Minutes 12-22-2008
PROCEEDINGS OF THE CITY COUNCIL
CITY OF JANESVILLE, WISCONSIN
REGULAR MEETING APPROVED: January 12, 2009
December 22, 2008
VOL. 59
NO. 41
Regular meeting of the City Council of the City of Janesville held in the Municipal Building
on December 22, 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.
Council President Loasching thanked Jacob Winzenz for his role as Acting City Manager
and welcomed Eric Levitt as City Manager.
CONSENT AGENDA
Minutes of the regular meeting of December 8, 2008 (amended)
Minutes of the closed session of December 8, 2008
Licenses and Recommendations of the Alcohol License Advisory Committee
Financial statement for the month of November, 2008.
Action on a motion to approve final Certified Survey Map 08015-T, Michelle Chesebro, 2
lots along Avalon Road in Rock Township.
Waiver of special assessment procedures for storm sewer and street lighting charges for
CSM 08015, Chesebro.
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 Debra M. Case’s
thirty years of service to the Hedberg Public Library. Councilmember Steeber moved to
adopt said resolution, seconded by Councilmember Raskin and passed unanimously. (File
Res. No. 2008-555)
Special recognition: Action on a proposed resolution in commendation of Karen A.
Helwig’s twenty-four years of service to the Hedberg Public Library. Councilmember
Steeber moved to adopt said resolution, seconded by Councilmember Truman and passed
unanimously. (File Res. No. 2008-556)
Special recognition: Action on a proposed resolution in commendation of Stephen R.
DeWitt’s thirty-one years of service to the City of Janesville. Councilmember Brunner
moved to adopt said resolution, seconded by Councilmember Steeber and passed
unanimously. (File Res. No. 2008-565)
Special recognition: Action on a proposed resolution in commendation of Timothy J.
Ehlers’ thirty-one years of service to the City of Janesville. Councilmember Brunner
moved to adopt said resolution, seconded by Councilmember Steeber and passed
unanimously. (File Res. No. 2008-563)
Special recognition: Action on a proposed resolution in commendation of Craig A. Fritz’s
thirty years of service to the City of Janesville. Councilmember Brunner moved to adopt
said resolution, seconded by Councilmember Steeber and passed unanimously. (File Res.
No. 2008-564)
OLD BUSINESS
1. Requests and comments from the public regarding items on the agenda not requiring a
public hearing. None.
2. Requests and comments from the public on matters which can be affected by Council
action. Jared Holcomb and Joann Huggins, 1152 N. Pontiac Dr., spoke about the free
garage sales they operate out of their garage and asked not to register as a home
business. Tara Yanchik, 1309 Burbank Ave., spoke in favor of Jared Holcomb’s garage
sales. Andreah Briarmoon, 339 S. Locust St., asked Council to do what they can to freeze
foreclosures for the next 12 months; thinks General Motors should sign their property over
to the City to provide housing for homeless people. Helen Close, 227 Ba Wood Ln.,
presented City Manager Levitt with three books about the City of Janesville.
3. City Manager’s report: (A) Poverty in Janesville. Presentation was made by Jennifer
Petruzello, Director of Neighborhood Services, in which she provided federal poverty
guidelines, and the 2006 income and poverty statistics for Janesville. Presentation was
made by Lisa Furseth, Executive Director of Community Action Incorporated of Rock and
Walworth Counties, in which she discussed various resources available and asked the
Council to be sensitive to the needs of the poor when making policy decisions.
NEW BUSINESS
1. Action on a proposed resolution authorizing a 10-year special assessment payment plan
for New Life Assembly of God Church located at 2416 North Wright Road. Councilmember
Steeber moved to adopt said resolution, seconded by Councilmember Raskin and passed
by the following vote: Aye: Councilmembers Brunner, McDonald, Rashkin, Steeber, and
Truman. Nay: Council President Loasching and Councilmember Voskuil. (File Res. No.
2008-567)
2. Action on a proposed resolution accepting the transfer of all cemetery property and all
trust funds pertaining to the cemetery from the Board of Trustees of Oak Hill Cemetery
Association, Inc. Councilmember Steeber moved to adopt said resolution, seconded by
Councilmember Voskuil and passed by the following vote: Aye: Council President
Loasching, Councilmembers Brunner, McDonald, Rashkin, Steeber, and Voskuil. Passed:
Councilmember Truman. (File Res. No. 2008-568)
3. Action on a proposed resolution amending the appointment provisions of the Alcohol
License Advisory Committee, Leisure Services Advisory Committee, Sustainable Janesville
and Transportation Committee to require appointments to be made by the Council
President following consultation with the Citizens Advisory Committee on Appointments.
Councilmember McDonald moved to adopt said resolution seconded by Councilmember
Brunner. Council President Loasching postponed action on said resolution until January
12, 2009 so a public hearing could be held. (File Res. No. 2008-566)
4. A proposed charter ordinance amending the appointment provisions of the Plan
Commission, Board of Review, Library Board of Trustees, and Zoning Board of Appeals
and creating a charter ordinance for the Community Development Authority to require
appointments to be made by the Council President following consultation with the Citizens
Advisory Committee on Appointments in amended Sections 2.20.010, 2.24.010, 2.28.010,
2.58.020, and newly created Chapter 2.26 was introduced and scheduled for public
hearing on January 12, 2009. (File Charter Ord. No. 2008-006)
5. A proposed ordinance amending the appointment provisions of the Historic Commission
to require appointments to be made by the Council President following consultation with
the Citizens Advisory Committee on Appointments in amended Section
18.36.070(B)(2H)(c)(i) was introduced and scheduled for public hearing on January 12,
2009. (File Ord. No. 2008-422)
6. A proposed ordinance rezoning property located at 600 S. Pine St. from R2 to B3 was
introduced, referred to Plan Commission, and scheduled for public hearing on January 26,
2009. (File Ord. No. 2008-426)
7. Matters not on the agenda. Councilmember Truman commended Public Works for
plowing during the large snow storm, stated the City needs to be proactive in writing tickets
for cars parked on streets during snow emergencies, and requested a report on the Case
Feed Building. Councilmember McDonald requested a report on clearing fire hydrants of
snow. Councilmember Voskuil stated Public Works did an excellent job on snow removal.
Councilmember Steeber encouraged residents to clear fire hydrants of snow.
Councilmember Brunner asked if streets are rechecked for drifts. Jack Messer, Director of
Public Works, said if there is drifting to call 755-3110. Council President Loasching asked
citizens to remember the GM, Lear, and LSI employees who will be laid off on December
23, 2008.
8. Councilmember Steeber moved to convene into closed session pursuant to Wisconsin
Statute Section 19.85 (1)(e) for the purpose of deliberating or negotiating the purchase
and/or sale 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 terms and conditions for a potential County of Rock-City
of Janesville intergovernmental cooperation agreement concerning the provision of law
enforcement services to the UW Rock County Campus; and for the purpose of reviewing
and setting the proposed negotiation and bargaining terms and conditions for a potential
TIF No. 34 development agreement for a manufacturing company. The motion was
seconded by Councilmember McDonald and passed unanimously.
There being no further business, Council convened into closed session at 9:15 PM.
These minutes are not official until approved by the City Council.
David T. Godek
Deputy Clerk-Treasurer