Common Council Meeting

Common Council Meeting Whitewater Municipal Building Community Room, 312 West Whitewater St., Whitewater, WI 53190 *In Person and Virtual Tuesday, December 02, 2025 - 6:00 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 the webinar: https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/27662257587781?p=Qkz979CTOrCvXvbead 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 Singer called the meeting to order at 6:00pm. ROLL CALL PRESENT Council President Patrick Singer Councilmember Greg Majkrzak Councilmember Michael M.Smith Councilmember Orin O.Smith Councilmember Steven Sahyun Councilmember Brian Schanen Councilmember Neil Hicks City Manager, John Weidl City Attorney, Steven Chesebro Public Works Director, Brad Marquardt City Clerk, Heather Boehm 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, Common Council Meeting Minutes December 02, 2025 Page 2 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 to Approve the Agenda was made by Councilmember Majkrzak, Seconded by Councilmember O.Smith. Voting Yea: Council President Singer, Councilmember Majkrzak, Councilmember M.Smith, Councilmember O.Smith, Councilmember Sahyun, Councilmember Schanen, Councilmember Hicks 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 to approve the Consent Agenda with adding item #21 was made by Councilmember Majkrzak, Seconded by Councilmember O.Smith. Voting Yea: Council President Singer, Councilmember Majkrzak, Councilmember M.Smith, Councilmember O.Smith, Councilmember Sahyun, Councilmember Schanen, Councilmember Hicks 1. Approval of Common Council Meeting Minutes from November 18, 2025. 2. Library Board of Trustees Meeting Minutes from October 20, 2025. 3. Police and Fire Commission Meeting Minutes from September 9, 2025. 4. Pedestrian & Bicycle Advisory Commission Meeting Minutes from June 12, 2025, July 10, 2025 and October 9, 2025. 5. Equal Opportunities Commission Meeting minutes from August 13, 2025. 6. Finance Committee Meeting Minutes from September 23, 2025, October 9, 2025, October 14, 2025, October 15, 2025, and October 28, 2025. 7. Progress on Strategic Goals & Milestones. 8. Update on Education of the Stormwater Utility Rates. 9. Equipment donation to Kienbaum Iron & Metal. 10. Update on Stormwater Rate Increase and Associated Impacts on Renters. 11. Employee Bonuses. 12. October 2025 Financial Statements CITY MANAGER REPORT 13. City Manager Report. City Manager John Weidl gave his bi-monthly update of City events and accomplishments, including reports from the following departments: Public Works, Police Department, Fire Department, Economic Development, Library, Parks & Rec, and the HR department. City Manager John Weidl gave a brief statement on the City Food Drive with employees contributing 8,542 items for the Whitewater Library, Community Space and the Food Pantry. Common Council Meeting Minutes December 02, 2025 Page 3 STAFF REPORTS 14. Communications Center Update.- PD Chief Meyer gave an update on the Communications Center. 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. PUBLIC HEARING 15. Public Hearing regarding 2026-2027 City of Whitewater Budget. Finance Director Rachelle Blitch gave a brief overview of the 2026-2027 City of Whitewater Budget. Jeff Knight (405 Panther Ct) commented about the 2026-2027 City of Whitewater Budget. Larry Kachel (457 S Buckingham Blvd) commented about the 2026-2027 City of Whitewater Budget. RESOLUTION 16. Resolution 2025-R-1202 adopting 2026-2027 City of Whitewater Municipal Budget.- Finance Motion to approve Resolution 2025-R-1202 was made by Councilmember Majkrzak, Seconded by Councilmember O.Smith. Voting Yea: Council President Singer, Councilmember Majkrzak, Councilmember O.Smith, Councilmember Sahyun, Councilmember Schanen, Councilmember Hicks Voting Nay: Councilmember M.Smith 17. 2026 Salary Resolution- Finance Motion to approve 2026 Salary Resolution was made by Councilmember Majkrzak, Seconded by Councilmember O.Smith. Voting Yea: Council President Singer, Councilmember Majkrzak, Councilmember M.Smith, Councilmember O.Smith, Councilmember Sahyun, Councilmember Schanen, Councilmember Hicks 18. Amendment 4 of the 2025 Salary Resolution.- Finance Motion to approve 2025 Salary Resolution Amendment was made by Councilmember O.Smith, Seconded by Councilmember Majkrzak. Voting Yea: Council President Singer, Councilmember Majkrzak, Councilmember M.Smith, Common Council Meeting Minutes December 02, 2025 Page 4 Councilmember O.Smith, Councilmember Sahyun, Councilmember Schanen, Councilmember Hicks ORDINANCES First Reading 19. Reconsideration of 2025-O-28 Ordinance to Combine Neighborhood Services and Economic Development Departments into Community Development Department.- Economic Development Director. Motion to reconsider adoption of Ordinance 2025-O-28 was made by Councilmember O.Smith, Seconded by Councilmember Majkrzak. Voting Yea: Council President Singer, Councilmember Majkrzak, Councilmember M.Smith, Councilmember O.Smith, Councilmember Sahyun, Councilmember Schanen, Councilmember Hicks Motion to approve the first reading of Ordinance 2025-O-28 with the original clean language that was presented was made by Councilmember Hicks, Seconded by Councilmember O.Smith. Voting Yea: Council President Singer, Councilmember Majkrzak, Councilmember M.Smith, Councilmember O.Smith, Councilmember Sahyun, Councilmember Schanen, Councilmember Hicks Motion to waive the second reading of Ordinance 2025-O-28 was made by Councilmember Hicks, Seconded by Councilmember O.Smith. Voting Yea: Council President Singer, Councilmember Majkrzak, Councilmember M.Smith, Councilmember O.Smith, Councilmember Sahyun, Councilmember Schanen, Councilmember Hicks 20. Ordinance 2025-O-30 an Ordinance to Amend Section 1.28.020 Access to Exterior Property.-City Attorney No action was taken. CONSIDERATIONS 21. Discussion and Possible Action regarding the cancellation of January 6, 2026 Common Council meeting.- City Manager This item was moved to the Consent Agenda. 22. Councilmember Requests for Future Agenda Items or Committee items. Questions Councilmember Hicks asked for an update from the library on the new location. Some pictures or show and tell of the building and what their plans are for the trees. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS 23. Update on Downtown- M. Smith Q1 2026 24. Update on the Community Service Program- O. Smith Q1 25. Staff report on rental housing list.-January 20, 2026 Common Council Meeting Minutes December 02, 2025 Page 5 26. Fire Department Training Facility.- Q1 2026 27. Update on Starin Park Water Tower plans- O. Smith Q1 2026 28. Presentation of Update on Childcare Center.- December 16, 2025 29. TIF Impact Analysis.- December 16, 2025 ADJOURNMENT Motion to adjourn at 7:14pm was made by Councilmember Majkrzak, Seconded by Councilmember O.Smith. Voting Yea: Council President Singer, Councilmember Majkrzak, Councilmember M.Smith, Councilmember O.Smith, Councilmember Sahyun, Councilmember Schanen, Councilmember Hicks 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.