Common Council - Regular Meeting

Yeah, I used to. I finished working. I worked at Port City's Animal Hospital right out of college. I finished working at Port City's Animal Hospital because I lived out of town all day. All right.

All right, it is 6.30. We will call our Common Council meeting to order. Welcome to our August meeting to the council, those in attendance, and those watching at home. Again, just a note, if you're here for public input or a public hearing, there are sign-up sheets in the back. Please sign up before we get to that part of the agenda. Roll call. We do have nine members present. Alder Dunbar is excused. So at this time, will everyone please rise for the Pledge of Allegiance, and if you could remain standing 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, as we gather tonight to serve the people of Manitowoc, grant us wisdom, integrity, and the spirit of cooperation. Remind us that when we serve our neighbors and work to strengthen our city, we are doing our work. Tonight, we remember Jim Bry on the recent anniversary of his passing and give thanks for his dedicated service to our community. As our conference room is renamed in his honor, may it be a lasting reminder of his example, his commitment to others and community. Amen.

Amen. Thank you. I might need you to say that again when we get to that part, too, because that was good. We'll just use that. All right. We have a couple of presentations this evening. First, for our fire and rescue department, we have two oaths of office and badge pinnings. So if Fire Lieutenant Philip Stadola and his family could please come up. And motor pump operator Tyler Fisher and his family, if you could come up right behind. And any members of the Mantua Fire Rescue Department, if you could come on up as well to show support. We will have our oath of office and badge pinnings.

All right, we heard it be. Step up, raise your right hand, repeat after me. I, Philip Sidola.

I, Philip Sidola.

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 Lieutenant for the City of Manitowoc.

Of Fire Lieutenant 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 swear I practiced this. When you're ready, please raise your right hand, repeat after me.

I, Tyler Fisher, solemnly swear that I will support the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State of Wisconsin and that I will faithfully discharge the duties of motor pump operator for the City of Manitowoc to the best of my ability. So help me God.

Congratulations.

Congratulations to you on your promotions in the Manitowoc Fire Rescue Department. The next presentation is to WOMT Radio. We have Mark Siever. Thank you. Mark C. Hafer and Terry Stevenson will be accepting the commendation and saying a few words about the station and what it is to be 100 years in our community. The commendation reads, Whereas WOMT Radio first began broadcasting in 1926, and has proudly served the residents of Manitowoc and the Lakeshore community for 100 years. Whereas throughout its century of operation, WOMT Radio has been a trusted and reliable source of local news, information, and entertainment for generations of listeners. And whereas WOMT Radio has demonstrated a strong commitment to community engagement by highlighting local stories, announcing high school sports, supporting civic initiatives, promoting local businesses, and providing a platform for community voices. I didn't add, you know, air exchange in on that or anything either but I guess that's a good and whereas that's the success and longevity of WMT radio is a testament to the dedication professionalism and passion of its staff past and present whose efforts have helped build a lasting legacy in local broadcasting whereas celebrating 100 years of broadcasting is an extraordinary milestone that reflects WOMT Radio's enduring role as an important part of the Mantua community. Now therefore, I, Justin Nichols, Mayor of the City of Mantua, do hereby commend and congratulate WOMT Radio on the occasion of its 100th anniversary and extend sincere appreciation on behalf of the citizens of Mantua for a century of service, communication, and community connection.

Congratulations.

Sorry, it's not gold-plated. Tough budget year, but it's still nice. Thank you, Mr. Mayor, and thank you, City Council members. 100 years, I was not around at the start of it, but my father was around for about 70 of those years, and he started something, and he wanted to keep it local, and our radio station now are very local. We're live. We're into the community. We try to serve everybody in this county, and We'll continue to do that as long as it stays in the family, right? Thank you very much.

We'll have that catchy tune in our heads for 100 forever now. No, it's awesome. Thank you. And for everything that you've done for the city over the years as well to WMT Radio. Quite an accomplishment. Next, we have a dedication to Jim Bright Conference Room. I was going to do a ribbon cutting, but I thought Jim was at enough of those in his lifetime here on Earth. But for those who don't know, the conference room to the north side of this room here We'll officially be called the Jim Brey Conference Room from here on out. Jim, of course, gave 30 plus years to this community, both at the city and at the county level. He was a shining example of a man who wanted to be a true public servant. And I think it's only fitting that from here on out, we'll have meetings in the Jim Bry conference room to remind us of that dedication and the reason why we're here. So I will turn it over. It's again, it's just to go on in there. Jim's picture is in there. He's looking over us. Jody, I don't know if you'd like to say anything, but if any other council member would like to say anything, just wanted to make it known that from here on out, it'll be the Jim Bry conference room.

Thank you very much, Mr. Mayor. Jim would be honored. As most people who knew him know, he was very proud of this city, and I'm sure he would be thrilled to be remembered this way.

Absolutely. Thank you. Anybody else have anything? Otherwise, I would say let's just give a nice big round of applause so he can hear us up in heaven. Thank you. All right, he probably isn't paying attention, though, because his L.A. Dodgers lost to the Brewers, so he's probably not listening to us Brewer fans anytime soon. All right, we have our first item on the agenda is a public hearing for the purpose of hearing any and all interested parties in the matter of a proposed street vacation for an unnamed street between Deerbrook Lane, Homestead Road, and Kellner Street. We will have the clerk read the proof of publication.

Notice of this public hearing was published in the Herald Times Reporter on August 3rd, 10th, and 17th.

Adam.

All right, this is part of an item that has been before you a number of different ways.

Is the microphone on, or are you just not close enough?

as long as it's on it'll catch you but the lights on so this is part of a project that has come before you a number of times through a subdivision process and an amendment to the official map so this is kind of the last stage because of the need for the public hearing and the waiting process but ultimately there's an existing street that we're going to vacate a portion of and then a portion will be rededicated just to the north of that That's ultimately to make more buildable lots to the south side of the previous road, just to add some additional depth, which was at the request of the developer. There is a sanitary sewer line that runs through this area, but that will remain right away after it's been adjusted. So this did go through the plan commission. There were no objections at that time, so staff recommends it.

Thank you, Adam. Are there any questions from the council for Adam at this time? Alderman Ruckelberg.

This is in my district, and I am having trouble. There was no maps provided with this anywhere that I could find, and I've got a general idea, but if somebody asked me a specific on it, I would have to shrug my shoulders and call you. So is it possible to get an email, the map of what actually is... Happening I would appreciate it. Yes, absolutely. I can do that. Thank you.

Thank you anyone else for Adam This is a public Hearing for this specific subject matter. I don't have anyone listed on the sheet for the public hearing Is there anyone that wants to speak for the public hearing for this specific subject matter? going once twice close this public hearing and we'll bring that up at the end of the agenda under the plan commission next item on the agenda is public input members from the public are allowed to speak for up to five minutes on anything germane to the city of manitowoc just a reminder that the council cannot respond to public input unless it's on the agenda later on so just make sure that If you do have something and it's not on the agenda, they're not allowed to address it up here today, but you can always reach out to them individually as well. I do have one individual for public input. Sean, if you'd like to come up to the podium, you will have five minutes to address the council.

Members of the council, mayor, my name is Sean Schienke. And what sits on this podium isn't just paper. It's the signatures of 844 local taxpayers who caught you in the dark. I'm here to find out why exactly you bypassed the voters, why you chained this county to a permanent lease with 30 flock safety spy cameras. 18 are right here in the city of Manitowoc and another 12 in the city of Two Rivers, bleeding the taxpayer money year after year. We all know that cameras don't just sprout on poles. And Mayor Nichols, you and the police chief signed off on this, completely in the shadows. Did you not know what you were buying? The police chief in Oshkosh caught Fox corporate, excuse me, corporate reps lying to him, and he pulled the plug. Oshkosh saw the trap, while Manitowoc walked right into it. You use public safety as a shield to pad your budget. You didn't hold the town hall. You didn't put mass surveillance on a ballot. You hid this spending under vague labels like tech upgrades. You buried the contract deep inside of a Tuesday night agenda with one quick vote and zero public debate. You knew that if you told this city that you were hooking our intersections up to national tracking grids, we would have shut it down immediately. Your own district attorney, Jacqueline Lebray, went to the CA for news yesterday to defend this. They're not tracking anything. They're just stationary cameras. It's the same thing as having a police officer on the corner writing down license plates as they drive by. Let me ask you this, counsel. Does a single police officer standing on a corner instantly beam every passing license plate to a national grid of 83,000 cameras? Does a police officer on the corner hand the daily movements of law-abiding citizens over to 7,000 out-of-state agencies in real time? No, that is not a stationary camera. That is an unconstitutional digital dragnet. Out-of-state police can track our drivers without a warrant. You took the Fourth Amendment, you flipped it upside down, and you treated every working person in this city like a suspect. You're forcing us to pay for the privilege of being spied on. while you're squeezing the working class dry. Home prices have doubled, groceries are up 30%, and the working families in this city are bleeding out. What was your response? You quietly inflated the city's budget by $3.7 million. You pushed through a $1.23 million spike just for 2026 to pad your payroll and your benefits. excuse me, you strapped an 8.31% property tax hike on our backs just to fund it, assuming that we were too busy trying to survive, then read your reports. These 844 signatures are the eviction notice for this contract. We are bringing this to you first because you operate 18 of these cameras. When I'm done here, I'm going right to two rivers and then the county board. You're just the first domino. We demand an official roll call vote be added to the agenda for the very next city council meeting to place a moratorium on the Manitowoc Police Department's flock cameras. It's time to take them down and stop spending our money to watch us without a vote. Thank you.

Thank you for your comments. Is there anyone? I don't have anyone else listed on public input. Did we have any previously submitted public input?

We did not.

All right. Just do one more call if there is anyone who missed signing in. Yes, sir. You could just come up and state your name and address for the record, please.

I'm Carl Kimis, resident of Two Rivers, town of Two Rivers. This is my wife, Sue. We have a daughter that lives in the city of Manitowoc on 1711 South 22nd Street and has had drug problems in the past, has cleaned her life up, and has an ex-husband that keeps on coming after her for all kinds of things. But... We had the police there on June 26th and I couldn't believe what the police did. We have it all on video. I mean, it takes a lot more time than the five minutes that you've given us to talk about this, but we can't make any headway with the police with charges and we've been pushed off and lied to and I mean, lots of problems. And we need somebody to look into this for us if you have a time when we could lay the whole thing out for you to see what's going on. I mean, it looks to me like the police are tyrannical in this city with the situation that we have. And we're very upset about this and we need somebody to talk to other than these cops that we've been talking to because they lied to us.

so um do you have anybody like jim bry around or somebody or do you want to hear all the details got another 40 minutes no again we can't respond but i mean if you do want to reach out individually to council members all their information is on the city's website so you can reach out individually to meet with them if you'd like mine is as well so you can do that too so If you want to have that conversation with council members, you can do that.

Okay. We'll do whatever we can to get this resolved.

The city's website is right behind you on the screen, so if you go to that website, you can find all the contact information. All right?

Okay.

All right. Thank you. Anyone else? One last time for public input. Once or twice, we'll close public input. We will go to item G on the agenda, and that's appointments. And I have a couple. Crime Prevention, Gabriella DeVry, and Municipal Tree Commission, Andy Janicki, for the terms expiring when you see it. Look for a motion by Sikowitz and a second by Reckleberg to approve. No discussion, at least not seeing any. Council will now vote on the appointments. And they are approved unanimously. Thank you. We'll move then to the, where are we? Consent agenda item H. Is there anything to be removed from the consent agenda? If not, I will wait for a motion and a second to approve. We've got Sikwets and Schley. There is no discussion. So council will now vote on the consent agenda. And that is approved. Maybe. unanimously there you go all right thank you all we'll move then to the next item which is item i committee reports and we'll start with committee the whole council president eric said quits uh thank you mr mayor we have no business and no documents this evening so we are complete thank you nice okay

We'll move then to Finance Committee. We'll just stay with you right there, and you are the chair of that as well. Well, thank you, Mr. Mayor. That is where we do have some documents, and the clerk has them. Sounds good.

We have document 698, which is a scope of engagement relative to proposed issuance of $5,637,072 City of Manitowoc taxable private LSL replacement revenue bond series 2026 safe drinking water loan project. Committee recommends to approve as presented.

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

We have document 699, which is a resolution to authorize the issuance and sale up to $5,637,072 taxable private LSL replacement loan program revenue bonds series 2026 and providing for other details and covenants with respect thereto and approval of related financial assistance agreements.

We have a motion by Sikwets and a second by Reckelberg. Discussion? Seeing none, council will now vote on this resolution. And it passes unanimously.

Document 707 is a report of IDC from August 12th, 2026 of Manitowoc Tool and Manufacturing LLC request for a partial release of easement. Lot one of a certified survey recorded in volume 36, page 11. This is for tax parcel 447-004010. Committee recommends to approve the request for the partial release of easement.

We have a motion by Sikowitz and a second by Reckelberg. Sounds like a city planner who created that motion. Seeing no discussion, council will now vote on this. And it passes unanimously.

Document 737 is a resolution authorizing the submission of a Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation EIDL sites grant application for infrastructure at the River Point District. Staff recommends to adopt the resolution.

We have a motion by Sickwitz and a second by Brey. Discussion? Seeing none, council will now vote on this resolution. And it passes unanimously. Oh, anything else? Alderman Sitkowitz.

That completes our business this evening. Just with our normal meeting in September, being that the first Monday is Labor Day, we will be moving to Tuesday, which is September 8th at 5.30 p.m. We're immediately following the personnel meeting in council chambers. Sounds good.

Thank you. We'll move then to the personnel committee and Alderman Brett Norella's chair. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. The clerk has the document.

Document 738 is a resolution to revise the employee alcohol misuse prevention and anti-drug policy for non-DOT employees and drug and alcohol prevention policy for DOT regulated employees. Committee recommends to adopt the resolution.

We have a motion by Norrell and a second by Cummings. Discussion? Seeing none, council will now vote on this resolution. And the resolution passes unanimously. Anything else, Alderman Norrell?

No, that concludes our business with the mayor. And as Alder Sickowitz says, our next meeting is on September 8th here in Chambers at 5 o'clock.

Thank you very much. Next is Public Works Committee, and Alderman Bill Schley is chair.

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

Document 700 is Amendment Number 1 for the 2026 Sanitary Sewer Master Plan. Committee recommends to approve.

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

Document 704 is a request to fund storm sewer repair on Easman at Waldo and Fleetwood Drive. Committee recommends to provide COG funding.

We have a motion by Schley and a second by Anderson. Discussion? Seeing none, council will now vote. And it passes unanimously.

Document 706 is a usage of Quay Street dock for loading of concrete trucks. Committee recommends to approve after city attorney writes an agreement.

We have a motion by Schley and a second by Anderson. And we have Alderman Schley in line to speak.

Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Just wanted to clear the air. There was some ambiguous wording on this deal. And during committee, it was very confusing because it said it was a motion to load concrete trucks. They are. They're actually loading the trucks. They're not loading concrete on Quay Street. They're loading trucks, and it's only going to be a couple of days. So I just thought I'd clear that with anybody who might be listening and think that we're loading concrete in the parking lot on Quay Street.

Thank you. Thank you for that clarification, Alderman Schley. Seeing no further discussion, council will now vote. The motion carries unanimously.

Document 742 is a 2026 computer-aided dispatch automatic vehicle location contract between the City of Manitowoc and Transit Technologies. Staff recommends to move forward with this agreement with Transit Technologies.

We have a motion by Stickwitz and a second by Benzinger. Discussion? Seeing none, then Council will now vote on this contract. Motion carries unanimously. Anything else, Alderman Schley?

No, that finishes out our agenda. Our next meeting, if I can just get my calendar open, thank you, will be September 3rd at 530 right here in this chamber.

Thank you. Thank you very much. We'll move to the Public Safety Committee, and Alderman Todd Reckelberg is chair.

The clerk has our material.

Document 725 is an ambulance service agreement between Roncalli High School and the City of Manitowoc Fire Rescue Department. Committee recommends to approve.

We have a motion by Reckleberg and a second by Beeman. Discussion? Seeing none, council will now vote on this agreement. Motion carries unanimously.

Document 726 is an ambulance service agreement between Lincoln High School and the City of Manitowoc Fire Rescue Department. Committee recommends to approve.

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

Document 739 is an ordinance to amend section 10.390 of the Manitowoc Municipal Code regulating parking prohibited, Riverview Drive and Meadow Lane. Committee recommends to adopt the ordinance.

We have a motion by Cummings and a second by Schley. Discussion on this ordinance? Seeing none, council will now vote on the ordinance. Motion carries eight to zero with one abstention. Alderman Anderson.

Thank you, Mr. Mayor. The reason for the abstention is that I'm employee of Holy Family.

Understood. Thank you.

Document 740 is an ordinance to amend section 10.170 of the Manitowoc Municipal Code regulating through intersections South 22nd Street and Summit Street. Committee recommends to adopt the ordinance.

It's a pleasure on this ordinance. We have Cummings and second by Beeman. Discussion? Seeing none, council will now vote on this ordinance. Motion carries unanimously. Anything else? Alderman Reckelberg.

Just that our next meeting is September 14th.

All right, thank you. We will move then to the Parks and Recreation Committee. Alderman Mike Cummings is chair.

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

We have document 745, which is a report of the Parks and Recreation Department recommending approval of a variety of special events subject to council action. Committee recommends approval.

We have a motion by Reckelberg and a second by Brey. Discussion? Seeing none, council will now vote on this report. Motion carried unanimously. Anything else? Alderman Cummings.

That concludes our business for Parks and Recreation this month, Mr. Mayor. Our next meeting would have been August 26th. However, we found out that it conflicts with the library board meeting, which is very important. And so we are going to move the meeting to September 2nd in council chambers. And then we will determine from there what works for the committee at that point for when we're going to regularly meet.

Sounds good. Thank you very much. And then we have the plan commission document that we will take up.

Document 542 is a resolution approving the discontinuance of a portion of Deerbrook Lane in the interest of the public pursuant to Wisconsin Statute 66.1003, Parent 4. Committee recommends to adopt the resolution.

We have a motion by Reckelberg and a second by Sitkwitz on this resolution. Discussion on the resolution? Seeing none, council will now vote on the resolution. The resolution passes unanimously. That exhausts all the documents. Any other business to come before the council at this time? If not, look for a motion to adjourn. Sequence in comings. We are adjourned.