The Notes: Week of February 7 - February 11, 2022

Hey, all!  It's Committee Week again here in City of Appleton government.  So... strap in for a run-down of what you can expect from the committee meetings scheduled for the week! 

But first, here are the committees which will not be meeting this week due to lack of agenda items:

• Fox Cities Transit Commission
• Board of Health
• Appleton Redevelopment Authority
• Safety and Licensing Committee
• Human Resources and Information Technology Committee

Now, let's explore what will be discussed, beginning on Monday, 02/07/2022:

• Municipal Services Committee, 4:30pm  This committee will take up a new Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for a 2022 continued pilot program for Bird scooters in the city.  The 2021 pilot program for these electric scooters seemed a success for the most part.  But some citizens had (and still have) some valid concerns about these scooters in the city.  As such, the 2022 program's MOU between the city and Bird has been amended with the following:
  
  
  
  
  I'm glad to see that the city is not just jumping into allowing Bird scooters in the city without some of these important issues being addressed and piloted in 2022.  I expect this committee to be following up with Bird to be sure that these new rules are being adhered to and that things are headed in the right direction to make the scooters available to those interested while keeping the potential issues that come with them to a minimum for all Appleton citizens.
  
  The committee will also take up a street occupancy permit for a Hilton hotel sign that will hang over into the street right-of-way above College Avenue, a request from McGuinness Pub to bag some parking meters to create a make-shift short-term drive-thru lane for them during their Irish breakfast and corned beef and cabbage dinner St Patrick's Day celebration, and a contract for bridge deck sealing for numerous bridges within the city.  After discussion of those action items, there will be a presentation of a flyer and educational video about the upcoming changes in leaf collection/snow removal on city properties/bulky item collection in parts of the city in the near future.  This flyer will no doubt be distributed to citizens soon... but you, dear readers, are already informed about the changes!!  I mentioned them in multiple blog posts through June and July of 2021 with this one being the latest.  There will also be a presentation of the city's pedestrian crosswalk (otherwise termed "enhanced crosswalk") program which will also be the subject of some discussion at the next meeting on the schedule...
  
  
• Finance Committee, 5:30pm The first item on the docket for this committee is a revisiting of the resolution I mentioned in the blog post for our last Committee Week and again last week.  I called it the "funds diversion resolution" and, after being held by this committee two weeks ago for staff discussions and recommendations, it's back up for discussion this week.  The agenda includes a memo from the mayor which recaps discussions he's had with city staff regarding this resolution and his subsequent recommendation: "HOLD this resolution until June 2022, by which time staff expects to have a clearer sense of finding needs" for "much needed technology upgrades," a style guide for the city (a part of branding which you will remember was "held indefinitely" by this same committee two weeks ago), city website redesign (still needed but expected to be a part of the now essentially defunct branding project), and more funds for the enhanced crosswalks program.  I'm generally pleased with the mayor's memo and recommendation as it puts this funds diversion to bed at least for a bit... until, in my opinion, we can determine how to revive discussions on the already full council approved branding project.  While I'd rather see this resolution meet its demise in this committee, I don't expect that it will as two of the authors of the resolution are of the five voting members on this committee.  But to see this resolution put on the back burner is, I think, a step in the right direction to get the branding project discussions back on the table for the full council to discuss. 
  
  After what will no doubt be a gripping conversation on the above, the committee will move on other budgetary adjustments and contracts for projects throughout the city before wrapping up so that the next meeting will (hopefully) begin at the scheduled time...
  
  
• Parks and Recreation Committee, 6:30pm It looks to be an easy-peasy meeting for this committee as they will simply be presented the informational 2021 Annual Reports of Reid Golf Course, the Recreation Division, and the Grounds Division.  
  

We move on to an exciting Tuesday, 02/08/2022:

• Utilities Committee, 5pm In what's certain to be a gripping meeting (tongue firmly planted in cheek), this committee will discuss a $65.98 credit adjustment for a water utility customer, the approval of a sole-source engineering service contract for the Appleton Wastewater Treatment Plant, and a contract amendment for communications materials for the city's lead service line replacement program.  They will also review informational items such as the 2021 Northeast Wisconsin Stormwater Consortium Annual Report.

And Wednesday, 02/09/2022 concludes this Committee Week with the following:

• City Plan Commission, 3:30pm The commissioners will take on the rezoning of one subject property.  The property owner at 1312 N Division Street and 336 W Wisconsin Avenue would like the zoning of the former property changed to Neighborhood Mixed Use so that his business (Maritime Bar on the Wisconsin Avenue property) can be expanded.  Staff recommends this zoning change be approved and unless something new comes to light during this meeting, I expect that the commission will move forward with an approval. 
  
  
• Community and Economic Development Committee, 4:30pm  Since this committee has not met in a while, there are quite a few items on the agenda.  The committee members will discuss Community Block Grants (CBGs), the sale of a lot in the Northeast Industrial Park to Valley Tool (who already owns two other lots there), the sale of a lot in Southpoint Commerce Park, and a one-time 12-month extension of a development agreement for 513 W College Avenue ("The 513") which fell below the required $1.7M assessed value requirement on 01/01/2022 by $559,000 due to construction and supply chain disruption issues.  Of note is an informational item with no other materials to reference titled "American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) City of Appleton Grants."  I will be interested to watch this committee meeting to find out more in that regard as ARPA funds are quite the interesting topic in the city these days.  I'll let you know what I find out (provided it's of interest)!      

And that's what we're looking at for this week, folks.  If you've read anything of interest to you and you have any questions or concerns, please contact me so we can discuss it further.

There's just one more thing to add this week and that's a note on how important it is that your voice is heard in local elections.  The February primary election is just around the corner on Tuesday, 02/15/2022.  There are many candidates on the primary ballot for Appleton Area School District.  I would recommend three candidates for their dedication to working for only the best for our neighborhood children and families.  These three are certain to represent District 13 families well on the school board: Deb Truyman (for re-election), Mike Schinke (a District 13 neighbor!), and Andrea Klitzke.  Each of these three is a listener.  Each wants to fairly and responsibly represent you.  Of course, you should choose the candidates you think best represent you and your values.  But whatever you do, please please please be sure to vote on February 15 (or earlier via early in-person voting at City Hall).  Our only hope for our representational democracy is active participation of the people... by the people... for the people.  

Have a great week and I'll see you back here on the blog next Sunday!