Minutes 09-14-09 (2)
PROCEEDINGS OF THE CITY COUNCIL
CITY OF JANESVILLE, WISCONSIN
REGULAR MEETING APPROVED: September 28, 2009
SEPTEMBER 14, 2009
VOL. 60
NO. 17
Regular meeting of the City Council of the City of Janesville held in the Municipal Building on
September 14, 2009. The meeting was called to order by Council President Truman at 7:00 PM.
Council President Truman led the Council in the Pledge of Allegiance.
Present: Council President Truman, Councilmembers Brunner, McDonald, Perrotto, Rashkin,
Steeber, and Voskuil.
CONSENT AGENDA
Minutes of the regular meeting of August 24, 2009.
Minutes of the special meeting of August 27, 2009.
Minutes of the closed session of June 22, 2009.
Licenses and Recommendations of the Alcohol License Advisory Committee (ALAC).
Action on a motion to approve final Certified Survey Map 09005-C, Dan Fuerstenberg, 2 lots on
Pine Street.
Authorization for the Administration to deny a claim for refund of allegedly illegal taxes from
Robert Redmond for Sun Vista Properties (2010 & 2016 Kellogg Avenue).
Council President Truman stated the alcohol license application for Hill Top and alcohol license
application amendment for Time Out would be removed from the consent agenda and the
remaining items would be approved if there were no objections. There were none.
Councilmember Rashkin moved to approve said alcohol license application for Hill Top based
on the information presented to the Council, seconded by Councilmember Voskuil and passed
by the following vote: Aye: Brunner, McDonald, Rashkin, Steeber, Truman, and Voskuil. Nay:
Perrotto.
Councilmember Steeber moved to approve Time Out’s license application amendment to include
outdoor seating as recommended by the ALAC, to include Councilmember Brunner’s friendly
amendment to require the outdoor seating hours to be the same as the Looking Glass.
Councilmember Rashkin seconded the motion and it passed unanimously.
Special recognition: Action on a proposed resolution in commendation of Mike Rundle’s 31
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. 2009-
633)
Action on a proposed resolution supporting the WYCA’s Walk a Mile in Her Shoes event to stop
domestic violence. Council President Truman moved to adopt said resolution, seconded by
Councilmember Steeber and passed unanimously. (File Res. No. 2009-634)
Action on a proposed resolution recognizing October 2009 as Arts Month in the City of
Janesville. Councilmember Rashkin moved to adopt said resolution, seconded by
Councilmember Steeber and passed unanimously. (File Res. No. 2009-635)
Action on a proposed resolution celebrating the fifth anniversary of the Janesville Performing
Arts Center. Councilmember McDonald moved to adopt said resolution, seconded by
Councilmember Rashkin and passed unanimously. (File Res. No. 2009-637)
OLD BUSINESS
1. Requests and comments from the public regarding items on the agenda not requiring a public
hearing. Joe Hoppenjon, 1112 Burbank Ave., requested Council spend more money to put
people back to work.
2. Requests and comments from the public on matters which can be affected by Council action.
Kevin O’Leary, 1711 Royal Oaks Dr. and Karl Dommershausen, 103 S. Jackson St., spoke in
support of a new ice skating center and to locate it near the downtown area (New Business #5).
Jerry Bumgarner, 1735 S. Osborne Ave., spoke about the proposed employee furloughs and pay
cuts and requested Council stop spending money on new projects.
NEW BUSINESS
1. Action on a financial gain request from Conquer Chiari Walk Across America. Councilmember
Steeber moved to approve a financial gain request from Conquer Chiari Walk Across America,
seconded by Councilmember Voskuil and passed unanimously.
2. Action on a financial gain request from the Rock County Historical Society for a cemetery tour.
Councilmember Steeber moved to approve a financial gain request from the Rock County
Historical Society for a cemetery tour, seconded by Councilmember Rashkin and passed
unanimously.
3. Action on a request to waive the special event fee for the Rock County Historical Society
cemetery tour. Councilmember Steeber moved to waive the special event fee for the Rock
County Historical Society cemetery tour, seconded by Councilmember Rashkin and failed by the
following vote: Aye: Perrotto, Rashkin, and Steeber. Nay: Brunner, McDonald, Truman and
Voskuil. Councilmembers McDonald, Perrotto and Voskuil requested a review of the special
events ordinance so that the Council can be consistent on waiving the associated fees.
4. Recommendation of the Transportation Committee: A proposed resolution authorizing the
removal of traffic control signals at the following locations received its public hearing. Tom
Brien, 807 Kellogg Ave., Bill McCoy, 1326 Putnam Ave., and Wanda Gunterberg, 25 E. State
St., all spoke against removal of Item #3. The public hearing was closed.
(1) West Delavan Drive & Ogden Street (Gilman driveway)
(2) Academy Street & West Milwaukee Street
(3) Beloit Avenue & State Street
(4) Elliott Street & South Jackson Street
(5) South Jackson Street between State Street & Elliott Street (GM driveway)
(6) South Jackson Street & West State Street
Councilmember Steeber moved to vote on said traffic control signals on an individual basis,
seconded by Councilmember Voskuil: Items (1), (4), (5), and (6) passed unanimously. Item (2)
failed by the following vote: Aye: McDonald, Perrotto, and Rashkin. Nay: Brunner, Steeber,
Truman, and Voskuil. Item (3) failed unanimously. (File Res. No. 2009-636)
5. Discussion/possible action on a request from Janesville Youth Hockey Building Committee for
City Council consideration on City providing funding to build new ice rink. Larry Squires, 4245
Wilshire Ln.; and Mark Robinson, Town of Harmony; requested a 30 day extension to pursue
more options to fund and locate a site for a new ice skating center. Council President Truman
postponed this item until October 26, 2009.
6. Authorization to submit a grant application to the Economic Development Administration for
funding to construct a business incubator. Councilmember Steeber moved to authorize
Administration to submit a grant application to the Economic Development Administration for
funding to construct a business incubator, seconded by Councilmember Voskuil and passed
unanimously.
7. Request for City Council to determine whether to overturn City Manager’s decision on
Wisconsin Hockey Partners’ advertising signage at the ice rink. Bill McCoshen, Fitchburg, WI,
responded to questions. Councilmember Steeber moved to authorize advertisement as
directed/approved by the City Manager, including a friendly amendment by Councilmember
McDonald to disallow alcohol advertisements on the dasher boards or on ice, seconded by
Councilmember Voskuil and passed by the following vote: Aye: Perrotto, Rashkin, Steeber, and
Voskuil. Nay: Brunner, McDonald, and Truman.
8. Council President Truman scheduled a Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) Policy
Board Meeting for 6:30 PM on September 28, 2009.
9. Recommendation of the Transportation Committee: A proposed ordinance amending the list
of connecting arterial streets was introduced and scheduled for a public hearing on September
28, 2009. (File Ord. No. 2009-438)
10. Matters not on the agenda. Councilmember Steeber suggested changing traffic signage and
repaint turn lanes at the intersection of Morse St. and Milton Ave. for westbound traffic.
Councilmember Rashkin requested a status report on Mercy Manor and the Lovejoy Mansion.
Council President Truman stated that the City had four community events over the weekend
despite the economic times. In addition, he stated he received a request from the Janesville
Gazette to change the Council meeting times from 7:00 PM to 6:00 PM. This matter will be
placed on a future agenda. Councilmember Brunner stated that the candy distributed by the
Council during the Labor Day Parade was purchased by Council President Truman.
11. 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 a TIF development agreement for TIF 33,
seconded by Councilmember Steeber and passed by the following vote: Aye: McDonald,
Perrotto, Rashkin, Steeber, Truman, and Voskuil. Nay: Brunner.
There being no further business, Council convened into closed session at 10:35 PM.
These minutes are not official until approved by the City Council.
Jean Ann Wulf
Clerk-Treasurer