Summary

Organizational meeting: Rules and committee assignments approved; council officers elected

AppletonApr 22, 20262 min read

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On April 22, 2026 the Appleton Common Council held its organizational meeting in Council Chambers. The Rules of Council and Department & Committee Functions were approved, the Code of Conduct was amended and recommitted, 2026 committee assignments were adopted, and council leadership was elected. A proposed change to invocation protocol was withdrawn. Sixteen members were present; Mayor Jake Woodford abstained on recorded roll-call votes.

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Common Council

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Elections

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Key decisions

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Proposed invocation rule (requiring use of 'I' statements when prayer references a god) was withdrawn by Alderperson Heffernan with no objections.
Rules of Council approved (motion: Lambrecht; second: Hayden). Vote: 15 Aye, 1 Abstained (Mayor Jake Woodford).
Department & Committee Functions approved (motion: Lambrecht; second: Croatt). Vote: 15 Aye, 1 Abstained (Mayor Jake Woodford).
Code of Conduct amended so the last bullet reads 'Act decisively and definitively on behalf of all of our constituents.' (motion: Croatt; second: Wolff). Vote: 15 Aye, 1 Abstained (Mayor Jake Woodford).
Recommitment to the amended Code of Conduct approved (motion: Hartzheim; second: Croatt). Vote: 15 Aye, 1 Abstained (Mayor Jake Woodford).
2026 Alderperson Board, Commission, and Committee Assignments approved (motion: Hartzheim; second: Van Zeeland). Vote: 15 Aye, 1 Abstained (Mayor Jake Woodford).
Alderperson Brad Firkus elected Common Council President.
Alderperson Patrick Hayden elected Common Council Vice President (Alderperson Wolff declined a nomination).
Alderperson Josh Lambrecht elected Common Council Representative to the City Plan Commission.
Meeting adjourned at 6:26 p.m. (motion: Hartzheim; second: Croatt). Vote: 15 Aye, 1 Abstained (Mayor Jake Woodford).

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Meeting information

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Common Council

Apr 22, 2026, 12:00 AMCouncil Chambersscheduled

Organizational Meeting

Agenda

CALL TO ORDER
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG
ROLL CALL OF ALDERPERSONS
ROLL CALL OF OFFICERS AND DEPARTMENT HEADS
PROPOSED CHANGES TO THE RULES OF COUNCIL
PROPOSED CHANGES TO DEPARTMENT & COMMITTEE FUNCTIONS
DEPARTMENT & COMMITTEE FUNCTIONS
RECOMMIT TO THE CODE OF CONDUCT
APPOINTMENT OF COMMITTEES & COMMITTEE CHAIRS
ELECTION OF COMMON COUNCIL PRESIDENT
ELECTION OF COMMON COUNCIL VICE PRESIDENT
ELECTION OF COMMON COUNCIL REPRESENTATIVE TO THE CITY PLAN COMMISSION
OTHER COUNCIL BUSINESS
ADJOURN
Amy Molitor, City Clerk
REMAINING RULES OF COUNCIL
Rules of Council
Department & Committee Functions
Code of Conduct
Rule 3. Order of Business Ald. Heffernan Subsection a. Invocation Request to add to this subsection: When an Invocation includes a prayer to a god of any kind, the Council Member giving the Invocation shall use "I" statements in prayer as opposed to "we" statements.
Code of Conduct
2026 Alderperson Board, Commission, and Committee Assignments

Organizational meeting: Rules and committee assignments approved; council officers elected

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Common Council

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