The Racine Common Council met on Tuesday, September 1, 2026, at 6:00 p.m. in City Hall Room 205. Fourteen of fifteen alderpersons were present; Vice Chair Allen was excused. Mayor Cory Mason presided. The Council approved the previous meeting minutes, referred numerous communications to committees, authorized $22.7 million in general obligation promissory notes and $15.61 million in refunding bonds, and voted to override Mayor Mason's veto of a conditional Class B liquor license for Dixit Patel. The meeting adjourned at 8:00 p.m.; the next regular meeting was scheduled for September 15, 2026.
Good evening, everyone. The hour of six o'clock. Having arrived on this first of September 2026, it is my pleasure to call to order the city of Racine Common Council. Our 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. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands. One nation under dialogue, indivisible with liberty and justice for all. Thank you. Note that in the minutes. Yes, I would move to approve the minutes. So motion uh to approve the minutes, seconded by Alder Mack. Any discussion on said minutes. Seeing none, all those in favor, please say aye. Aye. Opposed. That motion carries. Uh we don't have proclamations for this meeting, so we will move on to public comments. If the clerk could please read the procedure on public comments. 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 speakers and elected officials or staff. This time is not intended to be a debate or discussion. The common council shall not hear personal complaints or attacks against any city employee or elected official or any matter related to an individual claim, citation, appeal, or lawsuit. Profane, disruptive, threatening, or conduct that otherwise impedes the safe, orderly, and effective conduct of the common council meeting is equally unacceptable during the public comment period, as it is during all other portions of city meetings. Candidates for public office may not use this opportunity to campaign for office. Speakers during the public comment period shall follow all 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. The 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 aldermen, where they can be properly documented and directed for response. There will be 13 speakers this evening. The first is Diana Connects at 5101 right Av. As the first speaker is coming up, uh, as I say at every meeting, uh, every speaker is entitled to three minutes. There's a clock uh that has a countdown on those three minutes. After three minutes, the microphone is turned off. That is not a reflection or a commentary on what you're saying, but an effort rather to treat everybody equally. Oh, hello. Um, I like to speak of a concern of social media stalking. Um, a few weeks ago at a fast food restaurant that I normally go to and have gone to for many years. I was social media stalked, and I didn't realize until I went shopping later after one person said, Well, your Facebook famous. I didn't understand what that meant, and she showed me where someone um took a picture. Why is that wow? Is that one fast food restaurant of my Barbies? Um, I I take my Barbie's with me because I have social anxiety, and it helps me to so that I don't have to live as a racuse. Because sometimes they get very strange looks, very strange comments. It's nice to see a smiling face. But um, the person showed me the the couple that did this, and I talked with the manager. However, I I the what followed was the caption was a capital letters. What the and the letter starting with F, and then 200 comments about 100 negative, 100 positive. Those that were positive um were from medical professionals or people that understood about people that have social anxiety or that carry doubt that carry either Dow or Klingy thing on their purse or something else. And also those of us who are transgender, because sometimes also what people went into. This is the diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders, DSM 4, the current versus DSM 5.