And we've seen and heard from staff that.
You know, they work a lot of hours during this time.
And.
Pursuing to the system that we currently have.
They would have technically for salary employees only been paid for.
Or accredited for that.
The number of hours, whether it's 6 hours on a Friday or 8 and a half hours on a Monday.
And observance of that holiday.
So what this policy tries to do here is to be.
First and foremost.
Those salary folks who are required to work.
We're called in to work on a holiday.
To be compensated at time and a half.
And then be allowed to allow to have their.
Holiday hours that would have been applied to that specific day.
Be applied to another day in the calendar year.
If they don't use it, they lose it.
Same thing with any kind of any of the two float holidays that are accredited to the employee.
But this tries to resolve that crunch of exponential hours within that sort of time period.
Now, you know, over the first two years, you know, my thinking in management of salary folks.
Our staff was that, hey, you can flex your time as salary.
What we're fighting is that because some of these staff.
We're working so much hours leading up to it during the event after it.
And then any other tasks and responsibilities that may come not related to the 4th July.
That they weren't simply able to make up the hours that they lost within that pay period.
And having them flex their time in a pay period is significant because if it extends beyond that pay period,
it gets extremely hard to track and justify.
And so when reviewing the policy, we also took a look at salary and its conflicts with com time.
I think folks say that, you know, you can just comp it, but there's a conflict their salary technically can't earn com time.
And or overtime, right? So we wanted to be compliant with labor laws.
And so what we've created here, again, is a holiday merit pay at time and a half.
Again, for those folks that have to work on the holiday, the specific holiday and then be able to provide them the holiday back.
They want to take another day off later on in the year outside of that pay period.
There are other changes within the policy, particularly related to legal ease and ensuring that there is a difference between this policy and collective bargaining.
And then there's a lot more red lines because we moved some, some of the paragraphs around, but clarification on definitions like what is a village hard employee versus a public services versus a PD employee.
All of that is relevant because depending on whether you work in that specific department and whether you're a exempt or non exempt employee certain exceptions apply to you or don't apply to you.
And then how you account up to the 40 first 40 hours within the pay period or the first 40 hours within the work week to be able to apply overtime.
You know, that's different say for the public services department than it would be for a normal village administration administrator staff.
So administration staff, so you can see how quickly complex it gets when trying to account for all these and different coding.
And so we believe that this is the simplest way to do it.
And so be in compliance with law.
I'll leave it there and take any questions.
Anybody have any questions?
Do we have any public appearances?
We do not.
Jim has got a question.
Jim.
I got a question and then I have opinions, but I can hold the opinions.
But the question is I don't quite understand the exception for the public service is department.
I want to if you could pull it up on screen because I don't have it fully in front of me.
I just have a note that I don't get why they'd be accepted.
I feel like they should also get the one and a half times.
Yeah, so the accounting so for public services.
So this is for hourly employees.
I think most of them are hourly except for Jordan Greg.
And this was resolved at the last revision of the handbook.
So the way that it has always been particularly through the union days is that they account.
First 40 hours within the work week and then any additional time,
following that, whether it's a call in or special events, et cetera.
They get the time and a half for that.
So whether it's holiday that's already in there that gets accounted towards the regular pay and then whatever hours they work over that.
Is over time vice versa. If they work in the, in the get to that 40 hours before that holiday gets implemented or observed and they're already holiday.
They're earning time and a half off by everybody. I explained that correctly.
I'd still get the say eight hours of holiday pages isn't time and a half unless it goes over the car.
Correct. And that's, and we went back and forth on this for quite some time. And that's, that's what they wanted to keep it at.
And that was incorporated into that, that handbook last at the last round.
Again, this policy here applies to salary, salary employees.
And so I wouldn't apply to any of the public works folks except for the two here tonight.
Anybody else?
Well, let's get a motion and then we can discuss more for one.
2026 082.
Oops, I'm sorry 2026 081.
The resolution amending section be a village of the forest or maybe that six.
I don't know the village of the forest employee handbook regarding holiday pay.
Is there a motion to approve?
Make a motion to approve.
Oops, I'm sorry.
It's okay.
Resolution 2026-81.
Is there a second?
Second.
Seconded by Brad.
Anybody else, anything they want to say?
I'll just state my opinion before the vote is that to me, the definition of exempt or salary, whatever you want to say.
Is that you don't get time and a half, so I won't be voting for this motion.
I also think it's that we pay say three or four hours to part time for working on holiday where I think to me at least my opinion that the standard is that you wouldn't pay holiday to part time employees.
I think these are benefits over and above that I feel comfortable paying, so I'm not going to vote for the motion.
I wasn't able to hear a lot of that. What about part time employees?
I just wrote that I read that part time employees get three to four hours of holiday pay.
For working the holiday?
Yes.
Eight hours?
No, I think they get the pay on a holiday for not working is my understanding.
I think the issue isn't the part time employees.
In that part time provision is already in the handbook.
It's they're all covered, correct?
Already in the handbook?
Okay, so the issue before personally, I think if you're working the holiday, you get paid for working the holiday at time and a half.
So I'm in favor of it.
Happy employees. I retained employees.
I agree. I was actually noting that every time that I've gone to these events, you know, I've seen our staff there and that they're not getting time and a half.
And I work where I work.
We compensate for all our employees salary and hourly who work on the holidays.
I understand that, you know, the point behind salary is to avoid paying overtime, but.
I am for the doing so.
Well, I came from an employer that didn't until one of us realized how ridiculous that was and we became unionized and then we did.
Bill, go ahead.
So I can put some numbers to this just so that you have an idea.
So for in 2025.
Employee, so 2025, the 4th of July, the actual 4th was on Friday, which was 6 hours is the regular work day for employees.
And so out of that being 6 hours is that I located to that Friday.
So, for example, employee on that Friday.
Worked a total of 14 hours, so it would have been 8 additional hours above and beyond their holiday pay.
Employee B were 16.5 hours on that particular day.
10 and a half hours above and beyond that 6 hours.
Employee employee employee C were 12 and 3 quarters of a day to 12.75 hours.
12 hours for the next one 14 hours.
And then the rest are 8 hours each.
So that's just within that specific day.
And I would imagine that's the heaviest load because that's the day of the event.
But then you combine that with say the day before where employee had to come in and work for additional hours and prep for that.
And then that employee came in the following Monday to clean up or the following Sunday to clean up.
And so you're racking up hours quickly within that pay period.
And that's only the first week of the pay period.
What if that employee got a call in for the emergency, you know, thereafter.
And so you can just kind of see how that capitulates into, you know, a management issue, a personal management issue when you need that person here to do to get work moving forward.
And so, again, this event is the only event that we deal with this.
Otherwise, we, we wouldn't require as many employees to be in place or working the day of the holiday.
And or we would be able to schedule around it.
That's just once this has been.
Well, fourth of July is quite the event. I mean, it's like the event here in town and it certainly takes a heck of a lot of work.
And it is a holiday. So, like I said,
anybody else have any.
I just want to clarify my, my reasoning to this.
I know when I say was, I lose the terms, non-salary, which I think is exemplary.
Whatever not, not salary.
When you're, when you're working and get time and a half or for me, it was only straight pay.
But when you promote to be salary, that's something that you should take into account that you won't get paid over time.
And taking that into account is also say coming usually, or I would hope with an increase in hourly pay.
So if we're not paying appropriately, I think that's something that's opening up.
I'll say another can of worms that we should look at.
That makes sense.
Thank you.
It'll real quick question.
Did I hear you say that six hours is accounted for a full day?
On a Friday. Yeah.
It's for folks that are generally in village hall, public works too.
I think some PD staff, the officers collection,
collective bargaining, you know, on 10 hour days.
But generally the staff over there on eight hour days.
So things are changed.
So village hall air closes at two.
And then I think everyone follows that example on the Friday.
No, sorry. Yeah, eight and a half the, the, the four remaining days of week.
I was just going to note that the policy isn't just about the pay.
It's also about the time.
And it's resolving an issue of people accruing so many hours that they can't.
Actually flex it and utilize it within the pay period.
So from people that are working extended hours on holidays, which I certainly don't want to do,
but for folks that have to do that to be able to ensure that they have that time to use is important.
And that's a benefit that I have absolutely no qualms about providing our hardworking staff.
We have a motion.
Yeah.
And a second. Yes.
I have a motion by Alicia and a second by Brett.
Okay. Are we ready to vote?
All those in favor of resolution 2026 dash 081 indicate by saying aye.
Aye.
All those opposed, no.
No.
What do we have to one.
Motion passes five to one.
Resolution 2026 082 resolution authorizing the village president to execute an agreement with more ready pyro techniques LLC.
The 2027 Independence Day celebration.
Reese, do you want to talk?
Sure, I can just leave it there.
Yeah, I mean, I think you guys already had a discussion about this in May.
So this is just kind of getting the final agreement so that we're locked into 2027.
Thank you.
Any public appearances?
Greg, you got something to say.
Move a microphone.
Okay. How about a motion to approve 2026 082 motion to approve motion by Jan?
Is there a second?
Second.
Second by Jim.
Any further discussion?
Seeing none. All those in favor in the case of saying aye.
All those opposed in the Cape by saying no.
Motion carries unanimously.
Resolution 2026 083 resolution authorizing the village administrator to execute a facilities planned service agreement with Wisconsin power and light.
Greg.
So this is part of the census upgrade for our water meter system so we can have redundancy in our system.
We are contracting with a line energy to install the 60 foot telephone pole.
They have the equipment and they know how to safely put these poles in the ground where we don't have the equipment.
And I'd be a little nervous putting a 60 foot top pole.
So for $2,500, they'll install it for us and provide the pole.
I think your safety is worth that.
Any public appearances? None.
How about a motion to approve resolution 2026 083?
Motion to approve.
Motion by Jim. Is there a second?
Second.
Seconded by Jan. Any further discussion?
All those in favor indicate by saying aye.
Aye.
All those opposed? No.
Motion carries unanimously.
Resolution 2026 084.
The resolution accepting the lowest qualified bid and awarding a contract for resurfacing of Veterans Park parking lot.
I believe it was in our packet. Greg.
Yeah.
It was in your packet.
Track only paving was the low bid.
We did have this in the CIP plan for this year.
If you guys have any questions?
Any public appearances? None.
I'll take a motion to approve 2026-084.
Motion to approve.
Motion by Alicia. Is there a second?
Second.
Second by Jan. All those in favor indicate by saying aye.
Aye.
All those opposed? No.
Motion carries unanimously.
Resolution 2026 085.
Resolution amending resolution 2026-67.
To amend the designated developer from Ryan Company's US, Inc.
to Amazon.com Services LLC bill.
In the packet.
Excuse me.
So I saw provided in the memo here in the recitals in the resolution at the previous meeting here that those board.
Approved a development agreement with Ryan companies.
Following that meeting, Ryan companies requested that the village amend the resolution to have their agreement.
Be with Amazon services, Amazon.com Services.
Amazon.com Services is primarily a retailer.
And depends on Ryan companies to do their to conduct their entitlements and resolve the issues in regards to construction.
We reviewed the changes.
We don't believe that it has any material.
Additional liabilities to the village.
I think everything in agreement will transfer over.
Except for contact information and LLC or the company is assigning on the other side.
Leave it at there.
I don't know if anyone wants to add anything or happy to answer any questions.
I guess I'm just questioning the Amazon.com Services LLC.
Is that like the big Amazon or is that a local branch and why asked that?
Is there any concern where LLC might be housed if it's in Wisconsin or whatever state.
That is the global distribution arm of Amazon.
Anybody else have any questions?
Is there a concern that it's not a Wisconsin company?
Is that an issue with our agreements?
I don't have any concern.
Thank you.
Sort of on a similar note, just with residents, you know, noting this change from Ryan companies to Amazon.com Services LLC.
I imagine that might create some concern potentially, but I'm wondering if you can speak.
Bill to like Ryan company and Amazon and their relationship.
And I know you've been dealing with Ryan companies, but does this change who we're dealing with as the village directly?
Like, will they still be involved in just what does does this agreement or this change impact that relationship?
Yeah, so my understanding from discussion is that Ryan companies will still continue to be involved.
They are the developer.
If you read through the agreement itself, it has a several obligations to the signers and the developer.
Morph of over, you know, two to three million dollars worth of obligations.
And therefore, the end client of the development is indeed Amazon.com Services, which they've disclosed to us.
And so wanted to ensure that the end user was on the obligations.
And so that's why the request came in.
My understanding is that through the process, you know, Ryan companies had got their end user involved in regards to the obligations.
So, from our standpoint is that the user or the use of the land and the condition, the conditions placed upon the permitted use for the land.
Silver means the same and none of that changes the obligations, which we negotiated with Ryan companies, particularly for contributions to.
Green lane and to the Lindy lane.
And the muscle would construction construction of juniperstery and rearrangement of Cape Parkway.
All of that is so remains under this agreement with Amazon versus Ryan companies.
Makes sense. Thank you.
So in other words, Ryan companies does all the footwork and puts up the buildings.
And then they turn it over to Amazon.
That's going to work is done. That's correct.
I would add that it's sort of a similar thing is what we've seen with the Dickman company.
Right. And they build these buildings, either they have a client in tow that they're working with to develop them or they're going on finding one.
Same thing. They put up the building.
Okay.
Oh, John.
I guess I bring up a question. Do you know, frying companies is keeping the ownership or the, I guess I don't know if it matters to, I guess you can answer that.
It's my understanding that I think Amazon's going on the property.
Yeah, we've been told that Amazon will own a property, which is another reason why I don't have concerns about them being the party to the contract because they've got some real estate here.
That's a real estate here that go after if we need to.
Just a little.
Anybody.
Does anyone else have anything?
Then I ask you if we had public appearances.
Okay, no public appearances.
So I would entertain a motion to approve 2026 085.
Anyone.
I'll make a motion.
Motion by Jan is there a second.
Oh, it's talking.
Seconded by Jim.
Any further discussion?
All those.
All those in favor.
And the caper saying aye.
Aye.
All those opposed.
No.
Motion carries unanimously.
In being into closed session, it says resolution 2026 077.
The resolution authorizing the village president and clerk to execute an amended and restated employment agreement with the village administrator.
Yeah, so as discussed at the last meeting.
Looking for to renegotiate my employment contract with the village.
Hopefully to extend that.
I believe the board went into closed session.
And I've had a chance to review.
What was proposed by the board as discussed with you.
The terms of such agreement are provided and attached.
And so.
For this section, if you are able to.
What was provided to you in the packet is the agreement.
And the resolution.
I don't believe you have to go into closed session.
If you want to continue to negotiate those terms, then I wouldn't recommend that you go into closed session.
I don't personally say need to go into closed session.
I don't either.
The rest of you.
Nope.
Nope.
No.
Nope.
Nope.
Okay.
I would entertain a motion to approve resolution 2026 dash zero.
Seven seven moving and we have no appearances.
Is that correct?
Okay.
I'll make a motion to approve resolution 2026 dash seven seven.
Is there a second second?
Seconded by jam.
All those in favor and to keep it saying aye.
Aye.
All those opposed no.
Motion carries unanimously.
Thank you.
Thank you.
And we have no closed session.
So we have no action resulting from closed session.
Communications check register was in your packet.
Committee commission and board reports update regarding the divorce area library.
No report.
Thank you, Brad.
Public safety commission.
We approved a whole bunch of.
Approved licenses and alcohol license applications because this is the month.
The fourth area community and senior center.
Yes, we got it.
We got a new parking lot that is on the south east corner of the property that we opened up a couple of weeks ago.
It's beautiful.
People like it.
And now we're looking at designs for a pavilion and a park on the southwest corner of the property.
And we have a new case worker and she's been in the position for about a month and a half.
She came with experience and she's doing really well.
And that's it.
Thank you, Jan.
Next up is community development authority.
And have much to report still waiting.
Some things.
I'll just add.
So we, the loan purchase agreement that the village board reviewed the CDA approved that and countersign that.
And then I'll also say that we officially authorized a board resolution to close out of public housing after 40 plus years.
I missed the first part.
I'm sorry.
The loan purchase agreement that the village board approved at its last meeting the CDA also.
No, the part after that.
We approved a resolution to close out of public housing, which the CDA has been in for 40 years.
Thank you.
We're repeating planning and zoning commission.
We just can requested to.
To vacate the disk continue the segment of Monticello drive, which we did tonight.
Here we talked about the village acquisition of the lane burger parcels.
I think it made a recommendation to.
Board, so I'm assuming that will come here soon.
And then we approve the Ryan companies now known as Amazon services their site plan.
That's it.
Okay.
Public services committee.
We did not have a meeting.
Force Windsor fire and EMS district.
We have got our audit from Johnson black, which was great. We approve that. We approve the annual report.
We approved a billing rate increase. We're doing away with resident non resident rates.
And there'll be a flat fee of 2100.
No transport, nine hundred and twenty seven dollars miles. What we're looking at.
Fire department found a few ways they could cut some of the cost down at station two, which is good.
And that's about it.
Minutes are in your packet.
The president has not been to a Dane county cities and villages.
Meeting. So she has no update. Does the village administrator.
There is a virtual meeting upcoming here.
Leave it's July.
July 8th. So that's an opportunity for the president.
I don't president to attend the DC CV.
Where is it? If it's not virtual.
Oh, it's all virtual.
The DC CVA meetings do rotate virtually and they are on site.
So the next on site meeting will be, I believe.
In a community in southern Dane county.
South Dane county.
Solid Dane county.
Apparently I need hearing aids.
But I can for that it is a DC CVA is open to others attending.
So if you are interested in any of the other trustees are interested in attending.
It's a great opportunity to meet your peers and kind of find out what's happening in other communities.
So I would encourage you to attend.
But let us know so that we make sure that there's not a quorum or that we post it.
And go from there.
Okay, any other business that lawfully comes before the board.
I wonder the question.
I think I'm looking at bill that you mentioned like some conference.
That you said that we would be able to attend but not travel.
Do you know or can you tell me where that conference was or we can look in agenda.
I believe that is in Appleton October 7th through 9th.
The League of Wisconsin municipalities.
They hold one in the spring and then one in the fall.
Generally they they review.
Some of our topics so taxing refinancing.
It takes the budgeting ethics.
It depends on what the theme is and in time.
But then they also provide updates legislative updates.
Oftentimes they'll have hot topic items on there.
There's community round tables, allows you to get ideas on what is the hot topic item in communities.
Emodals were topic at the last one.
And so again, it's a great opportunity to learn and then also to be able to.
Meet with your peers so folks from all over Wisconsin come.
And so there's a diversity of folks that that you can learn from.
So again, if you are interested in that, let me know.
I like you know the.
The village board does have a budget for training.
Unfortunately, that's only a thousand two hundred.
So that covers the registration fees, but I think we can get creative about.
Travel if we need to.
Okay, as long as we have no other business to lawfully come before the board, I will take a motion for adjournment.
Motion to adjourn.
Motion by Janice or second.
Second.
Seconded by Melanie.
All those in favor indicate by saying aye.
Aye.
Opposed, no.
We are.
That's unanimous.
We are adjourned at 741.