Common Council Meeting Summary - June 17, 2026
Common Council Meeting Summary - June 17, 2026
The Appleton Common Council met on June 17, 2026, at 7:00 PM in the Council Chambers. The meeting covered key items including the Driscoll Street reconstruction design, a truancy ordinance review, a mowing reduction strategy resolution, and a grant for police technology. After extensive debate and multiple amendments, the council approved the original Driscoll Street design (narrowing with sidewalks) and referred the truancy resolution back to committee. The balance of the agenda was approved unanimously.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Driscoll Street Reconstruction: Several residents of South Driscoll Street spoke in opposition to the proposed street narrowing and sidewalk installation. They expressed concerns about reduced on-street parking, increased traffic congestion, safety hazards for children, and the financial burden of special assessments. Speakers included Lisa (unidentified address), Jim Setorius (1618 S. Driscoll), Jessica Beto (1625 S. Driscoll), and Jennifer Ritterbush (1500 S. Driscoll). They argued that the street's dead-end nature and the presence of a 48-unit apartment building create unique parking and traffic conditions that warrant an exception to the city's Complete Streets policy.
- Truancy Ordinance: Michelle Pauli (316 E. Benton Dr.) and Rana Swift (230 W. Seymour St.) spoke against reinstating a punitive truancy ordinance, citing research showing ineffectiveness and harm. They emphasized that current programs and partnerships are working and should be given more time. Rana Swift, speaking as a retired prison counselor, opposed fines and punitive measures, calling the ordinance a "school-to-prison pipeline."
- Complete Streets Support: A speaker representing the League of Women Voters of Appleton Fox Cities spoke in favor of the city's Complete Streets policy, supporting sidewalks for safety, accessibility, and multimodal transportation. They cited the policy's vision and the need for data-informed decisions.
Discussion Items
- Driscoll Street Reconstruction (26-0490): The council debated a request to approve the design for the 2028 paving reconstruction of Driscoll Street from Prospect Avenue to the railroad tracks. The original design proposed narrowing the street from 32 feet to 26 feet face-to-face, adding sidewalks on both sides, and restricting parking to one side year-round. Residents and some alders objected, citing parking shortages, safety concerns, and the unique dead-end nature of the street. Alder Meltzer moved to amend the design to maintain the current 32-foot width and preserve two-sided parking while still adding sidewalks. That amendment passed 8-6. Subsequently, Alder Van Zieland moved to amend by substitution, reverting to the original committee recommendation (narrowing with sidewalks). That amendment passed 8-6. The final vote on the original design as amended by substitution was 9-5 in favor, approving the narrowing and sidewalks.
- Truancy Ordinance Review (26-0758): Alder Crow moved to refer this resolution back to the Safety and Licensing Committee to allow the school district to provide full end-of-year data. The motion was unopposed and the item was referred back.
- Mowing Reduction Strategy Resolution (26-0432): Alder Van Zieland moved to hold this resolution at the council level until the Parks and Recreation Committee receives a formal recommendation from the sustainability panel on implementing the strategy. The motion to hold passed unanimously.
- COPS Technology and Equipment Grant (26-0781): The council approved a request to apply for and accept a $425,000 grant from the COPS program for technology and equipment. The motion passed 12-2.
Key Outcomes
- Driscoll Street Design Approved (as amended by substitution): 9-5 vote in favor. The design will narrow the street to 26 feet, add sidewalks on both sides, and restrict parking to one side (with the exception of December 1–April 1 when parking is already restricted). The project is scheduled for 2028. The estimated cost of the narrowed design is $460,000, compared to $545,000 for the wider design.
- Truancy Ordinance Resolution Referred Back to Committee: Unanimous consent to refer 26-0758 back to the Safety and Licensing Committee for further data review.
- Mowing Reduction Resolution Held: The council voted to hold 26-0432 until the Parks and Recreation Committee receives the sustainability panel's recommendation.
- COPS Grant Approved: 12-2 vote to apply for and accept $425,000.
- Balance of Agenda Approved: 14-0 vote to approve all remaining items as a single consent block, including multiple license renewals, street occupancy permits, finance items (budget transfers, contracts, change orders), and the new Fox Cities Exhibition Center management agreement.
- New Business: Resolution 9R26 (establishing oversight for ALPR and mass surveillance technologies) was submitted and referred to the Safety and Licensing Committee.
Meeting Transcript
That's one of the reasons that we do not want to error. Those of us who live there know that some of it will come off of Driscoll really fast, and I I don't know why. But by narrowing it, that can create a bottleneck, it can create a hazard. Um these people come around and they end up in the middle of the street. Um if there is a child or somebody coming out or parked with cover, and that person is not seen, that is a great. So very concerned about that. Um and then the there's this existing two sidewalk um narrowing policy, it's not new, but yet complete street was adopted after that. So if those were already in place, um doesn't seem like Continent Street was necessary. Not vehicle friendly. Hey, we have a microphone. Uh we're we're not gonna cut off your time, so just just sit tight. Uh Alder Doherty, we we were having an issue with the microphone. It seems we we have that restored now. So uh if you don't mind, just uh remain on mute uh until you're recognized to speak. And uh with that, if you don't mind, Lisa, just pull that microphone down. Uh yep, there you go. That's fine too. Uh just pull that whole thing down. There you go. With gusto. Okay. Go ahead and continue your comments. I'm sorry for the interruption. That's okay. Um Appleton does not have a large mass transit system like other large cities do. We don't have a large population that uses it. There are some, not a lot. Um, so adding sidewalks on South Driskle doesn't really help out access to any bus route. Um and there's been talk about the um the bus stops and there's a bus stop on Perkins that could be utilized not only by the public buses, but perhaps by the other buses. And I understand um that there's concern about people who need the sidewalks. Um, but sidewalks don't necessarily need to be needed by everybody and they don't necessarily come connect a community. Something that really bothers me personally is the assumption that elderly and people with disabilities rely on sidewalks. There are many types of physical mobility challenges. Many mobility device users use they drive to get around. They don't actually use the sidewalks. So keep that in mind because categorizing people with disabilities as vulnerable over sidewalk access is can be very inaccurate and actually discriminatory, and we do not want to do that. So um pursuing fairness and equities is noble, but forcing unwanted policies on residents can breed division, discrimination, destruction. Because someone will always be slighted. We don't want that. Requiring current residents of South Driscoll to install sidewalks simply places them in the same unfair category of people who had to shovel for decades. Yes. We will become part of that group. And you know, we've I don't mind if we have to sh well we have to shovel, but um things are not always fair, and I you know we try to keep them as fair as possible. Um if another mid neighborhood wants to make different decisions about their street, they should be allowed to do so. So it's been implied that South Driscoll residents are asking to be treated in a special manner, but we're really not. Um we're asking to look specifically at our street. Time has expired. Oh, sorry. You can finish that thought and then keep it. You can finish that thought, and then um, just to keep that in mind because other neighborhoods may be affected, will be affected, and we don't know what neighborhood is next.
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