City of Portage

The meeting included the election of officers, resulting in the unanimous confirmation of Maletta as President, Lee as Vice President, and Rosenbaum as Secretary. Key financial actions involved the unanimous approval of vouchers totaling $151,136.94 for January 2026 and the approval of the December 2025/January 2026 Register of Rental Contracts. Under new business, discussions included a presentation on a proposed Ultimate Frisbee league at Imagination Glen West and the approval of updated full season vendor fees for Market on the Square, as well as the new league fees for Ultimate Frisbee. The board also discussed a counteroffer from Sportsman Solutions. Superintendent Smith welcomed the new Assistant Superintendent/Harbormaster and reported on cost-saving measures, including roadway light adjustments and a gasoline use audit.

The meeting commenced with the pledge of allegiance and a prayer, followed by a roll call confirming quorum. The council approved minutes from three prior meetings in October. The Mayor expressed gratitude to city employees for a successful Halloween weekend. A significant discussion focused on the demolition timeline for a property on Stone and County Line Road following asbestos abatement. The Clerk Treasurer provided an update on the city's proactive financial strategies to address 2025 and 2026 uncertainties, including revenue stream pressures and necessary budget reductions for the 2025 budget. Public input included a detailed inquiry regarding municipal fund restrictions, specifically whether surpluses from one fund could be invested and the interest redistributed to cover shortfalls in other departments, which was clarified by the Mayor regarding state law and fund segregation. Future agenda items mentioned include a public hearing for the geo bond appropriation and an ordinance regarding solid waste fee schedule changes.

The special City Council meeting involved the introduction of Ordinance 25-45, an amendment to the solid waste fee schedule to adopt a new fee structure based on trash volume. A presentation detailed sanitation department statistics, including service stops, trash volume, and current personnel and equipment. The proposed changes aim to align fees with user volume and address financial hurdles, particularly anticipating increased landfill costs (LIT) and future financial challenges due to SEA1 legislation. The proposal includes discounts for residents using only one trash can, while those using more totes face higher costs reflecting actual usage. Council members discussed potential revenue generation and the necessary public hearing for the ordinance, as well as a recent incident involving false information circulated via email by a union representative concerning negotiations with the street sanitation parks agreement, specifically regarding the mayor's chief negotiator role and proposed zero wage increases and elimination of local healthcare benefits.

The Board of Works meeting involved several key agenda items and discussions. The board approved the minutes of the previous meeting. New business included the approval of an addendum to Bill Moran's IT contract, which reduces hours and payment amount. The board upheld bulk item appeal charges for 6409 Monument Avenue in the absence of a representative. Claims for the date of the meeting and associated payroll claims were approved. Additionally, the board approved a request to accept an ingress egress easement as city rightaway, contingent upon council approval, following discussions related to new development. Finally, the board approved a requested fireworks display permit for a development event, noting that the applicant sought approval promptly upon realizing the city permit requirement.

The Board of Works meeting addressed several agenda items. The minutes for the current meeting were tabled as they were not completed or reviewed by the members. Key new business included the approval of the comprehensive master plan contract with Ray Whiteman, necessitated by the city's plan being outdated since 2009. Approvals were also granted for renewing precious metal and precious gem applications for several entities for another year. The Board approved payment to Barnes and Thornberg from the 2025 GO bond proceeds and approved the 2026 live streaming contract. A resolution was passed to accept the deed of dedication for a public right of way at 5854 Evergreen Avenue, correcting a previous omission where the dedication was approved but not signed or recorded. Additionally, the Board overturned $40 bulk item appeal charges for three separate properties due to placement errors or collection issues. The Board approved several payroll and claims amounts, including retroactively approving the December 9, 2025 claims and subsequent payroll claims for November 28th and a pension payroll claim, after clarifying which claims had been approved. The Fire Chief publicly thanked the board for the contingent approval of the fire engine purchase.