City Council Meeting - August 19, 2026

City of Amery COMMON COUNCIL MEETING AGENDA The City of Amery does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age or disability in employment or provision of services, programs or activities. NOTE: Upon reasonable notice, the City of Amery will accommodate the needs of disabled individuals through aids or services. For additional information or to request this service, contact the Clerk-Treasurer’s office at (715) 268-3410 by Noon the previous day so that arrangements can be made. Pursuant to Wisconsin Statutes 19.84, Notice is hereby given to the public that a meeting of the Common Council of the City of Amery will be held on: August 19, 2026 at Amery City Hall - 104 Maple St. W, Amery, WI at 5:00 PM. Call to Order Pledge of Allegiance Roll Call Adoption of Agenda *Although the public may speak on any item that is not included on this agenda as a “Public Hearing or Forum” the Council will not respond or discuss the issue brought forward at this time. In accordance with open meeting laws the Council must notice an item on the agenda to take action on that matter. Your comments will be considered and may be placed on a future agenda for further discussion. Any person wishing to submit a public comment digitally may email them to Cityhall@amerywi.gov until noon of the day of the meeting. Although your comments will be presented to the Council they may or may not be read aloud or discussed during the meeting. The Public Comment Portion will be limited to 3 minutes total per speaker with the total duration to be at the Chair’s discretion. The council may act on any item that is noticed on the agenda. Taylor Larson Clerk/Treasurer **Posted: August 13, 2026 on the City Website (www.amerywi.gov); and at Amery City Hall, Amery Public Library, and the Amery Police Department. Order of Items Agenda Item 1 Public Comment 2 Recreational Facility Use Agreement between the City of Amery and the Amery Pickleball Club for use of the Pickleball Courts 3 Waiving Zoning Fees for Charitable Organizations Installing Temporary Access to Residences 4 Council Comment 5 Closed Session – Wis. Stat. §19.85(1)(e) –Deliberating or negotiating the purchasing of public properties, the investing of public funds, or conducting other specified public business, whenever competitive or bargaining reasons require a closed session -Development at 750 Sundance St 6 Open Session – Possible Action on Closed Session Agenda 7 Adjournment. 104 Maple Street W., Suite A Office: 715.268.7486 Amery, WI 54001 Fax: 715.268.4870 TO: The Common Council of Amery FROM: Alex Mansfield, City Administrator DATE: 8/13/2026 RE: Pickleball Court Facility Use Agreement Renewal Summary: Staff recommends that the City of Amery readopt the Recreational Facility Use Agreement between the City of Amery and the Amery Pickleball Club for a one-year term beginning September 1, 2026 and ending August 31, 2027. All terms carry forward unchanged from the current agreement, including the $1,000 annual fee, the scheduled court use at South Twin Park, and the insurance and indemnification requirements. Background: The Council approved the initial Recreational Facility Use Agreement in 2025. It granted the Amery Pickleball Club scheduled use of the eight pickleball courts at South Twin Park while keeping a portion of the courts open to the general public at all times. The agreement entered into in 2025 provides for optional annual renewal. No concerns regarding the agreement or its administration have been brought before the City to date. The renewal carries the same terms: • Regular use: Exclusive Club use of six of the eight courts, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. The remaining two courts stay open to the public on a first-come, first-served basis. • League and tournament use: Up to 12 full-day reservations of all eight courts per calendar year, requested in writing at least 30 days in advance. The City may deny a request based on previously scheduled events or other City obligations but will not unreasonably withhold approval. • Insurance and indemnification: The Club must carry commercial general liability coverage of at least $1,000,000 per occurrence, name the City as an additional insured, and provide a certificate of insurance before any full-day use. The Club indemnifies the City, and event participants must sign a waiver. • Term and termination: One year with optional annual renewals. Either party may terminate for cause if the other fails to cure a material breach within 30 days of written notice. Fiscal Impact: The Club will pay the City $1,000, due in full upon execution, to support maintenance, repair, and the eventual resurfacing of the courts. The City's maintenance obligation is unchanged and remains consistent with other public park facilities, so the fee offsets existing costs rather than adding new ones. Recommendation: Staff recommends that the Common Council approve readoption of the Recreational Facility Use Agreement with the Amery Pickleball Club for the term of September 1, 2026 through August 31, 2027, and authorize execution of the agreement on behalf of the City. 104 Maple Street W., Suite A Office: 715.268.7486 Amery, WI 54001 Fax: 715.268.4870 TO: The Common Council of Amery FROM: Taylor Larson, Zoning Administrator DATE: 8/10/2026 RE: Policy Discussion and Possible Action – Waiving Zoning Fees for Charitable Organizations Installing Temporary Access to Residences Summary Staff requests Council action to waive zoning permit fees when a charitable organization installs a temporary, removable ramp or similar means of ingress and egress at a private residence to accommodate an occupant with limited mobility. The waiver covers fees only. All applicable zoning standards continue to apply, and the installation still requires a zoning permit application so the City retains a record of the improvement. The Plan Commission reviewed this proposal at its June 25, 2026 meeting, concurred, and recommended it to the Council. Background Service clubs, faith organizations, and nonprofit accessibility programs periodically build and donate ramps for Amery residents who cannot safely enter or leave their homes. These installations are typically modular or wood -framed units that rest on the g round or on surface blocking, are assembled in a day, and are removed once the occupant no longer needs them or leaves the residence. The sponsoring organization absorbs the material and labor cost, and the resident pays nothing. Under the zoning code, a ramp is an improvement that requires a zoning permit so staff can verify setbacks, right-of-way encroachment, and vision triangle clearance. That review remains appropriate. The permit fee, however, falls on a volunteer -funded project that produces a direct public benefit at no cost to the City, and the dollar amount is small enough that it generates more friction than revenue. Wis. Stat. sec. 66.0628 requires that a fee imposed by a political subdivision bear a reasonable relations hip to the service for which it is imposed. Nothing in that section obligates the City to charge a fee where the Council determines the cost is better absorbed as a service to residents. Staff recommends the waiver apply only where all of the following are met: • The work is performed by a nonprofit, charitable, or service organization at no cost to the property occupant. • The ramp or lift is temporary and removable, meaning it is not set on frost footings or a permanent foundation and can be dismantled without altering the structure of the dwelling. • The installation serves an occupant of the dwelling with a documented mobility limitation. • A zoning permit application is filed and approved before installation, at no charge, and the ramp is removed within a reasonable period after it is no longer needed. Fiscal Impact Minimal. The City would receive only a few permits of this type in a given year, and the current zoning permit fee under t he adopted fee schedule is $75 . Based on expected volume, the forgone revenue is expected to be under $225 annually. Staff review time is unchanged, since the application is still filed and reviewed. Building permit fees for permanent ramps are not affected and continue to be collected under the existing contract with West Wisconsin Inspection Agency. 104 Maple Street W., Suite A Office: 715.268.7486 Amery, WI 54001 Fax: 715.268.4870 Alternatives Permanent ramps remain fully permitted and inspected. A ramp set on frost footings, poured piers, or a permanent foundation, or one that is structurally attached to the dwelling, is permanent construction subject to the Wisconsin Uniform Dwelling Code. Tho se projects require a building permit and the associated inspections, and the fees for them are n ot waived under this proposal. For permanent ramps footing depth, guard and handrail construction, landing dimensions, and slope are life -safety items that warrant an inspector on site, and there is a real third-party inspection cost for that work. The Council could instead take no action and continue charging the zoning permit fee on all ramps. This preserves a small amount of revenue and avoids drawing a line between temporary and permanent construction, at the cost of leaving a modest financial barrier in front of donated accessibility work. The Council could also extend the waiver to building permit and inspection fees for permanent charitable ramps. Unlike the zoning permit, the building permit carries an out -of-pocket cost to the City for inspection services, and waiving it shifts that cost to the general fund rather than eliminating it. Recommendation: The Plan Commission voted to recommend that the City Council adopt the policy of not charging zoning permit fees for charitable organizations seeking to install temporary means of egress/ingress to a residential property. The City Administrator is recusing himself due to his membership in the Amery Lions Club, one such charitable organization that performs this work.