Facing challenge

The ballot for the 2025 primary in the Village of Gilman will see incumbent Jane DeStaercke running for re-election as president along with challenger Jerry Smith.

Smith previously served as Gilman School District principal until the school board voted to non-renew his contract.

A caucus committee consisting of Fran Prasnicki, Karen James, and Patti Jenson gathered before the regular scheduled board meeting to hold a caucus for the role of president, currently held by DeStaercke, and three trustee positions currently held by Russell Baker, Mark Person and Robert Preston.

Village residents Steve Bornheimer nominated and Tom Schmitt seconded adding Smith to the ballot. DeStaercke and Doug Alexander were also nominated by other members of the community. Only two candidates could be on the ballot, so citizens voted which two people out of the three nominees would appear on the ballot with

See GILMAN on page 3 DeStaercke receiving 10 votes, Smith five and Alexander three. Alexander was not added to the ballot due to coming in third.

Along with Baker and Person, Butch Gonia, Derrick Romig, Karen James, Brian Mallo, and Jim Czahor were nominated as candidates for trustees. Preston was also nominated but declined. Citizens were again asked to vote the list down, this time to six candidates. After voting, only Gonia did not make it on the ballot.

The election will take place on April 1. The board also heard from Romig regarding the mobile home court in town as the dilapidated mobile homes were scheduled to be demolished and removed in the first week of December, but they are still standing, and still an eyesore.

“Is there an answer out there of when the trailers are going to be disposed of for sure or does the village have to impose something?” Romig asked.

Apparently the company responsible has been preparing pads for new mobile homes to come in though they have not yet removed the run-down mobile homes as they had agreed to do previously. Romig had complained at a prior meeting as the neglected mobile homes had become overrun with rats.

The mobile homes park was already on the radar of Gilman Police Chief Tom Tallier. “We’ve had their word of when things are going to come out, but they’ve gone completely cold on me and not returned any calls,” said Tallier.

Tallier recommended that the board initiate a public nuisance order and send the company responsible for removing the mobile homes a letter asking them to attend the next board meeting to see if the issue could be resolved.

“We’ve given them ample time to do it on their own,” said Tallier.

The board agreed to move forward with Tallier’s recommendation.

Community member Fred Romig raised concerns with the safety of the construction site at the mobile home court. He drove by before the meeting and reported seeing holes roughly three feet deep by two feet wide closed off by only a small amount of caution tape which is placed low and close to the ground. Fred Romig stated that these holes are on either side of the mobile home park.

“Nighttime if somebody walks in there, I don’t care if it’s a trailer court person or some kid walking, or somebody’s animal, it’s probably dangerous, they should have something marking it better, but if you can’t get a hold of them what do you do?” Fred Romig said.

Tallier remarked that the liability would belong to the subcontractors should an accident occur, but agreed that he would try to speak with them.

The board also set a meeting date to determine whether or not they would fight the new requirements that the DNR has imposed for their wastewater treatment plant.

“If you did all the upgrades that they’re recommending, it’s a $2 million upgrade to the village; or I shouldn’t say ‘recommend,’ that’s what they’re telling you to do,” said village clerk Candice Grunseth.

Grunseth reported that the village could have either a five or ten year timeline for completion of this project should they comply.

Board president DeStaercke stated that the board had attempted to reason with the DNR, but the DNR is adamant that these changes be completed.

Director of public works Dave Kroeplin said, “The Yellow River is classified as impaired, you can’t have any more phosphorus running in there.”

Kroeplin reported that the water in the Yellow River was tested upstream and downstream of Gilman’s water plant to determine if the plant was affecting the phosphorus levels in the Yellow River. According to those readings, it did not appear that Gilman’s plant was draining phosphorus into the Yellow River.

A representative from the Wisconsin Rural Water Association will be present at the meeting, as well as the engineer retained by the board. Board members have asked representatives from Romig’s to attend the meeting as well. The meeting is set for Jan. 21 at 4 p.m.

In other business, board members:

• Approved the vouchers as presented by the finance committee.

• Voted to sign the letter of engagement with auditor Bauman who requested that the entire board pass a motion agreeing to the engagement letter.

• Discussed the toy drive Tallier completed with Dollar General. The drive was intended to support children who were at risk of not receiving gifts, but due to the overwhelming amount of donations, each elementary grade child was able to take home a toy.

“We actually got toys to everyone because so many were donated through the toy drive,” Tallier said.

• Discussed the cleaning and grooming of a snowmobile trail along the river which is being completed by the snowmobile club.

• Voted to take on Jim Flood as a regular village employee in order to carry him under the village’s insurance since Flood is dissolving his business. Flood’s salary and per diem rates will remain the same. He will not be eligible for health or other benefits at this time. Had the board not voted to retain Flood as an employee, they would be obligated to find an independent contractor from another area which could become costly.

• Noted that the village was above income expectations at the end of the 2024 budget, and 90% or below on expenses.