Neillsville Personnel Committee to re-advertise heavy equipment operator, schedules custodian interviews

The Neillsville Personnel Committee voted July 14 to re-advertise a Heavy Equipment Operator/Water and Wastewater Maintenance position after the candidate who had been offered the job declined, and it scheduled interviews for three applicants for the City Hall Custodian II post.

City Administrator and Director of Public Works Luke Friemoth told the committee that the candidate offered the heavy equipment operator position did not accept the offer and recommended the city re-advertise the opening. Council Member William Neville IV moved to re-advertise the position; Mayor Duane Poeschel seconded the motion and it passed unanimously.

The move comes as routine personnel administration for positions that support public works and water and wastewater operations. Chair Barbara Petkovsek presided over the meeting, which included Council Members William Neville IV and Rolly Gelhaus, and Mayor Duane Poeschel. City Clerk-Treasurer Winder was also present.

Friemoth also reported that the city received three applications for the City Hall Custodian II vacancy. Mayor Poeschel moved and Council Member Rolly Gelhaus seconded a motion to schedule interviews for the applicants on Monday, July 27, 2026, at 1:15 p.m.; that motion likewise passed unanimously.

Council Member William Neville later made a motion to adjourn, which Gelhaus seconded; the committee voted to adjourn. The re-advertisement will proceed per the administrator's recommendation, and the committee will conduct the scheduled interviews on July 27 unless further changes are announced.

No formal discussion of salary ranges, posting timelines or candidate names was recorded in the minutes; the committee recorded only the motions and their unanimous approvals.