TOWN OF RIVER FALLS ANNUAL MEETING (DRAFT MINUTES)
Tuesday, April 12, 2011; River Falls Town Hall

The annual meeting was called to order by Diana Smith at 7:00 P.M. with 20 town residents present.  Jerome Rodewald moved to approve the minutes of the April 13, 2010 annual meeting.  Roy Lund seconded.  Motion carried.

Treasurer, Caroline Hamilton and Clerk, Ruth Stern, presented an accounting of 2010 income and expenditures.  The town held $304,573.57 in account balances at the end of 2010.  It was noted that approximately $24,000 of funding for highway maintenance purposes was being carried over into 2011.  This work was not able to be done in 2010 due to summer flooding problems. It is likely that state aids to the town will be reduced in the 2012 budget, although an exact figure is not known at this time.  A 0% levy increase is also currently being proposed by the state legislature. 

Brian Weber stated that some of the 2010 road projects had to be delayed due to the flooding problems last summer.  No seal coating projects are scheduled for 2011, but because of the deep frost in the roadbeds there is substantial patching that will be necessary.  The town is currently accepting bids for 2011 milling and paving projects.  Diana commended Brian and Rob Schaar for the extra hours worked this last year including many nights and weekends.  This was necessary to both fix and plow roads as a result of flooding in the summer months and substantial snowfalls during the winter months. 

Michele DeLong-Reiter provided a comparison of tonnages that were collected of various recyclables and solid waste from 2009 to 2010.  She reported that the Recycling Center is now collecting various textiles through the USAgain Program. 

Jerome reported on the 2010 zoning/building programs.  There were 37 building permits issued totaling a construction value of $2,669,300.  Permit fees totaled $8924.52.  He also explained the impact fee program and reported four impact fees were collected in 2010. 

Jerome reported on the recent organization of a Volunteer Cemetery Research Committee.  The committee’s first project is to research the records of the Greenwood Valley Cemetery located on County Road E.  The town took over the responsibility for this abandoned cemetery in 1946.  For over 50 years the Town and Country 4-H Club has volunteered to provide the maintenance on this cemetery, with the town paying the club a small stipend to cover their expenses.  There are several lots that remain unsold in the cemetery and there has been recent interest from the public to purchase unused lots.

Diana reported on the work of the Parks & Recreation Committee.  The bridge at Rocky Branch Park was washed away from its anchoring during the summer floods.  The committee is currently studying methods to re-anchor the bridge in light of the fact that some of the shoreline has been eroded.  There were many walking trails laid out in Halverson Park in 2010 with volunteer assistance provided by the River Falls Lion’s Club and Mason Organizations.  The committee continues to work with the Boy Scout Organization to set up projects that can also serve as Eagle Scout projects.  An Eagle Scout candidate is currently working on establishing a pathway and rail to lead to an overlook in South Ridge Park.

Diana provided the 2010 Rural Fire Association Report.  She stated that the Town of River Falls reluctantly agreed to a five year contract with the City of River Falls for fire protection services.  Included in the terms of this contract were that the Rural Fire Association sell their equipment to the City and the Rural Association will pay 35% of the yearly budget.  A full-time fire chief was recently hired and fire inspection services have become of the responsibility of the towns to oversee.  Current fire call fees are set at $700 with other incidental services/materials billed if they are used.

Roy Lund reported that the work of the Land Use Ad Hoc  Committee has been difficult with the state continuously changing various land use programs.  The town hopes to hire a summer intern to work on the LESA (Land Evaluation & Site Assessment) Program.  The committee’s goals are to continue to preserve agricultural lands, accommodate town landowners in their goals for land preservation, and to comply with state farmland preservation requirements. 

Diana recapped the year’s highlights.  It was noted that 2012 will be a very difficult budgeting year for the town. 

Roy Lund moved to adjourn the meeting at 8:20 P.M.  Art Smith seconded.  Meeting adjourned.

                                                                        Respectfully submitted,

                                                                        Ruth Stern, Clerk