Common Council Meeting – August 20, 2025

The Common Council of Appleton, Wisconsin, met on Wednesday, August 20, 2025, at 7:00 PM in the Council Chambers. The meeting covered a range of items, with the most substantial discussion centered on the Oklahoma Street Asphalt Reconstruction Design. After extensive public comment and debate, the council approved the original staff proposal for a 26-foot-wide roadway, reversing the Municipal Services Committee's recommendation to deny the project. The council also unanimously approved a successor labor agreement with IAFF Local 257.

Consent Calendar

• Approval of Minutes: The minutes of the August 6, 2025 Common Council meeting were approved by a vote of 12-0.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Oklahoma Street Reconstruction: Eight residents spoke, nearly all opposing the proposed 26-foot street width (L2 complete streets design) and urging the council to maintain the current 32-foot width (L1 option) to preserve two-sided parking.
  • Sarah Lee (1027 W. Oklahoma St.) read a petition with 48 signatures calling for preserving the current width. She cited lack of communication, a compressed timeline, unanswered questions about parking studies, safety, and tree loss (at least 41 trees). She asked the council to deny the staff proposal.
  • Maureen Wallenfang (1136 W. Oklahoma St.) highlighted the loss of 50% of trees and parking, the $3,000 per household cost for laterals, and urged the council to approve the 32-foot amended version from committee.
  • Mark Wallenfang (1136 W. Oklahoma St.) described winter snowplowing difficulties with narrow streets and parked cars, arguing that narrowing would worsen the situation.
  • Ruth Foss (1032 W. Oklahoma St.) emphasized the importance of two-sided parking for visitors and the loss of shade trees, calling the neighborhood beautiful and asking the council to make good decisions.
  • Christine Williams (1037 W. Oklahoma St.) advocated for returning to pre-pandemic community design meetings, noting that two weeks' notice was insufficient for such a life-altering change. She also raised concerns about parking enforcement.
  • Julie Philip Hackalivet (1003 W. Oklahoma St.) questioned the applicability of complete streets to a low-traffic street like theirs, arguing that narrowing alone may not slow traffic and that the policy's benefits should be weighed against neighborhood impacts.
  • Daniel Furden (1011 W. Oklahoma St.) countered some claims, stating that trees on private property provide shade, that parking enforcement is difficult, and that some concerns were exaggerated.
  • Reeve Pull (705½ N. Richmond St.) expressed concern about safety, noting that cross traffic disregards yield/stop signs, and that a uniformly narrow street with parking on one side could create blind spots and increase accidents. He offered to volunteer to plant trees to offset losses.

Discussion Items

• Oklahoma Street Asphalt Reconstruction Design (Item 25-0919): The council took up the item as amended at the Municipal Services Committee (which had added a 32-foot width but then recommended denial). Alder Meltzer moved to amend by substitution, reverting to the original staff proposal of a 26-foot width (L2 complete streets). After debate, the amendment passed 9-3. The final vote on the 26-foot design then passed 8-4.
  • Supporters of the 26-foot width argued that the complete streets policy was adopted for good reason, that narrower streets improve safety and reduce accidents, save 13 additional trees, lower construction costs (by approximately $160,000), and that delaying infrastructure work on century-old water mains would be irresponsible. They also noted that the policy is based on professional research and that the cost difference is borne by all city taxpayers.
  • Opponents emphasized that residents feel unheard, that the process lacked early community dialogue, and that the neighborhood's unique needs (e.g., proximity to a high school, narrow driveways) warrant flexibility in the policy. Several aldermen expressed concern about eroding trust and resentment if the council ignored resident input.
• IAFF Local 257 Successor Labor Agreement (Item 25-0930): The council unanimously approved the three-year successor labor agreement (2026-2028) with the firefighters' union. Alder Hartzheim praised the smooth negotiations led by Director Rashman.
• Other Items: The balance of the agenda (including various committee reports, license applications, and ordinances) was approved 12-0 without discussion.

Key Outcomes

• Oklahoma Street Reconstruction: Approved (8-4) to proceed with the 26-foot-wide asphalt reconstruction design as originally proposed by staff, including all associated recommendations. The council also directed the mayor and administration to improve community engagement processes for future projects, including earlier and more interactive neighborhood meetings.
• IAFF Labor Agreement: Approved unanimously (12-0).
• Budget Amendments and Other Contracts: Approved as part of the consent agenda, including the Mead Pool Coating and ADA Upgrades Project ($454,458), the sole source workstations contract ($350,113), and the wastewater phosphorus analyzer purchase.
• Ordinances: Ordinances #102-25 through #110-25 were approved 12-0.
• Public Comment on Process: Mayor Woodford acknowledged the residents' frustration with the lack of early dialogue and committed to working with staff to reinstate community design hearings and improve outreach timelines.