The meeting began with the approval of the agenda and order of the day.
Oath of Office for New Firefighter EMTs Four new part-time firefighter EMTs were sworn in: Mason Gesler, Lucas Hannah, Blake Wilson, and Kaden Wilson. The department frequently brings on new part-time staff as existing ones excel and move into full-time roles or join other departments. All four new members are currently enrolled in the fire protection degree program at Fox Valley Technical College.
Specific highlights for each new member include:
- Mason Gesler, a Grand Chute native and Eagle Scout, received the PAW Star of Life and Red Cross heroism awards for his quick actions in a train accident. His father recently retired as a battalion chief from the Grand Chute Fire Department.
- Lucas Hannah, from Neenah, holds numerous state certifications and an EMT license. He served as a fire coach at Fox Valley Tech, mentoring other students, and is noted for his drive to acquire knowledge and improve skills.
- Blake Wilson, from the Cranon area, also possesses numerous state certifications and an EMT license, and was a fire coach at Fox Valley Technical College. He is described as a “go-getter” who takes on challenges.
- Kaden Wilson, also from Cranon and not related to Blake Wilson, was previously an intern with the department and showed great promise. He has numerous state certifications, was a fire coach at Fox Valley Technical College, and impressed crews with his positive attitude, work ethic, and learning ability, also making the Dean’s List.
Routine Approvals and Financials Following the oath of office, the board noted there was no public input. Motions were then carried to approve the consent agenda and the financial reports, specifically excluding paid vouchers for June 17th and accepting budget statements for March and April.
New Business Discussions
Intermunicipal Agreement for Traffic Signal Services Director Jolma presented a new intermunicipal agreement with the City of Appleton for traffic signal repair and maintenance. The previous agreement, from 2003, covered five signals, while the new one will cover nine. The structure of fees has changed from a guaranteed minimum to a standby fee of $1,248 per signal, with additional time and materials charged beyond that. The prior agreement had a guaranteed minimum of $1,875, from which some repairs and materials were covered. The town plans to replace outdated signal controllers, having already done four and budgeting for the remaining five in 2026. The proposed agreement was reviewed and approved by the town attorney.
Evergreen Drive and Galaxy Drive Intersection Signalization Equipment Pre-purchase The board considered pre-purchasing signal equipment for the future Evergreen Drive and Galaxy Drive intersection near the Meyer store. This action is necessary due to an approximate six-month lead time for equipment delivery from the vendor, Tapco. Pre-purchasing ensures the equipment will be available for installation by the awarded contractor once the project begins. The director noted that discussions are ongoing with Appleton to potentially include this new signal, and another planned for 2027, within the intermunicipal agreement.
2025 Capital Improvement Project Contract Award A contract award was discussed for several major 2025 construction projects combined into one bid. These include a sewer relay on Gillette Street under the Highway 41 overpass, urban reconditioning on Glendale Avenue, urban reconstruction on South Olsen, and miscellaneous roadway and inlet work. Only two bids were received. The total cost for the three capital improvement projects is approximately $200,000 over the estimated budget, primarily due to the Gillette Street sanitary sewer work coming in significantly higher than anticipated. It was suggested that contractors might have bid higher due to being busy or strategically pricing the project. While the sanitary sewer work is over budget, the general fund work, including other projects and maintenance, is currently under budget. A critical point for the Gillette Street project is a deadline of April next year set by the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (DOT) because a bridge over I-41 is slated to come down on May 1st. The director expressed confidence that the deadline could be met if approval was granted during the meeting.
Purchase of Radar Trailer A request was made to purchase a new radar trailer and a separate data collection device. The current 2010 trailer has lost its data collection capability, making it difficult to understand the scope of speeding issues and effectively deploy law enforcement resources. The proposed Stalker Radar solution is compliant with MUTCD regulations, allowing its use on county and state highway right-of-ways. The separate data collection device would allow the collection of speed data without the visible presence of the trailer, addressing concerns that drivers might artificially slow down if they see the radar trailer. The combined cost for both devices is $15,363, with $15,000 already budgeted for the trailer replacement.
Strategic Plan Consultant Selection The board considered approving a contract with CP2 Consulting for strategic plan services, with a cost not to exceed $23,500. Following an RFP process that yielded five responses, a selection committee recommended CP2 Consulting, noting that they were well within budget and surpassed other criteria. The service agreement underwent legal review by Attorney Ross Mosel and was found to be in good form. References from other municipalities, including the Village of Muano, the City of Whitefish Bay, and the Village of Villa Park, Illinois, were checked by Administrator Downey.
Closed Session and Adjournment The meeting concluded with a motion to convene in a closed session to confer with legal counsel regarding litigation strategy and to discuss the town administrator’s performance evaluation. The board then adjourned.
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