COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE - MINUTES - 12/4/2007
COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE Approved 2/12/08
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY – CITY OF MUSKEGO
MINUTES OF MEETING HELD TUESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2007
Mayor Johnson called the meeting to order at 6:37 p.m. and led those present in the Pledge of
Allegiance.
ROLL CALL
Committee of the Whole – Mayor Johnson, Ald. Snead, Ald. Pavelko, Ald. Borgman, Ald. Werner,
Ald. Fiedler and Ald. Schaefer. Ald. Melcher was excused.
Community Development Authority – Chairman Frank Waltz, Rob Glazier, David Lidbury, Gail
Miles, Suzi Link, Ald. Werner and Ald. Pavelko.
STATEMENT OF PUBLIC NOTICE
The secretary noted that the meeting had been noticed in accordance with the Open Meeting
Laws on November 29, 2007.
NEW BUSINESS
Discuss Town Hall meeting on Former Parkland mall property, opinions generated, next order of
business – Director Muenkel reviewed the results from the surveys received and noted the
comments section is an important part of this process. Results from the 156 surveys submitted
through mail, online, or at the Town Hall meeting are listed below:
Option 1 Let it be - 48%
Allow TIF assistance 75% (71% of these stated to not go over the TIF guidelines)
Not allow TIF assistance 20%
Option 2 City purchase the property - 35% (55 surveys)
Offer to purchase based on appraisal (12 surveys)
Offer to purchase % above the appraisal (21 surveys said exceed appraisal from 2% to
25%)
Condemnation (22 surveys)
Option 3 Other - 7%
Ms. Link had the following comments and concerns with the survey summary and the minutes
from the Town Hall meeting:
None of the speakers are reflected in the numbers. Stated at the meeting the speaker’s
comments would be incorporated. Ms. Chiaverotti was included but the other speakers
were not.
Duplicates were found. Brad Daniels appears twice.
Two residents of a property counted as one survey each. Two residents of a property
were sometimes counted as one together.
At least 16 had no name on the surveys. Unless we can identify who the survey came
from, it should not be included.
Art Dyer and Bill Fink, residents of Wind Lake, submitted two surveys. Only one property,
only one opinion should be allowed.
Private organization (Chamber of Commerce) that does not own property counted as a
respondent.
An employee of the Muskego Lakes County Club, non-resident, who does not own
property was counted.
Committee of the Whole
December 4, 2007 Page 2
Methodology issues, speakers were told their opinion would be counted. Speakers did not
want to be double counted and did not submit surveys.
Questioned who would approve or amend the minutes as there were quite a few material
mistakes. Minutes need to be corrected before approved, but cannot amend or approve
the minutes at this meeting because it was not included on the agenda.
Some of the comments were incomplete or truncated.
Director Muenkel explained the information from the meeting would be given verbatim and the
minutes would be a separate record. The speaker’s comments from the meeting could be put into
survey form and included. Does not look like the surveys without names skewed the data or were
used to pad one area or another. It was never specified you had to be a property owner in
Muskego to submit a survey. Mr. Glazier noted it could be a formatting issue with the Excel
spreadsheet and that is why some comments were incomplete. Ald. Pavelko stated several
residents in his district left comments with him and he did not include their names.
Ald. Werner stated the purpose of the survey was to gather opinions from the residents. Not
everything will be taken verbatim to make a decision at this time. This was to get a flavor of
where the community is on this issue. He is hearing the community would love something done
with the property, but the community does not want to give anything more than the limits
established.
Ald. Borgman stated he is frustrated with the situation. Suggested presenting the property owner
with a fair appraisal one more time. Mayor noted the City offered a friendly condemnation deal
and the property owner did not agree.
Mr. Waltz explained by the results of the survey the residents do not want to go beyond
reasonable limits to develop the property, but instead let the market forces drive development.
Something needs to be done to the property to protect it from view or clean it up. Ald. Snead and
Ald. Borgman agreed this area should be cleaned up. Mayor Johnson will look into the Ordinance
and see what the property owner can be required to do.
Suzi Link stated she was gratified to see the surveys agreed with the CDA’s position of being
against condemnation and against working under the property owner’s terms. Noted the
suggestion from the comments of green space being needed. With the issue of the water table in
this location, the City should start the process to rezone to AG or park and turn the area into a
park.
Ald. Werner requested staff look at both sides of the downtown area and what would be in the
best interest of the City. Director Muenkel stated during the design of Janesville Road would be a
good opportunity to develop a master plan for this area which could include and compliment the
new redesign the road.
Mr. Petfalski stated the City needs business not a park or residential in the downtown. This is
viable commercial area and taking commercial away would be a mistake.
Ms. Chiaverotti, chairman of an economic development study group, stated expanding the town
center and incorporating green space is what all the study groups are coming back to with
gathering space and mixed use.
Mayor Johnson noted the key points from the meeting are to keep TIF assistance available but
within the guidelines and to create a comprehensive plan of the downtown area between
Moorland Road and Racine Avenue for land use, with a combination of residential/mixed-use, and
to include an alternative plan with Parkland Mall remaining a tree farm. Mayor Johnson explained
the Task Force will be making a recommendation to Council relating to the downtown area and
Committee of the Whole
December 4, 2007 Page 3
suggested the Committee of the Whole and Community Development Authority meet with the
Task Force in January to go over implementing a master plan for the downtown. Everyone
agreed.
Ms. Link moved to adjourn at 8:07 pm. Seconded by Ald. Fiedler, motion carried.
Respectfully submitted,
Kellie Renk
Recording Secretary