1987-11-16 Council MeetingPROCEEDINGS OF THE CITY COUNCIL
CITY OF JANESVILLE, WISCONSIN
REGULAR MEETING
16 November 1987
Vol. 38
No. 21
Approved 30 November 1987
Regular meeting of the City Council of the City of Janesville, held in the Municipal
Building 16 November 1987 at 7:30 p.m.
Meeting was called to order by Council President Pulliam.
Present: Council President Pulliam, Councilmembers Mittness, Collins, Stockwell,
Stehura, Pierson and McLean.
The minutes of the regular meeting of 2 November 1987 were presented. Councilmember
Pierson made a motion to approve the minutes of the regular meeting of 2 November
1987 as distributed. Motion was seconded by Councilmember Stehura and adopted unani-
mously.
The minutes of the special meeting of 5 November 1987 were presented. Councilmember
Collins made a motion to approve the minutes of the special meeting of 5 November
1987 as distributed. Motion was seconded by Councilmember McLean and adopted unani-
mously.
LICENSES
Councilmember Stehura made a motion that the licenses, as listed on the license agenda
and on file in the office of the City Clerk, be approved and issued as presented.
Motion seconded by Councilmember Pierson and adopted unanimously.
(All applications of licenses are on file in the office of the City Clerk and
are incorporated by reference herein and may be examined upon request at all
reasonable times.)
SPECIAL RECOGNITION
City Manager Sheiffer read and then presented a Certificate of Commendation to Lt.
John M. Casper of the Janesville Fire Department, in recognition of his 29 years
of loyal and conscientious service to the people of Janesville. Councilmembers gave
their approval of the commendation by a standing ovation. Lt. Casper is retiring.
OLD BUSINESS
1. Requests and comments from the public on matters which can be affected by Council
action. There were none.
2. A proposed resolution, recommended for approval by the Plan Commission, authorizing
the vacation of a portion of Sherman Avenue between Fremont St. and Randall Av. was
presented by Council President Pulliam. The public hearing was opened. No one appeared.
Councilmember Stehura made a motion to adopt said resolution as presented. Motion
seconded by Councilmember Pierson and adopted unanimously. (File Resolution No.
87-1028)
3. City Manager Sheiffer gave a brief review of the 1988 Proposed City Budget. Council
President Pulliam opened the public hearing. The following appeared before the public
hearing: David Griffiths, 500 Apache Dr.; Sima Wexler, 2127 Cornell Av.; Jackie
Judd, 2125 Rugby Rd.; Jan Pierce, 530 S. Parker Dr.; as well as read a letter from
her husband, Philip Groth; Roger Axtell, 2018 Eastwood Av., and Joan Smoke of 1133
Vista, in support of the proposed Library Budget. Tom Cullen of 2329 Tradition In.
and representing the Rock Aqua Jays, requested additional bleachers for Traxler Park
and reviewed the various shows they have sponsored. He also asked for public donations.
Nancy Khanna of 1029 Morningside Dr. spoke in favor of the Ice Arena Budget. Ilah
Hartung of 121 S. Academy St. and representative from the Fourth Ward, urged Council
approval of the proposed Block Grant. Lynn Larsen of 2112 Woodruff Blvd. asked for
support of the Jaycees fireworks program. Gary Utterberg of 1029 N. Pine spoke on
high taxes and praised the City Manager's attention to the deficet. Bill Watson
of 208 N. Oakhill Av. expressed concern about high taxes.
4. Council President Pulliam presented the request by the administration to amend
Resolution 87-1035 providing for a different source of funds for the installation
of holiday decorations. City Manager Sheiffer then explained the matter and requested
that in the resolution the second "WHEREAS" delete "Leisure Service Enrichment Program
Budget" and substitute "Recreation Program Budget". He, also, asked to delete the
entire last paragraph and substitute the following: Now, therefore be it resolved,
that the Common Council of the City of Janesville authorizes the City Administration
to utilize unexpended funds in the Recreation Program budget to assist local business
groups with the installation of holiday decorations in 1987."
Councilmember Mittness made a motion to amend the resolution as the memo to the City
Council dated 11 November 1987 requested. Motion seconded by Councilmember Collins.
Councilmember Stockwell made a motion to further amend the resolution by deleting
the entire first "WHEREAS ...,". Councilmember McLean seconded the motion and it
was adopted by the following vote: Aye: Council President Pulliam, Councilmembers
Mittness, Stockwell, Stehura, Pierson and McLean. Nay: Councilmember Collins.
A vote was then taken on the original motion with amendment and passed by the following
vote: Aye: Council President Pulliam, Councilmembers Mittness, Collins, Stehura and
McLean. Nay: Councilmembers Stockwell and Pierson. (File Resolution No. 87-1035)
5. Review of the 1988 Proposed Budget. City Manager Sheiffer stated that there were
a number of items that were being worked on that could have a major impact on the
status of the budget. One being insurance coverage, how it could possibly reduce the
budget $160,000 and swing the property tax rate 2 to 22%. He proposed a special
meeting of Councilmembers for the 23rd of November for review of the proposed insurance
program and possible implementation. Council President Pulliam set the special
Council meeting for 23 November from 7 to 10:30 p.m. and each Councilmember waived
notice.
Councilmember Stehura requested additional information concerning the mechanics of
the fee determination of $10,000 relative to the ice arena contract for figure
skating professional.
Councilmember Stockwell asked the City Manager to review the contract of the Tallman
House. Councilmember Stockwell then made a motion to reduce the Tallman House
Restoration Budget (page 118- line B1) from $55,000 to $49,350. Motion seconded by
Councilmember Mittness and passed by the following vote: Aye: Councilmembers Mittness,
Stockwell, Stehura and Pierson. Nay: Council President Pulliam, Councilmembers
Collins and McLean.
NEW BUSINESS
1. A proposed ordinance changing the zoning classification of land located within
the 2700 block of North Lexington Drive from R3 to 01 was introduced by Council
President Pulliam and given its first reading by title only and referred to the Plan
Commission for a report and recommendation. A public hearing was set for 14 December
1987 at 7:30 p.m. (File Ordinance No. 87-548)
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2. A proposed resolution approving the FY1988 Community Development Block Grant
(CDBG) Program submission and reallocating FY1986 and FY1987 Community Development
Block Grant Program Funds was presented by Council President Pulliam. Councilmember
Collins made a motion to adopt said resolution as presented. Motion seconded by
Councilmember McLean and adopted unanimously. (File Resolution No. 87-1033)
3. A proposed ordinance raising the bartender (operator) license application fee
to $15.00 with a penalty of not less than $50 nor more than $500.00, was introduced
by Council President Pulliam and given its first reading by title only and set for
public hearing 30 November 1987 at 7:30 p.m. (File Ordinance No. 87-545)
4. Certified Survey Map 87031-C, Natter, located on land between Bell Street and
Milton Avenue in the City of Janesville, was reviewed by City Manager Sheiffer.
Councilmember Pierson made a motion to approve CSM 87031-C, a three lot survey marked
"Alternative 2" to include the provisions for the waiver of the street width and
radius requirement on the cul-de-sac. Motion seconded by Councilmember Stehura and
adopted unanimously. (File CSM No. 87031-C)
5. Matters not on the Agenda. Council President Pulliam stated that in response to
the memo of 13 November 1987, the action that the Council took on the Library Budget
straw vote, it was his intent to address a reduction of $25,000 from the most recent
version of the budget (distributed 2 November 1987) which would leave an operating
tax levy of $1,219,656. He asked Councilmembers if there was any objection. There
were no objections.
Council President Pulliam announced that the public hearing on Ordinance No. 87-530
(rezoning of property south of USH 14 and east of Deerfield Dr.) that was previously
scheduled for 30 November 1987 was now scheduled for 14 December 1987, instead.
Councilmember Stehura made a motion to convene in closed session for the purpose of
considering a potential property acquisition pursuant to Section 19.85 (1)(e) of the
Wisconsin State Statutes. Motion seconded by Councilmember McLean.
Councilmember Mittness asked that the matter be delayed for another week, since it
was late.
Council President Pulliam called for a vote on the motion and it passed: Aye:
Council President Pulliam, Councilmembers Collins, Stockwell, Stehura, Pierson and
McLean. Nay: Councilmember Mittness.
There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 10:40 p.m. to reconvene
in closed session.
These minutes are not official until approved by the City Council.
Angelo Lamendola
Deputy City Clerk
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