OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Manitowoc Common Council Organizational Session - April 21, 2026

Common Council & Committees — Tuesday, April 21, 2026
BodyManitowoc, Wisconsin
SessionCommon Council & Committees
DateTuesday, April 21, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 20:15

Transcript — Verbatim
0:28

All right.

0:29

It is five o'clock.

0:31

We'll call our council organizational session to order.

0:36

Welcome to the first council meeting of the new council year.

0:40

At this time, we will have the clerk call the roll.

0:43

Dunbar.

0:44

Beeman?

0:46

Cummings.

0:46

Here.

0:47

Bri.

0:48

Here.

0:48

Benzinger?

0:49

Here.

0:50

Sikkowitz.

0:51

Here.

0:52

Anderson.

0:52

Here.

0:53

Schley.

0:54

Here.

0:54

Norrell.

0:55

Here.

0:55

Rackelberg.

0:56

Here.

0:57

All members present.

0:58

Apologize.

0:58

This is the one time of the year we go in district order.

1:01

Not scared.

1:04

You look very scared.

1:05

Sorry.

1:07

Remember that for next year.

1:08

We go in district order.

1:10

Um at this time, everyone, please rise for the Pledge of Allegiance.

1:14

We will only have the Pledge of Allegiance today, and we won't have a prayer.

1:18

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America.

1:22

And to the Republic for which it stands.

1:25

One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

1:31

Thank you.

1:33

All right, we'll move on to the next item, which is the newly elected council members taking their oath of office.

1:40

We'll do these individually.

1:41

We will start in district order again with District 4.

1:45

Jody Bry.

1:48

If there is anyone in the audience who is here for any of the members, you're welcome to come on up with them if they want you up here to uh take the oath with them.

2:10

When you're ready, please raise your right hand, repeat after me.

2:13

I Jody L.

2:14

Bryan.

2:14

I Jody L Bri.

2:15

Solemnly swear, solemnly swear.

2:17

That I will support the Constitution of the United States, that I will support the Constitution of the United States.

2:21

And the Constitution of the State of Wisconsin.

2:23

And the Constitution of the State of Wisconsin.

2:25

And that I will faithfully discharge the duties, and that I will faithfully discharge the duties of Alder Person District Four.

2:31

Of Alder Person District Four of the City of Manitoba, the City of Manitoba to the best of my ability.

2:36

To the best of my ability.

2:37

So help me God.

2:38

So help me God.

2:38

Congratulations.

2:39

Thank you.

2:50

Congratulations.

2:52

Officially on your official term.

2:55

Alderbry.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Procedural█████████████████████████████████████████████91%
Public Works████9%
Summary of Proceedings

Manitowoc Common Council Organizational Session (April 21, 2026)

The Manitowoc Common Council held its annual organizational session on Tuesday, April 21, 2026, beginning at 5:00 PM in Council Chambers and via Zoom. Ten alderpersons were present. Mayor Nickels presided over the session, which included oaths of office for five council members, election of the Council President, drawing of seats, adoption of the Council Code of Conduct and Council Rules, election of a Plan Commission representative, and mayoral appointments. All recorded votes were unanimous, and the meeting adjourned at 5:19 PM.

Oaths of Office

  • Five council members took their oaths of office: Jodi L. Brey (District 4), Mason J. Benzinger (District 5), Eric J. Sitkewitz (District 6), Bill Schlei (District 8), and Brett Norell (District 9).
  • City Clerk Mackenzie Reed administered the oaths.

Election of Council President

  • Alderperson Cummings nominated Alderperson Sitkewitz. No other nominations were made.
  • The Council voted 10-0 to cast a unanimous ballot, electing Eric J. Sitkewitz as President of the Common Council.
  • City Clerk Reed administered the oath of office to Council President Sitkewitz.

Drawing for Seats

  • Council members drew for seats, resulting in the following seating order: (1) Norell, (2) Anderson, (3) Schlei, (4) Reckelberg, (5) Dunbar, (6) Brey, (7) Benzinger, (8) Cummings, (9) Beeman, (10) Sitkewitz.

Adoption of Council Code of Conduct and Council Rules

  • The Common Council adopted the April 2026 Council Code of Conduct (26-0315) by a 10-0 vote.
  • The Council adopted the 2026-2027 Council Rules (26-0316) by a 10-0 vote.
  • Discussion noted changes in the rules, including the addition of a Parks and Recreation Committee, changes to the Public Works Committee, a 48-hour notice requirement for members of the public who wish to speak via Zoom, and a new provision emphasizing that closed session information must remain confidential.

Plan Commission Representative

  • Alderperson Sitkewitz nominated Alderperson Schlei for Council representative to the Plan Commission. Schlei was elected unanimously by a 10-0 vote.

Mayoral Appointments

  • Board of Review (26-0352): Members appointed were Andrew Dunbar, Chad Beeman, Michael Cummings, Brian Anderson, and Todd Reckelberg; alternates were Jodi Brey, Mason Benzinger, Eric Sitkewitz, Bill Schlei, and Brett Norell. Approved 10-0.
  • MPU Commission (26-0373): Mayor appointed Alderperson Eric Sitkewitz to the MPU Commission with a term ending April 19, 2027. Approved 10-0.
  • Standing Committees (26-0374): The 2026-2027 standing committee appointments were approved 10-0. Appointments included:
    • Finance: Sitkewitz (Chair), Reckelberg (Vice Chair), Schlei, Dunbar, Brey.
    • Personnel: Norell (Chair), Sitkewitz (Vice Chair), Schlei, Beeman, Benzinger.
    • Public Works: Schlei (Chair), Anderson (Vice Chair), Sitkewitz, Brey, Benzinger.
    • Public Safety: Reckelberg (Chair), Beeman (Vice Chair), Cummings, Anderson, Benzinger.
    • Parks and Recreation: Cummings (Chair), Brey (Vice Chair), Reckelberg, Norell, Dunbar.

Key Outcomes

  • All votes during the meeting were unanimous, with all ten alderpersons voting aye on each motion.
  • The next regularly scheduled Common Council meeting was announced for Monday, May 18, 2026, at 6:30 PM in the Common Council Chambers at City Hall.

Meeting Transcript

All right. It is five o'clock. We'll call our council organizational session to order. Welcome to the first council meeting of the new council year. At this time, we will have the clerk call the roll. Dunbar. Beeman? Cummings. Here. Bri. Here. Benzinger? Here. Sikkowitz. Here. Anderson. Here. Schley. Here. Norrell. Here. Rackelberg. Here. All members present. Apologize. This is the one time of the year we go in district order. Not scared. You look very scared. Sorry. Remember that for next year. We go in district order. Um at this time, everyone, please rise for the Pledge of Allegiance. We will only have the Pledge of Allegiance today, and we won't have a prayer. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America. And to the Republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Thank you. All right, we'll move on to the next item, which is the newly elected council members taking their oath of office. We'll do these individually. We will start in district order again with District 4. Jody Bry. If there is anyone in the audience who is here for any of the members, you're welcome to come on up with them if they want you up here to uh take the oath with them. When you're ready, please raise your right hand, repeat after me. I Jody L. Bryan. I Jody L Bri. Solemnly swear, solemnly swear. That I will support the Constitution of the United States, that I will support the Constitution of the United States. And the Constitution of the State of Wisconsin. And the Constitution of the State of Wisconsin.

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