The Common Council of Racine, Wisconsin, met on Tuesday, May 19, 2026, at 6:00 PM in City Hall, Room 205. 14 members were present (Alder Frazier, Weiss, Turquoise-Davis, Maack, Weidner, Horton, Hodges, Vice Chair Allen, Peete, Land, DeMark, Kelly, Harmon, Pabon) and 1 was excused (Chair Jorgensen). The meeting included public comments, referrals to committees, committee reports, and a significant debate on creating and closing Tax Incremental Districts (TIDs). The meeting adjourned at 8:19 PM.
Testing, testing one, two, three. Whenever IT is ready, if you want to begin the broadcast, we can begin. Okay. Well, good evening, everyone. Welcome. The hour of six o'clock having arrived on this nineteenth of May twenty twenty-six. Is my honor to call to order the City of Racine Common Council. First order of business is the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag. If you could please rise as you are able and join me in the Pledge of Allegiance. Second by Alder Land. Any discussion seeing none, all those in favor, please say aye. Aye. Opposed. That motion carries. We'll now move on to public comments where I will ask the city clerk to read the procedures, and then we will begin. Speakers will limit their remarks to three minutes. Profane, disruptive, threatening or conduct that otherwise impedes the safe, orderly, and effective conduct of the common council meeting is equally unacceptable during the public comment period, as it is during all other portions of city meetings. Candidates for public office may not use this opportunity to campaign for office. Speakers during the public comment period shall follow all rules of the common council and rulings of the chair, including a decision to terminate the remarks if the speaker does not adhere to these rules. Public comment shall be limited to ideas or concerns regarding the city of Racine. We encourage you to submit any detailed concerns in writing to the city clerk's office or your alderman, where they can be properly documented and directed for response. There will be 13 speakers this morning there this evening. The first speaker is Bob Wideman at 810 Saxony Drive. And is Mr. Wideman is approaching the DS. I just want to let people know we will have a three-minute clock that appears on the screen. When your three minutes are up, the microphone is turned off. That is not a reflection on any of your commentary, but rather an attempt to treat uh everybody equally. Sir, if we could wait just a second until we get the clock up, and then you can begin. Hang on, just one minute. Good evening. Uh my name is Bob Wideman, 810 Saxony Drive, Versine, Wisconsin. I'm a longtime member of Salmon Unlimited. And my salmon Rama committee. When Festival Hall was originally built, it was the pride of Verscene. For some reason. Over the years, the contract with the previous venue works has put the building to shame. In the six years from my total, it costs the city over one million 1.2 million dollars. The park was then taken over by 5K events. They brought the property back to what the citizens could be proud of again at this time and made it profitable. After all they have done, I cannot understand why instead of recognizing their efforts, you would consider unproven entities to take over. I'm hoping you will reconsider and give 5K a contract that they so well deserve. Thank you. The next speaker is Scott Kinderman at 2062 and a half Erie Street. Hello, uh Scott Kinnerman. I'd like to share an experience that I had uh regarding the recent snow emergency and the proper handling of the ordinances that go with it. Um the snow emergency was declared. I double checked the website, looked at the map, and determined that my address was not marked on that the map on the website in the red that indicates the arterial routes. Um I chose not I chose to park as normal, went upstairs, came downstairs in the morning to a ticket. The this I double checked the website a second time, did this no, uh, my average is not listed.