The Common Council met 02/07/2024. One of the items they voted on was the Parking Facility and Management Study Resolution. This resolution called for staff to seek out a consultant to study and assess the city’s parking assets, including the downtown parking ramps, put together information on best management practices and options, and develop a downtown marketing and promotional campaign.
The resolution as originally written included language asking the consultant to evaluate all options, including the potential of leasing or selling the downtown parking ramps to a private entity, but that language was removed by the Municipal Services Committee.
After limited discussion, the Common Council ended up voting to deny the resolution, even in its amended form, by a vote of 11-2 with Alderpersons Sheri Hartzheim (District 13) and Chad Doran (District 15) casting the two votes in favor of the resolution.
I’ve prepared a transcript of the discussion for download:
Alderperson Katie Van Zeeland (District 5) had been the alderperson who referred the resolution back to the Municipal Services Committee where it had been amended to remove the language referencing the possible sale or lease of the downtown parking ramps, but, even with the changes, she ended up supporting denying the resolution, telling the Council, “I had tried to find a happy medium on this resolution, but when it came down to it, I just couldn’t support moving forward with the resolution as written. I think that there’s still an opportunity for the parking utility to get some of the information that they’re looking for with the study without having to approve this resolution, which is why I would vote to deny.”
Alderperson Doran told the Council that the resolution had been “written in consultation with staff and with recommendations from staff.” He understood his colleagues didn’t like the idea of exploring the sale of the parking ramps, but he thought that if they were going perform a complete review of the parking utility, all possibilities should be investigated. “I think it’s foolish for us to shoot down a request from, essentially, from staff for a study that they feel is important to help us best manage our parking utility for the future.”
In response, Mayor Woodford commented, “[T]he work with staff was initiated as the author worked on drafting the resolution. Staff did not initiate the process with a request to any member of Council. Just wanted to make that clear for the record.”
Alderperson Doran made a motion that the resolution be returned to the original language before being voted on, but that was voted down by a vote of 8-5. The Council then went on to vote the resolution down in its entirety by a vote of 11-2.
View full meeting details and video here: https://cityofappleton.legistar.com/MeetingDetail.aspx?ID=1143129&GUID=956D9EB8-0937-4FEB-BBFE-1F267D82ACB9
Be the first to reply