Council backs parking ban at SFHS
by Jeff Pederson of the Review Staff
The Sheboygan Falls Common Council established a permanent no-parking ordinance for Amherst Avenue, during a semimonthly meeting Tuesday, Nov. 3, at the City Hall Municipal Building.
The parking ban covers the south side of Amherst Avenue in front of Sheboygan Falls High School, from Giddings Avenue to Dartmouth Drive.
The parking ban had been in place on a temporary basis.
Public Safety Committee Chairman Duane Glancey said the ban runs from 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on school days, with the exception of special events.
“On occasion, there are special events at the school, during school hours,” Glancey said. “When there are those kind of events, the police department will be informed, and bags will be placed over the noparking signs.”
Several residents of Amherst Avenue and Dartmouth Drive expressed concern about off-premises parking around the high school, during a Public Safety Committee meeting Aug. 18.
Several of the residents contended that the presence of parked cars restricted their ability to do street cleaning, snow removal and yard work.
In addition, residents said access to mailboxes and fire hydrants was limited by the presence of parked cars.
In other public safety business, the council adopted a city ordinance based on a recently revised state law, prohibiting the possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia.
The council also approved the Sheboygan County Sheriff’s Department Joint Powers Agreement.
According to Mayor Randy Meyer, the agreement allows the city’s emergency vehicles to be dispatched outside the city limits through the Sheboygan County 911 emergency dispatch system, based upon need.
The Joint Powers Agreement goes into effect Jan. 1, 2010.
The council also approved a resolution supporting Wisconsin’s energy independence goals for 2025.
The resolution forms a partnership with the Wisconsin Office of Energy Independence, in an effort to replace 25 percent of the city’s electricity and 25 percent of the city’s transportation energy use with renewable sources by 2025.
City Clerk-Treasurer Joel Tauschek said the city will be applying for a grant to make the city’s lighting and transportation systems more energy efficient.
In public health business, the council approved an operator-license application for Daniel Sweet and Heather C. Hackney, a Class A liquor license publication for Marathon Mini Mart on Monroe Street and an electrical contractor license for Boeldt Electric Inc.
The council also established a new ordinance covering all city fees.
“We basically consolidated all of our fees into one ordinance,” Meyer said. “Now we have a fee ordinance that is comparable to other municipalities in our area.”
The ordinance includes municipal waste, dog license, general building permit and inspection, commercial building permit and inspection and cemetery lot fees.
In a property motion, the council approved a certified survey map for James R. and Elizabeth H. Fischer for Jifram Extrusions Inc., located at 320 Forest Ave.
The certified survey map splits a manufacturing parcel of land into two separate parcels for future business purposes. The land had been two parcels in the past but was combined to accommodate a previous building addition.
Meyer also made several appointments to the city’s Sex Offender Residence Appeals Board.
Earning staggered-term appointments to the board were Steve Barbian (2014); Wally Endsley (2013); Rene Passehl (2012), Kari Jaeckels (2011) and Brian Beeck (2010).
Each appointment expires on April 30 of the respective year of the term.
“Every sex offender that has an issue with the city’s residency restrictions has a right of appeal,” Meyer said. “This board is overseen by the police chief and has full authority to grant or decline all requests. The council is not involved in this process.”
Prior to the regular council meeting, the Finance and Personnel Committee met in closed session to review personnel compensation issues.
The next Sheboygan Falls Common Council meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, Nov. 17, at 6:30 p.m. in the Council Chambers at the City Hall Municipal Building.
The meeting will include a public hearing for the 2010 city budget.
