Fitchburg Community Equity Advisory Committee Meeting Summary - December 15, 2025

The Community Equity Advisory Committee met on December 15, 2025 to approve prior minutes, hear public comment, discuss the 2025 Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan update, consider the committee's role in reviewing city plans, and review cultural observances for 2026. No written agenda or minutes were available; this summary is drawn from the meeting transcript.

Consent Calendar

• The committee approved the minutes of the November 20, 2025 meeting by voice vote, with no discussion.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Steve Arnold, a Fitchburg resident representing Bike Fitchburg and the Wisconsin Bike Fed, argued that the Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan update was underfunded, that the consultant time budget was fully used, and that staff were left to finish the plan. He urged the committee to recommend additional work on the plan.
• Arnold described the Fitchburg Greenway proposal to designate the city's nearly 50 miles of multi-use paths as a named transportation system, citing the 4.2-mile Fish Hatchery Greenway as an example connecting clinics, grocery stores, banks, a dog park, and a veterans memorial.
• Arnold noted that many residents in the Leopold neighborhood are unaware of Fitchburg City Hall, library, and senior center south of McKee Road, and he framed the Greenway proposal as important for healthy neighborhoods and equity.
• He offered Bike Fitchburg's help as a contractor for copy editing and planning, requested photo captions and credits, flagged map errors, estimated about six months of additional work would improve the plan, and noted urgency tied to the bicycle-friendly community application due in June 2027.

Discussion Items

• Resolution R 174-25, approval of the City of Fitchburg Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan 2025 update, was presented by Phil, a city sustainability specialist. He described the plan's history from 2008 and 2017, the $25,000 budget approved in 2024, consultant MSA Professional Services, a working group, delays from feedback and parental leave, and new content on e-bikes, bike share, the Southdale incorporation, and healthy neighborhoods.
• Phil reported incorporating suggestions from Emmanuel Munoz, including B-cycle stations north of McKee Road, bilingual signage, monthly rides with the mayor or city council, and partnerships with Free Bikes for Kids. He said QR-code feedback loops along trails were not in the plan but were under consideration.
• In response to questions, Phil acknowledged that the update did not include a specific resident engagement effort; feedback came from community organizations and alders, not directly from residents in healthy neighborhoods. Committee members, including Janice, raised concerns about reaching diverse residents and questioned proposals such as QR codes that may not fit all communities.
• Steve Arnold noted that the Bicycle and Pedestrian Commission had already tabled the plan and had expressed support for his written comments.
• Options discussed included approving the plan as written, approving it with an amendment allowing staff to make technical corrections after adoption, or tabling it for further equity-committee discussion. A motion to approve the plan with added technical-correction language was not seconded. A motion to table the plan for further discussion was made, seconded, and passed by voice vote.
• Staff noted next steps after the committee: the Transportation and Transit Commission would consider the plan on January 8, 2026, and City Council would consider it on January 13, 2026.
• The committee then discussed the timing of reviewing city plans. Members agreed they needed to see plans earlier in the pipeline rather than in final form, and that plan scope should determine the review timeline. Sarah, staff, agreed to compile a list of upcoming city plans and bring it to the January meeting.
• Members discussed whether the committee should conduct listening sessions in neighborhoods; the chair cautioned that if a quorum of members gathered outside a formal meeting, it would become a public meeting.
• For CEI Cultural Observances for the 2026 calendar, Sarah presented current city staff observances, including African American History Month, Women's History Month, Pride Month, Juneteenth, National Hispanic Heritage Month, Veterans Day, Native American Heritage Month, and winter celebrations.
• Janice noted the senior center's role in leading many cultural events, including Black History Month presentations and Juneteenth celebrations. Members asked about flag raisings; Sarah confirmed that, under mayoral guidelines, the Pride flag and Juneteenth flag could still be raised in Fitchburg.
• Members suggested adding other observances such as Asian American and Pacific Islander heritage dates, using the city's DEI calendar, and considering whether to hold events in neighborhoods or invite residents from other parts of the city. The Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion employee resource group may present to the committee in early 2026.

Key Outcomes

• The November 20, 2025 meeting minutes were approved unanimously.
• Resolution R 174-25 was tabled by the Community Equity Advisory Committee for further discussion; the plan will also go to the Transportation and Transit Commission on January 8, 2026, and to City Council on January 13, 2026.
• Sarah will send a list of upcoming city plans before the next meeting and will bring it to the committee's January 28, 2026 meeting.
• Cultural observances for 2026 will remain under discussion, with the DEI employee resource group expected to attend a future meeting.
• The next regular meeting is January 28, 2026, at 5:15 p.m.; the agenda will be published the Friday before.