COUNCIL PROCEEDINGS
Mayor Krueger called this regular meeting of the Common Council of the
City of Watertown to order at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, October 4, 2011, in the
Council Chambers at City Hall.
Roll call showed the following members present: Alderpersons Johnson,
Olejniczak, David, Kuehl, Bleske, Coughlin, Arnett, Bartel and Romlein. (9)
Absent: (0) Also present were Chief of Police Tim Roets, Fire Chief Greg
Michalek, City Engineer Joe Radocay and City Clerk/Treasurer Mike Hoppenrath.
AMEND ORDER
OF THE DAY
Alderperson Bleske then moved to amend the order of the day to take
Ordinance #11-22 off of the agenda and add Resolution #7718, seconded by
Alderperson Coughlin, carried on a voice vote. (A copy of Res. #7718 was sent to
the Watertown Daily Times more than 24 hours prior to the meeting.)
The Council recited the Pledge of Allegiance to the American flag.
Mayor Krueger inquired if there were any additions or corrections to the
minutes of the meeting held Tuesday, September 20, 2011.
There being none, the minutes were approved as published.
The following reports were presented and contained the following items:
FINANCE COMMITTEE, September 20, 2011.
1) Discuss Insurance Issues.
The Committee reviewed the proposal to implement a different type of
health insurance plan for the Police & Fire Unions, since they were not required
to make any WRS contributions by Governor Walker’s plan.
After review of the proposal it was determined that this item should be
negotiated with the two unions in the upcoming year and a resolution will not be
presented. 2)
Police Department Grievance.
The Committee reviewed a grievance filed by a police officer.
After review of the facts a motion was made and carried to deny the
grievance. Report was received and
placed on file.
FINANCE COMMITTEE, September 26, 2011.
1) Mediation and Labor
Negotiations. The Committee is
proposing a 0% increase while the Fire Department is asking for a 2% increase.
Since all non-represented employees and most represented employees will
now begin paying 5.8% of their salary toward Wisconsin Retirement and an
additional percentage for Health Insurance, the Finance Committee felt that an
increase to one segment of our employees would be inappropriate and an impasse
was reached. Negotiations will be
taken up at a future meeting.
FINANCE COMMITTEE, September 28, 2011.
1) 2012 Budget.
Deputy Clerk Cindy Rupprecht was present to outline the choices that the
Finance Committee would have with the 2012 Budget as far as increase in levy,
tax rates and use of Fund Balance.
Report was received and placed on file.
PUBLIC WORKS COMMISSION,
September 27, 2011. 1)
Storm Water Rates. A
representative from Ruckert Mielke was present to outline a new rate framework
which would be made of 3 components, to come up with a rate for storm water
usage. The Commission directed the
representative to draft an ordinance and the Commission will review this at a
later meeting. 2)
Snow Emergency Policy. The
Commission again discussed the need to address all of the cars that remain on
the street when snow plowing operations are commenced.
There did not appear to be one good solution to this problem.
After several ideas were discussed Street Superintendent, the Police
Chief and Alderperson Arnett agreed to prepare a proposal and bring it back to
the next meeting. 3)
Downtown Street Lighting. A
proposal was reviewed to change some of the street lights to LED’s.
There was some concern about changing these lights over at this time,
since the technology is changing quite a bit.
The Commission members were interested in looking at a different type of
light bulb and further information and cost will be presented at a future
meeting. 4)
Verizon/O’Connell Street Water Tower.
Verizon countered the city’s last proposal with an offer to match the
dollar amount, however; increase the number of antennas from 3 to 6.
The Commission did not approve any alteration to our last offer.
5) T-Mobile/Western Avenue
Water Tower. No response had been
received. 6)
Agenda Planning. Snow
Emergency, Storm Water rate structure and street lighting will be on a future
agenda. Report was received and
placed on file.
PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE, September 19,
2011. 1)
A recommendation to delete 5 parking stalls on Richards Avenue, between
South Concord Avenue and Humboldt Street was proposed, since the roadway had
been narrowed. An ordinance will be
presented. 2)
Chief Roets asked that the Committee address the inconsistencies dealing
with bicycles on sidewalks. He
noted there was an exception for newspaper carries to ride their bicycles on
sidewalks while delivering, however; a different section of the code prohibits
it in the downtown area. The
Chairman will gather information from other communities and place this on a
future agenda. 3)
Concealed Carry Policy. The
Committee reviewed the start date for Concealed Carry which would be November 1,
2011. The Committee wants to have
in place any rules and regulations it deems necessary prior to people carrying
concealed weapons and an ordinance will be drafted by the City Attorney and
presented at the next meeting.
Report received and placed on file.
The Mayor presented a claim from Ashley Blankley for damage to her house
when a tree branch tore the wires off the side of her house.
Alderperson Arnett moved to deny the claim, seconded by Alderperson
Johnson and carried on a voice vote.
The Mayor then presented a claim from Jerome Keeser for damage to a rim
and tire. Alderperson David moved
to deny the claim, seconded by Alderperson Romlein and carried on a voice vote.
The Mayor
then presented the annual report for the Local Government Investment Pool, which
the city uses to invest it’s excess funds.
Certified
accounts in the amount of $217,706.24 were presented for payment.
Alderperson Arnett moved to pay all certified accounts, seconded by
Alderperson Bartel and carried on a roll call vote: Yes-9.
No-0. (Complete listing of
accounts payable is on file and open for public inspection in the office of the
City Clerk/Treasurer.)
The following reports were presented: Board of Health – February 3 & June
2, 2011, Committee of the Whole – September 20, 2011, Historic Preservation &
Downtown Design – September 7, 2011,
Payroll Summaries – September 7 – September 20, 2011, Plan Commission –
September 26, 2011, Zoning Board of Appeals – September 13, 2011.
ORDINANCES
ORDINANCE #11-23, would
rezone 109 S. Votech Drive from Planned Business to Planned Industrial.
Sponsor:
Mayor Krueger. From:
Plan Commission.
Alderperson Johnson moved for the adoption of this Ordinance on its first
reading, seconded by Alderperson Bartel and carried on a roll call vote:
Yes-9. No-0.
ORDINANCE #11-24,
would prohibit parking on Richards Avenue from the west curb line of
South Concord Avenue to the east curb line of Humboldt Street.
Sponsor:
Alderperson Kuehl. From:
Public Safety & Welfare Committee.
Alderperson Kuehl moved for the adoption of this Ordinance on its first
reading, seconded by Alderperson Coughlin and carried on a roll all vote:
Yes-9. No-0.
ORDINANCE #11-25, would
repeal and recreate the concealed weapon prohibition.
Sponsor:
Alderperson Kuehl. From:
Public Safety & Welfare Committee.
Alderperson Bartel moved for the adoption of this Ordinance on its first
reading, seconded by Alderperson Kuehl.
Note: City Attorney Tom Levi
enters here at 7:15 p.m. There was
some discussion as to the necessity to make some major revisions to the proposed
ordinance as presented. Therefore,
the motion to adopt Ordinance #11-25 failed on the following roll call vote:
Yes-0. No-9.
The revised ordinance, which Attorney Levi distributed at tonight’s
meeting will be renumbered as Ordinance #11-26 or whatever number is next and
brought to the October 20, 2011 meeting on its first reading.
EXHIBIT #7712, 7713, 7714, 7715
and 7716, all dealt with the 2012 Shared Ride Taxi Applications.
Sponsor:
Mayor Krueger.
From: Finance Committee and
Transit Commission. Ald.
Romlein moved to approve Resolution 7712 – 7716, seconded by Ald. Olejniczak and
carried on a roll call vote. Yes-9.
No-0.
EXHIBIT
#7717,
would show
the City of Watertown’s support for the Rock River Trail Initiative.
Sponsor:
Mayor Krueger. From:
Alderperson Olejniczak.
Alderperson Olejniczak moved to approve this resolution, seconded by Alderperson
Kuehl and carried on a voice vote.
EXHIBIT
#7718,
would authorize entering into a contract to lease 19 acres of cropland near the
airport with Fred Mueller at a price of $4,502.00 per year.
Sponsor:
Mayor Krueger. Ald.
Bartel moved to approve this resolution, seconded by Ald. Johnson and carried on
a roll call vote. Yes-9.
No-0.
ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business to come before the Council at this time,
Alderperson Coughlin moved to adjourn, seconded by Alderperson David and carried
on a voice vote. The time being
7:30 p.m.
City
Clerk/Treasurer
MHH/dn
(Complete
video of Council Proceedings on Tape N.)
(DISCLAIMER: These minutes are uncorrected and any corrections made thereto will be noted in the proceedings at which these minutes are approved.)