The Notes: Week of April 10 - April 14, 2023

Good afternoon, Neighbors, and Happy Easter!  I hope you've had a lovely day thus far.

Thanks for joining me here on this start of a new Committee Meetings Week in City of Appleton government.  We have a busy schedule of meetings this week so let's jump right in!

Monday, 04/10/2023

Tax Payment Appeal Board - 4pm  One taxpayer is requesting a waiver of the $45 that she was charged for late payment of her property taxes.  She claims that her address forwarding at the time of the city's mailing of tax bills did not get the tax bill to her and she therefore did not know her taxes were due.  We shall see if that claim holds up with this appeal board... though I think it's a known fact that property taxes are due whether a taxpayer receives a bill for them or not.

Municipal Services Committee - 4:30pm  First on the agenda for this committee is a revisiting of a resolution which was held by this committee the last time they met -- Resolution #2-R-23 to Eliminate No Mow May.  I mentioned this and provided my thoughts on this in my Fifth Week blog post and in earlier posts in this regard (linked in that post).  City code -- without a "No Mow May" exception -- currently allows grass growth of up to 8" in most residential areas of the city.  I believe that this is a standard that grants a great deal of latitude to those who wish to grow their lawns longer for the sake of pollinators -- in May and/or throughout the grass-growing season... and this is without city code requiring the suspension of that standard for the month of May.  Regardless, there are better alternatives to No Mow May to support and assist pollinators in the early growing season than long, unkempt yards.  Flowering trees and other native wildflowers are far better alternatives for the city to encourage of private property owners. 

It became clear to me when this last came up for discussion that some aldermen believe that whichever belief camp we hear more from -- the No Mow May supporters or those who do not support it -- should be the camp which triumphs in this argument.  And the No Mow May supporters have been loud in their emailed support.  I believe, rather, that aldermen should do what is best for the city overall and use public input as just one piece of the puzzle required to make an intelligent decision.  Let me know your thoughts on the No Mow May issue or on the "whoever is loudest wins" argument.  

This committee will also discuss a request for the city to spend $75,000 on a "pedestrian study" and a ~$50,000 awarding of a contract for consulting on the repair and maintenance activities needed in the city's parking ramps (the total of which is estimated at roughly $700,000 for 2023).  Both of these consulting expenses concern me but the latter makes me again think that perhaps it is time for the city to look at selling the parking ramps so that these charges are no longer a city budget hit and private ownership of the ramps can repair and maintain them as needed and charge the appropriate fees necessary for their upkeep.  What are your thoughts on all of us taxpayers paying to maintain parking ramps in the downtown area while these ramps do not collect the parking fees needed to cover their repair and maintenance? 

Finance Committee - 5:30pm  Committee members will discuss and potentially approve a number of construction contracts for the city, all of which -- thank goodness -- look to be at or below budget.  

Parks and Recreation Committee - 6:30pm  City policy recently changed to require that this committee review and approve all special event usage in Jones Park.  As such, this committee will be asked to approve the Irish Fest 2023 usage of the park.  Committee members will also be asked to review and approve an updated fee schedule and policy for rental of city athletic fields and courts (for tournaments and the like).  

Tuesday, 04/11/2023

Fox Cities Transit Commission - 3pm  This meeting is cancelled due to lack of agenda items.

Utilities Committee - 4:30pm  Only one action item is on this committee's agenda for this week: to review and potentially approve a contract for sanitary and storm sewer cleaning and televising.

Wednesday, 04/12/2023

Board of Health - 7am  Fortunate board members do not need to get up super-early for a meeting this week as it has been cancelled. 

Appleton Redevelopment Authority - 9am  This board, which hasn't met since November 2022, will discuss a bylaw revision related to the number of terms members can serve and the full board approval of some member changes and re-appointments.  In an informational item, there will be an update on the 222 N Oneida Street potential mixed use/transit development (related to environmental remediation on the site).

City Plan Commission - 3:30pm   Commissioners will be asked to approve a special use permit for the enlargement of an outdoor bar area at 409 W College Ave (currently Mr Frogs).

Library Board (Personnel and Policy Committee) - 3:30pm  Though they are meeting at the same time as the City Plan Commission, these board committee members will convene their meeting at the temporary library location on the city's east side.  They will discuss the library's collection development policy and some potential changes/updates of that policy. 

Community and Economic Development Committee - 4:30pm  There are no action items on this meeting agenda; but committee members will discuss an overview of housing in the City of Appleton and a proposed table of organization change which affects both the Department of Public Works (DPW) and the Community and Economic Development Department (CED).  The proposed changes have no salary/budget implications but instead deal with changes regarding employees reporting to "new bosses" in these two departments.

Safety and Licensing Committee - 5:30pm  Three temporary liquor licenses (for events) and a liquor license premises change (see Mr Frogs above) are on this committee's agenda for approval. 

Human Resources and Information Technology Committee - 6:30pm  These committee members will be the ones to vote to recommend (or not) the changes mentioned above (in Community and Economic Development) for the DPW and the CED departments.  If these changes are truly best for the city to serve its taxpayers and the changes are budget neutral, I have no problem at all with voting to approve them.

And that last meeting will bring this Committee Meetings Week to a close.  Let me know if you have any thoughts, questions, or concerns regarding what you see above... or on anything city government-related.  I'm always interested in hearing from you!  Thanks for sharing a bit of your day here, reading this blog post.  

Again, I wish you the very best in the coming week and always.  Easter blessings to you and yours!