Alderperson Kristin Alfheim’s Invocation At 11/06/2024 Common Council Meeting – “If we believe in autonomy of feelings and self, then it requires us, by default, to respect the identity and autonomy of others.”

Mayor Woodford: Tonight’s invocation will be delivered by Alder Alfheim. Alderperson Kristin Alfheim (District 11): In 1987 I wrote the shortest of poems. It read, “I am me. No one else the same. I wish to be that way, and so I’ll remain.” It was […]

Common Council Meeting 11/20/2024 – Will Vote On $300,000 Stormwater Evaluation Contract Covering Area Impacted By July Flooding, New Fare Collection System For Valley Transit

The Common Council is meeting 11/20/2024 at 7PM. There are two items on the agenda that stand out as possible candidates to be separated out for individual votes. The first is the request to approve a $300,000 single-source contract with Brown and Caldwell to perform […]

Common Council Unanimously Approves Adoption Of 2025 Executive Budget And Service Plan

The Common Council met 11/13/2024 for a special meeting to adopt the 2025 executive budget and service plan. Mayor Woodford presented an overview of the budget on 10/02/2024. It was reviewed and voted on by the Finance Committee on 11/02/2024 during which all departmental budgets were approved […]

Common Council Meeting 11/13/2024 – Will Vote On Adoption Of 2025 Executive Budget And Service Plan

The Common Council is holding a special session on 11/13/2024 at 6PM. They will be voting on the adoption of the 2025 Executive Budget and Service Plan. Mayor Woodford presented an overview of the budget on 10/02/2024. It was reviewed and voted on by the […]

Common Council Votes 11-2 To Approve Smoking Ban Around Public Library City Block

The Common Council met 11/06/2024. One of the items they took up was the request to take the smoking prohibition that currently exists around Valley Transit Center and extend it around the entire block that the public library is located on. The smoking prohibition was […]

Common Council Votes 12-1 To Approve New Special Events Policy That Will Allow The City To Recoup 25% Of Its Costs For Special Events And Negotiate Service Agreements With Organizers Of Large Scale Events

The Common Council met 11/06/2024. One of the items they separated out for an individual vote was the proposed new Special Events Policy to go into effect in January of 2025. This new policy would create one application deadline 45 days before an event for […]

Common Council Meeting 11/06/2024 – Will Reconsider Library Smoking Ban; Vote On New Special Events Policy, Request To Spend $985K In ARPA Funds On Expo Center, Request To Increase Wastewater Utility Rate By 9%, Request To Hire Consultant To Study Police Department Workload And Organization

The Common Council is meeting 11/06/2024 at 7PM. There are a number of items on the agenda that seem like they might be separated out for individual votes. The Council will be reconsidering the request to update the Municipal Code to ban smoking around the […]

Common Council Holding Public Hearing On 11/06/2024 For Proposed 2025 Executive Budget And Service Plan

The Common Council is meeting 11/06/2024 at 6PM. They will be holding a public hearing on the proposed 2025 Executive Budget and Service Plan. This is an opportunity of members of the community to provide feedback on the 2025 budget prior to the final vote […]

Due To Statutory Limitations, None Of The $15,000 In Aldermanic Salary Overpayments Will Have To Be Repaid

On this quiet off week, I thought I would take some time to post a follow-up on the aldermanic salary issue that came to light earlier this year. Four times since 2017, the aldermanic salary was increased incorrectly, 3 times because the number of Council […]

Common Council Fails To Pass Municipal Code Update That Would Ban Smoking Around Public Library – Library Director States Proposed Ban “Is Not A Veiled Attempt To Target Specific Individuals.”

The Common Council met 10/16/2024. One of the items they took up was the proposed update to the Municipal Code that would expand the smoking ban currently in place around Valley Transit Center to encompass the block around the library as well under the reasoning […]