Appleton Common Council District 6 Update for March 9, 2026

Greetings District 6 Neighbors,

I hope everyone is enjoying the sunshine and warm temperatures today and that the discombobulation over the time change fades soon.

Although several people came to the Common Council meeting to speak in favor of granting the special use permit for the No Kings Rally on March 28, Alder Croatt (chair of the Safety and Licensing Committee) quickly referred the item back to committee. Although all of the departments had signed off on the application, during discussions with the Appleton Police Department, they decided that the original plan for the group to march from Houdini Place to the Outagamie County Justice Center on S. Walnut St. would concentrate a large number of people in the parking lot there and that an alternate route would be safer. The alternate route would take the marchers east on College Avenue to Durkee St. and then back to Houdini Plaza. Because of the change in the traffic control plan, more discussion at the committee level is warranted. I don’t believe that the approval is in jeopardy; assuming the committee recommends approval, the full council can vote on the application at our March 18 meeting.

This committee week brings almost a full slate of meetings – the Parks and Recreation and Human Resources and Information Technology committees have cancelled their meetings, as has the Fox Cities Transit Commission.

Municipal Service Committee – Monday, March 9, 4:30 p.m.

The committee’s agenda includes finalization of some parking changes after the six-month trial period, three of them near schools – Orchard Blossom near Janet Berry Elementary, Florida and Durkee near Einstein Middle School and Badger Avenue near West High School. No Parking zones were added/expanded to expedite drop off and pickup at these schools. The other parking change is the finalization of the loading zone on College Avenue in front of the new Trout Museum/Lawrence University facility. When the loading zone was proposed, we received feedback from businesses and their customers in the area who were concerned about removing parking spaces to create the loading zone. There were no comments during the six-month trial period.

We’ll also take up an amendment to the three-party contract for preparation of plans and specifications for the reconstruction of the Lawe St. Bridge (80% of the funding for the project is to be funded by the Wisconsin Department of Transportation under the Local Bridge Program). There are additional environmental documentation items required for the project, which necessitates an amendment to the original contract. Because the additional amount exceeds the DOT contribution cap, the city’s portion will increase by $23,401.80. This amount can be covered by the project budget.

The agenda also includes a contract for utility location services near underground traffic signal, lighting, and communications infrastructure (Lazer Utility Locating, LLC - $60,000, renewable for up to five years). Funding would come from the Traffic Section operational budget.

Renewal of the contract with Westwood Professional Services for the 2026 Illicit Discharge Detection and Elimination Ongoing Field Screening Program ($35,000) is also on the agenda. In simple terms, this service ensures that no one is illegally dumping substances into the storm sewers and completes required DNR reporting.

Finally, we will review a contract amendment with TAPCO for updates to the Parking Access and Revenue Control System (PARCS). The approved work included transitioning from the existing on-premise server software to TIBA’s cloud-based platform, upgrading outdated swipe-only credit card readers to PCI-compliant chip, tap, and mobile wallet payment capabilities by retrofitting the existing exit kiosks originally installed in 2015, and adding Pay-On-Foot equipment in the Yellow Ramp. Since the contract was approved in 2024, the Department of Public Works has worked with the city’s Information Technology Department, the credit card merchant services provider, the credit card gateway provider; the software provider-TIBA, and TAPCO to establish city-provided network/hardware requirements necessary to implement the system upgrades. These consultations resulted in recommendations for updating the contract to add additional features:

• Chip, tap, and contactless payment capability, including support for mobile wallets such as Apple Pay and Google Pay

• Ticket scanning technology, eliminating the need to insert tickets and reducing the risk of jams or mechanical failures • QR code scanning capability to support hotel guest passes, pre-payment options, and virtual monthly permits

• Large touchscreen interface with a clearly visible “Press for Assistance” option and built-in intercom capability

• Compatibility with existing entrance kiosks, allowing the current entrance equipment to remain in service

These features will also allow future improvements such as:

• Digital permit management, including online purchasing and automatic monthly permit renewals

• Expanded mobile and QR code-based validation options for businesses

• License Plate Recognition (LPR) technology that can automatically raise gates upon vehicle entry and exit

• Video assistance capabilities through the built-in intercom

 

The additional services add $67,000 to the contract, which the Parking Utility can cover via reduced 2026 costs for meter mechanicals/housings and ramp deck sealer materials.

 

Finance Committee – Monday, March 9, 5:30 p.m.

 

The committee will vote on accepting a grant of $17,200 from the Wisconsin Department of Justice Law Enforcement Drug Trafficking Response grant to support the initiatives of the Special Investigation Unit (SIU). The department plans to use the funds for night vision surveillance equipment.

 

We will also vote on a sole source contract for Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) equipment to monitor processes at the water treatment plant (Werner Electric - $25,678.40). Werner is the authorized representative for the Allen Bradley PLC platform upon which the water plant’s control systems are built.

 

Finally, we’ll vote on the contract for inspection, maintenance and improvements to the anaerobic digesters at the wastewater treatment plant (Rohde Brothers, Inc. - $1,702,052 with contingency). The digesters are the giant egg-shaped vessels you can see at the wastewater treatment plant. They serve as the primary solids treatment process, stabilizing and reducing the volume of sludge generated during wastewater treatment.

 

Utilities Committee – Tuesday, March 10, 4:30 p.m.

 

The committee’s sole action item is to approve the 2025 Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) report to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. This is an exhaustive report where the city outlines pretty much everything about the storm sewer system – down to the amount of salt and brine we used on the roads during the year – 1500 tons of salt/sand and 29,823 gallons of brine last December in case you wanted to know.

 

Board of Health – Wednesday, March 11, 7:00 a.m.

 

The Board of Health will vote on an updated Environmental Health Lodging Fee Schedule. The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) updated its reimbursement amount, so the Health Department is requesting small increases in some of the fees to reflect this increased reimbursement amount to DATCP.

 

The Wisconsin Department of Health has awarded the Appleton Department of Health a $10,000 grant, which supports two coordinated components of the Appleton Asthma Friendly Spaces Initiative, each designed to reduce environmental asthma triggers within the City of Appleton. The Health Department plans to initiate an Air Quality Awareness (AQI) flag program in city parks and to develop an Asthma Friendly Housing Toolkit, which would include a public workshop during National Healthy Homes Month, training for landlords and maintenance staff in green cleaning and integrated pest management, and a local “Asthma Friendly Space” Badge for property owners implementing recommended practices.

 

The board will also take up appeals of two dangerous dog declarations. I’m not sure how the vote will work out, but both of these seem to me to be isolated incidents (one dog escaping from a fenced yard and another slipping his leash on a walk) rather than a pattern of behavior.

 

Information items include the 2026 Age Friendly Appleton Action Plan, respiratory virus surveillance and wastewater reports for January and February, the Health Department Quarterly Report for Q4 of 2025 and the March 2026 Newsletter.

 

City Plan Commission – Wednesday, March 11, 3:30 p.m.

 

The commission’s sole action item is approval of the final plat for the Mission Ridge North Phase 1 Subdivision east of French Road and between JJ and Broadway. The development consists of 68 residential lots. Future phases would have 38 additional lots.

 

Community Development Committee – Wednesday, March 11, 4:30 p.m.

 

The committee’s only action item is a resolution in support of Long Cheng MarketPlace’s application for a Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) Community Development Investment Grant. These grants require that the applicant receive authorization from their community’s governing body. If Long Cheng receives the grant, they will be able to fund interior and exterior improvements to the building to improve services and facilities available on the property. Long Cheng has served as a community center and event space as well as a market and restaurant space, hosting senior meals, community meetings and other events.

 

Safety and Licensing Committee – Wednesday, March 11, 5:30 p.m.

 

The meeting will start with five alcohol license demerit point hearings – four for dispensing alcohol to minors and one for no licensed operator on premises.

We’ll then move to the special even permit application for the No Kings Rally discussed above.

 

We also have an appeal the denial of a bartender license for an applicant who has a conviction for battery, which is considered an “exempt” offense for which we cannot consider evidence of rehabilitation. It looks like the conviction was in 2011, but we really don’t have any leeway on this.

 

The committee will consider the suspension of a Commercial Solicitation License for Helping Homes (which appears to be an insulation contractor of some sort) for multiple instances of misrepresentation (claiming to be with the City of Appleton) and failing to display identification.

 

The committee will also review the police grant described in the Finance Committee agenda, and vote on a few normal license applications.

 

Applications for the Homeowner Rehabilitation Loan Program are open March 16 through April 24. These loans are available for low to moderate-income single-family homeowners or owner-occupants of a duplex. They provide funding with no interest or monthly payments (the loan is repaid when the home is sold, transferred, leased or otherwise vacated). There are income and asset limits for these loans. More information is available here.

 

Registration for spring and summer programs through Appleton Parks and Recreation is open. The activity guide is available here. If you want to register in person, remember that due to construction, our Customer Service has temporarily moved to the Scheig Center at 1313 Witzke Blvd.

 

If the warm weather has a young person in your life thinking about a job at one of the pools this summer, there were a few spots remaining in the lifeguard training program. More information here. Classes start this weekend.

 

Have a great week!

Denise