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Gavel is transferred at Common Council meeting
In Boscobel
Wetter passes the gavel
STEVE WETTER, Mayor of Boscobel for the last 32 years, is seen passing the gavel to new mayor, Brenda Kalish, at the Common Council's April meeting.

BOSCOBEL - After 32 years under the leadership of retiring Mayor Steve Wetter, the City of Boscobel has a new mayor. Brenda Kalish was sworn in to the office at the April 20 meeting of the Common Council.

Kalish, and Aldermen Barb Bell, Stephanie Brown, Krisy Schneider and Roger Brown took their oaths of office. Milt Cashman III was appointed to serve the remainder of Kalish’s aldermanic term on the council.

“I want to recognize Mayor Steve Wetter for his years of dedicated service to the City of Boscobel,” Kalish said. “He has been a valuable asset to the City and has always worked for its betterment.”

The Common Council went on to adopt a proclamation  of the retirement of Wetter, and Mayor Wetter handed over the gavel to Mayor Kalish. They then voted to make Alderman Barb Bell the president of the Council.

Committee appointments

Mayor Kalish made her recommendations to the Council for committee appointments, and they were adopted 7-1, with Roger Brown opposing. Those committee appointments are as follows:

• Finance Committee:Milt Cashman, Barb Bell, Steve Fritz, and Gary Kjos.

• Improvement & Services:Roger Brown, Brian Kendall, Stephanie Brown, and Krissy Schneider.  

• Protection & Welfare:Roger Brown, Brian Kendall, Krissy Schneider, and Stephanie Brown.

• Personnel:Barb Bell, Steve Fritz, Milt Cashman, and Gary Kjos.

• Annual Appointments:Airport Commission (Barb Bell), Board of Public Works (President of Council), Board of Review (Steve Fritz), Boat Landing (Brian Kendall), Fire District (Gary Kjos), Housing Authority (Steve Fritz), Library Board (Krissy Schneider), Park Board (Stephanie Brown), CDBG-Revolving Loan Fund Committee (Finance Chair), Room Tax/Tourism Commission (Barb Bell), Planning Commission (Krissy Schneider), and Tuffley Community Center (Gary Kjos).

• Other Appointments:Board of Public Works-John Hennessy (five-year term), Fire District-Paul Beck (four-year term), Board of Review-Phil Molldrem (five-year term) and Steve Wetter (replace Mike Patchak until 2025), and Plan Commission Alternate – Jeanette Nauert.

Airport changes

The Common Council adopted a ‘Resolution Petitioning the Secretary of Transportation for Airport Improvement Aid.’ The petition has been in development by the Council, and was approved after review by the Plan Commission and a public meeting to secure citizen input.

The funding, if received, would allow the City to make the following improvements to the airport:

• construct hangars and demolish existing hangars

• develop a southeast hangar area, including taxiways

• reconstruct or rehabilitate runways and taxiways, including lighting

• reconstruct or rehabilitate the apron

• sealcoat and crack fill airfield pavements

• install a security system

• clear runway approaches

• develop a turf runway

• purchase a new mower and attachments

• develop sites for future hangars

• conduct the Airport Master Plan, and any necessary related work

Barb Bell of the Airport Commission reported that Edwards Aircraft Service was given a 60-day termination of Airport Manager Contract, and the Commission is looking at hiring a Caretaker rather than a Manager.  

In other business

In other business, the Coucil:

• heard that citizen Sue Bacon wants to place 26 hanging baskets on Wisconsin Avenue, and has moved six concrete planters to Highway 61, with plans to make additional changes in coming years

• heard that the City will need to address issues with their warning sirens in coming years due to failure of some of the older sirens, and difficulty in finding parts for aging equipment –Public Works assured the Council that the functioning sirens provide full coverage of the City at this time

• approved advertising bids for stump removal in the City for 56 stumps in the parks and 68 stumps throughout the rest of the City

• approved advertising for bids for 2022 street maintenance using either Slurry Seal or Micro Slurry Seat

• heard that the Library will hold their annual Bike Rodeo on April 30

• heard that Gundersen Hospital is working on a grant for a specialty service for mental health and emergency detention crisis situations, which will make staff available with the training needed to address these situations and free up police time.