City Council - Regular Meeting

I'll do that later. I don't want to mess with it now. Ready? Okay. Good evening everybody. You are at a meeting of the common council. It's Tuesday, January 27th, 2026. It is 6:30 p.m. Was city hall council chambers with a quorum present. We have two members absent, Alder Grryer and excused, Alder Griner and Alder Hanky. The call the meeting to order. Please join me 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, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

I'll ask the clerk to call the role.

We have nine voting members present. Right. Up next is proclamations. We have one to read and two to enter. Uh first up is celebrating Black History Month. Whereas during Black History Month, we celebrate the many achievements and contributions made by African-Americans to our economic, cultural, spiritual, and political development. And whereas the commemoration of Black History Month draws our attention to the ongoing need to unite and develop a society that lives up to the principles of our constitutional republic. And whereas the city of Wasau continues to work towards establishing an inclusive and merit-based community in which all people are respected and rewarded for their contributions to our city, state, and country. And whereas the city of Wasa is proud to honor the history and contributions of the African-Americans in our community throughout our state and nation. Now therefore, be it resolved that I, Doug Denny, mayor, city of Wasau, do hereby proclaim February is Black History Month in the city of Wasau, state of Wisconsin. And I commend this observance to all citizens so that they may celebrate our community's diverse heritage and continue our efforts to create a world that is peaceful and prosperous for all. Signed Doug Denny, mayor, city was January 27th. Uh the next one was community risk reduction week which we read into will enter into the record we read at station two last week. uh to kick that off with the fire chief with our uh about 20 25 members of the of station two and our inspections uh group there and then the last one will be taken care of at down

at transit and this is transit equity day. We're going to enter that into the record and we're going to recognize February 4th is transit equity day in Wasau. Thank you. Uh item three is consideration of the minutes of the preceding meeting and the approval of the minutes if if if correct or and correction of mistakes if any for January 13th regular common council minutes. Motion from Watson, second from Lukans. Seeing no comments,

may begin voting. Motion passes nine to zero.

And up next, we have one public comment signed up. I'm going to ask the clerk to read. Thank you. Public comment statement. Public comment statement. The city of Wasa recognizes the value of public comment on local issues and the importance of allowing members of the public to express themselves on city matters. Please identify yourself by name and state your address. Each statement made by a participant should be limited to three minutes. Direct all comments to the chair, not to members, staff, or other participants. People addressing the council shall not disrupt the orderly course of business. The chair values civil discourse and may interrupt, terminate, or prohibit public comment that do not adhere to these rules. All right. First up and only up it looks like Jesse Karns.

Hey folks, thanks for having me. Um, I just had some uh clarifying details on the council meeting from the 13th that I wanted to share with you. I realized that at the meeting there was some discourse on one of my fellow committee members, Kay Palmer, and there was some discussion about whether or not she had recused herself in ample time when it came to her affiliation to the hearings and to the um the overseeing of that uh complaint we had against Mayor Denny. And I just wanted to make very clear that it's in the minutes from the preceding meeting. There's no mention and there was no discussion of anything that was handled for the complaint and that K. Palmer her first uh action of duty as chair at the following meeting was to recuse herself from that meeting and then remove herself from that meeting and subsequent meetings until the complaint was concluded. And I thought that was really important to bring to the table because I realized at the end of the day that it's re when we sit on a board like the ethics board or the environmental sustainability committee like it's really important that we respect one another as committee members and that we live up to the expectations that we're putting forward when it comes to the ethics that we've sworn to uphold. And I think that as committee members, it's important for us to stand up for one another, especially in instances where a person's being publicly decrieded in a way that we feel is maybe an attempt to uh lower their status as a fellow committee member. So, I just want to make sure that that was made very clear and that uh we would please at least redress the minutes from that meeting that brought her character into question. So, thank you.

Thank you. And I I'm just reviewing the minutes. I don't know if those comments were if the uh appointees comments were in the minutes. I don't believe they were. I think they were uh around like 1 hour 31 minutes into the recording. So if there's reference I understand that I'm talking about the official minutes that the clerk puts together. Oh, sure. But I point taken. I appreciate it. Thank you.

Sure. No problem. We the clerk and I will review that just to make sure that that there's that we're clear. All right. Uh up next is

[snorts] We're on the consent agenda. This is the main part of the meeting tonight. Any We got a motion from Watson, second from Tierney. Comments on the consent agenda. Seeing none, you may begin voting.

Motion passes 8 to one. All right. No ordinances on resolutions. Under normal order, we have item eight is suspension of the rules. It's 12 A, the referral of resolutions. This came direct from I guess the mayor's office since uh it didn't go to committee and I would entertain a motion. Watson second Lucans and this is on suspension of the rules. Twothirds required. May begin voting. Motion passes 8 to1.

All right. That resolution is uh file number 11-0505 is a resolution from the common council designating May 3rd, 2026 as World Migratory Bird Day. This is a requirement from uh from the uh Bird City USA. It gets us our membership. put a little sticker on the door. Goes hand in hand with our Tree City USA. So, um, thank you for supporting this motion from Watson, second from Rasmusen. Seeing no comments, you may begin voting.

Motion passes nine to zero. Okay. Announcements from the mayor and alder persons. Any alders with comments? Alder Tierney. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I was just going to say that there is a special Olympics fundraiser going on at Dale's Weston Lanes this Saturday. So, if anybody so desires to support what I consider a wonderful organization, head on out there and give them a little support. Thank you.

Thank you. A good announcement. Um, anyone else? I I do have one that that I will offer is the community engagement session for district 3 with input for 1300 Cleveland Avenue is happening on the 29th, which is Thursday. Um, help me out with the date. I mean the time the time of that meeting 5:30 and it has is it's going to be held in the conference center uh for our wastewater treatment plant at 5:30. So if if you're a neighbor there, you have stakeholder there in an interest there, uh you're welcome to attend that and give your feedback. Alder Lukans. Okay,

thank you. I just wanted to piggyback on that. Um, as many alders as possible that if you're able to attend, it would be it'd be really nice. Um, since you know it's a public feedback and planning. So, if you are at all able to attend, you'd be more than welcome. Thank you. Yes, we we are. Okay. Okay. So, if if you're if you're an alder planning to attend, please let the clerk know. We're already planning to put out a notice of possible quorum. Okay. Due to the council members already involved with it. So, okay. Thank you. You're free to attend.

All right. One last hanging chat. Thank you, Mr.

Alder Killian or Alder Tierney. Um I was also going to say that um been working with indoors who is working on a project of tiny homes um for transitional living out by Northern Valley Workshop. Some of you graciously attended a meeting. They do have an informational meeting scheduled at station number two on February the 12th and um the meeting starts at 6, but I will be there along with the board of directors at 5:30. So if you want to find out more about uh transitional tiny homes possibly going up in that area, feel free to attend. Thank you.

Thank you, Alder Larson. Oh, accidental. Okay. All right. Seeing nothing further. Oh, we do. Oh, we have comments and suggestions from citizens that have not had a chance to speak yet during public comment uh before the meeting. You can do it after or after business. Anyone here to speak on public uh comment? Hey, we're going to break a record. We got 3 minutes till 7:4 6:45. All right. All right, I would entertain a motion to adjurnn from Lucans, second from Neil. All in favor of journment signify by saying I.

Good night, everybody.