The Appleton Common Council met on Wednesday, February 5, 2025, at 7:00 PM in the Council Chambers. Mayor Jake Woodford called the meeting to order at 7:10 PM. Fifteen alderpersons were present, with Alderperson Patti Heffernan absent. The council approved the January 15, 2025 meeting minutes, confirmed committee appointments, heard public comment, voted on an operator license and a library grant, referred a budget item back to committee, and entered closed session to discuss a potential north side development investment.
Operator License for Katherine Neubert (24-1496): Alderperson Croatt expressed concerns about the police department's recommendation to deny and uncertainty about rehabilitation documentation. Attorney Barons clarified that the city attorney's office believed the submitted documentation was "substantially compliant" and could support approval. Alderperson Doran sought further clarification on whether the council was required to approve; the attorney reiterated that the decision rested with the council. The council voted 12-2 to approve the license, with Alderpersons Smith and Croatt voting no.
Non-State Grant Award for Library Project (25-0021): The council considered accepting a $274,000 grant for the library project. Alderperson Hartzheim proposed an amendment stating that after final invoices are paid, any excess funds would be available for future capital projects to reduce the financial burden for local taxpayers. Director Gaza and Director Roertvit (via Alderperson Van Zeeland) explained the grant was specific to the library and a reimbursement for funds already expended. Alderperson Fenton rhetorically asked whether excess funds raised by the Friends of the Library would be returned; the response was that additional funds would be at the Friends' discretion. Alderperson Firkus argued that unspent project funds already revert to other projects through normal processes and that the amendment would feed a negative perception. The amendment failed on a vote of 3-11 (Ayes: Hartzheim, Croatt, Doran). The main motion to accept the grant and approve the budget amendment passed 12-2, with Hartzheim and Doran voting no.
Referral of 25-0020 (CEA Capital Projects Grant): Alderperson Doran requested that Item 25-0020 (Federally-funded EECGB grant and associated budget amendment, +$134,180 each) be referred back to the Finance Committee due to unanswered questions. No objections were raised, and the item was referred back.
Good evening. I now call to order the Wednesday, February 5th, 2025 meeting of the Appleton Common Council. Please rise for the invocation, which will be delivered by Alder Furkus. Thank you. Next week is Valentine's Day, a holiday that brings the topic of love to the forefront. Well, Valentine's Day is primarily focused on love as more of a romantic institution. The notion of love is applied in a lot of different ways. We love other people, of course, and even our love for other people differs from one relationship to another. We also love things like favorite foods, favorite vacation spots, places to live, prize possessions. We love we the love we express in each of these things differs in context. The way we love a restaurant is typically much different than the way we love a spouse, hopefully. But also in cases, most people tend to associate love with positive feelings. Love has a certain durability and resilience that liking doesn't. Love can endure inconveniences and hardships. We don't just love our children when they are behaving and acting pleasantly. We also love them when they're when we're comforting them at 3 a.m. while they hug the toilet and we just threw a pile of gross bed sheets in the wash. A food you love is one you'll grel great distances or pay maybe more than you should to enjoy, even if only as an occasional treat, but it's still something that you will make the stretch to do. There are a lot of way different ways we can express our love that show that certain things have more meaning than just a passing feeling of joy that we get from them. So love that kind that aches from the marrow and will push you through the unpleasant and the difficult. It's not just a warm feeling or joy or pleasure. It's not the fuel behind hedonistic pursuits. It's the compass of the spirit, pointing us to what is important and what has real meaning in life. So maybe while we say we love a favorite hangout or love a vacation, love to vacation, or jobs, or where we live, those expressions may not quite meet the threshold of love. But maybe they do. Saving money for that big trip might be at might ask for material sacrifices in exchange for experiences with loved ones. Love can be difficult within the scope of citizens of our community, including its leaders. True love for the places we live, the people in our community and in our lives, ask us to endure seasons of great challenge to embrace what we need to do and to persevere and flourish, to lead when needed and support where we can. Please join me in the Pledge of Allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the United States, America. Under God, indivisible with liberty. All are represented with the exception of Alder Person Heffernan and Alder Person Alfheim is joining us virtually. Next, roll call of officers and department heads. All are represented. We have a motion and a second to approve. Is there any discussion of the minutes? Seeing none, please cast your votes. Motion passes 14 to 0. The minutes have been approved. On the business presented by the mayor, item 25-0041, confirmation of committee appointments. There we go. All right, we have a motion and a second to approve. Any discussion. Hearing none, please cast your votes. All right, that motion passes 14 to zero. Those appointments have been approved, and thank you all very much for approving these appointments. And we look forward to welcoming Jake and Imogen to their volunteer service for the city, and we thank them for stepping up to serve. I have no further business to present this evening, so we come now to time of public participation. As a reminder, public participation is limited to a maximum of five minutes per person, and we ask that you keep your comments concise and to the point and only related to items that appear on the agenda. We have one member of the public who signed up to speak, and that is Catherine Newberg.