Minutes 08-25-2008
PROCEEDINGS OF THE CITY COUNCIL
CITY OF JANESVILLE, WISCONSIN
REGULAR MEETING APPROVED: September 8, 2008
August 25, 2008
VOL. 59
NO. 22
Regular meeting of the City Council of the City of Janesville held in the Municipal Building on
August 25, 2008. The meeting was called to order by Council President Loasching at 7:01 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 closed meeting of July 28, 2008
Minutes of the special meeting of August 5, 2008
Minutes of the closed session of August 5, 2008
Minutes of the regular meeting of August 11, 2008
Minutes of the closed session of August 11, 2008
Minutes of the special meeting of August 12, 2008
Licenses and Recommendations of the Alcohol License Advisory Committee.
Financial statement for the month of July 2008.
Council President Loasching stated that all items on the consent agenda would be approved if
there were no objections. There were none.
Special recognition: Action on a proposed resolution in commendation of Steven E. Sheiffer’s 21
years of service to the City of Janesville. Councilmember Steeber moved to adopt said resolution,
seconded by Councilmember Brunner and passed unanimously. (File Res. No. 2008-532) Council
President Loasching invited the public to attend a reception honoring City Manager Sheiffer at
Rotary Gardens on September 5, 2008 from 4:00 to 7:00 PM.
Action on proposed resolutions recognizing Sandy Hendricks (File Res. No. 2008-522) and Pam
VanBrocklin (File Res. No. 2008-523) as Janesville Good Citizens. Councilmember Truman moved
to adopt said resolutions, seconded by Councilmember Steeber and passed unanimously.
OLD BUSINESS
1. Requests and comments from the public regarding items on the agenda not requiring a public
hearing. There were none.
2. Requests and comments from the public on matters which can be affected by Council action.
Steven Hornsey, 956 Benton Ave., asked Council to consider matching money raised for skate
park, thanked Council for voting down the bike tunnel, wants people to be at parks to supervise
children playing, lower taxes, consider revitalizing a downtown building for the Children’s Museum,
and asked if replacing a sign requires use of a sign erector. Andreah Briarmoon, 339 S. Locust St.,
shared her opinions on City Manager Sheiffer’s retirement.
NEW BUSINESS
1. Public hearing on a proposal by the Rotary Gardens Board to implement an admission fee to
Rotary Gardens. Sally Edelman, 115 Apache Dr., Gary Smith, 1036 Morningside Dr., and Mark
Dywer, 731 Yuba St., spoke in favor of implementing an admission fee to Rotary Gardens. The
public hearing was closed. Councilmember Brunner moved to approve said proposal, seconded by
Councilmember Steeber and passed unanimously.
2. Action on a proposed resolution approving an amendment to the lease between the City of
Janesville and Rotary Gardens, Inc. Council President Loasching tabled item until September 8,
2008. (File Res. No. 2008-535)
3. Authorization for the City Administration to expend $37,500 for handicapped accessibility
improvements to Monterey Stadium. Councilmember Steeber moved to authorize City
Administration to expend $37,500 for handicapped accessibility improvements to Monterey
Stadium, seconded by Councilmember Rashkin and passed unanimously.
4. Action on a proposed resolution to approve a greenbelt easement request by AT&T Wisconsin.
Councilmember McDonald moved to adopt said resolution, seconded by Councilmember Steeber
and passed unanimously. (File Res. No. 2008-534)
5. Action on a proposed amendment to Council Policy Statement #14 governing the use of City
conference rooms. Councilmember Raskin moved to approve said amendment to Council Policy
Statement #14 governing the use of City conference rooms, seconded by Councilmember Tom
McDonald. The motion failed by the following vote: Aye: Councilmember Rashkin. Nay: Council
President Loasching, Councilmembers Brunner, McDonald, Steeber, Truman and Voskuil.
6. Proposed Amendment #1 to the project plan for TIF District No. 27 was introduced and referred
to the Plan Commission by Council President Loasching. (File Res. No. 2008-533)
7. Recommendations of the Transportation Committee: (A) A proposed ordinance requiring
Lapidary Lane to yield to Balmoral Drive (File Ord. No. 2008-414), and (B) A proposed ordinance
designating Sandhill Drive (North Wright Road to North Harmony Town Hall Road) as a connecting
arterial street (File Ord. No. 2008-415), were introduced and scheduled for public hearing on
September 8, 2008.
8. Matters not on the agenda. Councilmembers Brunner, Steeber and Truman thanked City
Manager Sheiffer for his assistance over the years and wished him best of luck in retirement.
Councilmember McDonald inquired about “cans for cash” challenge and asked if Main Street is a
truck route and can it be changed. Councilmembers Voskuil and McDonald asked if FEMA
inspectors are going to look at the sink hole on Main Street and bike trail bridge. Councilmember
Rashkin stated that if the people here are unhappy with our system of government then they should
move to Russia and see how property rights are violated. Council President Loasching asked
about the sidewalk billing issue, asked why the flashing light on Main Street in front of Olde Towne
Mall is turned off, asked how a new fee is the same as a service cut, asked if the Screamin’
Memees property is going to be given to a non-profit organization, and stated there is a family
event at Riverside Park. City Manager Sheiffer stated the flashing light has been off for two years.
Councilmember Truman asked if there will be a notification process in place for sidewalks being
installed into different neighborhoods. City Manager Sheiffer stated a joint meeting with the Plan
Commission will be sent to Council via e-mail.
9. Councilmember McDonald moved to convene into closed session pursuant to Wisconsin Statute
Section 19.85 (1)(e) for the purpose of deliberating or negotiating the purchasing of public
properties, the investing of public funds, or conducting other specified public business, whenever
competitive or bargaining reasons require a closed session, specifically setting the
negotiation/bargaining terms and conditions for acquiring certain real property for public purposes
and related contract language. The motion was seconded by Councilmember Steeber and passed
unanimously.
There being no further business, Council convened into closed session at 9:02 PM.
These minutes are not official until approved by the City Council.
David T. Godek
Deputy Clerk-Treasurer