REGULAR TOWN BOARD MEETING, May 20, 2026

(Draft – Not official until approved.)
The regular meeting of the Town Board of the Town of St. Croix Falls was called to order by Chairman Mike Dorsey on Wednesday, May 20, 2026, at 6:00 p.m. at the Town Hall.  Proper notice was given as the agenda was posted at the town hall and on the town’s website May 15, 2026.  The Pledge of Allegiance was said.  Present by roll call were supervisors Katie Appel, Will Bergmann, Jeremy Hall and Brent Priebe.  Also present were town clerk Janet Krueger, public works employee Steve Jacobs and legal counsel Adam Jarchow.  Others present were Roger Northquest, John Northquest, Adam Larse and Jim Johnson.

 

Appel/Priebe moved to approve the agenda; motion carried.  Hall/Appel moved to approve the minutes as printed for the April 22, 2026, town board meeting; motion carried.

 

No public comment was had.

 

Business:  A resolution was presented for supporting a comprehensive and sustainable transportation funding solution.  Appel/Bergmann moved to adopt Resolution 26-07; motion carried on a unanimous roll-call vote, 5-0.

Resolution 26-07

TOWN BOARD RESOLUTION SUPPORTING A COMPREHENSIVE AND SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORTATION FUNDING SOLUTION

Town of St. Croix Falls, Polk County

WHEREAS, local units of government in Wisconsin own and maintain approximately 90% of the public road miles in the state, including county highways, town roads, and city and village streets; and

WHEREAS, Wisconsin’s economy—rooted in agriculture, manufacturing, and tourism—relies on a safe, reliable, and well-maintained transportation network; and

WHEREAS, local governments greatly appreciate the one-time infusions of General Purpose Revenue, primarily sales and income taxes,and other revenue provided in recent state budgets, which have enabled the initiation and continuation of the successful and popular Local Roads Improvement Program Supplemental (LRIP-S) and Agricultural Roads Improvement Program (ARIP); and

WHEREAS, despite modest increases from the state over the years, transportation aids to local governments remain insufficient to keep pace with inflation and rising construction costs, leaving many communities funded below 2000 levels in real dollars; and

WHEREAS, local governments throughout Wisconsin continue to struggle to perform even routine maintenance, pavement preservation, and safety improvements, resulting in deteriorating roads and bridges; and

WHEREAS,the inaugural inventory and assessment of small bridges between 6 to 20 feet found about 10% of the nearly17,000 structures to be in poor or severe condition; and

WHEREAS, levy limits and other fiscal constraints prevent local governments from independently filling the funding gap created by inadequate state transportation aids; and

WHEREAS, absent sustainable state funding, many communities have been forced to address their shortfalls by significantly increasing borrowing, deferring essential projects, or imposing local vehicle registration (“wheel”) taxes; and

WHEREAS, Wisconsin motorists currently pay among the lowest transportation user fees in the Midwest, while neighboring states and dozens of others nationwide have enacted long-term revenue measures to keep their transportation systems competitive; and

WHEREAS, Wisconsin is increasingly relying on General Purpose Revenues to make needed investments, potentially pitting transportation against other vital services, such as education; and

WHEREAS, continued lack of growing, dedicated, and predictable revenue places Wisconsin at a growing economic disadvantage by threatening the efficiency of freight movement, the safety of travelers, and the attractiveness of our state to businesses and residents; and

WHEREAS, both Wisconsin’s aging Interstate highway system—largely constructed in the 1950s and 1960s—and our extensive network of state and local roads require predictable, adequate, and sustainable funding to meet current and future needs;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Town Board strongly urges the Governor of Wisconsin and the State Legislature to enact a comprehensive, sustainable transportation funding solution that:

1. Provides adequate and reliable revenue growth for the efficient long-term planning and execution of state and local transportation programs;
2. Includes responsible and prudent use of General Purpose Revenue and bonding;
3. Adjusts any new and existing transportation user fees and other revenue mechanisms to sustain purchasing power in order to maintain and improve Wisconsin’s transportation infrastructure; and
4. Ensures transportation continues to deliver for Wisconsin by adequately funding reconstruction, preservation, and safety investments on the state and local systems.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the clerk is hereby directed to transmit a copy of this resolution to the Governor’s office, all members of the Wisconsin State Senate and Assembly representing districts within Town.

 

Bergmann/Hall moved to adopt Resolution 26-08 approving two mobile storage containers at 2158 140^th Avenue; motion carried on a unanimous roll-call vote, 5-0.

Resolution 26-08

A RESOLUTION APPOVING ONE ADDITIONAL MOBILE STORAGE CONTAINER ON PARCEL #044-00771-0000 – TRANSITIONAL DISTRICT

WHEREAS, Roger Northquest, owner of real property in the Town of St. Croix Falls, is requesting to place two mobile storage containers on parcel #044-00771-0000, Section 28, located at 2158 140^th Avenue; and

WHEREAS, the Town of St. Croix Falls Zoning Ordinance No. 1, Chapter III, Section E, 2. a. states “if an applicant desires more than one mobile storage container per parcel, the request shall come before the Town Board for consideration and possible approval”.

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Town Board of the Town of St. Croix Falls, Polk County, Wisconsin, approves the placement of two mobile storage containers on parcel #044-00771-0000, Section 28, located at 2158 140^th Avenue; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Town Clerk be authorized to issue the permit for the two additional mobile storage containers.

Hall/Bergmann moved to approve the fireworks display for the Deer Lake Association on July 2, 2026 (rain date July 5, 2026); motion carried.  Discussion was had on residing the town hall.  A notice for bid will be published.  Bids received for 140^th Avenue culvert replacement and ditch work were:  Haas Sons, Inc – $229,631.00; Nick’s Trucking & Excavation – $83,961.00 includes a 48” HDPE culvert, if 60” culvert is wanted it would be $249.75 per foot additional; and Complete Contracting & Excavating – $58,883.00, shifting road shoulder first 180 feet $64,450.00, and without replacing second big culvert $57,233.00.  After discussion the contractor for Complete Contracting & Excavating did not include the amount for the two big culverts.  From reviewing the bids it was determined using the same price for culverts from another bid Complete Contracting & Excavating bid would not have been the lowest.  Hall/Bergmann moved to award the bid to Nick’s Trucking & Excavation in the amount of $$83,961.00; motion carried on a unanimous roll-call vote, 5-0.  Discussion was had on additional road work.  In the future asphalt should be bid out at the intersections when a double chip seal will be used.  There was no training to be approved.

Committee, Commission and Employee Reports: Mr. Jacobs gave the highway report.  The clerk’s report was presented.  Hall/Bergmann moved to approve payment of vouchers #26-115 through #26-139 in the amount of $90,605.52; motion carried on a unanimous roll-call vote, 5-0.  The 2026 year to date budget summaries were reviewed.  Receipts for the period ending April 30, 2026, amounted to $44,823.03, cash balance on April 30, 2026, was $558,592.74.  A letter from the attorney representing the unzoned towns and towns with their own zoning was reviewed.  Building permit log and zoning logs were reviewed.

No closing public comment.

A special town board meeting will be held May 21, 2026, at 5:30 pm to award the crack sealing and mastic patching bid.  The June town board meeting will be held June 17, 2026.  There being no further business, Bergmann/Priebe moved to adjourn the meeting; motion carried and the meeting was adjourned at 7:35 p.m.

Minutes prepared by Town Clerk, Janet Krueger