Appleton Common Council Meeting - March 19, 2025
Appleton Common Council Meeting - March 19, 2025\n\nThe Common Council met on Wednesday, March 19, 2025, at 7:00 PM in Council Chambers. Mayor Jake Woodford presided, with 14 aldermen present, one excused, and one attending virtually. The meeting included a presentation from the Appleton Area School District on student attendance, public hearings on two special resolutions, and votes on several committee recommendations. The meeting adjourned at 8:10 PM.\n\n### Public Comments & Testimony\n- Jennifer Stephany, Executive Director of Appleton Downtown Incorporated (ADI) and Creative Downtown Appleton Inc., spoke on the locator pin photo op selfie sculpture proposal. She reported that material costs had priced out the current design and that negative public feedback had given them pause. She requested the item be referred back for redesign.\n- Charlie Goff, a member of the Advisory Panel on Sustainability and Climate Resilience, provided an update on climate action efforts. He stated that achieving full net zero emissions is unlikely due to scope two emissions from utilities and essential city services. He supported Resolution #2-R-25 to adopt a revised goal of reducing emissions by 50% over 10 years, a target he described as realistic and attainable.\n\n### Public Hearings\n- Special Resolution 1-P-25 (Sanitary laterals, storm laterals, and storm main on Alexander St, Bell Ave, Bellaire Ct, Durkee St, Lawe St, Melrose Ave): A public hearing was held. Kathy Jo Uslabar (1623 N Durkee St) expressed concern about receiving a second special assessment for her residence after a similar assessment in 2018. The Public Works Director agreed to follow up. Hearing closed. The final resolution was approved unanimously (14-0).\n- Special Resolution 2-P-25 (Concrete pavement, sidewalk construction, and driveway aprons on multiple streets): The public hearing was opened but not closed; it will be continued at the April 2, 2025, meeting to allow for additional statutorily required notifications.\n\n### Discussion Items\n- AASD Attendance Update: Superintendent Greg Hartjes and Attendance Coordinator Stephanie Marta presented data on chronic absenteeism in Appleton high schools. Hartjes reported that 23.7% of high school students were chronically absent (missing 10% or more of school days) in 2023–24, and 293 students missed 50 or more days. The district has implemented a three-tiered support system but said about 5% of students remain unengaged. They requested the city reinstate a truancy ordinance as a last resort to reach these students, with a proposed four-semester trial period and review. Council took no action on the presentation.\n- Emissions Reduction Resolution #2-R-25: Debate occurred on adopting a revised goal to reduce municipal CO₂ emissions by 50% by 2035 from a 2021 baseline (replacing the previous net-zero-by-2050 goal). Supporters (Alder Hayden, Alder Van Zeeland, Alder Fenton, Alder Alfheim) argued it provides a realistic and actionable target after six years of work. Opponents (Alder Hartzheim, Alder Firkus) noted the lack of a specific plan and cost estimates. The resolution passed 11-3.\n- Bird City Designation Renewal (Resolution 2025-01): Alder Van Zeeland noted the $175 renewal cost was budgeted. The resolution passed 14-0.\n- Noise Variance Fee Schedule: Health Officer Siepers explained the new fee schedule (expected annual revenue of $850) was needed to recover staff time spent on noise variances. The schedule waives fees for nonprofits. Approved 14-0.\n\n### Key Outcomes\n- Approved Minutes: Meeting minutes of March 5, 2025, approved (14-0).\n- Mayor’s Reappointments: City Plan Commission reappointment (14-0); Board of Review reappointments (14-0).\n- Special Resolution 1-P-25: Final resolution approving sanitary laterals, storm laterals, and storm main work approved (14-0).\n- Selfie Sculpture Referral: Following an objection to the mayor’s ruling, the item was referred back to the Parks & Recreation Committee, City Plan Commission, and Appleton Public Arts Committee for further review.\n- Emissions Reduction Resolution #2-R-25: Approved 11-3.\n- Bird City Designation Renewal: Approved 14-0.\n- Noise Variance Fee Schedule: Approved 14-0.\n- Balance of Agenda: Approved 14-0, including: Award of sanitary flow monitoring services contract to raSmith ($36,000); cigarette/tobacco license for All N One Smoke Vape Plus LLC; denial of commercial solicitation licenses for Kagen Whiting and Yanda Distribution LLC; special use permit for used auto sales lot at 100 W Wisconsin Ave; text amendments to Municipal Code Chapters 4 (reinspection fee increase to $75, electrical permit fee correction to $85, HVAC code updates); maintaining current industrial park land prices; award of meter test bench upgrade to Core & Main ($106,787 total); and approval of 2024 annual stormwater report to WDNR.\n- Ordinance #28-25: Approved 14-0.\n- Resolution #3-R-25 (Truancy Ordinance): Submitted by Alder Siebers; referred to the Safety & Licensing Committee for further consideration.
Meeting Transcript
Good evening. I now call to order the Wednesday, March 19th, 2025 meeting of the Appleton Common Council. Tonight we do not have anyone signed up for the invoction, but I'd like to offer a moment of silence in remembrance of Alder Person Joe Martin who recently passed away. So please rise and join me. Thank you. Please join me in the Pledge of Allegiance. Of the United States. Roll call of Alders. All are represented with the exception of Alder Person Doran, who is excused, and Alder Person Crowt is joining us virtually. Okay, thank you. Roll call of officers and department heads. All are represented. 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. That motion passes 14 to zero. The minutes have been approved. All right, moving on now to business presented by the mayor. If it's all right, let's take care of uh some housekeeping items first. This is item 25-0251 City Plan Commission reappointment. Need a motion. We have a motion and a second to approve. Is there any discussion? Hearing none, please cast your votes. All right, that motion passes 14 to 0. Next is item 25-0252, Board of Review reappointments. 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. And uh we thank the folks uh getting reappointed for continuing in their volunteer service for the city. Uh with that, we'll move on to uh an update from the Appleton Area School District on attendance. And here to present is Superintendent Greg Hartis. Welcome, Greg. Thank you. Uh good evening. On behalf of the Appleton Area School District, I want to thank you for giving us the opportunity to talk about student success and an area that we feel is negatively impacting student success, which is student attendance, and we're here asking for your help. Next slide, please. So this next slide shows our vision statement for the Appleton Area School District, which says working together, students, families, staff, and community. And I'll stop there because that first phrase here means a lot to us. We truly believe that if our students are going to be successful, we need to have families, staff, community working together to support them. It goes on to say we will ensure that each graduate is academically, socially, and emotionally prepared for success in life, every student every day. And there's a word in there that I feel is really important, and that's the word success. And the word success is really important because it's what we do every day in the school district, is we look for ways, actions we can take, decisions we can make that are going to increase the success of our students. We also like the word success because we feel it's a unifying word. Certainly know that every one of you sitting here wants our kids to be successful. Everybody who's in the audience behind me wants our kids to be successful. And so that's why that word is so important to us. Now, if you click on the next piece, is we are concerned about, as I said, the lack of success for some students.
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