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Monroe Common Council: Aug. 10, 2013
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MONROE - At a meeting Tuesday, Aug. 6, 2013, the City of Monroe Common Council:

- Set a public hearing for Aug. 20 for an ordinance regarding diseased or infested trees.

- Voted unanimously to authorize up to $10,000 from the Parkland Development Fund to pay for costs associated with the construction of the Badger State Trailhead facility.

- Voted 8-1 to ratify the AFSCME, AFL-CIO labor agreement with Local Union 3760 for 2013. Tyler Schultz voted no, noting the retroactive application of the agreement and the "lengthily drawn out debate" with the bargaining unit.

- Hired Carol Wyss as the replacement Recreation Supervisor for the Recreation Department at a starting annual salary of $43,138, grade 10 step 2. Wyss retains her current vacation level.

- Denied a settlement claim by Attorney Stephen J. Eisenberg, on behalf of Christopher Miller, in the amount of $132,000 for an incident on Dec. 29, 2011, involving a city refuse truck and Street Department employees. The Monroe Police Department reported Christopher M. Miller, 39, attached himself to the sanitation truck and held on as it continued for 960 feet before he let go and was struck by a wheel, following a confrontation between the driver of the truck and his coworker.

- Voted unanimously to pay city bills totaling $1.64 million.

- Approved the installation of a "right turn, no stop" sign at the intersection of 6th Avenue West and W. 2nd Street.

- Approved special events for Southern Wisconsin Northern Illinois Fire Rescue Association for Aug. 9-11; Monroe Youth Hockey Association Odyssey 5K Run and Taste of SLICE Sept. 7, and Alzheimer's and Dementia Alliance Green County Alzheimer's Way Walk Sept. 7.

- Approved miscellaneous license.

- Approved a temporary class B beer and wine license for the SWNIFRA Fire School beer garden.

- Approved a temporary class B beer license for Monroe Youth Hockey Association, in conjunction with Taste of SLICE event.

Mayor Bill Ross announced a public meeting for intergovernmental activities was being planned by Monroe City Administrator Phil Rath and New Glarus Village Administrator Nic Owen for stakeholders of the Green County landfill and other interested people. The meeting is expected to be held later this month.

Rex Ewald, technology coordinator, updated the council on electronic filing and retrieval capabilities of the tablet computers.

Ewald also noted video filming of council meetings will begin by the end of September.

Michael Boyce noted the budget process, including the city's pending association with the county transfer station, overtime pay, payments from other municipal fire departments to the Monroe Fire District, and the airport terminal.

Brooke Bauman, Ward 2, noted the claims list and expressed her displeasure of spending $214 for a digital clock for the council chambers.

Bauman updated the council on the Green County Development Corporation's search for an executive director. Three chosen candidates will be in town Saturday, Aug. 10 for final interviews.

Tom Miller thanked Pam Christopher and her committee for its work bringing Amlat LLC (previously Wonder Milk) to Monroe and keeping Quest Industrial in town.

Comptroller Bridget Schuchart reported the city met the difficulties from the state in getting its rebate from a bond refinancing last year. Eventually, calls to Wisconsin Assemblyman Howard Marklein and U.S. Senator Ron Johnson helped solve the problems, and the city received its refund payment in full.

City Administrator Phil Rath announced a planned power outage for city hall Friday afternoon to finish a generator installation project.



MONROE - At a meeting Tuesday, Aug. 6, 2013, the City of Monroe Judiciary and Ordinance Review Committee:

- Postponed recommending changes to the city code regarding Synthetic Cannabinoids and Salvia Divinorum, pending a rewritten, updated version.



MONROE - At a meeting Monday, Aug. 5, 2013, the City of Monroe Finance and Taxation Committee:

- Discussed prioritizing funding for the 2014 annual operating budget, funding and defunding programs to hit a target goal of 1 percent decrease in the levy, and prioritizing the 5-year capital plan.