Village of Plain trustees approve sewer fund payment, hire library aide and review utility reports

The Village of Plain Board of Trustees met April 8 at the Municipal Office Building. Administrator/Clerk/Treasurer Sheila Carver called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. and trustees present included Terry Drone, John T. Feiner, Cindy Haag, Steve Whitford and Kelly Yanke; President Ray Ring and Trustee Wade Neubauer were excused.

Trustee John T. Feiner moved that Trustee Steve Whitford chair the meeting; Kelly Yanke seconded and the motion carried. The board congratulated newly elected trustees John Feiner, Steve Whitford and Rachel Liegel and thanked Wade Neubauer for his service.

In routine business, trustees approved the March 11, 2026 regular meeting minutes following a motion by Feiner and second by Yanke. The board then reviewed committee reports. Trustee Cindy Haag said the library director conducted four interviews and hired part-time library aide Dave Pronold, who is scheduled to start in mid‑April ahead of a planned switch to a new library system. Haag also summarized March program attendance: the Mid-Morning Matinee had 12 attendees; two story times drew four total attendees; Pancake Art had eight participants; and three yoga sessions had 23 participants. An Online Safety course saw no attendance in March and may be rescheduled in May.

Trustee Kelly Yanke updated the board on recreation staffing and facilities: a previously interviewed recreation director candidate withdrew and a phone interview is scheduled with a River Valley graduate who attends the University of Wisconsin–La Crosse. Dugouts are being updated and will require landscaping and fencing; Sue Bindl will return to run concessions. The tennis court will be power-washed and an additional set of pickleball lines will be painted. Yanke said five lifeguards are on the roster but the department is still recruiting more.

Public safety activity was reviewed: the Fire Emergency District Board will meet April 13; ambulance crews responded to 17 calls in March and the fire department responded to two calls; the police logged nine calls for service, including mutual aid. The board noted that alternate-side parking does not apply to emergency vehicles during calls and that two reserved parking stalls in front of the Fire/EMS building are exempt for EMTs when responding.

Public Works Director John Ruhland reported he attended a recent water conference, that the consumer confidence report was mailed to residents, and that typical spring maintenance is underway. Water production in March totaled 1,510,000 gallons (Well No. 1: 758,000 gallons; Well No. 2: 752,000 gallons), 190,000 gallons more than March last year. The monthly chlorine average was 0.24 ppm. Two bacteriological samples were sent to the state laboratory and both tested safe.

Wastewater treatment figures for March showed an influent monthly average B.O.D. of 229 mg/l and an effluent monthly average B.O.D. of 4 mg/l. Influent T.S.S. averaged 522 mg/l, with effluent T.S.S. averaging 5 mg/l. Monthly average ammonia nitrogen was 4.000 mg/l (the October–April monthly limit is 4.3 mg/l). The total gallons treated for the month were 1,643,000 and total phosphorus averaged 0.112 mg/l.

On financial matters, Trustee Steve Whitford moved to pay check #29236 to Sabel Mechanical in the amount of $14,405.28 from the Sewer Replacement Fund; Trustee Kelly Yanke seconded and the motion carried. Trustee John Feiner moved to pay the bills as presented; Trustee Cindy Haag seconded and the motion carried. The clerk reported fund balances for general, water utility, library, sewer, TIF district, golf course and capital improvement accounts.

Administrator/Clerk/Treasurer Carver said the village submitted its 2025 recycling-cost report to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources to support the recycling grant payment calculation and filed for Expenditure Restraint Program consideration for part of the 2027 shared revenue allocation. She also reported 241 voters participated in the Spring Election, down from 345 in the previous year.

Trustee Kelly Yanke moved to adjourn at 7:12 p.m.; Trustee Terry Drone seconded and the motion carried.

The board’s next regular meeting date was not specified in the minutes.