Alderperson Nate Wolff (District 12) recently introduced Resolution 4-R-23, the Resolution To Support Pollinator and Wildlife Habitats In Ellen Kort Peace Park. The resolution is fairly straightforward and calls for mowing to be suspended within the park during the month of May.
Based on the language referencing the park’s largely undeveloped state, one could infer that the resolution was intended to suspend mowing either only for this year or until the park became more developed; however, the resolution did not state explicitly that mowing would only be suspended for May of 2023 and, rather, stated more broadly that “the City of Appleton’s Parks and Facilities Department shall suspend the mowing of Ellen Kort Peace Park during the month of May.”
I reached out to Alderperson Wolff as well as resolution’s two co-sponsors Alderpersons Israel Del Toro (District 4) and Alex Schultz (District 9) and asked them if the resolution was intended to only suspend mowing in the park for May of 2023 or for Mays in future years as well.
Alderperson Del Toro responded that he was only supporting No Mow May in Ellen Kort Peace Park for May of 2023.
Alderperson Schultz said, “We might need to clarify this in the resolution language, but the intent would be to try this for 2023 and then, if it is a manageable approach, approve again for subsequent years, until the park is developed.”
Alderperson Wolff has not responded, but if he does I will update this post.
The resolution will be taken up by the Parks and Recreation Committee on 05/08/2023 which will make a recommendation to the Common Council which would tentatively vote on it during the 05/17/2023 Council meeting. Dean Gazza, the Director of Parks, Recreation, and Facilities, noted during the 04/24/2023 Parks and Recreation Committee meeting that he did not think waiting that long to vote on the resolution would impact anything because he was not sure if grass was going to be growing down there for a while.
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