LOCAL GOVERNMENT
I.
CITY GOVERNMENTAL
STRUCTURE
A.
Short
Ballot: selection of city clerk, by
appointment; based on a competitive examination. (1965)
B.
Organization of
the Common Council:
1.
Smaller Council
(but no fewer than 10 members). (1980)
2.
Election of Council
members by wards.
3.
Nominal salaries.
4.
Part-time council
members. (1967)
5.
Strengthen the
office of the Mayor as chief administrator.
(1980)
6.
Strengthen the
policy-making functions of the Council by reducing committees and
administrative detail. (1967)
7.
Vacancies on
boards and commissions should be filled within a specified period of time and
should be publicly advertised. (1980)
8.
Adequate
supporting personnel and equipment for the Mayor and Council. (1967)
C. Financing Practices:
1.
Judicious use of
bonding to protect the borrowing power of the city.
2.
Continuation of
bonding authority vested in the elected body with recourse to citizen petition
for referenda.
3.
Executive budget
– procedures spelled out by ordinance to include:
a) Executive budget message.
b) Consultation with department heads.
c) Concept of program budgeting.
d) Timing calendar.
e) A complete and accurate budget summary.
f)
Local
governmental unit should include all revenues received from the federal
government in the budget, so the impact of federal funds is apparent.
g) Availability of the budget to the public. (1969)
D. The city should adopt the following form of
government, listed in order of preference:
1.
Administrator –
Mayor – Council
2.
Mayor – Council
3.
City Manager –
Council (1961)
E.
The Mayor’s term
should be an odd number so that the wards up for election with the Mayor on the
ballot will not always be the same.
(1991)
II.
TOWN
GOVERNMENT (1991)
A. Representative government is more desirable than
majority rule in an urban community.
B. Town government can manage suburban growth better by
taking the following steps allowed under current law: (Correct wording 2001)
1.
Employ paid
full-time professional administrators.
2.
Adopt a
comprehensive plan.
3.
Adopt and
exercise village powers.
4.
Form town boards
consisting of 5 members.
5.
Create special
service districts within the town, with residents within these districts taxed
for the service.
6.
Enter into
intergovernmental agreements with adjacent municipalities for more efficient
and less costly delivery of services and avoid costly border disputes.
III.
A. Budget procedures which include:
1.
Executive budget.
a) Consultation with department heads.
b) Executive budget message.
c) Review of Executive budget by Finance Committee
members.
(1) Flexible schedule to all for maximum attendance by committee members and other supervisors.
(2) Meeting agenda posted in advance.
(3) Availability
of department heads and the
2.
Adequate time for consideration by the
3. Budget listed by total revenues and expenditures with all categories comparable.
B. Long range planning of expenditures.
IV. OUTAGAMIE
A.
1. Emphasis on legislating policy, decreasing attention to administrative detail.
2.
Allowing time for
3. Limiting time for study of referred material by committee.
4.
Encourage small
B.
1. Structuring county committees with well-defined responsibilities; grouping related services under single committee jurisdiction, with title denoting responsibilities.
2. Holding regularly scheduled posted meetings, with published agenda, and subsequent published minutes.
3. Minimizing administrative function.
4. Encourage a limited number of standing committees with no fewer than five members per committee (2004).
C.
1.
We support the executive form of government as set
forth in the statutes, believing the
D.
1. Organize County departments by grouping related services and establishing a Department of Public Works.
2. Encourage equitable assessment for services provided by the County. (1988)
3. Encourage municipalities to consider using existing County services or consider arrangements with adjacent municipalities or counties in lieu of creating new municipal service units. (1988)
4. If there are services that could be better consolidated at the county level, League should encourage municipalities to use these consolidated services. (1988)
E. Improved communications between citizens and their county government.
1. Making all meetings and information available and open to the public unless excluded by statute.
2. Providing limited time for citizen input at county board and committee meetings.
3. Educating the public about county government.
V. LOCAL POLICE PROTECTION (1973)
A. Support written enforcement policies proposed by the police department and approved by the local elected officials, such as the Public Safety Committee of the Common Council.
B. A flexible recruitment policy, reflecting the composition of the community.
C. Required specialized in-service training for police officers.
D. Promotion policies to be based on merit, ability, and qualifications, with effort being made to fill positions from within the police department.
VI. REGIONAL LAW ENFORCEMENT (1994)
A. Criteria to judge good consolidation or cooperative law enforcement efforts should be:
1. Fair cost sharing; tax equity.
2. Good response time and consistent investigative follow-through.
3. “Neighborhood” policing (because it increases officers’ morale and knowledge of their part of the community and better aids in crime prevention).
4. Consistency across jurisdictional boundaries.
5. Accountability.
6. Cost effectiveness.
7. Keeping crime under control.
8. Level of service should be equal to the best unit – bringing other service levels up without bringing anyone’s service down.
B. These law enforcement services, shared under any system:
1. Anything that benefits an entire region but is not used regularly by every department (i.e. equipment, specialized personnel).
2. E911, SWAT, Investigations, Recordkeeping, Emergency Response Teams.
3. Communication and control (a communication system that can be used consistently throughout the region, that is functionally accessible and user-friendly).
4. MEG: Drug Investigation and Enforcement.
5. Mutual Aid Pacts.
6. Community Outreach and Prevention.
C. The ideal law enforcement system for the Fox Cities should include:
1. Regional consolidation of law enforcement jurisdictions which share similar communities of interest, with strong emphasis on consolidation of major services.
2. Rural areas policed by sheriff’s departments.
3. Boundaries that are not rigid. As rural units become more urban, they should be encouraged to join urban police forces.
4. Any further consolidation measures should be influenced by our experience with regional and major service consolidation. If regional and major service consolidation is successful, a full Fox Cities metropolitan law enforcement system should be considered.
D. In order to move toward this preferred system, communities should:
1. Encourage current consolidation efforts between/among local police forces.
2. Monitor the efforts of public officials in this area.
3. Keep these issues in the public eye. Educate the community on the long-term benefits: avoids duplication, increases cost effectiveness, eliminates gaps in service. Emphasize how lifestyles in the Fox Cities constantly cross boundaries to home, work, recreation, shopping.
4. Make it an election issue.
VII. PARKS AND RECREATION (1982)
A. Park and Recreation Hierarchy.
1. The Park and Recreation Department should be responsible to a Park and Recreation Commission.
2. The Commission should be responsible to the Common Council.
B. Structure of the Park and Recreation Commission.
1. Reduce the size of the commission to five (5) members – one (1) alderman, one (1) school board member, and three (3) citizen members.
2. The Commission should report to the Common Council and function like a council committee.
3. The Commission should show leadership by concentrating on formation of policy and long-range planning.
C. Structure of the Park and Recreation Department.
1. One Park and Recreation Department under one director.
2. A recreation specialist with overall responsibility for the supervision of recreation programs to report to the director.
3. A park specialist with the overall responsibility for the supervision of parks to report to the director.
4. Evaluate the line of authority and job responsibility to eliminate duplication of duties.
D. Financial Responsibility.
1. Program expense and revenue should be separate from the administrative portion of the budget.
2. A detailed budget to reflect actual costs of individual programs.
3. Develop guidelines to report data in annual reports that will insure accuracy and consistency.
4. Prepare quarterly financial statements and bill lists to be approved by the Commission.
5. Commissioned by the Park and Recreation Commission, an independent audit should be done annually.
E. User Fees.
1. Strive to have user fees cover 50% of the operating costs of Recreation programs; the remainder should be covered by taxes.
2. Adult programs should cover 100% of the operating costs.
3. Fees for children should be low enough to insure maximum participation.
4. Non-taxpaying, non-resident participants should pay a substantially higher user fee.
F. Programs and Parks.
1. Programs.
a) Increase publicity.
b) Increase the number of non-competitive programs so persons of all ages and abilities can participate.
c) Increase co-ed participation in competitive and non-competitive programs.
d) Publicize programs in advance to determine interest.
e) Each year new programs should be introduced on a trial basis.
f) Evaluate the summer playground program.
g) Develop quality orientation and training for playground leaders.
h) Increase supervision of playground leaders.
i) The supervisor of the playground should have a recreation background.
2. Parks.
a) An effort should be made to develop natural areas, as well as manicured areas, in our parks. The goal should be to have variety.
b) Duplication of facilities should be avoided near school areas.
c) Encourage continued development of mini-parks and green areas in and near the downtown.
d) Parks should be evenly spaced throughout the city.
G. Job Descriptions.
1. Job descriptions to facilitate efficient management of the department.
2. Educational requirements, specific duties, and experience should be included in the job descriptions.
3. The Personnel Department should screen applicants based on standards developed by the Park and Recreation Commission; the Park and Recreation Department should do the actual hiring.
VIII.
A. Develop programs to meet needs of special groups, for example: elderly, disabled, children, high school students, diverse communities, and new patrons.
B. Bring staffing and funding up to levels recommended by the American Library Association.
C. Encourage the Library Board to aggressively communicate its needs to both the Common Council and the public.
D. Provide adequate materials in children’s and young adult’s sections.
1. Update material.
2. Explore utilizing
E. Continued growth of
F. Provide adequate funding for staff development.
G. Publicize programs, collections, and services so that the public is aware of ways in which to use the library.
IX. LAND
USE PLANNING IN
A. Planning
process.
1. Citizen
involvement throughout the planning process.
2. Comprehensive
planning based on community goals and objectives.
3. A strong,
coordinating role for the City Planning Commission.
4.
A strong,
centralized City Planning Department.
5.
Communication and
cooperation in planning functions between the city, counties, surrounding towns
and municipalities, and the region.
6.
Final
accountability for the planning process to rest with elected officials.
B. Basic
concerns in planning for the city’s future design.
1. Citizen
participation.
2. Availability
of choices.
3. Accessibility.
4. Preservation
of unique features.
5. Prevention
of non-reversible damaging actions.
6. Conservation
of energy.
C. Priority
goals for the city’s future design.
1. Economic
goals.
a) Sustain a viable and diversified economic base.
b) Maintain the central business district as a viable
center.(Updated 2001)
c) Strive for long-range government economic policies,
which lead to the fulfillment of the goals of the community.
2. Human
resources goals.
d) Encourage citizen participation in government and in
planning the future design of
e) Discourage boundless and unplanned growth. (Updated
2001)
f)
Encourage a wide
range of housing choices.
3. Environmental
goals.
g) Anticipate the impacts of proposed programs and
projects to prevent irretrievable damage to natural, human or man-made
resources or damage to the community itself.
h) Relate estimated impact of specific developments to
the community at large.
i)
Provide adequate
parks and recreation, particularly in unique areas like ravines and the
riverfront.
j)
Provide
alternatives to automobile transportation.
k) Consider aesthetics in decision-making.
F. Downtown development.
(1980) (Updated 2001)
1.
Retain the
diversity of retailing and other services.
2.
Relate new
development to existing structures and businesses.
3.
Prefer
development that focuses on tying infrastructure together.
X.. CRITERIA
TO BE APPLIED IN ANNEXATION DECISIONS
(1989)
A. Overall good
of the area
Improving the
long range good of the area was emphasized over shorter-range issues of current
costs and benefits. Growth was viewed
not as a good in itself, but as an inevitable pressure on the area, with
annexation a method for managing growth.
1. Actions
should be taken to prevent future problems, including:
a) Area-wide planning, particularly for sewers, drainage,
and transportation.
b)
c) Cooperative planning among governmental entities,
including municipalities and special districts such as schools and sanitary
districts. (Correct wording 2001)
2. The ability
of a city to support diverse community resources that enhance the quality of
life of the area should be strengthened by maintaining a strong city tax base
(parks, library, museums, cultural activities).
3. Education of
the public on long-range issues is vital.
B. Environmental
quality
Preserving and protecting the environment was
emphasized. The man-made boundaries of
municipal or county lines were seen as barriers to addressing environmental or
public health problems.
1. Comprehensive
land use planning is needed to protect health and safety.
2. Adequate
services should be provided to maintain and/or improve the quality of air and
water.
3. Sanitation
and zoning laws should be strengthened to discourage dispersed development.
(Updated 2003)
C. Fairness
Fairness in paying for services is crucial. Those who benefit from services should be
expected to share the cost, perhaps through user fees or applying the cost to a
wider tax base. The services were seen
as a package, and it is unfair to select parts of the package without
supporting the whole.
1. Costs of
services should be equitably shared by users to include:
d) User fees, a fair way of distributing costs.
e) Fully allocate costs, including capitol and
administrative expenses, as well as operating expenses.
f)
Exploration of
tax-exempts paying for services, or distribute costs over a wider tax base.
(Correction 2001)
g) Strengthening county government services, as a means
of sharing costs fairly.
h) Requiring minimum service levels in urbanized areas
(adequate drainage, sewer, and street standards).
2. Services
should generally not be provided without annexation.
D. Efficiency
of urban services
Area-wide and comprehensive city planning were
supported to prevent costly duplication and proliferation of urban
services. Strengthened extra-territorial
zoning powers might prevent future expense.
1. Urban services should be provided economically
and efficiently, with planning for possible future annexations.
2. Duplication
of urban services should be avoided.
3. Service
levels of existing residents are not to be weakened because of annexation.
4.
Annexation is
desirable when development will result in intensive uses or densities requiring
urban services.
E. Action at
the state level
The Appleton League supports the Wisconsin League of
Women Voters position of strengthening county government rather than adding new
powers to town government.
1. Appleton
League members recognize the difficulties caused by the city being in three
counties, and would support exploring county boundary revisions.
2. Members
would like to see changes in state legislation relating to annexation, but
would not favor legislation that weakens open meeting requirements or citizen
rights, or which strengthens town powers.
3. Fairness
should be addressed through state legislation.
a) Requiring minimum levels of urban services.
b) Exploring the possibility of tax exempt institutions
paying for services, or being supported on a wider tax base.
c) Reviewing the effects of the state’s revenue sharing
policies.
XI. STANDARD METROPOLITAN STATISTICAL AREA (SMSA) (1974)
The
League of Women Voters of Appleton,
A. The following areas could be dealt with cooperatively:
1. Environmental concerns – i.e. land use planning, solid waste management, and air and water pollution.
2. Area-wide recreation.
3. Public communication and mass transit.
B. Existing governmental structures concerned with SMSA problems must meet the following minimum criteria:
1. Representation based on population.
2. Direct accountability to the people.
3. Equitable funding.
4. Political feasibility.
XII. REGIONAL PLANNING AGENCY (1971)
A. Policy Body: Maximum of 20 members; rural and urban interests.
B. Implementation: Responsibility of policy body.
C. Priorities and direction: Set by policy body; priorities based on community needs as the primary criterion and without regard to the availability of state and federal governmental aids.
XIII. REGIONALIZATION (2004)
The Appleton League of Women Voters supports regional intergovernmental services when it improves services and/or contains costs.
XIV. SMART GROWTH (2003) See Addendum on Smart Growth for how our local and state LWV positions relate to community growth.
NATURAL RESOURCES
I. ENGERY CONSERVATION (1981)
A. Local government’s role in energy conservation:
1. Review and revise local codes, policies, and ordinances to encourage energy conservation.
2. Meet energy standards in its own buildings.
3. Consider energy implications of its actions.
4. Support transportation measures:
a) Transit system.
b) Energy-efficient vehicles for government use.
c) Bicycle use through safe and convenient routes and conditions.
5. Support solid waste disposal.
a) Recycle whenever possible.
b) Promote recycling in a positive way.
c) Public education on energy.
d) Provide technical assistance.
e) Provide energy information.
6. Make information on energy available at the time of sale of buildings.
B. Solar Access:
1. Legislation supported at state and local level.
2. Existing areas need flexible standards.
a) No building or vegetation should be required to be removed in order for solar equipment to be made usable.
b) General support to protect solar equipment from subsequent building or vegetation.
3. New development should have strict solar access standards.
a) Street and building siting. (Correction 2001)
b) Selection and planting of street trees.
c) Solar access guaranteed for the building itself.
II. SOLID WASTE DISPOSAL (1969)
A. Regional cooperation should be considered to solve solid waste disposal problems.
B. Support minimum standards as proposed by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources for solid waste disposal sites.
III. CRITERIA TO BE APPLIED IN RECYCLING POSITIONS (1990)
A. Environmental Quality: Reduce, Re-use, Recycle
1. Support reduction in the amount of waste entering the waste stream.
2. Support additional reduction actions such as:
a) Reduction of throw-away purchases and uses
b) Substitution of less environmentally damaging goods.
c) State or national bans on materials such as certain plastics or consumer items (more desirable than local bans.)
3. Reuse of materials should be encouraged.
a) Hot lunch and meal site programs should consider reusable materials.
b) Reusable cloth diapers should be encouraged
4. Yard wastes should continue to be diverted from landfills.
5. Items that should be diverted from landfills include: white goods, waste oil, tires, and batteries.
6. Financing of programs:
a) Fees when purchasing or discarding these items could be used to pay for their handling.
b) Collection mechanisms should be provided to prevent dumping.
c) Alternatives for safe disposal should be provided if material is banned from landfill disposal or incineration.
7. Support Clean Sweep programs to provide safe disposal of toxic materials that should not enter the general waste stream.
B. Flexibility
1. The volatile recycling markets make rigid policies inadequate.
2. Government should not undercut private recycling businesses since they may be more responsive to fluctuations in prices and demand for materials.
3. Recycling should be encouraged along a continuum of action by voluntary or mandatory means, at central sites or curbside, with recyclables collected separately or commingled.
4. The preferred solution for greatest volume and accessibility would be mandatory curbside collection.
C. Economics
1. Charges should reflect real costs:
a) Tipping fees should include current costs of landfill operations, as well as preparing for long-range costs of closing, maintenance, and new construction.
b) Items requiring special handling should have a fee assessed, which goes toward that cost.
2. Incentives
a) Tax, transportation, and other incentives should encourage recycling.
b) Modest monetary and publicity incentives could be used to encourage recycling.
c) Fees per bag of solid waste for disposal might be appropriate.
3. Regional cooperation could minimize costs.
a) If an incinerator is needed, it should be regional, environmentally safe, and carefully sized. Recyclables should be diverted first.
b) Equipment for special processing of waste could be shared.
D. Education
1. Promotion of recycling and waste reduction should be encouraged.
2. Information of local government waste management policies should be broadly communicated in the media, as well as targeted to more specialized groups (i.e. recycling brochures in newcomers' packets).
3. Regular Clean Sweep programs should be publicized.
E. Action on Recycling at the State and National Level:
1. The
2. Additionally, Appleton League members support transportation, taxation, and value-added policies that encourage the donation and use, rather than the destruction of goods.
IV. BILLBOARD CONTROL (Concurrence based on LWV-Oshkosh study, 1995)</