At Monday night’s Common Council meeting, five citizens spoke during the Citizens’ Comments portion of the meeting.  Doug Williams (running for alderperson in the 9th district against Keith Rosenberg) admonished the council body for not having met with Alderperson Patrick Juliana to discuss his ethics board proposal.  Linda Horton was disappointed that the city turned down the AT&T proposal for a cell tower at the Washington Bowl/Velodrome.  Al Nameth exhorted the council to fight to not tear down the newest building on the old Chrysler plant property.  Andy Berg encouraged the council members to shave their heads in honor of St. Baldrick on March 3, at the Brat Stop.  The St. Baldrick’s Foundation is a volunteer-driven charity committed to funding the most promising research to find cures for childhood cancers and give survivors long and healthy lives.  Lou Rugani urged the council to save the Heritage House by allowing a developer to purchase it for $1 and renovate it, similar to what the city did with the old Orpheum Theater many years ago.

The following actions were taken:

• Thirteen operator’s (bartenders) licenses were approved unanimously; and ten special Class “B” beer and/or special “Class B” wine licenses were also unanimously approved.
• The request for a special exception to the off-street parking requirement of the Zoning Ordinance for property at 6209 – 22nd Avenue (Tino’s Carryout) was unanimously approved.
• Aldi’s request for a special exception to the spacing requirements of the Zoning Ordinance for a “Class A” liquor license at 6404 – 75th Street was approved, with one dissenting vote (Alderperson Jesse Downing).
• Three operator’s (bartenders) licenses were approved unanimously, all subject to demerit points.  Another was denied.
• One application for a new operator’s (taxi drivers) license was denied, based on material police record.  Another was withdrawn.
• The application of L & M Meats, Inc., Kathleen M. Meyer, Agent, for a Class “B” beer/”Class B” liquor license located at 4902 – 7th Avenue, with acceptance of a conditional surrender of a similar license at the same location from the Polish Legion of American Veterans was approved by a vote of 16 to 0.  Alderperson Steve Bostrom abstained from voting.  Keith Meyer, President of L & M Meats, was present and spoke.  Alderperson Ray Misner expressed his happiness that the business was coming to the downtown area.  They are also maintaining their old location on 60th Street.  Alderperson Theodore Ruffalo welcomed the owners to his district.
• The application of Mega Marts, LLC, for a transfer of agent status of the Class “A” retail beer license located at 2811 – 18th Street (Pick ‘n Save) from Matthew Meyer to Timothy Menden was approved.
• The application of Beverly Griffin and Maxine Chavours, a general partnership for a secondhand article dealer license located at 6215 – 22nd Avenue (Patchez Ladies & Gent’s Co-signment Store) was deferred for one week.
• The application of Gary Doepgen, d/b/a Wade’s Filling Station, for a peddler stand to be located at the 57th Street and 3rd Avenue parking lot, across from the playground, was deferred until the next meeting.  At the Licensing & Permit Committee meeting held prior to this meeting, the application was approved contingent on the approval of the Public Works Committee.
• Mary Santiago’s application for a pet fancier permit at 4711 – 42nd Avenue, was approved.
• The first reading of two zoning ordinances were approved.  One had to do with the amendment of the Comprehensive Plan to remove a portion of the 55th Street future right-of-way from the official map of the city of Kenosha, and the other had to do with amending the Comprehensive Plan to adopt a new Kenosha County Hazard Mitigation Plan Update:  2011-2015.
• The second reading of Alderperson Patrick Juliana’s “Ethics Board” and “Code of Ethics” ordinance changes were approved as amended.  (Click here to read a more comprehensive story on this topic:  “Common Council Passes Ethics Board Ordinance Amendment.”)
• The second reading of Alderperson David Bogdala’s amendments to the Zoning Ordinance regarding “Crop Production as a Conditional Use” was deferred for 30 days.  Dominic Tirabassi was present and spoke against the ordinance.  The state law presently in effect covers agricultural use.  “If the city wants to alleviate the present flaw, allow farming in all areas.  The state does,” said Tirabassi.
• The petition by the mayor to rezone the property located at 1613 Washington Road from RG-1, General Residential, to IP, Institutional Park, was approved by a vote of 11 to 6, even though the council was unsure if AT&T still wanted the property for its cell phone tower.
• A special assessment in the amount of $262 for re-inspection fees against the property at 6812 Pershing Boulevard, per request from Mihailo and Zlatana Bojovic, was rescinded unanimously.
• Five special assessment resolutions upon various parcels of property located in the city were also unanimously approved:  $7,663.76 for grass and weed cutting; $18,176 for property maintenance re-inspection fees; $5,067.96 for boarding and securing; $310 for trash and debris removal; and $820 for graffiti removal.
• A special assessment in the total amount of $55.88 for hazardous walk and driveway approach repairs for Project 10-1208, Sidewalk and Curb/Gutter Program, 3814 – 18th Avenue, to be levied against the respective parcel of property, was approved by a vote of 16 to 0 (Alderperson Tod Ohnstad abstained from the vote).
• A special tax upon certain parcels of land within the city of Kenosha pursuant to a section of the Code of General Ordinances entitled “Sidewalks and Alleys to be Kept Clean by Responsible Party – Emergency Enforcement (Snow Removal from Sidewalk),” was approved unanimously.
• Special assessments in the total amount of $43,590.67 for paving, grading, and graveling, sidewalk and/or driveway approach for Project 09-1011, Paving 56th Street – 64th Avenue to 68th Avenue, to be levied against the respective parcels of property, was unanimously approved.
• Five resolutions were corrected unanimously:  #057-11, #058-11, #062-11, #100-11, and #127-11.  Mike Lemens, director/city engineer, explained that these corrections were the result of assessments being charged to the wrong property, or charging for trees which had already been removed, etc.
• The resolution proposed by Alderperson Anthony Nudo to urge the school board of the Kenosha Unified School District to reject recommendations to close McKinley Middle School was approved by a vote of 15 to 1 (Alderperson Anthony Kennedy voted no, and Alderperson Daniel Prozanski abstained from the vote).  Alderperson Steve Bostrom expressed his support of the resolution due to the fact that Lincoln Middle School would probably be “jammed to capacity, which would do the students and the community a disservice.”  Alderperson Jan Michalski also was in support because the district has no plans for the building.  Alderpersons G. John Ruffolo and Jesse Downing told of how they felt that the school was in better shape now than when they attended there themselves.  Alderperson Ray Misner was also in support.  “Don’t mess with people’s kids,” he said.  “They (KUSD) need to stop looking for the easy way out.”  The reason Kennedy gave for his non-support was he wanted an ad hoc meeting set up with the district and the city to sit down and try to work this out.  Amy Crucianelli (who is running for alderperson in the 11th district against Scott Gordon and Nudo) spoke as well.  She bought a house four blocks away from the school, and now her 13-year-old daughter will have to take a bus to Bullen Middle School.  There is a speak-out scheduled for February 20th, and the school board will be voting on this, as well as other cost-savings items, on February 28th at their regular monthly school board meeting.  She was upset about not having any input into the decision to close the school.  Her daughter came up with some ideas of her own:  let the teachers and administrators sell their iPads, and the schools’ Promethean boards, etc., to help save the school.  Alderperson Theodore Ruffalo made a comment.  “In the Marines, we have a saying, ‘Swift, Silent and Deadly.”  He announced his support as well.  Downing asked the mayor if he had been notified, and the mayor replied that he had not.  “But to be fair,” the mayor said, “we don’t send them our agendas either.”
• The council unanimously approved the resolution to congratulate Kenosha resident Laura Kaeppeler on becoming Miss America and to designate March 2, 2012, as “Laura Kaeppeler Day” in the city of Kenosha.
• The resolution by Bogdala, Ruffalo and Downing to register the opposition of the city of Kenosha to the proposed changes to the HOME Investment Partnerships Program rule concerning conversion of home ownership units to rental units was approved unanimously.  (Click here to read more about this issue:  “HOME Program Changes Opposed.”)
• The council also unanimously approved the 2012 transfer of funds needed to fund the city clerk/treasurer position.  A roll call vote was taken.
• Miles Hartley, 600 – 52nd Street, was appointed to the Kenosha Housing Authority for a term which will expire on July 1, 2014.
• The real estate appraisal services agreement between the city of Kenosha and G. A. Bock & Associates, d/b/a Southern Wisconsin Appraisal, was deferred for two weeks.  Nudo had previously asked for a list of appraisers who were sent this request for proposal, and a list of respondents, but he didn’t see the information provided in his packet.  Jeff LaBahn, community development director, replied that there were eight or nine contacted, and only one respondent.  Nudo wanted the request for proposal sent to Kenosha appraisers.  Bostrom asked what the appraisals were for.  Michael Maki, city planner, replied that appraisals are required by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to establish the value of re-habbed and new construction.  Five homes in the past year needed updated appraised values.  Bostrom mentioned the use of broker price opinions, which average from $50 to $100 in cost per property.  Bostrom felt that this should be explored in lieu of this expensive contract.
• The addendum to the professional services agreement with Mandlik & Rhodes Information Systems, Inc., for redemption processing of yard waste coupons, was approved unanimously.
• The subordination request of Kenosha Seniors Limited Partnership for HOME loans in the amount of $240,500 and $16,500, to the Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority (WHEDA) in the amount of $1,367,645, was also unanimously approved.
• Two disbursement records were unanimously approved; one in the amount of $5,128,194.33, and the other in the amount of $8,631,325.34.
• Change order #1 for Project 09-1011 paving 56th Street (64th Avenue to 68th Avenue), was approved unanimously.
• The final acceptance of Project 10-1025, 38th Street Reconstruction – Phase IV (2,000 feet east of the Kilbourn Ditch Bridge to 300 feet west of CTS S) completed by Stark Asphalt (Milwaukee, Wisconsin), was unanimously approved in the amount of $505,623.11.
• The conditional use permit for a contractor’s storage yard to be located at 3700 – 45th Street (Prostko Grading) was denied.  Mayor Keith Bosman said that the deal between the two parties fell apart; therefore, the permit was no longer needed.
• The council then went into closed session to consider the claims of Terry E. Anderson v. City of Kenosha, Harold E. Granger vs. City of Kenosha, Charlene C. Salewski v. City of Kenosha, and the status of potential causes of action against Brookstone Homes.