Appleton Common Council District 6 Update for December 8, 2025

Photo from the Post Crescent

Greetings District 6 Neighbors,

If it weren’t for all the holiday lights and decorations I see outside, I would be convinced that it’s late January. It just seems too cold too early!

After a very short Common Council meeting last week where we hade one action item and a couple of board and commission reappointments, we get back to a relatively full slate of committee meetings ahead of the last full council meeting of 2025.

Jumping right into it:

Appleton Redevelopment Authority Exhibition Center Advisory Committee – Monday, December 8, 1:00 p.m.

The committee has no action items, but they will get an update on the City of Appleton American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Fox Cities Exhibition Center Project and Convention and Visitors Bureau Grant and an update on Fox Cities Exhibition Center Management Agreement.

Municipal Services Committee – Monday, December 8, 4:30 p.m.

Most of the items before the committee are related to the ongoing work on 1-41 – State and Municipal Agreements outlining cost sharing agreements between the Wisconsin Department of Transportation, Outagamie County and the City of Appleton for portions of the work:

• Meade Street to Ballard Road – City share $38,000
• Ballard Road to French Road – City share $415
• 441 Northland to I-41 – City share $4,015
• 441 and I-41 interchange – City share $41,715

The city’s share of the work is primarily for “Community Sensitive Design” (CSD) amenities and some minor utility work. CSD is the DOT term for the decorative inlays on the overpasses, etc. I happened to be headed north on I-41 and noticed the fox on the overpass. Coming south, there are river features in the design – really quite attractive.

We’ll also be looking at a contract (SCS Engineers - $79,950) for operation, maintenance and monitoring (OMM) services at the closed Mackville landfill. The item also gives the city the right to negotiate up to nine one-year extensions. Each extension would have to be voted on by the committee and council as well.

The committee will vote on updates to the Department of Public Works fee schedule as approved in the 2026 budget.

The increase in fees corresponds to an increase in tipping fees from the Outagamie County landfill.

There is also an item regarding administrative changes related to garbage cart exchanges. I have discussed revising the policy which calls for a $100 fee for cart exchanges (unless it’s for routine maintenance or repair) to make exchanges for a smaller container free of charge. I want to make sure that the city provides an incentive for residents to generate less garbage.

Finally, we will vote on a long-term permit for a construction dumpster at Baldeagle Drive and Harrier Lane in the Apple Ridge Subdivision.

Finance Committee – Monday, December 8, 5:30 p.m.

The committee agenda starts with some budget amendments to record revenue received from asset forfeitures for SWAT equipment ($32,975), donations for the K-9 program and the Bike Safety program ($36,720) and state aids for hazardous materials handling equipment ($17,542).

The city has also been awarded a Department of Natural Resources Lead Service Line Replacement Community Outreach Grant for private-side lead services replacements outreach in the amount of $65,000. The Finance committee will vote on accepting this grant and on a budget amendment to the Water Utility budget to record the revenue.

We will then vote on approving write offs of $62,590.10 of accounts receivable invoices and $16,005.50 of personal property taxes (outstanding over one year). The city will continue to try to collect on these invoices, but they will no longer be shown as receivables.

We have a number of contracts rounding out the agenda.

• G-26 Pond Dredging (Advance Construction, Inc. - $131,783.02 with contingency)
• U-26 Water Main Reconstruction s/o I-41 (Kruczek Construction - $392,000 with contingency)
• Wastewater treatment plant MCC (Motor Control Center) Replacement Project (Van Ert Electric Co., Inc. - $1,765,995 with contingency). This is to replace equipment that has been in place since the 1970s.

Finally, we’ll be looking at a change order for the parking ramp repair project that is actually good news. The roof replacement for the Red Ramp was removed from the initial bid award based on available funding. Other repairs have been completed for less than estimates, leaving funding available for the project. This change order ($59,330) will include the roof replacement, which Weinert Roofing has agreed to perform for the original bid price.

Parks and Recreation Committee – Monday, December 8, 6:00 p.m.

The committee’s sole action item is a vote to recommend approval of the city’s Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan (CORP)

City Plan Commission – Wednesday, December 10, 3:30 p.m.

The Plan Commission will review and vote on approving the final plat for the Comet Ridge Subdivision located off Haymeadow Avenue between W. Evergreen and JJ. Phase 1 calls for 34 single family lots and two outlots, which will be used for cluster mailboxes and the extension of the Apple Creek Trail.

We will also take up a request to release a drainage easement in the Lumbini Estates Plat. The developer’s engineer submitted a revised drainage and grading plan to retain the existing trees on Lot 15. As a result of these revisions, the previously required 20-foot drainage easement is no longer necessary. The Department of Public Works has reviewed and approved the revised plan.

The Plan Commission will also review the CORP (on the Parks and Recreation Committee agenda as an action item) as an information item.

Safety and Licensing Committee – Wednesday, December 10, 5:30 p.m.

The committee has a couple of routine license applications and will address a recommendation for denial of a bartender license for an applicant who has a conviction for an offense that renders them ineligible for a license. This is different from appeals that we address (generally for alcohol-related offenses) where the applicant has the opportunity to present evidence of rehabilitation as part of their appeal.

Houdini’s Escape/Taste of Thai are back on the agenda with the appeal of the denial of an amusement license for electric game machines that the police department has determined are illegal gambling machines. Both APD and the applicants have submitted a number of documents and information about the machines in question, and the applicant also submitted records requests to APD and the Inspections Division for any items related to this matter. APD is still recommending denial of the license. There may be machines in the application that would not be deemed gambling machines – the applicant is free to reapply for just those devices if the denial is upheld.

We will also review some changes to the Special Events Policy involving clarification of language and some fee increases that reflect staffing rates. One important change involves facility reservations for special events: “The current policy allows event organizers forty-five (45) days following the date of their event to reserve a City park or facility for the following year, after which time it will be available to the public. The proposed Facility Reservation Policy allows event organizers the opportunity to reserve the facility for the following year starting one (1) calendar month prior to the first day of their event. If unreserved, the park or facility will then be made available to the public beginning on the first day of the current year’s facility rental. This revision was made to ease administrative difficulties with the current processes, but still allow event organizers an opportunity maintain consistency in event planning.”

Information items include the Gold Cross Ambulance Shared Service and Operating Agreement Annual Report, and an update from the Appleton Area School District on attendance one month after the implementation of the truancy ordinance. We will also get a police department staffing update.

Directors’ reports include an election update from the City Clerk and updates on hirings and promotions from the Police and Fire Departments.

Human Resources and Information Technology Committee – Wednesday, December 10, 6:30 p.m.

The committee’s single action item is a request from the Appleton Police Department to add a patrol officer in 2026. Two officers will be on extended military deployments in 2026, making funding available for 2026. Future funding will be addressed in the 2027 and subsequent APD budget requests.

At last week’s council meeting, Mayor Woodford announced that Director Dean Gazza of the Parks and Recreation/Facilities Management Department will be retiring in early January. I am grateful to Dean for his long and capable service to the City of Appleton. He has managed so many large projects over his years, including the recent Appleton Public Library reconstruction. The city has implemented many sustainability projects under his leadership, reducing both greenhouse gas emissions and cost to taxpayers. Deputy Director Tom Flick will be acting as Interim Director during the search process for Dean’s replacement. Dean will be difficult to replace, and I wish him well in whatever comes next for him.

On a more personal note, I am officially announcing my candidacy for another term as your alderperson. I’ll be collecting nomination signatures over the next couple of weeks. Everything has to be turned in by January 6, but I’d like to get mine submitted before I start my holiday travels. If you’re willing to sign and have a particular day and time that would be good, please give me a call or text at (920) 475-1603.

Have a wonderful week and stay warm!

Denise