Kenosha’s Common Council met on Monday night.  Below are the highlights from that meeting:

• During the Citizen’s Comments portion of the meeting, Al Mammon urged the Council to use natural gas for the city buses.  Natural gas costs $1.28/gallon.  “Sixty percent of the budget is fuel costs,” he said.  He also thanked the Council for retaining two people in the 2012 budget.  Lou Rugani spoke in favor of the streetcars.
• The following were approved:  Sixteen operator’s (bartender’s) licenses; one transfer of agent status of beer and/or liquor licenses; two special Class “B” beer and/or special “Class B” wine licenses; and one taxi driver license.  These were all of the applications per list on file in the Office of the City Clerk.

• Two new operator’s (bartender) licenses were approved, both subject to demerit points.
• Two new operator’s (bartender) licenses were denied, one due to no available backup/police record, and the other due to material police record.
• One new operator’s (taxi driver’s) license was approved, subject to 75 demerit points.
• Four applications for yearly cabaret licenses (2011-2012) term, with no adverse recommendations per list on file in the Office of the City Clerk, were approved.
• Brat Stop Too and Rustic Brewing Company were approved for their applications for beer/liquor licenses.
• Gianni’s Restaurant & Lounge’s application for the same license was deferred for 30 days.  At the Licensing & Permit Committee meeting held immediately before the Common Council meeting, assistant city attorney Matt Knight pointed out that the LLC was delinquent in filing a report with the Department of Revenue.  Therefore, it was deferred for 30 days at that meeting as well to give the owner time to satisfy the requirements.  The Licensing & Permit Committee was hesitant to issue an approval for a license to an entity that they weren’t sure was properly registered.
• The first reading of the ordinance change proposed by Alderperson David Bogdala entitled “Aldermanic District Boundaries for the City of Kenosha, based upon the 2010 U.S. Census,” was approved.
• The first reading of two zoning ordinance changes proposed by the mayor to amend the Comprehensive Plan for the City of Kenosha:  2035, and to rezone properties located east and west of 14th Avenue, north of 31st Street from M-2, Heavy Manufacturing, to IP, Institutional Park, was also approved.
• The second reading of the ordinance changes proposed by the Public Safety & Welfare Committee to repeal and recreate various sections of Chapter 15 of the Code of General Ordinances related to off-premise signs was approved.  Alderperson Eric Haugaard abstained.
• The ordinance changes proposed by Alderperson Steve Bostrom to repeal Chapter 28 of the Code of General Ordinances for the City of Kenosha entitled “Vacant Building Code” in its entirety, was deferred for 30 days.  Bostrom wants to see a revised fee structure and more consistent enforcement.  Alderperson Michael Orth stated that a better version which included enforcement was to be brought to the Public Safety & Welfare Committee for review.
• The proposed ordinance changes by Alderperson Patrick Juliana to create a new section of the Code of General Ordinances entitled “Ethics Board” and to repeal and recreate various sections of Chapter 30 of the Code of General Ordinances entitled “Code of Ethics,” was deferred for 30 days.  Juliana said that he was not against the deferral.  He plans on meeting with Attorney Mulligan to discuss the issue further.  Orth agreed with the deferral.  He stated that it’s important to have a consensus, and he also said that he felt that there should be more than one sponsor.
• The ordinance changes proposed by Alderpersons David Bogdala and Anthony Nudo to repeal and recreate various sections of Chapter 30 of the Code of General Ordinances entitled “Code of Ethics,” was also deferred for 30 days.
• The ordinance changes proposed by Alderperson Jesse Downing to create a section of the Code of General Ordinances entitled “Trespass,” to repeal and recreate a section entitled “Carrying Concealed Weapons,” and to create a section entitled “Carrying Firearms in Public Buildings,” was approved unanimously.  Alderperson Rocco LaMacchia asked Police Chief John Morrissey about the change.  Morrissey said that the change allows charges to be filed in municipal court rather than Circuit Court.  “If a person goes into an area with concealed carry, he/she could be charged with trespassing.  “It will be easier for enforcement.  It doesn’t change the laws, and it has nothing to do with immunity,” Morrissey stated.
• The proposed ordinance changes by the mayor to repeal and recreate various sections of the Code of General Ordinances regarding the reorganization of the Department of City Development and the Department of Neighborhood Services and Inspections to the new Department of Community Development and Inspections was approved.  Alderperson Jan Michalski made an amendment to change the word “community” to “city.”  Orth felt that that lacked precision; therefore, he voted no, along with Alderpersons Ruffalo, Nudo, Bostrom, Marks, and Bogdala.
• The proposed ordinance changes by the mayor to repeal and recreate various sections of the Zoning Ordinances for the City of Kenosha regarding the above reorganization was deferred to the next meeting.  Because of Michalski’s amendment, several alderpersons raised their misgivings.  Orth again stated that every job description would have to be changed.  “It would be an administrative nightmare.”  Then, it was realized that the council could not go back and re-vote on the prior issue because they had passed from one section of the agenda to another.  Both issues will again be brought up at the next meeting of the Common Council.
• The proposed resolution to rescind $160 for a citizen’s unpaid permit fees special assessment was approved unanimously.
• The proposed resolution to rescind $172 for a citizen’s erosion control reinspection fees special assessment was also approved unanimously.
• The proposed resolution to rescind $160 for a citizen’s unpaid permit fees special assessment was denied unanimously.
• The proposed resolution to rescind $280 for a citizen’s unpaid permit fees special assessment was approved unanimously.
• The initial resolution authorizing the borrowing of not to exceed $3.7 million providing for the issuance and sale of general obligation promissory notes, and levying a tax in connection therewith, was approved by a vote of 13 to 1.  (This item had to do with the Bear settlement.)  Juliana was the sole dissenting vote, and Nudo abstained.
• The proposed resolution by the mayor to place special assessments against benefited parcels of property on the 2011 real estate tax roll for delinquent storm water bills in an amount not to exceed $453,033.48, was approved unanimously.
• The proposed resolution by the mayor to reorganize certain operations of the city of Kenosha with respect to the Departments of City Development and Neighborhood Services and Inspections and to subsequently create the Department of Community Development and Inspections, was deferred for two weeks.
• The following appointments/reappointments by the mayor were approved unanimously:  the reappointment of Alderman Theodore Ruffalo to the Lakeshore Business Improvement District Board for a term to expire on November 18, 2014; the reappointment of Shawnelle Gross to the Kenosha Housing Authority for a term to expire on July 1, 2016; and the appointment of Matthew Hanson to the Board of Review for a term to expire on April 15, 2014.
• The unanimous approval of the lease between the city of Kenosha and the Italian American Society, Inc., for the parcel located at 22nd Avenue and 53rd Street, was obtained.
• The intergovernmental agreement for the former Chrysler Engine Plant between the city of Kenosha and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources was approved unanimously.
• The Council then went into closed session to consider the proposed settlement agreement and release of litigation regarding Adams Outdoor Advertising v. the City of Kenosha.  When they returned, the vote was 13 to 0 to approve.  Alderpersons Haugaard and Bostrom abstained.
• The unanimous approval was obtained for the offering price for the right-of-way acquisition for Project 08-1021, 39th Avenue Construction (18th Street to 24th Street).
• The Council approved the refund and waiver of administrative fees for daily cabaret license applications for October 20th and 21st to Bacchus Billiards, LLC, located at 5010 – 7th Avenue (Deep Blues).  The vote was 14 to 1, with Nudo voting no.
• The request to rescind $90 and $180 for a citizen’s erosion control reinspection fees was approved unanimously.
• The request from Maple Lane, LLC, to rescind a board-up fee in the amount of $246.12 was also approved unanimously.
• The Council unanimously approved final acceptance of Project 11-1420 Park Field Office Building Tuckpointing (3617 – 65th Sreet), completed by Custom Restoration, Inc. (Pewaukee, Wisconsin), in the amount of $100,686.92.
• The Council also unanimously approved final acceptance of Project 11-1027 Epoxy Pavement Markings (citywide locations) completed by Century Fence Co. (Pewaukee, Wisconsin), in the amount of $91,491.90.
• The conditional use permit for a 2,862 s.f. Taco Bell restaurant with a drive-thru to be located at 4002 – 52nd Street, was approved unanimously.
• The conditional use permit for a 1,875 s.f. addition to Aurora Medical Center at 10400 – 75th Street was also approved by a vote of 13 to 2, with Alderpersons Kennedy and Bogdala voting no.  Bogdala brought up the fact that work had already begun prior to today.  A city inspector confirmed that site work had begun without an erosion control permit, and that they would be fined accordingly.
• The conditional use permit for a multi-family residential development to be located east of 30th Avenue, north and south of 21st Street (Sun Pointe Village) was approved by a vote of 10 to 4, with Alderpersons Kennedy, Ruffalo, Ruffolo, and Misner voting no.  Nudo abstained.
• Bosman congratulated Coach Kennedy and the Bradford Red Devils for their State championship win at the Madison stadium last Friday night.  He also thanked the Council President, Jesse Downing, and the Public Safety & Welfare Committee for completing the Adams settlement.  It took longer than a year, and it was a complicated issue.
• During the Alderpersons’ Comments portion of the meeting, Alderperson Kennedy also congratulated Bradford, and was commenting on stores being open on Thanksgiving.  “Where’s the reverence for Thanksgiving?  It’s an American holiday.”  Alderpersons Rocco LaMacchia, G. John Ruffolo, Jan Michalski, and Ray Misner also congratulated Bradford.  Ruffolo wanted to know if the Public Works Department was ready for snow removal, and Bosman said that they were.  Misner informed the Council that Wal-Mart has paid the fees necessary to start the process for economic impact and traffic studies.  “My concerns haven’t changed,” he said.  “I’ll keep you posted.”