Appleton Common Council Meeting – November 6, 2024
Appleton Common Council Meeting – November 6, 2024
The Appleton Common Council met on Wednesday, November 6, 2024, at 7:03 PM in the Council Chambers. The meeting included proclamations, public participation, a public hearing, committee reports, and a reconsideration of a smoking prohibition ordinance. Most items were approved with broad support, with notable votes on the 2025 Special Event Policy (12–1) and the smoking prohibition around the Valley Transit Center and Appleton Public Library (11–2 after reconsideration). The council also entered closed session to discuss real estate negotiations, reconvening without action.
Consent Calendar
- Approval of Minutes (October 16, 2024): Approved 13–0 (Mayor abstained).
- Proclamations: Recognized Lung Cancer Awareness Month, Youth HOPE Month, Native American Heritage Month, Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome Awareness Day, Appleton High School DECA Week, Crash Responder Safety Week, and Small Business Saturday.
- Committee Reports (Balance of Agenda): All remaining items from committee reports were approved en bloc 13–0, including:
- Occupancy permit extensions for Boldt LU/Trout College/Drew and Kimball Street.
- Taxicab license renewal for L&M Carriage Service.
- Three sets of municipal code text amendments (driveways/parking, official map notices, alcohol use permits) from the City Plan Commission.
- CEA Review Committee Report.
- Obligating $985,000 in ARPA funds to the Fox Cities Exhibition Center repositioning project.
- Sole source contracts: Beneficial Reuse Management for biosolids (2025–2027); Wastecorp Pumps for a plunger pump ($35,000 with budget amendment); McMahon Associates for Summer Street Lift Station engineering ($128,310).
- Three building code text amendments (Sections 4-66, 4-241, 4-546).
- 9% wastewater rate increase and compost fee increase to $14/cubic yard, effective January 1, 2025.
- Hiring Matrix Consulting Group for Appleton Police Department organizational/workload study.
- Fringe benefit policy update.
- Ordinances (#139-24 to #167-24): Approved 13–0.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Oliver Zornow (1009 N. Oneida St.) spoke in support of the proposed smoking prohibition around Valley Transit Center and Appleton Public Library. He argued that curtailing smoking in a shared public space is necessary to ensure accessibility and safety for all, including children, and noted the city already restricts smoking in many areas.
- Public Hearing (Item 24-1269): A public hearing on text amendments to Chapters 9, 16, 19, and 23 of the Municipal Code was held; no one spoke.
Discussion Items
- 2025 Special Event Policy (Item 24-1318): Separated from the consent agenda. Alderperson Meltzer questioned the fee structure for Jones Park lot/stage rental, which requires also renting the pavilion. Director Gazza explained the policy prevents double-booking and that the pavilion provides restrooms. Alderperson Hartzheim asked about future review; staff agreed to bring an update to the Safety and Licensing Committee after implementation. No amendments were offered. The policy was approved 12–1 (Alderperson Doran voting nay).
- Reconsideration of Smoking Prohibition (Items 24-1423 and 24-1299): The council first voted 12–1 to reconsider the item that had failed 7–5 on October 16, 2024. On the underlying proposal to update Municipal Code 7-100(d) to prohibit smoking around the Valley Transit Center and Appleton Public Library, discussion followed:
- Alderperson Hartzheim expressed continued opposition, suggesting more limited restrictions (e.g., keeping smoking away from the children’s garden).
- Alderperson Hayden supported the measure, emphasizing child welfare and the library’s inclusive nature.
- Alderperson Alfheim, a former smoker, argued that smokers will find legal places to smoke and that the restriction protects non-smokers.
- Alderperson Van Zeeland noted the city’s duty to provide library services and that the American Lung Association submitted a letter of support (not in the packet). The motion to approve the smoking prohibition passed 11–2 (Alderpersons Hartzheim and Doran voting nay).
Key Outcomes
- Approved: 2025 Special Event Policy (12–1).
- Approved: Smoking prohibition around Valley Transit Center and Appleton Public Library (11–2 after reconsideration).
- Approved: All consent calendar items (13–0), including routine permits, contracts, text amendments, rate increases, and study authorizations.
- Closed Session: The council convened in closed session at 7:29 PM under Wis. Stat. §19.85(1)(e) to discuss real estate within city industrial parks. Reconvened at 8:01 PM with no action taken.
- Adjournment: The meeting adjourned at 8:02 PM.
Meeting Transcript
Good evening. I now call to order the Wednesday, November sixth, two thousand twenty-four meeting of the Appleton Common Council. Tonight's invocation will be delivered by Alder Alfheim. In nineteen eighty-seven, I wrote the shortest of poems. It read, I am me, no one else the same. And so I'll remain. Self-identity is just that self-identity. If we believe in autonomy of feelings and self, then it requires us by default to respect the identity and autonomy of others. I hope you all embrace who you'll become tomorrow. I do. Please join me in the Pledge of Allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the United States. For which it stands, one nation, indivisible with liberty and justice. Roll call of Alders. All are represented with the exception of Alder Person Schultz and with the exception of Alder Person Heffernan, who is excused. Right. And roll call of officers and department heads. All are represented. Thank you. Need a motion to approve the minutes of the previous meeting. We have a motion and a second to approve. Is there any discussion of the minutes? Hearing none, please cast your votes. All right, that motion passes 13 to 0. The minutes have been approved. All right, business presented by the mayor. I'd just like to start off by recognizing Clerk Lynch and her staff and all of the election workers who uh carried off the election yesterday, uh, did an outstanding job, not only yesterday, but in the weeks and months leading up to the election. We have a lot to be proud of here in the city of Appleton when it comes to election administration, and that is due to the work of the person to my left. So uh congratulations and thank you. Uh number of proclamations in uh this council meeting agenda. Uh the materials are attached. You're welcome to read those. Uh we are recognizing Lung Cancer Awareness Month in the City of Appleton, uh, Youth Hope Month, Native American Heritage Month, Lennox Gusteau Syndrome Awareness Day, Appleton High School Deca Week, Crash Responder Safety Week, and Small Business Saturday. With that, I have no further business to present, so we can move along to public participation. Right, and we have uh one member of the public signed up to speak. Uh so Oliver Zorno, welcome. Your name and address for the record. Sure. My name is Oliver Zarno, 1009 North Onidas Street, um just down the road. Um tonight, thank you for the opportunity to share. Um, I'm coming to speak to you as a resident of Appleton, as a neighbor of the library, um, as a donor to the library project, um, and as a lifelong Appleton, you know, citizen. Um, we've been talking about this library. I remember making public comment in 2014 about this library project. Um, and I'm very grateful to see um something on the agenda tonight, the reconsideration of the Board of Health proposal to make sure our library programming spaces are accessible to all. Um the the proposal got a lot of interesting conversation when it was first considered, and many of those arguments don't really land with me. The idea that curtailing a specific unhealthy behavior in a space that is used for everyone, that is owned by the city and is for the public benefit, um, making it somehow less accessible to people, um, doesn't land with me at all. Um, we we curtail behavior in every place, including this space. I would not be allowed to light up a cigarette in your chamber tonight, and that is against the rules of the city of Appleton and the state of Wisconsin. Um the library is one is many things to many people, but for one thing it is, it is a shared safe space for all. And my kids are chomping at the bit to get to that new library.
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