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

Hi again, Neighbors!  Welcome back to your alderman's blog for the latest on what's happening this Committee Meetings Week!  

In a "holiday week hangover," there are many cancelled committee meetings this week:

• Finance Committee
• Fox Cities Transit Commission
• Utilities Committee
• Appleton Redevelopment Authority
• Human Resources and Information Technology Committee

And to follow is your regular rundown of what you can expect of the committees with meetings scheduled for this week:

Monday, 07/10/2023

Municipal Services Committee - 4:30pm  A request for a no-additional-cost amendment to a contract with a company the city uses for new construction plan reviews will be considered by this committee.  The amendment is to allow additional services to be performed by the contractor rather than by the Wisconsin State Department of Safety and Professional Services... again, for no additional costs to the city.  Committee members will also potentially approve the permanent vacation (handing over from the city to the adjoining property owner) of a one-block portion of Circle Street currently occupied by the Appleton Area School District's Kaleidoscope Academy.  The "street" is already being maintained by the property owner and not used as a street... so there is no loss here to the city. 

Parks and Recreation Committee - 6:15pm  Committee members will be asked to approve a staff-generated recalculation of the annual stormwater fees that Reid Golf Course and Appleton Memorial Park receive from the city's Stormwater Utility (for operation/use of stormwater ponds in these locations).  The proposed rate changes are as follows:

    Reid Golf Course                    Current Fee: $15,210            Proposed Fee: $21,060

    Appleton Memorial Park         Current Fee: $40,000            Proposed Fee: $41,769

The final design and placement of a Sexual Assault Survivors Monument in Ellen Kort Peace Park will also be discussed and potentially approved by this committee.  This proposed monument was mentioned here when the Appleton Public Arts Committee discussed it last. 

Tuesday, 07/11/2023

Library Board (Finance Committee) - 8am  This subcommittee of the Library Board will meet at the temporary library location on Kensington Drive to discuss the proposed budget for the library for 2024.  This is the initial proposal for this budget which will have to yet pass through the full library board and then the Common Council for approval... so this is a first step in that direction.  The library director's memo in this regard states that "the budget maintains current levels, with no increases apart from those related to personnel costs and projected common costs" and "the 2024 budget that we have prepared reflects the current construction timeline, anticipating a reopening of our main library in early 2025."

Wednesday, 07/12/2023

Board of Health - 7am  In an unsurprising turn of events, this committee once again meets at the crack of a business day's dawn.  In the one action item for this Board, the Health Department is requesting (of this Board and eventually of the Human Resources and Information Technology Committee) a couple of organizational/staff changes for the city's Health Department and the city's Community and Economic Development Department.  The request comes on the heels of a state of Wisconsin Department of Health Services audit of the city's health department in which the following was noted: 

"Serving as the Community Health Strategist and diminished capacity for articulating health inequities and inequalities were two specific areas identified in the report that require additional focus by the Appleton Health Department toward the work of community health."

The request is for one new position in the Health Department -- a Community Health Supervisor -- and the moving of a Coordinated Entry Specialist from the Community and Economic Development Department to the Health Department (under the proposed new Community Health Supervisor).  The proposed new position would be grant-funded through 2026, meaning that, though it would not directly cost Appleton taxpayers additional tax dollars, somehow there are grant funds (usually taxpayer money from elsewhere) to pay for this position.  After 2026, "additional revenue" will be sought.  The salary range of this proposed new position is conveniently not mentioned in any of the agenda paperwork for this Board meeting.   

This request brings me back once again to the thought process and discussions which I believe should be had regarding a potential sharing of a Health Department between the city of Appleton and Outagamie County.  Much of what must be done within Outagamie County and in the city likely can be done with shared resources and taxpayer funding between the municipalities.  Without further discussions in this regard, I do not feel compelled to approve this requested change as yet.  What are your thoughts on the growth of the city's Health Department?  Let me know! 

City Plan Commission - 3:30pm  A special use permit for a very small outdoors automobile sales and display on West Civic Street is first up for discussion by commissioners.  The East Circle Street street vacation (mentioned above in the Municipal Services Committee notes) and the placement of the proposed Sexual Assault Survivors Monument in Ellen Kort Peace Park (mentioned above in the Parks and Recreation Committee notes) will also be up for discussion and potential approval by commissioners.   

Safety and Licensing Committee - 5:30pm  A renewal of the service agreement between the Appleton Fire Department (and therefore, the City) and Gold Cross Ambulance for ambulance service in the city is up discussion and approval by this committee.  Committee members will also be asked to allow the city to accept a ~$7,500 grant from the Wisconsin Elections Commission for absentee balloting.  A slew of alcohol license renewals and permanent and temporary premises amendments are also up for review and potential approval at this meeting.  Near the end of the meeting, the police chief's report will include a hiring update for the Appleton Police Department. 

Community and Economic Development Committee - 6:30pm  Committee members will take up a couple of "critical timing" action items regarding the purchase of some of the lots in the city's Southpoint Commerce Park. A developer and its subsidiary would like to subdivide a large parcel including multiple lots and purchase the two subdivided lots separately (as the developer and as the subsidiary of that developer).  This requested change is due to a proposed project for which only a portion of this land is needed.  Provided there is no change in the profits the city will garner from this sale in the end, I see no issue with a subdividing of the properties for purchase separately.  

And with that, the week's meetings will conclude.  The next time the full council meets, we will consider all of the items discussed in this Committee Meetings Week and the last one (see here for the items discussed then).  Let me know if you have any questions or concerns on any of these items.  I'm happy to discuss these and any other local government items which might be of interest to you!

Please join me once again next week for more notes and updates.  Until then.... have a wonderful week!