The Municipal Services Committee met 07/07/2025. During the meeting they took up two items related to downtown. One was a request from Heid Music to install a placard in a city owned bench located on Durkee Street to honor photographer Robert Rueckl. The other was a request from Appleton Downtown Inc to place their parklet in a parking stall on Washington Street near the northwest corner of the Washington/Appleton street intersection.
The committee voted unanimously to recommend each item for approval.
I’ve prepared a transcript of the discussion for download:
ROBERT RUECKL MEMORIAL BENCH NEAR HEID MUSIC – Heid music wanted to install a placard on the bench next to their store that memorialized Robert Rueckl, a well-known Appleton photographer who passed away in 2020. There are many such placards on benches located in parks and along walking trails, but this was the first such placard that Public Works Deputy Director Pete Neuberger was aware of that would be placed on a bench in the downtown amenity strip.
The committee voted 4-0 to recommend the request be approved.
PARKLET ON WASHINGTON STREET NEAR APPLETON/WASHINGTON INTERSECTION – Appleton Downtown Inc owns a parklet, or modular prefabricated street deck in which they place chairs and tables for people to be able to sit down in and eat separate from the outdoor seating options associated with specific restaurants in Downtown Appleton. They have set it up every summer for the last several years. Last summer it was located on Washington Street on the northwest corner of the Washington/Appleton intersection, near the library. ADI was asking permission to install it again this summer in that same location.
Alderperson Vered Meltzer (District 2) asked about the location and noted that in previous years there had been some feedback from community members who didn’t like that location. Deputy Director Pete Neuberger said that last year the library had been closed while it was under construction, but now that the library and its parking lot were open again there was more foot traffic and general activity happening in that area.
Public Works Director Laura Jungwirth said that they had received feedback that location was warm with little shade. They were open to moving it to an alternative location and had been assessing other options, but for this year ADI just wanted to get the parklet up.
She went on to say that one of the locations they were looking at was somewhere on Oneida Street, but the area in question was that section of street was actually private property with an easement for public access. The zoning code did not allow the placement of temporary structures on private property so unless a variance was granted or the policy was reassessed the parklet could not be placed on private property.
Alderperson Alex Schultz (District) noted that there was a currently empty lot for sale right next to wear the parklet was going to be installed. He asked if city staff knew of potential plans for that property that might influence the parklet. Director Jungwirth didn’t think there were, but said that if there were construction activities that might impact the parklet, they would reassess the parklet placement at that time.
The committee voted 3-0 to recommend the item for approval, with Alderperson Schultz abstaining.
View full meeting details and video here: https://cityofappleton.legistar.com/MeetingDetail.aspx?ID=1318098&GUID=EC6C0C41-8361-41D0-B6A3-6963ED59BEF6
2 thoughts on “Municipal Services Committee Approves Bench Placard Honoring Robert Rueckl, Placement Of Parklet Near Washington/Appleton Intersection”