The Judiciary & Administration Committee of the City of La Crosse met on Tuesday, March 31, 2026, at 6:00 PM in City Hall Council Chambers. Vice Chair Jennifer Trost presided. Five members were present (Bedford, Padesky, Trost, Stine, Dickinson) and two were excused (Weston, Mindel). The committee considered five agenda items, including a certified survey map, a resolution to rename the Arts Board, a special event alcohol license, a slate of various license applications, and a preliminary plat. All votes were unanimous (5-0) with the excused members not voting.
26-0144 – Certified Survey Map (Copper Rocks): The committee reviewed a certified survey map for Lot 1, CSM 67, Volume 19, located in the northwest quarter of the northeast quarter of Section 9, involving a request for dedication of right-of-way and waiver of platting requirements. Deputy Director Acklin provided information. Councilmember Stine noted that UWL students had researched the property, discovering it was historically a trailer park called Krause’s Cabin Court (with a K) until 1964, including a motel, grocery store, and gas station. The Plan Commission had recommended a one-month referral. The committee voted to refer the item for 30 days to the Common Council on April 9, 2026.
25-0994 – Rename Arts Board to Arts and Culture Board: Mayor Washington Spivey spoke, explaining the goal is to expand the board’s purview to include cultural events and ultimately create a full-time position to support the board. The resolution was recommended to be adopted by the Common Council on April 9, 2026.
26-0136 – Bottoms Up Special Event License: Application by A & S Foster LLC dba Bottoms Up for an expansion of alcohol beverage license and street privilege permit for a special event at 500 Copeland Ave on June 13, 2026. Melissa Scalf, representing the applicant, confirmed this is the 14th annual event with no changes. The committee recommended approval subject to compliance.
26-0164 – Various License Applications: Sergeant Monduano presented the quarterly police department report on alcohol and tobacco compliance. Highlights:
After the report, the committee heard public testimony from Amundson and Krisnowich (see above). Clerk Elson clarified that the city has met its quota of regular licenses; La Crosse Festivals paid a $10,000 one-time fee for a reserve license. The licenses on the list are for the remainder of the current license year (through June 30, 2026). He also noted a new item: a producer full-service retail sales license for Driftless Peer LLC (doing business as La Crosse Distillery) to operate a fixed outlet at the Cargill Room, effective May 1, 2026, after the current licensee (Riverside Center 2) surrenders its combination license. The committee recommended approval of all licenses subject to compliance.
26-0254 – Preliminary Plat of Featherstone Rise: Preliminary plat for a subdivision in the Town of Shelby, La Crosse County. Nicholas Weber was present in support but did not speak. The Plan Commission had unanimously approved it the previous day. The committee recommended approval to the Common Council.
I'm calling this meeting of the Judiciary Administration Committee to order here on Tuesday, March 31st, 2026. It's 6 o'clock. Council members Mackenzie Mendel and Lisa Weston are both excused. Everybody else is here in Council Chambers. Our first item of business is old business 26-0144. Okay. Certified survey map, lot one, certified survey map number 67, volume 19, document number 1761262, located on the northwest quarter of the northeast quarter of section 9. Township 15 North, Range 7 West, City of Lacrosse, Lacrosse County, Wisconsin, and requests for dedication of right of way and waiver of plating requirements. This was referred from March. The staff recommendation out of Plan Commission yesterday was to refer for one more month. And does anybody have any questions for Deputy Director Acklin about this? And in case anyone's wondering what all of that legalese means, it's Copper Rocks. Any questions for staff? Any things anyone wants to add? I would actually like to point out that some UWL students have been researching properties, and this is one of the ones that they looked at. And it turns out up until 1964, the property was actually a trailer park called Krause's Cabin Court. All with a K. It included a motel, grocery store, and gas station, and it was a little pocket community. Yep, and they've met with our council member. So it's it's interesting that it will be coming back to housing. And I think they should call it Copper Rocks with a K to link back to its historical. So this is this is really nice to know about you know what these parcels looked like in the past. So it has a history of being housing. All right. Is there a motion? Councilmember Stein. Move to refer for 30 days. Motion to refer for 30 days by Councilmember Stein, second by Council President Dickinson. Is there any other discussion? Okay, all right. Seeing none, then let's please vote. That motion passed unanimously, five to zero. On to new business 25-0994. Resolution approving the arts board to be renamed as the Arts and Culture Board sponsored by Mayor Washington Spivey. Is there anybody who would like to say anything about why we're doing this? Mayor, do you wish to say anything? Testing. All right. Yes. So this is stemming from a conversation I had with the arts board several months ago, but I held off on it. Um it was kind of around the budget time. The goal with this is to expand the purview of the arts board and to also include all the various cultural events and everything that we're doing in the city to have a place that for that information to be acknowledged. Um the end goal would ultimately be that not only do we have an arts and culture board, but we also have some sort of position that uh a full-time position that works with the Arts Board Arts and Culture Board as well as working to highlight and work with groups that are doing both cultural events and artistic events, artistry events across our city. But this is just the first step to the end goal, if you will. I see some other staff. Anybody, any other staff want to speak on this issue, or are we good with mayor? Any questions for council from council members? No. All right. So I see a motion, Councilmember Dickinson.