The Racine Common Council convened on December 2, 2025, primarily addressing severe public dissatisfaction with residential snow removal services, detailed allegations of harassment and safety hazards at Mahoffers Bar, and the scheduling of 2026 council meetings. While the majority of the public comment period and subsequent announcements focused on community safety and winter storm response, the council also navigated procedural disputes regarding committee referrals for new ordinances and approved a revised meeting calendar for the upcoming election year.
Good evening, everyone. The hour of six o'clock, having arrived on the second of December 2025. It is my honor to call to order the city of Racine Common Council. Our first order of business, as always, is the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag. If you could please rise as you are able and join me in the Pledge of Allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America. And to the Republic for which it stands, one nation on your God. Okay. And then uh President Horton, I would also ask for an approval of the Journal of Council proceedings or minutes from November 18th, 2025. Who's approved? There's a motion to approve the item seconded by Alder Frazier. Any discussion? Seeing none, all those in favor, please say aye. Aye. Opposed. The motion carries. The first item before us is communications introduced to council. The first item is an item to be referred to the executive committee. Alder Horton, would you please? My apologies. City clerk? The public comment segment is an opportunity for citizens to speak directly to the common council. Speakers will limit their remarks to three minutes. There shall be no dialogue or interaction between the speaker and elected officials or staff. This time is not intended to be a debate or discussion. The common council shall not hear personal complaints or attacks against any city employee or elected official or any matter related to an individual claim, citation, appeal, or lawsuit. Profane, disruptive, threatening, or conduct that otherwise impedes the safe, orderly, and effective conduct of the common council meeting is equally unacceptable during the public comment period, as it is during all other portions of city meetings. Candidates for public office may not use this opportunity to campaign for office. Speakers during the public comment period shall follow all rulings of the common council and rulings of the chair, including a decision to terminate the remarks if the speaker does not adhere to these rules. Public comments shall be limited to ideas or concerns regarding the city of Racine. We encourage you to submit a detailed concerns in writing to the city clerk's office or your aldermen, where they can be properly documented and directed for response. Sir, hello everyone. I've been in the Racine about 10 years, and about five years ago, I've seen kind of at least my area on First Avenue. Like, you know, kind of just get neglected on the plowing. It's it's it's really bad. And it goes to the point where um like this last time they got to the plowing about nine or nine o'clock at night, um, which while that time was frozen snow, which created massive boulders, right? I live in a community that has a lot of um elderly people, and I'll be honest with you. Um I mean, I'm not a spring tricker myself, but I'm 48 and like and picking those boulders up slot. And I have a tiny little Chevy bolt, and I was like, there's no way I'm gonna be driving over these things without destroying something. Now I know the media and everything on uh has been going on and really talked about some people damaging their cars and stuff like that. I know nothing's gonna be solved today. But I guess what I'm asking is that like can we look at like what maybe the problem is there is a way to change it and make it better? Um, you know, uh let's like rattle some cages of the DPW and and like just hold people accountable. I understand that it was within the 24 hours. I'd like to see a little bit better than that. I mean, 24 hours, like it's it is what it is. Uh but I can't I guess the last thing I was gonna mention is that I don't I I know it's probably some social media thing, and someone posted from the city or seeing that remind everybody make sure you know uh shovel your sidewalks, otherwise you're gonna get fine, right? Just like you know, can you read the room a little bit and feel like what the people are feeling here, like without kind of like antagonizing them, I guess uh as it's still like it. So all I'm asking is please like think about like you know what's going on. You're probably gonna hear a lot more of what I'm saying.