04-16-96PROCEEDINGS OF THE CITY COUNCIL Approved 5-13-96
CITY OF JANESVILLE, WISCONSIN
ORGDJqlZATIONAL MEETING
April 16, 1996
VOL. 47
NO. 1
Organizational meeting of the Janesville City Council, held in the
Municipal Building on April 16, 1996 at 6:00 p.m.
The meeting was called te order by Councilme~Der Nell.
Present: Councilmembers Stehura, Brien, O'Leary, Cullen, Schneider, Noll
and Westphal.
ELECTION OF COUNCIL PRESIDENT
Ceuncilme~kber O'Leary moved to nominate Councilmember Schneider for the
position of Council President, seconded by Councilmember Stehura and
passed by the following vote: Aye: Councilmembers Stehura, Br2_en,
O'Leary, Cullen, Noll and Westphal. Pass: Councilmember Schneider.
Council President Schneider established the new seating arrangement for
the Council, starting at the President's far left: Councilmembers
Stehura, Brien, O'Leary and Cullen; and, starting from the Council
President's far right: Councilmembers Westpha! and Nell.
The Council moved into a Study Session format to review the downtown
development projects and the Council information program on community
and economic development.
DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS
Councilmember Cullen stated he would not partioipate in any discussions
on the YMCA/Boys & Girls Club because of a conflict of interest.
Councilmember Cullen left the Council table and sat in the audience.
City Hanager Sheiffer presented the five proposed projects in the
downtown area to the City Council as outlined in the memo from the
Assistant City Manager to the City Manager dated April 11, 1996. He
described the five downtown projects, the cost of each project and the
staff evaluation. The projects discussed were: The YMCA/Boys & Girls
Club expansion, the transit transfer center, reuse of the Kealy
building, reuse of the Woolworth building and the acquisition and
demolition of the Wisconsin Power and Light maintenance facility.
Assistant City Manager Rogers outlined the three traffic alternatlves
associated with the YMCA/Boys & Girls Club project. The first
alternative would reroute traffic from Franklin Street onto Jackson
Street. The second alternative would reroute traffic from Franklin
Street onto River Street and reconstruct River Street to accommodate
three lanes of traffic, with one lane southbound and two lanes
northbound. The last alternative would reroute the Franklin Street
traffic to River Street, but change River Street to a one-way street
with two lanes of traffic northbound. The Administration recommended
alternative one to the Council.
During the discussion on the downtown revitalization the Adminis5rat~Lon
was asked to respond to various questions and provide additional
information before the Council took formal action on the projects.
Councilmember Noll requested the following information:
· Memorandum discussing the probability of federal/state
funding sources for the projects.
· The total cost of cleaning up the E, PW site located on R~ver
Street.
Original report on the River Street realignment.
· What is the traffic service level goal of other cities?
· What impact do the various downtown projects have on TIF 3
and include in the analysis when the affected properties were
last assessed, their current assessment and the effect of the
pending reevaluation?
Basis for Administration's statement that the Adams building
is over-assessed.
· What block grant projects would not be funded due to these
projects?
· Copy of the original transit center studies.
Cost projection for original transit center site versus our
proposed new site.
· Information provided to Council and the corresponding minutes
of the Council discussion on the transfer of $300,000 to ~?IF
3. Was it our intention to pay of~ TIF 3 early?
· Number of hours the Administration has spent on this project
thus far and the cost.
2
· Definition of blight.
· Historic aspects of the buildings to be demolished.
· Programming times at the YMCA/Boys & Girls Club.
Will YMCA/Boys & Girls Club facilities be open late at night?
· Memo outlining the City's and YMCA/Boys & Girls Club's
responsibilities of the development of the new YMCA/Boys and
Girls Club facility.
· What property owners have conditioned the sale of their
properties on the project proceeding?
· What are the option dates on properties needed for YMCA/Boys
& Girls Club expansion?
· Would any General Motors project be put off by committing to
this project?
· Prediction of General Motors transportation needs in the
future and would the downtown projects hamper them?
History of fundraising at the YMCA.
Average debt service levels in comparable cities.
· Parking impact of YMCA/Boys & Girls Club project.
Councilmember Stehura requested the following information:
· The impact on tax rate for each project.
· How many hours has our traffic consultant put into the
YMCA/Boys & Girls Club project?
· Revised estimate of project costs including effect on TIF
3.
Councilmember Brien requested the following information:
· PECFA funds in a cost summary chart.
Will the clean-up costs and the associated borrowing costs
be reimbursed with PECFA funds and are they included in the
chart?
If parking is taken off South Jackson Street, will some
3
businesses have no parking?
Councilmember O'Leary requested the following information:
· Cost of traffic signals at Dodge and Jackson Streets.
Council President Schneider requested the following information:
How will the road improvement costs be divided and what would
the amount to property owners be, if any?
Councilmember Westphal requested the following information:
· Have all efforts been exhausted to acquire the old post
office site?
· Comparison of the selling price of the old post office site
to the Franklin Street closing costs.
COUNCIL INFORMATION PROGR3tM COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Councilmember Cullen returned to the Council table.
Economic Development Director Doug Venable discussed the City's economic
development strategy and TIF/Industrial Policy with the Council.
Councilmember Brien left the meeting at 9:05 p.m.
Community Development Director Michael King reviewed the key areas of
the Code Administration Department, the Planning Department and the
Community Development Department that the Council will address in the
next six months.
Council President Schneider scheduled three Study Sessions to discuss
Public Works on Monday, April 29, 1996 at '7:00 p.m., Finance and
Leisure Services on Monday, May 6, 1996 at 7:00 p.m. and Public Safety
on Monday, May 20, 1996 at 7:00 p.m.
Councilmembers waived notice for the Study Sessions.
There being no further business, the Council adjourned at 9:22 p.m.
These minutes are not official until approved by the City Council.
Jean Ann Wulf
City Clerk Treasurer
4