Appleton Common Council District 6 Update for July 22, 2026

Greetings, District 6 Neighbors,

While there is certainly less haze and smoke smell in the air, the air quality index is still indicating that the conditions outside are “unhealthy for sensitive groups.” I’m hopeful that the rain forecast for later today will get some of the smoke out of the air and with the end of the extreme heat we can go back to doing things outside.

As forecast in last week’s update, the council meeting last Wednesday was eventful. We had three very big items before us and had a large number of people speaking during the public participation period. We did not begin addressing the action items on the agenda until after 9:00 p.m.

Most of the people were present to voice their objection to Resolution #9-R-26 Establishing Public Oversight and Accountability Standards for ALPR Cameras & Mass Surveillance Technologies submitted by Alder Van Zeeland and me. Many of them spoke in support of the “citizen drafted ordinance” which is also being presented to the Oshkosh council. Since speaking in support of resolution #9-R-26 at the Safety and Licensing Committee meeting the week before, some of the speakers had reversed course, declaring the resolution “weak” and “performative.”  While the citizen drafted ordinance, the current draft of which runs to 27 pages, including many pages of definitions and footnotes, does not ban the use of automatic license plate reader and other technology, the majority of the speakers called for a moratorium on the technology with time periods ranging from 12 months to indefinite. We did not take action on the resolution last week as Alder Meltzer referred it back to the Safety and Licensing Committee. He plans to introduce a number of amendments to Resolution #9-R-26, which he shared with Alder Van Zeeland and me a few hours before last Wednesday’s council meeting. Most of the amendment language appears to come directly from a previous version of the “citizen drafted ordinance.” The amendment also includes a 12-month moratorium on approving any “AI-assisted surveillance technology contracts” …in order to establish an effective mechanism for independent oversight of the City’s use of surveillance technology.” Alder Meltzer is not a member of the Safety and Licensing Committee, so I assume that another member will be submitting the proposed amendments, but I am not sure. More on the amendment under the committee agendas.

In a related item, the council unanimously approved ending payments to Flock. In response to my question, Mayor Woodford relayed our request to that company – that they remove all cameras by the end of this month. The city has already covered the cameras and is not using the technology.

 

The amendment from Alder Croatt extending the truancy ordinance for another year failed on a 6-6 tie, with three alderpersons excused from the meeting. I saw some comments noting Mayor Woodford’s “lack of leadership” on the issue, and I just wanted to remind folks of our council rules relating to majority votes. The majority is based on the total membership of council, not the number of members present, so we need eight votes to pass most non-budget-related items. The mayor, similar to the Vice President of the United States in the Senate, is only allowed to vote in the case of a tie. For a 6-6 vote, the mayor’s vote would have made no difference and thus, he did not cast a vote.

 

Of the three alders who were excused from the council meeting last week, two serve on the Safety and Licensing Committee and voted to approve the extension of the truancy ordinance in committee. I would not be at all surprised if one of them moved to reconsider the item at the next council meeting. Any alder on the prevailing side or who is excused from the meeting where an item passed may move to reconsider that item. If both alders are present and they vote the same way they did in committee, the truancy ordinance extension would prevail with eight votes.

 

The final item(s) that brought people out to speak last week were those related to the creation of the Tax Increment District for most of the Thrivent property, including the development agreement, transfer of funds for acquiring land for the new intersection at Evergreen and Ballard and the agreement for the city to purchase land at the northeast corner of Evergreen and Meade for $1 for a new fire station. The speakers all spoke against the creation of the TID. As I noted last week, I agree that it did not seem right on the surface to assist a wealthy company to develop property that is not blighted, but I do want to note that all of the increment financing will go toward public infrastructure – roads, water and sewer mains, stormwater, and parks and trails that will revert to the city. The State of Wisconsin is recognizing tax increment financing as way to increase the production of housing. Act 235, which was passed in April and takes effect in October of this year, specifically allows for new TIF Authority to better support development. All of these items passed 12-3, with Alders Hartzheim, Croatt and Wolff casting the nay votes.

 

On this week’s committee agendas:

 

Municipal Services Committee -Monday, July 20, 4:30 p.m.

 

The committee will take up several parking and sign ordinance changes and a long-term temporary occupancy permit for a dumpster on Baldeagle Drive. They will also discuss the design proposal for reconstructing Franklin St. from Division St. to Drew St. The design calls for the elimination of the bike lanes and adding parking along both sides where feasible (currently there is no parking on either side in the affected area), along with construction of new sidewalks on both sides. In this particular instance, I’m OK with the removal of the bike lanes (although I use them often) because there are bike lanes on College and there are other options for east-west biking on quieter streets.

 

Finally, the committee will discuss acceptance of a grant and the State Municipal Finance Agreement for signal work related to the reconstruction of Badger Avenue. This grant will cover 90% of the cost of signal rehab and retrofit at the Badger/College intersection and the Badger/Memorial intersection. Total project cost is estimated at $1,157,000 with the city share being $115,700. This will also be an item before the Finance Committee.

 

Finance Committee – Monday, July 20, 5:30 p.m.

 

We’ll take up the grant for Badger Avenue discussed under the Municipal Service Committee agenda above.

We will also vote on a request to use $590,008 in 2026 Bridge CIP funds as contract contingency for Olde Oneida Street Bridge over South Mill Race Reconstruction Project. In the ongoing saga of this project, the Wisconsin DOT had originally capped its share of the project cost at a figure below the revised bid, so the city budgeted funds for the anticipated additional city share. The DOT then revised its share upward, so those funds are not allocated. The request is to use this fund to cover change orders from the contractor to ensure that the project proceeds without delay.

We will also consider contracts for Tunnel Bridge Improvements at the wastewater treatment plant (Staab Construction Corporation - $130,900 with contingency) and for Network Improvements at the Utilities Department (Van Ert Electric - $698,201 with contingency).

Our final action item consists of proposed changes to the city’s purchasing policy, which was last updated in 2015. The Finance Director is proposing to raise some of the limits for individual department approval, competitive bid requirements, etc. to be more in line with economic conditions and existing practice.

 

The Legal and Administrative Services Mid-Year Budget Report is presented as an information item.

 

Parks and Recreation Committee – Monday, July 20, 6:00 p.m.

 

The committee will take up the items from last week’s Public Arts Committee – the requests to install a Peace Pole in Ellen Kort Peace Park (financed by the Rotary Club of Appleton) and to install the kinetic wind sculptures formerly located in front of City Center to Ellen Kort Peace Park.

 

They will review the minutes of the Appleton Sustainability Advisory Panel (ASAP) and the Reid Golf Course Revenue and Expense Report as information items. I’m linking the ASAP meeting minutes just to share some of the work these volunteers are doing. https://cityofappleton.legistar.com/gateway.aspx?M=F&ID=877ea786-1585-4483-8035-17d3fff2d8ac.pdf

 

Safety and Licensing Committee – Wednesday, July 22, 5:30 p.m.

 

We have one liquor license demerit point violation hearing scheduled, but we’ve been informed that Sushi Lover is unable to attend (the hearing was originally scheduled for our last meeting but inadvertently left off the agenda and rescheduled for this week). The business has submitted its responses in writing.

 

We have the usual license applications and renewals, along with a recommendation to deny a solicitation license for Fox Pest Control, which was soliciting without a license and also had a number of reported violations of the solicitation policy.

 

We will also vote on some additional changes to the “schedule of deposits” (fines) that includes some additional updates to the parks and recreation ordinances.

 

Finally, we will take up #9-R-26 Establishing Public Oversight and Accountability Standards for Automated License Plate Reader (ALPR) and Mass Surveillance Technologies referred back to the committee by Alder Meltzer.

 

I am absolutely not against amending the resolution in order to strengthen the safeguards to citizen privacy; however, I am not in favor waiting a year before we approve another tool as long as we can provide the guardrails that have been discussed. I am not comfortable voting on the proposed amendments until I get some answers from the City Attorney, the Director of Information Technology and the police department to questions about feasibility of some of the requirements laid out in the proposal that I received. I plan to reach out to those departments with my questions, but given the time frame, I don’t know if I can expect a full analysis by the time of Wednesday’s meeting. If not, I will move to hold the item until we do get those answers.

 

Information items include the APD Mid-Year Budget and Legal & Administrative Services Mid-Year Report - Clerk's Office.

 

Human Resources & Information Technology Committee – Wednesday, July 22, 6:30 p.m.

 

The committee will take up two requests for departmental table of organization changes. The Utilities Department wishes to change a position title within the Department of Utilities, from Treatment Specialist to Process Specialist. This change does not impact pay grade. It narrows the focus of the position to better match the technical and project-support functions the role has evolved to perform. Most notably, the position is no longer expected to fill in for Treatment Operators or act as relief for the Wastewater Operations Supervisor, eliminating the associated 24/7 on-call obligation. In its place, the role is formalized as a day-shift technical role supporting process monitoring and optimization, capital and infrastructure project coordination, asset management program development, and departmental safety program support, across both wastewater and water treatment facilities.

 

The Community Development Department is requesting an upgrade of a Principal Planner position to establish a Planning Program Manager position. This is a one grade upgrade which would be funded in the current year by vacant salary funds and would be funded in future years’ budgets.

 

Information items include the mid-year budgets for the Human Resources and Information Technology departments and the Recruitment Status Report.

 

I’ll close with a reminder about Children’s Week – lots of fun activities for the whole family: Appleton Children's Week

 

Have a great week filled with clear skies and fresh air!

Denise