Council authorizes hires, moves on City Hall renovations, cemetery mapping and Aquatic Center staffing

The Thorp City Council on April 14 approved several personnel and facility items, including moving forward with City Hall renovations, contracting a digital cemetery-mapping service, authorizing Aquatic Center hires, and making staffing offers following closed-session deliberations.

Bill Henke presented preliminary City Hall renovation plans that included a new entryway, replacement windows and doors, insulation and Police Department office remodeling. Council requested additional elements including overhead doors, flooring, lighting and bathroom remodeling and voted M/M/S (Lawcewicz/Rosemeyer) to proceed with the renovations (5–0).

The Cemetery Board recommended hiring Lazarus to create a digital cemetery database and map to replace the existing paper book; the council approved the Lazarus quote of $11,000 to be paid from the general fund (M/M/S Lawcewicz/Rosemeyer, 5–0).

Council also authorized Park & Recreation to hire staff for the Municipal Aquatic Center by unanimous motion (M/M/S Abramczak/Rosemeyer).

The council moved into closed session under Wis. Stat. 19.85(1)(c) to consider potential hires for Public Works and Chief of Police and later reconvened in open session. The council then approved offering the Public Works position to Russell Malecki pending background checks at $23.50 per hour and offering the Chief of Police position to Daryl Pries pending background checks and completion of recommended leadership training at $37.00 per hour; both offers were approved 5–0.

These actions advance several operational priorities for the city: building maintenance and public facilities upgrades, cemetery records modernization, seasonal staffing for recreation, and filling two municipal positions.