Common Council - Regular Meeting

Alright. It is 05:00. We'll call our council organizational session to order. Welcome to the first council meeting of the new council year. At this time, we will have the clerk call the roll.

Here. Here. Anderson.

Here.

Here. Here. All members present.

I apologize this is the one time of the year we go in district order. I was scared, you look very scared. Sorry. Remember that for next year we go in district order. At this time, will everyone please rise for the pledge of allegiance. We will only have the pledge of allegiance today and we won't have a prayer. I pledge allegiance to the flag of The United States Of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all. Thank you. Alright, we'll move on to the next item which is the newly elected council members taking their oath of office. We'll do these individually.

We will start in district order again with District 4, Jody Bray. If you just wanna come up here. If there is anyone in the audience who is here for any of the members, you're welcome to come on up with them if they want you up here to take the oath with them.

When you're ready, please raise your right hand. Repeat after me. I, Jody l Bry. I, Jody l Bry. Solemnly swear. Solemnly swear. That I will support the constitution of The United States. That I will support the constitution of The United States. And the constitution of the state Wisconsin And the constitution of the state Wisconsin And that I will faithfully discharge the duties And that I will faithfully discharge the duties alder person District 4 Of alder person District 4 Of the city of Manitowoc the city of Manitowoc the best of my ability To the best of my ability. So help me guys. So help me God. Congratulations. Thank you.

Congratulations. Congratulations officially on your official term, Alder Brey. New to the council next District 5, Mason Benzinger.

When you're ready, please raise your right hand and repeat after me. I, Mason j Bensinger I, Mason j Bensinger solemnly swear solemnly swear that I will support the constitution of The United And the constitution of the state of Wisconsin And the constitution of the state of Wisconsin. And that I will faithfully discharge the duties Of alderperson District 5 Of alderperson District 5 Of the

And the next three alders have been reelected to their seats. We'll start with District 6, Eric Sitkiewicz. And missus Sitkwitz.

When you're ready, please raise your right hand and repeat after me. I, Eric j Cycowicz

I, Eric j Cycowicz

solemnly swear

solemnly swear that

I will support the constitution of The United States

that I will support the constitution of The United States

And the constitution of the state of Wisconsin And

the constitution of the state of Wisconsin

And that I will faithfully discharge the duties

I will faithfully discharge the duties

Of alderperson District 6 Of alderperson District 6 Of the City Of Manitowoc

Of the

Next up, District 8, Alderman Bill Schlei. And his better half Stephanie.

Well,

that's very

constitution of the state of Wisconsin And the constitution of the state of Wisconsin. And that I will faithfully discharge the duties And I will faithfully discharge the duties Of alder person District 8 Of alder person District 8 Of City Of Manitowoc Of City Of Manitowoc To the best of my ability. To the best of my ability. So help me God. So help me God. Congratulations. Thank you.

What? No badges. No bad, yeah. No, they used to give badges out to aldermen Aldermen a long time ago. And there's probably good reason why they don't anymore. We'll finish off with District 9, Alderman Brett Norell.

Please raise your right hand. Repeat after me. I, Brett Norell

I, Brett Norell

solemnly swear swear that I will support the constitution of The United States

I will support the

constitution of The United States and the constitution of the state of Wisconsin and the constitution of the state of Wisconsin that I will faithfully discharge the duties and I will faithfully discharge the duties alderperson district nine alderperson

Congratulations to the five of you. Looking forward to a good council year. We will move on to item E and that is nominations and election for president of common council. Just a reminder, nominations, you can self nominate, you can nominate another individual. There's not a second required to nominate someone. Once someone is nominated, they're on the list for President of Council. Are there any? We'll open up the floor for nominations. Are there any nominations? Start with the current Council President, Mike Cummings. Thank you, Mr. Mayor.

So first off, before I do the nomination, is been a pleasure serving as a council president for the last year. I am going to I am actively trying to take a couple things off my plate because I'm pretty involved with the community and so just trying to take stuff off the plate. So thank you though for everybody that serves with me in this last year on the council while I was the president and like I said it was an honor to be the president for last year. So with that I'm gonna nominate Alderperson Eric Sikowitz.

Thank you. Alderperson Sikowitz is nominated. Alderman Schleier are you next or good okay. The floor is still open for nominations for president. Any other nominations? Going once, twice. Okay, we'll close the floor for nominations. I would look for a motion to cast a unanimous ballot for Eric Sikowitz for President of the Common Council. Is there a motion?

I'll make the motion to cast a second Second.

Motion by Alderman Cummings. Alderman Shlai, I heard you, we'll give that to you. Motion in a second. Think people are eager there. Maybe no one else wants this job for a reason. Is there any discussion on that motion? Actually there is no discussion since it's for unanimous. So all those in favor.

Aye.

Opposed? Motion carried unanimously. Congratulations, Alderman Sitkwitz. You are the council president for the upcoming meeting. I'd to come up and take your office.

You get say the same thing again. Yeah. Incorporating council president instead of District 6.

Please raise your right hand. Repeat after me. I, Eric j Sikowitz

I, Eric j Sikowitz

solemnly swear

solemnly swear

I will support the constitution of The United States

I will support the constitution The United States

and the constitution of the state of Wisconsin.

And the constitution of the state of Wisconsin.

And that I will faithfully discharge the duties.

That I will faithfully discharge the duties.

Of president of the common council.

Of president of the common council.

Of the city of Manitowoc.

Of the city of Manitowoc.

To the best of my ability.

To the best of my ability.

So help me God. So help me God. Congratulations.

Alright. Now the fun part, drawing four seats. So this one is already taken. Again, just make sure that you signed where you currently are if you haven't yet. And then we'll sign again when you take your new seats just to make sure that we got that in there. For history sake, we will go around and start with District 9. I believe last year we started with District 1. Backwards this year. I looked. We're gonna start with District 98765432 and we'll end with District 1.

So you'll just end up with whatever seats left. Number one seat is where Alderman Beaman is and number nine seat is where Alderman Norell is. So we'll go around starting with Alderman Norell. No. Starting with Alderman Rackleberg.

Yeah, 10. You got ten first. Gotta skip

Alright. Welcome to your new seats again. Sign them sign them here now so we don't forget as well. Let's see here. We have the adoption of the council code of conduct as attached. Is there a motion to approve the council code of conduct? So moved. Second. Motion by Schlei, second by Dunbar. Discussion? Seeing none, all those in favor? Aye. Opposed? Motion carried unanimously. Next item is council rules. Is there a motion to approve the council rules as presented? Second. Motion by Reckleburg, second by Anderson. Discussion. Just note, there are some changes here.

Adding Park and Recreation Committee, changing public works. We did add language back in the COVID years. We added language about being able to speak on zoom and everything. We just added a little different language that individuals who wish to speak on via zoom or anything would have to give forty eight hour notice. That's just so because sometimes you have no clue who's on there. So just wanna make sure we have some safeguards in there. But anyone who is invited to speak of course doesn't have to give that notice. And then Alderman Cummings, don't if you want to speak to yours that you wanted to add.

Yeah, if I could real quick. Yeah, so obviously we're all familiar with the closed session process. And then so I had and I worked with attorney Niche to add number 29 on there for it. Just to protect the sanctity of the closed session. What it is, is just a reminder that after we get into a closed session to basically have everybody understand that stuff that's in closed session stays in closed session just because a lot of times that is sensitive stuff to either personnel that we're talking about or city with possible land acquisitions or deals or stuff like that that you don't want obviously to get out not only if you're a city but if any if this was in any business aspect.

So we had a couple issues with that since I've been on council where things in closed session did get out. And I personally think that protecting that sanctity of being able to be open and honest in that closed session to be able to have that knowledge and not let that get out is critical to our operation as a council. So making sure that everybody understands that before that information is out is why I had it added.

You. Any further discussion on the council rules? Seeing none then all those in favor. Aye. Opposed? Motion carried unanimously. We have a couple of appointments and election here. So we have nominations and election of council representative to the plan commission same as last, you can self nominate and that does not require a second. Looking for nominations for the council representative to the plan commission. Alderman Zitkiewicz.

Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I would move to nominate Alder Bill Schlei to the plan commission.

Alderman Bill Schlei is on the list. Any Alderman Reckleberg? Oh, nope. Does not need a second. You're good. Any other nominations going once, twice. We'll close nominations. I'd look for a motion to cast a unanimous ballot for Alderman Bill Schlei to the plant commission. So move. Motion and a second by Reckleberg. All those in favor. Aye. Opposed. Motion carried unanimously. I have a few appointments here. The board of review will be Andrew Dunbar, Chad Beamon, Michael Cummings, Brian Anderson and Todd Reckleberg. The alternates being Jody Bray, Mason Bensinger, Eric Sitkwitz, Bill Schlei and Brett Norell. I would look for a

motion to approve. Move to approve the mayor's appointments.

Second. Motion second. Discussion. Seeing none, all those in favor. Aye. Opposed? Motion carried unanimously. Appointment of Alderman Eric Zikowitz to the MPU commission with the term ending 04/19/2027. I would look for a motion to approve that appointment. So

moved. Second.

Motion by Schlei, second by Anderson. Discussion? Seeing none, all those in favor? Aye. Opposed? Motion carried unanimously. And then we have the standing committee report appointments. I'll go through them. Finance, Eric Sitkwitz, Chair Todd Reckleberg, Vice Chair Bill Schlei, Andrew Dunbar and Jody Bray. Personnel, Brett Norell, Chair Eric Sitkwitz, Vice Chair Bill Schlei, Chad Beeman and Mason Benzinger.

Public Works Committee, the new Public Works Committee, Bill Schlei Chair, Brian Anderson Vice Chair, Eric Sitkiewicz, Jody Bray and Mason Bensinger. Public Safety Committee, Todd Reckleberg Chair, Chad Beeman Vice Chair, Michael Cummings, Brian Anderson and Mason Bensinger. And the new Parks and Recreation Committee, Michael Cummings Chair, Jody Bray Vice Chair, Todd Reckleberg, Brett Norell and Andrew Dunbar. I'd look for a motion to approve those standing committee appointments. So move. Second. Motion by Dunbar, second by Cummings. Discussion? Seeing none, those in favor. Aye. Opposed? Motion carried unanimously. That exhausts our agenda. Is there anything else for the good of the order?

Move to adjourn. Second.

Motion and a second to adjourn. We are adjourned.

Congratulations officially.