The Notes: Week of July 14 - July 18, 2025

Hello, there, Neighbors!  Happy Canada-Wildfires-Bad-Air Day Number... I've lost count.  Anyway... Thanks for tuning in this week for another Full Council Meeting Week rundown on the alderman blog.  We have three other meetings scheduled this week (in addition to the full council Wednesday meeting).  Here are the things you can expect to hear about this week:

Tuesday, 07/15/2025

Library Board - 5pm (Appleton Public Library, Cornerstone Conference Room)  Board members will review and likely approve the June 2025 library bills and some modest budget amendments.  Then they will look to approve the recent results of the board's Personnel and Policy sub-committee which include some library policy updates and a closed session review of the library director's mid-year performance review.  There will also be a hiring process update and some trustee (board member) training regarding bylaws. 

Wednesday, 07/16/2025

Board of Building Inspection - 10am  An interesting sequence of events has led this board to hold a meeting for the first time since October 2024.  It seems that the owner of a property on Ballard Road has a long history with the city's building inspection office.  First, the owner constructed a shed without a permit; second, the shed is larger than 100 square feet so, according to municipal code, requires a poured slab and the shed to be anchored to said slab (instead, the shed is currently resting on pavers); and third, the owner "does not agree with" the city's building inspectors code interpretation and wishes to get a variance to allow him to keep the shed as-is (on pavers and not anchored).  You can see some of the details of this saga here and here.  I'm not sure how it is possible to disagree with the interpretation of a municipal code which states that any accessory structure over 100 square feet must be on and anchored to a concrete slab and there is obviously a structure of over 100 square feet on and not attached to some pavers... but we shall see what argument this homeowner has and whether this board will grant him a variance for something he believes is not out of compliance.  I know I'll be watching the video of this meeting.  How about you? 

Safety and Licensing Committee - Special Meeting - 6:30pm  Subsequent to the agenda publishing for this committee's meeting last week, an item in need of approval before the event takes place (scheduled for 07/20/2025) came to the city clerk's office for approval.  Due to the time constraints, this item -- an application for a temporary liquor license for the 48th Anniversary Appleton Old Car Show and Swap Meet at Pierce Park -- is on this special meeting agenda.  

City of Appleton Common Council - 7pm  The mayor gets the ball rolling on this week's meeting with a request for the approval of the promotion of the city's current Deputy City Clerk to the City Clerk position.  (The former City Clerk, Kami Lynch, left the city for another position, effective 07/03/2025.)  I believe that the city will be well served by this promotion of Amy Molitor to City Clerk so I expect that this mayoral request will unanimously approved by the council.  There are then two proclamations from the mayor for review and then the awarding of the 2025 Flag Day Parade trophies.  

There is one public hearing scheduled -- on the proposed future land use map change from "business/industrial" to "commercial" for a property on Goodland Drive (near the intersection of 41 and 441).  This item was mentioned here and passed unanimously by the City Plan Commission back in May.  

All else that was discussed last week in committee meetings will then be up for discussion and potential approval by the full council.  I doubt that many, if any, will be separated for further discussion at this meeting as no items seem outrageous or egregious.  Have a look at last week's alderman blog post and let me know if you have any questions on any of  the items now up for full approval. 

Thanks for tuning in again this week.  While it's a bit of a short and "uneventful" post, I'm glad you had a read and are able to ask me any questions or share with me any concerns you may have regarding your local government.  Have a great week!