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ROCEEDINGS OF THE OMMON OUNCIL
CO,W
ITY OF SHKOSH ISCONSIN
J28,2016
UNE
REGULAR MEETING held Tuesday, June 28, 2016, at 6:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers,
City Hall.
Mayor Cummings presided.
PRESENT: Council Members Steven Herman, Deb Allison-Aasby, Caroline Panske,
Benjamin Stepanek, Tom Pech, Jr., Lori Palmeri, and Mayor Steve Cummings
ALSO PRESENT: Mark Rohloff, City Manager; Pamela Ubrig, City Clerk; Lynn Lorenson,
City Attorney; James Rabe, Director of Public Works
Council Member Herman read the Invocation.
The Pledge of Allegiance was led by Council Member Herman.
P
UBLIC HEARINGS
Ordinance 16-308 Approve Zone Change/ Downtown Oshkosh YMCA from C-3 Central
Commercial District, R-2 PD Two Family Residence District with
Planned Development Overlay, R-5 Multiple Dwelling District &
R-5PD Multiple Dwelling District with Planned Development Overlay
to C-3PD Central Commercial District with Planned Development
Overlay; 324 Washington Avenue
FIRST READING; LAID OVER UNDER THE RULES
Ordinance 16-309 Approve Zone Change from A-2 General Agriculture Extraterritorial
Zoning to A-1 Light Agriculture Extraterritorial Zoning; Southeast
Corner of 9 Street Road & Clairville Road, Town of Algoma
th
FIRST READING; LAID OVER UNDER THE RULES
Ordinance 16-310 Approve Creating Division 6 Residential Rental Contact Registration
& Inspection Program of Chapter 16 Housing Code
FIRST READING; LAID OVER UNDER THE RULES
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Mayor Steve Cummings stated this had been a highly charged and emotional issue in the
past few weeks, with misunderstandings, confusion and dissemination of disinformation
within that time period.
John Zarate, Chief Building Official, and Allen Davis, Director of Community Development
were asked to do a presentation on the concerns and frequently asked questions in regards
to the program.
Mr. Davis explained that the Rental Contact Registration and Inspection Program was a
code update that addresses some of the specific concerns with existing property
maintenance and building codes and compliance in the city. He explained there was a long
history of violations and the program was designed to address those violations in the city
and prevent them from continuing or exacerbating.
Mr. Zarate presented a slide show that included photographs inspectors had taken on some
of their inspections under the current enforcement program which was done via a complaint
basis. Common findings included non-functional smoke detectors with the batteries
removed, plumbing problems and improper repairs, heating problems, electrical issues,
unsanitary living conditions, water damage, structural damage, improper repairs, bed bugs
and infestations, parking violations, and excess junk and debris.
Mr. Davis directed the attention of the Council to a list of the FAQ’s that was developed
regarding questions that have been raised since the last presentation at Council. The first
question was “I thought State Law prevented a City from running a rental registry and
inspection program?”. He explained the 2015 Wisconsin Act 176 explicitly permits
municipalities to create registry program as well as administering a “program of regularly
scheduled inspections. The second question was “Is this a way for the City to increase
revenues for the Inspections Division?”. He stated that the City had never charged the
landlords or the tenants for this type of service in the past; it had been carried by the rest of
the general public when it came to inspections and corrections. He stated this would be the
beginning of recovering some of the costs that the City had already incurred on hundreds if
not thousands of violations in the past, likely in the range of $50,000.00 a year in staff time
that it took to follow up on the violations. The program being created would be funded
completely by the fees and not general taxes or other permit holders, it would be funded by
the program itself and the inspections that were done.
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Mr. Davis stated a good question someone asked was “why doesn’t the City just go after the
“bad” landlords or just target the university area?”. He stated there was a concern and they
were originally looking at developing a program like that, but learned from the Legislature
in spring that if the City wanted to create a program, they would be required to use a
uniform system of inspections around the City and it had to be community wide. Therefore
the University area or a specific neighborhood could not be targeted, it had to be community
wide to comply with the State Statutes.
Another common question was “what are the City Officials going to be searching in the
rental units?”. Mr. Davis explained they are looking for health and safety codes along with
housing and electrical building code, and not searching the personal property of any
tenants.
The next question Mr. Davis answered was “Is the City going to charge landlords yearly for
this inspection program” to which he stated that no, the program was a five year cycle, so
landlords would be charged once every five years.
In response to what the cost would be, Mr. Davis stated it would be $125.00 per unit every
five years. He further explained that landlords that could set up inspections at one time for
multi-unit structures could then pay the reduced fee of $180.00 regardless of how many
units were in the building.
In response to how long the inspection would take, Mr. Davis explained it would depend
on the condition and size of the rental unit, but the estimation was approximately an hour.
He further explained the cost of reinspection fees.
Bernardo Cueto, 510 Birch Steet, Onalaska, WI, spoke on behalf of the Winnebago County
Housing Association. He stated they would like more time to meet with council members
on the Ordinance proposal. He explained they would like to enhance the program and meet
the goals the City was trying to accomplish and at the same time not have it be punitive for
the landlords. He explained he sued the City of La Crosse against their inspections program,
as well as the City of Wausau. He stated he was present to promote cooperation and asked
City Council Members to meet with the Association at their next meeting. Mr. Cueto stated
they were not looking to have an expensive litigation or change state law any more than it
had already been changed. He stated they were not looking to put a stop to the Ordinance,
but to improve it.
Aaron Wojciechowski, 740 Cherry Street, Oshkosh, stated he was the Winnebago County
Supervisor for the School District and was present to speak on behalf of the students. He
stated that many students chose to live off campus after the first two years of school as it
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was cheaper than living in the dorms. He stated many students had expressed the living
conditions they had dealt with and were hoping to see that change, which is why they
support the project moving forward. In addition, the President of the Student Government
requested Mr. Wojciechowski speak on her behalf, and submitted the following statement:
“To whom it may concern. As the official elected Student Body President at the University
of Wisconsin, Oshkosh, I am in favor of the Residential Rental Contact Registration &
Inspection Program. I believe that this program will benefit the students who utilize off
campus housing. These students and Oshkosh residents have limited resources to ensure
they are living in a structure that meets the basic living standard. I applaud the members of
the City Council who are taking steps to ensure basic safety measure for students of UWO.
While students are only a minority of the residents in the community that does not mean
that their basic rights to safety can be ignored. Students living in homes that are potentially
unsafe should have the opportunity to ensure that they are living in a safe environment. As
the President of the Oshkosh Student Association I believe this ordinance will increase
relationships between tenants and landlords, which would benefit groups in the future. I
urge all voting members to support this ordinance, for showing your support of this shows
that you care about the residents of the City you have been elected to represent. Thank you,
Austyn Boothe, President of Oshkosh Student Association.” Mr. Wojciechowski stated he
would like to echo and agree with that.
Michael Stratz, 2750 Kilarney Court Oshkosh, stated that he and his wife owned two
apartment buildings with a total of eight units. He stated they fully support the idea of a
registry, and also compliment the Fire Department who had been extremely proficient in
going through their buildings, and stated that their buildings were regularly inspected. He
also explained they installed tamper proof smoke detectors. He stated his concern was that
the program was another way of causing expenses for tenants because the landlords will
have to pass the cost along. He stated that it was his understanding that if a student or other
tenant had a problem with their housing, all they had to do was call the City, and that the
City would work with the landlord to resolve the problem. He explained he had concerns
about the list of items the city would be inspecting and how often that list would be added
to or changed. He also expressed concern about what would happen if a tenant refused
inspection, and the possibility of an invasion of privacy. He stated he felt the City was trying
to resolve a problem that had already been fixed, and was creating a can of worms that
would create more problems than what would be fixed. He explained that although other
cities with universities had similar programs, perhaps those cities did not have the same
response that Oshkosh had to complaints, and that the current situation appeared to be
working well in Oshkosh.
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Alan Sawitski, 1245 Glane Court, stated he believed when a tenant contacts the City in
regards to a complaint, the tenant should be asked if the landlord had been notified of the
problem in order to correct it. He stated that it was common to learn of a problem from the
City without any prior knowledge of the issue. He stated generally the people who filed
complaints were those being evicted and it was retaliation. He stated that people who were
not listed on the lease would call and file a complaint despite that they do not live at the
residence. He stated he believed the tenant should be responsible to notify the landlord first
before filing a complaint. He stated he had incurred a number of costs already from the City
due to road work, school referendums, etc. He stated he was not sure how much more
expense he could pass along to his tenants. He also questioned whether City Inspectors
would require re-wiring for all of the locations that contain ungrounded outlets. Another
suggestion he offered was to begin mandatory inspections after multiple complaints, so
other landlords would not have to suffer for what bad landlords do. He questioned if rental
units were being inspected, what would be done about the businesses and private homes.
Kelley Schwab, 4181 Stonegate Drive, Town of Algoma, spoke on behalf of her father as well
as her family who were large property owners and stakeholders in the City of Oshkosh. She
stated her father had informed her of the last time an inspection program had been
implemented within the City of Oshkosh and the negative effect it had on the business
community. Since the program had been discontinued, a positive business environment
had been reestablished in the City of Oshkosh, allowing individuals, small business owners,
and developers to invest in the City. She indicated the discontinued program demonstrated
the old Oshkosh attitude of keeping people out and fostering a negative business
environment. She indicated the program would cause people to not want to do business
within the City of Oshkosh and instead do business elsewhere. She stated that although the
City states that the program would promote the safety of its residents, the program could
not and would not not be able to do so. She stated that the cost of housing within Oshkosh
would rise, forcing tenants in the lowest rental brackets to be unable to afford the housing
and eventually forcing them out of the City. She indicated that the City already had within
its means the tools to protect the tenants living within the City, with the current ordinances,
statutes and administrative codes that are in place. She stated the program was a
governmental money grab, and the money they were grabbing was from small businesses
that had made the community what it was. She stated the message the City of Oshkosh was
sending to small businesses and developers was that as a City, they did not want small
businesses within the community. Ms. Schwab exhausted her time allowed to speak.
David Nesseller, 1446 W. New York Avenue, stated that within the packet the Council had,
there was a statement that read “the Common Council finds that a significant percentage of
the complaints and code violations occur at residential rental dwelling units, and that the
conditions that exist at these units adversely affect the neighbors and the neighborhoods in
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which they are located” to which he stated he could not agree more. He stated he appeared
before the Common Council in August, 2011, and asked that they look at some of the
problems occurring within the college neighborhoods, and nothing happened. He stated he
appeared before the Common Council in March of 2013 with the same question and again
there was no result. He stated he was not in favor of the proposal as there was already
plenty of codes that if enforced, would improve the neighborhoods significantly. He stated
that although the Council recognizes the City had problems within certain neighborhoods,
and receives simple advice from residents, but does not implement those suggestions and
instead hires consultants to attempt to fix the problems. He stated he believed Council
already had the codes and enforcement tools available to make change, and the proposal
would be an unnecessary expense.
Tracy Frost, 1675 Brentwood Drive, stated she was going to continue where Ms. Schwab had
left off. Reading from Ms. Schwab’s statement, she stated that within the last month, Ms.
Schwab had a conversation with an investor who owned 200 rental units in the City and
vacant land he intended to develop. The investor stated he was going to sell the rental units
and vacant land to take his business to a different community where there was less risk of
programs such as this. Ms. Frost stated this was just the beginning of migration of small
businesses from the City of Oshkosh.
Thomas Amack, 813 Whisper Falls Lane, Menasha, stated he was the Director of Property
Management for Midwest Properties in Oshkosh. He wanted to note that although the
photographs within the slideshow were very telling, they appeared to be all single family
detached homes. He stated that since mid-2013, six percent of multi-unit rental residences
had complaints filed against them. He stated that the other ninety-four percent of landlords
would be responsible to pay for the six percent of problem landlords. He explained they
inspect their units twice a year for safety and health conditions, including leaks, electrical
problems, hoarding, fire hazards, cleanliness and any direct or indirect violation of the lease
in general. He recommended that stricter enforcement of existing policies and raising the
fines to first offenders, and making the fines exorbitant to repeat offenders. He stated that
the way the program was currently written was dividing the City and small business
owners, creating possible lawsuits and a lot of hostility. He stated that the program should
be tabled and not go any further until landlords and associations could have input into
designing a fair process that accomplishes what the City was looking for.
Mayor Cummings reminded the participants that there was to be no clapping, foot
stomping, or hollering and to refrain from that type of behavior.
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Lynn Kolf, 619 A E. Parkway Avenue, stated that she was a renter and against the proposal.
She was concerned that it was going to end up costing her more money, putting a strain on
her budget. She also stated she would refuse to let any inspector into her apartment that
she had not asked to come.
Don Lord, 743 W. 10Avenue, stated he resided in a duplex that would be subject to
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inspection. He stated that the program was pitting people against each other very badly.
He explained he was for improving the rental community but this program was not the way
to do it. He explained a need for more workshops and landlord education. He stated there
had not been a City provided landlord education program since 1999, and that it was
important to give the landlords the tools to do their jobs and then go after those that were
not.
Paul Redemann, 3677 Hickory Ridge Road, Town of Algoma, stated he had been a landlord
and real estate broker within the City of Oshkosh for the last 43 years. He stated that the
City had such a long list of landlord violations because the current system was working. He
stated he believed the City already had what it needs to address the problems and adding
another ordinance was not necessary. He questioned why the ordinance did not appear to
apply itself fairly to City and County owned housing, including university dormitories. He
also questioned why single family, owner occupied homes would be exempt, and felt as
though there was discrimination. He also questioned the timeline, and events that would
potentially take place after the inspection or during the 5 years before another inspection
would take place. He stated that if improving neighborhoods was the goal, the City should
work with knowledgeable landlords and come up with a more equitable solution. He
expressed concern regarding what would happen to small business landlords if the
ordinance was passed, and stated he did not believe the resale rental market would get any
better.
Paul Schmidt, 1280 W. South Park Avenue, stated that he also believed an advisory type of
working relationship between the landlords, citizens, tenants, Council Members, and City
staff was significant. He stated that tenant responsibility was an area which was often
overlooked. He stated that a number of the unsanitary conditions that Mr. Zarate pointed
out appeared to be tenant neglect, and questioned what Mr. Zarate meant when he stated
“we would help them”.
Jeff Wicinsky, 5776 Indianshores Road, Winneconne, stated he was the past President of the
Apartment Association and current board member, and owner of rental property within
Oshkosh. He stated he called Council members earlier in the day and thanked those who
took the time to call him back. He stated that when he spoke with Council Member Herman
there appeared to be some discrepancy regarding the involvement of the Apartment
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Association. He explained the Apartment Association did not have participation regarding
the current proposal. He requested that the ordinance be tabled and for the City to involve
the Association and others that the ordinance would effect.
Matt Mikkelsen, 906 Winnebago Avenue, stated he owned two apartment buildings in
Oshkosh and that it was his tenant who spoke earlier, and that he believes he had good
relationships with his tenants. He explained that when he rents out an apartment, he
provides his tenants the phone number to the City of Oshkosh Inspectors Department. He
also invites his tenants to come and discuss any problems they encounter directly with him.
He stated that although there may be landlords who did have issues, there are also a number
who try to do business professionally and ethically. He stated that the ordinance seemed to
punish the entire group of landlords for the poor actions of a few.
Mayor Cummings reminded the Council that there were letters within their packets from
individuals supporting the program.
Mr. Davis responded to questions posed by the public.
To the first question, had the property owner/landlord been notified of the complaint, he
stated that the City did contact the owner as every complaint was investigated. He did note
there were times the City did not contact the owner if there was no violation.
To the question of why the City did not inspect businesses and private homes, he explained
that businesses get inspected by the Fire Department, and that it was a common
misconception that the Fire Department inspected the insides of multi-family units; they
only inspect the common areas including hallways and stairs and exteriors.
To the question of can the City just inspect the multi-violation properties, he explained that
State Statutes required that there was a uniform system of inspections, and the City was
therefore unable to inspect just particular landlords or neighborhoods.
Council Member Panske reminded Mr. Davis of the question regarding helping tenants with
the unsanitary safety issue.
Mr. Zarate explained that with tenants who struggled with unsanitary conditions, typically
Winnebago County Social Services became involved. He stated that sometimes children or
animals were involved in these situations, and that was what he meant by getting the
tenants help.
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Council Member Panske questioned whether a landlord would be notified in a situation like
that.
Mr. Zarate stated that yes, a landlord would be contacted.
Council Member Pech asked Mr. Davis whether or not the City could do some type of
education for landlords.
Mr. Davis stated yes.
Council Member Pech then questioned why the Landlords Association would not do some
of the education on their own and do some self-policing of the reported six percent of the
group. He stated he did agree that the City could do some education along with the
program.
Mr. Davis stated that they had done education programs with the Home Builders
Association and other neighborhood associations, but had not recently done landlord or
tenant groups.
Council Member Pech stated that the government could do outreach, but they also need
people to come forward and ask for help or guidance.
Mr. Davis stated that they always had their ears open to how they can improve customer
service and provide better services.
Council Member Palmeri requested clarification regarding a 21 day notice.
Mr. Davis stated they were proposing sending a 21 day notice so that landlords and tenants
were fully prepared. He explained they were also able to reschedule if necessary, the
inspection just needed to be completed within that year.
Council Member Palmeri asked Mr. Zarate if hotels and restaurants were required to have
inspections completed through the Health Department, if Mr. Zarate’s department would
also be involved in that, and if fees were a part of that inspection.
Mr. Zarate stated the Health Department did inspect such locations. He explained his
department was involved if it was a new establishment, and fees were a part of that process.
Mayor Cummings asked for an explanation as to why dormitories and public housing
would be excluded from these inspections.
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Mr. Davis stated that the City did not have any housing that he was aware of; it was
suggested the properties in question were in reference to the Housing Authority. He
explained that dormitories and public housing would be exempt because they already
received an inspection and the City was not looking to duplicate existing inspections.
Council Member Herman asked to again go over the fees as he felt quite a few people were
misunderstanding the fees. He stated that if a landlord had multiple units, they would not
necessarily have to pay the $125.00 per unit, but could elect to have the building inspected
at one time for a per building fee of $180.00.
Mr. Davis stated that information was correct.
Council Member Herman asked what the process would be if a tenant did refuse inspection.
Mr. Davis stated that the process would be to inspect what they were able to from the public
right of way, file the inspection, and note that they were not able to gain access to the unit.
Council Member Herman asked if the landlord would then be charged for that inspection
even though the inspector was not able to gain entry to the unit.
Mr. Davis stated yes, the landlord would still be charged, as they need to remain uniform
under Wisconsin Statutes.
Council Member Palmeri questioned if there would be an opportunity, with the way the
current statutes were written, if landlords or properties did not have a violation during the
inspection that there would be some kind of rebate given.
Mr. Davis explained not the way he reads the State Statutes. He further explained that it
did not specifically call out any kind of rebates or discounts, but that it did say uniform, and
he would then need to defer to the State Legislature to see what their intent was.
Mayor Cummings noted that people should understand that this program was driven by
State Statute. He explained there were different things that Oshkosh and other cities wanted
to do with the program, but Legislature would not allow it.
Mr. Rohloff brought up the question regarding what would happen if an item, such as steps,
previously met code, but code changed, how would that issue be addressed.
Mr. Zarate explained that it was not their intention to go after older properties that may
have items such as steps or outlets that were not up to code, but properties that had steps
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or outlets that were broken or not functioning. He explained that those types of codes were
not retroactive and inspectors would not be requiring the items to be changed, unless the
landlord was engaged in a project where the items were being replaced; then they would be
required to be brought up to code. He stated that codes that were retroactive, including
smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors, would be enforced.
Mr. Rohloff brought up the question of tenant responsibility. He asked if there was evidence
that a tenant was responsible for the violation, would there be any recourse to go to the
tenant for the violation as opposed to the landlord.
Mr. Zarate stated he believed there would be a recourse to go after the tenant if there was
evidence supporting tenant responsibility. He stated citations would be issued to the tenant
in such instances.
Mr. Rohloff asked if an individual owns a duplex, lives in a unit and rents the other unit,
what would be included in the inspection.
Mr. Zarate stated only the rented side would get inspected. He further explained it would
be the same if someone was renting out a bedroom in a home. The bedroom would not be
inspected as it would be an owner occupied dwelling.
Council Member Palmeri asked if emergency services had been effected or impeded by
some of the conditions that had been referenced.
Chief Franz stated that locations that had clutter conditions were often where fires occur,
and it did make it difficult to get in and address the situation making it riskier to the
responders and victims.
Council Member Palmeri questioned how much it cost to have the ambulance that became
infested with bed bugs fumigated.
Chief Franz stated the ambulance was out of commission for 6 hours and was heated
excessively, as the bedbugs did not respond well to pesticides.
Council Member Herman asked Chief Franz to clarify where they go and what they do in
regards to inspection of a multi-unit rental residence.
Chief Franz explained they inspect three family dwellings and up, and the limitations of the
inspection were the common areas of the building and the area of the heating system, the
exterior, the exits and any fire alert systems.
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Council Member Panske asked why the Advisory Board would not be established first, gain
participation, and then open it up for further discussion.
Mr. Davis explained that action would not be taken until the July 12 Council meeting at the
earliest.
Council Member Panske repeated why the Advisory Board was not created first, as both she
and Council Member Herman had requested it back in March.
Mr. Davis stated the Registry and Inspection plan came from conversations within the
community, and the Advisory Board was then subsequently discussed. He stated the
Advisory Board was not brought up as the first thing that should be done. The issue was
more of a question of how to get the properties inspected so they were brought up to code,
not how could an Advisory Board be created. He said had a conversation not took place
about the Rental Inspection program, the Advisory Board would have not been discussed.
Mr. Rohloff stated that the Advisory Board was a more recent phenomenon and is a policy
decision for the Council. He stated the Council could choose to create the Advisory Board
first.
Council Member Panske questioned how, if it was stated in the Agenda packet that certain
items such as financing were going to be addressed at a later time, would Council and Staff
be able to make suggestions or recommendations to things that have yet to be discussed.
Mr. Davis stated they would need to schedule time to go over the proposed loan programs.
Council Member Panske questioned how they were to know which items were moving
forward and which items would be discussed at a later time.
Council Member Allison-Aasby stated part of the thought process was to not spend in-depth
time on certain aspects of the program as it remains unsure if it would even pass, as that
would be a waste of time and expense.
Mayor Cummings stated it was his understanding that the financing options were not part
of the ordinance.
Mr. Rohloff indicated that was correct.
Council Member Herman asked Mr. Davis to explain how the ordinance evolved, as there
were questions regarding who was involved and how the ordinance was written.
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Mr. Davis stated they looked at what was existing, and then looked at what was happening
in surrounding communities. He stated they found out what other areas were doing in
response to similar issues, and noted the positive response the programs had, and worked
to draft the ordinance. At the same time, the Legislature re-wrote the code, so adjustments
had to be made to comply.
Council Member Herman stated that some of the concerns the property owners had then
need to be addressed with State Legislature as the City was following their State Statutes.
He stated that people should not be driven away, that people would want to come to
Oshkosh as it would have the safest, good rental units along with everything else the City
had to offer. He stated he did not see this was a detriment.
Council Member Allison-Aasby requested that by the end of the week, Staff let Council
know what method of record keeping they intended to use, as it will be imperative that
record keeping be accurate.
Council Member Herman added that details to what the timeline of the project was, and
how State Statutes played into that, would be beneficial to Council.
Council Member Pech noted that a portion of the timeline appeared within the ordinance
itself.
Mr. Davis explained that a portion of it was but not all of it. He stated some details had not
been decided yet.
Mr. Rohloff stated that it was important to be efficient with the scheduling throughout the
five year period, and target certain geographic areas at a time, to remain efficient, similar to
our sidewalk program.
Council Member Panske asked about the education and training piece, and how the City
would be reaching out.
Mr. Davis stated it remained in a draft status; they had discussed using Oshkosh Media
Services, social media, flyers, handouts, and mailers.
Mayor Cummings repeated that Oshkosh needed to follow State Statute just like other
municipalities in Wisconsin. He stated that it may not be the most ideal program, but the
Legislature was really what drove how the program was able to be written.
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Ordinance 16-311 Approve Creating Section 2-59.2 Rental Housing Advisory Board
FIRST READING; LAID OVER UNDER THE RULES
Don Lord, 743 W. 10Avenue, stated he would like the Rental Housing Advisory Board
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formed prior to the Inspection Program.
Council Member Palmeri requested an explanation of the makeup of the board as well as
the amount of time members would serve, and how they came to that determination.
Mr. Davis stated the 3 years members would serve was modeled after other appointments
the City makes. He explained the composition was based on the types of individuals who
had been in contact with City staff regarding the issues that prompted the ordinance.
Mayor Cummings point out that to be on the Rental Housing Advisory Board, individuals
must be a resident of the City of Oshkosh.
Council Member Palmeri asked if the University had been in contact with Mr. Davis.
Mr. Davis stated that the University specifically had not, but an individual from the Dean
of Students’ office had been in contact. He stated he did not know how a representative
from the University or the Student Government would fit into the Board as they did not
own rental property.
Council Member Palmeri questioned how contractors and real estate agents would fit into
the Board as opposed to being in attendance.
Mr. Davis stated the real estate community also seems split on the issue, so he was not sure
what side they would be representing. He stated it would depend on the individual.
Council Member Palmeri asked if the appointments would be by application as with other
boards and commissions.
Mr. Davis stated yes.
Council Member Herman asked if there would be a Council position within the board.
Mr. Davis said there had not been one specifically created but Council may choose to do so.
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ROCEEDINGS OF THE OMMON OUNCIL UNE
Mayor Cummings stated as a rule, generally at least one Council Member sits on each board
and commission.
Council Member Allison-Aasby suggested if there was a segment of the population that
wanted representation, they be able to select one or two individuals to represent them, but
there be a set of rules within the committee that they would be asked to abide by.
Mr. Rohloff stated it was better to have the Board selection open ended, so there was
flexibility in the event things change in the future. He stated with a broader base, there
would be more different points of view represented.
Council Member Pech pointed out that verbiage for membership says ‘including but not
limited to’, stressing that meant the current list of representation was not exclusive.
Council Member Palmeri stated that with only 7 members, that would encompass the entire
provided list.
Mr. Rohloff suggested engaging the community and seeing who was interested.
Mayor Cummings asked if there would be the typical 2 alternates in addition to the 7 voting
members.
Mr. Davis stated he did not specifically call out alternates, but could amend the proposal to
do so.
Council Member Allison-Aasby suggested waiting to see if the ordinance passed before
directing staff to spend time recruiting board membership.
Council Member Pech requested the wording be re-drafted so it was as open as possible in
regards to membership.
Council Member Palmeri stated based on the conversation, it would be important to reserve
spots for tenant and landlord.
CSC
ITIZEN TATEMENTS TO OUNCIL
There were no citizen statements to Council.
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ROCEEDINGS OF THE OMMON OUNCIL UNE
CA
ONSENT GENDA
Approval of Bills presented by the Finance Director
Resolution 16-312 Award Bid to Packer City International Trucks Inc., for Vac Truck for
Wastewater Utility ($259,732.00)
Resolution 16-313 Award Bid to Brooks Tractor Inc. for Industrial 4WD Loader/Backhoe
for Water Distribution Division ($82,086.00)
Resolution 16-314 Award Bid to InterClean Equipment Inc. for Autowash System for
Public Works Field Operations Facility ($238,868.43)
Resolution 16-315 Approve Conditional Use Permit for an Exception to the Provisions of
the Downtown Overlay District; 531 North Main Street (Plan
Commission Recommends Approval)
Resolution 16-316 Approval of Initial Resolution for Special Assessments Concrete
Paving, Asphalt Paving, Sidewalk & Curb Repair, Sanitary Sewer
Laterals, Water Main Relay & Installation – West 5 Avenue from South
th
Eagle Street to Knapp Street
Resolution 16-317 Approve & Submit 2015 Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
Compliance Maintenance Annual Report / Wastewater Treatment Plant
Resolution 16-318 Approve Change Order No. 3 for Public Works Contract No 13-24 with
August Winter & Sons, Inc. for the Wastewater Treatment Plant Control
System, Influent Pumping & Aeration Blowers Upgrade (+$106,393.00)
Resolution 16-319 Approve Amendment Engineering Services Agreement with Ch2m
Hill Engineers, Inc. for Bid Award & Construction Management
Services for WWTP Control System, Influent, Pumping & Aeration
Blowers Upgrade / ($90,330.00)
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ROCEEDINGS OF THE OMMON OUNCIL UNE
Resolution 16-320 Resolution to Issue $5,175,000 Aggregate Principal Amount of Storm
Water Utility Revenue Bonds, Series 2016E, of the City Of Oshkosh,
Winnebago County, Wisconsin, in Such Amount Providing Details,
Prescribing the Form of Bond, Awarding the Bonds to the Best Bidder
& Providing for the Payment of Said Bonds & Covenants with Respect
Thereto
Resolution 16-321 Resolution Providing for the Issuance & Sale of $6,835,000 Aggregate
Principal Amount of Water System Revenue Bonds, Series 2016F, of the
City of Oshkosh, Winnebago County, Wisconsin, Providing Details,
Prescribing the Form of Bond, Awarding Said Revenue Bonds to the
Best Bidder & Providing for the Payment of Said Revenue Bonds &
Other Details & Covenants with Respect Thereto
Resolution 16-322 Resolution authorizing the redemption of $6,360,000 Taxable
Redevelopment Lease Revenue Bonds, Series 2006 of the
Redevelopment Authority of the City of Oshkosh, Wisconsin
Trena Larson, Director of Finance, stated the City did very well on the sale of the 2016 E and
2016 F bonds, and invited Mr. John Cameron to provide further details.
John Cameron, Municipal Advisor from Ehlers, commented the sale results were excellent.
He stated the winning bidder for both issues was Baird and the issue size of the bonds were
reduced significantly. He stated with the favorable results, Ehlers was currently
investigating means of restructuring existing debt and would report back with findings.
Council Member Panske asked if the plan was to purchase the RDA property in September.
Mr. Davis stated there was no plan to purchase at this time, and believed the RDA will hold
the properties until the City sold them to an end user.
Resolution 16-323 Approve Special Event – Winnebago County Fair Association to utilize
Sunnyview Exposition Center for the Winnebago County Fair / August
3, 4, 5, 6 & 7, 2016
Resolution 16-324 Approve Special Event – Symco Shakedown Promotions LLC to utilize
Experimental Air Association (EAA) grounds for The Shakedown
event / August 11, 12 & 13, 2016
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ROCEEDINGS OF THE OMMON OUNCIL UNE
Resolution 16-325 Approve Special Event – The Outlet Shoppes at Oshkosh to utilize The
Outlet Shoppes Parking Lot for their 5 Annual Back to School Concert
th
/ August 21, 2016
Resolution 16-326 Approve Special Event – Campus Ministry Lourdes Academy to utilize
City streets for their Lourdes Academy Eucharistic Procession /
September 1, 2016
Resolution 16-327 Approve Special Event – National MS Society OshkoshChapter to
utilize Oshkosh West High school & City streets for their Walk MS
Oshkosh event / September 18, 2016
Resolution 16-328 Approve Special Event – Lourdes Academy Student Council to utilize
City streets for their Lourdes Academy Homecoming Parade/
September 23, 2016
Council Member Palmeri stated she did not believe it would prohibit her from voting on the
event. She wanted to be transparent and explained she did have a child at Lourdes High
School.
Resolution 16-329 Approve Special Event – Oakbrook Church to utilize Oakbrook Church
and City streets for their Babies for Heaven 5K event / October 14 & 15,
2016
Council Member Palmeri asked for clarification of the event.
Kath Snell, Special Events Coordinator, explained the City streets were going to be used for
a walk on Saturday, and the streets would only be blocked off at that time. She stated the
remainder of their event on Friday evening and the remainder of Saturday would be at the
church.
Resolution 16-330 Approve Special Event – Oshkosh North High School Student Council
to utilize City streets for their Oshkosh North Homecoming Parade /
October 14, 2016
Resolution 16-331 Approve Special Event – Oshkosh Zoological Society to utilize
Menominee Park Zoo for their Monster Bash event / October 15, 2016
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ROCEEDINGS OF THE OMMON OUNCIL UNE
Resolution 16-332 Approve Special Event – Run Away Events to utilize Menominee Park,
Siewert Trail & City streets for their Run Away to the Bay Event / April
22, 2017
Resolution 16-333 Approve Block Party Request – Debbie Albee to utilize Minnesota
Street between 7 and 8 Avenue for their neighborhood block party /
thth
July 4, 2016
Resolution 16-334 Approve Block Party Request – Ann Resop to utilize West Bent Avenue
between Sheridan Street & Algoma Boulevard for their neighborhood
block party / August 2, 2016
Resolution 16-335 Approve Block Party Request – McHenry Johnson to utilize Fairfax
Street between Pheasant Creek Drive & Rebecca Run Street for their
neighborhood block party / September 10, 2016
Resolution 16-336 Approve Appointment for the Parking Utility Board & Redevelopment
Authority
Resolution 16-337 Disallowance of Claim by Mint Properties
Resolution 16-338 Approve Combination “Class B” License & Special Class “B” Licenses
MOTION: ADOPT CONSENT AGENDA EXCLUDING RESOLUTION 16-315
(Pech; second, Allison-Aasby)
CARRIED: Ayes (7) Herman, Allison-Aasby, Panske, Stepanek, Pech, Palmeri,
Mayor Cummings
Resolution 16-315 Approve Conditional Use Permit for an Exception to the Provisions of
the Downtown Overlay District; 531 North Main Street (Plan
Commission Recommends Approval)
MOTION: ADOPT (Panske; second, Herman)
CARRIED: Ayes (6) Herman, Allison-Aasby, Panske, Stepanek, Palmeri, Mayor
Cummings
Council Member Pech stated he would abstain from voting on the resolution due to it
involved his employer.
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ROCEEDINGS OF THE OMMON OUNCIL UNE
ATOR
CTION AKEN ON RDINANCES AND ESOLUTIONS
Ordinance 16-339 Approve Zone Change / Evergreen Retirement Community from R-1
Single Family Residence to R-1PD Single Family Residence with a
Planned Development Overlay; 1000-1100 Blocks of North Westfield
Street & 1100-1200 Blocks of North Eagle Street
MOTION: ADOPT (Pech; second, Herman)
CARRIED: Ayes (7) Herman, Allison-Aasby, Panske, Stepanek, Pech, Palmeri,
Mayor Cummings
Ordinance 16-340 Amend Section 19-4(D) of the City of Oshkosh Municipal Code Related
to Domesticated Animals in Parks (Advisory Parks Board Recommends
Approval)
FIRST READING; LAID OVER UNDER THE RULES
Barbara Marin, 523 E. Irving Avenue, stated that dogs in the park had been an issue many
years ago that she believed had been resolved. She stated she believed there would be an
issue with animal waste.
Raymond Maurer, Parks Director, stated that enforcement of the rules with police would be
on a call basis, and that maintenance staff would have information to provide directly to
those with dogs in the park explaining the ordinance. He explained dogs would be
restricted to trails only and with limited areas it would reduce the number of parks they
were allowed in as not all parks have trails.
Council Member Pech stated he felt it was significant to focus on educating the public on
the ordinance to increase pet responsibility.
Mr. Maurer stated the Parks Board viewed the ordinance as a two year trial. He explained
it was not written into the ordinance as such, but would be used as an education period.
Council Member Panske asked if staff planned on targeting education in the neighborhoods
around the parks.
Mr. Maurer explained that yes, they intended to work directly with neighborhood groups.
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ROCEEDINGS OF THE OMMON OUNCIL UNE
Council Member Allison-Aasby stated that she frequently saw dogs in the park already
without the ordinance, so was willing to give the ordinance a try.
Council Member Palmeri stated she did have concerns about individuals who wished to be
in a pet free zone, and asked if there was a dog park in the area.
Mr. Maurer stated there was a dog park within the County Park.
Ordinance 16-341 Designate bike lanes on Irving Avenue from Wisconsin Street to Hazel
Street
FIRST READING; LAID OVER UNDER THE RULES
Bernard Pitz, 617 W. Irving Avenue, asked how the bike lanes worked. He was concerned
that there would be a hazard in the roadway with bicyclists being able to use the whole lane.
He also suggested requiring licensing of bicycles.
Council Member Pech asked for an explanation of the rules for bike lanes, skateboards, and
the requirements of following traffic laws.
Kurt Schoeni, Police Captain, stated that bicyclists were required to follow the rules of traffic
and could be cited if they do not. He further explained that the Police Department was
actively working on educating the public on the laws as the bike lanes were relatively new
in the area.
Mr. Pitz explained a situation he encountered where a bicyclist was riding in the middle of
the bike lane going the wrong direction. He explained that the bicyclist was not following
the law due to the signs that were posted were misleading.
Captain Schoeni stated he was not certain if skateboarding was allowed within the
designated bike lane and would need to follow up on that question.
Council Member Panske stated that if there were no sidewalks skateboarders could be
within a designated bike lane, but otherwise were not supposed to utilize that area.
Captain Schoeni stated that the Police Department had been actively patrolling the areas on
bikes and in squads to educate the public.
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ROCEEDINGS OF THE OMMON OUNCIL UNE
Council Member Panske stated that bikes were required to be registered within the City of
Oshkosh and it was a matter of educating the public.
Captain Schoeni stated they are actively trying to come up with new and creative ways to
get people to register their bikes.
Mr. Rohloff stated that staff would be willing to speak with Mr. Pitz to address further
concerns.
Ms. Lorenson corrected an earlier statement by explaining that skateboards are not allowed
within the Right of Way as they were considered play vehicles by State Statutes.
Council Member Panske stated that skateboards were not allowed on the street, but were
allowed within a designated bike lane if there were no sidewalks.
Ordinance 16-342 Designate W. 5 Avenue as a One Way Street for Westbound Traffic from
th
220 Feet West of Nebraska Street to Nebraska Street
FIRST READING; LAID OVER UNDER THE RULES
Resolution 16-343 Approve Annual City Licenses (Renewals)
MOTION: ADOPT (Panske; second, Stepanek)
CARRIED: Ayes (7) Herman, Allison-Aasby, Panske, Stepanek, Pech, Palmeri,
Mayor Cummings
Resolution 16-344 Approve Conditional Use Permit / Planned Development for the Use &
Development Plan for Multiple Properties; 1000- 1100 Block of North
Westfield Street & 1100-1200 Block of North Eagle Street (Evergreen
Retirement Community) (Plan Commission Recommends Approval)
MOTION: ADOPT (Herman; second, Pech)
CARRIED: Ayes (7) Herman, Allison-Aasby, Panske, Stepanek, Pech, Palmeri,
Mayor Cummings
Bernard Pitz, 617 W. Irving Avenue, stated he did not object to the resolution but would
like to make sure that the new building was built above the flood plain.
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ROCEEDINGS OF THE OMMON OUNCIL UNE
CD,DCMFAI
OUNCIL ISCUSSION IRECTION TO ITY ANAGER AND UTURE GENDA TEMS
Mr. Rohloff stated East Central / GO-EDC on Initiative 41 would have a scheduled
presentation on the August 23, 2016 Council Meeting.
Mr. Rohloff explained the presentation regarding the Diversity Coordinator was
scheduled on July 12, 2016, and would be presented prior to the Council Meeting at 5:00
p.m.
Mr. Rohloff reminded Council of upcoming Workshops including Strategic Planning
Workshop on July 14, the Budget Workshop on July 20, and the Sustainability Board
Workshop of ICLEI Milestones on July 26.
Council Member Herman asked when a Workshop regarding the Municipal Court would
be presented to the Council.
Mr. Rohloff stated it would likely be in August.
CMA&S
OUNCIL EMBER NNOUNCEMENTS TATEMENTS
Council Member Herman announced on behalf of the City Parks Department that there
would be free concerts streaming live at the Leach Amphitheater on Tuesdays, beginning
July 12, 2016. He mentioned the dates include July 12, July 19, July 26, August 2, August 9,
and August 16, 2016. He explained the concerts begin at 6:00 p.m. and information can be
found on the Park’s Department website.
CMAS
ITY ANAGER NNOUNCEMENT AND TATEMENTS
Mr. Rohloff stated he had received an update regarding Main Street. He explained that New
York Avenue would be open on an east/west basis beginning Friday, July 1, 2016. He also
stated that Harrison Street would also be open. He stated North Main would remain closed.
MOTION: ADJOURN (Panske; second, Allison-Aasby)
CARRIED: VOICE VOTE
The meeting adjourned at 8:50 p.m.
PAMELA R. UBRIG
CITY CLERK
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