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On Wednesday, December 11, the Wiggins Board of Trustees held a work session to swear in new members of the Board of Trustee and discuss current business.
Mayor Chris Franzen began by expressing gratitude to the outgoing board members and thanking them for their dedication, as well as recognizing the challenges they have faced together over the past two years. Franzen discussed their achievements and thanked the board for making his transition as new mayor smooth and successful.
Trustee Bruce Miller and Trustee Steve Perrott shared their appreciation, and Miller thanked the trustees for their professional conduct. Perrott, who just completed his first term on the board, valued the experiences and opinions of other board members. Mayor Pro Tem David Herbstman said it was an honor to serve the community and welcomed the new board members and Trustee Jerry Schwindt said his time on the board was a learning experience for him and will be the same for the new board.
Outgoing board members are Herbstman, Schwindt and Trustee Bryan Flax; Franzen and Perrott were re-elected in November, with Perrott chosen as the new mayor. They were joined by new Trustees Steven Klecks, Mike Sieber, Robert McKeighan and Barry Tomlinson for the swearing-in.
Trustees discussed purchasing a well and lot for $60,000, which will be on the January agenda. The water rights, which allow 875 acre-feet per year, would cost another $385,000. The plan is to use the non-potable water for fields, the high school, the fire department and for lawn watering and other needs. There was a discussion about financing and possible complications in mixing water for drinking purposes.
The group then discussed the extension of the Emergency Interconnection Agreement with Morgan County Quality Water. This would involve building a vault to connect the city’s domestic water line to the Morgan Quality Water line, creating an emergency water supply. Exploring the costs and guaranteeing an emergency water supply for a new contract are discussed.
The trustees have addressed ongoing issues with wet test failures at the reverse osmosis (RO) facility. The city has repeatedly failed tests for a specific organism in the runoff, and the state has demanded action. The board considered a $25,000 grant to fund a technical memorandum or other upgrades.
Following the resignation of the current municipal court judge, the trustees reviewed the resumes of two candidates and asked the city manager to schedule interviews next week to select the new judge.
The recent Christmas celebration in Wiggins was very successful. Perfect weather, delicious food and a new event, the treasure hunt, made it popular. The park’s decorations received high praise, with special thanks going to community members and organizations for their hard work.
Following their work session, the Board of Directors held a regular meeting to review and approve the 2025 budget. Their next meeting will take place on January 8, 2025.
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