The Notes: Week of December 4 - December 8, 2023

Welcome to another Full Council Week, Neighbors, and thanks for stopping in to read about it.  We are fast approaching the last meetings of the year as we rush headlong into the holiday weeks that will conclude 2023.  Here is what we'll be talking about in city government meetings this week:

Wednesday, 12/06/2023

Appleton Public Arts Committee - 8am  This committee has not convened since June so there is a bit of housekeeping on their agenda for this week.  In fact, there are no action items up for vote on their agenda... only information items:

• Announcement of the formal resignation and removal of two former committee members
• Official welcome of two new members to replace them
• Discussion of the upcoming proposed selection process for new artwork on the Houdini Plaza welcome tower.  Members will discuss ideas for a theme for the upcoming photo contest and whether or not to adjust the photo contest rules for the upcoming year.

Finance Committee - Special Meeting - 6:30pm  There is no agenda posted for this meeting as of yet.  I cannot even speculate as to what item or items need discussion and approval before moving on to the the full council meeting to follow this special committee meeting.  If, when this special meeting's agenda is posted, there is anything of high importance to report, I will update this blog post.  

City of Appleton Common Council - 7pm  The mayor's business portion of the agenda is a short one again this meeting with only one action item: the requested council approval of the appointment of the 2024-25 election cycle election inspectors.  I've always found the title "inspectors" to be a bit of a misnomer.  Those on this list are the folks (both partisan and non-partisan) who will be manning the poll sites in the city for election dates in 2024 and 2025.  Your alderman is on this list as I also work in this capacity (though, of course, never in elections in which the ballot contains my name).  After this list is discussed and potentially approved, we move into the meat of the agenda with items from the last committee meetings:

• From the Municipal Services Committee  The council will discuss and vote on whether to approve the staff-recommended plan for the reconstruction of portions of Perkins Street and Morrison Street.  The plans for and discussion of these street reconstruction projects and some community member feedback were mentioned here.  The committee voted to recommend approval of the plans and I am in general agreement with them as well, despite the fact that some of the current residents along these streets are resistant to some of the proposed forward-looking changes.  It is tough to balance what's right for the current makeup of a neighborhood and still look to construct/reconstruct streets for generations of Appletonians to come.  Do you have feedback in this regard?  Please let me know what you think.
  
  
• From the Finance Committee  As was mentioned here, the full council will vote whether or not to approve changes to the city's special assessment policy for 2024.  As I noted in that earlier post, there is a proposed special carve out for our neighbors on Amethyst Drive (from Bluetopaz Drive to Aquamarine Drive) to allow for the 2023 special assessment rates for those property owners since the final concrete construction of their portion of street was scheduled to be completed in 2023 but was put off by the city until 2024.  I look forward to voting to approve this item to help right a wrong for these neighbors.
  
  There is likely to be another item from this committee on the full council agenda from the special meeting noted above.  
  
  
• The council will then go into closed session.  I do not have specifics (nor could I mention or discuss them here with closed session rules!) on what is to be presented or discussed at this time.  But the agenda does mention "the US Venture development project" in the city's riverside bluff area.  When and if I can share more in this regard, you'll read about it in an upcoming blog post.  

And that will conclude this week of Appleton city government meetings.  If you have any questions or concerns about any of the above items, if I can answer any questions you might have on these or any other city-government-related items, and/or if you have any other feedback for me, please do nor hesitate to reach out to me!  I am always happy to hear from you. 

Have a great first full week of December!  I hope you'll join me again next week for another update.