Fond du Lac council approves floodplain publication, reappointments, alcohol-license appointment and vacates campus drive right-of-way

The Fond du Lac City Council on Jan. 8 approved a series of routine resolutions and appointments and formally vacated a portion of Campus Drive that the county previously put out of use.

The council unanimously approved Resolution No. 9157, certifying and approving the publication process used for the city’s floodplain zoning ordinance. City Attorney Hoffman told the council the municipality used an alternate process allowed under state code to post the ordinance and make a copy available at the clerk’s office and on the city website “so by doing that, we can avoid that cost. And it’s equally valid.” The council approved the certification by motion of Council member Godfrey and second by Council member Mullen; the motion passed without recorded dissent.

Council also approved Resolution No. 9158, reappointing two individuals (one to the board of review for a third term and one to the housing authority for a second term) on the recommendation of City Manager Moore, who said, “I recommend approval for both of these reappointments.” The council then approved Resolution No. 9159, appointing a new member, Mr. Hayes, to the Alcohol License Committee; Moore introduced that nomination and the council approved it.

Item D, Resolution No. 9160, was a final resolution to vacate a portion of Campus Drive on the east side of the former UW–Fond du Lac campus, from approximately 225 feet west of North Prairie Road and Ducharme Parkway to North Prairie Road (Pine Lake Drive). City Engineer Johnson explained the right-of-way dated to an early-2000s roadway that was removed around February 2002 and is now a trail through the arboretum: “What we’re talking about tonight is… the previous right of way that we have had on this property. As Mr. Mullin said, it is of course county land and so any further decisions would be county decisions not City of Fond du Lac decisions.” The county had requested the formal abandonment to clear the record; the city reported no utilities conflict or need to reopen the road.

The council approved the Campus Drive vacation by motion of Council member Heisler with a second from Council member Leering; the transcript records the motion passing unanimously. Council members emphasized that the vacated strip had not been a through roadway for about two decades, and that subsequent decisions about use of county property would be the county’s responsibility.

Consent business: the council also approved the consent agenda (Dec. 11, 2024 minutes and a list of claims dated Jan. 1, 2025) by motion of Council member Heisler and second by Council member Schisler; that item passed unanimously.

Discussion versus decision: most items were routine approvals; the Campus Drive item generated staff explanation and public questions earlier in the meeting but resulted in a final resolution vacating the old right-of-way. The council repeatedly noted that the county owns the underlying property and retains authority over how the land is used in the future.

Votes at a glance: Resolution 9157 (floodplain publication) — approved; Resolution 9158 (reappointments) — approved; Resolution 9159 (ALC appointment) — approved; Resolution 9160 (Campus Drive vacation) — approved; Consent agenda (minutes and claims) — approved. The transcript records these approvals as passing without recorded dissent; it does not provide individual roll-call vote tallies in the public portions for each item.