If Alders and guests could please take their seats, we will begin momentarily.

If Alders and guests could please take their seats.

It is my honor to call to order the city of Racine Common Council.

As always, our first order of business is the Pledge of Allegiance.

If you could please rise as you are able and join me in the Pledge of Allegiance.

The common council did have a committee of the whole meeting last week where this presentation was made just to clarify there is no action that is being taken on any proposal tonight that would commit the city to uh uh to any sort of action or agreement.

The information that we have giving to us tonight is a presentation on a vision uh for what could happen.

And so we just want to make sure that while we will vote later to receive and file, which is a nice way of saying that we're taking the information that's giving us, but there's no action being taken here tonight.

Craig, do you want to begin?

Yep, thank you.

Okay, so uh thank you for having me back uh tonight to give another uh brief presentation on the proposed golf course project is Shoot Park.

Um I'll keep it to 10 minutes, so I'm gonna read my notes, so I'm sure that I do that.

Uh my name is Craig Haltum.

I design and build golf courses mostly in Wisconsin, but all over the country, and I'm glad to be here to present our vision for the Shoot Park Golf Course.

Uh as it is listed on the agenda tonight.

This project is not just about improving the golf course, although that is a primary goal.

Uh, we can create one of the very best nine-hole golf experiences anywhere in the world here.

And if that sounds uh dramatic, uh it it happens to be true.

Um, the combination of uh the setting and its location on the water and the people involved gives us great confidence that the golf course can really turn out to be something special.

Um but an equally important part of the project is the bluff and shoreline stabilization work, which is how the project is listed in the agenda tonight, which I think is correct, and the habitat restoration that will be completed as part of the course renovation.

Uh, as we are uh proposing to repair uh the erosion on the bluff and to install stone revetment and erosion protection along the entire shoreline.

Uh we're also going to restore a lost shoreline landscape that nobody has seen at Shoop since the 1800s and the brick factory days.

Uh it will be a beautiful blend of low sand dunes, healthy trees and healthy forest, and enhanced wetland areas.

And yes, there will still be plenty of trees on the golf course, and I'll explain that with some images in a minute.

Uh this is the type of golf course and landscape restoration work that we have been involved with over the past 15 years with Michael Kaiser and his family.

Uh the Kaisers are the most celebrated golf course owners and developers uh maybe in the history of golf, and they operate many of the world's best golf courses, including Sand Valley in central Wisconsin, um, where they've uh uh been operating for over 10 years now.

Uh Michael Kaiser is partnering in this proposal with Helen Johnson and Craig Leopold to offer his expertise and experience in delivering the vision for the course.

And Helen and Craig are generously offering to fund the complete revitalization of the golf course and all new infrastructure, including the shoreline work, the golf course improvements, and a new clubhouse at no cost to the city.

We are proposing to lease the golf course and is under a golf management company lease right now, so it isn't a departure really in how the city operates the course.

The Leopold Johnson family's goal is to help make sure that the Shoot Park golf course thrives for the next hundred years with the reinforced shoreline and all the new infrastructure and a mission that serves the entire community more broadly.

And they will be happily paying a higher price to play the course.

If you know the golf course at all, you know that it's a very uh basic layout right now.

Um it's been uh uh but what we are proposing uh is all new greens, tees, bunkers, and fairways, so essentially a new golf course on top of the existing course.

Uh infrastructure improvements like I've described, and a wider and more fun and playable golf course for everyone in a style which we've talked about it being a dunes course or a Lynx golf course.

What that means is it's more similar to the type of golf that you uh that is played in Scotland.

So it's a traditional golf, and it's unlike uh anything that you would typically find in a in this type of setting.

The Kaiser family that I mentioned who are partners in the project, these are some images of their courses in Sand Valley that I mentioned in Central Wisconsin and Bandon Dunes in Oregon.

I put these images up to remind everyone how these golf courses are not standard golf landscapes as you might picture.

You should not have a country club or a standard golf course in your mind.

These are kind of wild and natural landscapes that the golf weaves in and out of.

Guiding those efforts will be Jens Jensen, who's a leading ecologist in the Midwest.

Jens is someone that we've worked with successfully on several projects, including Sand Valley for over a decade.

And closer to here, we worked with him and the city of Madison on a project at uh Glenway Golf Park.

And uh Jens uh is excellent at this type of work, and he has the experience of these types of hybrid projects of golf construction and ecological restoration.

And uh also a nice thing about Jens is he has a wonderful family history where his great great grandfather was the uh uh landscape architect for the park system in Racine.

So it will be wonderful to have Jens on site, and he's already been to the site several times.

And if the project goes forward, um he'll be a big part of the team.

Uh shoreline protection.

There is uh these are some preliminary drawings, but we have done uh enough work to know what the what is necessary and and the project includes reinforcing the entire shoreline all the way from the lighthouse to the to the parking lot with engineered stone revetment.

Uh this will be done to the highest standard and uh provide a level of protection that currently doesn't exist.

If you've been out to the site uh in recent years, you can see that there are some spots that are badly eroded, and particularly the the parking lot is you know seemingly eroding uh each year.

So this will repair the bluff and stabilize the shoreline.

And then uh the community aspects uh for revitalized shoot park.

Um I can't uh read these.

Um of the benefits of having a busier golf course will mean that it will provide better jobs, uh more traveling golfers coming in and spending money in Racine, and a sustainable future for golf and and shoot park for like I said, for for the next hundred years.

Uh fair pricing for locals.

Um the uh Craig and Helen have committed to uh 25% discount forever for for windpoint and racine locals, and um and then they're gonna grandfather in a $24 rate for the first two years.

So they're already thinking about ways that they can maintain the golf course and keep it accessible to locals.

Uh as I said, the strategy would be that visiting golfers from out of town would be paying a higher rate, and that's in a way that's supplementing the lower rates for locals with the goal of having a sustainable golf operation that funds itself.

Umproved access to the beach and a uh walking path along Lighthouse Drive.

Uh right now there's some there's limited access to the beach, uh cleanup of the debris and trees would happen with this project, and um, and then there would be a formalized access uh down to the beach, which would be an improvement from the stairs now that are um falling in.

And it's a small footprint, and this drawing may underrepresent the size, but it wouldn't be much bigger than this.

So uh picture something similar in size to the existing shoe park clubhouse, uh, but in a different location and in a location that allows the golf course to be as good as it can be and gives us the room to do that, and also integrates the the lighthouse campus with the project, which we think is important for both communities.

And then a neat part of having the clubhouse in that location is that we're going to build if the if if we can do it, where we're going to build a uh public putting course.

And that would be open and free to the public, no charge.

Uh and located adjacent to the clubhouse.

So golfers and non-golfers can come out to the property, they can enjoy the lighthouse, and they can go putt on this wonderful and wild fun putting green, uh, open to the public.

Uh, whether you whether or not you're playing golf that day on the course or not.

So you can picture grandparents coming out with their kids, getting ice cream at the little pro uh at the little pro shop and enjoying a wonderful day of putting golf uh on Lake Michigan.

Uh so in summary, it's uh we're looking at a private investment of over ten million dollars at no cost to the city.

Uh complete refresh of all major infrastructure, including the half mile of shoreline erosion protection, uh, bluff repair, a new irrigation system, new clubhouse, upgraded maintenance facilities and equipment.

Um this would require a lease to operate the renovated course, and the course will remain public uh with preferred pricing for rent racine and windpoint locals.

It will take us a year to uh accomplish this work, and then it will take some additional time to grow the grass.

So in golf course construction, you do the construction, then you have another several months of growing the grass.

But we would look to have a soft opening if we were to be able to proceed.

Uh this season uh construction would go into next year and we would have a soft opening in the end of next year, probably, and then a grand opening in two thousand eighteen.

Yeah, sorry.

And then I believe there's a video to show after this.

Oh, I'm sorry.

Did you want to say something?

I don't know.

If we can, we could, yeah.

I just one moment while ITQs the video.

This is a minute and a half video that we prepared, just trying to tell the same story, then I just a minute and a half video that they're queuing up that intends to summarize the presentation you just heard.

Mr.

Frankie, did you want to add anything to the conversation?

Very quick.

This is a first of all, we have copies of the presentation if anybody would like and we'll have them up front as you leave the meeting or whatever.

This is a very complex project for any number of reasons, including the fact it's located in two municipalities.

It's city-owned land in the village of West Point.

It requires the uh cooperation of two municipalities.

The land is physically located within the village of Wind Point will be subject to their ordinances, and the land is owned by the city and will have control over how it's used.

So both municipalities will have review uh uh be involved in review and approval of the plans for the operational golf course.

Um you heard them say the Dr.

Shoop wanted this to be a golf course forever.

Uh I don't think anybody has ten million dollars right now that can help to keep that pledge that meet that objective.

Uh I also like to think of this almost as a golf park.

While the golf course is a very critical part of it, it's gonna have a cafe.

I can't think of a better place to go in the morning and have a cup of coffee and watching the sunrise out over the lake, or going there at night and watching a thunderstorm with maybe a Miller light or something like that in my hand.

That will be open to the entire community at any time.

This this clubhouse and cafe will be open during the winter.

There will be winter activities there, including cross-country skiing, trail hiking, things like that.

The parking lot is going away.

I mean, we uh somebody has to spend money just on that.

One of the reasons that uh one of the things that's going to drive this is that we want this course to be as good as possible because in order to pay for the ten million dollars, not even get a return on it, but to get hopefully a return of it, we need to make this a very special place that generates revenue, which will be shared with the city and with the village of Wind Point for their parking lot.

So this is a true public-private partnership.

It's one that could be really, you know, something special, not just for everybody here in the community, not just for golfers.

So we really look forward to continuing down this process with the city.

This is just the beginning of the journey tonight, but it's a journey that needs to proceed relatively quickly so that we can meet construction time frames for this summer.

So thank you to the council and the mayor for for allowing us to appear tonight.

Thank you.

Next in a presentation, I want to ask Commissioner Rooney to come up to the podium.

Uh he gave us a review of uh the bluff stabilization that was presented um by the group.

Um, and just by context, this was as was all of our shoreline damaged heavily in the January twenty twenty storm.

People might remember those like a hundred-year storm that did substantial damage, including to the site.

So we've asked Commissioner Rooney to give his assessment of what's proposed here in terms of its viability around bluff stabilization.

Commissioner Rooney.

Uh thank you, Mayor.

Um, John Rooney, Commissioner of Public Works.

Uh, as the mayor stated, um, we had storms in January of 2020 that did significant damage uh to the shoreline um along the city in six six uh different locations, um, this being one of those locations.

Um obviously to invest in um uh putting this uh golf course in, they want to obviously stabilize uh the shoreline um if they're gonna make this big of an investment in that property.

So when I was introduced to the project last year by the administration, they asked me to get involved in review of what was being planned for shoreline protection.

They're an engineering firm.

One of the things they specialize in is coastal engineering.

Smith Group is one of the firms that designed the Reef Point Marina that was opened in the mid-80s.

Just to put it in context for that application to FEMA, we applied for funds for Shoe Park.

We received none.

Six years later.

So Tamcor is the name of the firm that is the coastal engineer.

And they provided my office those preliminary plans.

And we had met uh with Smith Group and Tamcore and myself, and we reviewed all the documents that TAMCOR had prepared, including the analysis for the type of storm event that this should be designed for.

And also the plans themselves.

Final approval of those plans will ultimately be under the purview of the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and the Corps of Engineers, because this is work being done along the waters of the state.

After Smith Group reviewed the analysis and the plans, they believe the engineering was very sound.

And they had no issues with what was being proposed, but realizing that the final uh review will be done by those uh agencies that I just mentioned.

Um, just for a little bit about the the uh the shoreline protection.

So they are proposing a revetment all along this 3,000 feet of shoreline there.

Um it'll have armor stone kind of at the uh at the shoreline there, it'll be towed in at a at an elevation that's above the ordinary high water mark of Lake Michigan, uh, which what that means is there'll always be some beach to walk on in front of the revetment.

Um the tow of that revetment is at about an elevation anywhere from 585 to 583, and the uh current shoreline right now, or the water level is about 577.

So um, and it's even being proposed well above the high water mark.

So will we always be that beach access that you can walk along from one end to the other, and that will be the access location will be where the old access location is now off the parking lot where you can get down there and go all the way up to the to the lighthouse.

Um yeah, just for uh context, that storm in in January 2020, that occurred um when the lake levels were nearly at the all-time high of 1986.

So that is what this is being designed for.

Uh, the estimated cost of the shoreline protection, which not only includes a revetment, but there's also slope uh slope stabilization that goes along with that.

So they do have to cut back some of the slopes to get the proper angle, you know, horizontal vertical pitch that needs to go into that soil stabilization for that type of soil mechanics out there in the soil that's that's currently present.

Um Matt will talk a little bit about the trees along those uh embankments that uh will be removed.

Um the estimate of the shoreline protection is somewhere between 1.2 and 1.3 million dollars, and the engineering and permitting by itself is estimated about 150,000.

Um the revetment should have an estimated useful service life of well over 50 years and hopefully up to 100 years, uh, provided it doesn't um uh suffer a major storm.

Uh if there is a major storm and it's above a certain water level in the lake, then you know it should be reviewed by a coastal engineer, so you know repairs can be made.

That will extend the life of that asset.

Um I'd also like to mention a little bit about the existing buildings that are on Shoop uh Park as well.

There's a clubhouse and there's a service garage.

We both uh they're both kept track of in our facilities condition assessment report.

Um both buildings have uh FCI scores way above uh point three.

So an FCI score is the amount of money that needs to be put into that building to keep it in a good state of repair over 10 years divided by the replacement value.

Um the clubhouse is at 0.37, the service garage is at 0.42.

What generally in a building gets over 0.3, you're looking at doing one of two things with it replacing it or raising it.

So they're both kind of reaching the end of their useful life.

We're estimating the clubhouse has about seven years of useful life left, and the service garage is just under probably six years of useful life left as well.

Um those two locations, including the property, for example, that the clubhouse is built on, um, has about 275,000 dollars right now of deferred maintenance on a lot of that is part of a trip partly attributed to that parking lot that is in uh a major state of disrepair.

Um, and the service garage itself has 25,000 of deferred repairs on it right now.

So that's 300,000 in and building and ground maintenance that the city would be required to address uh if those uh facilities were to remain in place.

So if there's any questions, I'll be happy to answer them.

If not, okay.

Let's move on to Director Kepnick to talk about the trees on the site as well.

Thank you, Mayor.

Uh, my name is Matt Ketnik.

I'm the director of the parks, recreation, and uh cultural services department, former city forester of 15 years for the city.

Uh my goal today is to provide some facts about the the trees on the golf course and hopefully cut through some of the uh the emotion that tends to build up with trees, uh, wildlife, birds, etc.

Um, first I'd like to acknowledge that the Wind Point Shoot Park area is a recognized birding hotspot.

It's well known among birders, and online records indicate that more than 270 bird species have been documented in the area.

Uh, this is largely driven by the site's geographic position along the Lake Michigan shoreline, which concentrates migrating birds that travel along the coast.

The 270 plus bird species utilize several different habitat types.

I've broken them down into four uh rough categories, including open water used by lake birds, shoreline used by beach birds, open land used by meadow birds, and the tree line used by woodland songbirds.

Approximately 39% of the birds that are you that are found in the area utilize the the woodland areas, uh meaning that about 60 percent use the other habitat types.

When I think of this project, I consider it as being two separate projects.

The first is the shoreline stabilization and bluff resiliency that John Rooney just talked about, and the second would be the golf course redevelopment itself, and each has different considerations.

Uh for the shoreline repair and resiliency project, as John mentioned, there was some significant damage in the January 2020 uh winter storm.

Um I was on site within a week or two of that storm and got to see that damage firsthand.

Uh significant portions of the bluff basically collapsed, resulting in the loss of trees and soil into the lake.

And when I say trees, I mean entire trees, 10 inches diameter or larger, just disappeared.

Uh currently, there are trees and shrubs still remaining on the bluff edge, uh, but given the instability of the bluff, the fact that it is still eroding, those trees are actually contributing to the problem on days like uh the last couple days with extremely high winds, those trees are essentially being tipped over or they're capturing the the uh the wind like a sail.

They have unstable root systems, some of which are 50% hanging out over the edge of the bluff, and uh that wind is essentially pulling those trees over, contributing to further soil displacement.

So, in order to facilitate the uh the stabilization of the bluff and the shoreline protection measures, those trees and shrubs do need to be removed simply to allow construction access and also to uh prevent further destabilization that they are currently leading to.

I'd also like to mention uh specific to the golf course redevelopment itself.

We do have an online GIS tree inventory of all the trees on the golf course, all the individual trees, not including the woodlands.

There are 184 individual inventory trees on the golf course consisting of 40 different species.

Of those, about 40 percent are non-native or cultivars.

Um I think it's well known that trees do provide a lot of benefits to birds.

Uh habitat is one of them.

One of the primary drivers though would be tracting of insects that are a food source, specifically caterpillars.

Um, a lot of people are well, I'm gonna say that oaks are one of the highest uh beneficial trees to birds, uh, largely because they attract upwards of 500 different species of caterpillars compared to some of the other species that I'm gonna talk about in a minute.

Uh I'll note that we have four oak trees on the golf course.

Three of them are two inches in diameter, and one of them is ten inches in diameter.

So getting back to those 184 different inventory trees, about 40% of them consist of five different species.

Silver maple, green ash, white ash, norway maple, and honey locusts.

Uh I think it's important to note that these are the primary species because Norway maple is a non-native.

It supports relatively few native insects, and it is known by the DNR as a species that has the uh the potential to be invasive and move into native woodlands.

Uh ash species are being impacted by emerald ash borer and declining throughout the reason uh throughout the region.

Uh the only reason those ash trees are alive is because we've been injecting them with chemicals since 2012 to keep them alive.

It is labor intensive and expensive, and we are looking for uh opportunities to remove those trees and replace them with other species.

Honey locust is a native tree.

It does support relatively low insect diversity compared with native species, especially the oaks, as I mentioned, and silver maple.

Um it does support more insect species, but it's generally fairly short-lived species.

It's prone to decay and also to storm damage.

Um last, I would like to note that the the parks and recreation department and the forestry division do acknowledge the benefits of birds.

Uh and we actually work uh we have an active tree project right now.

We're a partnership with the Lake Michigan Bird Observatory, and we have been for over a year.

Uh we've been working to basically use a soil amendment called biochar and incorporate it into tree plantings along the Root River corridor, and hopefully we'll be moving on to the Lake Michigan shoreline.

The overall goal is to reduce tree mortality from planting or from like winter planting.

Um to reap the benefits that those trees provide by sp uh specifying uh native species that are in you know intentionally bird beneficial.

Okay, thank you very much for your presentation.

We can now move on to public comment.

And we're wrapping up.

I was just gonna add one more point because you mentioned that people have been giving you call of the chemicals going into Lake Michigan.

Uh the if you want to explain the type of grass that's going to be used, that's I think it should be critical.

Well, it it's worth noting that the the grass scheme for the golf course were changed from traditional golf course grass to something um that's fescue based.

And the thing that's interesting about fescue grass is that it's great for the type of lynx golf that that we're proposing.

Means the golf ball bounces and but the great benefit uh uh of this grass is that it's it's the lowest input for water, fertilizer, and chemical really that you can have uh for a golf course.

So we're excited about a total conversion to that type of grass, which changes the management of the property completely.

Thank you.

Now we'll move on to public comments from the 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 their portion 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 the rules of the common council and rulings of the chair, including a decision in to terminate the remarks if the speaker does not adhere to these rules.

Public comment 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, but they can be properly documented and directed for response.

There will be 10 speakers this evening.

The first is Diana Kalowski at 5101 right Av.

And as the first speaker is coming up, we just want to let everybody know everyone gets three minutes.

There's three minutes that will appear on the screen that will count down after your three minutes.

We turn the microphone off.

That is not an editorial comment or reflection on what you're saying.

Rather, it's an attempt to treat everybody fairly so that everyone gets three minutes.

If you could hold just one minute until we can get the clock up, and then we will begin.

Go ahead.

There we go.

Please begin.

Okay.

Oh, I just like to say, um, I know my last name's hard to pronounce, just think of Kenneki Ka Neck Key.

That's the easiest, or just say Diana K, because when it's in school substitute teachers would have to say the same thing like that.

But tonight's why I like to talk about is the issue of loneliness that exists within high school students, couch students, and everyone in our community.

At least I brought my barbies with me, is these are my emotional support barbies I used to address some issues I have of loneliness because I live alone, and also due to being transgendered, there are many members of my family that won't talk with me, even many of my cousins, even though I'm an aunt many times over.

About I'd have I'd have 18 nieces and nephews if my family did talk with me.

So many people who do experience homeless do have things like um Barbies, like the Barbie movie Allowed Everyone to Come Out, or like even Taylor Swiss movie, Opalite with the pet lock and the can in the cactus.

And so the issue of loneliness is not more about mental health or social services, it's more about people listening.

And this leads to a second point.

On the second point is in July, um Charlie Kirk was killed, and many people were surprised.

I was surprised too, based upon his views and how he felt about transgender, why so many students and other people would want to talk with him.

So I listened to a few of his videos.

And what I found out is first when students came to talk with them, they had they had the preconceived ideas about well, he's a conservative and uh he has these ideas, and even transgender, but at one point there are two people who are transgender to talk with them.

One was M to F and one was F to M.

Both of them had Klein filters, as I do, except I'm I'm M to F and I'm Klein Felters one.

So Klein Felters is like a birth defect.

You have it because basically something happened during the pregnancy.

And in my case, it was my mother when my dad was an executive in the 60s.

Many executive wives were taught to be very slim, very much a trophy white figure during their pregnancy.

So she is encouraged to take supplements, and that's what caused my client filters.

So when Charlie Kirk was explained this, he actually changed his point of view.

But this also goes into the point of where that where active listening, even though someone may have a different opinion, may have a different philosophy of life.

People do appreciate someone who listens.

And Charlie Kirk was viewed by many of the liberal students as an uncle with a different opinion, but he did something different than what their parents, teachers, administrators, and even college professors did.

He listened, he discussed, he talked with them as an thank you for your comments.

The next speaker is Jeff Warg at 825, Melvin Av.

Good evening, common counsel.

Sorry I haven't been down here for a while.

I've actually had a job where I couldn't come.

I had to work these nights.

Some people are comparing it even to like Pebble Beach.

I think that's great.

Um, the one thing I want to mention is that there's another we could really have a win-win situation for everyone in the community and actually have them build two golf courses.

There's a property that I talked to their designer, Mr.

Haltum about that they're gonna look at.

It's called the case South Works.

There's only it's on the south side of Racine around 21st Street.

We have a um uh sanitary water and sewer plant there.

There's only one tree on the property.

That property would be great for this type of a golf course.

It could be opened up much sooner, it wouldn't involve removing all these trees.

Um, they may have shoreline issues there.

Um they it was the largest property for sale between Chicago and Milwaukee corridor for years.

Case is using a little bit of the property, but it would suit this ideally.

I think that what should happen at Shoop is that they should expand the or make a nine-hole course.

They're back to nine holes, which I think's right.

There should be a new uh clubhouse built where it is.

The iconic parking lot should stay where it is.

That's a great view.

Um we need to talk about issues like the WPA steps.

No one's talked about that.

The fact that this is an issue for Wind Point, but that land next to the lighthouse was traded for someone at Winpoint agreed there would never be anything built on that, from what I understand, and that person was given two lots on Hunk Club Road, and they were at a building house there.

So that's something to think about.

Will there be access to the piers?

Um I like the fact the nine holes keeping the second hole is iconic.

That should be there.

The shoreline ball for erosion is basically halfway down the second green and also where the existing clubhouse is.

Um I have an 18-hole handicap or 18 uh handicap for golf.

I've played shoot since 1981.

I have a background in consumer insights and marketing strategy.

I've been published on Business Week.

I'm in former scene.

I've actually consulted the CEO of General Motors.

So I'm hoping that if you're willing to listen to me, or you'd be willing to listen to me if that person gave me the time to listen to what I have to say.

I think this is a win situation for John or for the entire community.

They are talking about about a half price rate for the non-resident.

So I think that's a great thing, but let's keep it in the nature of what the course is right now, leaving as many trees as possible.

Um thank you for your time.

The next speaker is Deb Munch at 2064 Dean Boulevard.

Hi, I'm call um talking about the rundow property at 3010 21st Street.

Um, and anybody who's lived in the neighborhood for several years knows that this property is a nuisance.

Um I spoke at the city council on two of 25 about the garbage on the roof of this property.

On Friday the 13th this year, I called City Hall about they had built a railing fence on top of the flat top garage.

It is falling over.

I have pictures.

Um I spoke with the lady at City Hall.

She transferred me, I left a message.

I have not heard back about it.

It is going to fall into my yard onto my fence and damage my fence, just like when James Barker drove through the garage and into my fence a few years back, and I had to replace my fence.

Um, the people that own the house do not live in the house per city records.

Um, I also sent my elder woman a text message about it and photos, and it has moved towards my fence since I sent photos to my other person.

Um I would like to see somebody come out and look at this property and this fence that's going to fall into my yard and damage my property.

Thank you.

The next speaker is Melissa Warner at 333 at Lake Ave.

Good evening.

Thank you very much for the presentation.

It was very interesting, and I appreciate that you've made it available for us to see.

As I came tonight, there were three things in particular I was looking for.

And while they've all been addressed in the presentation, I hope you will do your due diligence and study these issues further.

The first, of course, is the bluff.

Because of our glacial history, the lake bluffs are unstable, wave action continually undercuts at the toe of the bluff, eventually leading no support for the solid land above and it collapses, often in a major storm.

And climate change indicates more of stronger storms and more of them in the future.

So stabilizing the shoreline is imperative if we want to keep anything above it, whether it's a parking lot or a building or your personal home.

Any solution, however, is temporary because the lake always wins.

That's because Mother Nature bats last.

But, and I'm certainly not going to second guess the geoengineers who know far better than I do how to stabilize it as long as possible.

But we need to be certain that we are using the best solution, even if we recognize that it is in the long game, temporary.

Second is habitat.

Our Lake Michigan shoreline from Carrie Hollow Park to Crestview is an essential part of the Great Lakes flyway.

The migration corridor for birds and bats in the spring and the fall.

And after flying all day, the birds stop for the night and they need shelter and food pronto, just the way you do after you've been driving a long distance on a vacation.

You want your motel and your restaurant right there.

And with a good bit of Rathine paved, whether it's concrete, asphalt, or grass turf, which I consider pavement, residential or golf courses.

There's little enough native habitat to sustain.

Sorry.

I'm I'm running the clock here.

To sustain these migratory critters as it is, and their population numbers are plummeting.

I want us to be looking for habitat protection and enhancement for both migratory and full-time bird residents focused on native species.

Third people.

Now I don't know much about the clientele that uses Shoot Park now.

But the question is will this improve proposal improve their experience?

Will current users be able to use the park?

Will they want to use the park?

And will they be able to afford to use the park?

We've had some intriguing possibilities tonight, and I hope that you will investigate them further.

So three things plus habitat and people.

Thank you.

The next speaker is Michael Burke at 1232, Florence Ab.

Hi.

Mostly I have some more questions, but some more details I'd like to hear about this.

At first, most of us were aghast about the cutting down of the trees on the east side of Lighthouse Drive.

But again, I've come to appreciate much of what the uh developers are proposing here.

So again, mostly questions.

Um will any of the mature trees on the east side of the uh lighthouse drive be spared?

The chainsaw, if so, how many?

Um about the native trees and shrubs to be added, approximately how many what parts of the course, and what size are we talking about?

You know, there's a big difference in the uh size of trees that you can plant.

And my comment is again just add as many natives as possible.

Um about the removal of invasive species, great news.

Um, just wondering what sort of follow-up management there will be because invasives are gonna creep back in if you don't stay on it year year after year after year.

Um just like uh some clarification.

It looks like they propose adding more prairie.

I would just like to hear more about that at some point in the public discussion process.

I would be all for that.

Um can you save any of the hedge that runs along the property bordering the lighthouse and the golf course?

The birders actually call it the magic hedge, believe it or not.

So um we would like to see some of that saved if possible.

Um talking about the the new clubhouse.

Uh it looks beautiful, and I'm sure it will be.

Um, but this being on a migratory, a major migratory path, it could potentially be a death trap for birds.

Uh so we would ask that the windows be made of bird-proof glass.

And similarly, um there'll be uh a handful of nights in the spring and fall when birds are moving by the billions, literally the billions, and it is possible to know what nights those are.

On those nights, we would like to see lights out at the clubhouse.

Um, we'd like to see lights out everywhere because that interferes with migration.

Um, and we also have a bluebird trail at uh at the golf course, which I've been monitoring for the last uh three years.

If there's enough habitat left to support insects and therefore birds, um, can we continue this question obviously for the developers?

Could we continue our bluebird trail?

Obviously in consultation, so we don't put houses where there'll be obstructions.

Um Leslie uh at Hoy, we just will continue to hold open our invitation for the developers to come and talk to us face to face sometime.

Done.

The next speaker is QA Shakur the second at 1516 West Sixth Street.

Well, thank you for the opportunity.

You're on there, the mayor, and also the honorable members of the common council.

I come to speak in support of the uh bluff stabilization and also the habitat restoration at the shoot park.

Um it's going to be great to have a world-class golf course, uh, the landscape restoration, and to enhance the community.

And I'm thankful and grateful for the Leopold and Johnson's family that's putting up 10 million dollars at no cost to the city of Racine.

So that is a good thing.

And as you all may or may not know, I am a golfer.

Uh I'm a part of the Racine Pin Eye Golf Club, but we've been around 65 years.

And with that being said, I enjoy the outside, outdoors, and of course, golfing, and I would hope that the this common council will be in support of this for the long haul.

Thank you.

The next speaker is Colin McKenna at 724 Crabtree Lane.

Thank you very much for letting me speak to you tonight.

No matter where you live, ports and trees use their many powers to support our lives and all the life on earth.

Their health is our health.

And trees help fight climate change.

The US forests are one of the most promising natural climate solutions.

Trees are looking out for us, so we have to look out for them.

Older trees store a lot more carbon than younger trees.

So I think it's very important for you to do research on that.

So we need to keep our older trees.

Access to nearby green space also contribute to better physical health by encouraging us to move around and exercise.

And because we move around more, we have access to trees and parks.

And please save the older trees at Shoop Park.

Thank you.

Corey Prince.

So I looked at the uh area of Shoot Park, and it shows that there was an extensive hardwood forest on both sides of the Lighthouse Drive where the Lighthouse Drive is now.

So if they're trying to restore the habitat in the area, I think they need to consider keeping as many trees as possible.

The only place that according to the DNR, there was sand dunes would be along the lake shore.

And it doesn't extend as far as Lighthouse Drive.

I do question in the video presentation, it says that's 1920 sand dunes.

I question whether that is windpoint.

And if it's not, it's a kind of deceptive.

Maybe it is, but I could not see any evidence of the windpoint lighthouse in the video of 1920.

I'd also like to point out that the deed that was when Shoop Park was given says nothing about it being a golf course.

It says it was to be a park, nothing about a golf course forever.

And I'd also think uh the developers should inform us as to an estimate of uh what it's going to cost to play the course.

Otherwise, I I we have no idea if it's gonna be affordable for an ordinary recent resident.

And I'd also be interested if they could give us information into as to when there'll be further meetings and information about the uh golf course, and there should be uh notification ahead of time.

All the meetings so far seem to be like a 24-hour uh notification.

That's it.

Um thank you.

The last speaker is Mary Guardiola at 5100 Charles Street in Wind Point.

Hello, I am here today um not to dispute, dispute improving the golf course.

Ma'am, could you pull the microphone a little bit closer?

Sorry, okay.

Do I get my time back?

Sure.

Okay.

Okay.

So I'm here today not to dispute um improving the golf course.

It's something that has been overdue for many, many years.

It's been neglected, and I have several friends at golf, relatives at golf.

I don't myself, but I get it.

Um, so it's it's overdue.

Um, I am here though, in concern of the amount of space that the golf course will be taking up now.

Um, it's going to take um a complete upgrade along.

I I wrote this when I thought you were gonna add three more holes.

Um now I guess it's back down to having the nine holes, which is better, um, but it still takes up a lot of that green space.

Um so it's it's my intent to be here on the behalf of Dr.

Shoop, his who is no longer with us, but he did write in a deed and will as I understand the will, I haven't seen myself, but the deed I have that he gifted this beautiful piece of property to the city of Racine many, many years ago.

Um, that it would be forever, and I want to correct um it's forever be used as a public park public park purposes, not public golf courses.

So it's public park purposes, which could include golf courses, but by expanding it in the form that you are or considering, um it's taking away a lot of green space for the park setting as far as um it it was mentioned a golf uh uh walking path along the the shore, which is great.

Um, my question there would be is if it's is it gonna be solid surface because a lot of elderly people do walk there, they bring their kids, they ride their bikes.

Um we go there every day to walk.

Um, so we see who comes and goes.

So it's it's used year-round by these people who maybe some golf, maybe they don't, but there's many, many people that do go out there to appreciate the green space in the nature, and we watch the birds and all that.

Um so if you could please consider maybe adding more green space.

I don't know if it can be done, you know, somehow with the people who do these drawings and these these preliminaries.

Um, but to include that and consider the people who use it year-round.

Um we would never use the golf clubhouse because we don't golf.

We wouldn't feel we'd feel out of place because people who golf are gonna use the golf house, you know.

Um, and I think a lot of other people might feel the same way.

Oh, I only have 19 seconds.

Um let me see.

Um shoot, I can't say a lot of this now.

Um yeah, I would feel that it would be wrong to have the park dwindled away and taken away solely by the golf course.

That's pretty much just can please consider um the people who use it for other purposes in the park-like setting.

Thank you.

Thank you.

This concludes the public comment segment.

So we move from public comments to public hearings.

We have two items that are before us uh that under state statute require the public hearing to occur at the city council and not at the committee level.

So um the first item before us is a public hearing on uh exceeding geographical restrictions and quota restrictions for a class A retail fermented malt beverage and intoxicating liquor license for spa verdant or verdant rather located at 512 Main Street.

Is there anyone present wishing to speak on the proposal to exceed a geographical restriction and quota restriction for a class A retail fermented malt beverage and intoxicating liquor license for spa verdant located at 512 Main Street?

Are there any members of the public here wishing to speak on an item to exceed the geographical restriction and quota restriction for a class A retail fermented malt beverage and intoxicating liquor license for spa verdant located at 512 Main Street?

Seeing none, I'll declare the public hearing on this matter closed.

And move on to the next item on which we are having a public hearing.

This is a zoning ordinance change.

Zoning ordinance changes do require hearings to occur at the full council space.

I know we do have one member of the public here wishing to speak to this.

This is the public hearing on zoning ordinance 0001-26 to amend Chapter 114, Article 1, Section 114-1, Chapter 114, Article 5, Section 1147, and to create Chapter 114, Article 5, Section 114, 487 sub B, Sub 30.

We do have one member of the public here wishing to speak on it.

Mr.

Meekma, if you'd like to approach the Diaz.

Welcome back.

Good evening, thank you.

Uh Mayor, could you repeat all those articles real quickly?

Just kidding.

Hey, thank you, Paul, for letting me be here tonight and speak to you about this ordinance.

Um, for those of you who do know me and those of you who don't, I'm uh the executive director of an organization called Focus on Community.

Uh, our primary objective is uh substance abuse prevention for youth in our communities.

So we spend a lot of time in schools and working with young people.

Uh and we always try to look for opportunities to come and speak and educate about uh effective ways to create more opportunities to reduce the amount of risky behavior young people might find themselves in.

Um and this is one of those relevant relevant things.

So here I am uh with the opportunity to speak to you.

So I know in a situation like this, there can be a lot of conversation about the uh the impact of the zoning ordinance and the um the relevant uh uh connection that it has to business and things of that nature.

Um, and I'm not really here to speak in favor one way or the other of this.

I just want to help educate on the impact an ordinance like this might have on young people.

So to that end, um it is really important that we kind of explore the relation that it has to uh youth serving organizations.

And I know that's one of the the key elements of this is limiting the distance that it finds itself or that any new uh entity finds itself from a youth serving organization.

In this instance, it's about a thousand feet.

So uh from that standpoint, it does not it's not prohibiting uh public or it's not prohibiting existing tobacco or vape businesses from continuing to operate, which I think is a relevant and significant piece of this.

It's really only affecting new uh applications.

Uh and that's really where we can start to put some of those prevention routes down.

Um the current licensed business would be allowed to continue uh as prior uh non-conforming uses.

What the ordinance does establish is clear rules for future locations by limiting new vendors to certain commercial districts and requiring distance buffers from schools, daycares, community centers, places of worship, and other youth serving spaces.

Um from prevention lens, uh, it is accurate to say that the city would be choosing where a high-risk retail category may locate in order to reduce youth exposure uh and clustering.

So, what does all that mean?

Um, well, nationally, e-cigarettes remain the most commonly used tobacco product uh by young people.

Uh in 2024, 5.9% of middle and high school students, or about 1.63 million young people reported current e-cigarette use.

Uh, among high school students alone, that figure was 7.8% in Wisconsin.

Uh the concern has been even more significant.

Uh, state public health resources report that in 2023, 15.7% of Wisconsin high school students have used e-cigarettes.

Uh, that's about one in six teens.

Uh, in a recent survey that we did, uh, just actually in the fall of last year, uh, we surveyed all the ninth grade students in Racine Unified, uh, and we found that of those racing unified ninth grade students, 10% of them um have tried vape products within the last 30 days.

So that's when you're looking at a prevention lens, that's a pretty significant number uh that young people are reporting.

Uh, and we do suspect that the number is even higher, but you know, kids don't like to tattle on themselves.

So uh we're at 10 percent.

Um the Wisconsin Department of Health Services also notes that nearly all commercial tobacco uh use begins during adolescence and young adulthood.

Uh and that's why prevention of this nature is so important.

So, location, why does that matter?

Uh the CDC states that most e-cigarettes contain nicotine, which is highly addictive.

Uh, nicotine can harm the parts of the adolescent brain that can treat control attention, learning, mood, and impulse control.

Uh the CDC also notes that youth can begin showing signs of nicotine addiction very early.

Um, we know that this earlier some young people start, the more likely addiction is.

Um, that's probably not a lot of new news to most of you.

So, how are we affecting that?

Uh research and public health reviews also show that when tobacco retailers are located near schools or are densely clustered.

Uh youth exposure goes up and smoking risk or susceptibility tends to be higher.

Counter tobacco reports that 44% of teens in the U.S.

attend schools within 1,000 feet of a tobacco retailer.

Uh and 77% of public schools are within 10 minute 10-minute walk of one.

Uh there evidence summary uh further notes that greater retailer density near schools is associated with higher youth smoking rates and greater susceptibility to future use.

Public health and policy organizations increasingly view retail location rules as a legitimate local tool.

The public health law center's 2026 findings for tobacco retailer licensing ordinances state that local governments can use evidence-based provisions to protect health and support youth access prevention.

Uh the association of state and territorial health officials uh uh that reports that strong retail licensing and location policies can lower retail density, reduce youth initiation and use, and reduce underage sales.

Uh it's also important to note that Racine would not be alone in taking on an ordinance like this.

A lot of Riscon communities have already uh enacted similar restrictions.

Milwaukee adopted a zoning rule, zoning rules preventing new smoke and vape shops from opening within a thousand feet of a school and five hundred feet of another sim similar retailer.

Uh a recent Brookfield staff report cites Wisconsin examples also include Grafton, Superior, Monona, and Madison as communities that have adopted local uh limitations for new tobacco vaping retailers.

So the really the final point that I want to get across is that the type of ordinance is not unusual.

Uh I think it is a part of a well-established pattern of local governments.

It's using zoning ordinances and licensing authority to manage the placement of businesses whose products carry known risks for youth, uh, excess addiction, and long-term health harm.

So uh it is important.

I think it's great that you all are considering this, discussing the reasonable of footage, exact zoning, how broad the list of protected youth services servicing facilities might be.

Uh, but the underlying public health rational is clear.

When communities reduce the concentration of tobacco and vape retailers uh near schools and youth-centered spaces, they do reduce routine exposure, normalization, and create healthier conditions for young people.

For city like Racine, uh, for city like ours, I think it's especially it should be an especially relevant goal to support youth families and schools uh and their neighborhoods while still allowing lawful businesses to actively uh appropriate to activity in appropriate locations.

Um to touch one more time on the developmental asset survey, which I hope I may get an opportunity to present in full to you all in the in the near future.

Um we did find some significant data that I thought was relevant to this conversation right now.

Um the as I mentioned, we surveyed all the ninth graders in Racine Unified and in Waterford, uh, and we found that of the 60 recommended developmental assets, our community average is only 37, which is not horrible, but still not great.

That does put them in the at-risk category uh as it is defined by the developmental asset uh survey through search institute.

Um one of the most critical areas is the constructive use of time.

Young people found felt that they did not have enough opportunity or enough uh um safe or harm-free spaces uh to use time and and have constructive use of time, and that is a direct correlation to them engaging in risky behavior.

So by lowering the number of outlets, vaping outlets, uh tobacco outlets within the range of direct access to youth, we are gonna have an in direct impact on them engaging in that risky behavior.

So I thank you all for letting me provide you with this information.

Um, if it's appropriate, I would answer questions.

Other words, I will get out of here and let you do what you gotta do.

Thank you all very much.

Have a great night.

Thank you, Mr.

Meekman.

Are there any other members of the public present wishing to speak to the public hearing on zoning ordinance 0001-26 to amend chapter 114, Article 1, Section 114-1, Chapter 114, Article 5, Section 1147, and to create Chapter 114, Article 5, Section 11487 sub-B sub 30.

Last call to ask if there are other members of the public present wishing to speak on zoning ordinance 0001-26 to amend chapter 114 Article 1, Section 114-1, Chapter 114 Article 5, Section 11487, and to create Chapter 114 Article 5, Section 114-47, sub-B sub 30.

Seeing no members of the public remaining wishing to speak on this item, I will declare the public hearing on this matter closed.

And at this time, we will go into the report from planning heritage design.

Alder Pete, have you had any requests for separate consideration on this item?

No, I have uh Alder Weiner is in the queue.

Alder Weiner.

Thank you.

I would like separate consideration on this item.

Okay.

Alder Pete, would you please read the item?

Item item number 0126.

Alder Pete, if you could quote the microphone a little bit closer to you there.

Okay.

Item number 0126.

Sub communication sponsored by Mayor Mason requesting or 000126 to amend Chapter 14, Article 1, Section 114, Hyphen 1, Chapter 114, Article 5, Section 114, and 447, and to create Chapter 114, Article 5, Section 114, Hyphen 487 B number 30.

Recommendation of the Planning Heritage and Design Commission on February 16th of 2026 that a ordinance to amend Chapter 114, Article 1, Section 1141, Chapter 114, Article 5, Section 114 through 447, and to create Chapter 114, Article 5, Section 1148, B 30, B adopted.

Is that a motion?

Alder Pete.

Move to approve.

As a motion to approve, uh Alder Kelly got it in just under the wire for the second.

Alder Pete or other Alders wishing to speak to the item.

Well, I'll start considering I am on that committee.

Uh after a lot of thought and consideration and discussion also on the plan on the public safety and license commission.

And one thing that we have noticed is that the neighborhoods are overly saturated with uh shops that sell these types of products, vaping products, won't go into examples, but it's like uh they're come springing up closer to schools as has already been stated.

Uh they're dominating in some areas in areas where their children are being affected, and this is the thrust or the uh gravity that caused us to uh look into create a supporting this measure.

Alder Pavon.

Thank you, Mr.

Mayor.

This is uh something that is uh really good to see considering uh all the work that's been done, public safety licensing, different members of this council reaching out state legislature, so on and so forth, trying to figure out a way that we can kind of help to qualm the the explosion, the peripheration that we've seen of all these tobacco shops and vape and the problems that it has, especially as it pertains to our youth.

So um I think this is a really great tool and resource the city can then uh utilize at this point in time until we can get the state legislature to get into gear and um get a little more strict in the way that they do with alcohol and so on and so forth.

So we have more resources and tools available to us besides just doing zoning, but this is a good first step, so full support of this.

Thank you.

Alder Weider.

Thank you.

I was just gonna make a motion to refer this item to the public safety and licensing committee for further discussion from that committee member from the committee members as this um licensing of the vape shops is an item that comes before the public safety.

And I just I I believe this be uh committee met last night about 530 and discuss these changes.

So I'd just like a little more time to review this more thoroughly and have a more full-throated discussion by the committee that has the oversight of uh the uh the licenses a motion to refer this item to public safety and licensing.

Is there a second on that motion?

Is that second by uh Alder Thompson Townsend?

Um Alder Weiner, do you want to speak to your motion any further?

No.

Okay.

Um so what I have I do have somebody else in the queue, but I think that was for the previous motion.

Does anyone else so I'm gonna clear the queue?

And at this point, um, if people want to speak on the idea of referring this item to public safety and licensing as a zoning ordinance, um that would be appropriate at this time.

Alder Jorgensen.

I just want to make sure the meeting that uh excuse me, the meeting that was held by planning heritage and design.

I just want to make sure the meeting that uh excuse me, the meeting that was held by planning heritage and design, that was a noticed meeting uh and it was open to any alder or a member of the public to attend, right?

That is correct.

And so this is just the this is the zoning change of that as well.

So I would be voting against this motion.

This is common sense, the committee that handles uh zoning for the zoning change.

Uh voted on it, um, discussed it.

Uh that was open to the public, and anyone or any alder could attend.

So I did my homework, I'm ready to vote on this now.

Alder Allen.

Thank you.

So I'm also going to vote against it going to committee.

The reason is because I've been looking into this even before I joined the council.

I serve on the school board, and I also teach.

And it has been my goal that I've spoken with members of the council before I joined, uh, to see how we could really reduce uh these kinds of shops coming into our community.

And there's also something about the aesthetic, you know, that goes along with this, but just the health concern for our children and for our families and the need to be a proactive and get in front of what is really a problem in our schools right now.

And if we can reduce the accessibility and actually increase education as well as the harmful effects of vaping and tobacco, that would go a long way for our community.

Uh, I've seen the effects of vaping uh in our schools with our students.

I've studied the long-term health effects, whereas if initially when vaping was first becoming popular, uh it was touted that it was safer than cigarette smoking, and we know that to be not true now, and it actually more dangerous uh for our kids and for our families and our adults.

So I think it behooves us to go along with the planning heritage and design report um recommendation that we just go ahead and vote for this zoning change until we can, as uh Alder Pavone said, really work more uh collaboratively with our state legislation to uh initiate and uh introduce some other things that would actually benefit our community.

So I'm going to be voting no against that motion.

Um thank you, Your Honor.

I would have to also be in disagreement because uh with the state laws being as they are, and we all on the uh public safety and licensing committee are well aware of this, is that our hands are tied based on the current state laws, and the only we this would be a tool that we would be able to use to address some of the issues that have already been presented tonight.

So I will not be in support of moving it back since we already know that we have limited tools.

Thank you.

Alder Pavone.

Thank you, Mr.

Mayor.

No, normally this is something I would consider to pertain to public safety and licensing, considering I'm on the committee.

But in this particular circumstance, the reason that I am against the motion to send it to public safety and licensing is if we don't approve this and the zoning ordinances don't take effect today, as soon as we approve it, any application between now and the next time after public safety and licensing, so on and so forth, can get grandfathered in, whether they are zoned or not.

Um and with the again the explosion that we have seen, the saturation that we have seen, the public health and safety and risk that we have, I do not think it's wise to delay any longer when this has been through the channels that it has.

Again, normally, yes, I would agree, but because we are in a uh situation where we don't really have any tools, this gives us a tool, and this allows us to prevent um thing more from coming and then getting grandfathered in before we can get it back to council for final approval, Alder Weiner.

Thank you.

Uh, based on the arguments made by two of the committee members from public safety and licensing, I will withdraw my motion.

Does the second or agree to withdraw the motion?

Okay, then we're back to the main motion.

Um we do have Alder Frazier in the queue.

Alder Frazier, the the amendment to the motion to refer this item back or refer this item to public safety and licensing has been withdrawn.

Now we're on the main motion, the zoning ordinance before us.

Would you like to speak to the main motion?

Uh no, since the motion was original motion was withdrawn.

Thank you.

Okay.

Anyone wishing to speak to them to the main motion again?

This is item uh 0126-26 uh regarding um an ordinance to amend chapter 114 article one, section one fourteen dash one, chapter one fourteen, article five, section one fourteen, four forty-seven, and to create chapter one fourteen, article five, section one fourteen-four eighty seven sub B sub 30, uh, that it be adopted.

Is there any further discussion on this item?

Um, we are doing roll call today, so when the clerk calls your name, please vote as you wish.

Alder Jorgensen, aye, Alderman Widener, Alder Horton, Alder Escada, Alder Allen, Alder Pete, Alder Land, Alder Perez, Alder Kelly, Alder Harmon, Alder Pabone, Alder Fraser, Alder Townsend, Alder Davis, Alder Mack, 15 ayes, 0 No's.

Motion carries unanimously.

We move on to the committee the whole report.

Uh President Horton, would you like uh if you had a request for separate consideration on this item?

Um it is a receive and file item.

Would you like to read the item and make the motion to receive and file?

All right.

Uh the following item should be received and file 0178-26 communications sponsored by Mayor Mason for presentation for a presentation of the Kaiser Group and Leopold Johnson Golf Group regarding potential improvement and long-term lease agreements with the city of Racing for Shoe Park.

Recommendation from the committee of the whole on 310 of 26 to receive and file the communication and make public the presentation video and department notes.

Is that motion and a second to receive and file this item?

All those in favor of receiving filing, please say aye.

Aye.

Opposed.

That motion carries.

We now move to uh communications introduced to council.

We start with finance and personal and finance and personnel.

Alder Land, would you like to make a motion regarding these items?

I would like to make a motion to refer the following items to finance and personnel committee.

Item 0197-26 communication sponsored by Mayor Mason submitting the Racing Police Staff Officers Association 2025-2028 collective bargaining agreement for consideration.

Item 0199-26 communication sponsored by the mayor submitting the results of the official notice 3-2026 design services for construction of fire station number one headquarters.

Item 0200-26 communication submitting the claim of Christopher Weiss for consideration for disallowance.

Item 0212-26.

Consider communication requesting commission to enter into a sole source professional services agreement with sentinel technologies to assist city in planning and addition of water and wastewater to the city's network.

I will look a second.

Oh can I go sorry?

Can I get a vote on uh on referral?

All in favor, okay.

All right.

All right.

Automatic uh referral to the uh public works and services by order back.

I'll make a motion to refer the following items and all the words and services.

Item 0204-6.

Thank you.

Item 0.5-26.

Two parking regulations.

More specifically, Section 94-143, limited parking zone schedule G.

Item 0206-26, communication amending chapter 94, article three, division two parking regulations.

More specifically, Section 94-141, no parking zones, schedule F.

Item 0207-26 communication submitting change order number two to contract 2025 009 2025 sanitary sewer lateral lining, mus and brothers contractors.

Item 0208-26.

Item 0207-26 communication submitting change order number two to contract 2025 009 2025 sanitary sewer lateral lining mus and brothers contractors item 0208-26 communication submitting change order number one to contract 2025 005 2025 sanitary sewer main sip visual sewer in contractors item 0209-26 communication submitting bid results for contract 2026 025 parking ramp maintenance and item 0213-26 communication requesting to close a number of streets for the Juneteenth parade on Friday June 19th 2026.

Opposed that motion carries now we move on to public safety and licensing.

Alder Weiner, would you like to make a motion regarding these items?

Oh did you have a point of order, Alder Pavone?

Yes, thank you, Mr.

I just maybe I missed something here, but we had the items referred by Alder Land.

Did we have a vote on that?

We had a motion and a second to refer, but I don't think we ever voted on it.

Okay.

Is that um I just want to make sure I was out of the room briefly and Alder Horton and I think we were about to, but then we we move yeah someone's committed to need to, but we do.

Okay.

Um why don't we do uh public safety and licensing and then we'll go back to do the motion.

Well, actually go ahead.

Okay, so there is a motion and a second to approve all the items that have been returned referred to finance and personnel.

All those in favor of that motion, please say aye.

Opposed that motion carries.

Um now we'll move on to referrals to public safety and licensing.

Alder Winer, would you like to make a motion regarding those items?

Thank you.

I would move the following items to public safety and licensing committee.

First item is 0190 communication submitting a new application for a class A retail permanente malt beverage and intoxicating liquor license for the neighborhood pantry, ink DBA neighborhood pantry located at 1511 West Sixth Street, Sarah Beat Red Walla Agent.

Next item is 019126 communication for a new petition to exceed geographical and quota restrictions for a class A retail permitted vault beverage and intoxicating liquor license for neighborhood pantry, DBA neighborhood pantry located at 1511 West 6th Street, Sarah Bit Rada Agent 8th District, item 0192 communication submitting a change of agent application for a class A retail formatted beverage license for neighborhood pantry inc DBA neighborhood pantry hotel located at 1511 West Sixth Street Sarah Bit Rada Agent 8th District Item 0193-26 communication for the licensed premise report final item 0194-26 communication requesting any consideration, any formal expression of concern or other actions pursuant to the police report.

The second on these referrals, all those in favor of referring these items to public safety and licensing, please say aye.

Opposed?

Yes, your honor.

I'm gonna pull out item 0176-26.

Please read the item.

Communications sponsored by Alder Pavone requesting permission.

Enter into an agreement to accept funding from Douglas Avenue bid to fund approximately 340 hours of police officer overtime costs and dedicated traffic and speed enforcement along Douglas Avenue from State Street to three mile.

And are you would speak?

I would like to speak to the item.

Would you like to make a motion on the item?

Oh motion to approve.

Okay.

Alder Land, would you like to speak to your motion?

Yes.

Um, when this item came up, I was I did vote for it to go through because with all my driving I do around the city.

I think Douglas Avenue and Memorial Drive are the are the worst troublesome speeding areas.

So I did support this, but then there was a communication from our legal council that had some valid concerns on it.

So I would like to refer this back to finance and personnel so we could address these concerns.

So I'd make a motion to refer back to finance and personnel.

Okay, so there's a motion to refer this item back to finance and personnel.

Is there a second on that motion?

Alder Allen made the second.

Okay.

Okay, so now to this point, we're we're talking about the motion to refer it back to committee.

Um so uh Alder Prabhupada, would you like to speak to that piece of the motion?

Thank you, Mr.

Mayor.

I'm gonna speak against the motion to refer this back to finance and personnel.

I have no interest in having this going back to the committee and then it'd be presented in limbo.

Um my job as an elected official in my view is to represent my constituents, and I represent a portion of Douglas Avenue in my normal district, but I'm also the alder on the Douglas Avenue bit.

Uh, and I have heard the concerns of the chief.

I have heard the concerns of attorney Lettney.

Um I have also read the unusual step that he provided us with the memo that he provided to the council.

Um what I will say is this was in limbo for quite a few months before this came um up to my attention.

Now, I had reached out, I had done my due diligence, talked with the chief about this, was in support, talked with the attorney who had some reservations that he had noted, um, but nothing in black letter law um that would prevent us from doing this and went ahead with help assisting me in drafting the communication for this item.

Now, the services, I want to be clear the bid is is getting this money from an extra tax imposed on the businesses in the in this improvement district.

It's in the name business improvement district.

The services that would be provided for the overtime for these um officers for this special feud speed enforcement, the services are supplemental after contractually obligated hours are already worked.

So this is not taking attention away from a different part of the city just to solely go here.

Um you also lapsed into economic impact because if you have the reckless driving, the speeding, the issues that are going on is not just in Douglas Avenue on Douglas Avenue, but across the city, people are not gonna want to be visiting the businesses when they don't feel safe parking their car or crossing the street.

Um if they have less business, there's less tax for us to collect because there's less income coming in.

And by having the extra uh attention there that is paid for by the bid, they're able to free up the officers for on regular duty to focus on the rest of the city.

Um because the bid can pay for it, um, it I mean, each bid gets what it pays for.

If one bid decides to pay for more lighting and cameras and aesthetic measures, then then that's its prerogative.

They utilize the funds in a way that they see fit.

Um and that's that's their prerogative to do that.

Um bids are special purpose entities that have the right to prioritize their own paying members.

Yes, they are in in that sense a governmental army, and I understand that.

But this is money that's coming from the extra tax imposed on it, not from residential taxpayers.

Um this would not uh preclude officers from performing special enforcement uh that are performing this uh special enforcement from following the law and upholding uh departmental standards and constitutional, so on and so forth.

I mean, it's obstacle to a discrimination claim would be that that's a floor versus ceiling argument where the city can still provide the reasonable baseline of service and has to with but with the special speed enforcement uh provided and extra funded by the bid, it doesn't take away from that.

Um, this is something that obviously is not just an issue in my area of Douglas Avenue, nor is it just an issue in the area of the bid.

This is all around.

This did not come out overnight.

This does not come out of nowhere.

This is coming out of the frustration that the bid has in the the wanting to help protect their assets, but also the place that they love and they call home.

This is what this is coming from.

So this is not something that you know we can make all the laws we want and all the ordinances that we want to pass, but laws and and those things mean nothing if they're not enforced.

This is the frustration that the bid is having.

Um, and that I don't think that by them saying, okay, you know what, we see this as such a problem that we're gonna go ahead and allocate this money to help with this.

This wouldn't just benefit uh, you know, this is this is coming down Douglas Avenue through the city for the businesses that are happening, the speed enforcement there, reckless driving, all that fun stuff.

This benefits everyone.

Now we don't need um, we don't have to wait in the in this particular case because there was something brought up that this is not done in other municipalities around the state of Wisconsin.

Well, someone's got to be the first, and this is done in other states around the country.

We don't we don't have to wait for Milwaukee to lead the way.

We are capable of doing that ourselves.

We don't need a diluted feel-good alternative solution that doesn't address the active needs and concerns of the bid and the residents that's around it, but sending this back to a committee to die.

And if all of these concerns were there, you know, where was this again in the very preliminary process of processes of this?

I mean, do we not notice this at the beginning?

Not speaking specifically with the attorney's office.

But this is something that obviously the bid members felt enough with the st the stores that they own and the businesses that they own.

This is a big enough priority.

They're willing to throw tens of thousands of dollars at it to try to help.

Something's gonna change.

We can't just say, well, now we got enough people coming in that we're should we should be able to help start enforcing this and doing that.

Or maybe you know what, this is a good idea, but maybe we can have something else.

Then why wasn't that thought of already?

Why was why hasn't that been done?

I don't find it acceptable that now suddenly uh this is such a huge issue because oh, we have other alternatives, then we should have been using them.

Alternatives that actually make the difference in impact.

That is the number one thing I get complaints on speeding.

Absolutely.

And I don't think any alder in this room can say that that's not one of the number one complaints that they don't get.

But my job specifically is to advocate for the constituents of my district and also for the bid and for the city.

And I think this is good for all three of those.

So I am not in favor of sending it back to finance and personnel.

Thank you.

Alder Allen.

Well, thank you for your comments, Alderman.

However, I too represent my constituents, and it has been an ongoing conversation about how we can address traffic speeding uh in district nine.

So, and with that, we've been having ongoing conversations with the the department that we should be having it with, and that is with DPW.

I have two schools, I have a few churches, I have families, and yes, I do have a bid, but when you start introducing the idea that we are going to uh use businesses to take the place of and fund support and services to take the place of what our taxes should be doing and what our department of public works should be doing uh to take care of safety issues and offer traffic support.

I think you're going down a slippery slope.

The uh legal concern is there, the optics concern is there, and you know, throwing money at something can be done to impact negatively or positively money in the wrong person's hands and spent and directed the wrong way with the wrong motivation can have a uh a negative effect on a community as well.

And so you're opening up uh a Pandora's box there, and so speaking from my constituents and the bid in my district.

No, we should not have to take money and put it towards something that our taxes should be covering and our department should be working on.

I've been asking for uh traffic support in my district since I joined, so I get that you are committed to your constituency, but we don't we don't level our law enforcement that way.

We level our department of public works to do their job to help us bring traffic support into our communities.

Can you guys hear me?

We can please proceed.

Um, so I think that this one um I understand both sides, um, and I and I see it from a different perspective.

Uh and talking with the chief, um, I understand his hesitation with this, and I haven't kind of alluded to it.

Um this is this type of um approach to policing and traffic enhancement is in is unprecedented.

Uh what we generally do to enforce traffic uh is go after state grants.

The state will pay departments money to enforce enforced traffic in a in a particular area.

And as someone who also sits on a bid board uh downtown, I agree with Auditor Pabone that traffic is a is a big problem, and it is something that I get calls and text messages and emails about um every day.

Um I just don't think that this is the solution.

Um, and considering that our police chief is not in favor of this, um, I have to to side with him since he is the subject matter expert of policing.

Um, I do want to go over some statistics though.

Um he says that um 16%, we've seen a 16% increase uh in traffic stops this year.

We've also seen a 10% of uh and 10% increase in citations issued this year, and year to date, we've seen a 23% increase uh in productivity.

Um now, while I understand we want to concentrate our efforts on state highway 32, um, I could also make the argument, and I'm sure Author Davis can make the argument for her bid district that we want to see more concentration, more concentration in our areas.

Um this is just a a bad precedence, uh, and I think instead of paying the police department, which you know opens the door to a lot because my bid could could throw money, Order Davis's bid could throw money, and how is the police department gonna determine uh who goes where?

Um, I think that we sit down with the chief and his team and strategize on how we work on traffic enhancement.

Um, and if you know applying for grants is in the is a possibility, we approach it that way.

That way um his traffic units can dedicate you know their time on the state's dollar um to to enhance traffic.

So I'm not I'm not in favor of sending this back to the committee, and I'm also not in favor of this motion altogether.

Thanks.

Thank you.

There's been quite robust discussion on this.

Alderman Pavone did a good job of basically stating that is money assessed to the business owners on Douglas Avenue, and they determine how best to utilize that money.

The police department did not object to them buying those signs that blink and tell you how fast you're speeding, and those have been put up in various parts of Douglas Avenue.

Is that fair to other aldermanic districts that um don't have as many of those signs because our bid decided to purchase those and install them?

I don't think so.

Speeding is a huge issue on Douglas Avenue.

I represent a huge portion of Douglas Avenue.

And as I look, the fourth district, the fifth district, the seventh district, the 15th district, and possibly the first district.

There's someone down by State Street.

I'm not sure what district that is.

Maybe there's two districts there that make up the Douglas Avenue corridor.

In the past, the cities received state and federal grants that are for the most part drying up.

I'm old enough to remember the easy program, the rap van, all these different um grants that use over time to go and enforce traffic.

I don't see this as any different.

It's a concentrated grant for a concentrated specific area.

It has a start and an end date.

That's not fair.

That's not fair.

But I didn't complain about any of that because it was in the best interest of those districts, and it was in the best interest of the city.

And there's nothing precluding the uptown bid from utilizing some of their money if that's where they feel it's best suited, but they may not have the same problem with speeding as we do on that long Douglas Avenue corridor.

We have probably the largest bid in the city.

Downtown may have issues with speeding, but they have a stop light on every corner, which slows down traffic to a degree, and I can't get down through downtown straight through without having to stop at least twice the way those lights are set.

And so I'm gonna be voting against the motion to refer, and I will be supporting the original recommendation of the finance committee to approve this.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you, Mayor.

I applaud um the Douglas bid and Arthur Prabone for coming up with this um this ideal here with this this um I represent the uptown bid and uptown um quite frequently deals with speeding as well.

So as we said, speeding is an issue throughout the city of racing.

DPW has DPW and the law enforcement has sat down with the uptown bid and worked in trying to find out some different ways on how to address our speeding and reckless driving in that area.

DPW, thank you.

They were able to put up some signs that let no curves ahead.

We tried to find different other different ways to address it, but highway 20 is a state highways highway, so we run into some some barriers there.

If the Douglas bid is able to curb the speeding with these dollars and have enforcement enforcement from our law enforcement, it may wake up the chief and others to this is what we need to do.

One thing DPW continue continuously says is it's in we have our signs, we do the it's an enforcement issue.

We have to stop tiptoeing around that it's an enforcement issue.

It's been mentioned numerous times that there was short on staff, but it in the past year staff has come on.

I do not support the referral referring it back to personnel.

I support this item and moving ahead.

You all Douglas Bid has the funds for this?

I applaud y'all.

Uptown, that's a different story.

So if you're able to do that and we can look at you all and see what what what you what comes about it, and it's a positive action, I'm all about it.

We need enforcement, we need enforcement.

If it looks like overtime and the bid is paying for it, that's what it's gonna look like for now.

But each and every single one of us has heard from constituents about the speeding and reckless driving, and the and what they say is why is why we don't see these being enforcement.

Why are folks not being pulled over?

Citations.

So I'm gonna stop here and just say, Art of Probone, Douglas bid, yeah, did it?

Thank you.

I have two questions for the chair of the committee.

Um with the chair of the committee yield to a question from Alder Winer.

My two questions are the first one is was the vote in committee unanimous uh to support this recommendation?

No, it was not.

And my second question was there legal counsel available for an opinion at that finance committee.

Um there was a little bit of discussion, but not much.

Okay, thank you.

I'd like to make a comment as well.

Um you have the floor.

Thank you.

So later in our committee report, we're gonna be voting on a recommendation from the CDBG committee on what is really a pilot program, something brand new.

We've never funded before uh with CDBT dollars uh uh loans for businesses of the downtown.

That's something brand new.

At the meeting last night, I asked uh why is this not extended to other districts of other commercial corridors?

And what I was told is it is a pilot program.

I'm going to support Alder Pavone's request to use bid dollars to pay for overtime for enforcement in his bid, because we need to try something new.

If the folks that are paying a separate tax into a fund are willing to use that money to pay our police department for overtime to enforce the laws that we've already uh have on the books, I think we should support that.

It's no different than what we will probably support later with the CDBG, trying something new with a different funding source.

So I will be supporting not the motion to send this back to committee, but the recommendation that has come from committee.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Um I voted in favor of this uh in committee, and I intend to vote no on the motion to send it back.

Uh hopefully get to to vote in favor of it here.

Uh fun fact the the fifth district actually doesn't have uh any of Douglas.

We come very close.

We're about a block away.

Um we used to, yes, they looks like a really bad puzzle piece where they're all should be so we'll come close, but we're still impacted by it.

I mean, I one of the consistent complaints that comes through from residents is that the loud cars, it sounds like a racetrack.

I mean, if you some nights you close your eyes, sounds like the Indy 500 of just the roaring vehicles up and down, the squealing of tires, um, you know, trying to to drive or walk along it or or ride a bicycle by it.

I mean, you're taking your life in your own hands, it seems sometimes.

I've seen cars um pass other vehicles in oncoming traffic through there, weaving in and out between all four lanes.

Um I've had residents reach out saying that they too have been driving through there, and there are cars uh going faster through there than they do on the interstate.

And it just something needs to be done, and I view this as uh not an either-or, but an and of we can we can support this, we can take the money for enforcement, we can also work with the police department on regular enforcement through here and and other corridors in the city, as well as working with DPW on are there things that we could do to try to do traffic calming measures on Douglas and other business corridors, very much like what happened in Main Street, which does go through the fifth district, where we took it from four lanes, we went to two, the parking lanes are uh a little bit more robust now.

Uh there's bike lanes in it, and I I've had multiple residents reach out saying that they feel like they've gotten their front yard back now, that traffic has slowed down uh and they they have access to the front of their house without having a speedway in front of it.

So I think this is one portion of trying to solve the the traffic and and reckless driving that we have in the city, uh in particular on Douglas Avenue.

So I'm in favor of accepting the grant uh to have overtime used uh to put special focus on curbing reckless driving and speeding, and hopefully uh loud mufflers as well, too, as long as we're we're at it.

I do feel like they go hand in hand though, the speeding cars seem to also be the ones with the loud mufflers.

Um I I'm in favor of doing this uh and accepting it, as well as I think doing a full review of how can we really put measures in place very similar to what Milwaukee has done with traffic calming measures to turn the corner on this because I I just can't stand by anymore and see the news stories continue to come in of deadly car accident, deadly car accident in the city.

Something's gotta stop.

It has something has to give.

And so if this is the one of the first steps we take into really trying to push back on that, I'm here for it.

Alder Pete.

Thank you.

First of all, I'd like to commend Alder Pavone on the hard work that he's done.

And I understand all the perspectives and points of views that have been made, and I agree with them.

Everybody is on the same page because we have share a common problem, that is the speeding issue.

My point is that some of us don't have bids.

We have districts that have the same issues.

Actually, Alder Davis and I share part of 21st Street, and I get calls every day of people speeding, drag racing, etc.

etc., which goes back to Alder Fraser's point.

Which we probably need additional funding so that all districts are properly protected and have law enforcement for public safety.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Alder Harman.

Thank you, Mayor.

Um, I'm gonna make it quick so that we can just move forward.

Thank you, Alder.

Um I just wanted to thank you.

I think that it's really, really great.

I I appreciate your hard work.

Look, um I understand the hesitation.

This doesn't seem like a long-term solution.

Um, it doesn't seem like it should be the responsibility of the businesses to provide money for safety.

Safety should be free.

And as soon as we start having businesses pay for safety when other businesses can't do it, but also deserve safety, it also it could feel like extortion, it could feel like quid pro crow.

I didn't say that the correct one, but anyways, even in spite of all of that, and not every district has bid money, because I think that that's a good option as well.

Use the bid money in the district to to fund this.

Um, in spite of all of that, there's no other solution that has come forward.

The Alder has made four steps to to do this.

Um, and I'm gonna support it.

Alder Fraser, you had your hand up previously.

I didn't know if you wanted to speak to this a second time or if that was from before.

Uh, yeah, the last thing that I'll say is we also have to look at staffing.

Um working for the sheriff's office.

I've been gone now for a month, and every single day I get a text message, I get multiple text messages about multiple patrol areas um that need that it need to be filled for overtime.

Um, and you know, and is this something that the police department has adequate staffing to accommodate?

Uh the answer is no, uh, quite frankly, because the sheriff's office covers down for the city uh quite often.

Uh and so that's that's the other part of this where you know we're already operating, you know, in a structural deficit, and by you know, it just they don't have adequate staffing.

Um, and again, it goes back to my point of we need to like rethink this.

Uh I'm not gonna have my bid um try to do this because I I don't think it's fair, um, to other districts, and if we're gonna have businesses pay uh for the police department, you know, it just it just sends a wrong message.

Um, and I don't want to to deal with you know people feeling as though, you know, sort of to Alder Harman's point, it is a well do this for that.

Um, so I you know I just think that this I think there's better ways to do it.

I don't think that the businesses um should be dictating that.

So that's all thank you, Mr.

Mayor.

Um, I'm not gonna try to keep us too long.

I know we've we've been here for a while, but to the point of well, if we do it, then other businesses can start doing it and then paying for more enforcement.

They do, they hire out, they contract security for this.

Most of the time is off-duty police officers.

But whenever a off-duty police officer is in for uh is is um you know at a bar or whatever, what have you, the moment they perform a law enforcement action, they are then on study overtime for that action.

So this is something that it's like, well, this is not yes, it is this is done, they do it.

If somebody from McDonald's, which they do, wants to reach out and do that as independent contractors, they do.

That's something that's being looked at by the police union.

I've had this conversation, and I've also gotten two different responses from higher ups in the police department saying one, it is an optic issue.

No, it's not an optic issue, it's an equity issue.

We have 15 members coming in, they're gonna be able to start patrolling so on and so forth.

So mixed messaging.

So I don't I don't agree with those other points, but I just wanted to make that that clear.

Um that this does happen already.

It's just in a different version, and the the bid is being outright and forward right with us and transparent and saying this is this is what we need.

This is what we've identified as a really large need for us, and that's all.

Thank you.

So the chief of police has been referenced in several points of the conversation as is the city attorney in terms of a memo that he wrote on it today.

Neither of them were at the committee hearing when this came up.

I'd like to ask Chief Ramirez to come to the DS and express his opinion on the matter and also ask the city attorney to summarize the memo or the briefing memo that he sent out.

All right, good evening, council members.

Thank you for the opportunity to speak, Mayor.

Um I'm hearing a lot of conversation regarding this.

This is something that I think is uh important to talk about.

I appreciate the willingness of the bid to support safety, number one.

Uh with the 32,500 donation.

I'm not in favor of this specific proposal for two primary reasons.

But before I get into it, uh Alder um Mackin mentioned something about speed boards.

Speed boards were approved by the common council for every older person to have in their district.

Came from the city tax sellers, not by private donations, and we still have speed boards that some of the council members have not asked for.

Speeding throughout this city of Racine is an issue.

So is reckless travel, not only in the city of Racine, but in any community across Wisconsin, even in small communities.

Um there's a 32,000 dollars a lot of money.

Will it be a temporary solution?

Probably.

With the monies that come from the taxpayers.

There's equity and precedent.

My most significant concern is the president this sets.

What is it to stop a neighborhood of gathering money for their block and just hiring police officers?

That's this is the precedent that could set.

We're just gonna have police officers.

Nobody else gets police subs, we're gonna hammer all over time we want 24 hours a day in our neighborhood.

Some to consider public safety is a core municipal service that must be distributed on a base of on need, not the ability of a specific business to provide funding.

Entering this agreement creates an on-demand policing model where those with the means can essentially purchase dedicated enforcement at what I just spoke about.

Uh we do enforce with grants, and we certainly enforce with a lot of overtime, trust me.

We do speed waves, we do target enforcement, we work with the sheriff's office, we work with the state patrol and enforcing, and we listen to all of you where all the problems are.

We listen to all the complaints that we get, we get them just as much as you guys do.

We have people that call in on a regular basis.

We log all this time of day, we log where we go, where we deploy, where we put our speed trailers out, where we put us safe uh vehicles as well.

I think that uh this type of uh agreement undermines our commitment to provide an equitable protection to every resident and business in Racine.

Number two, proven data-driven deployment.

I know that uh Alder Fraser took uh touched on this.

I want to be clear.

I certainly recognize the concerns of the Douglas Avenue.

Trust me, it's three miles long from State Street to three mile road.

There's a lot of businesses, there's a lot of uh cars that go there.

There's there's nine or 11 uh speed limit signs going north and nine coming south.

Hope city causes some school causes some uh slowdowns there uh before in school, before school and after uh school pickups, uh road design does help us in many ways.

We've discussed this at length and how we can change road design.

Obviously, that takes uh working with DPW, not only on Douglas, but on many of the many of the roads here uh in racing.

We have 15 square miles to cover.

That's a lot.

I think the strategy to deploy resources based on combination of direct speed measurements, statistical crash data, and citywide cystic complaints is how we deploy resources as a department, and as we continue to approach our staffing levels, we already conducted more directed enforcement citywide with significant results.

Let me just say something.

What in 2022?

How many traffic stops that we had?

That's 4291.

In 2026, I'm sorry, 2025.

We have 7179, 69 67 percent increase from 2022 for total citations, which in 2022 we should 5292 citations, and in 2025, 71 16 citations, 34% increase, and we've increased every year since our annual growth here in 2025.

We've conducted 7100 7,179 traffic stops at 16% increase over 2024, resulting in 70 7,116 traffic taxation, a 10% increase.

Our current momentum is uh that month uh month to date.

We have conducted 1,197 stops compared to 977 stops during this time last year.

So those steps are increasing.

One thing that needs to be changed is behavior.

One thing that needs to be changed is behavior, behavior needs to change, and I can sit here and ever and look at you everyone in the face, and I'm I'm sure no one here has ever gotten stopped by the police.

Okay, me too.

Me too.

Okay, right.

We come from an era of of uh speak for myself because much of you guys are younger than I am.

I come from an era that uh, you know, I listened to my parents, you know, you had laws to deter behavior.

I wouldn't mind seeing the money spent towards education, certainly wouldn't need that.

We put our public service amount, we put stuff on our Facebook, we stop people, we enforce the laws, and yet we still continue this behavior of speeding and reckless driving.

$32,000.

I'd be more than happy to take that money.

We can use that money.

But as personnel are available, I will continue to provide the focus enforcement on Douglas Avenue.

When our data confirms it's at a high priority area.

I have a lot of high priority areas in this city.

A lot.

I think I must maintain the operational flexibility to move officers to hot spots across the city based on real-time safety needs rather than being legally bound to a specific geographic contract.

I certainly share the concerns of um of city attorney Lenty, as he outlined in the ABM.

There's some concerns there, and as a coming from law enforcement, I have to do the right thing, and I have to do what the my gut tells me to do.

As chief of police, I'm directly responsible for the operation of the department and for ensuring that all individuals are treated fairly and receive equal protection, not just one area, not one area that can just afford it.

Not saying that others' areas can't.

For these reasons, I respectfully request that the council deny entering to this agreement, and I'll be willing to take any questions.

Um any questions for the chief?

Thank you.

Just a couple questions uh in regards to what the staffing levels, if you know offhand, what they were in 2022 versus staffing levels in 2025.

In 2025, our height was at 188, 188, we're at 183 right now.

In 2022, I can't give you that exact number, but I can sure upon my entry in here, we lost 21 people based on a benefit structure change.

Our lowest we were at was 133.

So could it be that the reason that there is an increase in the number of tickets issued in 2025 versus 2022 is that your staffing levels have improved?

That is yes, our staffing levels have improved.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Glad to hear the staff staffing levels are improved.

What number would be for staff you have everyone?

What's your goal for staffing levels?

Currently, our authorized uh uh staffing is at 196, so we're 13 uh right around 13 down right now.

Okay, so okay, thank you.

That's I just had that question for the chief.

But I have a comment.

There's state in your state, you stated that it's a behavior issue.

Folks need to change their behaviors, but is it not true that when there's more presence of for of enforcement that behaviors tend to change it, it you know, it deters the um the behavior, and I'm just gonna speak for me.

Um my grandmother stood out with her yard stuck and stick and said, make sure you're at home before the street lights come on, or there's gonna be consequences.

I made sure that I made it home.

So I corrected my behavior of coming out coming home after the straight lights.

So where I'm going is yes, they're behaviors, but I believe folks need to see law enforcement enforcing the issue with folks speeding and a reckless driver.

I'm glad to hear the numbers are going up, but we and I could I always feel funny saying this, but yes, we need more law enforcement.

We need more officers with the traffic to stop folks, so they know that it's not okay to speed.

We have the speed boards up, but what I've witnessed is folks use them as uh um use the display as how fast can I go?

I made it blink.

Like it it didn't deter anything.

So what can we do to actually deter?

That's just it's open, not really a question, but that's the thing.

If if order bone found a way to try to deter in their district, and this happens maybe a pilot program, that's what let it work.

And issues come along from other bears that say we want to put in a lawsuit, we don't like this, we'll deal with that then.

But now let's deal with what's in front of us and try to make this happen.

I'm done.

Alder Herman.

Oh, what's it?

No question.

Okay.

Thank you.

Thank you, uh Mayor.

Thank you, Chief, for being um here.

I completely understand some of the hesitations, and while I do have hesitations as well, um, my biggest hesitation is that it could come off as unethical.

That, yes, um, there are businesses that do receive security services for their property and their business, and we'll pay for that.

But again, to have a business pay for a service that is free to all residents and taxpayers, just seems to be a bit too much.

However, there is nothing else that is going on.

There's no other solution other than increasing the tickets and doing what you are doing.

Um, so I'm just so my question is there anything that you can think of that can impact this area that's for approximately 340 hours over the summer that could assist residents in measuring progress, other than because we don't see tickets.

We I mean I mean, I just I don't know.

I don't know.

Well, you can certainly ask the courts to see how many tickets are coming in.

I'm sure uh the judge would be more than happy to tell you what his reaction is.

But I know what you're saying.

I've yet to sit with the board have been sometimes since let's say with the board.

Well, and this is with the board on this.

We've talked about, and I have in the past.

Uh it's been uh over a year since I've sat with the board and talked about uh issue, not only the issues, but the loud music that goes on, the loud noise, uh the modified vehicles with their loud mufflers are seem to be a problem.

Um one ever said this would be easy.

It's we want compliance, volunteer compliance from everybody.

That's what we want.

Uh the visible presence alone, people comply.

Oh, they have a cop car behind me.

Believe me, I'm in my own civil capacity with the cop car behind me.

If I don't know them, it's like, oh, what did I do wrong?

But I'm gonna comply because I don't want to invite the chief of police because I've also been taught well.

Taught my children well to obey the law, obey the traffic laws.

We have a society that needs to be taught and taught well coming home at when the lights went down, that's what I did too.

If I didn't, guess what?

It'll be my dad standing there either gonna lock the door on me, or it's gonna let me have it.

And sometimes I got it.

I know things have changed a little bit, but that's the honest truth.

We have a society that does not listen, that disrespects our teachers, that disrespects adults, that disrespects their elders, and they can do whatever the heck they want to do.

And that's something wrong.

I can issue all the tickets in the world.

Is it gonna have impact?

I hope so.

But the thing the most impact is from involvement with your children, involvement with your teenagers, involvement with others.

That's the impact.

There are consequences.

You know, we can tow your vehicle for 250 dollars and give you a 300 this uh uh rectus driving ticket.

Is that gonna stop that behavior?

I hope so.

Is it gonna stop others?

I hope so.

$500 in a book might but we have a society that needs to learn what Milwaukee's doing with the road design is working somewhat, they're cutting down the lanes, but people are still continuing their behavior.

I mean, we're gonna we can make all those traffic stops you want.

I'm just looking at this as this particular I mean we we get that we get the grants as how this grant is being used.

Is that I think there's some questions about that.

The taxpayer money.

I have no problem taking money in, and believe me, I open, I want grants.

We write for grants, we look for grants because it helps the greater good of a receipt.

We we're everywhere, and I've talked to every single one of you here, everyone multiple times.

I've gotten emails and through the mayor's office.

I've gotten all kinds of emails, and we have a team on how we deploy our resources, and I appreciate the working with anybody.

Uh Alder Harman, I'd be more than happy to sit down with the board, Alder Pabone.

I'd be more than happy to sit down with you, and let's come up with some other solutions.

Thank you, Mr.

Mayor.

Just a quick question for you, Chief.

Are you expecting any type of grants this year for uh traffic enforcement?

I know usually around the summertime, you know, there's a you start seeing these uh commercials like you know, uh click it or ticket, drive sober and get pulled over, and I know that usually around the fourth of July, there's a lot of enforcement around uh you know, drunken driving or drinking and driving.

So is the department expecting uh any type of enforcement grants this year?

And the the second part of the question is that uh if this passes tonight, what does that look like?

Is it according to what's going on in the city?

Uh is it something that's done right away?

Uh does it take away from uh the usual stuff that happens around the summer, or will you be assigning uh people for overtime uh to be in the uh in the Douglas area?

All right, uh I'll get back to you first.

We do receive three grants each year, usually for OWI speeding and uh seatbelt enforcement.

So every year in which it gets approved by the council here.

Um if this does get approved, it's something I'll talk about because I I the operation uh but by ordinance is uh operational departments by the chief of police and how I see fit to run the department.

Um the again, we use not only do we use those grant on, but I also use a lot of overtime in for speed in traffic enforced, just regular overtime that is approved by the the council here and our budget here.

I use a lot of it because I hear what the citizen is saying, I hear what your consistents are telling me.

I spend a lot of money on overtime, and I usually go over the budget, and that's for the greater good of the city recent.

I too want to see people slow down, you know.

I too take my car, and people fly by me all the time, they don't know I'm a cop.

I just can't get to them fast enough because I gotta figure out how these switches work.

But I do make traffic stops, I do get people to come write tickets, but because I hear what everyone is saying here, I get it.

It is it is a situation, but I think the money could be spent in other ways, and that was through education.

I mean, you should get a driver's license in high school at one time, at least I did.

Um maybe you didn't, but uh I did it in high school.

Um I've not not opposed to the money because I'll gladly accept the money.

I I'm just opposed to the ethics ethical part of it.

Sorry.

There's a motion and a second to call the question.

There are four people in the queue right now who would like to speak, some of whom have not yet spoken on the item.

Um the motion before us is to call the question and immediately go to a vote.

All those let's do roll call, I guess.

All those in favor of uh going to vote, it does require a two-thirds vote.

Uh, if you would like to end debate and go to the question on whether or not to refer this item back to the committee, uh vote aye.

If you'd like to continue the debate on whether or not to vote to send the this item back to the committee, vote nay.

When the clerk calls your role, calls your name, please vote as you wish.

Okay, it so what we're voting on right now is the question has been called.

So the question on the table right now is whether or not to refer the item back to the committee.

The question has been called the end debate on whether or not to refer it back.

So if we immediately want to end the debate and go to a vote on it, it requires a two-thirds vote to end the debate and immediately vote on whether or not to refer the item back to committee.

It is not the vote itself on referring the item back, but rather to end debate on this matter and send it back to committee.

Um the clerk calls your name, please vote as you wish.

Alder Horton.

Alder Skata.

Alder Allen.

Alder Pete.

Alder Land.

Alder Prez.

Alder Kelly.

Aye.

Alder Harmon.

No.

Alder Pabone.

Aye.

Alder Fraser.

No.

Alder Townsend.

Alder Davis.

Alder Mack.

11 ayes, four no's.

That motion carries, which means we now go to the vote on the on the floor.

The vote on the floor is whether or not to refer this item back to finance and personnel for further consideration or not.

So if you're voting yes, you're voting to send this back to finance and personnel.

If you are voting no, the debate would continue and we would vote on the main motion itself.

So when the clerk calls your name, please vote as you wish.

Alder Jorgensen.

No.

Alderman Weidner.

We are voting now on whether or not to refer this item back to finance and personnel.

Alder Horton.

Alder Escada.

Alder Allen.

Alder Pete.

Alder Land.

Alder Praz.

No.

Alder Kelly.

No.

Alder Harman.

Alder Pavone.

Alder Frazier.

No.

Alder Townsend.

No.

Alder Davis.

Alder Mack.

Okay.

14 no's, one aye.

So now we are back to the main motion.

Um, and so on that main motion, uh, we did hear from the the chief of police.

There was a memo written by the city attorney, OS the city attorney to summarize his remarks in the briefing memo.

My principal concern is it's one of my responsibilities is to assure the city government is obeying the law.

And you all understand the concept of discrimination.

There can be acts of discrimination that are affirmative with the intent to discriminate against somebody or a group of people, and there can be acts of discrimination that are not affirmative necessarily, but have the effect of discriminating against individuals or groups.

And if the um if these funds are accepted and they are used in this one specific geographic area, and that area of businesses either is owned by or uh services a particular demographically characteristic group in majority or generally, and there's some other part of the city that might have law enforcement needs for some other purpose.

It may be for speeding, it may be for any of the other number of things that police officers do in their law enforcement capacity.

But if that area of the city doesn't have the financial wherewithal to get together and come up with $32,000 to give to the city of Racine to please increase enforcement in that area, and that is made up of a different demographic characteristic.

Second of all, people sue for that kind of thing, and I would prefer the city not get sued over things.

That's my principal concern.

I also note that this common council approved the bid operating plan at the end of last year, and I've read the Douglas Avenue bid operating plan for 2026.

There is nothing in the bid operating plan about giving $32,000 to the city of Racine for additional speed enforcement.

So it's not there, and frankly, I I personally don't believe this is within the authority of a bid to do, because there are very specific set of actions that a an operating plan can include, and that is a plan for the development, redevelopment, maintenance, operation, and promotion of a business improvement district.

For what it's worth, municipal attorneys in Wisconsin have an active network where we talk to each other, and I asked the municipal attorneys around the state does anybody else have anything like this, where a business improvement district provides money for additional policing, and I got no responses.

Nobody told me yes.

It's a very active lister.

Can't say it doesn't happen anywhere, but nobody told me that they do it.

So that's really my concern is the discriminatory impact, potentially.

Thank you.

A question for the city attorney in regards to the downtown bid does use their funds to pay for private security.

And I'm sure you're going to be able to tell us what the difference would be.

Correct?

Correct.

And I guess I'll make a comment too that I understand your concern about a disparate impact or discrimination, but if you look at the demographics of a three-mile stretch at Douglas Avenue, I would think that it covered every single demographic that we could possibly consider.

I don't see how that would be discriminatory in any way or could be interpreted that way.

Well, I think it's it's going to have a different overall makeup than other parts of the city.

So if I can just uh follow up with that, because I I'm trying to understand, because I mentioned it earlier, and we are going to be voting later tonight on a recommendation from the CDBG committee to allow grants just for a particular area.

How is that different?

Using public dollars for a particular group but not another.

Well, the are I don't want to go too deep into constitutional law discussion, but there are suspect categories.

There's a variety of categories that are recognized that if discriminatory actions are taken against people in that category, gender, race, age, religion, there's a whole bunch of them.

That discrimination based upon those categories is actionable potentially, whereas providing funding's funding to businesses broadly as opposed to residences, that's not one of those categories.

It's just a completely different thing.

So that's the concern.

Thank you.

It's the residents that live along Douglas Avenue that also benefit from it.

It's those of us that live off of Douglas Avenue but utilize it on a regular basis because it's a major thoroughfare for us to Milwaukee or in some cases downtown or West Racine that benefit from that.

How are the comp houses not discriminatory?

There is not a cop house in every district.

And private dollars help fund those cop houses.

I have some high crime areas that definitely could benefit from a cop house.

I have some residents that frequently call me about drug dealing and gunshots, gunshots into their home into their fence.

They'd love to have a cop house on their block.

How is that not discriminatory?

I'm not seeing the correlation between how this isn't fair.

Even when grants are in the sheriff's department in the past, wrote grants to do target enforcement on I-94.

Is a county taxpayer is that okay, you know, um, that they're not on Spring Street doing regular traffic enforcement or highway 20.

Or highway 11.

They were concentrating all their efforts on I-94 on a particular stretch.

Thank you.

Is there any further discussion on this item?

Oh, I'm sorry.

Alder Frazier, you have the floor.

Uh thanks.

Um I don't want to exhaust this because I know we've been talking about it for like the last 20 minutes.

I think that it's important to know houses on my strategically placed based on the needs of the community that's most of the times determined by the police department.

Umicipality.

Um the difference between the cop house and what we're talking about now, um, is kind of obvious.

You have the chief of police and the city attorney who are both advocating to not take this, and the chief of police being the subject matter expert um of this saying no, and that the money could be used elsewhere, although he would love to use it as a telltale sign.

I didn't get to ask the chief of police, um, but one of the things that I'd like you all to think about uh is how does this grant um affect normal patrol operations?

Um it's not like you know they applied for this, essentially they're being tasked to do this, uh and that's that's the difference.

Um so I'll just leave it at that.

Alder Townsend.

I understand that we can use the money for education, but everybody knows not to speed.

Everybody knows you're not supposed to speed, everybody knows uh there's really bad accidents and there's consequences of speeding, but they still do it because unless there's a consequence before that really bad action that might happen as a final consequence for them, what makes them stop?

You know, I understand that people shouldn't do it, but at some point, I mean, just talking about it doesn't get them to stop.

I don't know what other methods that we could use that we're not trying already that would curb this besides increased presence, and this isn't a dig at the police department at all.

Um but the way that I look at this is this isn't saying, okay, well, now you guys have to pull three of your cops from around town and go stick them over here.

This is saying, hey, if there's anybody available who can pick up some overtime, why don't you go hang out over here?

And then we'd even have more cops floating around over there if they're needed elsewhere in the city because there's no contract saying you're stuck here right now.

I mean, I know that there's things to be cautious with, but I think that this is worth trying as a pilot program.

Alder Harman.

Thank you.

I appreciate the vigorous conversation.

Um, considering both sides, that's what I appreciate about the discussion.

After hearing the chief saying, in short, he would like to have the responsibility to determine how he manages and distributes the services of his police officers and team.

I respect that.

And because I respect that piece alone that he should have the right to determine how to utilize his team, his police team.

I'm gonna have to change my vote in against this and and vote no.

Although I do respect all the proponents steps and measures in working with the residents to come up with some type of solution.

Alder Allen.

Thank you.

And this is nothing.

Of course, I respect you, Alder Pavone.

I'm gonna look at this from uh HR in a hiring kind of perspective because I've worked at the jail.

We have a population in racine of 79,000.

We have less than 200 police officers.

So when you start thinking about how much overtime is really going in, and it's not just casual overtime, it's mandatory overtime.

I know I've I've worked it.

And so we're doing uh 16-hour shifts.

You walk in, you know that you're probably gonna end up doing 16-hour shifts.

When what you're asking him to do is automatically when he does his schedule at the jail, that there are 340 hours that he has to cover in overtime that have been paid for by a specific organization, and the overtime that he would assign in any other place automatically there are hours that have to be dedicated to fulfill that particular contract.

That's what it comes down to.

Then he gets to put together the rest of his schedule for the way things work, and I can see the looks in people's faces, but yeah, if someone has to figure it out from that way, there's only so many hours, and we only have so many officers, and we have a lot of uh communities to serve.

So you're really locking him into and pre-planning, and we don't get to do that as a counsel anywhere else.

No matter how much I scream, yell, beg, plead, I can't get uh another department to do something because we don't run that department.

We're not able to come in and say, we need this, go do this, please.

We get pushback because we've given them that autonomy uh to run their department, and when the chief was hired, he was given that autonomy to decide how he would serve the entire community without being handcuffed.

Oh, excuse me, play on words there, um, bound to a particular organization and having to answer to that.

Grants is one thing that's not coming out of uh particular tax dollars, that's not uh an entity of our city uh pulling the strings and saying where someone has to go.

Those are independent grant dollars that we get to say are have been given to us to provide a certain need, and we should keep that separation there.

Thank you.

Uh we have the the author of the motion is the last one in the queue.

Is there anyone else who'd like to speak?

Because I'd like to give the author the chance to go last.

Okay, seeing none, we'll go to the author of the bill, Alder Pavone.

Thank you.

Um encroaching on kind of a budget night here.

So I'm gonna try to keep it brief here.

I wanted just to address an um what Alder Harman's her concerns and what she said, and even Alder Allen.

Now I understand their concerns, but and I'm authored, I helped author this.

This the city attorney drafted it for communication.

Nowhere in here does it say you need to allocate 10 overtime hours a week to do this.

The chief of police still has the ability and the authority to decide when and where those 340 hours are allocated.

That the same way he has the authority to decide with the regular overtime budget.

So this is not this is just saying you need to have these 340 hours are that are paid for by the bid are specifically for this.

How that's allocated, how that's scheduled, that isn't under the complete authority of the chief of police.

Absolutely.

There's nothing in here.

This is pretty plain worded.

Um, you know, as far as the attorney's office goes, no, no offense.

I know you're doing what you're supposed to do, but um, this is pretty plainly word worded for this.

So I I I take issue with the the notion that this would somehow impede his ability to schedule correctly when this is again telling him at least out of the overtime that you have the 340 we've paid for specifically from the bid needs to be allocated for the speed enforcement there, but it doesn't tell him you need to do 27 hours a week, four hours a day, so on and so forth, and and this is again overtime.

So I just wanted that clarification and thank you.

Uh Alder Kelly's added or name to the queue.

Alder Kelly, would you like to speak?

Yes, just keep it really brief.

Um I don't have a bid district, uh, once did, but I can guarantee you that all of those businesses lined up on Washington Avenue would most certainly want something like this.

So I I completely support this.

Um you don't drive uh south on Green Bay Road and speed.

It's because they trained you not to.

So we need to try something else and something new, and I support this because what we're doing right now is not working.

Alder Weiner.

I'm sorry.

I just have to weigh on this.

Um couple things.

I remember former uh fire chief uh Hilmer standing before the podium telling me you can tell me how much money I can spend, but you can't tell me how I'm gonna spend it.

And what we're doing is we're telling the chief how much money he's gonna have to spend on overtime for a period of time in that bid district.

We're not telling him how to spend it, we're just telling him that he's gonna have this additional dollars to spend in that bid.

And the other thing I want to say it to speak to the chief's comments regarding changing behavior.

This action can change behavior.

I can tell you when I drive on down Main Street.

If I'm going north from Gould out to three mile road, I know exactly where wind point is because I know as soon as I hit wind point, somebody's gonna crack me for speeding if I'm going three miles over.

So enforcement can change behavior, and that's what I'm hoping to see happen with what I consider to be a pilot program similar to what we'll be voting on later tonight.

So I do support this.

I think the finance committee did make the right decision initially.

So just say people have the right to keep putting their names in the queue.

When I asked if anybody else wanted to say anything before the author could wrap up, uh we're now on the third person who would like to add one more thing after the author of the bill wrapped it up uh almost two hours in the debate.

Alder Jorgensen.

I guess I just had to chime in on where I'm coming in on this.

Um, as you know, some people have said I'm not originally from Racine, I'm a transplant, wasn't born here.

Um but in a former life I lived up uh some call it Central Wisconsin and call it Northern Wisconsin by the Fox Valley, and uh everybody knew you don't speak in Rosendale.

Uh in fact, uh Rosendale, there's uh two gas stations.

One of the gas stations sells t-shirts that say uh Rosendale, that's the ticket, with a uh picture of uh um cop car on it.

It's that prevalent.

Uh I would wager that Rosendale's uh amount of speeding is far lower than any other community, possibly in the state.

Um when I moved to Racine, I was given my neighbors gave me the same speech of if you're on Main Street, don't speed while you're going through windpoint.

Here's the streets that it starts and stops on.

Um windpoint will pull you over.

No, I'm not a prolific speeder myself, anyways.

Um, but I'd like to start getting some of that badge through the city of Racine of don't speed in the city of Racine.

They will pull you over and they will give you a ticket.

I'd like to extend that though, especially to don't drive recklessly in the city of Racine.

We will pull you over and we will tow your car any further discussion.

I'll ask the city attorney to explain the nature of the motion and its budget amendment and the requirement for the vote because this would have the effect of amending the police department's overtime line item technically as a budget amendment.

Budget amendments require to be passed by a two-thirds vote of the members elective, the common council.

When the clerk calls your name, please vote as you wish.

Alder Jorgensen, Alderman Weidner, Alder Horton, Alder Skada, Alder Allen, Alder Pete, Alder Land, Alder Perez, Alder Kelly, Alder Harman, Alder Pabone, Alder Frazier, No.

Alder Townsend, Alder Davis, Alder Matt.

Aye.

Eleven ayes, four no's.

The motion carries.

We now move on to the remainder of the finance and personnel report.

Alder Land, did you have any other items for separate consideration?

No, your honor, I do not.

Then without objection, these items will be placed on the consent agenda.

And we'll move on to the public safety and licensing committee report.

Uh I've been asked to ask Alder Kelly to ask if there was any requests for separate consideration.

Yes.

I always if you notice there's no public works and services items on the agenda.

Alder Kelly.

Thank you.

I have one item.

Um please read the item.

Okay.

Uh item number 0109-26.

Uh communication for a new petition to exceed geographical and quota restrictions for a class A retail fermented malt beverage and intoxicating liquor license for Dominion 14 LLC DBA Spa Verdant, located at 512 Main Street, Michael Godfrey, agent first district uh committee uh approved this.

Um motion to approve.

There's a motion to approve this item.

It has been seconded.

Any discussion?

Uh Alder Widener.

Thank you.

I just have a question because I did not attend or was able to watch the committee meeting.

Uh, and because we just had not too long ago a another request to exceed the geographical quota that we denied.

I I I'm wondering what the rationale is in this case to exceed the geographical and quota restriction.

Are you directing your uh question?

That would be to the either the vice chair or any member that would like to Alder Pabone, do you want to yield to that question?

Um I think we'd be more appropriate if the alderman from the Sixth District would allow to the alderman of that district to explain his rationale and his support for this particular geographical restriction exception.

Alder Frazier, would you yield to the question about the rationale to exceed the geographical quota in this particular case?

Uh yes.

You have the floor.

So uh are we talking about the Lather B Avenue business?

No, we're talking about Hotel Verdant's spa liquor license.

Yeah, yeah.

So with this, um, me and me and Michael, he's one of the owners of Hotel Verdant, and they're opening up the spa next door.

He and I have had multiple uh conversations about his intentions with downtown and and with this business.

Um all he's looking to do is to my knowledge sell mimosas, um, and he requires a license for that.

Now, as we have discussed multiple times on the committee, um, when we are talking about exceeding the geographical restriction, um, businesses have to articulate to us how they are um how their service will be a benefit to the community.

Um Michael and the hotel have been a wonderful asset to this community, uh, and I can't see the spa being any different.

It's a place where people can come and relax, it's a place where people can come and unwind and de stress um and you know take care of business and live healthier lives.

Uh so I applaud Michael and the hotel and what they've been doing.

He's been an extraordinary partner both as a business owner and as a member of the bid and the DRC.

Um, so I'm in full support of this.

Thank you.

Um I would like a separate vote on this item, and I will be voting against this um in for some reason.

Uh uh kind of going along with what the city attorney had stated earlier about discrimination against a particular demographic.

Now I understand Hotel Verdant has added a lot to our economy, but so would have a gas station over there at 9 30 Washington Avenue.

You were gonna make a two million dollar investment.

All they were asking for was to sell beer.

Here we're hearing that he won a spa wants to just sell mimosas.

Well, we cannot require once we give that license that they only sell mimosa.

You can sell whatever kind of liquor he wants.

So I understand the alderman supporting this.

Um just to as just as a matter in fairness, I will be voting against this.

I'm not asking anyone else to, but when I vote against an item uh that is a uh recommended by the committee, I articulate my reasoning why, and that's what I'm doing tonight.

Alder Davis thank you, Yanna.

I'm having a hard time understanding on a class A retail for the spa.

Um that means and I guess I got a question for the city clerk or attorney, class A means with retail, you get the beverage and you leave with it, correct?

Or talk to me, talk it on stand.

Okay.

I'll refer your question to the city clerk.

Sure.

So this is a rare exemption in state statute.

So the class A license, particularly to spas, only allows for samples of wine to be served.

So when you have a class A, which you're right, originally goes to away licenses, right?

People who are picking up something at a convenience store specific to spas, they would get a class A license only to be able to serve the samples.

So it would be a limit of, I believe it's like two samples for wine, and there's other like sample requirements for liquor for amount of ounces.

Um, but it's a very it's a very niche case being able to have a spa with a class A license.

It's not your typical use of a class A.

It's what state statute allows them to apply for.

And with that state statute, it states that it has to stay with those samples.

They can't down the line decide to sell Miller buy cans of Miller Light.

I can go back and double check the it's specifically the samples for spas.

Now it's a full class A license, but they're not operating as a convenience store.

Um so I can look into that, but I don't have the answer on the floor.

The city attorney maybe I'd shed some light on that.

No, they won't be able to they won't be able to do that.

It's just as a city clerk said, it's in-house samples while the people are receiving spa services.

That's all they're gonna be able to do.

Okay, thank you.

Spa and liquor, equals healing.

All the jargon food.

Um, I mean, I I think it's pretty clear um based on the the alder who's who represents this district that he's in favor of it.

Uh I know I've been very consistent with that since I've been on the council, that that carries a lot of weight with me.

Um I think we're all expected to be the experts of our district and represent it, and so here's somebody who um represents the district that this business would be in, saying that uh he's talked with them, he feels the plan fits the district, it fits the area, um that carries a lot of weight with me.

In addition, um, you know, this council has approved and denied um this geographical restriction.

I don't remember any one person voting no on them all after one got denied.

Um it's interesting that now that's being um the the new rule uh I guess, but for me uh the the Alder really is what carries the the most amount of weight, so I'll be voting in favor of it and joining Alder Frazier uh in supporting his district.

All right, we have one person left in the queue to speak.

It is the person whose district it is in.

Before we go to him, is there anyone else who would like to speak on this item?

Alder Pavone.

Thank you.

Follow instructions.

Um this is a hard one because I completely understand Alder Frazier.

I respect his opinion and about his district, but I also know that the spa is gonna be right next to the hotel.

So is it really necessary we're providing the geographical um exception at this point just just for them to be able to have that?

There are other cases that we have not done that, and it's always been my idea to take into account with heavy consideration what the altar of the district wants, but not solely deciding on that and and factoring and other things.

These these are case-by-case bases, which is why they have to come here and have this debate between the committee and so on and so forth.

So I am hesitant.

Um not quite sure where I'm at, even though it did pass through committee because I wanted it to have this robust discussion.

So uh I do think that sometimes it is a case by case basis, um, and that we we have to wait it.

I I'm just I'm trying to find I'm trying to find enough reason for them to have this and get this geographical restriction exception, knowing that I mean the downtown number one, there's you know, obviously bars and restaurants everywhere, but the hotel is right there, so they can get you know, go get to go to the spa, go back to the hotel, get their drink there.

That's just my only hang up right now.

That's all, thank you.

I have a question for the attorney.

Please take your question.

Thank you.

Um the comparison that I'm making in my mind is when I go to have services done, they give me a complimentary glass of you know, a cocktail or something, or you know, some sort of beverage.

Complimentary is the word.

Would the spa be able to do that?

Do they require a specific license to give complimentary cocktails?

Because that is something that goes along with a spa service.

Uh so would they or the does it have do they have to have a license to do that?

I'll refer your question to the city clerk if that's okay, and if the city attorney needs to add more, he can.

Sure.

So this particular type of class A for the spa specifically only allows for samples.

So samples are not typically sold, right?

You go into a you know a distributor or a liquor sales and you get a sample of it.

This would be for a sample.

So when you say complimentary, they're most likely offering you if they're in the state of Wisconsin, their sample essentially listed as complimentary.

They would not be charging for it.

So can you say maybe the license?

This would be the license for that that they're it's currently on the agenda.

So this is for them being able to be giving you the sample or complimentary drink.

They didn't have it, they would be if they didn't have it, they would not be able to give samples or complimentary drinks with spa services.

Did that answer your question?

And we can I know it's getting late.

I'm just making sure that I answered what you needed.

Okay.

And to the question, then why don't they just go next door to the hotel and get it?

Is that not allowed?

Correct.

That's a great question.

So no, because the hotel is on a separate tax parcel, all liquor that is bought and sold at the hotel must also be consumed on that parcel according to their premise description.

So unless they were, you know, eventually to merge parcels, then it would carry over, but they cannot bring liquor or wine from the hotel into the spa because they are separate parcels.

Alder Alan, let me turn your microphone on.

They wouldn't be so you know what I mean.

So here's the here's the hotel.

And I'm not saying they would have to come out into the street to go to the next building.

They could walk through, even if it was a pass through, it would be a separate parcel, so they would not be able to license two parcels under one liquor license.

That answer it, okay.

Um I just wanted to be clear when I when I said they could get their spa done and then go to the hotel.

I didn't mean they were gonna bring the alcohol back.

I am aware that they cannot do that.

So that's all.

Thank you.

Any other discussion on this item?

Alder Frazier, as the uh Alder whose district this is in, you have the floor.

Thank you.

Um so I want to to draw the the distinction.

Okay, not talking about a grow a convenience store.

We're not talking about a grocery store.

We're talking about a spa that is offering samples of wine.

Um I had the opportunity to get away during my training this past weekend for the first time, and a group of my friends went to get manny's and petties.

And while they went to get manny's and petties, they got mimosas.

Um that's what we're talking about.

How can this be an added benefit to the community?

There, we're not gonna, I'm not gonna go down a rabbit hole of Washington Avenue because that's just done.

It's done.

Um we said with Lathrop, because I reversed my decision on Lathrope to support all their land.

Um, in that case, similar to this case, um, the developers have proven to be um committed to the city and and offer uh good things to the city.

Uh and I just don't see why um we're gonna say no to them, if especially since they're only offering samples of wine.

Um so like I said, I support Michael, I support the hotel.

Uh he's done great work with with his short time being here in the city.

He's been very much involved with the development on our of our city and of our downtown.

Um, so I would just love to see uh this happen so that his vision can come to fruition.

Okay, I uh thought that might be the last speaker given the Alder of the District, Alder Wynner would like to speak one more time.

No, no, just a question for the city clerk, and that is can I get an explanation as to why there was a petition to exceed the geographical and quota restriction for this class A retail fermented malt beverage and intoxicating liquor license?

Why?

Why the geographic the geographic because it is too close to another establishment that holds a license, so I have to automatically send it through to exceed, and then the quota would be because we already have enough class A's issued by local ordinance.

That's not a state restriction, that's a local restriction.

So can you say that last part again?

Sure.

So we have too many class A licenses issued within the city of Racine according to local ordinance.

Regardless of the geographic area.

Yes, so there are two separate XEDs.

One's for geographical area and one is for quota.

Thank you for the clarification.

Okay.

Um if the city attorney could require the um the majority required for this item to pass.

In order to exceed these uh geographic or quotas, two-thirds vote of the council is required.

The clerk calls your name, please vote as you wish.

Alder Jorgensen.

Aye, Alderman Widener, Alder Horton, Alder Ascada, Alder Allen, Alder Pete.

Aye, Alder Land, Alder Perez, Alder Kelly, Alder Harman, Alder Pavone.

Aye.

Alder Frazier.

Aye.

Alder Townsend.

Alder Davis.

Alder Mack.

Aye.

That would be 12 ayes, three no's.

That motion carries.

Uh Alder Kelly, did you have any other items for separate consideration?

Sorry.

That was all.

Then without objection, the remainder of these items will be placed on the consent agenda.

Uh we'll then move on to the CDBG advisory board report.

Alder Horton, have you received a request for this to get separate consideration?

No.

Then without objection, this will be placed on the consent agenda.

Alder Weiner.

Can we at least read the item so the public knows what kind of action we're taking on this item?

It is something that's brand new.

Without objection, I'll ask Alder Horton to read the item and then we'll put it on the consent agenda.

Right.

Item 0185-26 communication sponsored by Mayor Mason requesting the allocation of 400,000 for C D BG Small Business Fund to support the Racine County Economic Development Corporation Downtown Business Attraction Forgivable Loan.

Staff recommendation that the CDBG advisory board approves the allocation of 400,000 in the CDBG Small Business Fund for R C E D C Downtown Business Attraction Forgivable Loan.

Fiscal note, there are sufficient funds available within the CDBG available loan fund.

ALF small business account to support this allocation will approve.

Otherwise, we can just put it on the consent agenda if you want to withdraw the motion.

Without objection, we'll place this item on the consent agenda and then move on to the office of the mayor report.

Um Alder Horton would usually read the report, but I'm gonna call on Alder Mack to explain why we have uh these direct referrals and then see if people want separate consideration for them.

Alder Mack.

Thank you, Your Honor.

Um, we did not have a quorum for our public works meeting, and so there's three items that were timely.

The rest of the items have been deferred until our next meeting.

I would request that the first three items on the mayor's report uh be sent for direct um or to the consent agenda.

Um they are uh financial and matters ones for uh janitari janitorial services, um the lowest possible bidder.

The next is an amendment to a contract for uh three-party consulting engineering services.

We've already handled this prior to that, and then um another amendment to an existing contract that the committee's already dealt with.

So there's no motion required per se.

They would go on to the consent agenda unless somebody wanted separate consideration for those items.

Does anybody want separate consideration for any of those items?

Seeing none of those items we placed on the well, no, actually, we have one more item.

There is one item that remains.

This is item 0211-26.

Is there a request for that to have separate consideration?

Then seeing none, all these items on the mayor's report will be placed on the consent agenda, and we will go to the consent agenda.

President Horton, would you like to make a motion regarding consent agenda?

Multiple approval.

There's a motion approve.

I'll give it to uh Alder Ascada.

She got it in just under the wire there.

All those in favor of the consent agenda, please say aye.

Aye opposed.

That motion carries.

We will now move on to common council announcements.

Announcements are limited to recognition of city residents and employees memorials and non-political community events.

Discussion of matters related to governmental business is prohibited.

We have three people in the queue for announcements.

Others can join as well.

Alder Pavone, you're first.

Thank you, Mr.

Mayor.

Just to say happy St.

Patrick's Day to everyone.

As well as there was a great parade downtown that I could not be a part of.

I was just not feeling well on the um end of that, hopefully, here.

So thank you to everyone that helped attend that and get that together.

Um as there's a lot of great things going on around our city.

So if you just look, you'll find them.

They're there.

A lot of great people.

Uh and also tomorrow is my niece Sylvia's 13th birthday.

Of course, she already thinks she's grown, but that's a different conversation.

So happy birthday to her.

Happy birthday to her.

Thank you.

I uh need to wish my sister-in-law Marcy Johnson a happy birthday.

Her birthday's tomorrow.

But um, I know the evening's late, but I mark this day each year.

Not because it's St.

Patrick's Day, but because 21 years ago today, I was wheeled out of the hospital after a 38-day stay for a near fatal bout of pancreatitis.

During that time I spent 28 days in ICU.

My kidneys had shut down, my lungs filled with fluid, I was on a respirator, and I was in a coma and running for re-election.

Kind of hard to knock on doors.

When I uh when I was released, I was weakened, but by the grace of God, I survived a couple days or about a week later, I actually showed up for a meeting here, and one of the aldermen was like, What are you doing here?

Sorry, but I had to come back for my own sanity.

But uh this day and the day that I went into the hospital, I mark each year because you know, things like that that happened to you are significant, and you don't forget that.

And I hope none of you join that exclusive club that um you almost died and made it um better than the alternative, but still it's it's a challenge for your family and for your friends, and so thank you.

Alder Harman.

Thank you, Mayor.

Um, March is nationally recognized as women's history month.

So um on that note, I would like to recognize three boss women from Racine.

The first is Kelly Scrogans, business operator and owner of Restoration Ministries.

She has been doing ministry work in Racine for a number of years.

Please support her.

She's an excellent woman, and she really helps a lot of people in Racine, especially our youth.

She currently is running a fundraising event, phenomenal women event um that is happening on Sunday, March 29th.

Any donations toward that um fundraiser goes towards summer programs for our youth in racine.

The second woman I would like to recognize is CEO Olga White of I Love Tamales.

She has been doing this business as operator owner as a family business for a number of years from the recipes that she's received through generational family members, including her grandmother.

The Tamales are really good.

I like the chicken, but she can be found on Facebook.

And the final boss woman that I know from Racine, Wisconsin.

Opera owner of Sebastian's restaurant located at 6025 Douglas Avenue, Corey Sebastian.

Um, she is a wonderful person.

Um, and the business and the service that they run at Sebastian's is great.

Easter is coming up, so if you want an Easter brunch for your mom or anyone that you love, please make reservations first.

Um those three women are from Racine, and I would like to congratulate them in their businesses for this month of March, which is women's history month.

Thank you.

Alder Kelly.

Oh, thank you.

Um just wanted to say thank you to all of my constituents uh for all of their support while I was out on medical leave, as well as the city staff for being so understanding.

Um I have had people reach out, bring meals, phone calls, text messages, and um as Alder Mack had stated, you know, it is very difficult when you go through a hard time like that, and it is very eye-opening.

So I appreciate every day, and um, you know, I'm grateful to God that you know every day is a new day.

constituents uh for all of their support while I was out on medical leave as well as the city staff for being so understanding um I have had people reach out bring meals phone calls text messages and um as Alder Mack had stated you know it is very difficult when you go through a hard time like that and it is very eye opening so I appreciate every day and um you know I'm grateful to God that you know every day is a new day so um I'm back for now um with that being said um I'm having a neighborhood watch meeting at the Living Faith Lutheran Church uh Wednesday April 1st um at 6 p.m so keep an eye on Facebook I'll post it there that's it thank you alder land yes I would like to invite city residents April 2nd they're having an Easter egg hunt at Pierce Woods Park I went to it last year with my grandkids and it's so much fun watching those little kids when they take off looking for their little Easter eggs and it's a really great event sponsored by the City Racine Park and rec department um you can go on their website and you can sign up so they know how many kids are coming it's a really great event it's April 2nd at 4 o'clock is when it starts Alder Frazier I just wanted to echo uh auto Harman's uh sentiments about women's history month and then lastly I just want to thank everyone um a lot of my colleagues have reached out to me while I've been gone to ask if I need help and while I do not have phone service here I'm on really sketchy Wi-Fi I really wanted to to really take the time to to thank you all the Pabon always has my back and he always calls the checkup on me so kudos to him and wish him a speedy recovery so just thank you for that and I look forward to coming back home hopefully thank you um two notes which I wanted to make I wanted to adjourn in honor of my cousin Dan who turned 50 this last week I'd hope to be able to join him uh in person but he's in New York and we just uh couldn't get away for the celebration but wanted to wish him well he's a park high school grad and um I I'm sorry to have missed Dan's birthday party and wish him well uh the other thing I got to do this weekend is I did attend St.

Catherine's performance of the musical newsies they did a great job and so just wanted to give a shout out to all the the students who participated in that musical this weekend I see no other announcements before us and no other items on the agenda therefore uh uh President Orton I would entertain a motion to adjourn to adjourn there's a motion to adjourn many seconds all those in favor please say aye opposed that motion carries and we are adjourned