Minutes 11-23-09
PROCEEDINGS OF THE CITY COUNCIL
CITY OF JANESVILLE, WISCONSIN
REGULAR MEETING APPROVED: December 14, 2009
NOVEMBER 23, 2009
VOL. 60
NO. 25
Regular meeting of the City Council of the City of Janesville held in the Municipal Building on November 23,
2009. The meeting was called to order by Council Vice President Voskuil at 7:00 PM.
Present: Councilmembers Brunner, McDonald, Perrotto, Rashkin, Steeber, and Voskuil. Council President
Truman was absent.
CONSENT AGENDA
Minutes of the regular meeting of November 9, 2009.
Licenses and Recommendations of the Alcohol License Advisory Committee (Sneakers Pub and Grill).
Financial statement for the month of October 2009.
Council Vice President Voskuil removed the alcohol license for Sneakers Pub and Grill from the Consent
Agenda and scheduled it after Old Business Item #2. She stated that all other items on the consent agenda
would be approved if there were no objections. There were none.
OLD BUSINESS
1. Requests and comments from the public regarding items on the agenda not requiring a public hearing.
Burdette Erickson, 115 S. High St., Margaret Delaney, 439 N. Jackson St., and Kurt Link, 118 S. High St.,
supported the acquisition and demolition of 127 N. Terrace Street (New Business #4).
2. Requests and comments from the public on matters which can be affected by Council action. Allison
Rollette, 976 Industrial Ct., requested an ordinance allowing chickens within the City limits and that it be
referred to the Sustainable Committee. Alfred Lembrich, 541 Miller Ave., spoke against an ordinance allowing
chickens in City limits.
Council President allowed public comment on the application for an alcohol license for Sneakers Sports Bar
and Grill at 1221 Woodman Rd. Dale Weidenfeller, 1247 Mayfair Dr., Carmen Fetting, 1210 Yuba St., Barbara
Mullett, 1115 Mayfair Dr., Helen Anderson, 935 Matheson St., Patricia Schuler, 1126 Woodman Rd, and
Yetiva Gavin, 1104 Woodman Rd., and Chris and Gerald Johnson, 1105 Mayfair Dr., spoke against an alcohol
license for Sneakers.
Brian Delorimier, 863 Matheson St., Rebecca Springer Seaman, 921 Matheson St., Tom Walters, 18 S. Palm
St., Jon Wangerin, 1416 Mayfair Dr., Jean Rogers, 1125 Detroit Ave., Kevin Kelley, 1920 Greenwich Ln.,
Bridget Cunningham, 1025 Hawthorne Ave., and Kim Brown, 1133 Huron Dr spoke in favor of the license.
Eric Schwartz, Katie Udell, and Brian Sebastian, representing Sara Investments, spoke in favor of the alcohol
license. Joe Hoppenjohn, 1112 Burbank, stated that the Council should make the decision on whether to
grant a license. The public comment portion of the discussion was closed. Based on the information
presented to the Council, Councilmember Perrotto moved to grant an alcohol license to Sneakers, seconded
by Councilmember Rashkin and passed by the following vote: Aye: Perrotto, Rashkin, Steeber, and Voskuil.
Nay: Brunner and McDonald.
3. Continued public hearing and action on the FY2010 proposed City and Library budgets. Alfred Lembrich,
541 Miller Ave., suggested only necessities be included in the budget. The public hearing was closed.
Councilmember Steeber moved to approve the 2010 proposed City budget as revised by the City Council thru
November 9, 2009, with the General Fund Budget in the amount of $41,417,999 and a tax levy (without TIF) in
the amount of $24,913,749, and direct the Comptroller to include these amounts in the 2010 appropriation and
levy resolutions. The motion was seconded by Councilmember Brunner. Councilmember Perrotto moved to
amend the budget by decreasing funding for adult recreation programs by $36,500. He received no second.
The council passed the 2010 Budget by the following vote: Aye: Brunner, Perrotto, Rashkin, Steeber, and
Voskuil. Nay: McDonald. Councilmember McDonald moved to approve the 2010 Capital Budget for JATV
Budget, seconded by Councilmember Steeber and passed unanimously. Councilmember Steeber moved to
approve the 2010 Proposed State and Federal Grants Budget, seconded by Councilmember Brunner and
passed unanimously. Council Vice President Voskuil scheduled a special Council meeting for November 25,
2009 at 7:45 AM to set tax levy.
4. A proposed charter ordinance amending the meeting time of regular Common Council meetings from 7:00
PM to 6:30 PM on the second and fourth Mondays of the month. Council Vice President Voskuil postponed
action until December 14, 2009. (File Charter Ord. No. 2009-008)
5. A proposed ordinance increasing bus fares ($1.25-$1.50) on the Janesville Transit System received its
second reading and public hearing. Dan Wenzel, 2505 Elizabeth St., Jerimiah Beasley, 339 Division St., and
Kimber Coulter, 120 N. River St., Apt. 104, spoke in support of increasing fares and maintaining the same
level of service. The public hearing was closed. Councilmember Steeber moved to adopt said ordinance,
seconded by Councilmember Rashkin and passed unanimously. (File Ord. No. 2009-443)
NEW BUSINESS
1. Action on a proposed resolution creating a green building policy for the construction and/or renovation of all
City-owned facilities over $500,000. Councilmember Rashkin moved to adopt said resolution, including a
friendly amendment made by Councilmember McDonald to change the base review amount from $500,000 to
$250,000. Councilmember Steeber called for the vote, seconded by Councilmember Perrotto and passed
unanimously. The Council voted and the motion passed unanimously. (File Res. No. 2009-657)
2. Action on a proposed resolution authorizing the City of Janesville’s submittal of a 2010 Wisconsin Office of
Energy Independence grant for an Energy Independent Community 25 x 25 Plan. Councilmember McDonald
moved to adopt said resolution, seconded by Councilmember Steeber and passed unanimously. (File Res.
No. 2009-658)
3. Councilmember Rashkin left the Council chambers. Action on a proposed resolution granting a non-
exclusive utility easement along Ruger Avenue to Alliant Energy. Councilmember McDonald moved to adopt
said resolution, seconded by Councilmember Steeber and passed unanimously. Councilmember Rashkin
returned to the Council table. (File Res. No. 2009-652)
4. Action on a proposed resolution authorizing the acquisition and demolition of 127 North Terrace Street.
Councilmember Steeber moved to adopt said resolution, seconded by Councilmember Brunner and passed
unanimously. (File Res. No. 2009-655)
5. Action on a proposed resolution authorizing the submission of an amendment to the Community Block
Grant Emergency Assistance Program contract between the State of Wisconsin Department of Commerce
and the City of Janesville. Councilmember Steeber moved to adopt said resolution, seconded by
Councilmember McDonald and passed unanimously. (File Res. No. 2009-656)
6. Matters not on the agenda. Councilmember Voskuil suggested citizens look at Park Place News for City
news and upcoming events and wished everyone a Happy Thanksgiving.
7. Councilmember McDonald moved to convene into closed session pursuant to Wisconsin Statute Section
19.85(1)(e) for the purpose of deliberating and setting the negotiation and bargaining strategies, terms, and
conditions for two different potential TIF Development Agreements for TIF No. 23, one potential agreement for
TIF No. 22, and for potential acquisition of a mid-city site for redevelopment and/or other public purposes,
since competitive and/or bargaining reasons require a closed session, seconded by Councilmember Steeber
and passed unanimously.
There being no further business, Council convened into closed session at 10:15 PM. These minutes are not
official until approved by the City Council.
Jean Ann Wulf, Clerk-Treasurer