PRESENT: Chairman Barr, Ald. Rackow, Phillips, Nealis, and Pazdernik

ALSO PRESENT: Comptroller-Treasurer Schlice; Mayor Wescott; City Attorney Molepske;
Clerk Zdroik; Admin. Asst. Marciniak; Directors Van Alstine, Gardner; Schrader; Assessor Kuehn; Administrator Disher; Ald. Kedrowski, Sevenich, Molski, Seiser; Gene Kemmeter (Gazette); Larry Lee (WIZD); Mike Jacquard (Stevens Point Journal); Gary Baier (Central Wis. Youth Sports Complex); Fred Hopfensperger; Intern Travis VanCamp; Matt Filipiak; Reid Rocheleau

ITEM #1 - ASSESSOR’S REPORT

Motion made by Ald. Rackow, seconded by Ald. Pazdernik to approve the report of the Assessor and place it on file.

Ayes: All Nays: None Motion carried.

ITEM #2 - CONSIDERATION OF PURCHASE FOR PARK LAND - 2424 BUSH ST.

Comptroller-Treasurer Schlice stated that this has received approval from the Plan Commission and the Park and Rec. Committee.

Chairman Barr questioned the $76,900 and how that figure was arrived at.

Comptroller-Treasurer Schlice stated that is a offering price from the people wishing to sell. We usually also authorize an appraisal being done on the property before negotiating a purchase price.

Ald. Nealis questioned how much money has been spent over the last three or four months for City lots that are to be used for expanding City parks. The property along the river, the one next door to 2424 Bush Street and now this one.

Comptroller-Treasurer Schlice replied that the property along the river has not been closed yet.

Ald. Nealis stated that he came up with a figure of $325,000, which included the river property and this one. He questioned how much is budgeted for each year.

Comptroller-Treasurer Schlice replied that $100,000 is budgeted each year.
Ald. Nealis stated that he thinks we need to pay attention to that.

City Attorney Molepske stated this is not like the Johnson property, with that property it was unoccupied. He stated that it should be noted in the motion that we do not intend to condemn this property and if we can negotiate a price with the owner, we will, but we do not want to get into having to pay relocation costs and other benefits.

Larry Lee, homeowner of 2424 Bush Street, stated that if there are any questions regarding this property, he is here to answer them.

Ald. Rackow stated that we do put a certain amount of money in the budget each year and throughout his time on Council, there were many years that hardly any money was used. When a homeowner offers to sell property that we could use for park purchases or other public purchases that we should do our best to buy it even if we might have purchased more than an ordinary amount of property in any particular year. He stated that he is in favor of this.

Ald. Pazdernik stated that he is also in favor of this. It is a neighborhood park and needs to be upgraded.

Ald. Nealis stated that he has a problem with buying a total of an half acre of land for $325,000. Right now, the price per square foot is $12.50, which exceeds more than any property sold on Highway 10 East. He stated that we should buy acreage in our expansion area. There is an acre of land for sale right now that is $100,000.

Motion made by Ald. Rackow, seconded by Chairman Barr to authorize the purchase of the property. The City will have an appraisal done of the property and the City does not intend to condemn the property. The Comptroller-Treasurer and the City Attorney will negotiate the purchase price.

Ald. Phillips stated this is a lot of money for something that he feels is larger than a neighborhood park. A neighborhood park does not have a designated ball diamond with fences. He feels that the size of the park is sufficient as it is for a neighborhood park. He feels that we should hold off with purchasing the property.

Ald. Rackow stated these types of properties, adjacent to a park, do not come up very often. Morton Park has some land right down to Patch Street, but there is such a slope that it is not useful. The Park has a certain amount of area, but it can not all be utilized.

Ald. Nealis questioned if our amount of acreage per capita exceeds the state recommendation margin for the interior parks that we already have.

Director Schrader replied that is not true. The national average is 6.25 to 10.25 and he thinks that we are about 7 or 7.2, so we are not even in the middle.

Ald. Nealis commented he thought the State recommended 6.

Director Schrader stated he does not think so. He also stated that this is a neighborhood park and by not purchasing it and adding on to the edge of town, we are abandoning the inner City. He stated that if you wait and buy it later the cost will be much higher.

Ald. Kedrowski commented that he remembered when it was much more open, before houses were there and it was a nice park. He feels there is a need there to make it what it used to be.

Larry Lee stated that he would like to ease the concerns about relocation cost because they are staying in Stevens Point. They currently have an offer in on Roberts Street should this go through. He stated that when they learned the property was in the parks plan, it was decided that they wanted to keep the place, but if interest rates went down and they found a suitable replacement property in the City of Stevens Point, they would, at that time, consider selling. They were instructed before, that if we were going to sell, they were to notify the City first, with no guarantee. He stated that they did that. They purchased the house just over two years ago, at $64,000. They have finished off the basement, added the third bedroom and he does not see a problem with the price.

Ayes: Chairman Barr, Ald. Rackow and Pazdernik Nays: Ald. Nealis and Phillips
Motion carried.

ITEM #3 - REQUEST FOR EXTENSION OF ROOM TAX FUNDING DEADLINE - SPORTS COMPLEX COMMITTEE

Comptroller-Treasurer Schlice stated that originally the committee thought the date was February 28 and it was actually February 1, so if it is approved at a 120 day extension, it would be taken to June 1.

Gary Baier, Central Wisconsin Youth Sports Complex, stated that they have worked hard to make this work. When the County was approached, there was two issues. One was the $150,000 and whether or not they would support that and they were prepared to write a resolution and vote on it but they were not going to meet soon enough for us to get it done by February 1. There were other factors with the County as to why the deadline was not met as of yet, but they still want to continue to work hard to meet the goal.

Chairman Barr supported granting the extension. He stated that we are not being overloaded with requests for the room tax money that is out there and if this proposal would go through, it would be a community asset.

Motion made by Ald. Rackow, seconded by Ald. Nealis to approve the extension of the room tax funding deadline to June 1.

Ald. Phillips commented about hearing about the complex all the time and the partnering with Portage County, but as being a member of the Room Tax Committee he said the $150,000 matching grant was going to occur with a grant from any municipality, according to the plans that they had at that time. That means that if they are adding to the plans or altering the plans in any way, they will not get those dollars. He questioned what the County would do in that case, would that affect the plans that the Room Tax Committee voted on a year ago, they may be null and void if these people do not understand that if they change those plans, they will not get the money.

Chairman Barr stated that he thought they were more concerned about the location rather than the actual plan.

Director Schrader stated there was a combination of the location and if the plans changed by eliminating something.

Gary Baier stated they have no intention on changing the basic plan. The idea was that the County saw an opportunity to maybe mesh the two together and he has heard nothing of a restaurant unless it is in the commercial development and they are certainly not planning to eliminate anything. He stated they would keep the Committee informed of any changes and the progress.

Ayes: All Nays: None Motion carried.

ITEM #4 - TRANSFER OF FUNDS

Comptroller-Treasurer Schlice stated this is something that is done every February. It consists of contracts or expenditures that have not been completed from the prior year, some may not have been billed in time. The amount and types are basically the same every year. At the end of the year, anything that is not expended rolls over into fund balance and this is the way it is brought out. We will come back with Department returns at a later time.

Motion made by Ald. Rackow, seconded by Ald. Pazdernik to approve the transfer of funds.

Ayes: All Nays: None Motion carried.

ITEM #5 - APPROVAL OF PAYMENT OF CLAIMS

Motion made by Ald. Nealis, seconded by Ald. Rackow, to approve the payment of claims in the amount of $267,545.15.

Ayes: All Nays: None Motion carried.

Adjournment at 7:35 p.m.

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