Onalaska council elects Steven Knott president, approves committee appointments and banking resolution, moves to closed session over Campbell incorporation

The Onalaska Common Council unanimously elected Alder Steven Knott as council president, approved the mayor’s recommended committee and citizen appointments and adopted Resolution 13-20-25 designating the city’s public depositories during its April 15 organizational meeting. The council also voted to go into a closed session under Wis. Stat. 19.85(1)(g) to consult with legal counsel about a petition for incorporation filed by the Town of Campbell.

Alder Steven Knott, who represents District 3, accepted the nomination and spoke about his view of local government before the roll-call vote. "There's a process. ... We bring up issues. We discuss them, sometimes vociferously, and then we have a vote," Knott said, adding he looks forward to working with the mayor and council members. The clerk conducted a roll-call vote; the mayor declared Knott the winner by a unanimous vote.

The council approved the mayor’s recommended appointments to standing committees, boards and commissions. The packet included both council assignments (one-year terms through the next organizational meeting) and citizen appointments with bios for new citizen members. During discussion alder Jim Banash asked about two names listed for the Police and Fire Commission; city staff explained that Laurie Olsen’s term had ended and that Wendy Gamble would take Olsen’s seat while Leanne Stokes would fill the other listed vacancy. A motion to approve the appointments — made from the floor and later identified in the record as moved by Alder Steven Knott and seconded by Alder Larry Jurasic — carried unanimously.

On item 8 the council approved Resolution 13-20-25, the annual renewal designating the city’s public depositories and authorizing withdrawals of city funds. The motion to approve was made by Alder Steven Knott and seconded by Alder Diane Wolfe; the council voted aye with no dissent.

Item 9 informed the council of a statutorily required notice of filing of a petition for incorporation and a related hearing from the Town of Campbell. City Attorney Amanda summarized the city’s options: receive the notice and take no action; legally challenge the petition; or take a formal position (for example, by resolution) if the city deemed incorporation to be positive. "We received notice of the filing of petition for incorporation and notice of hearing from the town of Campbell, which is statutorily required," Amanda said, noting the notice is required to adjacent municipalities and that, although the city’s boundary relationship is across waterways, the town is a statutorily adjacent jurisdiction.

Alder Steven Knott moved to convene in closed session under Wis. Stat. 19.85(1)(g) to confer with legal counsel regarding the petition for incorporation; Alder Diane Wolfe seconded. The clerk called a roll and the council voted unanimously to go into closed session. The mayor announced the council entered closed session at 7:26 p.m. Amanda told the council that, after conferring in closed session, the council could reconvene in open session to take any necessary action.

The meeting also included the swearing-in and issuance of certificates of election to newly elected alderpersons. City Clerk Joanne Marcotte administered oaths and issued certificates noting the municipal election held April 1, 2025; the certificates state terms begin April 15, 2025 for the respective two-year alder seats for Jim Banash (District 1), Kathy Lowendorf (District 2) and Steven Knott (District 3).