CEC Minutes

Minutes of the Community Enrichment Committee meeting held on Monday, August 9th, 2010 at city hall pursuant to notice duly given.

1. Meeting called to order by Chairperson Maas at 8:31 a.m.
2. Roll call: Jack Maas, Al Schreiber, Dale Carper, Jack Mlnarik and Ron Banach. Also present Linda Belongia Administrator and as recording secretary. Mayor Fulton was excused.
3. Moved by Schreiber seconded by Mlnarik to approve of the agenda as presented.
Motion carried upon verbal voice vote. 5 ayes
4. Correspondence/public input: Chairperson Maas provided pictures of the inside of the former hospital building at 405 1st Street; Maas stated maybe the city should look at an ordinance that would require renters to register with the city and we then would provide them a packet of information such as some of our ordinances, garbage, recycling, etc. Carper stated it is the landlord’s duty to get the information to their renters; Schreiber stated when Steve Hannot was the inspector he would inspect properties before new renters moved in and when they were moving out, put on future agenda;
5. Moved by Schreiber seconded by Carper to approve and place on file as typed the minutes from the 7/27/2010 meeting.
Motion carried upon verbal voice vote. 5 ayes
6. Discussion/possible action/recommendation on:
a. Portmann properties. Banach provided copies of the properties, 109 Huron Avenue and 117 McDonald Street; Schreiber questioned if the properties could be listed as uninhabitable? Banach stated yes…but takes a process; Discussion; notice on action that needs correcting Banach gives ten days; if a bldg permit is taken out on the items that need correcting, that permit is good for a year;
8:45 a.m. Joel Portmann arrived; Portmann stated the property at 109 Huron had $10,000 in damages…not able to collect on this…feels city has to work more to stop these incidents from happening; Carper stated juveniles were involved…the tenants son didn’t want to live in our community, had his friends come in and do the damage….created a real mess and is in the courts hands; Maas agreed, the police followed procedure, now in courts hands; Mlnarik stated these of properties bring in those types of tenants; Portmann stated he has started on Huron, plus McDonald’s…has a total of fourteen properties in the City of Oconto; Banach stated our biggest problem is absentee landlords; Schreiber referenced City of DePere if a rental has three police cars, they are now going to charge the landlord for this; Mlnarik suggested that Portmann submit a plan on improving properties, what the improvements will be and the time schedule for completing the improvements; Portmann stated a lot is driven by funding; Banach stated he has heard more than once that the money isn’t there…if we proceed as is, we want a move towards condemnation; Portmann stated funding isn’t there because he has no tenants because the improvements need to be done…verbally stated he doesn’t want to put in writing the improvements he intends to make and the time frame; Portmann referenced the City of Wausau using CDBG funds to help property owners clean up their properties; Belongia will check on this; Portmann stated he will get Banach a list within a week of the work he intends to do on his properties;

Portmann left the meeting.

b. Cadet Program. Carper asked for any input from the committee? Belongia stated this was brought to the last meeting by Carper and he was advised to bring more information on the program to this meeting; Carper stated he is bringing more info to the next PFC meeting and will bring that to this committee as well; Maas stated this program needs to come through the PFC.


Banach referencing the Portmann properties, stated they want us to chase their tenants and problems;

Belongia will contact City of Green Bay on how they handle problem properties.

c. Old hospital property at 405 1st Street; need to secure bldg; Banach stated he and the Mayor met with Atty. Calvert on process for condemnation;
Moved by Schreiber seconded by Mlnarik to authorize Ron Banach to proceed with condemnation on 405 First Street and bring back report to next meeting.
Motion carried upon verbal voice vote. 5 ayes

d. 135 Washington Street.
Moved by Schreiber seconded by Carper to authorize Ron Banach to send a letter to the owner asking for a plan of what improvements will be done and a time schedule and bring report to the next meeting.
Motion carried upon verbal voice vote. 5 ayes

7. Future agenda items:
a. CDBG for clean up of properties
b. City of Green Bay info on rental properties
c. Entrance and exit inspections on rental properties by building inspector.
d. Report on status of improvements on the Portmann Properties
e. Information on Cadet Program from Police & Fire Commission
f. Report on status of condemnation process for 405 1st Street.

Next meeting, Monday, September 13th, 2010 at 8:30 a.m.

8. Moved by Schreiber seconded by Banach to adjourn. M/C
Meeting adjourned at 9:41 a.m.


Minutes submitted by
Linda M. Belongia,
Administrator