City Council

COMMISSION ON PUBLIC WORKS/UTILITIES COUNCIL ROOM AUGUST 25, 2020 6:45 P.M. The Commission on Public Works/Utilities met in regular session, Chair Clough presiding. On roll call: all members present. The minutes of the previous meeting were declared approved. Acting Director of Public Works Friemoth reported on one burial at the Cemetery, mowing and trimming Cemetery and parks, brush cleanup, started excavating for the new Cemetery building – cement crew should be forming and pouring the slab this week along with installing underground plumbing and drain lines, trimming and pruning trees, equipment maintenance, street sweeping, hauling brush and compost, cleaning out a ditch, storm sewer maintenance, the Water Department is doing hydrant flushing and maintenance, installed a new service at N2663 Opelt Avenue, meter change outs and installing radio readouts, the Sewer Department is doing lift station and plant maintenance, finished flushing sewer mains, beginning sludge hauling this week and the old landfill monitoring Well #4 has been abandoned and replacement drilled. Motion Weiers, second Counsell that Water Bills Nos. 210 to 234 in the amount of $34,012.30 and Sewer Bills Nos. 143 to 154 in the amount of $20,548.44 be paid. All Aye Motion Counsell, second Murphy, to adjourn. All Aye ___________________________________ Daniel M. Clough, Chair ________________________________ Rex R. Roehl, Clerk ************ COMMON COUNCIL COUNCIL ROOM AUGUST 25, 2020 7:00 P.M. The Common Council met in regular session, Mayor Murphy presiding. On roll call: all members present. The Pledge of Allegiance was recited. The minutes of the previous meeting were declared approved. Council Member Weiers reported on the August 18, 2020 meeting of the Beautification Committee regarding: 1) updates on the Planning Commission and Council approvals for the future Prock Park designs, 2) official naming of the park as Prock Park still has to be done, 3) discussion on flag pole and large rock placement, 4) discussion on future flower contracts, 5) authorized requesting bids for a two year flower contract, 6) discussion on Fall décor and planters, 7) work on and referral of the proposed 2021 Beautification budget to the Finance Committee and 8) traveled to Opelt Gravel Pit to view the rock approved for the park. Council Member Harnisch reported on the August 19, 2020 meeting of the Historic Preservation Commission regarding: 1) discussion on funds, 2) discussion and approval of a “Certificate of Appropriateness” for exterior replacement of a porch and siding at 218 Clay Street, Chris and Nicky Keller, 3) discussion on the Commission’s 2020 Action Plan, 4) discussion on historic property listing, 5) approved an expense report of $58.92, 6) discussion on the supply of prior year historic calendars, 7) contacts by two historic property owners – one for assistance in locating vendors of historic building materials and replacement items and one for information on insurance and various Commission requirements. Council Member Clough reported on the August 25, 2020 meeting of the Commission of Public Works/Utilities regarding: 1) current activities and 2) payment of bills. Mayor Murphy declared all reports filed as presented with the City Clerk. Council Member Counsell stated that parking permits have been talked about for the last few months and research shows there are 75 spaces available between the Town Square (19), lower downtown City lot (24), West Street (on-street between Fourth and Fifth Streets) (14), West Street (on-street between Fifth and Sixth Streets) (11) and Sixth Street (on-street between West Street and Grand Avenue) (7). These spots are not identified as permit versus open. Council Member Counsell stated that the current ordinance was last updated in April, 1997. The ordinance reserves ten permit spaces plus one for Glenn Roberts. How do you know which are permit spaces. Council Member Counsell reviewed some suggested recommendations for the parking permit application: treating tenants and business owners the same, you can’t use these permit spaces for storage (we have three out of service vehicles which haven’t moved for months), permit holders are assigned a spot, if a parking space is not used for two weeks – the permit is cancelled, vehicles must be moved every 72 hours, no more than two different cars can use the spot, one permit per entity, the vehicle has to have current tags, etc. Council Member Counsell stated that most communities sell permits annually with the first year prorated. The recommendation is to raise the current parking permit fee from $15 per quarter to $30 per quarter or $120 annually on a first come first available basis and that the time periods be removed. Council Member Counsell stated there are a lot of problems with parking around the courthouse. Maybe considering parking permits, which would eliminate courthouse employees using public lots, having to move their vehicles every three hours and offers them a dedicated spot. On August 24, 2020 the north courthouse parking lot was at 90% capacity at 9:00 A.M. Council Member Neville stated the street parking is for people doing business at the courthouse, Clark County has it’s own parking lot for the county employees, we should never have parking permits for their employees. Mayor Murphy stated that the City needs to get on the County to make their employees move. Jim Smagacz stated that when Chief Klueckmann received a complaint he surveyed the north courthouse parking lot and there was no fewer than twenty-two open spaces available. He is on the County Board and has talked with the County Board Chair Wayne Hendrickson, the Personnel Committee and at Department Head meetings and they all say it is a City problem. Council Member Clough stated that the County has two parking lots available with more than enough capacity. They also have room to expand. Jim Smagacz stated that on court days the streets are filled up. Council Member Clough suggested writing a letter to the County Board. Council Member Neville stated that we do need help from the County. They are violating their own County personnel policy when employees leave the county grounds during work time. Council Member Counsell asked where do we want to have permit parking. Council Member Clough stated that he thought we were talking about permits for the five City Lots (downtown upper and lower, town square and Library east and west). Keep it simple – designate the five lots and a permit is good in any lot. Council Member Neville stated that he was not aware of the street parking permits. Council Member Clough showed his business owner permit, there is no charge to a business owner. Clough recommended parking permits for parking lots only with no permits for on- street parking. Mayor Murphy stated that the permits should be displayed in the vehicles and it would be to much work to put up numbers for assigned parking spots. Chief of Police Mankowski stated that the sheets handed out were for brainstorming, but we need to clean up the ordinance language. Jim Smagacz stated that there is plenty of room in the lots during his parking enforcement rounds - they have never been totally filled. City Attorney Wachsmuth stated that they should not be totally filled, there should be some places not-permitted for others to use. The Council is to review parking permit information further – no action taken. Mayor Murphy presented Council Member Harnisch’s resignations from the Library Board, Board of Cemetery Commissioners and the Illegal Tax Committee. Motion Clough, second Neville, to accept Council Member Harnisch’s resignation as member of the Library Board and to thank him for his service to the City of Neillsville. Council Member Harnisch – Abstained. All other members – Aye. Motion Carried. Motion Neville, second Clough to accept Council Member Harnisch’s resignation as member of the Board of Cemetery Commissioners and thank him for his service to the City of Neillsville. Council Member Harnisch – Abstained. All other members – Aye. Motion Carried. Motion Counsell, second Clough, to accept Council Member Harnisch’s resignation as a member of the Illegal Tax Committee and thank him for his service to the City of Neillsville. Council Member Harnisch – Abstained. All other members – Aye. Motion Carried. Mayor Murphy recommended Mary Sladich as a member of the Library Board. Motion Counsell, second Neville, to accept the recommendation and appoint Mary Sladich (2022) as a member of the Library Board. All Aye. Mayor Murphy presented a request from the Neillsville Area Chamber of Commerce for use of CC Sniteman Town Square Park for Autumn Harvest Fest, to hang a banner on the Gazebo announcing the event and to close Hewett Street from Division Street to W. Eighth Street and Armory Avenue from Court Street to Hewett Street on Sunday, October 11, 2020. Discussion followed. The event runs from 8:00 A.M. to 3:00 P.M. approximately. Motion Weiers, second Counsell, to grant the Neillsville Area Chamber of Commerce request for use of CC Sniteman Town Square Park for Autumn Harvest Fest on Sunday, October 11, 2020, to hang a banner on the Gazebo announcing the event and to close Hewett Street from Division Street to W. Eighth Street and Armory Avenue from Court Street to Hewett Street from 8:00 A.M. to 3:00 P.M. approximately. All Aye. City Clerk Roehl presented an email from Linda Hemp reminding everyone of the Women’s Suffrage Centennial Celebration on Wednesday, August 26, 2020 at the Gazebo Commemorating the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment, Women’s Right to Vote, becoming law in the United States. Motion Neville, second Clough, that City Bills Nos. 822 to 854 in the amount of $259,685.03 be paid. All Aye. Motion Counsell, second Neville, to adjourn. All Aye. ___________________________________ Diane L. Murphy, Mayor ________________________________ Rex R. Roehl, Clerk ************