Appleton Common Council District 6 Update for the Week of July 22, 2024
Photo from Fox Valley Symphony - Symphony Under the Stars
Greetings District 6 Neighbors,
If any of you were at the neighborhood meeting in Erb Park last Thursday, I am sorry that I was not aware it was happening. Alder Croatt called me to let me know that several people from District 6 were in attendance, but I was at another event and did not get back in time to come down. I’m grateful to Alder Croatt for sharing information with me. I’ve asked him for contact information for the District 6 folks and will be reaching out. Alder Croatt did provide me with his follow up which I am including here:
As we talked about, if you see something deemed suspicious, whether it's in your neighborhood or at Erb Park, please call APD at their non-emergency number 920-832-5500. Let them check it out and determine if it's matter that they need to address. Of course, if it's an emergency situation, call 911.
If you have other concerns, please send them my way or you can reach out directly to the Department of Public Works at 920-832-5580. I/we are happy to help with any neighborhood issues, traffic/speed concerns, questions about city projects (street, utility, other).
Topics/Matters Discussed at the Gathering
- Neighborhood and Park Safety
- Stormwater Concerns
- Morrison Street Project
- Traffic/Speed Issues on Morrison
- Parking Restrictions and Related Signage
- Valley Transit Bus Speed Concern
- Temporary Asphalt Repairs Needed on Morrison
- Wheel Tax
- No Mow May Update
I think we addressed the main topic and reason for the gathering...neighborhood and park safety. Some good information was shared by Tom Flick and Jack Taschner. As for the other topics, here are my thoughts...
- If you have stormwater or general drainage concerns, please send your thoughts, comments, ideas to your elected representative and we'll try to get answers from city staff members.
- As for the Morrison Street paving project (from Wisconsin Avenue to Glendale Avenue), the new street will be paved in asphalt, not concrete. Action taken back in 2021 is shown below.
- Morrison Street, from Wisconsin Avenue to Glendale Avenue, be reconstructed with asphalt pavement and curb and gutter. The dimensions of the Morrison Street reconstruction project are as follows: Wisconsin Ave - Randall St: New asphalt pavement to be constructed to a width of 33’ from back of curb to back of curb, which is 4’ narrower than the existing street within this portion of the project. Existing on-street parking to remain unchanged within this portion of the project. Randall St - Brewster St: New asphalt pavement to be constructed to a width of 33’ from back of curb to back of curb, which is 2’ narrower than the existing street within this portion of the project. Existing on-street parking to remain unchanged within this portion of the project. Brewster St - Glendale Ave: New asphalt pavement to be constructed to a width of 33’ from back of curb to back of curb, which is the same width as the existing street within this portion of the project. New street to be shifted 1’ to the east within this portion of the project. Existing on-street parking to remain unchanged
- Captain Jack Taschner and I heard your concerns about neighborhood speed. This is something Alders hear about quite often and we talk with/work with APD to address them. I'll be working with APD to get the trailer placed on Morrison at the appropriate time to monitor speeds. I'll also be inquiring about a permanent radar speed sign along Morrison. As with most things, this is an expense issue, and budgets are very tight. I'll evaluate some options with Denise and Bill. The other side of Erb Park has similar speed concerns on Drew Street.
- I'll talk with Traffic Engineers Lom and Hardy about current and future parking restrictions around Erb Park and I'll see what they suggest we do. Keeping things the way they are might be their recommendation.
- I'll address bus speed in your neighborhood with the leadership at Valley Transit. Consider this addressed.
- I'm addressing the need for some temporary asphalt repairs along Morrison Street. DPW will be contacted about this.
- We talked about wheel tax and the recent increase approved by Council. If you have additional questions, please let us know.
- I provided an update on the recent Council action on No Mow May. If you'd like to learn more, please let us know but here's the link to the Kaukauna/1000 Islands program https://1000islandsenvironmentalcenter.org/conservation/slow-mow-summer/. Appleton will be educating citizens about this.
Erb Park is located in District 14, but it’s our neighborhood park, so District 6 residents obviously share the concerns about safety there. I have heard that people are seeing additional police presence there.
At the Common Council meeting last Wednesday, there were three items separated for individual votes, one of which was a contract where an alder wanted to abstain to avoid any potential conflict of interest. The other items were the liquor license for The Corner Bar. Because of the circumstances (major illnesses for the owner and family members and the fact that they would have to apply for a reserve license at over $10,000 versus the regular license that they currently have at about $750), I was willing to grant the owners the 60-day extension to complete repairs so that they could keep the liquor license even though the bar has not been open for over a year, but that motion did not pass in the Safety and Licensing Committee. Alder Wolff referred the item back so that we will discuss it again in this week’s committee meeting. Hopefully, the repairs will be completed and the inspection passed so that the item will be moot.
We also discussed No Mow May for what seems like the thousandth time. The warm and wet spring made it clear to all of us that we would need to rethink how we wanted to walk the line between supporting early season pollinators and dealing with people who might just be using the May moratorium on enforcing the tall vegetation ordinance as an excuse to avoid lawn maintenance. We discussed many options, but the council passed a resolution last week that restores the 8-inch limit on vegetation height year-round but included an education initiative similar to Kaukauna/1000 Islands program linked above. I was hoping for compromise that allowed vegetation to be slightly longer in May, but voted for the item as passed. I would still encourage people to follow the “slow mow” guidelines, reduce the use of chemicals and plant native flowering plants in order to give pollinators the best possible environment.
In this week’s committee agendas:
Municipal Services Committee – Monday, July 22, 4:30 p.m.
The committee will be voting on a request by the The 513 on College Avenue to install exterior sconce lights that would extend 5 inches into the right of way at a height of 11 feet and greater.
We’ll also be voting on releasing the city’s easement for a relocated water main that will be just inside the Wisconsin Department of Transportation right of way for the I-41/Ballard Interchange Project and to approve the state/municipal agreement for the design and construction of the Lawe Street Bridge over the Navigational Canal. The State of Wisconsin will be funding 80% of this project with a limit of $147,952 for design and $1,241,264 for construction. The city will be responsible for 20% ($347,304) plus any costs over the state funding limit. This project is scheduled for 2027.
Finally, we’re being asked to approve some parking ordinance changes related to the Summit St. reconstruction (Packard St. to Elsie St. and Prospect to Fourth St.). Parking would be prohibited on the west side of Summit between Packard and Elsie and between Prospect and Fourth.
Finance Committee – Monday, July 22, 5:30 p.m.
The committee will hear a presentation from Brad Viegut from Baird on the 2024 General Obligation Notes and Sewerage System Revenue Bonds. This is how the city borrows money for capital projects in general and for utilities projects. The General Obligation Notes would be for $13.5 million at an estimated rate of 3.84% - not what we have seen in prior years, but still quite low due to the city’s very high credit rating. The Sewerage System Revenue Bonds would be for $12,910,000 at an estimated rate of 4.44%. About $5.8 million of the GO bonds would be paid out of Tax Increment District 13 – in the Southpoint Commerce Park – $4.7 million of the GO notes will be used to finance infrastructure in the park and will be repaid out of the tax increment.
Action items will include a request for reimbursement from the Riverside Cemetery Association for the maintenance of veterans’ graves ($6460), approval of a change order on the Lightning Drive Extension Phase 1 for added drain tile and earthwork ($72,830, reducing the contingency to $20, 104.82), and approval of a change order to Sabel Mechanical for the wastewater treatment plant Final Clarifier Tank Underdrain and Tank Drain Rehabilitation Contract Project ($8837 from contingency and available project funds).
We’ll be voting to award the bid for the Police Station Gun Range Door Project (IEI General Contractor - $49,322 with contingency).
We’re being asked to reject a couple of project bids that exceeded their respective budgets. The first is for the Mead Pool plaster recoating project. The budget was $350,000 and the only bid was $817,199. The recommendation is to reject the bid, review the bidding documents and determine what can be deferred, then rebid with a reduced scope. Similarly, the lowest bid for the wastewater treatment plant clarifier rehabilitation project (for clarifiers in use for over 60 years) was over $1 million more than the budgeted amount. Staff is recommending deferring the work to a future year in order to rework the budget. The delay will not compromise operations or treatment efficiencies.
Finally, we will be voting on a resolution submitted by Alder Croatt that would require a 2/3 majority for any council action changing the wheel tax or related fees. As you recall, the increase of $10 in the wheel tax was passed by an 8-7 margin. Although I was one of the aye votes on that item, I don’t have any issues with this resolution. We already require a 2/3 majority for any votes related to funds transfers, special use permits, etc., so I see no reason not to add this change that affects the budget to that list.
Fox Cities Transit Commission – Tuesday, July 23, 2:50 p.m.
The Commission will approve the payments for June, then take up the pleasant task of approving the acceptance of two large federal grants - $12 million toward the Whitman Avenue Facility remodeling project, phase II and the $25 million Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) discretionary grant for the new transit center downtown. The new transit center will be enclosed to protect riders from the weather and lessen the noise level. It will also include a police substation. There are many sustainability features in the design, including solar panels and geothermal heating and cooling which will allow the facility to be self-powered for a full year. The city has awarded $1.8 million of ARPA funds to the project to help fund affordable housing as part of the project. Valley Transit still faces a shortage of bus drivers, requiring the cutback in service that started last week, but VT is working constantly with the Human Resources department to try to fill those spots.
The commission will get a presentation of the annual audit as an information item.
Utilities Committee – Tuesday, July 23, 4:30 p.m.
The committee has one action item – voting on a contract for Apple Hill Farms Pond 4 Outlet Pipe Repair (Advance Construction, Inc. - $28,000).
They will also be reviewing the monthly reports for May and June as information items. Water main breaks are at 27 YTD 2024 vs 31 YTD 2023.
City Plan Commission – Wednesday, June 24, 3:30 p.m.
The Plan Commission agenda will be devoted to the plans for Thrivent’s development of their property. There will be public hearings on the updates to the Comprehensive Plan Future Land Use map, the Planned Development Overlay District and the rezoning of the parcels. The commission will then vote on the related action items.
Link to Thrivent’s plans for the property:
From the site: The Master Development Plan continues to represent and integrate ideas and feedback we received as a part of the community meetings. The proposed plans for the development currently include a full range of new housing choices, an employment center, active and passive recreation, dining and neighborhood shopping and services. More than a third of the site is planned to be restored and preserved as public parks, open space, waterways and a system of trails that will connect seamlessly with the larger community.
Thrivent held multiple community meetings where people could provide input and I think they have developed a really good plan for the property. I intend to support the requested changes as a plan commissioner and when the plan comes before the full council.
We will also have a presentation on the project for a NEW AVENUE – College Avenue west of downtown Appleton. This would be a joint effort by Outagamie County, Appleton and Grand Chute to try to make what is a pretty dreary and partially blighted area more vibrant.
Safety and Licensing Committee – Wednesday, July 24, 5:30 p.m.
As discussed above, we’ll be taking of the liquor license for The Corner Pub again, along with the normal license applications and renewals. We’ll get mid-year reports from the City Clerk, the Fire Department and the Police Department as information items.
Human Resources and Information Technology Committee – Wednesday, July 24, 6:30 p.m.
The sole action item before the committee is the contract for converting the City of Appleton telephone systems to RingCentral, a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) telephone service provider. This would result in annual cost savings of $56,000. Total cost savings over the next twelve months, including hardware, implementation, and annual costs would be as much as $98,000.
For those of you who shared information with me about flooding during the July 5 and July 13 storms, I have shared that information with the Department of Public Works. I will continue to keep you updated on any actions to be taken.
Don’t forget that Children’s Week is happening this week, with lots of special (many free!) family events all over town, including Rock the Block and the Downtown YMCA tomorrow evening and the Building For Kids Children’s Parade on Wednesday. Complete list here:
Have a great week!
Denise
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