VILLAGE OF MARATHON CITY, MARATHON COUNTY, WISCONSIN
UTILITY COMMISSION MEETING – MINUTES
VILLAGE HALL – BOARD ROOM
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2024 – 4:00 p.m.
MINUTES
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1. CALL TO ORDER
UTILITY ROLL CALL: A. BERENS, B. BOHR, M. TELFORD, D. SEILER, K. HANDRICK JR. All Board Members were present. Also Attending in person was Andy Goergen.
2. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
3. RECOGNITION OF VISITORS
a.Virtual Meeting Guidelines
b.Public Participation at Government Meetings
4. APPROVE MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING
a. Discuss and Possible Action on Approval of Minutes from October 30, 2024 – Utility
Commission Meeting
A B. Bohr asked about October 30, 2024, minutes and found missing motions and approval for item 8B. The Commission suggested adding the Motion to approve Resolution No 2024-10-30A, authorizing the Utility Fund and General Fund for fund advances equally to TID No. 2 through tax year 2030.
Motion – Approve the October 30, 2024 minutes with the motion correction added to item 8B in the meeting minutes.
Motion made by B. Bohr second by K. Handrick. Motion passed by voice vote.
5. APPROVE PAYMENT OF BILLS
Commissioners had questions on the following:
Check # 48231 – Norther Lake Service INC
Check # 48246 – EMC Insurance Companies
Check # 48293 – LAI LLC – Aeration Blower Oil & Air Filters
Public Works Director Ken Bloom and Village Administrator Cherek answered the payment questions of the above items.
Motion – Approve Payment of Bills
Motion made by A. Berens second by B. Bohr. Motion passed by voice vote.
6. PUBLIC UTILITY OPERATIONS REPORT
a. Facilities Report
Director of Public Works Bloom presented the Facilities report. See Ken Bloom’s Report in agenda packet for details.
7. UNFINISHED BUSINESS
a) Discuss and Possible Action on the 2025 Utility Budget
Administrator Cherek went over the 2025 Utility Budget in detail. The 2025 Utility budget projects $1,590,739.74 in revenues, $1,580,391.60 in Expenditures, with $10,348.15 adding to the fund balance. Built in this budget is $170,000 in capital project expenditures with $150,000 in short-term borrowing to pay for the start of the Well 1 replacement project. See Cherek’s budget packet material for full details on the Utility Budget presented.
Items discussed:
• B. Bohr – past areas with large revenue payments in a miscellaneous revenue line item. This was due to the new Waste Water Treatment Plant and the payments made by Marathon Cheese
• Employee wages adjustment – New to this budget was a more accurate estimate of employee wages. Since the Utilities use Public Works employees are used to help when needed and fill in on weekends on a rotation shift, Cherek calculated the hours needed in 2025 and included it in the Budget. In the past, this was not done, and those budget line items were always over budget because of this.
• 2025-2030 Capital Outlay Projects. A. Berens questioned why a new Street Sweeper was on the utility list. Cherek explained that $40,000 of the $345,000 total is an attachment used for sanitary sewer and water utilities. Cherek informed the group that this list presented is not finalized and in the upcoming months, the commissioners will be assigning a ranking based on priority.
Motion – Approve the 2025 Utility Budget.
Motion made by K. Handrick second by M. Telford. Motion passed by voice vote.
b. Discussion over Past Utility Fund Balance
Administrator Cherek presented the history of the past 7 years of the Utility Fund balance. There is a noticeable difference in the Utility Fund balance and the start of the sewer rate increases. Cherek explained that $540,000 of recent fund balance is due to Marathon Cheese purchase of new Capacity at the Wastewater Treatment Plant. He figured the Utility will see on the 2024 final Audit a decrease of $640,000 with the completion of the Wastewater Treatment Plant.
Other places Cherek talked about with fund balance was the Waste Water Treatment Plant Replacement fund required. This fund currently is $205,286 and requires increases of $38,000 per year. Currently, this is scheduled to be removed from the fund balance.
c. Discussion over CWLF – Closing Project Ending Budget Results and DNR Closeout
Process
Administrator Cherek went over the cost of the CWLF and stated that he submitted for an additional $54,675.52 loan draw from the CWLF. The total project cost $10,350,330.43.
The DNR informed the Village Administrator that additional testing requirements are going to be required for the closeout process for the identified hazardous substance material found in the ground during construction.
8. NEW BUSINESS
None
9. SCHEDULED MEETINGS
a. Regular Meeting: Wednesday, January 29, 2025 – 4:00 p.m.
b. Special Meetings as Needed
10. ADJOURNMENT
Motion – Adjourn meeting
Motion made by B. Bohr second by K. Handrick. Motion was passed by a voice vote. The meeting was adjourned at 5:45.
Anita Krautkramer
Village Clerk / Deputy Treasurer