Common Council - Regular Meeting

Elder Dunbar, can you please check in? Thank you. Just to note that if there's anyone in the audience who wishes to speak during public input or the public hearings, there is a sign-up sheet in the back of the room for the public hearings or public input. Just please sign your name on those before we get to that agenda item. We'd appreciate it greatly. All right, it is 6.31. We will call our June council meeting to order at this time. Thank you for those in attendance, council, and those who are live streaming. At this, we do have a complete... Let's see here. Alder Ruckelberg is the only individual who is absent. He is excused. And Alder Norell is attending and will vote via Zoom. So we do have a quorum. So at this time, will everyone please rise for the Pledge of Allegiance? And if you could remain standing, please, for a prayer by our Council President, Eric Sitkowitz. 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.

God, guide this council with clarity, fairness, and respect for all who call Mantua home. May our work tonight strengthen trust, serve the common good, and honor the responsibility we share. Amen.

Amen. Thank you. We also wish to give our best wishes to Alderman Reckelberg. He had some surgery done today, so we hope he is doing very well and has a full and speedy recovery. God knows he's probably dreaming about being at the council meeting right now, so best to him and his family. We have only three presentations this evening, all for the fire department, Mantua Fire Department. So we're going to take them in order on the agenda. We'll have the city clerk administer the oath of office, and we'll have the badge pinning for Battalion Chief Thomas Christensen, Assistant Fire Chief Jeremy Wagner, and Fire Chief Benjamin Kranick. So if you all could come up in that order with your families. Anyone else you want to join you over on... Your left side of the dais up here. And then after them, any members of the Mantauk Fire Department, if you'd like to join behind them, you're more than welcome to. So we'll take Battalion Chief Thomas Christensen, Assistant Fire Chief Jeremy Wagner, and Fire Chief Benjamin Krainick.

You guys never travel lightly. No. All right, when you're ready, please raise your right hand, repeat after me.

I, Thomas Christensen, I, Thomas Christensen, 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, and that I will faithfully discharge the duties, of Battalion Chief for the City of Manitowoc, of Battalion Chief for 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.

Thank you.

When you're ready, please raise your right hand, repeat after me. I, Jeremy Wagner.

I, Jeremy Wagner.

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.

And that I will faithfully discharge the duties.

Of Assistant Fire Chief for the City of Manitowoc.

Of Assistant Fire Chief for 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.

I don't need that.

All right. Please raise your right hand. Repeat after me. I, Benjamin Kranick.

I, Benjamin Kranick.

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.

and that I will faithfully discharge the duties of fire chief for the city of Manitowoc to the best of my ability, so help me God. Congratulations.

We have an engineer if he's needed.

All right, congratulations to all on the new leadership at the Mantua Fire Department. All right, we will move on then to the next item on the agenda, which is public hearings. We have two of them this evening. First one is for the purpose of hearing any and all interested parties in the matter of a proposed change in zone from C1 commercial to R4 single and family, two-family residential, and B1 office residential for property located west of Martin Street and south of Mary Street. We will have the clerk read the proof of publication.

Notice of this public hearing was published in the Manitowoc Herald Times Reporter on June 1st and June 8th.

Thank you. Adam. I think you got to turn.

It is on.

Hello.

As the mayor noted, this is a little bit of an unusual rezoning.

This is actually a down zoning.

So the current zoning is C1 and they are looking at two different districts are for single family and the B1 office residential. It's always been an unusual piece of property in the fact that it's been a hodgepodge of buildings over the years. The current owner bought it and has cleaned it up substantially. Ultimately, their goal is to build a few homes or duplexes on the majority of the property while retaining what is currently an office use on the rest of it. It is consistent with the comprehensive plan, which calls for the area to be planned mixed use. As such, staff recommended approval. Plan commission also recommended approval unanimously.

Thank you, Adam. Are there any questions from the council for Adam at this time? Seeing none, Chief Musial, could you just look at the sign-in sheets? Just tell me if there's any name on the first one. For this left? Okay. So we don't have anyone signed up. So this is a public hearing for this specific subject matter. No one has signed up. So I'll just call three times if anyone is interested in speaking on this once, twice. We had no other public input prior to, so we will close this public hearing. We'll move on to the next public hearing for the proposed of hearing any and all interested parties in the matter of proposed change to the official map located west of Virginia Drive and Joseph Road. We'll have the clerk read the proof of publication.

Notice of this public hearing was published in the Herald Times Reporter on June 1st and June 8th.

Thank you. Adam. All right, this one is the official map vacation. There's a section of the city where there was proposed to be a circular drive. However, there's some wetlands and some other issues that would prevent that from ever realistically happening. As such, the owner of the property is looking to vacate the portion of officially mapped street and put in two cul-de-sacs. Staff has worked with them and already secured the necessary deeds to secure those two cul-de-sacs if this is approved. Again, there was no opposition. It makes sense to staff, so we recommended approval. Planning Commission also supported it unanimously.

Thank you. Any questions from the council for Adam? Seeing none then, anyone signed up? No one has signed up, so I'll call three times. One, two, three. If anyone's interested in speaking on this specific subject matter, no prior as well, so we will close this public hearing. We'll take those up at the end of the agenda under planned commission. Next item is public input. Anyone interested in speaking on anything germane to the business of the City of Matlock may do so at this time. Anyone signed up, Chief? Okay, all right. If you could just come up and state your name for the record, please.

Hi, my name is Kevin Lewis.

Yeah, sorry, can you just make sure it's green? Thank you.

Green, perfect. Thank you. My name is Kevin Lewis. I reside at the corner of 12th and Columbus, and I'd just like to comment on the proposed changes for stop signs and uncontrolled intersections. I would like to say that I think this change and upgrade is long overdue. I've lived at that residence for the last, December will be eight years. I've lived there since 2018. And since that time, we've had seven accidents, I believe, at that intersection specifically, and two others one block up from there. I've heard stories and everything else from members of the community through several of my posts. I'm sure many of you have seen videos of my security camera footage of the accidents that have happened at that intersection, the ones that I've captured anyway. In those stories, a member of the community had suggested, or not suggested, sorry, had brought up that her husband had passed away at the corner of 13th and Columbus 26 years ago. And that remains to be an uncontrolled intersection. I've also been told that the uncontrolled intersections are there for the convenience of the residents of that neighborhood. But if the residents of that neighborhood are requesting for those intersections to be controlled, I believe that should speak volumes for the importance of getting these intersections controlled. I've lived in Florida, New York, I've lived in, several different cities in Wisconsin. I've traveled the country with my job and this is the only area that I've ever noticed an uncontrolled intersection with the exception of like maybe end of a road cul-de-sac. So I would just like to say that I'm very welcome to this change and highly anticipate and hope that these signs actually come through and would like to thank you all for passing that agenda item.

Thank you. Thank you for your comments. Is there anyone else on the list to speak?

No?

All right. I'll just call one more time if there's anyone interested in speaking for public input. We didn't have any prior, so I will close public input. We'll move to next agenda item, which is appointments and business presented by the mayor. I have a few appointments as attached. I'll just go through them quickly. To the Wisconsin Maritime Museum Board of Directors, Alderman Dunbar, Capital Civic Center Board of Directors, Alderman Reckelberg, Library Board, Lynn Keehan, and Darian Kotorabic, and the Brownfields Advisory Committee, Adam Tagan, and the Plan Commission, Scott Kyle, as an alternate for who was Bill Nichols. I have a motion by Sitkowitz to approve the appointment, second by Dunbar. I am not seeing any discussion, so we will have the council vote on the appointments at this time. And the motion carries unanimously. Thank you. The appointments are approved. That is all for appointments in a business. We will move to item H, the consent agenda. Is there anything to be removed from the consent agenda? Seeing none, then we will get a motion by Schley and a second by Sitkwitz. No discussion, so the council will now vote on the consent agenda. The motion carries unanimously. We'll move then to item I, committee reports, and we will start with Committee of the Whole and Council President Eric Sitkwitz.

Thank you, Mr. Mayor. The clerk has our documents.

We have document 530, first amendment to City of Manitowoc TID number 24 development agreement with TICOR built LLC. Committee recommends approval.

Counsel, your pleasure on this report. We have a motion by Sickwood, second by Schley. Discussion? Seeing none, the council will now vote on this. And the motion carries unanimously.

Document 537 is a report of the Special Events Committee recommending approval of a variety of events subject to council action. Committee recommends approval.

There is a motion by Anderson and a second by Brey discussion. Seeing none, the council will now vote.

Motion carries unanimously. Anything else, Council President Sitkowitz? That completes our Committee of the Whole Business.

Thank you. We'll move then to the Finance Committee and Alderman Sitkowitz's chair. Thank you, Mr. Mayor.

The clerk has their documents.

We have document 502, which is Sanitary Sewer Master Plan, RFP results and authorization for staff to continue negotiations with chosen firm. Committee recommends to approve the recommendation.

We have a motion by Schley and a second by Brey. Discussion? Seeing none, council will now vote. Motion carries unanimously.

Document 503 is an application of a Class B retail intoxicating liquor and fermented malt beverage license for BGB Venue LLC doing business at Silver Valley Banquet Hall. Staff recommends approval.

I have a motion by Schley and a second by Sitkowitz. Discussion? Seeing none, council will now vote. Motion carries unanimously.

We have document 534, which is resolution for transfer of supervision of assessor's office from the community development department to the finance department. Committee recommends to adopt the resolution.

Oh, there we go. All right, we just read it. Do we have a motion and a second? All right, we got a motion by Dunbar and a second by Cummings, and we will now vote on this, seeing no discussion. Motion carries unanimously.

we have uh document 548 which is a report of idc from june 10th 2026 of olin winchester llc request for a three-year land lease and option to purchase idc recommends to approve the three-year land lease and options to purchase consistent with the terms and conditions of the land lease between the parties dated june 1st 2023 The corporation also recommend instructing the city staff to finalize all aspects of the lease and option to purchase.

I think you went one step too far.

I think I did too. Because they're voting already.

I know. So we don't have a motion and a second. We need a motion and a second. So moved. Okay. Second. Motion, second. You got that? Yeah. All right.

Now you can vote.

I heard. Now you can vote. Yeah. Sorry. Just waiting on Benzinger. There you go. Motion carried unanimously. All right. It is all we have for finance. Anything else? Alderman Sitkowitz.

That does complete our business for finance. Thank you.

I'm not going to report the next meeting or anything. No. Okay. We will move then to the personnel committee. Alderman Brett Norell is chair. I don't know if you want to take it, Alderman Norell, virtually, or if you want Alderman Sitkowitz to handle it.

Yeah, I had requested Alderman Sidquitz handle it, please.

Alderman Sidquitz, you're back up again. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. The clerk has the documents. All right.

We have document 478, which is a resolution to hire seasonal employees related to elected officials, department heads, or supervisory personnel. Committee recommends to adopt the resolution.

We have a motion by Schley and a second by Beeman. Discussion? Seeing none, council will now vote on the resolution. Motion carries unanimously.

Document 538 is a resolution for seasonal employment pay rates. Committee recommends to adopt the resolution.

Do we have a motion and a second for this? Motion by Sitkwitz and a second by Schley. Discussion? Seeing none, council will now vote on this resolution. Motion carried unanimously. Anything else for personnel? Alderman Sitkwitz.

Just to Kind of piggyback that both meetings will be held on Monday, July 6th in council chambers here. I believe personnel is at 5 o'clock with finance being noted for 5.30.

All right. Thank you. We'll move then to the Public Works Committee and Alderman Bill Schley as chair.

Thank you, Mr. Mayor. The clerk has the documents.

All right, we have document 521, which is a supplemental task order for 2026 services phase one, former town of Newton Gravel Pit AECOM project number 60135471. Staff recommends to enter into the agreement.

We have a motion by Anderson and a second by Brey. Discussion? Seeing none, council will now vote on this item. And the motion carries unanimously.

Document 522 is an agreement for services with both for sanitary sewer master plan. Committee Chair Schley had recommended approval.

We have a motion by Schley and a second by Brey. Discussion? This is one of the new items, if you recall. When we don't have a recommendation from a committee, it'll come from the chair. So just so you're aware, that's why it says that. Seeing no discussion, then council will now vote on this agreement. Motion carried unanimously.

Document 523 is a professional services agreement with MSA to provide professional real estate services for State Highway 42, Washington Street to 8th Street to South 26th Street and Calumet Ave to South 26th Street to just east of South 30th Street. Wisconsin DOT project number 41004222. Committee Chair Schley recommends approval.

Motion by Schley and second by Anderson. Discussion? Seeing none, council will now vote on this agreement. And it passes unanimously. Thank you.

Document 532 is an out-of-state travel training request for Kevin Botessi to attend the Transit Bus System Safety on August 3rd through 7th, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois.

We have a motion by Beeman and a second by Anderson. Discussion? Seeing none, council will now vote on this request. And it passes unanimously. Thank you. Anything else? Alderman Schley for Public Works.

Not at this time. And our next meeting will be July 2nd at 530 right here in this chamber.

Thank you. We'll move then to the Public Safety Committee. And in Alderman Recklberg's place, we have Vice Chair Alderman Beeman.

Thank you, Mr. Mayor. The clerk has our documents.

We have document 509, an ordinance to amend section 10.170 of the municipal code regulating through intersections. Committee recommends to adopt the ordinance.

We have a motion by Cummings and a second by Benzinger, and we have Alderman Sitkowitz in line to speak.

Thank you, Mr. Mayor. If you remember last meeting, we had quite a robust conversation about this plan for the stock control intersections, and then these are the ordinances that kind of go off of that new plan. Since that passed, I still think that plan needs a lot of rework or getting looked at to kind of come up to, I think it's kind of a better solution for the citywide and just kind of a targeted area. But since council passed it, I'm not going to, it'd be easy to, with Alder Reckleberg not here tonight, since it was 5-5 and he was in favor of it, if the votes are the same, it'd be easy to vote down the, if the votes stayed the same, to vote down the ordinances. But then we'd be in conflict with having a policy says one thing and the ordinances that say another. So that's never any good. So I'm going to support the ordinances tonight just because that's what the council's will was for the policy and we can rework the policy if need be in the future. So I would recommend if anybody or suggest if anybody was thinking of voting no on the ordinances to at least support them so that we are in compliance with our policies. So thank you.

Thank you, Alderman Sitkowitz. I have Alderman Schley.

I echo what he just said because I voted negatively last time and I'm going to approve. And as he said, we can always rework this as we go. Thank you.

Thank you. Any further discussion? Alderman Cummings.

Yeah, I'd just like to thank both Alders for speaking on that, you know, because obviously I knew obviously what happened at the last meeting as far as how it went with the vote. So I do appreciate the support for that. I do want to say that Alder Reckelberg and everybody on that committee did put a lot of work into it, and just like anything else, you know, you can make the argument there's literally nothing that's perfect, right? And obviously this one, if, you know, half the council initially voted not to do it and it went to the tiebreaker, clearly it needs some work, but... Something is better than nothing to get started and just like everything else we can Strive towards that perfection over time, so thank you.

Thank you any other discussion Seeing no one in the queue council will now vote on this ordinance And the motion carries unanimously

Document 510 is an ordinance to amend section 10.150 of the municipal code regulating arteries of through traffic exceptions. Committee recommends to adopt the ordinance.

We have a motion by Cummings and a second by Anderson. Discussion on this ordinance? Seeing none, council will now vote on the ordinance. Motion carries unanimously.

Document 511 is an ordinance to amend section 10.230 of the municipal code regulating four-way stop. Committee recommends to adopt the ordinance.

All right, we have a motion by Cummings and a second by Beeman. Discussion, we have Alderman Cummings.

Yeah, the only thing I wanted to say is, you know, we can't comment during public input, so I just want to thank you for providing the public input. So I think any time a citizen comes in and provides input, whether it's yay or nay on something, it's obviously of value. So thank you for taking the time to be here, and thank you for the input that you provided. Appreciate it. Thank you all for allowing us to go through and, like you said, working on it.

Thank you. Any further discussion from the council? Seeing none, you'll now vote on this ordinance. And the motion carries unanimously. Anything else, Alderman Beaman for Public Safety Committee?

Nope, that completes our business.

Thank you. And we have the Parks and Recreation Committee and Alderman Michael Cummings as chair. Why, thank you, Mr. Mayor. The clerk has the document.

We have document 466, which is a resolution dissolving the special events committee. Committee recommends to adopt the resolution.

We have a motion by Schley and a second by Sitkowitz. Discussion? I think we wouldn't be surprised if we saw Courtney doing cartwheels in the back of the room after this. Seeing no discussion, council will now vote on this resolution. Motion carried unanimously. Thank you. Anything else? Alderman Cummings.

Well, Mr. Mayor, that one document completes our business for the committee. Not that we didn't do more work, but it does. But our next meeting, so normally we meet on the fourth Monday of every month, but there has been conflicts with that Monday. So we are moving the meeting to June 25th, which is a Thursday. And everybody should be present for that.

You're a young, new committee.

Still 530, still 530 right here. So anybody wants to attend, feel free. It's exciting.

Thank you. We will now then take up the plan commission documents.

We have document 542, introduction of a resolution approving the discontinuance of a portion of Deerbrook Lane in the interest of the public pursuant to Wisconsin Statute 66.1003 sub 4. Committee recommends to refer to plan commission.

Yeah, that's true. That's right. Thank you. Sorry. That is a motion by Schley and a second by Cummings. Discussion? Seeing none, council will now vote. And the motion carries unanimously.

We have document 543, an ordinance to amend section 22.010 of the Manitowoc Municipal Code regulating official map master subdivision plans located west of Virginia Drive and Joseph Road. Committee recommends to adopt the ordinance.

We have a motion by Schley and a second by Bry. Discussion on this ordinance? Seeing none, then the council will vote on this ordinance. And the motion carries unanimously.

Document 544 is an ordinance amending the amended zone map of the City of Manitowoc entitled Zoning Ordinance of the Municipal Code of the City of Manitowoc, property located west of Martin Street and south of Mary Street, parcel 382013010. Committee recommends to adopt the ordinance.

We have a motion by Schley and a second by Sitkowitz. Discussion? Seeing none, council will now vote on the ordinance amending the amended zone map.

And that passes unanimously.

That does conclude our business. Is there any other business to come before the council this evening? If not, then we would look for a motion and a second to adjourn. Move to adjourn. And we have Cummings and Anderson. We are adjourned.

Sorry.

That's okay.