OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Public Works Committee Meeting - May 6, 2026

Common Council & Committees — Wednesday, May 6, 2026
BodyManitowoc, Wisconsin
SessionCommon Council & Committees
DateWednesday, May 6, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 41:20

Transcript — Verbatim
0:10

It is 530.

0:12

Uh call to order the public works committee for meeting maybe six.

0:19

Uh all their slide is in the email with outline depending with mayor knuckles.

0:26

Uh public comment.

0:29

Anyone for public comment?

0:32

First call for a public comment.

0:36

Second call for public comment.

0:44

Nothing submitted.

0:45

I think a closed public comment.

0:51

Consent agenda.

0:53

Any arguments to be removed from the consent agenda.

0:59

Move to approve.

1:00

Second.

1:01

Motion by Alder Sitwoods.

1:03

Second by Alder Bray.

1:08

Next on the agenda is approved minutes from April 1st committee.

1:13

Uh that's the consent agenda.

1:15

Huh?

1:16

That is the consent.

1:17

Okay.

1:18

Thank you.

1:23

Discretion and action items.

1:39

Yeah, so this is for the Jeff Fogle had requested um removing or moving a stop sign at 14th in New York, which is an alleyway.

1:48

And after looking at it, and a lot of other alleys.

1:54

Um we have an ordinance that says alley ordinance, and when I looked at that open it up, there was only one in there, and it's all over the place.

2:02

Like up in this area, I think some of the alleys on New York had stop signs, but nothing on Michigan.

2:07

I didn't look at all of them, but they're all over the place.

2:10

Um so I kind of googled the you know, just about alleys stopping and learned that we're supposed to stop drivers exiting an alley driveway or private road must come to a complete stop before entering a street or crossing a sidewalk.

2:25

So after looking at that, that's kind of just rules of the road where I don't know that we'd have to have a stop sign there at all.

2:31

I'm guessing that there were complaints in the past, and somebody said, Yeah, put one up.

2:36

And they went up and there's no ordinance.

2:39

So I don't know, it's either that or you would move them, but the problem there is with the embankment and what they want to do.

2:46

I'm not sure you would see it.

2:48

You'd have to put up two of them.

2:49

You'd have to put one on the post on the utility pole on the left side and move the other one out, maybe into the right-of-way, but it would be offset from where it is now.

2:57

So it's I don't know.

2:58

I guess my recommendation would be after reading that that that's kind of just the rules of the road, and many of them don't have them, then we would just take it down actually.

3:07

But we're talking about the parking situation, correct?

3:10

Yeah, I can't remember if I had button.

3:16

Um show they want to take down and then park into that area.

3:23

So yeah, so this is kind of the lineup of it on the pole.

3:29

That's not as legal for version of TCD, you have to have a top sign on the way you can have to run the whole button at it move it down.

3:45

We're gonna keep a stop or inside and left side, but based on any other rules of the road, I wonder if it doesn't take it out.

3:57

Yeah.

3:59

Yeah, because people have to stop whether the sign is there or not for state law.

4:05

So is there no objection to removing the sign?

4:13

No, they were asking it to either be from stash.

4:17

No, yeah, I think I'm okay with it.

4:21

Something's better than nothing.

4:23

Or otherwise put it in a regularly.

4:25

But I know there's an issue with radar we're in that regard to life utilities around.

4:32

So that's you know, I was thinking at least the telephone poll is here.

4:36

We'd put it on the poll, and at least we know where you can lose any one of them that's got the flashlight on it that they got in the city with low solar.

4:45

So I think that's stuck.

4:47

I something was better than nothing, that's what I was thinking.

4:50

Because Alan's been there for as long as I can remember working on that property for 20 questions.

4:57

For some reason, that's always as sign.

5:01

I I think one of the reasons we are saying maybe pull it is if we were to move it maybe to the right of way after the side.

5:07

Yeah, based on what your plan is that there was a larger pickup truck or something apart there, you wouldn't be able to see it.

5:13

It would be it would be obstructed.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Public Works██████████████████████████████████████38%
Transportation Safety██████████████████████████████████34%
Procedural█████████████████████21%
Public Safety███████7%
Summary of Proceedings

Public Works Committee Meeting - May 6, 2026

The Public Works Committee of Manitowoc met on May 6, 2026, at 5:30 PM in Council Chambers, chaired by Vice Chair Brian Anderson. Four members were present (Anderson, Sitkiewitz, Brey, and Benzinger); one was absent (Schlei). The committee unanimously approved all actions, covering a stop sign removal, a ditch rock placement, a policy for intersection regulation, continuation of the Adopt a Highway program, and a meeting time change.

Consent Calendar

  • Approval of Minutes (26-0411): The minutes from the April 1, 2026 Public Infrastructure Committee meeting were approved unanimously by a 4-0 vote. (Motion by Sitkiewitz, second by Brey)

Discussion Items

  • Stop Sign Removal at N. 14th & New York Avenue (26-0409): Jeff Vogel requested moving the stop sign. City Engineer G. Minikel recommended removal, stating that alley exits are already required to stop under state law and that similar alleys often lack signs. After discussion about visibility and the alley's history, the committee voted unanimously to remove the sign and refer the action to the Common Council. (Motion by Sitkiewitz, second by Brey)
  • Ditch Rock Placement at Carrie Lane & Harvest Circle (26-0405): Resident Steve VanderGrift requested permission to place rock and flat stone in the ditch to address standing water, erosion, and mowing difficulties. Staff noted the ditch was rebuilt in 2023 and expressed concerns about setting a precedent. The committee approved working with the Engineering and Public Works departments to ensure proper drainage while maintaining positive pitch; the property owner must sign an Understanding of Acceptance and a Right-of-Way Use Permit. The motion passed unanimously and was referred to council. (Motion by Sitkiewitz, second by Brey)
  • Policy for Regulating Intersections (26-0412): Deputy Director D. Koski presented a draft policy developed by an Ad-Hoc Committee (including the mayor, aldermen, police chiefs, and city attorney) to standardize evaluation of stop sign requests using criteria such as traffic volume, crash history, land use, and sight visibility. The policy would also implement signage changes on accompanying maps. After discussion about subjectivity and the current lack of a formal policy, the committee voted unanimously to refer the policy to the Public Safety Committee for further review. (Motion by Brey, second by Benzinger)
  • Adopt a Highway Program for Rapids Road (26-0407): G. Minikel reported that the Manitowoc County Highway Commissioner inquired about continuation of the Adopt a Highway program on Rapids Road (from Hwy 151 to Waldo Blvd), which was transferred to the city. The committee directed staff to work with the county or a private group to continue the program, with the city providing garbage pickup. The motion passed unanimously and was placed on the consent agenda. (Motion by Sitkiewitz, second by Brey)
  • Meeting Time Change (26-0408): The committee confirmed that future meetings will be held on the first Thursday of each month at 5:30 PM, effective immediately.

Key Outcomes

  • Stop sign at N. 14th & New York Avenue to be removed; referral to Common Council.
  • Ditch rock project approved with engineering oversight and property owner agreements; referral to Common Council.
  • Intersection regulation policy referred to Public Safety Committee for further review.
  • Adopt a Highway program on Rapids Road to be continued; staff to negotiate agreement with county or private group.
  • Committee meeting time permanently changed to first Thursday of the month.

Meeting Transcript

It is 530. Uh call to order the public works committee for meeting maybe six. Uh all their slide is in the email with outline depending with mayor knuckles. Uh public comment. Anyone for public comment? First call for a public comment. Second call for public comment. Nothing submitted. I think a closed public comment. Consent agenda. Any arguments to be removed from the consent agenda. Move to approve. Second. Motion by Alder Sitwoods. Second by Alder Bray. Next on the agenda is approved minutes from April 1st committee. Uh that's the consent agenda. Huh? That is the consent. Okay. Thank you. Discretion and action items. Yeah, so this is for the Jeff Fogle had requested um removing or moving a stop sign at 14th in New York, which is an alleyway. And after looking at it, and a lot of other alleys. Um we have an ordinance that says alley ordinance, and when I looked at that open it up, there was only one in there, and it's all over the place. Like up in this area, I think some of the alleys on New York had stop signs, but nothing on Michigan. I didn't look at all of them, but they're all over the place. Um so I kind of googled the you know, just about alleys stopping and learned that we're supposed to stop drivers exiting an alley driveway or private road must come to a complete stop before entering a street or crossing a sidewalk. So after looking at that, that's kind of just rules of the road where I don't know that we'd have to have a stop sign there at all. I'm guessing that there were complaints in the past, and somebody said, Yeah, put one up. And they went up and there's no ordinance. So I don't know, it's either that or you would move them, but the problem there is with the embankment and what they want to do. I'm not sure you would see it. You'd have to put up two of them. You'd have to put one on the post on the utility pole on the left side and move the other one out, maybe into the right-of-way, but it would be offset from where it is now. So it's I don't know. I guess my recommendation would be after reading that that that's kind of just the rules of the road, and many of them don't have them, then we would just take it down actually. But we're talking about the parking situation, correct? Yeah, I can't remember if I had button. Um show they want to take down and then park into that area. So yeah, so this is kind of the lineup of it on the pole. That's not as legal for version of TCD, you have to have a top sign on the way you can have to run the whole button at it move it down. We're gonna keep a stop or inside and left side, but based on any other rules of the road, I wonder if it doesn't take it out. Yeah. Yeah, because people have to stop whether the sign is there or not for state law. So is there no objection to removing the sign? No, they were asking it to either be from stash. No, yeah, I think I'm okay with it. Something's better than nothing. Or otherwise put it in a regularly.

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