At the Dec. 11 Prescott City Council meeting, the council approved a lease to own agreement with award-winning artist Dale Lewis for the riverfront sculpture, Abe the Eagle.

City Administrator Matt Wolf explained that Abe the Eagle is dedicated to the famous eagle that went into battle 37 times during the Civil War by the 8^th Infantry Division of Wisconsin. He said the city leased the sculpture in 2022 for the 2023 year for $1,000 and the agreement is about to end. The Parks and Public Works Committee is recommending a lease to own agreement of $1,000 in 2024. The two payments would then be subtracted from the $26,000 total cost of sculpture. From 2025 through 2034 the city would pay $2,400 per year for 10 years.

“Then at that time we would fully own the sculpture for downtown,” he said.

The money would come from the Parks Improvement Fund. The eagle sculpture, comprised of stainless steel and covered in stainless steel flatware and cooking utensils, is expected to last at least 100 years. Alderpersons Bailey Ruona and Maureen Otwell motioned to approve the lease as Otwell remarked, “I love this eagle.”

“I love the sculpture. I wish we had more of them,” Todd London of the Prescott Tourism Committee said as he stood before the council to explain that the City of Hastings secured grant money to purchase other Dale Lewis sculptures. He recommended that Prescott look into securing grant money for their sculpture and possible future sculptures as well.

“I think that’s a good idea. I think we should have more,” Otwell agreed. “I grew up in a city with public sculptures and it was terrific.”

“I think with the history around the Civil War in this area, I think it’s a very fitting sculpture, so we want Abe to stay and hopefully add more,” Ruona commented.

HeyGov

Prescott will soon be using HeyGov for all payments, processing and licenses, permits and fees.   Treasurer Beth Lansing said staff has been looking into other options for online payment plan processing. The current system is working but they can only process utilities, so things are getting missed and “it’s really confusing for residents.” She remarked that HeyGov can implement all office needs together.

“If we had the HeyGov system, it’s more like running a cash register,” she said. “We can keep track of cash much better, have receipts easier for residents, and just have a much better record keeping process with having the updated software.”

She said HeyGov is the only company that “can do it all.” 

“We’re basically taking four different software and bringing it into one to streamline,” she added.

The council approved the agreement at the cost of $4,000 including a $1,000 set up fee. The Payment Service Network will be phased out. The new system under HeyGov will include an admin control center for in-person and online payments, online licensing, permits and online payments, an online utility bill payment module, QR code remote payment portals, and caselle (Civic Systems) integration.

Key cards

The city is looking to implement a fully electronic key card opening system to eventually transition through the entire city. Wolf said it would allow for better security, better access control, and better key management. Currently city staff and members of the Prescott Police Department have to daily unlock and lock the doors of the Prescott Beach House. Under the new card reader system, the doors could be scheduled to lock and unlock remotely at set times. 

“We had (an) underemployed police department so we have a number of funds, unfortunately, left over so we’re looking to utilize some of those to implement that at the beach house,” Wolf said.

He said the city would look to apply the system to other public buildings in the future.

“Are there any upkeep fees or is it just that flat rate?” questioned Alderperson Lindsey Owens.

Wolf said the annual system license fee is $225.

Alderperson John Peterson asked, “Does that increase then with the more readers you add?”

“The more licenses we add for each door, there’ll be more license fees that go with it,” Wolf answered.

The council currently approved the implementation of the key card opening system at the Prescott Beach House. The proposed cost for the setup at the beach bathrooms is $4,093 for the access control and $2,547 for the security sensors for a total of $6,695 with the work completed by Computer Integration Technologies, Inc.

Fee schedule

City Clerk Rashell Temmers discussed the city’s 2024 fee schedule as it has not been updated since 2022. City staff proposed various changes such as increasing non-resident compost fees to $35, adding goat permits for $50, and amending the not spayed or neutered dog fee to $30, to name a few.

“How about cats?” Ruona asked.

Owens asked where it specifies cat with the spayed and neutered fee under the animal licenses. Temmers said they don’t have the cat category anymore.

“They’re a nuisance,” Ruona said. “The ones that are roaming around free all over the place. There’s quite a bit of them. Maybe add cats in the future.”

Grant programs

According to Wolf, “The City of Prescott has initiated a multi-use trail system improvement project at USH 10 and WIS-35, aiming to connect residential developments north of USH-10 and WIS-35 to schools, businesses, and the existing trail system and sidewalks within the City center.”

The city submitted a Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) 2024 - 2028 Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) Application to help with costs surrounding this project.

Wolf said as the city applied for the TAP grant, the DOT is requesting the council approve a resolution of support to be turned in with the grant.

“Hopefully we get it,” Ruona commented about the grant as the Council unanimously approved the resolution.

PD news

Wolf commended Prescott Police Chief Eric Michaels and the rest of the Prescott Police Department for their accomplishments this past year as he discussed the final, remaining vacant position within the police force.

“We’ve had unfortunately a rough year with candidates,” he said.

Before the council was an agreement with candidate Caleb Place to send him through basic training beginning in January and lasting for three and a half months. Place is expected to begin working in Prescott in May 2024, contingent upon a successful background check and successful completion of the Basic Law Enforcement Training Program.

“This is our second candidate that we’ve done this with. I’m so glad that it’s working,” Otwell said.

“I have to give kudos to Investigator Stewart because this was a recruiting effort that he actually found this gentleman,” Michaels added.

The Prescott City Council meeting for Monday, Dec. 25 is cancelled. The City of Prescott staff holiday party is scheduled for 1 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 21.