February 2011 village board meeting

Elmwood Police Dept. Future is Digital


Submitted by Citizen Journalist Rick A. Talford

ELMWOOD, WI - On February 14, 2011 the Elmwood Village Board held their monthly meeting. Paul Blanford, the Superintendent and Sandra Weix, the Board Secretary from the School spoke to the Village Board about the possibility of sharing services to save money, such as sharing the cost of snow removal and other equipment. He also added promoting Elmwood to attract families with children, and helping each other with challenges that Elmwood faces. No action was taken.

One operators license was approved for the Sandbar.

The Library Board appointment was then discussed with Wayne Nohelty and Joanne Baier providing applications for the position. Trustee Weix gave a motion for Mr. Nohelty, and that was approved. Trustee Hartung apposed the appointment.

The board then went onto discussing the replacement of the village signs. The same information that has come forward in past meetings, was once again spoke of during this meeting. Trustee Boltic gave approximately the same numbers to the board for the high density foam board. They discussed having the school provide workers for the project, as well as community service workers to lower the total cost. This has been a subject that continues to come to the board about every six months or so. This is the business that Mr. Boltic is involved with for his employment.

The Building Inspector Contract was next on the agenda, with Trustee Hartung making the motion to keep All Croix Inspections, LLC (Todd Dolan) from Hudson, WI. This motion was approved.

The Board then started discussions on the need to change the police radios over to all digital, by federal law. This must be completed by January 2013. There will be a grant available, but it must be requested by February 24, 2011. The cost for this change over will be in excess of sixteen thousand dollars. The grant funds will be just under eight thousand, leaving another eighty-six hundred to be paid by the village. Trustee Weix made a motion to take the required funds out the squad car outlay fund to pay for the digital police radios required. But, with the stipulation that said funds be replaced with the 2012 budget.

The Committee and Board Reports were as follows.

The Library circulation was now double what it was back in 2000, and the library is used by adults mostly.

The Nursing Home information was provided by Trustee Knops. She reported “There was a December deficiency reported in January, and to contact Rob Gilles for any questions on this matter.” Upon contacting Mr. Gilles, I was told that a male resident was “Acting Inappropriately” with other female residents, as well as with the female staff. The nursing home had to take actions in removing the subject from the home. While going through the process, the State of WI was involved, and claimed the Nursing Home had not documented the incidents well enough. This caused the deficiencies that were noted. The tub therapy room has been completed, the electric fireplace will be installed in the family/dining room area and the State has approved the Oxygen Therapy Room.

There were no reports from the Personnel and Finance Committee, Building and Parks, or Public Works. Paying the Bills was approved, and the meeting was closed at 7:41 pm.