The Notes: Week of February 27 - March 3, 2023

Here we are on another sunny Sunday, folks!  Thank goodness for that... after the snow event of last week!  It's Full Council Week again in city government so there is, of course, a council meeting on Wednesday night.  Besides that, there are a couple of other meetings on the agenda.  Here we go with your week's summary of fun!

Tuesday, 02/28/2023 

We wrap up the month of February with a meeting of the Library Board at 4:30pm.  Board members will look to approve the final December 2022 and the January 2023 bill registers, review a small budget amendment, go over the minutes of the latest library board planning committee meeting and personnel and policy committee meetings (earlier this month), establish the 2023 performance goals for the library director, and review the 2022 annual report.  I looks to be a long meeting with lots of discussion.  A February 2023 update on the library construction project is also scheduled as an informational item; but the memo included on this agenda line item does not share any more detail than the full council and community received last (at the first full council meeting in January). 

Wednesday, 03/01/2023 

March comes in like a lion (or something like that) with a special meeting of the Safety and Licensing Committee at 6:30pm.  This committee's regular meeting last week was cancelled due to "snowmageddon" so they will meet a bit before the full council to get the items on last week's agenda reviewed and potentially approved.  

The Appleton Common Council ("Full Council") will then meet at 7pm.  The mayor starts the ball rolling with three proclamations and then we move on to the items which saw committee action last week (and earlier that evening as mentioned above).  Here are a few highlights:

• From the Municipal Services Committee: As I mentioned last week, a preliminary resolution for the concrete paving of portions of Amethyst Drive and Bluetopaz Drive will potentially be approved.  After approval, city staff are able to take this paving project out to bid.  Once a bid is awarded and the city knows what the total cost will be, residents with properties on these roadways will be made aware of the costs and timeline of the paving project.  If you have any questions for me in this regard, please let me know.
  
  
• From the Finance Committee:  A contract for work to begin in Vosters Park (the removal of ash trees due to emerald ash borer (EAB) infestation) is up for approval.  Once this is approved, the project that Vosters Park neighbors worked with city staff on revising to our liking will finally begin.  There will still be some shock, no doubt, when we start to see trees being felled in the park.  But we can all take heart that the city is going to do well by us with a strong reforestation effort in the wooded area in the park.  In this regard, too, if you have any questions, please let me know.
  
  
• From the Fox Cities Transit Commission:  All of the big ticket items discussed last week at the commission meeting will be up for approval.  Many of these items include federal grant money which, while it still affects us all as taxpayers, will not place a heavy burden on the city's taxpayer roll.  

As you can see, it looks as though there is not much of extra "excitement" to be expected in city government this week, neighbors.  This is probably a good thing... right?  

As always, I am here to answer any questions you might have or to help you negotiate any issues you might have with local government.  Please always feel free to contact me and share any feedback you might have.  

I hope you remain safe in the next predicted weather event.  Thank goodness we are almost on the other side of February.  It'll be mosquito weather here before we know it. 

See you back here for more next week!