Advertisement “We have enough money to start a good capital campaign,” Reynolds said at the monthly meeting of the Holmen Village Board Finance and Personnel Committee. “We do not have enough for a new building or property.”
The group has been working to get a new, larger library for the village. Hopes to purchase the St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church failed, so the group is moving on, Reynolds said.
The library group has made a list of all available property in the village — “even the ridiculous ones,” Reynolds said — and is trying to compare them on an apples-to-apples basis.
Funded with money from an auction last weekend and with the prospect of more cash, the friends group plans to get its capital campaign going. A wine-tasting kick-off event might be announced soon, Reynolds said.
The village might show its commitment to the project by starting to set aside a library fund. Trustee Mark Seitz said such a fund would show “the community we are serious about having a new library.”
“It would show people that the village is interesting in participating in the project,” Trustee Rich Anderson added.
Fluoride referendum
Committee members might hold a special meeting next week to work on the wording for a November referendum on fluoridating the village water supply.
“We should talk about it sooner than later so there is time for adequate public discussion on the matter,” Seitz said.
Trustees need to decide if the ballot issue is binding or advisory and then how to properly word the question.
Park project to start
Corn kernels and rancid butter will still litter the grass of Halfway Creek Park when work begins on improving the village facility.
The Holmen American Legion will clean up from its annual Kornfest Monday and Tuesday the Digger’s Hotline workers will mark utility lines in the park. McHugh Excavating will move its machinery into the park Wednesday and begin demolition work.
Plans are to make the centrally located park a jewel for the village. The project is expected to be spread over five years to keep it within budget.
The cost for the first phase of improvements jumped $9,920 because of material price increases that have taken place in the year since bids were let. Village Administrator/Clerk Catherine Schmit said the village could have re-bid the project but she and finance committee members agreed that new bids would just be that much higher.
Building permit fees
Village building permit fees will remain as-is through the end of the year. Finance committee members took no action on a request to raise fees, instead deciding to give them a look when the 2009 budget is set.
Building inspector Bud Raymer asked for an increase because his costs are going up and because Holmen’s fees are generally lower than other local units of governments he serves. Raymer is a private contractor.
“It is not in the best interest of the village to adjust budget items in mid-budget,” Schmit said.
Village Hall
Holmen Village Hall’s walls cannot stretch to accommodate the growing needs of village government, yet no one wants to study how public facilities should look. The village requested proposals for a facilities needs study and sent out information to 14 engineering and planning firms.
“No one replied,” Schmit said. She is not sure why none responded — even Vierbicher and Associates, which has done much work for Holmen — so she will try again early in 2009.
The village did purchase some property adjacent to the village hall, though. It paid $12,500 for the Evenson property, which adjoins the village hall parking lot. The land is said to be too small to be developed.
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