Trempealeau adopts 20-year plan, approves duck pond dock

Trempealeau officials have a new tool to use as they continue to plan for the growth of the village.

The Trempealeau village board last Thursday unanimously approved a 2043 comprehensive plan that outlines what the area could look like in 20 years.

The comprehensive plan update, crafted by Short Elliot Hendrickson, Inc. (SEH), began about a year ago at the planning commission level.

The plan crafts a map for what the village could look like in 20 years, which can help guide the planning commission and community members as Trempealeau continues to grow.

A project steering committee of about 15 community members, along with an event at Catfish Days and 800 online survey results, helped to guide the document, said community development specialist Brea Grace of SEH on Thursday.

“All that feedback helped us create and just document a vision and value statement for Trempealeau in 2043,” Grace said.

Board member Don Hellrung praised the plan and work around it as a “pretty comprehensive” process.

The plan is not a guarantee and is designed more as a guide to remind the planning commission and the village board of what people hope to see in the community in the coming years.

“It’s a guidance document that the planning commission will use just to help inform future decisions,” Grace said.

New ADA dock 

approved for duck pond

Thanks to some friendly local donations, a new dock designed for people with disabilities will be added to the Duck Pond Park in Trempealeau.

The Trempealeau village board unanimously approved spending $12,000 in room tax special project fund money to pay for half of the new dock at its meeting last Thursday.

The village will also pay to construct a sidewalk to the dock, so the total cost could be about $15,000, Village President Kurt Wood estimated.

The North American Squirrels Association (NASA), is paying for the other half of the dock, which will include a kayak launch attachment.

Coulee Region Docks, LLC—the company building the dock—donated $4,000 to the project as well, board member Jeff Barry said.

Village ups pay for 

utility clerk II position 

The village board also approved increasing the pay for one of its newest office staff.

Utility clerk II/deputy clerk II Danielle Doelle will see her hourly pay increase by a dollar, up to $20 per hour from her current $19 per hour rate.

The board unanimously approved the increase, which will take effect when her three month probationary period ends April 23, according to village administrator/finance director Isaac Pooler.

The increase will bump the salary to the amount that was budgeted for the position.

“Danielle’s been with us for two months and she’s doing a great job and exceeding our expectations,” Pooler said.

When I budgeted for the position, I budgeted it at $20 an hour and we hired her at $19. Because she’s doing so well and because I think she’s got a good future here. I want to make sure that she feels valued. I want to keep her around.”

Hellrung spoke in favor of the increase.

“I think she’s done a good job, too,” Hellrung said. “She’s real friendly and real responsive to the public it seems like.”