The Notes: Week of December 13 - December 17, 2021

Welcome back to Full Council Week, Neighbors!  It seems that December is really flying by.  (Don't you wish winter would feel that way in mid-February?)

Just to make things a little more interesting this week, there are three committee meetings before we reach the full council meeting on Wednesday.  Here's what's in store for us...

On Tuesday, 12/14/2021, at 4:30pm, the Library Board will meet to review November's bill register, 2022 budget information, a minor table of organization change request, and the final 2022 services agreement between the Outagamie Waupaca Library System (OWLS) and the Appleton Public Library (APL).  Also of interest is a library project review/update to be presented.  I am interested to hear more on the work of the hired parking consultant for this project and on the plans for the "interim" library once construction begins.  

Just before the full council meeting, two committees will hold special meetings to get a few items approved before they show up on the full council agenda later that night.  

Wednesday, 12/15/2021

Finance Committee, 6:30pm - The action items on this committee's agenda include the approval of the write-offs of some unpaid personal property taxes and accounts receivable (bills) and the requests to award a few contracts for services.  The meeting will conclude with a few informational items as well.  I expect very little discussion at this meeting as there is nothing really controversial to be discussed or approved. 

Parks and Recreation Committee, 6:45pm - The lone item on this committee's agenda is the requested approval of the Appleton Public Arts Committee's choices of photos for the Welcome Tower at Houdini Plaza.  This action item will move to the full council minutes after this committee's meeting concludes.

Common Council, 7pm - The mayor will start the ball rolling with his presentation of the 2022/23 election cycle election inspectors for the city.  These are all of the people who put in the time and effort at our polling places to make sure that voters get checked in appropriately and are able to cast their votes on election days.  The list includes some inspectors presented as affiliated with the Republican Party and Democrat Party and a great many of them are "unaffiliated" inspectors as well.  

Everything discussed last week during the Municipal Services Committee meeting will be addressed by the full council, including one item I'm expecting to be separated for further discussion -- the licensure and changing of the municipal code regarding street food vendors in the Central Business District (downtown Appleton).  I am satisfied with staff's request for approval -- removing language to preclude street vendors within 50 feet of brick-and-mortar and allowing for eight licensees (increased from the current four) -- and will likely vote to approve that unless some other salient discussion convinces me otherwise.   

Also on the agenda from the Safety and Licensing Committee's meeting last week are the requests for the approval of the special use permit and the liquor licenses for a prospective painting/craft studio at 550 N Morrison Street.  These items have been back and forth and through many committee and staff meetings but are finally reaching the full council floor for full approval so that this business owner might proceed with her plans for this studio.  While one or two of the items for approval at this business location may be separated by the council for further review, I expect that these items will all pass now that city staff and council members have heard directly from the prospective business owner on her plans. 

From the Human Resources and Information Technologies Committee meeting last week comes the request to approve a 2.5% across-the-board non-represented (non-union) employee pay increase -- which includes the caveat that all those who expect to receive this raise will need to show appropriately high levels of performance -- for the 2022 calendar year.  This, too, might be separated for further review; but I expect council approval of it as it is sensible and fair. 

All else on the full council's agenda for this week, though necessary for the business of this city, is rather unremarkable.  But when I say that I expect a smooth and uneventful council meeting, Murphy's Law may still prevail!  Join me here again next week to see whether it did.

As a final note: Thanks to some of you for some comments/feedback regarding the line item for "ornamental street lighting" on some of our real estate tax bills. I believe that neighbor Tom Werth is correct in stating that this fee is due to the subdivision's developers choosing non-standard street lighting for some subdivisions and these ornamental street lights requiring additional maintenance beyond that of standard street lighting.  I also believe he's correct in stating that this is an ongoing expense and we likely cannot expect to see a removal or reduction of this line item on future tax bills.  

Please know that any time you have any question or concern about things City of Appleton related, you can easily drop me a line.  I love to hear from you.

Have a great mid-December week.  My wish for you is that you get all of your Christmas shopping done this week so you don't have to worry about it thereafter.  Good luck with that!