Discussion on Mayville Disaster Relief Fund Continues

The City of Mayville Common Council started its regular, monthly meeting with a public hearing on the Mayville Disaster Relief Fund on Monday, July 14.
No one present at the meeting spoke, but a letter from Shelli Haipek was read. Haipek asked the Council to consider purchasing and planting trees with the funds.
When the topic of how the donated funds should be delegated came up later in the meeting, Mayor Rob Boelk said, “We could do this a couple different ways. The Council can come up with an application process and approve all applicants... Like Mrs. Haipek said, you could donate some money towards trees... We could have some money go towards them (residents that may have been or may be displaced). The cemetery has disaster problems. It all depends on how you want to handle it.”
Boelk continued, “Typically, a lot of our incentive stuff that we have approved usually went to the CDA (Community Development Authority), and they would get a criteria from the Council, and they could approve the applicant once the criteria is established.”
Boelk later added, “I think the $26,000 should go back to the residents... The City should set the criteria...and have another committee take the applications.”

The Council went on to create a list of things to consider before distributing the funds. They included trees, determining the area where the most destruction occurred and allowing only applicants within that area to apply, having an application process, headstones at the cemetery, and personal property/expenses, among other items.
Following the discussion, the Council decided to evaluate the list they created, decide what the top priorities are, and come back on July 28 to discuss further.
Council Matters
• Stephanie Justmann, City Administrator, shared the following highlights during her report: “I completed and filed with the Wisconsin Disaster Fund, today, the application to receive a reimbursement cost from the State regarding the clean-up cost for the tornado.” She reviewed the TAG Center income statement. The Wisconsin DOT is wrapping up the portion of their project between Mayville and Theresa, and will continue with the portion between Mayville and Horicon next. The Village of Kekoskee would be discussing an ordinance the next evening that would attach the strip of land that runs along Slag Road and through Mayville’s industrial park to the City.
• The Council approved changing its regular meeting time to 6 p.m. from 7 p.m.
• The incoming Department of Public Works Director’s salary is set at $70,000.
The video recording of this meeting can be found on the Mayville CityStream YouTube page. The next meeting is currently scheduled for August 11 at 7 p.m.