MONROE - Actions spoke louder than words when it came to Menards and the Monroe City Council Tuesday night.
Tom O'Neil, real estate and acquisitions manager for Menards, could not be at the public hearing because of scheduling conflicts. He had requested that the roll call vote be set for Feb. 5 when he could be present to answer any questions from aldermen.
But there were no speakers at the public hearing, and council members had no questions. A brief discussion revealed aldermen were ready, and voted unanimously, to adopt the plans for Phase I of the Menards large scale retail development. Alderman Keith Ingwell was absent.
The vote allows Menards to begin applying for necessary state permits to begin building.
The Council voted to accept the company's conditional PUD on Nov. 20, contingent upon land acquisition, annexation and zoning. That land, 98.7 acres on the city's north side, was annexed Dec. 18, and was rezoned to a PUD district.
The city committees and departments have been working through the details of the plans with Menards since mid-2006.
In other action, the council:
• Set a public hearing date of Feb. 5 for the restated Wal-Mart PUD. The new Wal-Mart Superstore will be 160,288 square feet "under roof," down from the original 196,572 square feet. The main Superstore, tire and lube express and cart alcoves make up approximately 156,000 square feet.
• Authorized hiring the accounting firm of Reffue, Pas, Jacobson and Koster, LLP of Monroe to perform the 2007 city audit, for a fee not to exceed $22,000, on the recommendation of the Taxation & Finance Committee. The firm has been doing the 2006 audit and, according to Kathy Maurer, city comptroller, is in a good position to continue with the 2007 audit. Committee chairman Kent Kallembach said he would recommend the firm.
• Authorized the hiring of Chad Ringhand as a replacement Street Department laborer, effective Jan. 22 at the rate of $15.68 per hour.
• Authorized the hiring of Robert U. Jacobson as the police department technical services director effective Jan. 16 at the annual salary of $40,000. Jacobson will administer and maintain the county-wide Spillman data system and network, as well as information technology (IT) duties. He will also handle maintenance and scheduling of the police department vehicle fleet, radio system and computer equipment. Jacobson was recommended by the Salary & Personnel Committee.
• Approved claims in the amount of $3,208,221.01.
• Granted operator licenses to Bruce D. Brenizer, Lowell E. Ladwig, Jon M. Koenig, Heath N. Goebel, Richard G. Wescott; and electrical contractor license to AB Electrical of Southern WI, Inc.; and a commercial animal establishment to David Horner for "Horner's Pet Palace."
• Authorized combining all 10 wards in the city for the 2008 February primary to have one election result total, and separate returns not be maintained.
Tom O'Neil, real estate and acquisitions manager for Menards, could not be at the public hearing because of scheduling conflicts. He had requested that the roll call vote be set for Feb. 5 when he could be present to answer any questions from aldermen.
But there were no speakers at the public hearing, and council members had no questions. A brief discussion revealed aldermen were ready, and voted unanimously, to adopt the plans for Phase I of the Menards large scale retail development. Alderman Keith Ingwell was absent.
The vote allows Menards to begin applying for necessary state permits to begin building.
The Council voted to accept the company's conditional PUD on Nov. 20, contingent upon land acquisition, annexation and zoning. That land, 98.7 acres on the city's north side, was annexed Dec. 18, and was rezoned to a PUD district.
The city committees and departments have been working through the details of the plans with Menards since mid-2006.
In other action, the council:
• Set a public hearing date of Feb. 5 for the restated Wal-Mart PUD. The new Wal-Mart Superstore will be 160,288 square feet "under roof," down from the original 196,572 square feet. The main Superstore, tire and lube express and cart alcoves make up approximately 156,000 square feet.
• Authorized hiring the accounting firm of Reffue, Pas, Jacobson and Koster, LLP of Monroe to perform the 2007 city audit, for a fee not to exceed $22,000, on the recommendation of the Taxation & Finance Committee. The firm has been doing the 2006 audit and, according to Kathy Maurer, city comptroller, is in a good position to continue with the 2007 audit. Committee chairman Kent Kallembach said he would recommend the firm.
• Authorized the hiring of Chad Ringhand as a replacement Street Department laborer, effective Jan. 22 at the rate of $15.68 per hour.
• Authorized the hiring of Robert U. Jacobson as the police department technical services director effective Jan. 16 at the annual salary of $40,000. Jacobson will administer and maintain the county-wide Spillman data system and network, as well as information technology (IT) duties. He will also handle maintenance and scheduling of the police department vehicle fleet, radio system and computer equipment. Jacobson was recommended by the Salary & Personnel Committee.
• Approved claims in the amount of $3,208,221.01.
• Granted operator licenses to Bruce D. Brenizer, Lowell E. Ladwig, Jon M. Koenig, Heath N. Goebel, Richard G. Wescott; and electrical contractor license to AB Electrical of Southern WI, Inc.; and a commercial animal establishment to David Horner for "Horner's Pet Palace."
• Authorized combining all 10 wards in the city for the 2008 February primary to have one election result total, and separate returns not be maintained.