Common Council Meeting

Common Council Meeting Whitewater Municipal Building Community Room, 312 West Whitewater St., Whitewater, WI 53190 *In Person and Virtual Thursday, November 07, 2024 - 6:30 PM Citizens are welcome (and encouraged) to join our webinar via computer, smart phone, or telephone. Citizen participation is welcome during topic discussion periods. Please click the link below to join: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/84304645001?pwd=YZ4aKEGZ3DAb0Kc2PZzt0e6bIlX48i.1 Telephone: +1 (312) 626-6799 US (Chicago) Webinar ID: 843 0464 5001 Passcode: 460333 Please note that although every effort will be made to provide for virtual participation, unforeseen technical difficulties may prevent this, in which case the meeting may still proceed as long as there is a quorum. Should you wish to make a comment in this situation, you are welcome to call this number: (262) 473-0108. MINUTES CALL TO ORDER Council President Patrick Singer called the meeting to order at 6:30 pm. ROLL CALL PRESENT Council President Patrick Singer Councilmember Neil Hicks Councilmember Brienne Brown Councilmember Lisa Dawsey Smith Councilmember Greg Majkrzak Councilmember Brian Schanen City Attorney Jonathan McDonnel City Manager John Weidl Public Works Director Brad Marquardt City Clerk Heather Boehm Chief of Staff Becky Magestro ABSENT Councilmember Orin Smith Common Council Meeting Minutes November 07, 2024 Page 2 PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE APPROVAL OF AGENDA A councilmember can choose to remove an item from the agenda or rearrange its order; however, introducing new items to the agenda is not allowed. Any proposed changes require a motion, a second, and approval from the Council to be implemented. The agenda shall be approved at each meeting even if no changes are being made at that meeting. Motion made to approve the agenda by Councilmember Majkrzak, Seconded by Councilmember Brown. Voting Yea: Council President Singer, Councilmember Hicks, Councilmember Brown, Councilmember Dawsey Smith, Councilmember Majkrzak, Councilmember Schanen. CONSENT AGENDA Items on the Consent Agenda will be approved together unless any council members requests that an item be removed for individual consideration. Motion made Approve the Consent Agenda and move item #17 the Resolution to request exemption from County Library Tax and # 21 the Job Descriptions for City Attorney and Building Inspector/Zoning Administrator by Councilmember Dawsey Smith, Seconded by Councilmember Schanen. Voting Yea: Council President Singer, Councilmember Hicks, Councilmember Brown, Councilmember Dawsey Smith, Councilmember Majkrzak, Councilmember Schanen. 1. Alcohol Committee Meeting Minutes from July 16, 2024. 2. Plan and Architectural Review Commission September 9, 2024 Minutes. 3. CDA Minutes from September 19, 2024. 4. Finance Committee Meeting Minutes from September 24, 2024, October 8, 2024, and October 17, 2024. 5. Library Board of Trustees Minutes from September 16, 2024. 6. Library Board Development Committee Meeting Minutes from September 18, 2024. 7. Pregnancy Fairness Policy. 8. Lactation Policy. 9. Bring Your Baby to Work Policy. 10. AI Policy. 11. Equipment Replacement Policy. 12. Bring Your Own Device Policy. 13. Appointment of Pat Blackmer to Landmarks Commission. 14. Appointment of Nicholas Petreikis to BZA and Community Involvement and Cable TV. 15. September 2024 Financials Common Council Meeting Minutes November 07, 2024 Page 3 CITY MANAGER REPORT STAFF REPORTS 16. Upcoming deadlines for Councilmember Candidates-City Clerk City Clerk Boehm informed Council of upcoming dates for anyone wanting to run for Common Council and what seats were on the Ballot for the April 1, 2025 Spring General Election. HEARING OF CITIZEN COMMENTS No formal Council action will be taken during this meeting although issues raised may become a part of a future agenda. Participants are allotted a three minute speaking period. Specific items listed on the agenda may not be discussed at this time; however, citizens are invited to speak to those specific issues at the time the Council discusses that particular item. To make a comment during this period, or during any agenda item: On a computer or handheld device, locate the controls on your computer to raise your hand. You may need to move your mouse to see these controls. On a traditional telephone, dial *6 to unmute your phone and dial *9 to raise your hand. Larry Kachel (457 S Buckingham) commented that the Developer Meet & Greet held November 1, 2024 was informative and went very well. He also questioned whether the absentee ballots could be pre- numbered and checked in prior to the election and that in the past, it save a lot of time. RESOLUTION 17. Resolution Requesting Exemption from County Library Tax- Finance This was added to the Consent Agenda and approved with that vote. CONSIDERATIONS 18. Public Safety Referendum-PD Motion made to go forward with a Public Safety Referendum question for the April Spring Election by Councilmember Hicks, Seconded by Councilmember Majkrzak. Voting Yea: Council President Singer, Councilmember Hicks, Councilmember Brown, Councilmember Dawsey Smith, Councilmember Majkrzak, Councilmember Schanen. Larry Kachel (457 S Buckingham) asked that the Council put projections in average taxpayer example and future projected inflationary increases the best they can. Jeff Knight (405 Panther Ct) commented that if something happens with immigration and deportation, what that need would be in Whitewater in the future. Common Council Meeting Minutes November 07, 2024 Page 4 Jill Gerber (234 S Pleasant St) questioned Chief Meyer if the three that were hired under the COPS Grant, if they were included or fees for the third year that the City has to cover. Chief explained that the COPS Grants will come out of this referendum. 19. Discussion and Possible action regarding 2025 Budget-Finance Finance Director Blitch gave the second of three Formal Presentations of the Budget. No action taken at this time. 20. Discussion and Possible Action regarding City Manager's Performance Evaluation Tool-HR Motion made to approve the City Manager Performance Tool by Councilmember Majkrzak, Seconded by Councilmember Brown. Voting Yea: Council President Singer, Councilmember Hicks, Councilmember Brown, Councilmember Dawsey Smith, Councilmember Majkrzak, Councilmember Schanen. 21. Discussion and Possible Action regarding the Job Descriptions for City Attorney and Building Inspector/Zoning Administrator.-HR This was added to the Consent Agenda and approved in that vote. 22. Councilmember Requests for Future Agenda Items or Committee items. Questions Councilmember Schanen asked staff to report on 2024 General Election by end of year. Councilmember Brown asked staff to update Leash Law ordinance for Bark Park. Councilmember Hicks asked if staff could draft an ordinance to allow Councilmembers fill in on Committees when there were vacancies so that quorums could be met. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS 23. Financial Outcomes with Walworth County TLE. -Q4 24. WAFC year-end financial update.- Hicks Q4 25. Audio/Visual System Updated in Council Chamber-Hicks Q4 26. Resolution to raise Permit Fees - Economic Development Director Q4 27. Starin Road Pedestrian Study- Schanen Q4 ADJOURNMENT Motion made to adjourn at 8:51 pm by Councilmember Dawsey Smith, Seconded by Councilmember Majkrzak. Voting Yea: Council President Singer, Councilmember Hicks, Councilmember Brown, Councilmember Dawsey Smith, Councilmember Majkrzak, Councilmember Schanen. Common Council Meeting Minutes November 07, 2024 Page 5 Anyone requiring special arrangements is asked to call the Office of the City Manager / City Clerk (262-473-0102) at least 72 hours prior to the meeting. 2023-2025 City of Whitewater's 5 strategic goals: Build single-family homes, Communicate with the community without the newspaper, Support a thriving business community, Recruitment and retention efforts with a focus on diversity, and Prioritization of expenditures with available resources.