The Walworth Town Board worked through a lengthy agenda last week approving equipment purchases, addressing staffing shortages and hearing criticism from residents over development and building oversight.
The meeting began with routine business, including approval of prior minutes and monthly reports, and recognition of retiring highway employee James LeMay for nearly three decades of service maintaining town roads during winter operations.
Equipment purchases and facilities discussion
The board approved several capital purchases for the parks department as part of scheduled replacement cycles, including a Kubota zero-turn mower for about $18,485, a Toro infield groomer for about $31,022 and a new Ford F-350 truck with plow for roughly $57,510.
Board members discussed resale of older equipment and the importance of documenting value recovery. The truck was described as replacing a worn vehicle used regularly for town operations.
A proposal to install a $17,500 epoxy floor coating at the Ginegaw Lodge drew debate about timing and necessity. Officials questioned whether the work should wait for a future budget cycle and ultimately tabled the item for later review.
Staffing changes and administrative actions
The town authorized hiring a retired building inspector on a per-diem basis to keep permit reviews moving while two regular employees remain out on medical leave.
The board also moved to advertise for a part-time justice court clerk following a resignation, created a junior engineer position to support infrastructure and planning work, and approved a contract with an outside payroll and human resources provider to replace in-house processing.
Officials said outsourcing payroll and HR functions should streamline operations and prevent administrative delays.
Separately, the board voted to seek bids to lease roughly nine acres of town-owned land for agricultural use, noting the property is not expected to be needed for park expansion within the next five to ten years. The town also adopted an employee leave-donation policy allowing workers to donate accrued time to coworkers facing emergencies.
Voucher delays and public concerns
The board was unable to complete its audit of claims and vouchers during the meeting, approving only essential payments and tabling full abstract approval pending further review.
During public participation, residents raised concerns that a proposed development near a golf course had reduced nearby property values. Another speaker criticized building department oversight and permitting practices, urging the board to intervene. No immediate action was taken.
Next meeting
A special meeting to finish reviewing vouchers is scheduled for tonight, Feb. 24 at 6:30 p.m. at Town Hall. The next regular meeting will be held March 5.
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