Altoona Common Council Meeting — December 18, 2025

The Altoona Common Council met Thursday, December 18, 2025, at 5:00 P.M. in Council Chambers at Altoona City Hall, 1303 Lynn Avenue. Mayor Brendan Pratt presided, and a quorum was present. The council approved a liquor license, a budget amendment, personnel and handbook actions, a zoning petition referral, park restroom enclosures, the 2026 fee ordinance, and election inspector appointments. No public comments were made during the Citizens Participation Period. All votes were voice votes and carried with no audible opposition. The meeting adjourned at approximately 6:00 P.M.

Reports and Administrative Items

• The council approved the December 4, 2025 regular council meeting minutes by voice vote.
• City Administrator Michael Golott reported on the recent strategic planning session and thanked council and staff. He stated that mediation for the wastewater agreement was being scheduled for January 11, 2026, and that the city is working on an innovation grant, with a meeting scheduled with the Chippewa Fire District and discussions with the City of Eau Claire; the grant application is due in March.
• Planning Director Taylor Greenwell briefly noted progress on the city's plan update.

Discussion Items

• Liquor License — Egg Rolls Yoja & More LLC: Staff explained that Andrea Field is purchasing the VFW building at 1419 Lynn Avenue, with closing scheduled for January 2, 2026. Approval was contingent on the building sale; the VFW/El Tuna Post would surrender its license so only one license would remain at that location. Field said she plans to keep her restaurant and egg roll retail/wholesale operation, expand restaurant hours four days a week, and operate the bar space four days a week with a different concept than the current dive bar.
• Resolution 12A-25 — Budget Amendment: Staff said the annual amendment aligns capital project expenses with the year they were paid. It includes the previously approved railroad property purchase, the Olsen solar project, $38,699 in state EMS FAP funds with required uses, hail-damage permit administration assistance, a $5,000 intern line offset by additional building permit revenue, sign enforcement, and a microgrid study funded by a grant. A council member noted the study concluded the project was too expensive at this time.
• Utility Account Manager Reclassification: Staff said the employee was last reclassified in 2021, has since taken on supervisory duties, and now meets the qualifications for an exempt salaried Grade I position instead of nonexempt Grade H. The Personnel Committee recommended approval.
• Employee Handbook Updates: Staff presented three changes: (1) removal of outdated vacancy-review language from Section 10.1; (2) vacation accrual of 160 hours at seven years of service instead of 15, with comparisons to other communities such as Eau Claire and River Falls; and (3) a new AI policy based on the GovAI Coalition model template, including guardrails, a use-case review process, permissible and non-permissible uses, and data governance. Council members discussed whether the full vacation accrual schedule should be reviewed further, but no additional change was proposed.
• Title 19 Zoning Code Petition: Staff requested acknowledgment of the petition and referral to the Plan Commission for the January 13, 2026 meeting and to the City Council public hearing on January 22, 2026. The Planning Director said the code overhaul totals about 250 pages and will need adjustments once applied.
• Park Restroom Enclosures — Highland Park and Fairway Park: Staff recommended awards for the same type of enclosure used at Perseverance and Centennial Parks, purchased through Sourcewell cooperative purchasing. Highland Park would receive a double ADA-compliant enclosure; Fairway Park, at the disc golf course, would receive a single non-ADA enclosure. Council members amended the motion to provide a double ADA enclosure at Fairway as well, citing an ADA advocate's feedback and noting the added cost was around $1,500.
• Ordinance 12A-25 — 2026 Fee Schedule: Staff said utility fee amounts are unchanged, but the schedule now directs readers to current rates on file with the Wisconsin Public Service Commission. Building permit fees increase to a $75 minimum. Park and Recreation rental fees for fields and fish houses have minor increases; reservations made in 2025 remain at 2025 rates, while bookings made in 2026 use the adopted 2027 and 2028 rates. Staff said rates would be revisited in two years.
• Election Inspectors: The City Clerk received lists from the Republican Party, Democratic Party, and unaffiliated poll workers for a two-year term beginning January 1, 2026 and ending December 31, 2027; she recommended approval so there would be enough poll workers.
• Miscellaneous Communications: The City Administrator said the budgeted council pay raise could not apply to the first election cohort because the budget was approved after the filing deadline, and the matter will be brought back after the April election. He also updated the council on the Rural Partners Network planning effort, noting plans are being finalized and governance/adoption will be the next major question. Council members praised the strategic planning facilitator and a recent article about The Yard.

Key Outcomes

• Approved the December 4, 2025 meeting minutes.
• Approved the Combination Class B Retailers License for Egg Rolls Yoja & More LLC, DBA Egg Rolls & More, contingent on the sale of the building, effective January 2, 2026.
• Approved Resolution 12A-25 amending the 2025 General, NIF-Container Park, and Capital Projects budgets.
• Approved the Utility Account Manager reclassification to exempt Grade I.
• Approved the Employee Handbook updates, including the AI policy and vacation accrual change.
• Acknowledged receipt of the Title 19 petition and referred it to the January 13, 2026 Plan Commission meeting and the January 22, 2026 Council public hearing.
• Approved the Highland Park and Fairway Park restroom enclosure award, amended to provide ADA-compliant double enclosures at both parks.
• Approved Ordinance 12A-25 establishing the 2026 fee schedule.
• Appointed election inspectors for the two-year term ending December 31, 2027.
• Adjourned at approximately 6:00 P.M.