The ownership of the current “middle portion” of Marsden Park was settled at Monday’s city council meeting, as steps are being taken to give ownership to the Marsden Park Board of Trustees.
The park board has had ownership of the west and east ends of the park, and it had been “assumed” the city had ownership on the middle portion but an “unearthed” land contract from 1920 showed that the city had sold the park to the park board for $2,500, with scheduled payments.
Evidentially, the land contract was never officially registered with the county, and sales of park land in 1959 to the city where the pool and school bus lot now stand, and other transactions somehow vested that portion in the city’s name, according to Ben Wood, City of Fennimore Attorney.
Former City of Fennimore Mayor Chuck Stenner, and Marsden Park Board of Trustees members Mary Ann Stenner and Dan Stepanek were also in attendance.
The board was asking the city to recognize the 1920 contract and to place ownership back to the board. “A contract is a contract,” Chuck stated to the council. “We’re asking the city to honor the contracts and payments.”
The 1920 contract was available at the meeting, and in remarkable shape for an over 100-year-old paper document, and was looked over by members of the council.
Director of Public Works Anthony Downing asked, “Why would it be a bad thing if it stayed in the city’s name?” The board went back to their claim that the transaction took place with the 1920 contract as proof, and they wanted the city to honor it.
“Well, it’s proof to you,” alderperson Jessie Strack stated with fellow alderperson Pete Adam adding that had anything on record happened between 1920 and now.
Wood stated that a title search didn’t show anything and the park board had provided documents of the $2,500 sale amount being paid to the city, so with Wood informing the council that there was “no real advantage to the city keeping it,” and if anything being “cheaper in the long run,” there was a unanimous agreement that the 1920 land contract was valid and would be honored.
An agreement was reached that a quitclaim deed, a legal document that transfers any interest a person (grantor) has in a property to another (grantee), commonly used for low-risk transfers, would be done to transfer the park portion ownership back to the board. Wood stated the process should be done before the end of the week.
Wood also stated he would attach the 1920 land contract and the proof of $2,500 payment along with the new document too as alderperson Dave Streif stated, “So this doesn’t happen again in 100 years.”
In other council business, Fennimore Police Chief Walt Dresen asked the board to approve a bid toward the purchase of a new squad car.
Dresen stated that the department purchased a new squad every two years, and they attempted to stretch out the purchase of a new squad but ended up with significant and expensive repairs.
The department has $60,000 in their budget for a squad purchase and build, and with three bids, Fillback’s came in the least expensive at $44,073.50 for a 2026 squad, and Dresen pointed out that they have a good relationship with Fillback with warrant related repairs and factory recalls, and asked the council to approved their bid, which the council unanimously did.
In her report, Fennimore City Clerk Ashley Edge stated that she and Director of Public Works Anthony Downing applied for Community Facilities Grant through Congressman Derrick Van Orden’s office for the 2028 12th Street project. Edge went to say they plan to complete a similar one with Senator Tammy Baldwin for the same project. The city is writing the grants to replace the water and sewer infrastructure while the DOT has the road “ripped up.”
The City also recently went through a desk audit for the library grant. They have some follow up work to complete within 30 days, but nothing stuck out as a major concern to the state auditor.
City staff completed CPR training in February. This will be good for two years. Auditors will be on site March 18-20. City staff completed all the required reports, inventory, and had a successful pre-audit in January. They are looking forward to the 2025 on-site audit.
Lastly, Edge reported that the initial round of absentee ballots were sent out on March 10, and the city will continue to send them out as requests come in.
The April 7 election will be first one where Badger Books will be utilized. The city has made Facebook posts, the Fennimore Times recently published an article, and Edge does have Badger Books set up in case residents have questions or want to see them in person before the election.
Downing, in his report, stated in addition to snow removal, the new plow truck that was purchased in 2025 was delivered on March 12.
The council approved a “letter of support” sent by the City of Fennimore to Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) requesting to utilize any available federal funding for the purpose of addressing pedestrian curb ramp needs in the community.
Also approved by the council was an agreement between the City and the Fennimore School District to offer swim lessons at the Fennimore Community Pool to students who reside in, or are enrolled in the school district.
Swim lessons are offered as an optional class through the district’s summer school program.
The council also approved the replacement of the smaller battery bank at the diesel plant, and approved the painting of 30 light poles on the north part of town pending a reference check.
Before the council went into closed session, City of Fennimore Mayor Ryan Boebel stated that this meeting would be his last as mayor. He will be at next’s month organizational meeting to call roll, and then the new mayor will be sworn in.
Currently Fennimore has two registered write-in candidates for mayor, local business owner Rob Krantz and Noah Hamann of Afflicted Productions.
Boebel decided not to seek reelection after 10 years as the city’s mayor.
“I just wanted to say thanks, and it’s been great,” Boebel stated, with a slight crack in his voice.
“I’ve always had a great council, and they’re the ones who have done the work,” Boebel went on to say. “I was just the face on the cereal box.”
The annual council organizational meeting and next monthly meeting will be held on Tuesday, April 21 in the council chamber of the Memorial Building.
