The West Salem Village Board last week worked through a short, yet important meeting in which they approved both the 2010 budget and the fee schedule for the coming year as well, as well as a few lesser matters.

Board members voted 6-1 to approve the budget with Trustee Terry Hanson dissenting.

Hanson questioned Village Administrator Teresa Schnitzler regarding some budget line items but did not voice any specific opposition to the budget or any specific items it contained.

Hanson — who frequently casts contrary votes and sometimes does so without a stated reason — asked Schnitzler to explain her budget entry for the hotel tax and a few other items, which she did to his apparent satisfaction.

The only item to increase in the fee schedule was the shelter rental fee and the returnable deposit, which increased to $50 each. Both the village board and the Finance and Personnel Committee had previously approved the increase.

Hanson also voted against the fee schedule and it passed by the same 6-1 margin as the budget.

There was no discussion on the approval of the budget and the fee schedule.

Board members also approved a pair of support resolutions, which came courtesy of the League of Wisconsin Municipalities.

The first was a resolution in support of the Cable Customer Repair Bill.

“The League is asking for municipal support to help this repair bill go through,” Schnitzler said.

The only benefit the village might see if the bill were to be passed is a small amount of right of way fees that weren’t in the original franchise bill.

“I’m not sure how much good it’s going to do, but it can’t hurt,” Trustee Diana Engel said.

Trustees also voted for a resolution that supports the “Empire Builder Route,” which goes through La Crosse, as the best high speed rail route to connect Chicago and the Twin Cities.

Through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, the Department of Transportation has planned to spend $8 billion on high speed rail.

At a stop in West Salem in July, Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood told the crowd that Wisconsin Gov. Jim Doyle had all but sewed up a piece of the high speed rail funds.

West Salem’s resolution supports the efforts of the recently formed Empire Builder High Speed Rail Coalition. Other cities on the route — which is the current Amtrak route — are Milwaukee, Columbus, Portage, Wisconsin Dells, Tomah, Winona, Minn., and Red Wing, Minn.

In other action, the board voted to approve a 3 foot by 8 foot electronic message board that will be installed at Hansen’s IGA for advertising purposes. Installation of the sign required a conditional-use permit.