Meeting Minutes:

Helena Township

Board of Supervisors – Meeting Minutes

9/3/2026 | New Prague Fire Hall

CALL TO ORDER. Public hearing was called to order and opened by Chairperson Wermerskirchen at 6:30 p.m. The Pledge of Allegiance was recited.

PRESENT. Chairperson John Wermerskirchen, Supervisor Edward Nytes, Supervisor DeAnn Croatt, Treasurer Nathan Hutton, Deputy Treasurer Patricia Peterson, Clerk Heather Taylor DuCharme, Deputy Clerk Kimberly Carlberg, and Road Overseer Jeff Haag were present. Also present were Town Engineer Andrew Vistad, Town Attorney Robert Ruppe, and property owners: Larry Vollmar, Cindy Vollmar, Steve Sigford, Greg White, Jeannete White, Matt Henning, Kim Henning, Barry Marchart, Juston Lano, and Peggy Heitkamp.

1. Ruppe introduced himself and provided an explanation of the purpose of the hearing.

2. Vistad, Board members, and the public all introduced themselves one at a time.

3. The property owners presented questions about the following, which were answered by Board members, Ruppe, and Vistad:
   1. age of the paved roads,
   2. the streets being grouped into one project,
   3. bidding process,
   4. flexibility of time table once project is started,
   5. second engineer opinions on road conditions and need for projects,
   6. chip sealing and rubber as alternatives to the proposed project,
   7. mailboxes and objections to replacing existing non-swing away posts with swing away posts,
   8. communication regarding future meetings, timing, notices, and project scheduling,
   9. where previous meeting minutes are located,
   10. the cost sharing between the Township and property owners (50% versus 20%),
   11. shouldering and taper milling on Hunters Ridge,
   12. placement of property owner sprinkler heads and systems in the Township ROW and shouldering.,
   13. the number of lots impacted on each street,
   14. milling and tapering to concrete, paved, and gravel driveways, and
   15. landscaping in the Township right of way.

4. Vistad, Ruppe, and the Board provided information regarding and answers to questions, including regarding:
   1. the 5-Year Road Maintenance and Capital Improvement Plan,
   2. PCI ratings,
   3. research on road conditions and when completing repairs and maintenance is most cost effective,
   4. the economy of scale,
   5. changes in costs,
   6. safety issues and Township mailbox post policy,
   7. where to find meeting minutes and the Township website,
   8. previous plans and specs and necessity for shouldering,
   9. property owner responsibility for damage to property placed or left in the ROW during construction, and
   10. tapering to driveways but not tapering where not needed to improve structural integrity.

5. On motion by Wermerskirchen/Croatt, public comment period of the meeting closed; carried unanimously.

6. Supervisors discussed public comments and questions, hearing, and project. On motion by Wermerskirchen/Croatt, Resolution 09032026A - Declaring the Official Intent of Helena Township to Reimburse Certain Expenditures from the Proceeds of Improvement approved as presented; carried unanimously. On motion by Croatt/Nytes, Resolution 0932026B - Resolution Ordering Improvements for the 2027 Road Improvement Project approved as presented; carried unanimously.

MOTION TO ADJOURN AND CLOSE MEETING/HEARING. At 8:15 p.m. on motion by Nytes/Croatt, meeting adjourned; carried unanimously.

Respectfully submitted                                                                 Approved

Dated:                                                                                                   Dated:                                                                                  

Clerk                                                                                                      Chairperson