The Notes: Week of September 25 - September 29, 2023

Hello again, folks!  Thanks for stopping by once again for the latest updates on what's happening in Appleton city government.  This week looks as though it will be a rather quiet Committee Meetings Week for us.... maybe.  The following committees are not meeting this week due to a lack of agenda items:

• Finance Committee
• Parks and Recreation Committee
• Fox Cities Transit Commission
• Utilities Committee
• Human Resources and Information Technology Committee

The few remaining committees scheduled to meet this week will take up these items for discussion and potential approval:

Monday, 09/25/2023

Municipal Services Committee - 4:30pm  Committee members will take up the approval (or not) of a resolution presented in late 2022 regarding removing the truck route designation on Lawe Street.  Before reconstruction planning of Lawe Street, some neighbors along the route have been expressing concerns about the perceived disturbance that large trucks cause along Lawe Street.  In the resolution, city staff was asked to evaluate the removal of the truck route designation, therefore forcing commercial truck traffic to use alternative routes around the city.  The evaluation (described in this memo) found that there are too many negative consequences to moving/changing the truck route; as such, staff recommends no changes to the Lawe Street truck route designation (except for some pared down hours, allowing for some "quiet time" during overnight hours).  The memo recommends that the resolution be passed (as the evaluation that it calls for has now been completed).  But I would just as soon deny the resolution to make it clear that no changes will be made to the truck route as requested in the resolution.  We shall see whether committee members agree.

Wednesday, 09/27/2023

City Plan Commission - 3:30pm  This week, there is another rezoning on the table for commissioners' consideration.  This time it's a rezoning for the newly annexed small lot next to Prospera Credit Union on Ballard Road and another small adjoining parcel which is currently zoned as residential.  Both are requested to be zoned as General Commercial, presumably for an expansion of the Prospera branch and main office.  

There is also another item on this commission's agenda regarding the Clearwater Creek neighborhood -- a request for approval of the final plat for the fourth addition to that subdivision.  The previous rezoning and preliminary plat of this addition was approved... but only after much discussion and opposition from neighbors in that subdivision.  One would believe that this next step -- final plat approval -- would go unopposed as the neighbors' concerns were noted during the earlier discussions and were or will be otherwise addressed outside of the rezoning/planning portion of this fourth addition.  But one never knows if neighbors will still come out in protest of this development.  

Safety and Licensing Committee - 5:30pm  Committee members will be asked to approve a sole-sourcing of some traffic safety cameras from a provider with which the Appleton Police Department (APD) has been working on a pilot program since 2022.  While sole sourcing is always a great concern for me as it does not promote best pricing due to the lack of competitive bidding, in this instance I can hardly be opposed.  This system does work with the APD's Axon body camera systems and other police-related systems and databases already in used by the APD.  So there is good reason to be assured that the systems will continue to work well for Appleton.  I will be interested in how the $36,150 price tag will funded and whether this pricing will be an annual charge for the city, though.

Community and Economic Development Committee - 6:30pm  There is only one action item on this committee's agenda... but it looks to be one which will come with some tough questions.  There are some budget carryover funds of $25,000 from a previous budget year that have been set aside for a study related to "improving the city's economic development experience."  The Community and Economic Development Department of the city sent out a request for proposals and, for a seemingly very important consulting step in "Housing Development Policy, Process, & Stakeholder Engagement Services" for a Housing Development Policy Task Force in the city, and they received only one proposal.  This proposal initially came with a price tag of $40,000 (well above the $25,000 allocated) and is from a small and seemingly quite obscure company from Sheboygan, Green Bicycle Co.  Per the staff memo on this action item: "After internal review and determination of the firm’s qualifications and ability to perform the desired work, staff negotiated the scope of services to achieve a total price of $32,000 (still above the carryover funds available).  

Take a look at this link to their website and let me know your thoughts on what you perceive to be their qualifications for providing these important consulting services to the City of Appleton.  I see really only this (quote from their website): "We are dedicated to 'creating conscious communities' which is commitment (sic) we make ensuring radically inclusive engagement, meaningful communication, and a fresh perspective to every project we work on (sic)."  They also offer bicycle repairs and maintenance and sell a "curated selection of sustainable lifestyle goods."  I am skeptical that this company is the right fit and best offers the services that Appleton's Request For Proposal (RPF) details.  And without any competition, it's hard to make any comparisons to judge whether this company is the right fit for the city for this project.  

The company's proposal states that this project is to commence on 10/3/2023 which would be the day before the full council meeting at which this proposal could possibly be approved.  The mayor has already made plans for a press conference announcing a new Housing Development Policy Task Force on Monday, 9/25/2023.  So it seems as if the wheels are already turning in the direction of the Green Bicycle Co (pun intended) whether this proposal is questioned by committee or council members or not.  I do not at all like or appreciate this as we have much to yet discuss regarding the project, this proposal, and the company in question to provide these consulting services.  What are your thoughts in this regard?  I know I have many, many questions to ask before I am at all comfortable with approving this contract.  

And with that potentially long meeting, this relatively short week of meetings will conclude.  Let me know if you have any comments, feedback, or concerns regarding any of the above.  I'm happy to chat with you about anything city government related!  

The only other exciting things happening in District 13 this coming week will be...

• Continued work on the first phase of Lundgaard Park.  If you haven't been by the site lately, you'll be surprised by the work that's already taken place there and by the size of the equipment being used there right now!  
  
  
• Homecoming Week activities at Appleton North High School, including the homecoming parade starting at 4:30pm on Wednesday, 09/27/2023.  The parade route starts at the USA Youth parking lot on French Road and runs north on French Road, then west on Ashbury Drive all the way back to the high school.  Neighbors of the area will want to be aware of the date and time because the potential traffic disturbances as the parade moves through these streets.  Also of note, the homecoming football game is on Friday, 09/29/2023, at 7pm (versus Kaukauna).

I hope you have a great week ahead.  Let's all have a wonderful last week of September and roll into October on a high note!  Thanks for tuning in today!