1. Roll Call

Present - Curtis, McDonald, Molski, Phillips, Somers, Freckmann, West, Okonek, Nealis, Glodosky, West

Absent Excused - Aldinger

Also Present - Plan Commission members, John Clark, Steve Smith, Craig Hselle, Barb Martin, Alderpersons Seiser, Walther

2. Approval of the January 2, 2002 Minutes

Motion was made by Molski, seconded by Nealis to approve the Minutes of the January 2, 2002 Meeting.

Ayes; all, Nays; none. Motion carried.

3. Request to Expand Mid-State Technical College

Chairman Wescott stated there will be separate motions and votes for each commission.

John Gardner stated the plans that were presented last month showed expansion and parking that went beyond the lease line. The proposal today reduces the size of the proposed addition and keeps the construction within the lease line.

John Clark, Vice President of Academic Affairs for Mid-State College, provided a slide presentation and stated their commitment as a college to our central Wisconsin constituency is to provide Portage County residents with learning opportunities to meet the needs of business and industry. We have experienced growth and demand for associate degree programs at the Stevens Point location which has increased the number of programs that we provide. Our request is to construct a 6,718 sq. ft addition and remodeling 5,721 sq. ft of existing space. Construction would begin in July of 2002 with May of 2003 for occupancy. They don=t feel parking is an issue - 205 spaces are required by the zoning ordinance and they are providing 204 spaces. This expansion is actually the final leg of the long-term facility plan presented in 1991. This will be the last expansion at this site. We have a lease with the City through December of 2016.

Ald. Nealis questioned how long this proposed expansion will address their needs.

John Clark responded they are looking at the next 3-5 years.

Ald. Phillips questioned whether a student can complete an associate degree in the Stevens Point facility or do they still have to go to Wisconsin Rapids.

Steve Smith, Mid-State Technical College, responded currently there are four or five programs in which they can get an associate degree at the Stevens Point campus.

Ald. Seiser questioned what will happen at the time the lease expires in 2016? What was the outcome of the meeting with the UWSP. Did you discuss use of any of their facilities.

John Clark responded they have been in this facility since 1961 and they would certainly look at the option of staying. We might look at other alternatives within the city. They met with Greg Diemer from UWSP and they seemed supportive of our needs based on the partnership that we have with them. We did talk briefly about Nelson Hall, but it is not structurally sound for them and would not be for us either.

Ald. Molski noted they are a valuable asset to our community and she is pleased that they have designed the addition within the lease lines. There is a parking problem in this area and she expressed concern with the 204 parking spaces they are providing.

Gardner shared the parking concern. The lot is full now and new class rooms will add to the total number of cars parked. He said MSTC will have to tolerate some parking congestion and the neighborhood may experience some parking overflow.

Mike Glodosky questioned if it is possible to set aside some spaces for compact cars.

John Gardner responded they meet the parking standards for the ordinance. The hospital set aside a sizable portion of their parking lot for compact cars, but they did not meet with much success and ended up re-striping them for full size vehicles.

Liz McDonald questioned what the lease amount was.

John Gardner responded the lease was for 25 years. In 1991, Mid-State paid the city approximately $80,000 for demolition as well as a portion of the remodeling.

Tom Schrader noted the total 1991 project was $150-160,000 and they divided the project in half and the payment included moving the lease line further to the south.

Ald. Rackow noted he likes the fact that their location is near the university and hospital and that they are served by the city bus line.

Jeff Zabel moved, seconded by Fred Steffen, to recommend approval of the request by Mid-State Technical College to expand their existing building as a conditional use as shown on the attached plans.

Ald. Seiser noted this is an important facility and a useful service. It is one of those important things that the taxpayers pay for. There are facilities in our community that need upgrading and work done, and Nelson Hall is one. If we continue to pay for new construction and new remodeling without it being a part of an overall plan for some of our older facilities, we are doing a disservice to our community by not cooperating from one unit of government to another. This is a waste of taxpayer money and does not fit in to a good overall plan.

Ald. Walther expressed concern with parking. The #1 complaint of his constituents is parking in this area. He is not comfortable with the parking being provided and looks at this as a band-aid solution when they know they will have to expand further in the future.

Ayes all; Nays none; Motion carried.

Neal Nealis moved, seconded by Marge Molski, to recommend approval of the request by Mid-State Technical College to expand their existing building as per their presentation today, with the stipulation that there be no further expansion of Mid-State Technical College on this site. Ayes all; Nays none; Motion carried.

Elbert Rackow feels there has been a cooperative effort between the technical college, the city, the university, and the hospital.

Lois Feldman noted when she drives west on Main Street, there is a black-topped area with some open parking south of P.J. Jacobs that is just a short block from the technical college. Perhaps this area could be used for parking.

Joint meeting adjourned at 4:25 p.m.

The meeting minutes reproduced on this website are derived from the computer files used to produce the official minutes for the City of Stevens Point, but are unofficial. The minutes on this web site cannot be certified under s. 889.08, Wis. Stats., and cannot be considered prima facie evidence under s. 889.04, Wis. Stats. Certain tables, maps, and other documents that are a part of the official minutes are not included in the files reproduced on this website. Please consult the printed minutes, available in the City Clerk's Office, for the official text. The decisions made by City of Stevens Point boards, committees, and commissions (other than the Police & Fire Commission) are advisory only and are not binding on the city until affirmed at a meeting of the Common Council. Some of the minutes on this web site might not be approved by the Common Council as of today.