Building and Grounds Committee Meeting - June 1, 2026
Building and Grounds Committee Meeting - June 1, 2026
The Building and Grounds Committee met on Monday, June 1, 2026, with Chair presiding and Alders Micklitz, Helgestad, Van Traste, and Evert present. The meeting included approval of minutes, discussion of a crosswalk improvement, a proposed parking ordinance change, a referral for pedestrian safety on Michigan Avenue, and a budget update.
Consent Calendar
- Minutes of the May 4, 2026 meeting were approved by unanimous consent.
Public Comments & Testimony
- No members of the public were present for comment.
Discussion Items
- Item 5A: Crosswalk improvements on Hoover Avenue at Mindiola Park – Staff presented a proposal to install static pedestrian warning signs and enhanced crosswalk pavement markings at the mid-block crossing connecting the parking lot to the playing fields. Alderman Mannion spoke in favor, noting support from the Park and Recreation Department (Ron Groll and Greg Wilcox). He also shared a concern from Alderman Wells about drivers potentially yielding less outside marked crosswalks and a suggestion to paint parking lines to narrow the travel lane. Traffic counts showed 673 vehicles on Friday, 790 on Saturday, and 57 on Sunday. No traffic study was conducted. The committee voted unanimously to recommend approval.
- Item 6A: Modifying overnight parking ordinance (odd/even) to November 1–April 1 – Alderman Van Traste introduced the item to address parking conflicts between townhouse and single-family home residents in his district. Staff outlined potential impacts: a 10% reduction in citation revenue (approx. $12,000), need to review street widths, signage updates, and coordination with fire, police, and public works. Several committee members expressed opposition, citing complexity, re-education costs, street sweeping difficulties, and the unpredictability of Wisconsin winters (snow can occur outside the proposed dates). The fire chief also opposed. No motion was made; the item failed for lack of a motion.
- Item 6B: Pedestrian accommodations on Michigan Avenue – Alderman Micklitz requested a study for mid-block crossing and speed reduction measures between McKenzie and Green Meadow Drives, noting heavy pedestrian traffic between North High School and Lowell Park. Staff indicated a larger traffic study would be needed. The chair proposed developing standardized criteria for traffic study requests (e.g., no repeat studies within five years, use of a form, committee approval). This was a discussion item only; the referral will be brought back for possible action at the next meeting.
- Item 6C: Building and grounds budget update – Staff reported no changes: beginning balance $17,126.78, $5,392.48 spent, remaining $11,734.30. Costs discussed: stop sign $225 plus $75 post, crosswalk painting about $300, traffic study $3,000–$5,000.
Key Outcomes
- Approved: Recommendation to install pedestrian warning signs and enhanced crosswalk markings on Hoover Avenue at Mindiola Park (unanimous vote).
- Failed: Proposed modification to overnight parking ordinance (no motion made).
- Deferred: Item 6B (Michigan Avenue study) to next meeting for potential action.
- Noted: Budget remains unchanged; committee discussed costs for future projects.
The meeting adjourned without objection.
Meeting Transcript
Hello everybody. We'll call the Monday, June 1st Building and Grounds Committee to order. I'm joined by Alders Micklitz, Helgestad, Van Teraste, and Evert. Is that right? Okay, thank you. So we've got a quorum if you join me for the Pledge of Leadance. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America. Under God, individual liberty and justice for all. Thank you. Next, we're got public comment. I see no members of the public here, so we'll move on. Does it anybody have any changes to the minutes for the meeting of May 4th? Any changes? Changes anybody. Okay, we'll pass those minutes by unanimous consent. Next up, 5A. Please have the city engineering department investigate marking potential improvements to enhance the existing crosswalk located on Hoover Avenue that serves and connects the Mindiola Park parking lot to the playing fields across the street. Yep. Approval of sorry to back up a moment. Who was the first? Who was the first and who is the second? Yeah. Alderman Ever. Oh, she wants to show us the vote gotcha. Yep. Okay. Yep. All right. On to five A. So as may mention, this item was brought forth by Alderman Mannion to investigate the pedestrian crossing that crosses the uh from the Mindiola Park parking lot on the north side of Hoovern Avenue down to the south side down to Mindiola Park itself. Excuse me. Um if you're unaware of the actual location itself, um, the crossing is there highlighted in the red box there on Hoover Avenue. Um Hoover Avenue runs east-west, and to have a little extra context, there's Sunset Drive a little further to the south that runs east-west, West Avenue to the west of that location and Grand Avenue, both of which are running north-south on both sides. So Mindiola Park, you can see is on the south side there with the two newer soccer fields that were recently installed, and then that parking lot in which kind of services those soccer fields in conjunction with the other party lot to the south. So, and then to kind of highlight more closely the location itself and the uh proposed improvements as there is no signing and marking for the crossing itself, and the crossing itself is a mid-block crossing. Um the proposed improvement, as I had discussed with Alderman Manion, um Ron Groll from Park Rec and others from ParkRack is to put static pedestrian crossing signage as well as the city's enhanced crosswalk detail to further highlight the mid-block crossing itself, and with how we have some of the signs situated. Um as you can see, even from this aerial, there's quite a few vehicles that even park on the street itself. Um there are some no parking kind of in the area or using of like the driveway on the east side to have decent sight lines for those signs for westbound traffic or eastbound traffic to make sure that they can see the signs appropriately as they're approaching the mid-block crossing. And then I'll pass it off to Alderman Mannion if he has any uh further comments for the crossing itself. Yeah, I don't I don't have a lot to add. Darren did a good job of explaining what we're trying to accomplish here. Um I made this referral kind of on behalf of the park rec department who wants to see this uh move forward. Um it's been talked about for a while and kind of been on the back burner, and uh um I actually got a constituent um reach out to me about it as well. And uh since making the referral, I've had a couple of other alders um ping me about it, saying constituents had contacted them about potentially getting a uh crosswalk put in here. So it's definitely something that uh residents are interested in seeing implemented. It's something that the department is interested in seeing implemented. Um so I'm uh I'm in favor of seeing what the uh staff has uh proposed tonight getting uh put in. Um I've talked to Ron as well about it, uh, the park rec director, Ron Groll. Um, and uh I know he via email did let us know that he was in favor or approving of this uh um plan as well as Greg Wilcox, who's the recreation facilities coordinator for park rec department. So both of them gave their blessing and I give my blessing as well.
openpublica.com