The Municipal Services Committee on Oct. 6 recommended council approval of free parking downtown for Small Business Saturday 2025, with Appleton Downtown Incorporated (ADI) offering $1,600 toward metered parking. The committee voted 5-0 to forward the request to the full City Council.

The request, presented by Abby Novak, marketing director with Appleton Downtown Incorporated, asked the city to waive parking fees for the one-day event to encourage shoppers to visit downtown businesses. "This is a nationally recognized day of shopping that supports a wide range of small businesses from retail to hospitality and service based businesses throughout our community," Novak said. She told the committee ADI had 60 participating businesses in 2024 and more than 800 completed event passports that year.

Director Youngworth, speaking for city staff, said the parking utility is self-funded and staff aimed to protect turnover and revenue while supporting the event. Youngworth described a compromise: allow free parking in city ramps for the day but keep metered street spaces paid, with ADI contributing $1,600 to offset meter revenue. "So we were leaning towards the free ramps and then having the metered parking be still paid metered," Youngworth said, noting the contribution was proposed "specifically for the metered parking."

Hillary Patterman, the city's parking utility manager, told the committee the department is testing operational approaches and anticipates a new system in 2025 that will help manage ramp entries and exits. "We've been definitely looking into the operations of our system, with the hopefulness that we will have our new system implemented by the 2025, so that will also help and assist as well," Patterman said. She explained options for guests who enter a ramp without a ticket, including an assistance phone line to open the gate when appropriate.

Several alderpersons expressed support but asked that staff provide final operational details before council action. Alder Hartzheim said logistics such as how ramp gates are handled at the end of the day have caused problems in past years and asked for a clear plan before approval. Alder Mouser, Alder Fergus and Alder Schultz also voiced support for the partnership with ADI.

The committee approved the recommendation unanimously; the item will go to the City Council next week for final action.