Village of Baldwin

The document records proceedings from both an Annual Caucus and a Regular Board Meeting. During the caucus, nominations were taken for three open Village Trustee seats. The regular meeting included presentations recognizing two employees with Lifesaving Certificates for their quick action during a medical emergency, and several other employees for years of dedicated service. The consent agenda covered approvals of the check register, financial reports for December, minutes from prior meetings, Municipal Court and Building Inspector reports, and an appointment to the Planning Commission. Public comments addressed an incident involving snow dumping by a public works employee and inquiries regarding potential ICE activity. Key regular agenda items included the approval of a Façade Improvement Program Application for the Masonic Building, updates on the Police Department renovations with approval of a significant pay request and a change order, and committee reports covering water studies and planning commission activities. The board discussed and approved a Conditional Use Permit and Site Plan for an apartment complex at 2530 Gracie Drive. Department reports included updates on development reviews, street projects, public works maintenance and capital improvements, police staffing, training, and rifle buyback evaluation, and EMS activity including grant applications and a community response team focus. The Library reported on grant funding and planned new programs like a mocktails/trivia night and a neurotime trial. The Administrator reported on the Food Pantry success and development approvals. The session concluded with a closed session to discuss the proposed Police Labor Agreement, which was subsequently approved for 2026-2028.

This document outlines the strategic direction for the Village of Baldwin through its Comprehensive Plan Update, synthesizing public input on key areas. The plan addresses priorities such as housing affordability, diverse housing types, infrastructure maintenance (roads, utilities), improved pedestrian and bicycle connectivity, stormwater management, preservation of natural and cultural resources, and the revitalization of Main Street. It also focuses on fostering economic development, strengthening intergovernmental cooperation, and managing growth while preserving the Village's small-town character.

The primary discussion centered on reviewing the draft chapters of the Village of Baldwin Comprehensive Plan, which is expected to be adopted in September 2026. Specific attention was given to overall goals (Page 6), where edits, changes, removals, and additions were made to the 2006 goals. Discussions also covered Housing Demand and Projections (Page 12), requiring building permit data confirmation from All-Croix Inspections to verify historical accuracy. Revisions were noted for the Subdivision Map (Page 16) to include the recent TIFF District. Clarifications were requested regarding housing values (Page 17), ensuring the data represents Tax Asset Value, and housing affordability metrics (Page 18), specifically requesting the inclusion of County and State averages. It was established that all data sources are from the most recent Census, and a request was made to cite the Census clearly for all graphics. Significant discussion led to extensive revisions in language for Housing Goals, Objectives and Policies (Page 20) to ensure precision regarding the Village's scope of impact.

Key discussions included an update on the Comprehensive Plan, where a planner summarized public participation and survey results, noting monthly review meetings through July 2025. The Board approved the 2026 Poll Workers. Action on the Baldwin Historic Preservation Commission Area Collections Analysis was postponed until the Police Department relocation. A decision on funding for the TID 6 Façade improvement Program Application for the Masonic Building was tabled pending more information. The Board approved a rental agreement between UCC and Baldwin Pickleball, and approved a $100 Nilssens Foods gift card for full-time employees as Christmas gifts. Updates on the Police Department renovations detailed progress on the garage, exterior framing, and interior finishing, with furniture purchase pending approval. Pay Request 3 for the PD Building Project was approved, while Change Order #2 was tabled for a Special Board Meeting. Quotes for camera, access control, and intercom systems, and furniture for the PD building were approved. Revisions to the employee handbook separating PTO and Holiday pay benefits were approved, as was the 2026 Village Compensation Policy showing a three percent increase based on COLA. The purchase of upgrades to the EMS Inventory System was approved. Engineering services payment and a pay request for the 9th Street Reconstruction Project were approved. A motion to approve the 2026 Village Rate Schedule failed and was tabled for a Special Board Meeting. Committee reports covered a request for the Attorney to review the residential driveway width ordinance, adjustment of a utility bill for Angela Lee, and tabling the proposed pit meters and billing methods for Mobile Home Courts until the Special Board Meeting. The Village Engineer reported on outstanding punch list items for the 11th St. Project and TID mapping for a new apartment development. The Police Chief reported call statistics and confirmed the recommendation of Officer Alexander Getty for Patrol Sergeant. EMS reported on calls, training, and hosting a blood drive. The Library reported on programming and completed projects for 2025, including weeding and inventory. The Administrator noted satisfaction with the transition to Coulee Tech for IT services. During closed session, the Board discussed two leases with the State of Wisconsin and room tax funding requests, subsequently approving the lease agreements for the office building and DNR storage/office building, authorizing the President to sign.

The meeting included deliberation on entering a closed session to discuss claims from the Baldwin-Woodville Chamber of Commerce related to room tax proceeds with the Village Attorney. Upon reconvening to open session, the Administrator was requested to create a tourism entity application form for attorney approval, which will subsequently be distributed to eligible entities within the Village and County. A future meeting date was set for March 5th, 2026, to review these applications.