City of Townsend

Minutes 10.7.2025

Call to Order:  Mayor Rauser called the meeting to order at 6:30 p.m.  Council members in attendance are Angie Wintrow, JB Howick, Vivian Boaz, and Doug Sitton. Nate Brown was absent. Others attending the meeting are Mike Evans, Jenny Clowes-Spatzierath, John Bliele, Shawn Simon, Eric Crusch, and Kari Williams.

Public Comment:  Any matter not on the agenda, but under the City’s jurisdiction. (none)

Minutes of 09/16/2025-JB made a minor correction to the minutes regarding what constitutes a quorum.  Kari will make the correction to the 9/16 minutes.  Doug made a motion to approve the minutes as corrected.  JB seconded the motion.  All in favor, motion carried. 

Guests/Correspondence: 

• John Bleile with the Townsend Youth Baseball Program, spoke about adding a few things to McCarthy Park.  They would like to add scoreboards for both Babe Ruth and youth baseball fields.  All expenses will be paid for by the baseball program, and the sign will come from Yesco. The dimensions for the scoreboards will be 3x6x8 and will come from a company called Dactronics. Townsend High School has their scoreboards from the same company. The power for them will run underneath the asphalt about 20 ft.  A few sprinklers may need to be replaced.  JB asked if we could get the scoreboards on the same maintenance schedule as the school, since they come from the same company. John stated that the maintenance for the scoreboards at McCarthy Park will fall on Townsend Youth Baseball. JB asked how high the sign will be off of the ground.  John it would be ten feet to the bottom of the sign and an additional four feet above that. They will not interfere with the tree lines or power line.  JB asked if they’d run this by the power company as they have strong opinions about how close things can get to their wires. Doug asked about the costs.  John stated that the City may be on the hook for the 4ft asphalt path where they’ll have to cut and need some fill for it.  Mayor Rauser stated the City will double check to see if there are any zoning ordinance for signs that will need to be followed.  Eric stated he’d like to take care of the asphalt and concrete for the small section they will need to remove, and it will be a minimal cost to the City. They are hopeful to complete everything by Mid-March.  Vivian made a motion to approve the request for the signs to be placed in McCarthy Park.  Doug seconded the motion.  All in favor, motion carried.
• Jenny Clowes-Spatzierath with the Townsend Chamber of Commerce requested two street closures.  One for the Ghost Stroll on October 31^st from 4:30-6:30, and the other one for the Christmas Stroll and Light Parade on December 6, 2025, from 4:00-7:00 p.m.   JB made a motion to approve the 2025 Ghost Stroll Street Closure.  Angie seconded the motion.  All in favor, motion carried.  Vivian made a motion to approve the 2025 Christmas Stroll/Light Parade Street Closure.  Angie seconded the motion.  All in favor, motion carried. 

Events Ordinance:  JB asked to table this.  Mayor Rauser stated that there is a typo on page 9, and the last page, section 40.0002-fiscal year or calendar year question.

Contract Renewal with Morrison-Mairle IT Services:  JB asked if they’d be upgrading our Windows 10 to Windows 11.  JB made a motion to approve the contract with the request to upgrade our computers with Windows 11.  Angie seconded the motion.  All in favor, motion carried. 

Sale of extra gravel:  Public Works Director,Eric spoke on this. The City paid for the gravel and has been stored out at Badger Materials.  Nate Brown with Badger Materials stated that he’d purchase the gravel for the price the City paid.  JB made a motion to dispose of the excess gravel as presented.  Angie seconded the motion. All in favor, motion carried. 

Eric stated that putting out the 300-gallon cans on Broadway during Fall Fest worked well. 

Public Comment:

Vivian stated that she’s received several complaints about the tree watering done through the Tree Board.  Mike Evans stated that they tend to water a lot in the fall to get the trees through winter. 

Angie made a motion to approve the September Claims.  JB seconded the motion.  All in favor, motion carried. 

Mayor Rauser stated that she made contact with the Massa Family regarding the park/city contract. It will remain the same. 

Angie made a motion to adjourn the meeting.  JB seconded the motion.  All in favor, motion carried.