Electricity to Come to Rivers Edge Park with Potential Future Expansion

The Theresa Village Board considered approving bids for electricity at the Public Works garage and Rivers Edge Park at its meeting on Monday, May 18.

The village received two bids for each project, one from Aubrey Electric, Inc. and one from GL Electrical Services. The bids from Aubrey Electric were substantially less expensive, with costs of $3,959 to update and replace electrical at the garage and $1,918 to install a ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) receptacle outlet to a picnic table base at the park.

During the discussion, Village Trustee and Parks Committee Chair Shawn Krapfl asked about the possibility of installing electrical outlets at the park pavilions.

Director of Public Works Jason Jacobitz explained that electricity could likely be extended to the pavilions for an increased cost and would require boring beneath the roadway.

“If we run power to those pavilions, we could potentially start renting them rather than having squatters’ rights,” said Trustee Pat Bodden. “Then, we could pay back the infrastructure of putting the power there. Plus, it would have some revenue-generating capability.”

As the pavilions are currently free to use, concerns were raised by board members about creating a rental fee. Instead, the board discussed charging for the use of the potential power as opposed to the structures themselves.

“What if we put a lockbox on the power, and then when they rent it, they get the key to have access?” posed Trustee Bodden. “Then you still have the right to squatters’ rights.”

“I don’t think they should have the key,” responded Clerk-Treasurer Becky Tellier. “I think if they make reservations through us, we let Jason know, and he has the power turned on for them.”

President Jody Steger suggested the board approve the bid from Aubrey Electric as is, and then inquire about the price for installing electricity at the pavilions to possibly include it in next year’s budget.

“I disagree,” stated Trustee Jim Polster. “We did away with electrical on the main street for the bridge and the bumpouts [that were meant] to beautify something. We want to put electricity down at the pavilions? It doesn’t make any sense.”

“It would improve the functionality of them,” countered Trustee Bodden. “I like the idea of the power because then they might use those facilities for more and bigger events.”

“They’re used almost every other weekend,” added Trustee Krapfl. “If I was having a party down there, I would appreciate electricity for slow cookers or whatever.”
Trustee Polster suggested installing solar panels at the pavilions to provide power instead.

“That level of solar would require a battery and deposit. I think that would run in the tens of thousands [of dollars],” said Trustee Bodden.

A motion to approve the bids from Aubrey Electric, Inc. for the Public Works garage and Rivers Edge Park electrical was made by Trustee Dave Brandenburg and passed unanimously.

Jacobitz will ask Aubrey Electric to install large enough piping to accommodate for the potential of future electricity at the Rivers Edge pavilions when completing the projects.

A bid for electrical work in the upper level of the garage, which includes part of Theresa Historical Society, was accidentally excluded from the agenda. It will be voted upon at the next board meeting.

Board Matters:
• Clerk-Treasurer Becky Tellier shared that she submitted an application for a Department of Natural Resources (DNR) recycling grant and was notified that the village will receive $3,313 from the grant.

• During his President’s Report, President Steger thanked former Village Trustee Sandy Koenigs for her six years of service on the board.
• Police Chief Dan Markus informed the board that the state denied the request to paint crosswalks across Highway 175 and Depot Road to Dollar General because the crosswalks would not connect to an existing sidewalk.
• Chief Markus also answered inquiries about reported shots fired near the land-lease community during the Public Safety Committee report. “There was a call of shots fired that ended up being a pellet gun. It hit one house, and it didn’t go through the double pane. Another house was hit four or five times in the siding. We believe it was children across the street that were firing them off,” said Chief Markus. The police department also responded to shots fired in the Town of Theresa near the land-lease community as well. It was determined that the guns were being used safely and legally.
• A motion to grant operators’ liquor licenses to Beth Trott and Pamela Pautz was made by Trustee Joe Haak and passed unanimously.
• A motion was also made by Trustee Haak to grant a temporary Class “B” retail license to the Theresa Legion Post 270, which passed unanimously.
• The board discussed awarding a bid to chip seal Wisconsin Street and McArthur Road. The village received bids from Scott Construction Inc. and Struck & Irwin Paving, Inc. Trustee Robin Billings made the motion to award the bid to Scott Construction to double chip seal the roads and wedge McArthur Road for the cost of $93,718. The motion passed unanimously.
• President Steger informed the board that due to rising fuel prices, the village is paying an additional $336 per contract each month for garbage and recycling services. The surcharge is likely to increase if fuel prices continue to climb.
• The board considered changing the employee policy and procedure manual to offer life insurance to all eligible employees who are enrolled in the retirement program. This change was proposed due to Wisconsin Retirement System guideline changes, which now allow qualifying part-time employees access to life insurance. Trustee Brandenburg made the motion to update the policy and procedure manual, which passed unanimously.