Common Council notes for the week of May 3rd

The Common Council meeting this week will feature a packed agenda. There are a number of important items to take up related to city business. There are also two council sponsored resolutions on the agenda up for a vote. 

AAPI Resolution

The resolution condemning xenophobia, racism and violence against the Asian, Pacific Islander, Desiamerican community is back on the council agenda after having been referred back to the Safety and Licensing Committee. While amendments were offered at the committee meeting, none were recommended for approval by the committee, so the item is back before us in the same form it was two weeks ago. 

I will support the resolution when we vote Wednesday. At the same time, I am disappointed in many things surrounding what has happened over the last two weeks. There has understandably been disappointment for some AAPI community members, feeling the council let them down by not passing it two weeks ago. I know this because I have spoken to a number of them in the last week or so. For that I am sorry. I regret the loss of trust in the Common Council some community members may feel because of the process involved in getting to this point. I hope a positive vote for the resolution Wednesday will change that.  

That process has led to some community members who incorrectly believe the council voted against the resolution. A refer back to committee is not a no vote on an item, rather an acknowledgement and opportunity for one or more council members to seek more information or offer amendments to an item. 

Another point I'd like to address on this topic is the suggestion we heard many times in the last week. Some people believe the council does not have the right to amend a resolution, whether it is the AAPI resolution or a different resolution. This runs counter to how our government institutions work. We are elected to be informed about issues and make decisions based on the best information we have available. 

CEDAW Resolution

Another resolution on the agenda for council Wednesday night is called the Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women. The resolution refers to laudable goals of supporting women in a variety of ways. As a husband and father of four girls, I am certainly invested in ensuring that women are treated fairly and equally. But beyond the surface language of this resolution, there are many concerning aspects of what council is being asked to support. 

The biggest red flag for me is the idea that we as an elected council would request our federal delegation from Wisconsin to support the United States ratifying this resolution and turning over enforcement of said resolution to an international body - the United Nations. 

Beyond the fact that I don't believe the Appleton City Council's role is to weigh in on matters of international law, those international laws are not always consistent with our own. Our Constitution provides a number of protections for women. Parts of CEDAW run counter to our own laws and while this resolution may actually improve women's rights in other countries, there is debate by scholars over whether it will have a positive effect in the United States. 

If we as an elected body want to work toward doing more to support women's rights here in Appleton, then we should be focusing on changes we can make here at the local level, not trying to influence international policy. 

Downtown Streetscape Design

One of the exciting items to come before council this week is the approval of a downtown streetscape design plan. In the years ahead, a number of the side streets downtown will be reconstructed. The city's public works department and community and economic development department worked together, with the help of a consultant, to design a plan for street design elements that can be included in these future projects. 

As shown in the video and document at the link above, elements including lighting, benches, bike racks, crosswalks and more, will be included in the design plan that the city can pull from to meet the needs of various projects. Not all elements will be used in all projects, but it will provide uniformity to the downtown. I am also looking forward to these elements being utilized in street projects in other parts of the city and on trails as well. 

No Mow May

A reminder that No Mow May is in effect again this year. The program is not required, but rather its an opportunity for all residents to choose not to mow their lawn during the month of May, to promote pollinator friendly habitats around the city. The Fox Cities Pollenablers group is spearheading the project and can be contacted with questions, through the group's Facebook page.

Municipal Clerks Week

This week's update ends with a big thank you to the Appleton City Clerk's staff. It is Municipal Clerk's Week throughout Wisconsin this week and Appleton's staff, led by City Clerk Kami Lynch, is an incredibly hard-working group. They reacted quickly and decisively throughout all the changes to elections that came up in 2020 due to the pandemic. They also handle everything from licenses to maintaining records of city meetings and official documents and much more. Join me in thanking them for all they do to help the city run smoothly. 

Arbor Day Tree Planting

Lastly, I was happy to participate in the city's Arbor Day Tree Planting event in Houdini Plaza last Friday. Trees have a tremendous benefit in our community. Did you know they can raise home values, help with stormwater runoff, purify the air we breathe, in addition to the beauty and shade they provide our community? The city's forestry department maintains thousands of trees city wide, planting new trees each spring and fall. Thanks to them as well for their efforts in all they do for the city. 

As always, I am happy to hear from my District 15 neighbors regarding any issues that come before the council. I can be reached at district15@appleton.org or (920) 419-1360.