CITY OF WATERLOO COUNCIL MINUTES

COUNCIL CHAMBER OF THE MUNICIPAL BUILDING – 136 N. MONROE STREET

Thursday, September 6, 2007

 

1.       CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL.   Mayor Thompson called the regular meeting of the City Council to order at approximately 7:05 p.m.  Alderpersons present – Pieck, Springer, Van Holten, Hennessy, Forman and Kent with Perry absent. Others present – Chief Tim Thomas, Katya Szabados of the Courier, Tammy Krueger of the Watertown Daily Times, Phil Cossen from Ehlers & Associates, City Attorney Tim Fenner, an unidentified person, Bill Dovi, Cecilia Wiltzius, Gary Yerges, Keri Sellnow, Herb Lenius, Laura Cotting, Bob Rehm and Clerk/Treasurer Hansen. 

 

2.       APPROVAL OF THE AUGUST 16, 2007 REGULAR MEETING MINUTES.  Motion: Moved by Springer, seconded by Forman to approve the August 16, 2007 meeting minutes as presented.  Voice Vote: Motion passed.

 

3.       CITIZEN INPUT.  Herb Lenius spoke critically of the Council members saying they were missing too many meetings.

 

4.       MISCELLANEOUS BUSINESS AND COMMUNICATIONS 

a.      Preliminary Estimate Of January 1, 2007 Population.  Noted.

 

5.       COMMITTEES, COMMISSIONS, AND BOARDS RECOMMENDATIONS & REPORTS

a.    Karl Junginger Memorial Library Board

                                                              i.      Resignation of Kelli Mountford, Youth Librarian.  Noted.

b.      Community Development Committee

                                                               i.      Discussion & Consideration Of The Creation Of A Community Development Authority.  Discussion:  Bill Dovi stated that the creation of a Community Development Authority (CDA) would focus resources on important economic development topics, increase business, and grow the tax base.  He said a CDA would create a buffer between the Council and specific projects, allow for double exempt bonds, greater project flexibility and would allow for direct loans and benefits to businesses in certain circumstances.  He said the main negative was that the Council loses direct authority over projects.  Phil Cossen distributed a handout and said a CDC has no direct taxing authority so the Council would play a direct role in how the CDC functions, and by statute the CDC would have two alders on its governing body.  Cossen reviewed the process and procedures for establishing a CDC specifically noting that the Council would approve by-laws and project plans.  He further stated that eminent domain actions could not take place without Council approval.  Tim Fenner addressed the body saying that the CDA’s control is not a negative. He said every zoning & platting matter would still come before the Council.  He stressed that successful CDA’s form a partnership with governing bodies and work with a mutually agreed upon clear set of objectives.  He offered Platteville as an example.  Pieck asked how the citizens might react?  Cossen replied describing the City of Jefferson’s new initiative to redevelop.  Cossen stated that in that case Tim Freitag, the municipal administrator, had a vision on which the community was acting on.  Mayor Thompson asked if it was wise to proceed without a developer? He also asked how the body is dissolved?  Fenner replied that projects typically do not go forward without a developer, and that the governing body creates a CDA, the governing body can dissolve the CDA.  Pieck asked about Ehler’s experience in this area.  Cossen stated that the firm has been around since 1955. 

 

Kent asked what is the minimum and maximum authority the Council could allow for? Cossen said that self-funding is the biggest question for communities when considering a CDA.  He referenced Whitewater as one community that used seed money from a TIF district rather than a general levy amount.  Fenner replied to the question by saying the most authority grantable is pretty broad, but a CDA would not have taxing authority.  He further stated that the main control elements are wrapped up in how a CDA is funded.

 

                  Kent stated a preference to finance the CDA through the TIF rather than general revenues.  Kent                                         proposed that the model ordinance be referred back to the Community Development Committee                                          for the drafting of an enabling ordinance. Motion:   Moved by Kent, seconded by Forman to                                                  refer the item back to the Community Development Committee. Roll Call Vote: Ayes – Pieck,                                              Springer, Van Holten, Hennessy, Forman and Kent. Noes – None with Perry absent.  Motion                                                carried.         

 

 

6.       UNFINISHED BUSINESS

a.      Resolution #2007-50 Final Resolution Providing for the Sale of $760,000 General Obligation Community Development Bonds.  Discussion:  Phil Cossen from Ehler’s & Associates forwarded final draft copies of Resolution #2007-50 to the Council.  He noted that a competitive bidding process had taken place for the City bonds with Banker’s Bank receiving the winning bid.  He reviewed the bid tabulation, the bid form, the pricing summary and referenced the debt service scheduled.  Motion:   Moved by Kent, seconded by Forman to approve resolutions #2007-50 as presented. Roll Call Vote: Ayes – Pieck, Springer, Van Holten, Hennessy, Forman and Kent. Noes – None with Perry absent.  Motion carried.  

 

b.      Waterloo Restaurant Group, LLC, Robert C. Rehm, Jr., Agent, 255 S. Jefferson Street 

                                                              i.      Discussion Only Of The Granting Of A “Class B” Intoxicating Liquor and Class “B” Fermented Malt Beverage License for the License Period Ending June 30, 2008   Discussion:  Bob Rehm submitted a written letter and addressed the body.  He said he is considering opening a restaurant at 255 South Jefferson Street.  Hansen noted that all Class “B” liquor licenses are granted and that an exemption exists in state law to grant an additional license if a restaurant has a seating capacity of 300.  Hansen noted that state law leaves to municipalities how the 300 figure is defined.  He stated that in discussions with the Building Inspector, it was noted that the State Department of Administration calculates and assigns an occupancy limit number to state approved plans.  Hansen stated that the Building Inspector recommends using this assigned number to define the capacity figure.  Springer asked if 300 seats are identified, could sufficient parking for 300 also be included in the plan?  Thompson asked if the 300 figure is achieved could the occupancy be reduced in the future by additional build-out in the interior?  Kent stated that he viewed the project as a priority project.  He said the occupancy number for the state approved plans is one calculation, but the City could arrive at a different figure for granting the license.  Hansen recommended that a written policy be adopted to ensure uniform application for applying the 300 seat definition.  Thompson stated that he heard of no objection to the license, just that it needs to be done in a legal manner.  Kent volunteered to draft an ordinance.  Thompson recommended that any draft ordinance be reviewed by the City Attorney.  No action taken. 

 

7.       NEW BUSINESS

a.      Approval To Grant Five (5) Operator’s Licenses For The Period Ending June 30, 2009.  Motion:   Moved by Van Holten, seconded by Pieck to grant five operator’s licenses as presented, Kimberly Baumann, Dayna Hedtke, Cindy Koeller, Sarah Musial and Jennifer Porter. Roll Call Vote: Ayes – Pieck, Springer, Van Holten, Hennessy, Forman and Kent. Noes – None with Perry absent.  Motion carried.  

b.      Discussion Of New Staff Position – 50% Economic Development, 50% Park & Recreation Director.  Discussion:  Kent proposed creation of a new staff position as described in the agenda title.  He said the person could work for a Community Development Authority, do grant writing, work with business owners, be the City’s representative on the Jefferson County Economic Development Consortium, do many of the tasks currently performed by Bill Dovi, and serve as a Main Street coordinator if the City pursued becoming a Main Street Community as defined by the Department of Commerce.  Kent further stated that the Park & Recreation portion of the position could support all the existing recreation programs and do the more bureaucratic stuff that burns out volunteers.  Kent said the Firemen’s Park Trustees would continue to manage the funds related to the trust; the staff person would be responsible for the day-to-day park responsibilities.  In response to a question from Pieck, Kent said a fulltime position with benefits would ensure lower position turnover. Mayor Thompson asked how this would impact the existing Firemen’s Park management agreement?  He stated that if the position is created 90% of the volunteers would go away.  Laura Cotting stated that parks other than Firemen’s Park should be considered.  Pieck said a park director could be more active in recruiting volunteers.  Thompson asked who would organize the July 4th events?  Keri Sellnow commented that the position as described requires two very different sets of skills.  Springer stated that the priority should be to figure out the Management Agreement first, saying the new positions cannot be created overnight.  Forman stated that the economic development position could come out of the TIF and that we need both positions as fulltime positions. Bob Rehm noted that a Parks Director position will lead to greater consistency over time.  Thompson encouraged the body to set a meeting to address the management agreement question.  Kent wished to refer the matter to the Community Development Committee to formulate a job description. Forman stated that the Finance, Insurance and Personnel committee can take up the matter of the positions and a job description. Motion: Moved by Forman, seconded by Kent to refer the matter to the Finance Committee and to the Community Development Committee for review and consideration of a job description. Roll Call Vote: Ayes – Pieck, Springer, Van Holten, Hennessy, Forman and Kent. Noes – None with Perry absent.  Motion carried. 

 

c.      Consideration Of Council Initiation Of A Rezoning Request For 169 North Monroe Street From C-1 To R-2 As Allowed Under §385-31(B) Of The Municipal Code.  Motion: Moved by Van Holten, seconded by Springer to initiate a rezoning action for 169 North Monroe Street from C-1 to R-2.  Roll Call Vote: Ayes – Pieck, Springer, Van Holten, Hennessy, Forman and Kent. Noes – None with Perry absent.  Motion carried. 

 

8.       FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS.   Noted.

 

9.       ADJOURN.  Motion:  Moved by Springer, seconded by Pieck to adjourn.  Motion passed unanimously.  Time of adjournment was approximately 9:30 pm.

 

Attest:

 

 

 

        Morton Hansen

       Clerk/Treasurer