City Council - Regular Meeting

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But they would start sending you because and Uh, this meeting of the Oaklair City Council will come to order. Please stand for the pledge of

allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for it stands. One nation under God indivisibley and justice for all. Uh city clerk, please call the role. Council member Brewster, present. Here. Johnson, here. Rid Miller Otto here. Reed here. Here. Serrano here. Here.

All right. And thanks everybody for coming to the the May Monday, May 11th meeting of the Oaklair City Council. Um, and I want to welcome our our newest uh council member from District 2 was just appointed a couple weeks ago. That's Joyce Orth. So, thank you for joining us. All right. So, and Joyce has already been sworn in earlier uh a couple about a week and a half ago or so and or uh last Monday.

Oh, last Monday. It's been a week. So, um so yeah, very exciting. Um yeah, thanks thanks everybody for being here uh today. We um so just so folks kind of have a lay of the land for our meeting. Um we um we have copies of the agenda in the back of the room uh for folks. Uh there's three uh public hearings and then there's two public uh discussions and then we have time at the end for for our uh public comment period and then after that uh the council will uh consider going into close session for an item. So, so that's kind of the lay of the land um for folks. Um so for each item that that we bring up uh there is uh there will be a staff presentation and uh and then there'll be uh questions from account there'll be time for questions from the city council and then there'll be uh public comment uh and we have places for on the back of the room where people can sign up on on the sheets uh for the various agenda items. So, so if you are interested in speaking on on on each each of the items or any of the items, you can uh you can sign up back there and you'll have up to to four minutes uh to speak. And if you don't get a chance to to sign up in the back, we'll still leave time uh in case uh you decide uh that you want to speak on an item. Um, and you know, when you when you do come up, you'll have four minutes as I mentioned, but then and there'll be a there's a lighting system where it'll be green uh for the first three minutes of your of your time and then it'll turn yellow for the last minute. Uh, and then it'll turn flashing red uh once you're out of the four minutes allotted. Um, but you but I would suggest like staying up at the podium after you're done speaking in case there are uh any

questions from council that that they may have for you. Uh, and then just so you're aware of like other ways to get in touch with the city council. Um, we have blue comment forms on the back and you know, we don't vote on any of these items until tomorrow. So, there's time for us to receive uh those comments and um and then we'll uh be able to consider that uh before we vote on any of the items uh at our 4:00 meeting tomorrow. And then uh you can also email city council members through through the website. Uh there's a there's a electronic form. Otherwise, you can find on our website a list of all the council members and it's been updated to include our our newest members as well. Um and that's at oaklairwi.gov. gov. So we will start with uh the first of our three public hearings. Uh so that's item number one um as a public hearing on community development block grant or CDBG and home programs 2026 grant funding and substantial amendment to the 2024 and 2025 annual plans. Um, and we have our housing uh authority director uh Jessica Olsen Buu uh here to present on this item. Thank you.

Uh thank you council president. Uh as Mr. Gregor mentioned I'm Jess. I'm executive director of the city of Oaklair Housing Authority as well as the housing division manager uh for the city of Oaklair. As such, I oversee the administration of the city's um community development block grant and home investment partnership program uh annual allocations from HUD. So, uh we're here this evening to offer a public hearing on the annual action plan and proposed allocations for funding applicants under the 2026 CDBG and home programs as determined by the review committee. Uh, additionally, we are proposing a substantial amendment to the 2024 and 2025 action plans. Okay. So, the city's allocation for the 2026 community development block grant or CDBG program uh is $553,853 and that is uh a direct allocation from the federal government under HUD. Uh we also anticipate program income of about $100,000 and so we are looking to allocate that as well through this process. So that brings the total uh amount available or anticipated amount available uh to $653,853. The review committee prioritized internal programs uh that provide affordable housing through development, rental assistance, home ownership opportunities, and improvements to existing housing stock with the allocations as presented. Uh the minimum 70% direct benefit uh requirement is met. the public services are kept uh below that 15% cap and the planning and administrative budget is within the 20% cap as allowed by HUD.

Um so the next slide shows an overview of the committee's recommendations for the home investment partnerships program which again is an annual allocation that the city receives from the federal government specifically the department of housing and urban development. Uh our funding for the 2026 grant year is $258,92.92. Uh and then in addition, we are reallocating prior awards uh bringing the total available funding for the home program to $477,53658. Okay. Okay, I also included some information on the proposed change in activities for the 2024 annual action plan as well. Uh so the 2024 annual action plan to move um you know just under $44,000 from code enforcement uh and then reallocating it to housing rehabilitation activities. Um and then for the 2025 annual action plan to reallocate uh 43,541 from code enforcement to home ownership activities. So since it is a change in use from one activity to another, we do need to do the substantial amendment process which includes a public hearing. So we're um doing that tonight um rolling it in with the 2026 allocations. So, the there's a 30-day comment period uh with with um these funds. So, that began on May 8th on Friday with publication in the leader telegram. And we have an additional public hearing um scheduled for Wednesday, May 27th with staff to uh gather additional comments and feedback from the public. The 30-day comment period will end on

June 8th, at which time we'll f uh finalize the amount and then return to the legislative session on June 9th for final approval from council. Uh that's what I have for you today. I'd be happy to answer any questions. Thank you. Um sounds like looks like there's a question from Council Member Worthman. Thank you, Council President. Um and thank you Solen Bu for all that you do with um all that goes into these um CDBG and home awards. Um can you share I saw this um prior alloc reallocation? It's a large number. Yes.

I don't really remember it being as big a number in the past. And can you can you share which or which were the big projects that didn't end up happening last year that we should be aware of? And I apologize if I've missed that in the uh in the document.

Um that's a a very valid question. So it's actually a combination of grant awards dating back to I think 2018 um that were previously awarded. So multiple years of funding awarded to Western Dairland for their uh housing rehabilitation program. So in addition to the housing division, Western Dairland also administered a housing rehabilitation program. Um we often coordinated efforts in the past, but they have since um decided to cease that program and have returned the funds to the city saying we're we're no longer able to spend these on this program, so we're returning them. Um so we're reallocating them through public process um to other home eligible activities so that we can get the funds spent and utilized here in our community.

Thank you. All right. Thank you. Um, any other questions from from council? All right. Thank you. So, we won't actually vote on that until June 9th, it sounds like. So, but we do have um a public hearing on this item. So, thank you, Mr. Lee. Okay. So, yeah, thank you. Uh, so we do have um one person who has signed up on agenda item one. Um, and that is uh Marty Green.

I will wait for another item.

Okay. Thank you so much, Mr. Green. Um, would anyone else like to speak on this uh first agenda item for public hearing? Okay. So, I think we can um move on to uh item number two on the agenda, public hearing on an ordinance to reszone property from UR and URP to UC located at 918 926 936 Monomony Street. Um, and then yeah, it says Z176326. Uh, and we have, uh, Director White to present on this item.

Uh, thank you, Council President Gregor and Council members. The reasonzoning before you is for project and

what's that? Okay. Unfortunately, apparently the slides did not get incorporated. So, I will try to wing this without the slide presentation. So, this is a three parcel project along Monomin Street. This is uh the block directly north of Hobs Ice Arena. Um it is fronting Water Street on one side, Monomony Street on the other. the project owner is looking to develop that from multifamily housing or excuse me mixeduse development. So we're looking at ground floor commercial and residential above on the secondary floor. The zoning change would allow them to incorporate that. Um the current zoning is uh as we had indicated uh let me go back through my notes is currently um urban residential and urban residential with the planned development. So, three of the uh two of the three parcels that are identified by that address are in a a planned development. Um the change would be urban commercial which would allow for the mixed use with the ground floor commercial. It is consistent with other developments and other zoning within the area. Um there was a three the notice went out to the 300 foot radius around the as required by the the ordinance for notifications. Um staff has not received any input from uh the neighborhood or any folks within the radius regards to this project. U we are looking at um 0.92 total acres in size. They are vacant. At one point in time these were residential units uh rentals that were scraped a number of years ago and the lots were cleared in preparation for other development. This site has been looked at for uh development for a few different times for projects, but this is the one that is looking to move forward. Uh the plan commission reviewed it and felt that it is in line with the comprehensive plan and it is um

compatible with the surrounding uses. The the northern half of that block is already zoned UC. It has commercial space within there. So this becomes consistent with what else is being zoned within those areas. Uh so plan commission did recommend uh approval of this development as presented. Um, again, apologize for not having the the slideshow presentation, but I'd be happy to answer any questions. Yeah. Are there any questions from council?

Just had a a question myself actually about I do I I think I saw in the packet a letter of support from the historic Randall Park neighborhood association. So, um, do you think you could speak to the interaction that maybe your office has had with with that neighborhood association?

Absolutely. It the the histogram neighborhood association hasn't been terribly active in the last few years. Uh, 2021 they were part of a number of discussions that were and were very supportive as an organization to look at higher density development within these fringe areas of of their um territory. It has some benefits. the the TID 12 that this district is a part of. Um, excuse me, I take that back. This is not part of TID 12, so I will scratch that particular comment. Um, but they have been supportive of certain areas. The TID 12 staggers down and just misses this site, so it is not part of either TID district, but um, they were supportive of higher density and more urban type development within these areas. This is an area that's appropriate for that. So they were they were supportive at least in the last few years um of that type of redevelopment even though they they haven't been overly active um in the last few years.

Okay. Thank you. And have a question uh from Council Member Orth. Thank you, President Gregor. Um Director White, this it's not a question. I just wanted to say thank you for including that letter from that historic district from um Lauren Lyman in on behalf of them. It was really helpful to me to see that they supported it.

Absolutely. Is definitely the policy of the plan division to to make sure we can acquire and get input from neighbor associations when there's one that's applicable. It's not specified in the code in the LDO, the land development ordinances, but it is definitely um something we try to strive. I will reference that uh with the zoning approval, the site plan will be administratively approved when it comes forward because that would then be an accepted usage. So, they'll have to meet all the the LDO requirements and it would be a administrative approval of the site plan when it eventually comes forward assuming that this this is approved tomorrow at legislation. Okay. Thank you, Director White. It doesn't seem like there are any further questions.

Thank you.

Yeah. So, we will now move on to the public hearing on item number two on the this resoning. Um, are there any is anyone signed up in the back to speak on this item? Okay. Thank you. So, would anyone anyone in the in the council chamber uh like to speak to this agenda item who did not get a chance to sign up? Okay. Well, and then we can move on to agenda item number three, uh, which is a public hearing on a resolution establishing a new voting site for election wards 1640 41 and 64. And we have, uh, city clerk Kerner um, to present on that item. Thank you.

Good evening, council president and council members. This is an elections operations item. Uh we are recommending that station 8 no longer be used as a polling site and that those wards be moved to other nearby polling places. Um if you will see on the map um fire station 8 is the red star and St. Olaf Catholic Church is the green star. So we'd have the voters from W 16 vote at St. and Olaf. And then there are no voters in W 64 or 40. Um, but there are voters in Ward 41. So, they would be able to vote at CBTC and Gateway over on Alpine Road. The plan for us is this makes it a lot easier, especially for the voters who live at Ward 41, to get to their polling place. They no longer would have to drive all the way over to the fire station and cross several other polling sites to get there. So the other reasons for this recommendation is that the fire station a polling site while it's been a great polling site to work with um the area that we're using is the apparatus bay and it's not very well accommodating for a polling site. Uh because it's an apparatus bay, there are well because it's a fire station and it's a smaller fire station, there are not a lot of parking parking spots available for voters. So there's very limited voting uh voter parking. The the Amper Bay itself has uneven floors for drains and things like that. So there's a lot of rugs that have to go over them and that makes more trip hazards for voters. So, we like to eliminate that issue. There's also low lighting, which causes issues for voters who have vision impairment issues. And there's not a very adequate space

for us to post our election notices there. It's also very cold during the winter, so for the poll workers who have to sit there, uh, it's pretty cold. And then during the summer, of course, it's very hot and the humidity in August can sometimes damage the ballots um because they'll start to warp from the from the heat and humidity in the the apparatus bay. So, it would be better for our pole workers. Another issue we have um is that since it is a fire station, there are we have to disrupt the fire station's activities while we're using the apparatus bay and our pole workers have to get there extra early in order to be able to set up a polling site because they're not able to do it the day before like they can at most of our other polling places. So, this change would allow the pole workers to have a better place to to work and be a better, more accommodating area for the voters themselves. And then St. Olaf Catholic Church and CVTC Gateway both have large spaces to accommodate new voters. For W 16 voters, it's about 2 minute change in drive time. And for the voters who are over in Ward 41, they would save like 10 minutes or so from driving. So that would be better for them as well. And our plan is if this were approved and that we would send postcards to all of the registered voters at at the wards that would be affected. There's about 1300 people that would be affected by this. So, we'll send all of them postcards notifying them of the change. And then we would post it on our website and to and to the news as well. And then, of course, have signs at fire station 8 so voters know where to go to vote. So, that's all I have. Any questions?

Yeah, thank you. Um, we will come to Vice President Shon with a question. Thank you, Council President Gregor. Um, I'm really interested to know how this kind of change comes about. I know it sounds like there's a number of reasons why the polling station at Fire Station 8 was not suitable um as a polling location, but I'm just curious to hear when you reached out to these other proposed new sites um what that conversation was like and if they were receptive and just looking for more context there.

Well, CVTC and St. Olaf are already polling sites. So, it doesn't really change any of the operations there. There's already uh wards 8, 12, and 13 at St. Olaf. So, they have a a number of voters who already use it. The our process has been we've been looking for a replacement for the fire station for a number of years. Um, and there's not a lot of spaces that we can use up in the Ward 16 area or over in Ward 64 or 40. So, the idea we switched from trying to find a new place to what place could we send these new wards to and those ones were uh readily available and had extra space for voters.

Thank you. All right. Uh, seems like we're through all the questions from council. Thank you.

Yeah. Thank you. Uh so we can move on uh to the public hearing on this item. Did anyone sign up in the back? Okay. Thank you. Um is anyone in the audience interested in speaking on agenda item number three about the new uh voting location? Okay. Then we will uh move on to agendum item number four which is under our public discussion section. Um and this is about speed limits. Um public discussion on an ordinance amending table one entitled speed limits of the code of ordinances of the city of Oaklair to change the speed limit on Locust Lane from 30 miles per hour to 25 miles per hour. And we have uh deputy uh city engineer Alinka. Thank you.

Yep. Good evening, council. Um, so yeah, so this location here is up on the northeast part of the city um north of the north crossing east of uh business 53. So we received some concerns and requests to uh look at the speed limit past this school. Um it just felt fast to some people, felt unsafe with the kids crossing during school hours. So, um I looked into the area. Uh this is a collector street. Um it does have a a residential neighborhood feel to it like you would feel on a local street type neighborhood. Um did a little more research on the uh looking at the DOT man engineering manual. It does recommend to have no more than a 10 mile per hour difference from the posted speed limit. So the speed limit out there now is 30. The school zone speed limit is 15. So that's a 15 mile difference. So it's not a requirement of the the WIST stop manual. It is a recommendation because the more you make that difference of the posted speed to the school speed, it's you know runs higher risk of people violating that. Um and then this uh there's also a recommendation in our um um safe safe routes to school um to look at all the school zones within the city and to see if they can all be reduced down to 25 miles per hour. So we would take each school zone on a case-bycase basis based on what um category the street is in front of that school. So upon looking at this Locust Lane school, um we do find that it this would be a good candidate to lower the speed limit down to 25 miles per hour to fit within the guidelines of the the DOT engineering manual.

Awesome. Thank you. Um any questions from the city council? Looks like we have uh council member uh Reed. Uh thank you uh council president Gregor. Um I just had a question for you about is there any other place in the city where there is a greater than 10 mph difference between the posted signs? Quite a few. Quite a few.

Yeah. Um a lot of them are on arterials. So that's why I make it a point to to talk about the C classification of the street. So the collectors and the locals, you know, those have less traffic on them. They're in more of a residential type feel neighborhood where you know feels a little more appropriate to drive at a lower speed than an arterial which is you know it feels like a more it's a wider thoroughfare where traffic feels they can go a little faster. So there are schools on those arterial routes that are posted at 30 with the 15 mph um school zone posting having that 15 mile hour difference. So, those I think we want to leave untouched for now unless um big problems really arise and and see if it needs to be looked at further.

Thank you. All right. Thanks. Um we'll go on to council member. Thank you, Council President. I'm just curious for my understanding and for everybody watching, has there been a traffic analysis or impact on this like accident on on this walk lane? No, no, no, no traffic analysis. Just um just some engineering judgment and a little bit of research to see what seems appropriate, what fits, and to try and maybe get a few more school zones in line with our safe routes to school um program.

Thank you. We'll go on to Council Member Otto. Thank you, Council President Greger. So, uh, I take it Birch Street and Longfellow would also be a change that you might bring forward to us sometime. So, yeah, Birch Street. So, that's an arterial route. So, that's a higher classification of street where at this time we don't really see any big need to evaluate those school zones on those arterials. Okay. Thank you.

Yeah. All right. Um, we'll move on to Council Member Worman. Thank you, Council President. Um, on I do want to not in this setting necessarily, but I do want to continue the conversation on Birch at some point because it has been flagged as one of the four least safe streets in our community that I know has made some progress with the recent um uh resurfacing and pedestrian work that was done there. that it's a conversation that I think is worth continuing. Um, but either way, um, I'm appreciative of this, having driven this before and walked it, um, seeing this come forward. Was there were there any um, like incidents where pedestrians were actually injured in any of this or was this just

Fortunately, there wasn't. No, this is just just a concern of, you know, people that live in that neighborhood that feel they wanted, you know, some safety improvement. Yeah. They could they could see it was moving too fast. Yep. Yep. Cars coming by real fast during school time with, you know, kids walking around there. Yeah. School's supportive of it. And that's good. Thank you. Yep. Um I guess just to hit on one more thing related to Birch, you guys will be seeing at next city council meeting in two weeks. Um, we did get awarded a um, safety improvement grant for the Birch and Hastings Way intersection. So, that that'll be coming before you guys in a couple weeks.

Thank you. Um, thank you, Mr. Rinka. Okay, I think that's all the questions. All right, so we can move on to the um, public discussion portion of the of this item number four. Anyone sign up? Okay. Um, is anyone in the in the gallery interested in speaking on this? Uh, yeah. Please come up and state your name and address, please. Greg Helguson, 3642 South Mission Drive, Oak Clair. Good evening, Council President Gregor and Council members. I'm here to endorse David Soulberg as our next

Mr. Hges. We're going to have to open up the public comment period after this in order to get to that. Okay. And we'll have to do it in the in the order on the signup sheet, but thank you so much for your enthusiasm.

Um, so any any other anyone else in the gallery may want to speak on the speed limit agenda item? Okay. So, we'll close the that public discussion. we'll move on to that public comment period and I'll kind of give a explanation of that too because it's I know it can be kind of confusing all these different pieces of the of the uh of public opportunity here. So um so this is for uh so the public comment period is for items that um did did not appear on our agenda already tonight. So so those those uh discussion items have been closed. Um, but this is for for folks that live uh within the city or go to school or own property or own a place of business uh within the city of Oaklair uh to speak on issues, ideas or concerns of citywide application. In this case, you can speak for up to three minutes. Um, so it's just slightly less time than we had for the other items. Um, and you can only speak once. Um, and there will be that that uh lighting system, but it'll just go uh to red after three uh minutes. Um, and you'll just have to stop speaking at that point. Um, and um, council members are not allowed to ask any questions or comment uh during this time. Um, so it's really just us to hear from you and we very much appreciate um, anyone who would want to speak. Um, and we do have a signup sheet in the back, but if you did not get a chance to sign up yet, we um we will welcome you after we go through the sign up list. Um, so, uh, yeah, I'd love to receive that. Thank you, Mr. Lee.

All right. And here we are. So, we have, uh, Greg Elgen, uh, up as our first speaker, uh, for three minutes, please. Greg Helgusen, 3642 South Mission Drive, Oaklair. Good evening, Council President Gregor and council members. I'm here to endorse David Soulberg as our next permanent city manager. Dave and I were engineering colleagues at the Wisconsin Department of Transportation for 17 years. Dave's education and professional background make him a great problem solver who is respectful, rational, and a great communicator. Dave brought his skills to the city about 12 years ago as the city engineer. The council appointed him as the interim city manager from 2020 to 2022 and he stepped up to the task. For the past four years, he's been our deputy city manager. For a second time, the council has asked him to step up this time as acting city manager. Dave has been the steady hand we've needed at critical times. And again, we call upon his services. I have heard from many staff that Dave is highly respected at city hall. He has earned his stripes. It is quite evident to me that considering the factors of leadership experience, previous performance, and the timing of this open position, David Soulberg is the best candidate to be our next city manager. I hope you can find a way to begin negotiations with Dave on a contract for city manager. Let's not wait or miss on this opportunity. Thank you.

All right. Thank you, Mr. Algusen. Yeah. Um, so the next person I have on my list is uh Landon like to speak. Welcome. Right. Yeah.

My name is Lamp Probinsky. Uh 32026th Street Chip Falls 54729. Um, and I'm the Oaklair campus, uh, campus organizer with the Wisco Project. Um, today we're going to be talking about getting an in-person early vote place on the Oaklair campus. Um, a little bit about the Wisco Project, we are nonprofit based in Wisconsin at all major UW campuses, uh, lacrosse, stout, Oaklair, Madison, such and such. Our goal is pretty much to try and make it easier for students to actually vote on election day or before election day. And we do this through a variety of different methods, whether that's informing people about upcoming elections, about the candidates, or even doing things such as we're about to do is and trying to get an early vote place on campus. Uh to and the reason why I'm standing up today is because the closest inerson early vote place for Oaklair students is the city hall. As probably most of you know, that's about a 40-minute walk from campus. And with students, a lot of them not having vehicles or being busy lives with work and such and such with lives, it's hard for students to actually come and go and vote early. Um, and yes, while we do have a vote place on election days at one of the places on campus, it is just not enough. Not only does it can not only does it create lines, but it also stops students who have work and or busy lives outside of that. And so we over the last month, me and my associates, who will also talk more about what we've been doing, we've been collecting pledges to I meant petitions to try and actually get a place on campus over that last month since April 14th, I believe, we have collected over 1,800 petitions from students and community members. Um, when we exclude duplicates, because we have gotten some duplicates, we have about 1,400 petitions. 1,400 students and community members within a month's span who have said that they want a place on campus to make it easier to actually vote early. Um, and so that's what we've been doing over this last

months trying to collect these petitions to show the strength of the community that wants to have an in-person vote place on campus to make it easier and more accessible for students. Um, so now I'm going to let my associates talk about exactly what this petition says and go into a little bit more details about how it affects them personally. Thank you very much, council members. Yeah, thank you. Um, I don't know if you guys want the petitions, but yeah, we could give it to the city clerk would be tremendous. Yeah, thank you. Um, so the next uh person I have on the list, I believe it's pronounced seal, but I'm not

pr Okay. I didn't see the extra I Sorry, it's a tough name. I get it. Okay. Whenever right now. Yep. Thank you.

Uh, my name is Kayleie Ole. I am a secondy year political science student right here at the University of Wisconsin Oclair. And um the petition that Landon had just spoken about is this ideology that students have signed on to. So we as the students of Wisconsin of the University of Wisconsin Oclair and members of the broader campus community call on the city of Oaklair to add an in-person absentee voting location on the Wclair campus for November 2026 election. While we recognize and appreciate the ongoing efforts of the city clerk's office to expand student voter access, adding an onampus IPAV site would be the most straightforward and impactful way to meaningfully improve ballot access for Wclair students. The university, the county, and the city must provide the resources necessary to allow the clerk's office to bring IPAV site to campus this year. Oaklair is among the largest municipalities in Wisconsin to offer only one in-person absentee voting location and Wclair is among the largest UW campuses without an onampus IPAV site. Woclair students are faced with the walk of at least 40 to 45 minutes or a bus ride of 20 to 30 offampus to vote early in person. As a result, relatively few Wclair students vote early and we have regularly seen long lines on election day at the Davy Center as large quantities of students also register there and vote there. An onampus IPAV site more than any other potential location will help reduce election day lines due to the high volume of students that need to update their voter registration or newly register. Furthermore, it would help simplify voting and improve access for students who don't live on onampus housing. Having an onampus voting option makes voting far more accessible for students and has been demonstrated to improve turnout. In a natural case study of comparable Wclair returning student

apartments that voted on and off campus in November of 2024, election day turnout was 11.82% higher in buildings that voted on campus. At a time when engaging students in the political process is absolutely essential, we need our school, our city, and our county to do their part in making voting more accessible to our students. Lifelong voting habits are formed young and accordingly our broader campus community has the responsibility to foster a culture of engagement. With this in mind, we reaffirm our call to the city of Oaklair to add an onampus IPAV site for November 2026 election and for Oaklair County and Wclair to provide the necessary resources to realize this objective. Thank you guys for your time.

Thank you. Uh the next name I have is Ronan. Hello council.

Yeah. Yeah. Welcome. My name is Ronan Davis. I am a political science student, third year at Oaklair and I am also here to talk about an early voting location on campus. Uh I want to bring up two major points and that's the Brennan Society for Justice Brendan Center for Justice has said that the like lifeline and like the core values of a democracy are a voting system that is free, fair and also accessible for all eligible citizens within it. And as the National Center for uh educational uh statistics has cited, I believe roughly 40% of uh full-time students have a job and 71% of part-time students have a job. So I want to ask all of you to put yourself in the shoes of a student and ask if I'm one of the 40 to 70%, do I have that accessibility, that freedom to vote? If I also have to work a job, maybe even two, to maintain the like economic stability to pay for my college education and to feed myself and clothe myself. Is it accessible if you are part of that statistic? and I implore all of you to put yourself in the shoes of students and think about it. Thank you. Um, next next on my list is Craig uh Ren, I think. Yeah, welcome. Thanks for joining us,

President Student Car Student Council, City Council. Um, I've been here a couple of times looking to get a permit or or whatever it's called to park my semi in my residence on my residence off of a a truck route. Um, I don't have a whole lot more to add to anything that I've already said other than I've been I made a deal with with the city's attorney's office to not park in my driveway. I've been parking on the side street, Malden Avenue, between FedEx and um whatever that bar is on the corner there, and it's it's been pretty good. Um the 28th of last month, my truck actually got broke into. Um bunch of stuff was taken. City of Oaklair Police Department, they were on the job. I made the phone call. Two hours later, they figured it out, arrested the guy, I got my stuff back. So, that was pretty awesome. Um just I know you already voted on this once, but the parameters I didn't quite meet. So, those um I'm hoping I can get changed. I think I'm going to have to go back to plan commission next week. Um and I I don't think that's going to be a problem. They wholeheartedly voted on it last time without even knowing these particular parameters. So, I I think that's going to go good. So, all I'm asking for is you guys uh figure out what you can figure out. I mean, I'm I don't think I'm asking for a whole lot. I realize it's a lot of work. I don't know if the law has to be changed. I would assume um just I' I've been parking here 11 years and I haven't been broken into 11 years, nothing. And now I'm, you know, trying to do the right thing. I mean, I I get the law. So, I'm I'm abiding by the laws or trying to I mean, um, so just would appreciate any help you guys can give and and thank you.

Yeah. Thanks for joining us. Um, next on my list is Kate Felton. Good evening, council. Um, I'm Kate Felton. Um, I just want to start by saying I'm here representing myself. Um, not Ducky. Ducky hasn't had a chance to vote on this yet. Um, the Ducky board. But, um, I just want to I came to express support for Dave Soulberg as our next city manager. Um, uh, I know you're going to be considering a resolution to appoint him as inrim. Uh, I'm hoping that you'll also consider Dave Soulberg as our permanent city manager. Um, Dave is to me very obviously qualified for this job, but actually in my mind that's the least of what he brings to the job. Um I think actually more importantly he brings positive relationships from the community, trusting relationships from the community. Um not only from DECI, he's served on the Ducky board um uh but also from uh organizations and people uh doing good work uh across our community. Um in my role with Ducky, I've had the chance to um get to know a lot more city staff than actually I did um on city council. And um so I know in that position that Dave has the trust of a lot of staff as well. Um and you know in a time in our city's history um I I think now in particular um our city what what our city really needs is stability. Um I know that you'll be considering an um whether to do an external search and as a city council member um I supported an external search um as well. Um, I think in this moment, um, you know, you never know what you're going to get with a with a, um, an external search and, uh, you never know who's out there, but

I actually think in this moment, um, Dave is the only person in the universe that can provide what our city really needs, which is stability and those preexisting relationships. So, um, I, um, so I ask you to consider Dave, um, for a permanent job. Um, and I appreciate him for, uh, being willing. So, uh, since I have 56 seconds, I also, uh, wanted to second and support, uh, the young folks who are here, um, supporting, uh, uh, voting early voting location on campus. This is actually something I that I worked on when I was on city council, probably back in like 2017, 2018, and it never quite came together, but maybe now this is it. And so, I want to voice my support for that, and thanks the folks uh, for coming today. Thank you.

All right. Thank you. Uh, so those that's the list that I have, but I know that there may be others in the gallery. Uh, so feel free to come up, Miss Mr. uh Mr. Marty Green, I believe. Yeah.

Thank you, Councilman President. My name is Marty Green, uh 2860 Mercury, uh former general manager of Wax and Way Radio and a 50-year resident of this city. Oakclair is a wonderful city and I've lived here for those 50 of my 83 years as there is a need for a new city manager administrator and we're also having financial problems at this time in the view of what I have this is just my opinion but I have talked to a lot of people around the city that they have said to me don't spend taxpayer dollars employing a consultant firm for a nationwide search. When you have the best qualified candidate sitting right here, he has two years experience doing this. He is qualified and our community knows him. And I've had many people come up to me. They said, "You got your city manager right here. Hire him." He had the job uh for two years after Dale Peters retired. I urge the council to do the right thing. Hire Dave Soulberg immediately. Save the money that the search would cost. And this is not a political matter. It's a civic matter. And I thank you.

Right. Thank you. Anyone else um who would like to speak during our public comment period? Would anyone else like to speak who hasn't had a chance yet? Okay. Well, want to close that uh public comment period. Thank you all for for being here. And we do um just want to read something from our agenda for our next item here and that's um regarding the close session. Uh upon a motion uh duly made and carried, the city council may go into close session to review and discuss candidates for appointment to the position of interim city manager, which is permitted in close session pursuant to S 19.851C of the Wisconsin statutes. The purpose is to discuss qualifications and receive direction from the city council regarding candidates to temporarily appoint to the position of interim city manager. Um, so I would ask if there is a motion.

Second. Okay, it seems like that was uh council member a motion by council member Worthman, seconded by council member Brewster uh to go into close session. Uh, city clerk uh please call the role. Council member Brewster I. I. Johnson I. Boga I. Miller I or I Otto I Reed I Srano I

okay and that passes unanimously. So we will uh probably take a five six minute break here for folks to clear the room and if there's um yeah anyone needs to use the bathroom etc. So thank you all. Hey, how you doing?