Public Meetings - Janesville, Wisconsin

This meeting was scheduled for March 17, 2026 at 4:30 p.m. in the Woodruff Room (with a virtual option via TEAMS). The agenda included routine consent items, reports, and a closed session. No transcript or minutes were available; the summary below is based solely on the published agenda. Consent Calendar - Agenda for March 17, 2026 - Minutes from the February 17, 2026 meeting - Financial reports: 2026 Operating Statements through February 28, 2026 and Expenditure Approval from February 12 to March 11, 2026 - Activities Report - Library Trustee Essentials document (TE11 Planning for the Library's Future) Reports - Prairie Lakes Library System Report – To be presented by the Assistant Library Director - Friends of the Library Report – To be presented by the Library Board Representative - Activities Report – Written reports from Department Heads - Library Director Report – To be presented by the Library Director Closed Session - The board was scheduled to convene a closed session under Wis. Stats. Sec. 19.85(1)c to discuss the 2025-2026 HPL Director goals and performance evaluation data of the library director. A motion to return to open session was then to be considered. Key Outcomes - The consent agenda items were listed for routine approval. - Reports were scheduled from Prairie Lakes Library System, Friends of the Library, department heads, and the library director. - A closed session for personnel evaluation was planned. - The meeting was to adjourn with the next regular meeting set for April 21, 2026. Note: Because the transcript and minutes were unavailable, specific votes, public comments, and discussion details cannot be provided.

The Janesville Plan Commission held a regular meeting on Monday, March 16, 2026, at 6:00 PM in City Hall Council Chambers. The meeting covered routine approvals, public hearing scheduling, a zoning recommendation on annexation, and updates from the Director's Report. All votes were unanimous. Consent Calendar - Approval of Minutes: The minutes from the March 2, 2026 Plan Commission meeting were approved without discussion. - Approval of Final Plats and Certified Survey Maps: None were presented for review. Public Comments & Testimony - No public comments were made during the public hearing for the zoning item. The public hearing was opened and closed with no speakers. Discussion Items - Setting Public Hearings (April 6, 2026): - Proposed ordinance amendment (Ordinance No. 2026-928) to allow off-premises signage for major donors of non-profit organizations and clarify regulations for sandwich board signs in the downtown Sign District D. - Proposed ordinance amendment (File Ordinance No. 2026-932) to permit ducks within city limits under poultry-keeping regulations. Both items were set for public hearing on April 6, 2026, without further discussion. - Old Business – Zoning on Annexation: - Staff Planner Trey Meyer presented a request to zone 12.8 acres of property located between USH 14 and the northerly terminus of Hemingway Drive to R1 (Single and Two-Family Residence District) and B3 (General Commercial District) upon annexation. The property is owned by Advantage Homes and Compier Financial, who plan a residential subdivision and an office building, respectively. The zoning is consistent with the Comprehensive Plan. Staff recommended a favorable recommendation to City Council. No comments were received during the public hearing. - Director's Report: - Director Dwayne announced a city session on data center water usage on March 23, 2026, at 5:15 PM. - Provided a status update on the zoning code update project, noting that significant changes to development standards and dimensional requirements will be presented to the Plan Commission in April. Work also continues on subdivision ordinance revisions and a third open house for remapping. A commissioner requested the timeline be shared via email. Key Outcomes - Zoning Recommendation (unanimous, 7-0): The Plan Commission voted to forward a favorable recommendation to the City Council for zoning the annexed property (USH 14/Hemingway Drive) to R1 and B3. The City Council public hearing is scheduled for April 13, 2026. - Set Public Hearings: Approved without objection for April 6, 2026, for the sign ordinance amendment and the poultry-keeping (ducks) amendment.

No agenda, minutes, or transcript were provided for this meeting. Therefore, no summary can be generated.

The meeting was held virtually via Microsoft Teams on Tuesday, March 10, 2026, from 8:00–9:00 AM Central Time (14:00–15:00 UTC). The agenda and planned discussion items are listed below; however, no transcript or meeting minutes were provided, so specifics of the proceedings, public comments, and any decisions are not available. Agenda Items (as listed in the meeting notice) - Call to Order - Review and Approval of the Agenda - Review and Approval of January 13, 2026, Meeting Minutes - Operations updates by Mark B. - Small Business Updates by Jocelyn Kopac Consulting - Tenant Dashboard Report - Tenant / Prospects Report / Updates - Review and approval of Income and Expenses, and Balance Sheet - Web / Social Media updates - Next Meeting Date: May 12, 2026 (Virtual) and July 14, 2026 (In-person Board and Annual meeting at the Janesville Innovation Center) - Adjournment Key Outcomes No decisions, votes, or actions are recorded due to the absence of minutes or transcript. The meeting was scheduled to adjourn, and the next meetings were noted as described above.

The Janesville Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee met on Tuesday, March 10, 2026, at 6:00 PM at the Janesville Senior Center. The agenda included the following items: Call to Order, Roll Call, Approval of Minutes from January 13, 2026, Public Comments (submitted in writing by March 9, 2026), Tour of the Senior Center, Senior Center Exterior Maintenance Project, Peace Park Playground Renovation, Dawson Softball Complex Project, Director's Reports, Advisory Committee Announcements, and Adjournment. No transcript or minutes were provided; therefore, specific discussion, public comments, or decisions are not available.

The Janesville City Council met on Monday, March 9, 2026, at 6:00 PM in the Council Chambers. The meeting covered routine consent items, extensive public comments on the proposed data center and the GM/JATCO redevelopment, a vote to hire Stantec for master planning, and introductions of two ordinance amendments. Consent Calendar - Minutes of the February 23, 2026 regular and closed session meetings approved. - Licenses and recommendations approved. - Resolution 2026-2426 (Item 6D) – Designated city-owned property at 101 Rockport Road as parkland and directed it be zoned C-Conservancy. Pulled for discussion; passed unanimously. - U-Turn accident subrogation settlement approved. Public Comments & Testimony - Ted Balrood (PO Box 216, Janesville) – Spoke about historical railroad and hydroelectric infrastructure, urging different engineering approaches for bridges and referencing lost power generation. - Alyssa Capozello (Sumac Drive) – Expressed opposition to the proposed data center, citing lack of transparency, biased information, and concerns about noise (90 decibels), light pollution, rising utility bills, carbon emissions (400 generators producing NOx equivalent to 350 cars each per hour), e-waste, and the petition with over 4,600 signatures. Urged council to explore alternatives like parkland or a grocery store. - Lisa McCaffee (719 Swallow Lane, across from the site) – Questioned why the city allowed GM to go bankrupt without cleanup responsibility, suggested community donations for cleanup, and proposed dividing the land for a shopping center, greenhouse, and sustainable jobs. - Claire Gray (3328 Candlewood Drive, on behalf of Forward Janesville) – Expressed support for hiring Stantec as the master planning consultant for the GM/JATCO site, citing its community-centered approach and need for public engagement. - Sam Nemitz (South Side, organizer for Party for Socialism and Liberation) – Urged a no vote on Stantec, citing conflicts of interest: Stantec is preparing wetland reports for a secret Meta data center (Project Corn Maze) in Beloit, and Rock County economic development manager James Otterstein (on the GM/JATCO advisory board) was emailing to accelerate that project. Demanded transparency and a public referendum. - Aaron Eger (526 Laurel Avenue) – Expressed concerns about infrasound health dangers (below 20 Hz) from hyperscale data centers, causing physical resonance, dizziness, anxiety, and sleep disruption. Urged council to honor the referendum and delay decisions. - Andrea Breyer Moon (339 South Locust Street) – Suggested requiring a non-refundable earnest money payment from data center developers, noted a Trump executive order requiring separate electrical supply, and opposed public-private partnerships as corporate welfare. - John Dahl (1409 Tyler Street) – Opposed the data center, sharing personal observations from Virginia about noise and vibration impacts on nearby homes. - Unnamed speaker (last comment) – Corrected that Stantec was recommended by the community-led GM/JATCO board after a competitive process; their role is site assessment and funding assistance, not tied to any specific project type. Discussion Items - Stantec for Redevelopment Master Planning (Item 8A) – Nick Faust (Assistant to City Manager) presented the selection process: 10 firms responded, 4 interviewed, the GM/JATCO Redevelopment Advisory Board voted 7-1 to recommend Stantec. Scope includes site assessments, market/feasibility studies, public engagement, and an implementation strategy over 18 months at a cost of $225,000. Stantec’s Bill Onia stated they have 150+ service lines globally; the Beloit wetland work is a separate group with no shared project management. - Council discussion: Councilmember Cass, Williams, Erdman, and Squire voiced support for following the board’s recommendation despite some concerns about Stantec’s involvement in other projects. The motion passed unanimously. - Sign Ordinance Amendment (Item 8B) – First reading to allow off-premises signage for major donors of non-profits and clarify sandwich board signs in downtown District D. Referred to Plan Commission with public hearing scheduled for April 27, 2026. - Poultry Ordinance Amendment (Item 8C) – Proposed amendment to permit ducks within city limits. Introduced, referred to Plan Commission and Sustainable Janesville Committee, public hearing April 27, 2026. Key Outcomes - Consent Agenda approved unanimously, including the parkland designation (6D). - New Business 8A – Council approved the selection of Stantec as the consultant for the GM/JATCO redevelopment plan (motion by Cass, second by Williams; unanimous vote). - New Business 8B – Ordinance 2026-928 introduced and referred for public hearing. - New Business 8C – Ordinance 2026-932 introduced and referred. - Closed Session – Council voted unanimously to convene closed session (motion by City Manager Lahner, second by Squire) to discuss performance evaluation of the City Manager under Wis. Stats. Sec. 19.85(1)(c) and (e). The meeting did not reconvene publicly.

The Janesville City Council held a special session on March 9, 2026, at 5:15 PM in City Hall Council Chambers. The sole agenda item was a presentation by the Wisconsin Data Center Coalition (WDCC) on the economic impact of data centers in Wisconsin. Six council members were present (Burdick, Miller, Williams, Erdman, Nino, Cass) with one absent (Vice President Squire). The presentation lasted approximately 30 minutes, followed by a brief Q&A. The meeting adjourned at around 5:45 PM. Presentation by the Wisconsin Data Center Coalition Tricia Brown, Executive Director of the WDCC, gave a presentation covering the following key points: - She has 26 years of economic development experience, including previous work with JP Cullen in Janesville. - The coalition was formed by Wisconsin-based companies (e.g., Evans Transportation, Train Technologies, Alliant Energy) to connect Wisconsin manufacturers with data center supply chain opportunities, focusing on economic impact rather than policy reform. - The coalition has three pillars: educating suppliers on engaging with the data center industry, promoting Wisconsin companies nationally, and informing policymakers about industry impacts. - Membership includes 15 companies from manufacturing, logistics, energy, and construction sectors (e.g., Train, IEWC, Geronimo Power, Dural, CED, CCNN, Century Security). - Data center construction involves multiple segments: electrical power path (e.g., switchgear, UPS), mechanical systems (e.g., chillers), IT network, civil/structural construction, and specialty trades (e.g., security, fencing). - Example: Train manufactures about 90% of its chillers in La Crosse, with each data center requiring 15-20 chillers; Rockwell Automation makes motors used in these systems. - Economic multiplier: each direct job in the data center industry supports an estimated 7.4 additional jobs across the broader economy (direct plus indirect), higher than most Wisconsin manufacturing industries. - An estimated 1,500 to 2,500 Wisconsin companies are directly or indirectly part of the data center supply chain, supporting 30,000 to 50,000 jobs. - Recent reports indicate that data center investments in other states have led to stable or reduced energy rates; she offered to share these reports with city staff. Discussion and Q&A Councilmember Miller asked for clarification on the 7.4 multiplier. Brown explained that it represents the total jobs (direct plus indirect) created per one direct job. No other council questions were asked. Brown noted that the coalition is not a lobbying entity but a trade organization serving as a resource to elected officials. Key Outcomes - No formal decisions or votes were taken; the session was informational. - Councilmember Cass moved to adjourn, seconded by Councilmember Williams, and the motion passed unanimously.

The Alcohol Licensing Advisory Committee (ALAC) met on Tuesday, March 3, 2026, at 8:00 AM in Council Chambers. The meeting included a public hearing for a new Class B liquor license, an operator's license appeal, public comments on amusement machine licensing, and staff reports. The committee also rescheduled April and November meetings due to conflicts with election days. Consent Calendar - Approval of minutes from February 3, 2026, was moved and seconded, passed unanimously. Public Comments & Testimony - Bruce Munson (602 East Milwaukee Street) expressed concern about a letter from the City Clerk's office regarding video poker machines and amusement device licensing. He noted a perceived change in enforcement and requested clarification on whether gambling machines are legal and how they should be listed on renewal applications. He questioned the highlighted and separate mailing of the notice. Committee members and staff clarified that the letter was informational, stating that gambling machines are not considered amusement devices and cannot be licensed as such. Staff noted that enforcement is handled by the Department of Revenue (DOR). Mr. Munson expressed satisfaction after clarification that business as usual would continue. Licenses Original Application & Public Hearing – Swad Indian Restaurant (Class B License) - Safal Family, Inc. d/b/a Swad Indian Restaurant, 1313 Milton Ave. – The applicant described over 25 years of experience in the Madison area, recently opening a second restaurant in Janesville. The restaurant currently serves food and non-alcoholic drinks but has not served alcohol pending license approval. They plan to serve beer and wine initially, with potential expansion to full liquor. Agent designated: Dave Sonar. The committee noted that updated city ordinances allow agents to reside in abutting counties, making the Fitchburg-based agent permissible. - Public Hearing: No one spoke in opposition. The committee moved to approve a beer and wine license (Class B intoxicating liquor and fermented malt beverage) for the restaurant. The motion carried unanimously on a roll call vote: all seven members voted yes. The license will go before the City Council on March 9, 2026, and if approved on consent, will become effective immediately. Operator’s License Appeal – Bethany A. Hover - Bethany Hover (2408 Johnson Street) appealed denial of a server’s license due to criminal history, including an OWI (operating while intoxicated) conviction from August 2021 (within 5-year window) and an incident of throwing fluids at law enforcement (outside 5-year window but omitted from application). She disclosed current employment at a liquor store (Five Points), but only working on the non-alcoholic side. She stated she has been sober for 950 days, attends NA meetings, and is back with her children full-time. She acknowledged the omission on the application but stated it was a mistake. She noted the financial impact of the denial (loss of hours and pay). - Deputy Chief Ratzloff presented facts. Committee members expressed sympathy but noted concerns about working around alcohol. Some members said if the setting were a bar, they would deny, but for a package store, they were more comfortable. The motion to approve the appeal passed 5 to 1 (Committee member Knox voted no). The license will be available after the meeting. Staff Reports - Janesville Police Department Alcohol Establishment Incident Report: A compliance check in December resulted in two failures (Charlie's Place and Jack and Jenny's). A second compliance check showed these same establishments failed again, but citations have been issued with different bartenders involved. (Reports were not yet available.) - City Clerk's Alcohol License Quota Report: Current licenses issued: 16 Class B beer only, 69 Class B liquor/fermented malt beverage, 9 Class B reserve licenses for a total of 78 Class B licenses; also 30 Class A liquor licenses and 9 Class C wine licenses. - Temporary Licenses Issued: Three event temporary event licenses were issued. - Follow-up on Licenses with Conditions – Brazilian Steakhouse: Committee reported no movement. Staff contacted the applicant and agent but neither wants to relinquish the license. License expires June 30, 2026, so if not renewed, it will become available. Committee Comments & Scheduling - April and November Meeting Dates: Both April 7, 2026 and November 3, 2026 fall on election days. Committee voted to reschedule: April 14, 2026 and November 10, 2026 (second Tuesdays) were approved by unanimous voice vote. Adjournment - Motion to adjourn passed unanimously.

No agenda, minutes, or transcript were provided for this meeting. Therefore, no summary can be generated. The meeting was scheduled to take place on 2026-03-03 at 11:00 UTC, but no record of proceedings is available.