Minutes 11-12-2007
PROCEEDINGS OF THE CITY COUNCIL
CITY OF JANESVILLE, WISCONSIN
REGULAR MEETING Approved: November 26, 2007
November 12, 2007
VOL. 58
NO. 20
Regular meeting of the City Council of the City of Janesville held in the Municipal Building
on November 12, 2007. The meeting was called to order by Council President Brunner at
7:00 p.m. Boy Scout Troop 540 was in attendance. Council President Brunner led the
Council in the Pledge of Allegiance.
Present: Council President Brunner, Councilmembers DeGarmo, Steeber, Truman,
Wellnitz and Williams. Absent: Councilmember Loasching.
CONSENT AGENDA
Minutes of the regular meeting of October 22, 2007.
Minutes of the closed session of October 22, 2007.
Minutes of the special meeting of October 24, 2007.
Minutes of the special meeting of October 30, 2007.
Licenses including a recommendation for Christopher Dewitz’s electrician license
application; and Recommendations of the Alcohol License Advisory Committee, including a
negative recommendation for 29 South Corp. (Refer to separate agenda.)
Action on a motion to approve final Certified Survey Map 07034-C, BJ Electric, 1 lot on
Capital Circle.
Council President Brunner stated the consent agenda would be approved, except for the
electrician’s license for Christopher Dewitz and the Class C alcohol license for 29 South
Corp., if there were no objections. There were none.
Councilmember Williams moved to take Christopher Dewitz’s electrician license
application off the table, seconded by Councilmember Wellnitz and passed unanimously.
Councilmember Williams moved to approve said application, seconded by Councilmember
Wellnitz and passed unanimously.
Council President Brunner asked if anyone wished to comment on the negative
recommendation for 29 South. Owner Cynthia McCullough and Alcohol Agent Angela
Collas both appeared before Council to respond to Council’s questions. Councilmember
DeGarmo moved to approve the Class C Wine license, seconded by Councilmember
Truman and passed by the following vote: Aye: Councilmembers DeGarmo, Steeber,
Truman and Wellnitz. Nay: Council President Brunner and Councilmember Williams.
Action on a proposed resolution deferring special assessments for sidewalk replacement
for the property located at 1911 South Willard Avenue. Councilmember Williams moved to
adopt said resolution, seconded by Councilmember Wellnitz and passed unanimously.
(File Res. No. 2007-446)
OLD BUSINESS
1. Requests and comments from the public regarding items on the Agenda not requiring a
public hearing. Jackie Wood, 119 South Wisconsin Street; Richard Fletcher, 1214 Ravine
Street; and Sharon Ahrens, representing the Leadership Development Academy,
supported Resolution 2007-443 which authorized the purchase of 101 North Franklin
Street (New Business No. 3). In addition, they requested that the historical building be
preserved and relocated to a different location. Karl Dommershausen, 2419 Plymouth
Avenue, supported Resolution 2007-443 and requested that the building be sold and
redeveloped.
2. Public hearing on the FY2008 proposed City and Library budgets. The hearing was
opened. Scott Morovits, representing the IAFF-Local Number 580, stated that the union
has worked with the Administration to meet the State imposed levy limits. Patricia Thom,
President of the Board of Director’s for the Rock County Historical Society; and Karl
Dommershausen, 2419 Plymouth Avenue, requested the annual subsidy to the Tallman
House remain at its current level while they look for alternative funding. Al Lembrich, 541
Miller Street, requested that the City Council fund the Tallman House and the Park’s
budget at their current level, protect the City’s existing assets and eliminate new projects.
The hearing was closed.
3. Action on the proposed FY2008 City and Library budgets. Councilmember Williams
moved to approve the 2008 Proposed City Budget as revised by the City Council through
November 12, 2007, with a General Fund Budget in the amount of $40,630,227 and a tax
levy (without TIF) in the amount of $23,623,527, and direct the Director of Administrative
Services/Assistant City Manager to include these amounts in the 2008 appropriation and
levy resolutions. The motion was seconded by Councilmember Steeber.
Councilmember Williams moved to amend the budget by decreasing the Park’s Budget
mowing appropriation and increasing the Tallman House subsidy by $13,074. The motion
was seconded by Councilmember Steeber and failed by the following vote: Aye:
Councilmembers Steeber, Truman and Williams. Nay: Council President Brunner,
Councilmembers DeGarmo and Wellnitz.
Councilmember Williams moved to amend the budget by decreasing the Park’s Budget
mowing appropriation and increasing the Tallman House subsidy by $10,000. The motion
was seconded by Councilmember Steeber and failed by the following vote: Aye:
Councilmembers Steeber, Truman and Williams. Nay: Council President Brunner,
Councilmembers DeGarmo and Wellnitz.
Councilmember Williams moved to amend the budget by decreasing the Park’s Budget
mowing appropriation and increasing the Tallman House subsidy by $5,000. The motion
was seconded by Councilmember Steeber and passed by the following vote: Aye:
Councilmembers Steeber, Truman, Wellnitz and Williams. Nay: Council President
Brunner and Councilmember DeGarmo.
The Council voted on the main motion and it passed unanimously.
Councilmember Wellnitz moved to approve the 2008 Proposed State and Federal Grants
Budget. The motion was seconded by Councilmember Steeber and passed unanimously.
Councilmember Wellnitz moved to approve the 2008 Capital Budget for JATV 12 in the
amount of $69,000. The motion was seconded by Councilmember Steeber and passed
unanimously.
Councilmember Wellnitz moved to approve the 2008 tax levy (without TIF) in the amount of
$2,944,481 for Library purposes, and direct the Director of Administrative
Services/Assistant City Manager to include this amount in the 2008 levy resolution. The
motion was seconded by the Councilmember Steeber and passed unanimously.
4. A proposed ordinance increasing disposal fees at the City’s Sanitary Landfill received
its second reading and public hearing. No one spoke at the public hearing.
Councilmember Steeber moved to adopt said ordinance, seconded by Councilmember
Truman and passed unanimously. (File Ord. No. 2007-388)
NEW BUSINESS
1. Recommendation of the Plan Commission: Action on a proposed resolution approving
the final plat of The Reserve at Stoney Ridge. Councilmember Williams moved to adopt
said resolution, seconded by Councilmember Steeber and passed unanimously. (File Res.
2007-447)
2. Action on a proposed resolution approving a lease of City-owned property located at
708 South Jackson Street to Cindy Pelton. Councilmember Williams moved to adopt said
resolution, seconded by Councilmember Truman and passed unanimously. (File Res. No.
2007-448)
3. Action on a proposed resolution approving an offer to purchase and authorizing the City
Manager to purchase 101 North Franklin Street in Tax Increment Finance District No. 9 for
redevelopment purposes. Councilmember Williams moved to adopt said resolution, and to
require the Administration to obtain Council approval to demolish the building located on
this property. The motion was seconded by Councilmember Steeber. Councilmember
Wellnitz offered a friendly amendment to require any redevelopment proposals for this
property be submitted before June 1, 2008. The friendly amendment was declined. The
motion passed by the following vote: Aye: Council President Brunner, Councilmembers
DeGarmo, Steeber, Wellnitz, and Williams. Nay: Councilmember Truman. (File Res. No.
2007-443)
4. Action on a proposed resolution authorizing the City Manager to make an application to
the County for an exemption from the County Library tax levy. Councilmember Steeber
moved to adopt said resolution, seconded by Councilmember Williams and passed
unanimously. (File Res. No. 2007-445)
5. Action on a proposed resolution establishing the relocation order for the right-of-way of
East Rotamer Road improvement project. Councilmember Williams moved to adopt said
resolution, seconded by Councilmember Steeber and passed unanimously. (File Res. No.
2007-449)
6. Award of Contract C2007-19 (limestone supply) for Public Works Bid Schedule “H” –
2007. Councilmember Wellnitz moved to award the contract to Bjoin Limestone, Inc. in the
amount of $299,400. The motion was seconded by Councilmember Truman and passed
unanimously.
7. Council President Brunner scheduled a Special Council Meeting for December 12,
2007 at 6:00 p.m. to discuss the proposed aquatics facility options and the feasibility of
licensing landlords. The City Council waived notice.
8. A proposed ordinance attaching land surrounding the Southern Wisconsin Regional
Airport purchased by Rock County for runway expansion was introduced and scheduled for
public hearing on December 10, 2007. (File Ord. No. 2007-390)
9. A proposed ordinance zoning to M1 land surrounding the Southern Wisconsin Regional
Airport purchased by Rock County for runway expansion was introduced, referred to Plan
Commission and scheduled for a public hearing on December 10, 2007. (File Ord. No.
2007-391)
10. A proposed ordinance rezoning property located a the southwest corner of Sandhill
Drive and North Wright Road from R1 to R3 was introduced, referred to Plan Commission
and scheduled for a public hearing on December 10, 2007. (File Ord. No. 2007-392)
11. Requests and comments from the public on matters which can be affected by Council
action. Al Lembrich, 541 Miller Avenue, expressed his concerns about the cost charged
for new sidewalk and the City’s sidewalk policy.
14. Matters not on the Agenda. Council President Brunner stated that the City Council
regular meeting would be moved from December 24, 2007 to December 26, 2007. In
addition, he thanked all organizations that participated in the Veteran’s Day ceremony held
at Traxler Park.
15. Councilmember Williams moved to convene into closed session pursuant to
Wisconsin Statute Section 19.85 (1) (e), for the purpose of: (1) considering collective
bargaining strategies since competitive or bargaining reasons require a closed session;
and (2) setting the negotiation terms and conditions for the potential acquisition and/or
sale of certain industrial and redevelopment sites in the City since competitive or
bargaining reasons require a closed session. The motion was seconded by
Councilmember Truman and passed unanimously.
There being no further business, Council convened into closed session at 9:24 p.m.
These minutes are not official until approved by the City Council.
Jean Ann Wulf
City Clerk-Treasurer