Common Council Meeting — Minutes

Common Council MEETING MINUTES April 14, 2026 - 6:05 PM City Hall Council Chambers MINUTES 1. PRIVILEGE OF THE FLOOR Each speaker will be limited to three (3) minutes. The Privilege of the Floor session shall not exceed a total of thirty (30) minutes, unless extended by the Common Council. Council President read the rules governing Privilege of the Floor and invited any members of the public wishing to speak to come forward. 2. CALL TO ORDER, PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE One individual spoke during the Privilege of the Floor. 3. ROLL CALL; DECLARATION OF QUORUM; PUBLIC NOTICE Council President called the meeting to order and led the Pledge of Allegiance. City Clerk Rubina R. Medina took the roll call as follows: Present: Alderperson Hopkins, Alderperson Maxey, Alderperson Gardner, Alderperson Harenda, Alderperson Horbinski, Alderperson Kroupa Excused: Alderperson Joseph Stribl, Mayor Dave Ament Staff Present: City Attorney Mark Blum, City Clerk Rubina R. Medina The City Clerk confirmed that a quorum was present and that the meeting was properly posted in compliance with the open meetings law. 4. APPROVAL OF MINUTES A. March 24, 2026, Common Council Meeting Minutes MOTION: Motion to Approve Motion by: Alderperson Kroupa Second by: Alderperson Hopkins VOTE: Motion Passed 6-0 5. REPORTS A. City Clerk City Clerk Medina reported that overall voter turnout was 48% and that 90% of absentee voters returned their ballots. She thanked the Clerk’s Office staff and the Election Day officials for their efforts, noting that their training contributed to accurate results and efficient reconciliation. She expressed her appreciation to the entire team. B. Council President Council President Harenda expressed his appreciation to the City Clerk, on behalf of himself and the entire Common Council, for another well-run election and thanked her and her staff for their hard work. C. Mayor 6. COMMUNICATIONS 7. UTILITY COMMITTEE A. Discussion and possible recommendation to the Common Council to award the construction contract for the Greenridge Watermain Replacement and Road Rehabilitation Project to the lowest responsive bidder, Stark Pavement Corp, in the amount of $3,370,552.00. This includes a $2,618,674.00 base bid and an alternate area bid of $751,878.00 (the Water portion of this project is $532,945.00; the Water Resources portion is $362,534.00, and the remaining balance of $2,475,072.24 is Engineering’s portion for the Road Rehabilitation component). Suggested Motion: “I move to approve this item, as outlined in the agenda packet and approved unanimously by the Utility Committee on March 24, 2026.” MOTION: Motion to Approve Motion by: Alderperson Harenda Second by: Alderperson Maxey VOTE: Motion Passed 6-0 8. MAYORAL APPOINTMENTS A. Discussion and Possible Action to approve the Mayoral Appointments per the list as presented MOTION: Motion to Approve Motion by: Alderperson Maxey Second by: Alderperson Kroupa VOTE: Motion Passed 6-0 9. DEFERRED, REFERRED & TABLED ITEMS 10. ITEMS REMOVED FROM CONSENT AGENDA, if any 11. CONSENT AGENDA------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Items under the Consent Agenda have passed unanimously by the Committee of the Whole. Items not passed by a unanimous vote will be removed from consent agenda and will be considered separately. MOTION: Motion to Approve Motion by: Alderperson Kroupa Second by: Alderperson Horbinski VOTE: Motion Passed 6-0 12. MINUTES A. March 24, 2026, Committee of the Whole Meeting Minutes 13. UTILITY & FINANCE A. Discussion and possible recommendation to the Common Council to approve the April 15, 2026, Water Utility claims in the amount of $168,661.60, Sewer Utility claims in the amount of $872,399.19, and General City claims in the amount of $1,791,792.10, including a US Bank VISA EFT payment of $26,028.70. 14. MISCELLANEOUS A. Recommend to the Common Council approval of an increase to the City’s ambulance billing fees, effective June 1, 2026, to include a $300 increase to all base rates for non- resident Basic Life Support (BLS), Advanced Life Support (ALS), and Critical Care services, and a $250 increase to all base rates for resident Basic Life Support (BLS), Advanced Life Support (ALS), and Critical Care services. Further, effective January 1, 2027, and January 1, 2028, all ambulance base rates shall increase by $50 annually from the prior year’s rates, as detailed in the fee schedule included in the agenda packet. B. Recommend to the Common Council that a Public Hearing be set for May 4, 2026 at 6:01 pm to be held before the Plan Commission to rezone the properties located at 2445 S. 179th Street (Tax Key #: 1185.990), 2345 S. 179th Street (Tax Key #: 1185.994) & Tax Key #: 1185.991 from M-1/SPO, C-1 & C-2 to M-1/SPO & C-2 to remove the C-1 Zoning. C. Recommend to Common Council that a joint public hearing be set for June 1, 2026, at 6:00 p.m. to be held before the Plan Commission to amend the Future Land Use Map within the City’s Comprehensive Plan (Chapter 17 - Neighborhood “G” Sections 26 and 35 – South Moorland Road Corridor, Chapter 18 – Neighborhood “H” Westridge & Moorland Road, and Chapter 10 - Land Use) from Business Park/Industrial & Urban Residential to Business Park/Industrial for the parcels located at: • 14811 W. Grange Avenue (Tax Key #: 1290.999) [Loomis Farm, LLC – 80.22 Acres] • 14655 W. Grange Avenue (Tax Key #: 1289.995) [Maureen E. Bosch Revocable Trust - 39.83 Acres] D. Recommend to the Common Council that a joint public hearing be set for June 1, 2026, at 6:00 p.m. to be held before the Plan Commission to rezone from A-1, A-2, R-4, M-1, P-1, C-1 & C-2 to A-1, M-3/PUD, P-1, C-1, & C-2 for the parcels located at: • 15393 W. Grange Avenue (Tax Key #: 1290.998) [E. James Rausch, Marie A. Rausch A. May – 2 Acres] • Tax Key #: 1290.998.002 [E. James Rausch – 10.11 Acres] • Tax Key #: 1290.998.003 [E. James Rausch, Marie A. Rausch, Marie Rausch A. May – 7.92 Acres] • 15301 W. Grange Avenue (Tax Key #: 1290.998.001) [E. James Rausch – 20.34 Acres] • 14811 W. Grange Avenue (Tax Key #: 1290.999) [Loomis Farm, LLC – 80.22 Acres] • 14655 W. Grange Avenue (Tax Key #: 1289.995) [Maureen E. Bosch Revocable Trust - 39.83 Acres] • Tax Key #: 1291.997 [Baas Farm, LLC - 24.49 Acres] • Tax Key #: 1291.986.001 [Baas Farm, LLC – 34.84 Acres] • Tax Key #: 1291.994 [Raymond E. Saltzmann, Marie L. Nielsen – 37.13 Acres] • 15920 W College Avenue (Tax Key #: 1288.997) [Virgil A. Saltzmann, Raymond E. Saltzmann – 34.94 Acres] • 5900 S Moorland Road (Tax Key #: 1288.999) [Virgil Saltzmann – 32.18 Acres] E. Recommend to the Common Council approval of an agreement to hire Ehlers & Associates to prepare a TID Project Plan for Tax Incremental District #6 in the amount of $18,000, and recommend to the Common Council that a public hearing be set for June 1, 2026, at 6:01 PM to be held before the Plan Commission for the properties located at: • 15393 W. Grange Avenue (Tax Key #: 1290.998) [E. James Rausch, Marie A. Rausch A. May – 2 Acres] • Tax Key #: 1290.998.002 [E. James Rausch – 10.11 Acres] • Tax Key #: 1290.998.003 [E. James Rausch, Marie A. Rausch, Marie Rausch A. May – 7.92 Acres] • 15301 W. Grange Avenue (Tax Key #: 1290.998.001) [E. James Rausch – 20.34 Acres] • 14811 W. Grange Avenue (Tax Key #: 1290.999) [Loomis Farm, LLC – 80.22 Acres] • 14655 W. Grange Avenue (Tax Key #: 1289.995) [Maureen E. Bosch Revocable Trust - 39.83 Acres] • Tax Key #: 1291.997 [Baas Farm, LLC - 24.49 Acres] • Tax Key #: 1291.986.001 [Baas Farm, LLC – 34.84 Acres] • Tax Key #: 1291.994 [Raymond E. Saltzmann, Marie L. Nielsen – 37.13 Acres] • 15920 W College Avenue (Tax Key #: 1288.997) [Virgil A. Saltzmann, Raymond E. Saltzmann – 34.94 Acres] • 5900 S Moorland Road (Tax Key #: 1288.999) [Virgil Saltzmann – 32.18 Acres] • 5851 S Sunny Slope Road (Tax Key #: 1289.997.001) [City of New Berlin Park – 39.17 Acres - The city’s park parcel to be part of the TIF boundary only to ensure the half mile project boundary would include the entire scope of public roadway projects.] F. Discussion and possible recommendation to the Common Council to authorize the City of New Berlin Joint Review Board to conduct meetings by electronic means in lieu of in- person meetings. 15. END CONSENT AGENDA----------------------------------------------------------------------- 16. CLOSED SESSION A. The Common Council may convene into closed session pursuant to Wis. Stat. § 19.85(1)(g) to confer with legal counsel who is rendering oral or written advice concerning strategy to be adopted with respect to litigation or potential litigation in which the City is or is likely to become involved, specifically regarding: Discussion re: Carter vs. City of New Berlin City Clerk Medina read the statutory basis for entering into closed session. MOTION: Motion to Approve entering closed session at 6:30 PM Motion by: Alderperson Horbinski Second by: Alderperson Kroupa VOTE: Motion Passed 6-0 B. The Common Council may convene into closed session pursuant to Wis. Stat. § 19.85(1)(e) to deliberate or negotiate the purchase of public properties, the investing of public funds, or conducting other specified public business whenever competitive or bargaining reasons require a closed session, specifically regarding: Discussion regarding an agreement with Mr. and Mrs. Spitz related to the reconstruction of the Jacob’s Ridge lift station 17. RECONVENE TO OPEN SESSION MOTION: Motion to reconvene into open session at 6:40 PM Motion by: None Second by: None VOTE: Motion 6-0 A. Discussion and possible action re: Carter vs. City of New Berlin MOTION: Motion to approve a judgment agreement as presented by the City Attorney Motion by: Alderperson Maxey Second by: Alderperson Horbinski VOTE: Motion Passed 6-0 B. Discussion and possible action re: an agreement with Mr. and Mrs. Spitz related to the reconstruction of the Jacob’s Ridge lift station MOTION: Motion to approve an agreement with Mr. & Mrs. Spitz per the City Attorney Motion by: Alderperson Maxey Second by: Alderperson Gardner VOTE: Motion Passed 6-0 18. ADJOURN MOTION: Motion to Adjourn at 6:43 PM Motion by: Alderperson Kroupa Second by: Alderperson Horbinski VOTE: Motion Passed 6-0 Respectfully Submitted, Rubina R. Medina, City Clerk