Town of Neenah

Today Vol.18, issue 3 Fall 2015, 1600 Breezewood Lane, Neenah-920 725 0916

Website: www.townofneenah.com, email:tnneenah@tds.net

by some, this best maintenance practice is effective for 7 - 10 years. It stops water from seeping through the surface and damaging the pavement and road base. It costs far less to apply chip seal to the street surface than to fix the street edges and base due to damage caused by too much water seepage. Your understanding and patience is appreciated.

Another positive issue that we are have been addressing in 2015 is our town ordinance of Junked Motor Vehicles. Here too, I want to thank the residents who have helped in this effort and especially those residents who have since complied with this town ordinance.

And now for the part I know you all have been waiting for...my parting "Fall Fun Facts" : During the fall, in response to colder temperatures and less light; leaves stop producing chlorophyll, the green pigment that helps capture sunlight to power photosynthesis. As the green fades, the leaves other pigments shine through, such as orange and yellow carotenoids and vibrant red anthocyanin. Some scientists believe global warming could affect autumn colors. As the world warms, leaves may delay changing their colors. Additionally, trees may not use their sugars to create red pigments; rather, they might send that fuel to growing new twigs. Global warming may also alter the habitats of trees, such as the sugar maple, which creates some of the most vibrant fall colors.

So...fall is here...enjoy. It is a great time of the year!

Bob Schmeichel Chairman

CHAIRMAN’S CHATTER: "Whosh"... and there it was... gone...summer !

But the fun of the fall lies ahead with it's fresh autumn mornings, festival of fall coloramas, and cheering on our favorite football team..."Go Pack Go".

Speaking of this past summer, we did accomplish a number of positive undertakings in 2015. The first and second phases of reconstructing South Park Avenue here in the town have been successfully completed. Thank you for your patience during

construction of this roadway. Also the City of Neenah's section of Muttart Road running from the Town of Neenah's maintenance line west to the intersection at Dixie Road has been resurfaced. That stretch of road was in need of repair for some time and through joint efforts of both the city and the town this section of road has been refurbished. I would like to offer a "Thank You" to the City of Neenah for their cooperation in coming together with the Town, and signing agreements that brought completion to Muttart Road resurfacing and the completion of South Park Avenue from the intersection of Bell Street/Maple Lane south 150 feet.

We have also completed "chip sealing" of 21 town roads. Although the summer temperatures during this time have brought concerns

Town Chairman Bob Schmeichel

Public  Hearing  and  Meeting  of  Town  Electors  Nov.  9th,  7pm  for  2016  Budget  

NEW SPEED LIMIT ON SOUTH PARK AVENUE - 25 MPH

In light of the freshly asphalted and improved South Park Avenue along with the on-street trail, the speed limit on South Park Avenue has been reduced to 25 MPH from County Rd A north to the Bell Street / Maple Lane intersection. New speed limit signs will be installed soon and the Winnebago County Sheriff’s Department will be monitoring the area.

Fall Town of Neenah Today Page 2

Arlen  Belisle  Home  Town:    Roberts,  Wisconsin  (Western  Wisconsin)  Firefighter  since:  2008  Position  on  the  department:  Lieutenant  Age:  43  Family:    Kalene-­‐Wife,  sons  Fletcher,  Cody  ,  Austinn    

Address:  1725  Country  Road  O  Education:  High  School,  Military,  Vocational/Technical  Past  Community  Involvement:    Served  in  the  Army  Reserves  for  8  years-­‐1989-­‐‘96  Hobbies:    Running,  hunting,  fishing,  gardening,  small  engine  repair,  motorcycling,  sports,  etc.  Full  Time  Employment  is:    Account  Manager  at  Werner  Electric  Supply  since  ‘96  Why  do  you  like  being  a  Firefighter:  I  like  being  Firefighter  to  help  and  protect  the  people  in  our  community  when  disaster  strikes.  Fires,  bad  weather,  etc.  Most  memorable  firefighting  experience:  My  most  memorable  experience  would  be  my  first  time  training  with  live  fire  on  air.  Just  learning  the  aspects  of  fire  behavior,  thermal  layering,  and  feeling  the  “heat”  for  the  first  time  and  learning  to  trust  our  protective  gear  is  something  I  will  never  forget.    Why  I  like  being  a  First  Responder:  I  like  being  a  First  Responder  because  it  provides  numerous  opportunities  to  be  there  and  help  members  in  our  community  when  they  are  in  one  of  the  worst  times  of  their  lives.  I  think  putting  to  use  the  extensive  training  we  go  through  is  rewarding  when  we  can  consider  the  calls  we  go  on  successful.    

Meet Your Town of Neenah Fire Department: Chris  Plier  

Home:  Neenah  Firefighter  since:  2004  Position  on  the  department:  Lieutenant  Age:  47  Family:  Wife  Dawn,  Son  Johnathan,  Step-­‐son  Steven  Address:  1651  S  Park  Ave  

Education:  Neenah  High  school  graduate  1986,  Fox  Valley  Technical  College:  Firefighter  1  and  2  state  certifications  and  First  Responder  certification  (EMR)  Hobbies:  Duck  and  deer  hunting  and  a  little  fishing  Full  Time  Employment:  Welder  at  Pierce  Manufacturing  Inc.  Why  do  you  like  being  a  Firefighter:  Being  a  firefighter  gives  me  a  chance  to  give  back  to  the  community.  To  help  others  in  an  emergency  as  well  as  non-­‐emergencies  is  an  honor.    Most  memorable  firefighting  experience:  I  would  have  to  say  that  the  most  memorable  is  the  first  structure  fire  that  I  went  to.  This  was  a  garage  fire  that  extended  into  the  attic  and  I  had  to  go  up  the  ladder  in  full  turn-­‐out  gear  with  a  charged  hose  line  and  extinguish  the  fire.    Why  I  like  being  a  First  Responder:  The  best  thing  about  being  a  first  responder  is  that  we  are  the  first  ones  to  arrive  on  scene  when  people  are  typically  at  their  worst  and  by  giving  support,  compassion,  and  sometimes  a  little  laughter  helps  them  to  get  through.  You  just  get  a  good  feeling  about  helping  and  that  makes  me  a  better  person.  

Town of Neenah Fire Department First Responders

Both Chris and Arlen are cross trained to handle medical emergencies and are certified by the State of Wisconsin as EMR’s, Emergency Medical Responders, commonly referred to as First Responders. First Responders are dispatched whenever 911 is called for a medical emergency and arrive along with Paramedics from Gold Cross Ambulance Service.

Town of Neenah First Responders complete a full semester of classroom training along with a written and practical exam before they can be certified by the State of Wisconsin to treat patients. They must also complete a National Registry exam and then re-certify every two years with another 24 hours of refresher training. This training ensures that you will receive the very best care should you have a need for emergency medical care.

Chris and Arlen are part of a group of 10 First Responders on the Fire Department staff who are on call 24/7/365 and respond to close to 100 medical incidents each year.

We certainly appreciate their dedication and service to citizens of the Town of Neenah.

 

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The  Good  Ol’  Days  By  Supervisor  Glenn  Armstrong  

Town of Neenah 1600 Breezewood Ln Neenah, WI 54956

www.townofneenah.com Email:tnneenah@tds.net Town Population: 3,435

Chairman

Robert Schmeichel- 729-5995 Supervisors

Glenn Armstrong - 722-3355

Brooke Cardoza – 727-1750

Jan DeKeyser - 725-3284

Jim Weiss - 727-1952 Clerk/Treasurer

Ellen Skerke - 725-0916 Building Inspector

Gary Klinka - 727-9200 Fire Chief

Ed King - 725-8261 Animal Control

Glenn Armstrong - 722-3355 Plan Commission Chairman

Tom Wilde - 725-0014 Parks and Trails Committee Chairman

Dave Bluma – 428-4595 Weed Commissioner

Dave Bluma - 428-4595

Newsletter Pam Winek - 428-0768

Sanitary District Commissions #2-President - Dan Osero - 740-5757

#3-President-Bryan Von Deylen-751-8791

County Board Representatives District 7-Bill Roh – 725-5999

District 9-Tom Widener – 725-1156 District 30-Chuck Farrey – 582-7733

Town of Neenah Today Volume 18, Issue 3 Fall 2015. Town of Neenah Today is published quarterly by the Town of Neenah, Wisconsin for the residents and businesses of the Town. If you see your address is incorrect or has been changed, please contact the Town Clerk. Address changes or updates send to Town of Neenah, 1600 Breezewood Ln., Neenah, WI 54956

Advertising rates for the Town of Neenah newsletter are: full page-$240, ½ page-$120, ¼ page-$60, and 1/8 page-$30.

Call the Town Hall at (920)725-0916 for information.

 

Annual Meeting – April 3, 1883 Meeting was held this day in the store room of Hans Nelson in the City of Neenah. A request was made by the cities of Neenah and Menasha and The Town of Menasha that the Town of Neenah raise $25.00 to be added to a common fund, for the purpose of repairing the fence around the old cemetery. Motion carried. Motion made to raise $75.00 for gravel for highway. Motion lost.

Annual Meeting – April 7, 1885 The committee on surveying the town and establishing permanent landmarks report as follows:

• The County Surveyor of Winnebago County G.A. Randall offers to do the work as the law requires for the sum of $225.00. H.W. Leach, former county surveyor, offers to do the same for $390.00.

Annual Meeting - April 6, 1886 It was resolved that $50.00 be appropriated by a special tax to be divided equally among the road districts, according to taxable property, for the purchase of gravel for the roads of the town.

Annual Meeting – April 7, 1887 Motion made and carried to raise $300.00 for gravel. Motion made and carried to allow each road district to draw all the gravel they want. The price is not to exceed 10 cents per load.

Motion made and carried not to allow persons to hunt on any farm in the town without permission from the owner. The penalty was fixed at $5.00 per offence (sic).

Financial Report 1886 Received Paid Cash On Hand 235.12 Received State School Money 221.12 Tax Roll 2,634.25 Received From Winnebago Co. Treasurer 74.80 $3,165.29 School Money 994.73 Town Orders 352.99 State Tax 841.29 County Tax 974.06 Personal Property 6.72 $2,839.39 Balance in Treasury 325.90

$3165.21

Supervisor Glenn Armstrong

Fall Town of Neenah Today Page 4  

Building Permits (projects valued at $1,000 or more)

May 2015

June 2015

VOTER  PHOTO  I.D.  Will  be  required  to  vote    

beginning  in  2016!  Upcoming elections: • 2016 Spring Primary

February 16, 2016 (if required) • 2016 Spring Election

Presidential Preference Election April 5, 2016

• Fall Primary August 9, 2016

• General Election (Presidential) November 1, 2016

Do you have a Voter ID? Acceptable IDs include: Wisconsin driver’s license or Wisconsin State ID, military ID issued by U.S. Uniformed Services, and a U.S. passport. How to get a Voter ID

Be prepared in 2016 to show Voter Photo ID when you vote. The Wisconsin Department of Transportation provides free State ID cards for voting, even if you do not have a birth certificate. That process can take time, especially for people born outside of Wisconsin, so get started early. More information is available at the Government Accountability Board (GAB) website: www.gab.wi.gov/node/1917

Questions?

Call Ellen Skerke Town Clerk/Treasurer 920-725-0916

NAME   ADDRESS   JOB  TYPE   COST  

 Stark  Const.   1326  Larsen  Rd.   Garage   $20,000  

Roy  Nation   169  Villa  Dr.   Deck   $1,800  

Brian  Campbell   1315  Cty.  Rd.  JJ   Shed   $10,000  

Robert  Lieber   188  Plummer  Ct.   Electrical   $2,318  

Keller  Inc.   1497  Cty.  Rd.  O   Office  Buildout   $350,000  

Hoffman-­‐Strobel  Bldrs.  

196  Adella  Beach  Rd.  

Razing   $8,000  

Utschig  Inc.   1961  Dixie  Rd.   Warehouse  Connections  

$16,588  

Nick  Snyder   1741  Cty.  Rd.  A   Remodel   $55,000  

Matthew  Gettendorf  

156  Rickers  Bay  Rd.  

Remodel   $16,000  

Keesler  Homes  LLC  

1527  Woods  Edge  Ln.  

New  House   $215,000  

Keeslet  Homes  LLC  

1508  Woods  Edge  Ln.  

New  House   $330,000  

Steven  Schmidt   568  Hunters  Point   Garage   $10,000  David  Weiss   351  Muttart  Rd.   Addition   $80,000  

Boardwalk  Bldrs.   1347  Birch  Bark  Ln.   New  House   $210,000  

Nick  Chapin   1495  Breezewood  Ln.   Garage   $8,800  

Modern  Sheet  Metal  

108  Cumings  Ln.   HVAC   $2,449  

July 2015

Keith  Vanden  Bogaard  

247  Muttart  Rd.   Shed   $35,000  

Dave  Platta   132  Adella  Beach  Rd.   Razing   $3,200  Bob  Tonn   244  Fury  Ln.   HVAC   $5468  Hoffman-­‐Strobel   196  Adella  Beach  Rd.   New  

House  $500,000  

Scott  Hildebrand   1791  Cty.  Rd.  G   Electrical   $3,000  Boardwalk  Builders   1318  Harvest  Moon  

Dr.  New  House  

$202,000  

Boardwalk  Builders   1314  Harvest  Moon  Dr.  

New  House  

$210,000  

Jeff  Sproul   132  Adella  Beach  Rd.   Garage   $25,000  Harrison  Sturgis   167  Rockwood  Ln.   Garage   $12,000  Jonathan  Kuffel   862  Sundial  Ln.   Remodel   $5,000  Robert  Thom   636  Hunters  Point  Rd.   Detached  

garage  $5,000  

Budget  Workshops    

Town  of  Neenah  2016  Budget  Workshops  will  be  held:  

Wednesday  September  23rd  at  7:00  pm  Thursday  October  8th  at  9:00  am  Thursday  October  22nd  at  9:00  am    

Budget Hearing Set For Nov. 9th

A public hearing for the Town of Neenah’s 2016 budget will be held at 7:00 pm on Monday, November 9th, at the Town Hall. A meeting of the Town Electors will immediately follow the hearing for the purpose of approving the Town tax levy and the 2016 highway budget.

Cell Tower Litigation Update

Shortly after the cell tower lease was approved by the Town of Neenah, both the Town and cell tower company were served with a lawsuit. The circuit court dismissed the case in April 2015 but the plaintiffs have decided to appeal that decision. The case remains in the court of appeals process and will likely take several months before a decision is made. In the meantime, the cell tower is in place and the Town continues to receive rental income each month from the lease agreement.

Fall Town of Neenah Today Page 5  

Realize

RenewOurWaters.org

Fall Town of Neenah Today Page 6  

Clerk’s Corner:  • Approved Amendment of Ordinance 2.02(3) - Posting

of Official Public Notices: Town Hall, Conservancy Park, Oakridge Place and Sunset Terrace by the pond

• Discussed various options regarding County CB / Oakridge Road Intersection.

• Approved Application for Liquor and Tobacco Licenses: Green Valley Investments, LLC: Class B Beer, Class B Liquor.

• Accepted Fire Fighter Application: Justin Schott. • Approved Intergovernmental Agreement to Satisfy

Eligibility for Recycling Consolidation Grant for Calendar Year 2016 July 2015

• Approved Property and Casualty Insurance Renewal Proposal.

• Approved Affidavit of Correction for Rolling Heights Plat.

• Fire Chief Ed King presented the second quarter report.

• Approved Resolution 2015-09 Regarding Management of Lake Winnebago.

August 2015

• Approved Purchase of New Election Equipment. • Accepted Resignation of Fire Fighter Patrick

Lukaszewski. • Approved TNSD#2 Commissioner Appointment –

Russel Gossen. • Discussed Junked Motor Vehicle violations. • Discussed 160 Rickers Bay Road Nuisance Violation.

Town Board meetings are held the second and fourth Monday of the month, 7:00 pm at the Town Hall. Agendas are posted on the Town of Neenah website, on the posting boards located at Town Hall, at Conservancy Park and Oakridge Place. Minutes of each meeting can be found on the website. Some of the highlights include: May  2015

• Accepted South Park Avenue Road Reconstruction Intermunicipal Agreement between Town of Neenah and

City of Neenah and passed Resolution 2015-08 - Acceptance of Jurisdictional Transfer of 150 feet of South Park Avenue from the City of Neenah to The Town of Neenah.

• Reviewed Board Liaison Assignments • Appointed Don Nussbaum and Pete Weyenberg as Plan

Commissioners, Bill Keepers, Anne Neer and Jim Pawlowski to the Parks and Trails Committee and David Bluma as Weed Commissioner.

• Passed Resolution 2015-07 regarding Town of Neenah Noxious Weeds.

June 2015 • Approved Muttart Road Reconstruction Intermunicipal

Agreement Town of Neenah – City of Neenah • Approved Application for Liquor and Tobacco Licenses

HJR LLC: Class A Beer, Class A Liquor, Cigarette and Tobacco Products

Town Clerk Ellen Skerke

The Parks and Trails Committee, along with the

parks maintenance contractor, Springhetti Landscaping have made several improvements to the Town parks and trails through the season including new aluminum bleachers at Franzoi Park and Keating Park and a newly planted tree at Mahler Park. The old unused drinking fountains and grills were removed from Mahler Park. Franzoi Park’s play equipment received fresh coats of stain/paint as needed. The trails at Franzoi and Keating were cleaned up. The walking trail on Cty. Rd CB is scheduled to be seal coated, weather permitting, before the cooler fall weather is upon us. The prairie at Conservancy Park is maturing beautifully.

We Need You! The Parks and Trails Committee is seeking volunteers to fill two vacancies. The committee meets the first Monday of the month from April thru October to discuss the maintenance needs and improvements of the parks and trails. Interested? Join us on October 5th, 7:00 pm at the Town Hall for the last Parks and Trails Committee meeting in 2015 to learn more about it. Contact Bob Schmeichel at 729-5995 or Ellen Skerke at 725-0916 for further information.

WisDOT Wetland Mitigation Site

Last fall, WisDOT purchased 35 acres of land from the Town of Neenah for a wetland mitigation site. In September they began work on the project which is scheduled to be completed by the end of October. Work will consist of removing or rendering the existing drain tile inoperable and diverting flow from an existing drainage channel, which currently flows along the west and north side of the property boundary, through the site and through an existing reinforced concrete box culvert below County Road O/North Street in order to create a wetland site. Additional excavation adjacent to the proposed drainage channel will provide a flood fringe and create environment suitable for wetland and upland buffer species. Rough grading around the south and east borders of the site for a future pedestrian trail is also included. Several, existing, mature ash and oak trees at the site will be incorporated into the project. Following the proposed excavation and grading operations, the site will be planted with wet meadow, shallow marsh, and upland buffer seeding mixes to create wetland communities and buffer areas.

!Fall Town of Neenah Today Page 7  

and viewed as unsafe, the fire will be extinguished. 4. Burn only when there is little or no wind. Any

breeze can carry burning embers from a fire a significant distance and cause issues for other residents. Our guideline is there should not be any burning when winds are greater than seven (7) miles per hour.

5. Keep all fires, including recreational fires, away from all buildings, automobiles, boats or camping equipment. Each year the Fire Department responds to larger fires caused when a small fire involves other materials that are close by.

6. When you are burning, the fire must be tended at all times. Failure to tend a fire is a violation of the Town’s Burning Ordinance and will cause the fire to be extinguished by the Fire Department.

7. Never use an accelerant to start a fire. Using a flammable liquid like gasoline can cause a fire to actually explode into flames and can cause serious injury to anyone starting a fire or those nearby.

8. Be sure to contact the non-emergency number for the Winnebago County Sheriff’s Department and provide your name and address and let them know you are performing a “controlled burn”. Please be sure to let them know when you are finished with your burning as well.

As the days of summer slowly fade away and the temperatures slide in the wrong direction, many of us may be doing a number of clean-up chores around the yard this fall. Many of those chores may involve the burning of yard debris. Here are some common sense guidelines that you may want to keep in mind.

1. Never burn garbage, plastic, roofing materials, vinyl siding, tires or other products that may contain petroleum products. All of these items are prohibited by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and violate Clean Air Regulations. Fines can be very costly when the DNR is involved in a burning complaint.

2. Avoid burning grass clippings. The smoke from grass clippings is normally very thick and will more than likely upset those living nearby. Leaf burning is also something that should be avoided if possible, as leaves smolder for long periods of time and the smoke can also cause concerns for your neighbors.

3. Avoid creating large piles of materials to be burned and avoid burning after dark. Large fires can cause concerns to those residents that may see a fire in the distance. During nighttime hours, fires are obviously visible from greater distances. Keeping this in mind will avoid calls to 911 and having the Fire Department dispatched to investigate. If the fire is large enough

Seeking Election Officials

2016 will be a busy year of Elections. The Town Clerk is seeking people interested in becoming an Election Official to staff the polling place on Election Day. Polls are open from 6am-8pm. Election Officials are paid a stipend and work a full shift or a half day shift. Election Officials are required to attend training before an election. Training sessions are typically held in the Town Hall and facilitated by the Town Clerk. Duties include:

• Open the polling place • Register voters • Issue ballots • Record who votes • Monitor voting equipment • Count the votes • Complete Election Day forms • Tally Write-in votes • Close the polling place

Contact Ellen Skerke Clerk-Treasurer at 920-725-0916 or tnneenah@tds.net to complete the GAB-403 form.

Common Sense Guidelines When Burning This Fall

 

REGULAR MEETINGS

Regular meetings are held at the Town Hall beginning at 7PM. Special meetings may

be held on other days and times.

Town Board of Supervisors 2nd & 4th Mondays

Town Plan Commission 3rd Monday

Town Parks & Trails Committee 1st Monday April through October

• RECYCLING/TRASH: All Town recycling is picked up every-other-week, depending on where you live. All recyclables to be picked up must fit inside the container provided by Advanced Disposal. They will not pick up bagged or boxed items, or recylables in other containers. Please do not wrap with string or place anything inside plastic bags. Electronics, waste oil, and other materials may not be placed with your recylables or trash. When leaving containers curbside, lids must be closed to keep items from blowing away when containers are emptied.

• OBSTRUCTING RIGHTS-OF-WAY AND DRAINAGE DITCHES: You cannot place a fence, greenery, or anything else in the Town’s road right-of-way. No part of a mailbox should extend over the paved portion of the road. In addition, culverts, and drainage ditches must be kept clear of obstructions and must not be filled in. If you have a question about water drainage issues or the right-of-way, call Town Chairman Robert Schmeichel.

• BUILDING PERMITS: All building permits are issued by Building Inspector Gary Klinka (727-9200). Permits are needed to construct a fence or to build a deck. If you aren’t sure you need a permit, check with Gary.

• DEER/WILDLIFE/STRAYS: The Town has no authority to handle wildlife problems. If you see a dead animal on the road, or have lost or found a pet, call the County Sheriff at 236-7300#0. If you have wildlife problems, call a pest/wildlife service.

• BURNING: Burning is permitted in

the Town of Neenah, but the Fire Department requests that you use common sense (dryness and wind are always factors to consider) and that you call the Winnebago County Sheriff’s office non-emergency number (236-7300#0) before and after burning to avoid false alarms. Please be considerate of your neighbors when burning, making sure that smoke isn’t blowing in their direction. Burning garbage is prohibited as well as any petroleum-based products.

• MINUTES AND AGENDAS: Town minutes and agendas are posted on the Town website www.townofneenah.com and are also available at the Town Hall during regular business hours.

• ADDRESS SIGNS: Homeowners are responsible for maintaining the emergency address signs placed in front of their homes by the Town. Assure that the sign remains visible by keeping brush and snow away from the sign. Also, do not remove or relocate the sign.

1600 Breezewood Lane Neenah, Wisconsin 54956