The Notes: Week of February 16 - February 20, 2026

Happy Sunny Sunday, Neighbors!  Thanks for tuning in again this week for another alderman blog post.  This week is a Full Council Meeting Week.  But also on tap are a couple of other meetings as well.  Take a look... and let me know if you have any questions or concerns about anything.

Tuesday, 02/17/2026

Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Advisory Board - 11am  As they do each year, this board will convene to discuss and recommend some preliminary Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) allocations for "community partners" who have applied for grant funding in the new year.  Community Development Department staff have prepared recommendations for this board.  They just have to discuss and agree on whether these recommendations are what they believe to be the most appropriate and best use of these federal government dollars which are administered locally.  Here is the recommendation from city staff on which this advisory board will vote:

If you are interested in more information on what exactly these funds are proposed to cover, please see the other agenda attachments found here. 

Library Board Personnel and Policy Committee - Appleton Public Library Cornerstone Conference Room - 11am  This "sub-committee" of the Library Board will meet for the sole purpose of establishing the 2026 performance goals on which the Library Director will be reviewed.  Since they will be talking about one employee in particular, there is a notice on this meeting agenda that the committee may go into closed session to discuss personnel matters.  This closed session notice is likely formality for the most part as there is no issue with the current library director's performance (to the best of my knowledge).   

Wednesday, 02/18/2026

Appleton Redevelopment Authority - 8:30am  This meeting has been cancelled.

City of Appleton Common Council - 7pm  There's a bit of an uptick in mayoral proclamations as this week's agenda includes two -- one for Black History Month and one for Career & Technical Education Month.  But after that business presented by the mayor, the council will move to discuss and look to affirm the business of last week's committee meetings.  Here are the items likely to be separated for individual discussion at this meeting:

• From the Municipal Services Committee:  As I mentioned in last week's Committee Meetings Week blog post, there was further discussion of a resolution regarding removal of some parking on College Avenue downtown.  The resolution as it was originally written and submitted was misleading and stirred up some concern on the part of fellow council members and some of the public.  But it was clarified in the committee discussions of the resolution that it was meant to refer only to a small portion of College Avenue -- the 700 and 800 blocks of East College Avenue only -- not the whole downtown stretch of College Avenue.  The exact verbiage to be adopted by the council at this meeting (should this item be approved) states "Parking to be prohibited on College Avenue from Lawe Street to Rankin Street."  And as this is now clarified, I feel confident in voting to approve it.  What do you think?  Do you see any issues with this now that it's well-defined that the purpose is not to remove parking on College Avenue completely? 
  
  
• From the Municipal Services Committee and the Finance Committee:  If the two action items referring to the same subject -- the calculating and the levying of special assessments for properties getting final concrete installation (including sidewalks and driveway aprons) this year -- are both passed by the full council at this meeting, District 13 neighbors along the following streets will soon see communications from the city regarding these special assessments: 
  
  
  
  
  
• From the Finance Committee: The request to approve a development agreement for the Comet Ridge Development (north of West Crossing Meadows Lane between Richmond Street and Haymeadow Avenue) is up for final approval.  As I mentioned last week, this development agreement contains many improvements and clarifications in agreement language between developers and the City of Appleton... most of which came about because of issues with some previous new developments in District 13.  I am grateful for these improvements as I know that it will help grow better new developments in the north of the city from here forward.  
  

Honestly, the last two items will probably not even be separated for further discussion by the full council.  I separated them above to highlight their effects on District 13 neighborhoods and residents.  Both items are likely to pass unanimously.  

What questions do you have for me regarding the items on this week's agendas?  Can I help clarify anything for you?  Or do you have any feedback on these items or anything else city-government-related?  Please reach out and let me know!  

I'm sure we all hope that this warmer weather stays put for a while.  But I'm sure we all also know that it's far too early for real Wisconsin spring weather.  So... let's just take this better weather for what it is and have a great week, huh? :)  I wish you the best and look forward to another alderman blog post again next week.  Take care!