Left, Alderman Jerry Moore (left) with Mayor Andrew Halverson and Community Development Director Michael Ostrowski.

By Brandi Makuski

Members of the City Council have complained for months about poor communication from Mayor Andrew Halverson’s office, and tonight they’ll get their chance to speak out.

City leaders did in January have scheduled time during its regular monthly meeting to openly discuss communication expectations between the Council and the mayor’s office. Six of the 11 Council Members- Randy Stroik, Jerry Moore, Roger Trzebiatwoski, Mike Phillips, Jeremy Slowinski and Mike Wiza- have all gone on record more than once with concerns over last- minutes memos, incomplete information and rushed votes.

Halverson has said he welcomes the discussion, which he placed at the end of January’s agenda. But that meeting ran to the three- hour mark and Halverson asked the council to postpone the discussion due to the late hour, though he did not call for a vote to change the agenda.

Alderman Mike Wiza asked the mayor to schedule a special meeting for the council to discuss the issue and Halverson said he would “entertain” scheduling a special meeting in February.

“I would ask this be the only item on the agenda so we can focus on this issue,” Council President Jerry Moore said. “Nothing else should be on that agenda.”

“Well, situational items will obviously predicate what happens or doesn’t happen at that meeting, but we’ll certainly do our best to ensure that will be a meeting in and of itself,” Halverson said. “I certainly can’t tell you what will or won’t happen over the next 30 days.”

Halverson instead placed the discussion at the beginning of Monday’s regular meeting, which already includes several issues including a possible vote on adopting a municipal court, a possible new hunting ordinance, limits on PILOT payments to the city and a closed session to negotiate the purchase of land currently owned by Mickey’s and Kent’s Service Center.