The Blanchardville Village Board at their meeting on Monday, April 6, approved extending the sanitary sewer from Baker Street all the way past well #2 on STH 78 and up into the 21st Century Addition and tabled the dispute on parking spots on W. Elm Street until after the road construction is complete.
Nick Bubolz from Town & Country Engineering reminded the board that they asked him to get a quote on what it would cost to run an extension of the sanitary sewer into the newly purchased land north of the village before Maddrell Excavation starts on the road construction on the rest of STH 78.
Bubolz stated last time the board discussed this topic that the price would be increasing due to some requirements being made by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR). The DNR had some stipulations as to where the sanitary sewer could be located as it came near well #2.
Along with a $6,000 increase to an item, Bubolz commented that the DNR is requiring a special liner be installed on the manhole. This liner has to be installed after the manhole is in the ground. Someone will have to go into the manhole and spray the interior and exterior of the manhole. A subcontractor has yet to be selected to complete that job so Bubolz is anticipating it will cost no more than $10,000.
Bubolz is having conversations with the DNR hoping they will allow having them use a Mac Wrap coupler, external joint coupler for precast concrete structures like manholes, instead of spraying, to reduce the cost.
With the additional $6,000 and the potential of $10,000, the total cost came up to $224,000. This price does not include contingency for potentially unforeseen conditions that may arise. Bubolz stated the decision on this couldn’t be pushed back another month because the STH 78 portion of the project is looking to be done by early-July and the village was hoping to have this done before they start on STH 78.
Neal Klassy made the motion with Zeke Garthwaite seconding. The motion passed.
Parking problems
Due to the construction on Main Street, parking spaces are few and far between. A recent issue has arisen between neighboring property owners that was brought to the village’s attention after notes were placed on cars and the Lafayette County Sheriff’s Deputies were called to have cars removed.
Jame Graham came to speak at the meeting on behalf of Dawn Lageson, owner and operator of Lady Dawns at 307 and 305 S. Main Street, one of the property owners in question. The other property owner is Jake and Joy Riser at 309 S. Main Street. The dispute is over parking spaces in the parking lot behind both businesses along W. Elm Street.
According to the Lafayette County GIS mapping, it shows that Lageson’s property at 307 S. Main Street goes back into the parking lot and she owns two of the parking spots. She also owns two parking spots directly behind the 305 S. Main Street property. Riser owns two parking spots directly behind his property, which are on the northern side of the parking lot.
The dilemma arose when one owner called the Sheriff’s Deputies about a vehicle parking in their spots and it happened to be a frequent customer of the other property owner’s business. The next thing was one owner began putting notes on people’s cars stating they couldn’t park in certain spots.
Village president Lanny Gilbertson stated that when he owned the bar that is now Lady Dawns they were told by the village that the first two parking spots in the parking lot were theirs. He stated they were told to take care of those space like striping, snow plowing, everything.
When the village repaved the parking lot a couple years ago, Lageson was assessed for her portion of the lot and paid. She had mentioned that she would prefer to get a couple extra spots in the parking lot. The village was unaware of any easements or right of way in that portion of the parking lot. Legally that turn around area in the parking lot would need to be kept open as a fire lane.
Via Graham, Lageson stated that if the village wanted the two parking spots they just needed to make her an offer.
Board members agreed that this has only come up as an issue due to no one being able to park on S. Main Street due to construction so all the patrons of all of the businesses around S. Main Street are using the parking lot.
The issue was tabled until after the road construction is finished.
Land purchases
Alliant Energy is interested in purchasing land adjacent to the substation north of the village, in the 21st Century Addition, outlet #6. Matt Miller from Viebicker stated that Alliant gave them a number for purchasing but felt the board should have that discussion in closed session first before the number be decided and discussed in open session. He did ask if there was anyway to work together on Alliant selling the village a light pole during construction and Alliant wanting to purchase land from the village. Unfortunately those are two different departments within the company and they don’t mix. The board made a motion to have attorney Mark Hazelbaker and Vierbicker collaborate and continue to have discussions with Alliant Energy.
Bob McGowan came to the meeting representing St. Isidore’s Catholic Church and the purchasing of land from the village in the 21st Century Addition for Calvary Cemetery. The village approved this purchase and with selling land to Ron Krause in October last year. The reasoning for selling this parcel and the one to Krauses was to straighten the lot lines with the parcel that Alliant Energy currently owns. This would also give the cemetery more space to expand in the future. They had to wait until the land was platted before it could be assessed for a price. Now that the platting is done, the purchasing can move forward.
McGowan stated he still needs to have another discussion with the church to make sure they are still willing to purchase the land. McGowan stated that they have already cleared the land of brush and trees. He stated he couldn’t speak for the Krauses but felt they were still interested in gaining the other small parcel.
Since a resolution was approved by the board, the board just gave the approval to continuing to move forward.
Reports
Blanchardville Community Pride Inc. (BCPI) is hosting a Pickleball tournament the Saturday of Father’s Day.
The Cruise In Raffle is getting a new name, changing to Blanchardville Summer Raffle. The final drawing will be Cruise Night on August 20. The entire raffle will be going on over the whole summer.
They are continuing to work with Preston Doran and the Driftless Valley Disc Golf Course and the Disc Golf Open on May 2.
Launch Lafayette is a grant program open to business owners who can apply to receive grants at or above $1,000. Applications will be out in April or May.
An antique tractor pull sponsored by Rachel & Ray’s Pub & Grill will be Saturday, July 18 at the pulling track, west of the park, beyond the small baseball diamond.
The library has partnered with the Blanchardville Woman’s Club who are celebrating their 90th anniversary. The Woman’s Club held start the library in the 1950s. The hallway in the village hall is filled with pictures and historical items that will become a permanent installation in the library after its exhibit.
Lafayette County Health Department will be at the library April 27 for a health check.
Tech Assistance program at the library is every first Monday. The library received a $500 grant form Alliant Energy in support of this program.
The Friends of Mckellar Park are waiting for concrete to be poured for their new bathhouse at the pond. They interviewed lifeguards for this summer and will be having the EMS have a training at the pond when the inflatables are in place.
The village welcomed new Utility Clerk Carolyn Adametz.
Action items
The board also approved:
- Short-term financing for the STH 78 Project for $1.3 million.
- Pay request #1 from Maddrell Excavating for the STH 78 project for $449,434.07
- Disbursement Request #2 from Clean Water Fund and Safe Drinking Water for the STH 78 project. Safe Drinking Water fund is $250,749.51; Clean Water Fund for a total of $246,786.60.
- Addition of one concrete light pole from Alliant Energy for the STH 78 project for approximately $2,500.
- Use safety funds to fund the new parking lot at WWTP.
- For the solicitation of bids, pricing for walnut tree removal and sale.
- Operator licenses for Blanchardville Fire Department and Blanchardville Home Talent Baseball Corporation.
- Rolly McGowan to play crops on Village-owned property for the 2026 season.
- Two library board members, Grace Knutson and Elizabeth Steele.
- Creation of police department Facebook page.