Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout07 WRRTC_Minutes_07-11-2025_ApprovedWRRTC July 11, 2025 MEETING MINUTES – APPROVED 1 Wisconsin River Rail Transit Commission Commission Meeting – Friday July 11, 2025 at 10:00 am 1. 10:00 AM Call to Order – Marty Krueger, Chair 10:00 2. Roll Call. Establishment of Quorum – Admin Crawford Carl Orr, 1st Vice Chair X Jefferson Mary Roberts Excused Mark Gilberts X John Kannard, Vice Secretary X Tom Cornford X Jeff Smith X Dan Herbst, Alternate Excused Dane Kevin Potter X Rock Dave Homan, 2nd Vice Treasurer X Jeff Huttenburg, Treasurer X Tom Brien X Jim Bolitho X Kevin Stone Excused Grant David Wiederholt X Sauk Brian Peper X Mike Lieurance X Gaile Burchill X Robert Scallon, 2nd Vice Chair X Marty Krueger, Chair X Tim McCumber, Alternate Excused Green Harvey Kubly, 1st Vice Treasurer X Walworth Al Stanek Excused Larry Kranig Excused Richard Kuhnke, 2nd Vice Secretary X Mark Gundlach X Allan Polyock X Iowa Charles Anderson, Secretary X Waukesha Rick Beutler, 3rd Vice Treasurer Excused Kate Reimann X Karl Nilson Excused Craig Hardy X Commission met quorum. Others present for all or some of the meeting: • Ben Mohlke, WisDOT • Ken Lucht, WSOR • Dan Hauck, SWWRPC 3. Action Item. Certification of Meeting’s Public Notice – Noticed by Admin. Motion to approve meeting’s public notice – Scallon/Orr. Passed unanimously 4. Action Item. Approval of Agenda – Prepared by Admin. Motion to approve the agenda as posted – Lieurance/Cornford. Passed unanimously 5. Action Item. Approval of draft June 6, 2025 Meeting Minutes – Prepared by Admin. Motion to approve the June 6, 2025 meeting minutes – Polyock/Kuhnke. Passed unanimously 6. Updates. Public Comment – Time for public comment may be limited by the Chair. 7. Updates. Announcements by Commissioners Huttenburg announced that that the 1385 steam engine was moved to the Middleton farm coop to the Mid-Continent Railway Museum in North Freedom. WSOR provided the museum with a railcar and provided the transportation free of charge. Reimann attended the iowa county board meeting last month and will give public comment at the next meeting. Administrator Hauck is leaving SWWRPC later this month, Executive Director Maggied will serve as administrator through 2025. 20 minutes estimated | Action Items 8. 2026 Public Hearing on the 2026 Budget Public hearing opened at 10:08. No comments from the public. Public hearing closed at 10:10. Motion to approve the 2026 budget – Kannard/Reimann. Passed unanimously. WRRTC July 11, 2025 MEETING MINUTES – APPROVED 2 REPORTS & COMMISSION BUSINESS 9. WRRTC Financial Report – Treasurer Huttenburg presented the monthly financial statements for May 2025, including a bill from Tricor Insurance for $17,452.48 (including a $3.25 payment fee) for 2025/2026 railroad insurance, as well as a bill from Boardman and Clark for $3,531.50 for legal services. Motion to approve the May 2025 Treasurer’s Report as presented. Polyock/Anderson. Passed unanimously. 10. Wisconsin & Southern Railroad’s Report on Operations – Lucht, WSOR Lucht reported that Farm City Elevator in Darien is grading for their project, extending the track so they can load 100 cars of grain. Lucht provided an update on the June 29th Washington County train derailment. Lucht presented the case of businesses using the railroad right of way in Oregon, WI on WRRTC property. The property came under WRRTC jurisdiction in 2015, and WSOR has had dialogue with businesses since 2020. Lucht recommends WRRTC create a permit outside of 33 feet from the center line, and present two offer to use agreements, one for each address (291 and 321 Market St.). Lucht notes that requiring the businesses to move may cause them to close altogether. Boardman and Clark will draft an OTU agreement for a 2 year period. 10 minutes estimated | Update and Action 11. Discussion and possible action on offer to use agreement for Market Street encroachments, Oregon, WI – Chair Lucht provided an overview of the WSOR/WRRTC operating agreement, as well as the next steps for the commission to take regarding an OTU agreement and a market rate fee for the 2 year agreement. Motion to direct staff and legal council to draft offer to use agreements for 291 Market St. and 321 Market St. in Oregon, WI - Kannard/Reimann. Passed unanimously. 12. WisDOT Report – Mohlke – WisDOT Mohlke reported that the Merrimac bridge weight restriction will be lifted within the next few months. Environmental documents are being reviewed for the Janesville bridges project and engineering design will follow. 13. Permits / Licenses Motion to approve the Surf Air Wireless permit for McHenry County – Kannard/Reimann. Passed unanimously. 14. Adjournment. Motion to Adjourn at 10:43 am. Cornford/Scallon. Passed unanimously.