Minutes 05-12-2008
PROCEEDINGS OF THE CITY COUNCIL
CITY OF JANESVILLE, WISCONSIN
REGULAR MEETING APPROVED: May 27, 2008
May 12, 2008
VOL. 59
NO. 4
Regular meeting of the City Council of the City of Janesville held in the Municipal Building on
May 12, 2008. The meeting was called to order by Council President Loasching at 7:00 PM.
Council President Loasching led the Council in the Pledge of Allegiance.
Present: Council President Loasching, Councilmembers Brunner, McDonald, Rashkin, Steeber,
Truman and Voskuil.
CONSENT AGENDA
Minutes of the regular meeting of April 28, 2008.
Licenses and Recommendations of the Alcohol License Advisory Committee.
Recommendation to deny an operator’s license for Lynette Ziegler.
Council President Loasching removed the recommendation for denial of bartender application
and postponed it to the May 27, 2008 meeting. She stated the remaining items would be
approved if there were no objections. There were none.
Action on a proposed resolution recognizing the week of May 18, 2008 to May 24, 2008 as
National Public Works Week. Councilmember Steeber moved to adopt said resolution,
seconded by Councilmember Voskuil and passed unanimously. (File Res. No. 2008-495)
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Action on a proposed resolution recognizing the week of May 11 “National Police Week” and
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the day of May 15 as “Peace Officers Memorial Day.” Councilmember Brunner moved to
adopt said resolution, seconded by Councilmember Truman and passed unanimously. (File
Res. No. 2008-497)
OLD BUSINESS
1. Requests and comments from the public regarding items on the Agenda not requiring a
public hearing. Alfred Lembrich, 541 Miller Ave., and Karl Dommershausen, 2419 Plymouth
Ave., spoke in favor of expending funds and reopening the wading pool at Riverside Park (New
Business #3 & #4). Kevin Hendricks, 1171 N. Parker Dr., recommended removing the whale
and sprinkler so only one pump would be necessary to reopen Riverside Wading Pool (New
Business #4). Rich Gruber, 64 Campus Ln., spoke in favor of the Promissory Notes to improve
infrastructure (New Business #5).
2. A proposed charter ordinance to amend certain current charter ordinance sections of the
City of Janesville received its second reading and public hearing. No one spoke at the public
hearing. The public hearing was closed. Councilmember Brunner moved to adopt the Charter
Ordinance amendment to the Public Works Committee, but not the amendment to change the
make up of the Plan Commission, seconded by Councilmember Steeber and passed
unanimously. (File Charter Ord. No. 2008-01)
NEW BUSINESS
1. Action on a request by Beth Wheelock and the Neighborhood Action Team to establish a
community garden on a City-owned property located at 419 Rockport Rd. Councilmember
Steeber moved to allow the City to enter into an agreement with Beth Wheelock and the
Neighborhood Action Team to create a community garden, seconded by Councilmember
Rashkin and passed unanimously.
2. Action on a proposed resolution authorizing the City Manager to apply for state and federal
grants to acquire parkland. Councilmember Steeber moved to adopt said resolution, seconded
by Councilmember Voskuil and passed unanimously. (File Res. No. 2008-494)
3. Authorization for the Administration to expend funds from the note issue proceeds for
aquatics. Councilmember Truman moved to authorize the Administration to expend funds
from the note issue proceeds for aquatics, seconded by Councilmember Steeber and passed
unanimously. Councilmember McDonald asked for biweekly progress reports to be distributed
with the Council agenda packet.
4. Action on proposed resolution authorizing a supplemental appropriation for operation of
Riverside wading pool in 2008. Councilmember Steeber moved to adopt said resolution,
seconded by Councilmember Truman and passed unanimously. (File Res. No. 2008-502)
5. Action on proposed resolution authorizing the issuance of $14,895,000 in Promissory Notes
for financing various public purposes. Councilmember Truman moved to increase fire station
funding from $500,000 to $1,000,000. The motion was withdrawn by Councilmember Truman.
Councilmember Brunner requested a comprehensive maintenance/repair report on all City
owned buildings. Councilmember Steeber moved to adopt said resolution, seconded by
Councilmember Brunner. Councilmember Brunner offered a friendly amendment to increase
building maintenance from $150,000 to $500,000. The friendly amendment was accepted.
The motion passed unanimously. (File Res. No. 2008-499)
6. Action on a proposed resolution approving a TIF development agreement with Milgold, LLC
for the redevelopment of property located at 1260 Milton Ave. in TIF District 29.
Councilmember Steeber moved to approve said resolution, seconded by Councilmember
Voskuil and passed unanimously. (File Res. No. 2008-496)
7. Award of contracts C2008-10 (manhole repair/replacement), C2008-11 (sanitary sewer
manhole seals), C2008-12 (sunset meadows pond), C2008-13 (street resurfacing – Phase 2 ).
Councilmember McDonald moved to award the following contracts:
C2008-10 R. T. Fox Contractors, Inc. $ 327,050.00
C2008-11 E & N Hughes Co., Inc. $ 101,222.00
C2008-12 Moll Construction, Inc. $ 64,519.80
C2008-13 Rock Road Companies, Inc. $1,047,741.41
The motion was seconded by Councilmember Steeber and passed unanimously.
8. Council review and action on public comment period format. Councilmember Brunner
moved that all public comments be under Old Business #1, seconded by Councilmember
Steeber. Councilmember Steeber offered a friendly amendment that Old Business #1 be:
“Requests and comments from the public regarding items on the agenda not requiring a public
hearing.”; and Old Business #2 be: “Requests and comments from the public on matters which
can be affected by Council action.” The friendly amendment was accepted. Councilmember
Brunner offered a friendly amendment that each public comment speaker be limited to three (3)
minutes. The friendly amendment was accepted. The motion passed by the following vote:
Aye: Council President Loasching, Councilmembers Steeber, Truman, Voskuil, Rashkin and
Brunner. Nay: Councilmember McDonald.
9. Discussion of Councilmember listening sessions. Councilmembers McDonald and Rashkin
requested the Attorney General’s opinions on when Council meetings need to be noticed to the
public. Council President Loasching requested that the second Monday of every month be
scheduled and noticed to the public for public listening sessions at 6:00 PM for 30 minutes.
10. Requests and comments from the public on matters which can be affected by Council
action. Steve Shaw, 2707 Park Place Lane, asked the Council to allow him to continue
cleaning up the area where Park Place Apartments borders Palmer Park. Mr. Winzenz,
Director of Administrative Services, informed the Council that Mr. Shaw is removing trees in
Palmer Park without the City’s authorization. Ty Bollerud, 4608 Pendleton Circle, spoke about
the high cost of energy, the creation of a City energy committee and the implementation of
hydroelectric production. Don Allison, 731 N. Garfield Ave., requested the City Council take
action on the petition to improve parking at the Senior Center.
11. Matters not on the Agenda. Councilmember McDonald requested information to allow
swimming in the Rock River for the Mercy Hospital Triathlon. Councilmember Rashkin
reminded citizens that May 17, 2008 is help your neighbor day. Councilmember Truman
requested the City Administration consider licensing tree trimming services and suggested that
tenants are contacted before landlords for nuisance violations. Councilmember Voskuil asked
the Administration to contact Taco Bell about the poor condition of their property. Council
President Loasching requested a report on how peer cities select citizens for committees.
12. Councilmember McDonald moved to convene into closed session pursuant to Wisconsin
Statute Section 19.85 (1) (e), for the purposes of deliberating and setting the negotiating and
bargaining terms and conditions for a potential TIF 14 industrial site sale and development
agreement. The motion was seconded by Councilmember Steeber and passed unanimously.
There being no further business, Council adjourned into closed session at 9:57 PM.
These minutes are not official until approved by the City Council.
David T. Godek
Deputy Clerk-Treasurer