Appleton Common Council District 6 Update for the Week of May 11, 2025
The Common Council meeting last week was short – I moved to hold the item requesting carryover funds to be used for consulting to create a climate action plan until our next meeting. There were several alders absent for vacation or due to illness. That item requires a 2/3 majority to pass, and I was certain that Alder Hartzheim would ask for reconsideration if it was passed in her absence. No other items were separated for individual consideration.
We have an almost full committee agenda this week – only the Fox Cities Transit Commission has canceled their meeting.
Municipal Services Committee – Monday, May 12, 4:30 p.m.
The committee will be voting on an amendment to the contract for the Complete Streets Plan Review for the Thrivent property development. Thrivent and the city agreed earlier that the company would fund consulting for pre-development projects such as street and stormwater design. This amendment is due to the large physical scope and extended timeline of the project. The new contract value is $41,500 with Alta Planning + Design.
They’ll also be taking up a request for a permanent occupancy permit to allow for ventilation for exhaust and makeup intake air on the north side of the Chase Bank building at 200 W. College Ave. A restaurant/brewery will be built in the building and will require this functionality.
The other action items are all parking and traffic changes, including making N. Oneida St. just north of the City Hall/Fox Commons complex two-way. There have been some issues from traffic leaving the new Mosaic facility going the wrong way on the (currently) one-way street, and congestion from those vehicles and vehicles using the Finance Department drive-through.
Finance Committee – Monday, May 12, 5:30 p.m.
The committee will consider a contract for bridge sealing (Norcon Corporation - $150,000 with contingency). They will also take up a change order to the contract for the Lightning Drive extension based on factors including the delay of bridge construction to 2025. (Peters Concrete Company - $115,622.36, taking the total contract amount to $1,810,813.48).
The other action items are all budget adjustments to record grants and donations received (including $7,950,747 from the Friends of Appleton Library for the library building project), additional room taxes and wheel tax revenue, developer payments to TIF #7 and an increase in janitorial services and building repairs and maintenance.
Parks and Recreation Committee – Monday, May 12, 6:00 p.m.
Because this committee has not met since the new council was seated, they will take care of the housekeeping items – voting on the vice chair, setting the meeting time and designating the contact person. They will also have the formality of the withdrawal of Appleton Downtown, Inc.’s request for the “selfie sculpture” in Houdini Plaza.
The committee will be taking up a request to prohibit consumption of alcoholic beverages within 20 feet of a playground or pavilion. Staff is also recommending termination of the rule requiring a permit to consume beer or wine in a park. They have determined that the rule is ineffective and time-consuming for the police department staff. The permit requirement has not deterred or limited consumption and enforcement is challenging.
They will also take up the permits for Irish Fest – this event requires a permit because it is ticketed.
Board of Health, Wednesday, May 14, 7:00 a.m.
The Board has no action items other than electing the chair and vice chair and designating the meeting time and contact person. They will review the Q1 Health Department Report and the April newsletter, along with the approved noise variances as information items.
City Plan Commission – Wednesday, May 14, 3:30 p.m.
The Plan Commission also has the duty of electing a vice chair, designating the meeting time and contact person. They will then take up the rezoning for the Dorn Annexation approved recently by the Common Council. Annexed land is always initially zoned as agricultural, then the zoning is changed to the desired usage, in this case R1-B Single Family. There will be a public hearing on this item as well. The committee will also take up another annexation, this time for approximately 72 acres at 6000 N. French Road from the Town of Grand Chute for a planned residential subdivision.
Community Development Committee – Wednesday, May 14, 4:30 p.m.
The committee has one action item – yet another amendment to the development agreement between the city and Merge, LLC. for the construction of the second phase of the Urbane 115 Apartments (on the site of the former Blue ramp). It looks like they are finally close to closing, but there are some small changes to the agreement to note that the developer has a $40,000 credit, making the purchase price of the property $550,000, the completion date of the multi-phase project will be January 1, 2027 with the assessed value being $12 million and that the repurchase amount for the city would be $540,000 less $1,000 per calendar month for each month after the development agreement is executed.
The Inspections Division Permit Summary report for April will be reviewed as an information item.
Safety and Licensing Committee – Wednesday, May 14, 5:30 p.m.
The big news for this committee is that the Appleton Area School District has requested a delay in action on the resolution requesting the adoption of a truancy ordinance for the city. An April 15th meeting between AASD staff, City of Appleton staff, Appleton elected officials, Outagamie County Youth and Family Services staff and Outagamie County Chief Judge Carrie Schneider focused on potential implementation issues. A future meeting is planned to provide information on the role each entity would play if the ordinance was adopted.
There are two taxicab/limousine driver license applications that the police department has recommended for denial because of multiple prior convictions in multiple jurisdictions. The convictions are deemed to be substantially related to the activity for which the license is sought.
The City Clerk’s office is recommending a city code change that would remove the requirement for an application for salvage dealer license to be notarized. This is the only license type that currently requires notarization and removing it would make the license types consistent in their requirements.
The remainder of the agenda consists of standard license applications and renewals.
Human Resources and Information Technology Committee – Wednesday, May 14, 6:30 p.m.
The Parking Utility and the Finance Department are both requesting organizational changes. The Parking Utility would like to replace one of two Parking Enforcement Person positions with a Parking Enforcement Lead – an upgraded position that would have additional technology and leadership responsibilities. The increased salary for the upgraded position would be paid in 2025 through budgeted and vacant salary funds.
The Finance Department is requesting a downgrade to the Customer Service Accounting Supervisor position to a Customer Service Supervisor, a one level downgrade that would reduce the number of direct reports from four to three and allow more time to focus on daily staffing needs. The Property Tax Specialist position would become the Staff Accountant/Property Tax Specialist, a one level upgrade. The position would include more critically timed accounting functions.
Valley Transit is requesting approval of a side letter with Teamsters Local Union #662, which represents Valley Transit employees. This agreement would increase the negotiated wage of the Master Mechanic position, which has been hard to fill at the current negotiated wage, and would create a new Shop Foreperson position, elevating the current Lead Mechanic role. The estimated fiscal impact for 2025 of $15,642.74 would be absorbed within budget through salary savings from unfilled positions.
The Information Technology Department is requesting approval of a backup internet circuit (TDS Metrocom - $31,878 for 36 months with contingency.) $14,000 was approved for this backup circuit in the 2025 budget.
Have a great week!
Denise
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