MONROE - A new president and new goals highlighted the reorganization of the Monroe Common Council Tuesday, April 15.
Alderman Brooke Bauman was elected president of the Common Council during the session.
Bauman and Louis Armstrong tied for the position in a vote of the aldermen. Mayor Bill Ross cast the deciding vote for Bauman.
Mayor Bill Ross also issued a memorandum during the meeting, outlining four city-wide issues that he said need to be addressed in the remainder of the year:
n Establish the end date for completion of the parking ramp project and the associated timeline for demolition and new ramp construction for the spring of 2015.
n Consider a November referendum to reinstate Spring Clean-Up Days to be financed by the citizens through the quarterly utility billing cycle.
n Make a decision regarding continued association with the Green County Transfer Station, as the City of Monroe is a major stakeholder.
n Work with Southwest Wisconsin Regional Planning office to update our comprehensive plan for the city and create a steering committee to analyze future economic growth for the City of Monroe.
"We have some tough issues ahead of us coming up," Ross said.
Ross wants the parking ramp project to be handled by the Common Council as a committee of the whole and to invite public participation.
Spring Cleanup Days was discontinued in 2009, with much objection from some citizens.
"That issue has never gone away," Ross said.
A referendum will give citizens the choice to bring back the popular program and the added cost, and will "put the issue to bed," Ross said.
City staff will analyze the associated costs and prepare the potential ballot question.
The city's association with the county-operated transfer station is an issue in which the city has "kicked the can down the road," Ross said. He wants the council to revisit the city's use of the station and decide where the city fits in its role with the facility.
With the city's north industrial park running out of space, Ross said it is time to look at the city's future for economic growth. His fourth item picks up the Plan Commission's decision to have the city's comprehensive plan studied and updated.
Ross said each item on his list of goals will require a lot of "heavy lifting."
"We'll talk it to death, if we have to," he said.
Alderman Brooke Bauman was elected president of the Common Council during the session.
Bauman and Louis Armstrong tied for the position in a vote of the aldermen. Mayor Bill Ross cast the deciding vote for Bauman.
Mayor Bill Ross also issued a memorandum during the meeting, outlining four city-wide issues that he said need to be addressed in the remainder of the year:
n Establish the end date for completion of the parking ramp project and the associated timeline for demolition and new ramp construction for the spring of 2015.
n Consider a November referendum to reinstate Spring Clean-Up Days to be financed by the citizens through the quarterly utility billing cycle.
n Make a decision regarding continued association with the Green County Transfer Station, as the City of Monroe is a major stakeholder.
n Work with Southwest Wisconsin Regional Planning office to update our comprehensive plan for the city and create a steering committee to analyze future economic growth for the City of Monroe.
"We have some tough issues ahead of us coming up," Ross said.
Ross wants the parking ramp project to be handled by the Common Council as a committee of the whole and to invite public participation.
Spring Cleanup Days was discontinued in 2009, with much objection from some citizens.
"That issue has never gone away," Ross said.
A referendum will give citizens the choice to bring back the popular program and the added cost, and will "put the issue to bed," Ross said.
City staff will analyze the associated costs and prepare the potential ballot question.
The city's association with the county-operated transfer station is an issue in which the city has "kicked the can down the road," Ross said. He wants the council to revisit the city's use of the station and decide where the city fits in its role with the facility.
With the city's north industrial park running out of space, Ross said it is time to look at the city's future for economic growth. His fourth item picks up the Plan Commission's decision to have the city's comprehensive plan studied and updated.
Ross said each item on his list of goals will require a lot of "heavy lifting."
"We'll talk it to death, if we have to," he said.