Post Messenger Recorder -

The Monticello Village Board met on Wednesday, March 6, 2019, in the boardroom at Village Hall. All board members were in attendance.

Attorney Phil Cole from Axley Bryerson, LLC was interviewed for the Village Attorney position. Cole gave a brief overview of his firm, and his 25 years of experience with municipalities. At an earlier meeting the board had interviewed attorney Bill Morgan of Murphy Desmond SC. Trustees asked Cole some of the same questions they had asked Morgan. After Cole left the meeting, Trustee Leaora Miller reviewed the results of the calls she had made regarding references. Trustee Don Schneider suggested that the State Bar Association be contacted for background information on both firms being considered for the Village Attorney position.

Cara Carpenter of the Green County Development Corporation presented a quarterly overview of the activities of the GCDC and the UniverCity project.

Kenlyn Walmer told the board that she believes the board should look at utilizing some of the police officers that are on the reserve list. She said that she believes the current Police Chief and Sergeant are overworked and getting worn out. Walmer noted that as she drives around as part of the Neighborhood Watch program there’s a lot going on in Monticello, even if most people don’t realize it. She also said that some of the part-time and reserve officers had found full-time jobs and were no longer available, and that the board should review the list to get more officers working.

During the Public Works section, Trustee John Teasdale reviewed some of the equipment at the Waste Water Treatment Plant that needed replacing. The board discussed the need to replace some outdated equipment parts until the WWTP upgrades coming in the next few years.

The board approved a software update for Water Utility Meter Reading.

The board also discussed brush trimming in the cemetery and the village ordinances that cover it.

Teasdale informed the board that the building at 239 N. Main Street should be removed by mid-March.

E-waste dates and fees were set for April 10, and April 13, 2019. Spring Clean-Up will be the week of April 15, 2019.

In the library report, Monticello Library Director Katrina Linde-Moriarty updated the board on the return of Story Times, and talked about a planned Summer Reading program for all ages. The goal will be for a total 5,000 hours of reading. She gave a brief overview of the Library reports that had been filed with the state. She noted that some data from 2018 had been lost during the library transition.

Trustee Leaora Miller reported on the Fire District meeting, saying that there had not yet been any offers on the old fire truck. She reported that they had not yet received the records requested from Richard Rufer.

In Public Safety, Miller requested approval for Police Chief Szvon Conway to attend FBI-LEEDA Executive Trilogy Course from May 6-10, 2019, in Milwaukee at a cost of $695.00. She also requested approval for Sgt. Harkey to attend Field Training Supervisor, Instructional Certification from April 15-18, 2019, in Pewaukee, at a cost of $395.00. The board approved both requests.

At the end of the meeting, the board went into closed session to discuss Employee Evaluations for the Police Chief and Public Works Director.