TB minutes 11-21-24, (inc. budget hearing, special Town meeting)
Town of New Haven, Adams County, Wisconsin
Minutes of 2024 Budget Hearing
Special Town Meeting
November Regular Monthly Town Board Meeting
At 7:00 p.m. on Thursday November 21, 2024 Chairman Tory Wolfram called the
Budget Hearing for the Town to order. The Clerk presented the budget, in detail, and
there were no questions or comments.
At 7:07 p.m. the Chairman called a Special Town Meeting to order. The Pledge of
Allegiance was recited and the Clerk noted that the meeting had been published in the
paper, posted in three public places, and emailed to those who had requested such
form of notification.
Bill Ebert moved to adopt the Town Levy to be collected in 2025 in the amount of
$200,631.00. Lenny Watson seconded the motion. There was no discussion
forthcoming and the motion carried unanimously.
Discussion followed regarding Town Officer wages for the upcoming term of office. The
Clerk noted that he was satisfied with his wage but that the Supervisor per diem and
Treasurer Annual wages had not been changed in over ten years. Wages for other
municipalities were reviewed and it was determined that to remain in line with those
figures some adjustments were necessary. Bill Ebert moved and Adam Watson
seconded to establish the Treasurer’s annual salary as $7,500.00. Motion carried.
Ken Crothers moved that Supervisor per diem be set at $100.00 per meeting and
Chairman per diem be set at $200 leaving the annual stipend for the Chairman at $500.
Lenny Watson seconded the motion. Motion carried. Adam Watson moved to establish
the Clerk annual wage as $17,000. Bill Ebert seconded the motion. Motion carried.
Bill Ebert moved to adjourn the Special Town Meeting. Lenny Watson seconded the
motion. Motion carried and the meeting was declared adjourned at 7:14 p.m.
At 7:14 p.m. the Chairman convened the Regular monthly board meeting. Minutes of
the previous meeting were read and approved with a motion by Jason, second by
Adam. Motion carried.
Treasurer Conny Crothers presented the monthly financial report which was approved
with a motion by Adam, second by Jason. Motion carried.
Spraying of brush in the right of ways as discussed at the previous monthly meeting
was re-visited. The board recognized that there was concern regarding the safety of
the chemicals to be used but that it was fiscally irresponsible not to try this method of
brush control that is already being used by the County Highway Department and utility
companies. The three options for brush are to ignore it which leaves the town open to
legal action, spray the brush annually which is not popular with some people, or
mechanically or manually cut it which is also unpopular with some people. Adam
Watson moved to contract with Waushara County to spray the right of ways in 2025 as
discussed at the previous meeting. Jason Musiedlak seconded the motion. Motion
carried.
The request of Gary Alden to vacate the 33’ access to Lake Mason was discussed.
Tory Wolfram had been in contact with Attorney John Miller who had described the
procedure to follow. The strip would be equally divided among the two adjoining
landowners. The Town board feels that the width of the property is insufficient to ever
be of much use to the Town and leaving it as is could lead to trespassing on adjoining
lands now that its existence is known. The land can not be sold and the two affected
property owners are willing to pay the attorney fees necessary to get this done. Adam
moved to proceed with the vacation process. Jason seconded the motion. Motion
carried.
Adam moved to approved the Budget for 2025 as presented at the Budget Hearing.
Jason seconded the motion. Motion carried.
Establishment of a Room Tax Ordinance was then discussed There are currently 8
such establishments and Tory estimates that gross revenue for the town would be
roughly $41,000 with $12,480 that the town would have to use. It was agreed to wait a
bit and see if more establishments are licensed and if so, revisit an Ordinance at that
time.
Adam reported that there were a few dead trees and some more brush needing to be
taken care of. Road Superintendent Bill Ebert reported that patching was finished until
warm weather arrives in the spring. The Clerk praised the efforts of the poll workers at
the recent large election and thanked them for their service. The Wisconsin Elections
Commission randomly selects municipalities for an audit of their voting equipment and
New Haven was one of them this time. Audit will be conducted at the Courthouse by
the Clerks of the four municipalities selected in Adams County. The Isaacson family will
use the Town Hall on Thanksgiving Day and Anna Sellers has spoken for the use of the
Hall on October 8, 2025 for a wedding reception of their son. The Clerk also had
nomination papers and related documents available for anyone wishing to run for Town
office in April, 2025
Adam moved and Jason seconded to approve payment of invoices presented to the
Clerk. Motion carried. Next month’s meeting will include the annual audit of the Clerk’s
Finance Book and will be held at 7:00 p.m. on December 19 th at the Town Hall. Jason
moved and Adam seconded for adjournment and the meeting was declared adjourned
at 7:52 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Ken Crothers, Clerk
Minutes of 2024 Budget Hearing
Special Town Meeting
November Regular Monthly Town Board Meeting
At 7:00 p.m. on Thursday November 21, 2024 Chairman Tory Wolfram called the
Budget Hearing for the Town to order. The Clerk presented the budget, in detail, and
there were no questions or comments.
At 7:07 p.m. the Chairman called a Special Town Meeting to order. The Pledge of
Allegiance was recited and the Clerk noted that the meeting had been published in the
paper, posted in three public places, and emailed to those who had requested such
form of notification.
Bill Ebert moved to adopt the Town Levy to be collected in 2025 in the amount of
$200,631.00. Lenny Watson seconded the motion. There was no discussion
forthcoming and the motion carried unanimously.
Discussion followed regarding Town Officer wages for the upcoming term of office. The
Clerk noted that he was satisfied with his wage but that the Supervisor per diem and
Treasurer Annual wages had not been changed in over ten years. Wages for other
municipalities were reviewed and it was determined that to remain in line with those
figures some adjustments were necessary. Bill Ebert moved and Adam Watson
seconded to establish the Treasurer’s annual salary as $7,500.00. Motion carried.
Ken Crothers moved that Supervisor per diem be set at $100.00 per meeting and
Chairman per diem be set at $200 leaving the annual stipend for the Chairman at $500.
Lenny Watson seconded the motion. Motion carried. Adam Watson moved to establish
the Clerk annual wage as $17,000. Bill Ebert seconded the motion. Motion carried.
Bill Ebert moved to adjourn the Special Town Meeting. Lenny Watson seconded the
motion. Motion carried and the meeting was declared adjourned at 7:14 p.m.
At 7:14 p.m. the Chairman convened the Regular monthly board meeting. Minutes of
the previous meeting were read and approved with a motion by Jason, second by
Adam. Motion carried.
Treasurer Conny Crothers presented the monthly financial report which was approved
with a motion by Adam, second by Jason. Motion carried.
Spraying of brush in the right of ways as discussed at the previous monthly meeting
was re-visited. The board recognized that there was concern regarding the safety of
the chemicals to be used but that it was fiscally irresponsible not to try this method of
brush control that is already being used by the County Highway Department and utility
companies. The three options for brush are to ignore it which leaves the town open to
legal action, spray the brush annually which is not popular with some people, or
mechanically or manually cut it which is also unpopular with some people. Adam
Watson moved to contract with Waushara County to spray the right of ways in 2025 as
discussed at the previous meeting. Jason Musiedlak seconded the motion. Motion
carried.
The request of Gary Alden to vacate the 33’ access to Lake Mason was discussed.
Tory Wolfram had been in contact with Attorney John Miller who had described the
procedure to follow. The strip would be equally divided among the two adjoining
landowners. The Town board feels that the width of the property is insufficient to ever
be of much use to the Town and leaving it as is could lead to trespassing on adjoining
lands now that its existence is known. The land can not be sold and the two affected
property owners are willing to pay the attorney fees necessary to get this done. Adam
moved to proceed with the vacation process. Jason seconded the motion. Motion
carried.
Adam moved to approved the Budget for 2025 as presented at the Budget Hearing.
Jason seconded the motion. Motion carried.
Establishment of a Room Tax Ordinance was then discussed There are currently 8
such establishments and Tory estimates that gross revenue for the town would be
roughly $41,000 with $12,480 that the town would have to use. It was agreed to wait a
bit and see if more establishments are licensed and if so, revisit an Ordinance at that
time.
Adam reported that there were a few dead trees and some more brush needing to be
taken care of. Road Superintendent Bill Ebert reported that patching was finished until
warm weather arrives in the spring. The Clerk praised the efforts of the poll workers at
the recent large election and thanked them for their service. The Wisconsin Elections
Commission randomly selects municipalities for an audit of their voting equipment and
New Haven was one of them this time. Audit will be conducted at the Courthouse by
the Clerks of the four municipalities selected in Adams County. The Isaacson family will
use the Town Hall on Thanksgiving Day and Anna Sellers has spoken for the use of the
Hall on October 8, 2025 for a wedding reception of their son. The Clerk also had
nomination papers and related documents available for anyone wishing to run for Town
office in April, 2025
Adam moved and Jason seconded to approve payment of invoices presented to the
Clerk. Motion carried. Next month’s meeting will include the annual audit of the Clerk’s
Finance Book and will be held at 7:00 p.m. on December 19 th at the Town Hall. Jason
moved and Adam seconded for adjournment and the meeting was declared adjourned
at 7:52 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Ken Crothers, Clerk