Common Council - Regular Meeting

Alright. We're gonna call this meeting to order at 06:09PM on 12/11/2025. Please stand for the pledge of allegiance. Let the minutes reflect that all council members are present, and council member Mendell has been excused. We recognize that the city of La Crosse occupies the land of the Ho Chunk people.

Please take a moment to celebrate and honor the ancestral Ho Chunk land and the sacred lands of all indigenous people. Thank you. At this time, I will now take a motion to approve the minutes of November 13 regular meeting and November 17 budget meeting. Motion made by council member Bradford, second by council member Northwood. Any discussion or corrections?

Seeing none, please vote. And that motion passes unanimously. Moving to reports twenty five one four two seven financial report from the director of finance for the month of October. Motion to receive and file made by council member Kahlo, second by council member Stein. Any discussion or questions?

Seeing none, please vote. And that motion passes unanimously. Now opening up for notices and discussions. Council president Dickinson.

I'll try not to cough a lot. I have a backup plan in case it's serious. But first off, I wanna thank JD Roberts from, our airport. He is our business manager, and I want to give him accolades for our new Allegiant Services that will be twice a week starting in February, specifically February 6. He has worked diligently over the last two years and attended approximately 33 meetings with various airlines to make this come to fruition.

So I also thank the supportive staff, that would be helping him to accomplish this, but he really did an outstanding job getting something this exciting to come. So if you haven't heard, in February, we will have nonstop flights, to Phoenix slash Mesa, Arizona. And then starting in May, we will have two time a week flights to Orlando nonstop with Allegiant. So I want to thank him. My second item that I would like to bring to everyone's attention is that District 1 has the second and third ADU of the city.

So I'm excited to see that continue to move forward through this meeting today. They're all within a couple blocks of my house, so I'm excited for that new option to be in District 1. Thank you.

Thank you. Council member Trolls.

Thank you. One of the things I've done over the last couple of Decembers is a list of thank yous to various, staff who I've worked with. So here's my list for this year. I'd like to thank surveyor Coleman for the alley repairs in my district. I'd like to thank the beleaguered street crews who deal with the leaves and snow.

I know they do the best they can, and they are always at the whim of the weather. Assessors Newman, Benrude, and Britton for following the law and having professionalism and personal discipline during the assessment objection hearings, superintendent Griban for planning the upgrades for our reservoir and giving me a behind the scenes tour of our water facilities. Compliance manager for the utilities, Tina Erickson, giving us a data driven rate increase and advice to me for what to tell my constituents dealing with stormwater flooding. I'd like to thank the department heads for their work in putting together next year's budget. I'd like to thank council president Dickinson for being a council president who's fostering collegiality and professional growth for council members.

I'd like to thank the MTU drivers. Since I've been riding the bus and the, with the snow, I see that active transportation is actually social care. I see the way they help various riders off and on with their wheelchairs and the way they wait for buses for a rider who needs the bus. I'd like to thank previous councils for ending off street parking mandates last year at this very meeting. I'd like to thank this council and mayor for running, and I'd also like to thank library archivist for using old sources to tell the truth to power about housing history and policy in this city.

Thank you. Councilmember Goggin.

Thank you, mayor. I'd like to, first thank Julie Emsley, Jenna Dinkman, and Tim Acklin for bringing forward the opportunity to provide a vibrant space on the North Side on Caledonia Street in District 2. Again, it's a win for the North Side, and it's going to bring in businesses. It's gonna bring in a collaborative effort to have food trucks and events and just a really great idea for a great space there. So I'm very excited to have that.

Secondly, I'd like to thank the police for helping out with the rotary lights parade. The route was cold and dark, and they were out there with very positive attitudes, keeping the crowds back and keeping everybody safe. I just wanna say great job. And then I wanna thank a former Washburn member, as she calls herself, Joanne Neve, for coming forward with the idea to raise the permit fees for billboards. It's something that has been long overdue, and we will continue to research it and see what else we can do as we, research other municipalities.

And then the last thing I'd like to, thank is the park and rec department for their work on just a torturous work on getting Badger Hickey Park to a bid stage that we're gonna have new bathrooms there. And it's as my little my little friends, Phoebe and Charlotte, call it the Red And White Park, and it'll be exciting to have bathrooms there and to be able to continue those experiences we have there. So thank you.

Thank you. Councilmember Podeski.

Thank you, your honor. I just, wanna say happy birthday to anybody who's watching online with blue eyes tonight. I love you.

Oh, happy birthday.

And, also, there are some cupcakes left, and I did see mister Flotmeyer noticed them. So don't be shy. There's a few cupcakes left over here, so come on over. Thank you, everybody.

Thank you, and happy birthday to your wife. Council member Bedford.

Hello. I am the head of the disability chair, and today, one of the big things we talked about was snow removal. As I think is a tradition every winter and fall and quite a lot of our time. Being in the meeting today is a big reminder of why we call snow emergencies snow emergencies. I spoke to people that were forced into the street with their mobility devices, that had trouble getting around with their dogs.

And we've heard a lot of complaints about various different things going on with the snow. But the reason for that is because of the emergency that it is for people's day to day lives when it's not there. And so the the flip side of that is giving thanks to the wonderful people that we do have out there in our city that are plowing the streets, that are doing the work out there in the cold, and even the normal citizens that are out there going ahead and getting their sidewalk and their curbs plowed. So I wanna thank you to everybody there. And there was some praise given that is a little bit outside my area of expertise.

But if there's any plow people watching this, that swivel that you do in the intersections is apparently a wonderful thing, that deserves a call out of praise as well. So I wanted to add that in too. Thank you.

Thank you. Councilmember Gaga?

Thanks again, Mary. I forgot one person. I, have been, contacted a lot about snow recently, and I wanted to, give a shout out to Ryan Rasmussen and his crew. The street superintendent sent me a long and lengthy email about why they do what they do, how they do it. So now when my constituents call me, I will have a firm and smart answer to give instead of the, I'm not sure about that. So I just really appreciate Ryan when he is so busy taking this time to write me a very detailed message of why they do what they do and how they do it. So I can pass along to my constituents and make maybe make it a little bit easier to remove snow in District 2.

Awesome. Thank you. Seeing no other speakers, we'll move on to our council matters starting with twenty five one four two six resolution approving 2025 bills and energy engineering, excuse me, estimates paid in December 2025. Motion made by council member Northwood. Is there a second? Second by council president Dickinson. Council member Goggin.

Thank you, mayor. You know, every month, we, just approve these. And I thought, you know, it might be good for someone to explain to us what we're approving and what that chart that we get means every month. I've been doing a little research, and I just thought maybe everybody else would like to hear about that too.

K. Staff, would that be director Gallagher? Is that you, Chad? Director of finance.

Certainly good question. I'm probably going to have to do a little bit more research on it to give you a better answer for it. I was not prepared to discuss on the list of bills that we go through every every month. So I mean, they they they're they're bills that we've paid over the course of the month. So by statute, you know, they have to be approved by counsel. So I have to look at that list again and just give you better answer.

Thank you. There is a motion on the floor. Seeing no other speakers, please vote. That motion passes unanimously. Now moving to the appointments by the mayor.

Item twenty five one four two four, bicycle and pedestrian advisory committee, Kevin Hunt, climate action plan and steering committee, Lauren Fornton, housing authority, Christina Bechner, La Crosse County concert convention and visitor bureau, excuse me, Jane Birch, poll police and fire commission, Joan Park, Redevelopment Authority, Philip Austrum, Room Tax Commission, Maurice Goday, and Wayne Delegrave. Motion to adopt by council member Troost, second by council member Newberry. Council member Jansen.

I'd like to move to divide and pull out, the bicycle pedestrian advisory committee.

There's a motion to pull out the bicycle and pedestrian advisory committee. Second by council no. Sorry. Okay. Here we go. Moved by council member Jetson, second by council member Kahlo. Any discussion? Alright. So we're gonna vote to separate or to pull out the bicycle and pedestrian committee. So please vote.

Or do we not vote on this? No. We just do that. Okay. Alright. Help me out. Thank you. It's it's been a minute. No. Okay. Councilmember Chancellor, you were gonna speak.

I guess I don't know what's changed, so I guess I think this is worth discussing since this was voted on the last time. I don't see how anything has changed. So

Okay. Councilmember Kahlo.

Thank you, mayor. Is it appropriate at this point, since you have made this, appointment for a second time, to have you tell us your reasons, or is that something we would have to talk about after we vote on this?

I can say it now. So, I was able to talk to, mister Hunt after the first vote, and I still strongly believe that he would be a good candidate on the bicycle and pedestrian advisory committee with his knowledge of the city both in bicycle infrastructure as well as housing, although that has nothing to do with this. But he's very, willing and wanted to serve on that committee and serve on, serve the city. And I think that that's very important in recognizing that we, with these committees, don't always have a bunch of folks come in knocking on our doors to serve on committees. So when we do, I think it's important to acknowledge that there are Lacrosse citizens that are willing and wanting and thirsty, so to speak, to serve.

And so I would also say if the council want, Kevin is here and could speak as well. Councilmember Goggin? I

think that would be great to give Kevin an opportunity to speak. K.

Do we need to vote to open discussion, or can I just no? Okay. Alright, Kevin. Can you state your name and municipality?

Kevin Hunt. I live in La Crosse.

Alright. Do we have any questions? Can you just speak to why you would like to join this particular committee?

Sure. I wasn't sure if I was going to be speaking. I know in June, there was it it I I I heard a desire for me to speak, so I wish I had been there and I could've clarified some things. So I've been a I haven't owned a car in twenty years, so I'm very familiar with what it's like to try to get around in lacrosse as a bicyclist, as a pedestrian, as a as a bus rider. I also have extensively researched the housing and transportation history of La Crosse over the past few decades.

And what I've concluded is that cars are very expensive, both for individuals and for the municipality. They're dangerous, both in terms of accidents and pollutants that they produce. Car culture, car oriented construction patterns lead to low density construction that has had a devastating effect on, La Crosse's tax base and municipal expenditures. We have our climate obligations. So I think there's many, many reasons why we need to dramatically reduce car use.

I I don't believe in I I think that education is, a good step towards that, but I think more important is infrastructure. We have infrastructure that is car oriented, and it's relatively easy to get around by car. I know a lot of drivers don't see things that way. But in order to get here from my apartment less than about a mile away, I had to go into the street and then a sidewalk that was barely plowed, and then cross an intersection, go all the way out of my way get to another sidewalk, and then dodge through some traffic. And it's just it's just not easy to get around by bike.

So we shouldn't be surprised when people don't do it. My philosophy is based on what type of infrastructure are we building. So, that's a thing that's been neglected. I've tried to comment on it many times, and I've felt sidelined. So I think that being on the bicycle pedestrian committee is is the thing that I need to be doing to be advancing those goals. Specifically, I wanna be looking at very specific infrastructural adjustments. I wanna be looking at intersections. I want to be looking at connections. I want to be looking at, does it make sense to put this bike lane here? How does this fit in with the larger plan?

Is there a larger plan? I want to work with the with the MTU committee, the MTU board, to create a more comprehensive noncar transportation plan. So those are my goals as a member of the bicycle pedestrian committee. And if I can answer, the reason that I reapplied for the committee is that I think that there might have been some confusion or lack of familiarity with me. I know that I tend to be an abrasive person. That's fair. I'll own that accusation. I like to say I like to think of myself as a as a kind person, but I'm definitely not a nice person. And, you know, that's just how it is. I'll I'll I can try to temper that.

I understand the rules of conduct for committee members and and people representing the city in that capacity, so I can definitely code switch and rein it in. And I also think that just some of the new council members might not have been so familiar with me, so I took that opportunity to, introduce myself to a couple. And I think that we had some some good conversations. So hope that, does that answer the question?

Yes. It does. Thank you. Councilmember McKayla.

Are we allowed to just ask a question? Is that will the chair allow me to ask him a question?

Are you willing to answer questions? Sure. That's fine. Okay. So,

mister Hunt, I appreciate everything you've said and your experience on many of these issues. We agree. However, the reason that I objected previously, it was your inflammatory conduct towards council members when you had a difference of opinion on policy. And what we talked about is that we, as elected officials and folks who are on those committees, are held to a higher standard of conduct. And that was my concern about conferringing that appointment.

So my question is, do you understand that? And even though you said you're willing to act professionally on the committee, hopefully that will carry into other areas and not just on the committee.

So the question is, do you understand why council members voted no the last time?

Correct. And some of the reasons why. And not because you may not be knowledgeable and you may not be a good fit knowledge inflammatory things that were said and personal attacks came across as very threatening to many council members. So what I'm asking is, you know, do you understand that that is probably something that is not appreciated on city committees?

Yeah. Yes.

Councilmember Podeski. Thank you, your honor. I actually was one of the people Kevin had reached out to when we had lunch and had a nice time that day. And and I've and I told Kevin I find him to be a very knowledgeable, intelligent young man, and I appreciated that. The only and then we did talk about what council member Calo just did as far as that stuff.

And I asked him to, you know, not publicly. He doesn't have to apologize, but I said, you know, just think it over, maybe privately apologize. I don't know if he did or not. I I will say that I do appreciate the fact now, Kevin, that you seem you a little bit more sorrowful about what you may have said. And you also just agreed that you know that there's a lot of times and I'm a very emotional guy.

You know? I can cry at the drop of a hat, but I can back in the day, I'd throw a fist at the drop of a hat. But I've grown that and outweighed that, so it doesn't happen anymore. But I guess the big thing for me, Kevin, is I just hope you understand you're representing the city. And as much as we do have freedom of speech in this country, we have to be held to a higher standard when we're on committees or in these roles of counsel. So I just got to think here for a few seconds. But I thank you for coming up and answering these questions. Thank you. Councilmember Goggin.

Hi, mister Hunt. We we have you have disagreed with me, and I'm we've never had a personal interaction. We've never talked about any of my votes, anything, but you've called me a murderer. I should be shunned. Those things. Totally get it. Have a thick skin. No problem. But what I wanna make sure that you understand now this to this date is that I've been in listening sessions with you. I've I've read some of your comments on public media and or public social media. Excuse me. And I found them to be very nuanced and very well researched. And I really appreciate that voice because it's taught me things. So I I wanna just say that I'm encouraged, and I look forward to actually being able to work with you. And when I have a question, maybe that I can use you as a resource.

So I I just want you to know that I'm always open for you to talk to me about how I vote, why I vote, when I vote, because it is lacrosse first for me. Thank you.

Council member Bedford.

This will be a quick one. Do you have a history of violence?

No. Thank you.

Alright. Let me just say, Kevin, thank you very much for coming up. Oops. Sorry. Council member Weston, go ahead.

Sorry. I mister Hunt, I do also just wanna apologize. I think I think there's been an indictment on your character, and I do feel like we would all be at a loss if we were judged by some of the things that we have said and done. And I'm, to be honest, quite uncomfortable with the council's decision to pick out one person out of many when there are many, I don't know, most of these people. And so I I'm concerned that this is a trend that we will continue, and I would like us to instead revisit the how we appoint people to these committees. Anyway, I will be supporting your candidacy.

Alright. Thank you very much, Kevin. Please vote.

This is to approve

Kevin Hunt serving on the bicycle and pedestrian.

This is to divide.

I actually the vote is to divide. So I was doing it right the first time. Thank you. Alright. So this is the vote to divide, the question.

Alright. And that motion passes. So now we're gonna vote on the bicycle pedestrian in question. Correct?

We'll need to make a motion

Okay.

To confirm the bike pad.

Alright. Motion made by council member Bedford, second by council member Northwood. Any other discussion? What I'd just like to council member Kahlo, go first, and then I'll go after you.

Thank you. I'll be brief. I'm encouraged by mister Hunt being here, and I'm always willing to give someone the benefit of the doubt. So I will, this time be voting to confirm.

Alright. Council member Janssen.

I'm all for, people changing their behavior. I don't think a few months, necessarily, meets my expectations after twelve years of seeing inappropriate behavior or consistent behavior that I don't think meets is meets the standards of our committee selection, so I'll be voting no.

Alright. Thank you. In this pretty unique situation, I just wanna say thank you to Kevin for, one, showing up to counsel and also coming up to the front and being able to speak your piece. I know that that is not easy and can be uncomfortable. But with that being said, please vote.

And that motion passes with one nay, 11 yes, and zero abstentions. Now moving back to all of the remainder committee assignments. We'll start with, are there any questions or discussion? Seeing none, please vote. And that motion passes unanimously.

Thank you. Alright. Suspension of council rule 15 for the following items, twenty five one three nine two and twenty five one four zero six. Motion made by council member Goggin, second by council member Sleznikow. Please vote.

That motion passes unanimously. Alright. Report of bids, quotes, recommended to be adopted. Twenty five zero eight five zero, report of bids and resolution awarding contract to t two Contracting LLC in the amount of $500,562.36 for the Badger Hickey Park restrooms and shelter project. Motion made by council member Budeski, second by council member Goggin, council member sorry, council president Dickinson.

I was wondering if park staff could come forward and explain the process that has happened over the last few years regarding the Badger Hickey Park.

Alright. Thank you. Mister Jim Flatmeier.

Thank you, and good evening. Gary, thanks for the offer of a cupcake. I appreciate that. Badger Hickey Park, we've been looking working on this for quite some time. Third time was the charm to get it across the finish line. The old shelter at Badger Hickey Park, FEMA ordered the city of La Crosse to tear it down. So we tore it down a year and a half ago. We bought we brought various changes and such to the shelter to try and get it under budget. We hit some COVID pricing, so it kept going up. But we got it we finally got it right.

It's coming across the finish line. We got the base bid, for the bathroom. So it'll start construction here in the spring.

Awesome. Thank you. Any other questions?

Thank you.

Thank you. Seeing no other, speakers, please vote. And that motion passes unanimously. Next agenda item twenty five one two three one, report of bids and resolution awarding contract to Gurke Excavating Inc in the amount of $911,919.28 for the 21st Street North Vine Street to Campbell Road and Pine Street to 200 excuse me. 2,000 block of, well, hold on, Pine Street and Campbell Road project.

Motion made by council member Stein, second by council president Dickinson. Any discussion? Seeing none, please vote. Motion passes unanimously. Next agenda item twenty five one three four seven, report of bids and resolution awarding contract to BKC Construction LLC in the amount of $2,471,634.02 for the Highway 16 water transmission line North project.

Motion made by councilmember Goggins, second by councilmember Podeski. Any discussion? Seeing none, please vote. And that motion passes unanimously. Next is item twenty five one three four eight, report of bids and resolution awarding contract to Gerke excavate Excavating Inc.

In the amount of $5,174,219.92 for the Highway 16 water transmission line south project. Motion to approve by councilmember Goggins, second by councilmember Podeski. Any discussion? Seeing none, please vote. And that motion passes.

Next agenda item twenty five one three five zero, report of bids and resolution awarding contract to Following Hammer Inc. In the amount of $588,809.23 for 2025 signal replacement at Mormon Cooley Road and Losey Boulevard project. Motion to approve by council member Calo, second by council president Dickinson. Any discussion? Seeing none, please vote.

And that motion passes. Moving now to items to be adopted, starting with agenda item twenty five one three five two, resolution authorizing the mayor and the city clerk to sign the state municipal agreement for the reconstruction of LaCrosse Street from South Street to 12th Street. Motion to approve by council excuse me. Council member Trose, second by council president Dickinson. Council member Kahlo.

Thank you, mayor. This stretch is partially in my district and partially, my colleague, council member Jansen. And, the design, including the bike lane, I'm not really happy with, and and I think we could have done better on it. It's a state highway. I would have preferred a somewhat of a separated and protected protected bike lane, and we weren't really given many options. So I will not be voting in favor of this.

K. Council member Jansen.

Many of the business, probably basically all of them showed up for the public works meeting to share their displeasure with the options. And I think that we are doing a disservice to our businesses and the property owners on La Crosse Street, this section by choosing this design. So I'm gonna be voting a note as well. It's just a continuation of a a bad design, from the other side of La Crosse Street, which is currently filled with snow, by the way.

Any other discussion? Alright. Seeing none. Please vote. That motion passes eight yes and four no.

Next agenda item twenty five one three five eight, resolution encumbrating encumbrating, excuse me, additional funds from previous allocations for the Rose Street streetscape and Saint James Street reconstruction projects. Mostly approved by council member Goggins, second by council member Stein. Any discussion? Seeing none, please vote. And that motion passes unanimously.

Next agenda item twenty five one three seven two, Amend a resolution authorizing the sanitary sewer utility to reallocate unused funds from closed capital projects and appropriate additional funds for capital projects and equipment needs. Motion to approve by council member Troll, second by council member Northwood. Any discussion? Seeing none, please vote. And that motion passes 11 to one.

Next item, twenty five one three seven three resolution authorizing the water utility to reallocate unused funds from closed capital projects and appropriate additional funds for capital project needs. Motion to approve or motion to adopt by council member Northwood, second by council member Trolls. Seeing no discussion, please vote. And that motion passes 11 to one. The consent agenda.

The following consent agenda will be approved with a single voice vote based on the recommendation recommended actions unless an item is removed at the request of the mayor or a council member. So I will ask at this time, are there any items that, you would like to have removed from the consent agenda? Valid. Alright. Seeing none, we will vote as motion to approve by council member McKaylo, second by council president Dickinson.

So, everyone, please vote. And that motion passes unanimously. Alright. Before we wrap up, I just wanna say this is our last councilman meeting of twenty twenty five. I wanna thank you all for serving, your districts and serving the city of La Crosse. I wanna say thank you to every one of our directors for all of the hard work that you all do and commit to the city every day, thank you to all of our city staff and all the work that they do to make this city a better place for everyone. That being said, this meeting is adjourned.