Having arrived on this 15th of September, 2026,
it is my honor to call to order the city
of Racine Common Council.
Our first order of business, as always,
is the Pledge of Allegiance.
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 God, indivisible,
with liberty and justice for all.
Thank you.
President Jorgensen, were there any absences for this evening?
Yes, Alderman has asked to be excused.
Alderman?
Yes.
Thank you.
And Alderman Jorgensen, would you like to make a motion
regarding the minutes of the September 1st, 2026 meeting?
I would, I'd move to approve the minutes
for the September 1st, 2026 meeting
and September 9th, 2026 meeting.
Has been moved and seconded.
Any discussion on the minutes of September 1st, 2026?
And, oh, I'm sorry, there's two of them there, actually.
For September 1st and September 9th, 2026.
President Jorgensen, would you restate your motion?
Yes, move to approve the minutes
for the September 1st, 2026 meeting
and September 9th, 2026 meeting.
So motion and the second on that item,
any discussion on either of those minutes?
Seeing none, all those in favor, please say aye.
Aye.
Opposed?
That motion carries.
We will then move on to the proclamations
that we have for this meeting.
The first proclamation we have is regarding suicide prevention month,
and it reads, a proclamation is the city of Racine,
whereas September is recognized as National Suicide Prevention Month
to raise awareness, reduce stigma surrounding mental health
and promote life-saving resources and support,
whereas suicide prevention month encourages open conversation
about mental health,
educates the public on warning signs and prevention strategies
and connects individuals to evidence-based treatment
and support services,
whereas suicide impacts individuals, families, friends,
co-workers and entire communities,
making awareness and early intervention essential to life,
essential to saving lives,
whereas the city of Racine supports the dedicated efforts
of mental health professionals, educators,
first responders, community organizations,
and the city's youth and family in promoting mental wellness
and suicide prevention and encouraging open, honest conversation
that make it easier for people to ask for help.
Now, therefore, I, Corey Mason, Mayor of the city,
were seen to hereby proclaim September 2026
is National Suicide Prevention Month,
and September 10th, 2026 is National Suicide Prevention Day.
We encourage all residents to promote mental wellness
and help build a community where every individual knows
that hope and support are available this ninth day
of September 2026.
Our next proclamation is regarding Hispanic Heritage Month,
and it reads as a proclamation from the city of Racine,
whereas the Hispanic and Latino presence
in America spans centuries,
long-predating Spain's colonization
of what is now the United States,
and has remained integral to the building, defense,
and cultural revolution of our nation
since the Revolutionary War.
And whereas Hispanic Heritage Month was first established
in 1968 as Hispanic Heritage Week
and expanded to a month-long observance in 1988
by President Ronald Reagan to honor the rich histories,
cultures, and contributions of Hispanic
and Latino-Americans toward democracy.
And whereas the celebration begins on September 15th,
marking the independence anniversaries of Costa Rica,
El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua,
followed by Mexico's Independence Day on September 16th,
and Chile's on September 18th,
reflecting a shared legacy of resilience, freedom,
and collective determination across Latin America.
And whereas the 2026 national theme,
pioneers of change, shaping the future together,
recognizes the innovators, leaders, and visionaries
within Hispanic and Latino communities
whose courage, creativity, and advocacy
continue to shape a more just,
supportable, and inclusive future for all.
And whereas Hispanic and Latino-Americans
enrich Racine through their roles in business,
education, art, public service, faith,
and community advocates from serving in the U.S. military
to advancing movements for equity and justice,
they remain powerful changemakers and social stewards
whose contributions strengthen the economic
and public fabric of our city.
Now, therefore, I, Cory Mason, Mayor of the city of Racine,
do hereby proclaim September 15th through October 15th,
2026 as Hispanic Heritage Month in the city of Racine,
and encourage all residents to celebrate
the vibrant contributions of Hispanic and Latino communities,
foster equity, and building lasting alliances
that shape a shared and promising future.
In witness here of, I have here in two set my hand
and caused the seal of the city to be affixed
on this day, beginning on the 15th of September.
We also have a resolution regarding digital equity week.
It reads, whereas broadband services
are essential infrastructure for the 21st century
and play an important role in providing access
to knowledge and opportunities from communities locally
and around the world.
And whereas digital equity ensures all individuals
and communities have the information technology
capacity needed for full participation in our society,
democracy, and is necessary for civic
and cultural participation, lifelong learning,
and access to essential services.
And whereas the COVID-19 pandemic underscored
the critical need for reliable broadband infrastructure
and digital equity across the city,
and while nearly 100% of residents
have access to internet service,
an affordability gap of nearly $6 per month continues
to prevent some residents from connecting,
leaving approximately 30% of residents without internet.
Whereas the city of Racine remains committed
to advancing digital inclusion and equity
by ensuring that all individuals and communities,
particularly those who are most disadvantaged,
have meaningful access to and the ability
to effectively use information
and communication technologies.
And whereas the digital divide round table established
in 2023 became the digital coalition
of Southeast Wisconsin in late 2025
to ensure digital equity and opportunity for all
in the city of Racine and Southeast Wisconsin
through a community-centered collaborative effort
that adopts to ongoing needs,
build a strong resilient ecosystem,
and establishes Racine and now Southeast Wisconsin
as a digital equity leader in the state.
Now, therefore, I, Corey Mason,
mayor of the city of Racine,
do hereby proclaim October 4th through 10th
as digital inclusion week in the city of Racine
and ask the people of Racine to join me
in raising awareness of digital equity
and broadband access issues
and do all we can to close the digital divide
and witness where I appear and to set my hand
and cause the seal of the city of Racine to be affixed.
We are missing the coastal awareness one,
so look for that online on the city's Facebook page
and we will move on to a very special presentation
that we wanted to do tonight.
If I could ask Mr. Turner, both chiefs, Chief Hanson
and Chief Ramirez and Representative Cruz
to please come up to the front here.
So tonight, we are going to honor a very special public servant
that I've had the pleasure of working with for two decades now.
And I have a proclamation that I will read here,
and I'm joined by Representative Cruz
and both both the chiefs that have worked with him as well.
We were not about 20 years old,
but we were not about 20 years old,
but we were not about 20 years old,
but we were not about 20 years old,
but we were not about 20 years old,
but we were not about 20 years old,
but we were not about 20 years old,
but we were not about 20 years ago.
I was a youngish newly elected state representative,
excited to be in this state assembly,
but realizing that I had a lot to learn,
and I had the good fortune when I was seated in my seat
on the state assembly in 2007 to be seated next to Bob Turner.
And it was a real relief and a pleasure to sit next to Bob.
I can't tell you how many times I need to lean over
and say, Bob, what are we doing on this one?
Or how does this one affect Racine?
And so I had the pleasure of serving with him
for a good chunk of my tenure as a state legislator.
And then once I became mayor,
we needed to look for people that we could really trust
to serve on the police and fire commission.
And for those of you who don't know,
Bob has extraordinary service as a former military police officer
during his time in the service during the Vietnam War
and brings years of experience having served on the city council
while simultaneously while he was in the state legislature at times.
And so he's just been a tremendous colleague and friend
when I needed to think of who we could tap to trust to serve
on the police and fire commission.
It was an easy, easy decision.
So we are here to honor Bob and his service with several proclamations
and adorations.
And so I will read ours and then I'll hand it over to Representative Cruz
and then to the chiefs and then Bob,
if you'd honor us with a few words, that would be great.
But the proclamation reads,
whereas Robert Turner has devoted more than five decades
to public service in the city of Racine and the state of Wisconsin,
beginning with his military service in the United States Air Force security police
during the Vietnam War, including during the 1968 Tetotents offensive.
And whereas upon returning home,
Bob Turner continued his dedication to public service
through his work at J.I.K.'s Company
and his election to the Racine Common Council in 1976.
Where he served with distinction for 28 years.
During this time, he also served concurrently as a representative
in the state assembly for 14 years, demonstrating an extraordinary commitment
to Racine by holding both roles simultaneously,
including the pleasure that I had to serve alongside him
between 2006 and 2012.
In 1990, Turner was elected to the Wisconsin State Assembly,
becoming the first African-American elected to the assembly from outside Milwaukee
and went on to represent Racine for 11 consecutive terms,
championing policies that strengthen representation, accountability,
and opportunity for residents across the city and state.
And whereas Turner's leadership extended beyond elected office,
including his candidacy for mayor in the 2009 special election,
and continued engagement in civic affairs following his retirement
from the assembly in 2013.
In 2018, I had the honor of appointing representative Turner
who has received police and fire commission,
where he served with integrity, fairness,
and a steadfast commitment to public safety and community trust.
And whereas throughout Black History Month, the city of Racine
recognizes individuals whose leadership has shaped our community,
and Robert Turner stands as an historic figure whose contributions
continue to move Racine forward.
Now, therefore, I, Corey Mason, mayor of the city of Racine,
do hereby recognize Robert L. Turner for his outstanding service
to the Racine Police Fire Commission,
his historic achievements in public office,
and his enduring commitment to the people Racine in witness
where of this resolution is presented with gratitude
and deep respect at the common council meeting tonight,
and set here in my hand and has caused the seal of the city
of Racine to be affixed.
Wow.
CHEERING AND APPLAUSE
I'm going to ask Representative Cruz to come out for the safety words.
CHEERING AND APPLAUSE
Thank you.
Hi, everyone.
I'm Representative Cruz.
I represent Assembly District 62.
I had the honor and privilege to serve on the Police and Fire
Commission with Bob Turner.
And I would like to think that we challenged one another in many ways,
but I was truly, and I am truly grateful for the ways in which he challenged me
and helped me to grow and be ready for my position in the Assembly.
So I'm really proud to present this to you,
whereas Robert Bob Turner was elected to represent District 61
in the Wisconsin State Assembly in 1990,
making history as the first black member of the legislature
elected from Racine and from outside Milwaukee
and serve the people of Racine and of the state and the Wisconsin State Assembly
for more than two decades from 1991 to 2013
during this time holding significant leadership roles, including
Minority Caucus Chairperson, Minority Caucus Vice Chairperson,
and Minority Caucus Sergeant at Arms,
and whereas Representative Turner's service on Assembly Committee reflects
a far-reaching knowledge of and contribution to state government,
including serving on ways and means throughout his tenure in the Assembly,
as Chairperson of Criminal Justice in 2009,
and of Transportation in 1993,
Vice Chairperson of the Joint Legislative Council Special Committee
for Criminal Justice Funding and Strategies in 2011,
and of the Joint Legislative Council Special Committee on Justice,
Reinvestment Initiative, Oversight in 2009,
and his record as a legislator demonstrates attention
to a wide range of issues and unfailing attention to issues of concerns
with Veterans Affairs,
and whereas upon his first election to the Wisconsin State Assembly,
Robert L. Turner had already compiled an extensive record of public service
including on the Racine City Council beginning in 1976
and continuing to 2004 as a member of the State Elections Board
from 1987 to 1990, which he chaired in 1990,
and as a United States Air Force veteran with service in Vietnam.
Now therefore be it resolved that Representative Angelina Cruz,
Representative Greta Newbauer, and Senator Robert Wurch,
together with the Wisconsin Legislative Black Caucus,
recognized the exemplary public service of Representative Robert L. Turner
and extend deep gratitude for his many contributions,
dated this 15th day of September 2026.
Thank you so much, Bob.
APPLAUSE
Now I'd like to ask the Chiefs to come up and say a few words.
Good evening.
I met Commissioner Robert Turner back sometime around January of 2021.
He was the President and it was instrumental
and for me to become Assistant Chief and eventually Chief of Police,
and I'm very grateful for that.
He's always been a supporter of the Police Department.
We have many, many conversations.
The Racine Police Department has a little plaque for you,
Robert, for your service on the commission.
And it's a certificate appreciation.
And it's a City of Police Department,
City of Racine Police Department hereby presents
this certificate appreciation to Robert Turner.
For your dedication, commitment,
and service to the Racine community by your service on the Police and Fire Commission.
Data Today's date September 15th, 2026.
So congratulations.
I have just a couple of other things that we want to give him.
Each Commissioner also gets a badge for serving on the commission
on the Fire and Police and Fire Commission.
Here we have one in Lucite for him.
So here you go, Robert.
We put your badge on Lucite.
In just a couple of tokens of appreciation,
I still consider you a police officer because you always come into scenes
or you come into the Police Department
and you probably wore that badge.
So with a little appreciation here,
we're going to give you a police patch.
So you can wear on your shoulder if you wish.
And also it's something that I always give out to people who do excellent work
as a Chief's Coin.
In this case, Robert Turner is the well-deserving of that coin.
So congratulations.
I've known Robert Turner for virtually my entire career on the Fire Department.
And that goes back a long, long ways.
Over the years, he has been a mentor and helpful in everything that we have done
on the Fire Department.
And we appreciate his support of the community through his legislative activities
and his wisdom and insight on the Police and Fire Commission.
With that, on behalf of the Racine Fire Department and of all public safety,
folks in the city here, thank you for your many years of service to this community.
And we appreciate you deeply for what you have given us
and hopefully we can make you proud in the future.
Congratulations.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Now, I realize that I'm just getting old.
All things I've been doing over the years.
But again, it couldn't be done without the help of my fellow commission members
and the support of the city attorney's office, the mayor,
have the confidence in the mean head of the Police Department and Fire Commission.
And all the members of the council, who I serve with,
my friends and the audience and my women's family.
I know it's my friend, Tertala, and his wife,
and Carl Hopper, who's a member of the Police and Fire Commission.
And I talk to you, my friend,
who's from Chicago for me, Mike Seale,
and I see our good friend,
who also served with me,
who felt a veteran.
I think it's not like I see he's...
Hold on a minute, think that...
Hold on.
I didn't get there.
Keyfare, right, yeah.
Keyfare,
who's a fellow veteran?
He then serves Marine Corps,
who was an efforts.
I said, well, I did build you guys out of Vietnam,
and we got over-ran in Saigon.
He, also, my good friend,
and my fine brother I drink beer.
Oh, can see to pass this...
I'm still in there for sarcastically,
I know I'm a pastor, I know I'm a real pastor, I'm a real pastor, and in his son, and he's
lovely wife, I'm a son of your wife, I'm a son of your brother, Terry.
So again, I'll be brief, at first I thought this was my celebration of my birthday, when
I served my birthday was on the 14th of September, so I have to work with my birthday, I must
do something right.
And the second I thought I saw the police chief, and in fact, she asked me, maybe it would
be an arrest for something I did, and if we had a call.
But none of it would be impossible without the help of people who I've been around on
my career, and my son's here tonight, for I'll return to my sister's hand.
That's a stand, Robert, that's my oldest son, and he used to be a deputy chef in Las
Vegas, and I was supposed to be here tonight, and my husband had a big family, I had a
friend of mine, and I had them all who had to use the feel of the help of everybody.
All the hard roads we've seen, I won't call the name, because I may miss someone, if I
do miss someone, it's not from the head, it's not from the head, and I said, again, it's
just all your pleasure to come here and see Sandra White, who I served on the City Council
many years, and I noticed that, all I see was I served on the City Council, but anyway,
I want to thank the Mayor for the honor, it has a coach of me, and I know the Mayor
mother, if I knew the Mayor, a rich school at Parkside, I'm not until the age, but so
the Parkside, I knew it was there, too, and I got to thank the City Trustees, and for
his suggestions, and also the Koreans, obviously the Koreans are dumb, and she was the Secretary
who made sure that everybody built time for all the meetings that they needed, and kept
it in minutes, although Carl was our official Secretary of Carl Hobart, but she made sure
everything was done right, and again, it's the place of the honor to be recognized by
the city we've seen, but things have done, I will do it again in a heartbeat, although
we should have got some money for this, but I will do it again tomorrow, thank you for
showing up, all the afternoon, I'll see you in the wedding.
We're gonna stand in formal for just a couple minutes, and then we'll resume the meeting.
Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you,
thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you,
thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you,
thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you,
thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you,
thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you,
thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you,
thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you so much, thank you so much, thank you, thank you,
thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you,
thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you,
thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you,
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 of their 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 comments 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 three speakers this evening.
The first one is Diane Kaneki, excuse me, 5101, right AV.
And as you approach the DSC,
I just want to let you know there's a three minute clock
that we'll turn on.
One of the three minutes are up,
the microphone gets turned off,
that's not a reflection on what anybody's saying.
It is just a three minute limit that we have
and an effort to treat everybody equally.
You may begin.
Hello, I like to speak about homelessness
to marginalized communities.
A few years ago when I first transitioned
and even before I transitioned,
I was homeless because also due to domestic abuse
from a boyfriend and also from a girlfriend
because I'm bi.
But when I did stay in a homeless shelter as trans,
part of the problem that I had was basically,
I always went here, well, you're not storming,
you're not storming, you're not storming.
And this is part of the reason today why
I appear without wearing my wig,
because some days I don't wear my wig.
And for many people who are trans, they have hair loss,
but sometimes when they're in the shelter,
if they're in the bed shelter,
they're expected to wear the wig 24-7.
As many people know that it's extremely hard to do.
It's very hot and also I have syncopies
so on hot days, there are many days I do go with my wig
or even when I meet friends sometimes I go with my wig.
The reason I have my Barbies with me
is also to demonstrate my models
that also trans, trans people are F to M as Randy
or M to F as Sandy.
But what happens in shelter sometimes Sandy
will be put on the men's side
while Randy will be put on the women's side.
But as Sandy has put on the men's side,
she could experience great abuse, great trauma
and may even have to be rescued.
So what I'm trying to say though is basically,
we've seen it has a good history of managing shelters,
but you still have to be watchful
because there are many times that people
who are trans sometimes are afraid to go
or sometimes even afraid to talk with certain social groups
because they're afraid of bias,
whether it's different types of social aspects,
whether they're an all group based upon
what they think of society, how they believe in society,
what they actually believe.
So the person has to be open-minded
and has to be accepting.
It's right the book, Humans of New York.
We've seen it as a multicultural city,
multi-generational city.
Not everyone dresses the same,
not everyone lives the same.
So what happens and regards to homelessness
and even domestic abuse, it has to be open-minded
and I'd like to mention that we've seen it.
Kenosha actually is only two communities
that have a domestic abuse shelter
in all of Southeast Wisconsin
and even considering all of the Chicago area.
So I speak to speak on a forward basis
rather than as a reactionary
or on a tombstone basis when something has happened.
Thank you.
The next speaker is Madeline Thompson at 1906 Erie Street.
Hello.
Sorry, well nervous I don't public speak often.
Sometimes you just wake up and gotta remind somebody
that they're an elected official.
Hello, I'm here to speak again
against the Flock Surveillance Company.
I know we're seeing police department
feels very strongly pro
about the crime-fighting aspect of this tool,
but I would also hope they feel just as strongly
about public trust.
The cameras only further dig out the canyon
of distrust the public has with the police.
We already have two officers that we are aware of
that have been investigated for misusing
their access to the Flock data.
Since we're in the police department
is allowed to audit that access internally,
we don't know how many more there could be
or what punishment they faced
if there even was a punishment.
We don't even know where they are.
They don't have to tell us though.
We just got trust that everything's working out.
Furthermore, Flock is building onto a project called Nova.
Nova is an AI searchable database of people.
You're clothing, your face, your tattoos.
We're seeing that turn the service down
when it's signed up but we still sign the contract
so we still install the infrastructure.
It's a little camera swaparoo
and the next thing you know, you're all in a database.
You may think to yourself,
why don't commit crimes, so no worries.
But uh-oh, worries, very much worries.
There are document incidences of this Flock system
flagging the wrong vehicle
and then innocent people
are having their civil liberties taken away.
They're being pulled out of vehicles at gunpoint,
been arrested and held for crimes they didn't even commit
because the cop is working off bad intel.
I know our police need tools.
I want them to have tools.
But I need tools that also don't harm the community
and make the public just trust in them even worse.
I also just wanna say I think it's crazy
that Florida State Highway removed all the cameras
and we haven't.
In a what world is Florida more progressive than us?
Their state bird is bath salts.
I sometimes are just so mad.
I just can't stop myself from saying expletors
and I have so much more to say.
But the biggest thing that I want to say
is that we have an obligation
and I'm speaking to the white people in this room,
we have an obligation to use our privilege for good.
We have an obligation to stand up for injustice.
We have an obligation to dismantle systems
that oppress minority people.
So that's why I'm here today
because this is just a tipping point.
The ICE agents, ICE goons are already using the system
to track down and terrorize immigrants.
Is that acceptable to us?
Are we better than Florida or not?
Should we get our state bird to be the bath salts?
I don't know, but I think receding deserves better
and I think you guys can make a better decision
and all the remark I really wish you'd pay attention to me.
Thank you.
The last speaker is Josh Jeffers from Wawa Tosa.
Good evening everyone.
My name is Joshua Jeffers.
I'm the president and CEO of J. Jeffers & Company.
We're a real estate development firm
that owns the properties at the former
Horlick Multimilk factory,
now known as Bell City Square.
And one of the topics that will be heard tonight
is a proposed loan modification for the avenues property.
So for anyone who's a little bit unfamiliar with this,
we've completed now four phases of development
at the former Horlick Multimilk complex.
The first phase was the Arabella Apartments,
which is 60 affordable housing units
that was completed in 2021.
Then in 2022, we completed the second phase,
which is 86 market rate apartment units
in a building now known as the William Apartments.
Phase three is called the avenues.
This was 167 units of new construction market rate housing,
one of the first market rate housing developments
built and were seen in a very long time.
We're very proud of that project
and that is actually the subject
that you'll be hearing about a little bit later.
We have a $5 million loan
from the city of Racine on this property
that we're seeking some modifications to.
And then I also wanted to mention last year in 2025,
we completed our fourth phase of development here,
which is a commercial phase of development
that resulted in 95,000 square feet of commercial space.
Some of our anchor tenants there
are the inclusive bean coffee shop and Lee's deli,
which just recently opened up there.
So in total, over the last five or six years
that we've been working on this site,
we've completed 313 apartment units,
about 95,000 square feet of commercial space.
And we've invested over $110 million
into transforming what was once a blighted,
brown field factory complex
into what is now a vibrant, safe neighborhood
with all lead certified buildings
and has had a little bit for everyone there
just in terms of housing inclusiveness and jobs creation.
So I just wanna say again,
I appreciate you hearing our matter
and I can be available for any questions
that might come up.
Thank you.
This concludes the public comment segment.
We now move on to the public hearing
on the zoning code rewrite.
The planning commission had two meetings
in the last month regarding the public
and had a public hearing there on the zoning code rewrite.
Under state statute,
we are required to do a public hearing
on any changing to zoning code.
We have no speakers currently signed up to speak
to the zoning code rewrite on that item.
So we'll then move on to communications introduced to council.
The first one would be items referred
to public works and services.
Alderman, would you like to make a motion
regarding the items to be referred
to public works and services?
Yes, I would.
Thank you, Mayor.
I move to have the following items referred
to the public works and services committee.
Item 081326, communication sponsor by myself,
requesting use of city right of way
for the annual holiday parade on Saturday,
November 14th, 2026.
Item 081626, communication sponsor by myself,
submitting bid results for contract 2026, 413,
lateral lining 2026, greater north Bay phase one.
Item 081726, communication sponsor by myself,
submitting amendment 13 party contract
for state project ID 22901002, city of Racine,
state street and main street bridges over route river.
And item 0827-26, communication sponsor by myself,
submitting bid results for contract 2026, 412,
CCTV 2026, televising, city wide.
So second on the referral of these items,
all those in favor of referring these items
to public working services, please say aye.
Aye.
Opposed, that motion carries.
We now look for a referral motion, Alderman, Pete.
Would you like to make a motion regarding the items
to be referred to public safety and licensing?
I would like to refer to the following items,
the public safety and licensing committee.
Item number 081026, communications sponsor by myself,
submitting a new application for a class B retail
fermented malt beverage and intoxicating liquor license
for B-A-A-4, LLC, DBA, Old English Pub,
which is located at 2416 Lakeville Avenue,
Brandon Thomas, agent 14th district.
Item number 081126, communications sponsor by myself
for the license premises report
that the public safety and licensing committee
review the police department report.
Item number 81226, communications,
which is sponsored by myself,
requesting any consideration and any formal expression
of concern or other actions pursuant to the police report.
Item 081426, communications sponsor by myself,
submitting a new application for a class B retail
fermented malt beverage and intoxicating liquor license
for Sarah Ventura, LLC, DBA, La Quince, Del Barro,
restaurante, Salon, Fiesta, located at 1518
Washington Avenue, Sarah Guzman, Alberts,
agent third district.
So motion and a second to refer these items
to public safety and licensing.
All those in favor, please say aye.
Opposed, that motion carries.
We now move on to committee reports.
Elder land is not here.
So the vice chair, Elder Horton,
will be handling this report.
Elder Horton, do you have any items
for separate consideration?
Yes, I do, yes, I have five.
Please read the first one.
0795-26, communications sponsor by Mayor Mason
regarding their renegotiation or termination
of the flock camera system in the city
of racing, recommendation from the finance
and personnel committee on 9882026
to maintain the contract through 123126.
Physical note funds are appropriated
in the 2026 budget, much approved.
There's a motion and a second to approve,
item 0795-26, Elder Jorgensen.
Thank you.
I would move to make an amendment
that would direct the city attorney
to terminate the contract with flock safety,
effective immediately with the intention
that all flock equipment will be covered
in a way to disable them without damage
until they can be physically removed.
With a 30 day grace period to be provided
to the police department so that they can retain
any data for ongoing investigations
with the cameras disabled during that time period.
There's a motion to amend the item
to terminate the contract, cover the cameras safely
without damaging them and giving the police
department a 30 day grace period
to acquire additional information.
Elder Jorgensen, would you like to speak to your amendment?
Thank you.
So we discussed this at length
at the finance and personnel committee.
We had flock representatives in attendance.
They came to supposedly answer questions
all the walking away from that meeting.
I didn't really feel like there were a lot
of questions answered through me.
There were numerous questions posed
and I think the most crucial,
which is really what's different here.
What have other communities gotten wrong?
There's a few dozen communities in the state
that have taken this same issue up
and looked at it and looked at I think most importantly
what the public wants.
And it made the decision that they wanted
to terminate the contract.
It's what their residents wanted.
It's what they felt was right.
And so here we have the opportunity in the city
to do the same thing,
to look at what flock is and what it represents
and what it does and look at what our constituents,
the folks that we're supposed to be representing
overwhelmingly want,
which is this contract to be terminated.
I don't know if you've seen me polling on it.
I know an alder put up a post on Facebook
and I read through the vast majority of the comments
and it was overwhelming that the general population
does not want these cameras.
One of the comments that I think really stuck with me
from that meeting is an alder made the comment
that well everyone has the drive safe and save discount.
They sign up on their phones
and their phones collect more data
than what flock would do.
But you're missing a really important nuance
with that statement.
And that's that,
that discount is a choice that a person has.
They can choose to enroll in that program or not.
They can choose to have their phone on them
and to do that and participate in the program or not.
There is no way to opt out of flock cameras
to be tracked and monitored.
There's no opt in, opt out.
That would be our decision
on if we want to have the city participate in that or not.
There's numerous other comments around of,
well, if you use social media,
that has more data that gets tracked on you
than what flock would have.
Once again, that is a choice that somebody gets to make.
If we continue this contract with flock,
we aren't giving residents in the city of Racina choice
whether or not they're going to be monitored
with this camera system.
We're making the choice for them.
And as we've seen from the public coming out
and speaking on this issue numerous times,
I've received received a number of phone calls
and emails on this of residents asking
that we do not continue this contract and we end it now.
So that's, that's why I made that motion tonight.
I truly believe that the will of the people
should be the law of the land.
And that's the opportunity before us this evening.
Alderman Pervone.
Thank you, Mr. Mayor.
I'm in support of Alderman Pervone since motion.
I've spoken a lot on this since it's come up,
had a lot of constituents reach out,
people reach out the community
and just trying to listen.
And we heard, you know, there are some of my colleagues
that are afraid of making a knee jerk reaction
to a particular item like this.
But in a lot of the ways, public sentiment
is public perception is reality.
When we are in an environment like this,
it's different than when you're using your phone
or when you're signing up for apps
and you're allowing that and you're consenting to that
versus when you're giving the government money
to then use these tools.
It's not like the tool isn't useful,
especially for our police department
and a lot of the crimes that they do.
This gives them the opportunity to download any data
that might be there.
But at the same time, bags up these cameras
so they cannot collect more data.
When I was at the finance and personnel committee,
when I've seen everything else happening
in the surrounding municipalities and communities,
regardless if their crime rate was the same
or wasn't the same as us,
if we're comparing apples to oranges,
it didn't really matter in the sense that
the answers that we're getting from the flock representatives
just did not hold.
They did not meet the expectations
to where I would be able to then go
and reiterate that to my constituency,
to the residents, to my friends and family,
they reach out.
People from both sides of the ideological aisle
are against this and I think we would be
in deep, deep waters if we decided to ignore a directive
like this, especially when it's not about following
what's the latest trend,
it's about these are serious grievances
that our chief has even acknowledged
that he understands both sides.
He defends the usefulness of the tool,
not the company itself.
And what the representatives told us was not sufficient.
And in fact, a surgeon had emailed us earlier today
that what he was told by a flock representative
was not correct and he had to go back and correct
that not his fault,
he's just doing what he's trying to do
to make sure we're making the best informed decision.
But when we're flip-flopping like that
and if the city attorney's confused
or the mayor's confused or I'm confused
and all of us are wondering what's going on,
there's obviously an error in the messaging
and it wasn't a misstatement or misrepresentation by flock,
he was just flat out negligence.
So that is my view and this is why I'm supporting
all the Dergensen's motion to do this,
effective immediately with bagging the camera
so no more further data can be collected
and then giving our police department the opportunity
to download any data they need for ongoing investigations
and if something like this
for a tool like this where to come before council again
at that time is when it's gonna face the scrutiny it deserves
but right now we need to address what's at hand
and I am in support of the motion, thank you.
Thank you.
Aldo Horton, I realize you made the initial motion
for the committee report.
I didn't ask if you wanted to speak to your original motion,
do you want to speak on the amendment or the amendment?
Of course, please proceed.
Yeah, so first of all I understand
what President Dergensen is saying
and all the people on the saying.
And like I said and I said again,
unless you're on the other side of the aisle
of losing the loved one and homicide rate
and received is down 22%.
It's a difference when you're saying to solve this case,
to solve this murder if you're on the other side of it.
And so for the public safety part of it,
as far as the contract ended on the 31st of this year,
it was already said that it was not gonna be in a budget
for next year so that's no fight on that.
But the fact of what do we replace it with?
The last meeting we had on finance and personnel,
it went from 30 days to 45 days
and it actually reached 90 days,
which would be the end of the year.
And so I agree that the flock represent
the people that came from flock
probably didn't answer all the questions,
but also really would like to know how many orders went
and seeing how flock really worked.
And so I asked the PD, how many people?
I think it was four or five, but it's 15 of us.
I'm not law enforcement.
I don't work for law enforcement,
but we're taking away a tool
and the question tonight is what do we replace it with?
So do we go without from here until the end of the year?
It's not in the budget for 27.
There was some financial things in there
in the actual, some financial obligations.
We asked the city attorney, like, okay,
if the flock cameras are removed, who pays for them?
We were directed that we are not to touch any other equipment.
So there's still some things there
that's gonna be some type of financial obligation.
And then it was said that we've already paid them for 2026.
So if we didn't pay them already for 2026,
so that's just like free money or taxpayers money,
that we say, hey, you paid already, we good.
Make sure you're gone,
but we're gonna let you go for the rest of the three months.
I am open to whatever, but I just don't leave
the police department at a disadvantage.
They also said, hey, we're in the midst of investigation
of sobbing a crime.
And so if you guys feel that 30 days is enough,
and that the police department can do this in 30 days
because I was told today it would take six months
to put some in place.
So it's our city, it's our responsibility
to make sure that public safety
and also our constituents are being taken care of.
So public safety, no one's gonna come here
if the city has a high crime rate.
Everything that we build and everything that we have,
there's no need to come in here because I wouldn't.
So if this is what the body would like to do,
then I'm open to it.
Thank you.
I'll be back.
Thank you.
Having been someone who's had a car stolen,
I know what a useful tool that this can be.
I can't describe the feeling to you waking up,
walking out my door and seeing my car missing
from my driveway.
The pit of my stomach that I experienced.
For a moment thinking maybe I parked it in our other driveway
and going over there and there was no car over there either.
Fortunately it was recovered.
Prior to flock, my daughter was hit just on our same block
by a hit and run driver.
Driver took off.
Fortunately she wasn't hurt but the car was badly damaged.
Just two weeks ago her car was sitting out on the street.
The car side swiped it at 12.30 in the morning.
Never stopped, never left a note.
Hopefully they'll find that car due to the technology
that's out there.
There were a lot of objections brought up the other night
at the finance committee.
But there were no facts or figures that were tied
to those objections.
They were generalizations that flock is selling our data
and we found out flock wasn't selling our data.
That this is being anybody that's part of flock
can grab our data.
No, that wasn't the truth.
The police department would share it
and they have shared it just like other departments around us
have also shared that data.
We were told that someone was pulled out of their car
because of flock.
I looked into it and it was the investigator error
that caused that to happen.
And regardless if you had flock or not,
if a license plate was tagged, they're gonna get stopped.
Are we gonna remove license plate readers from squad cars too?
Is the next step getting rid of the cameras
that are on our intersections?
Or what about the camera system DOT operates
along the interstate?
I feel like my privacy is violated
because I don't know what data they're collecting.
Oh, that was another thing.
They're collecting all this data on us.
Our traffic routes and everything else.
Then appear that was the case.
There was a traffic study component
that could be bought by DPW
that basically does very similar to what we already do.
But they don't have all that data five years back.
It would start the day of the contract.
We were told the data gets retained indefinitely
and that's not the case.
I don't know if they even have a server big enough
to retain all the data that's out there
that would need to be.
As Alderman Horda mentioned,
we've paid for this until the end of the year.
The police department, I think, has demonstrated
that this is a very useful tool.
They offer to show it to everyone.
They explain in nauseum how they utilize it.
And I think we're handcuffing them
if we take a valuable tool like this away.
I'm gonna be voting against the amendment.
I think it was a reasonable accommodation
to extend it until the end of the year.
The mayor's already said whether it's right or wrong
that he's not funding it in the budget.
And unless I can come up or Alderman Hordin can come up
or somebody else that might support this type of technology
can come up with the money,
it looks like it's not gonna be a part of the 2027 budget.
I can deal with that.
Just like Alderman Hordin stated that,
you know, if that's what's gonna happen.
Yes, I put a Facebook poll out there.
I've only got a handful of people contacting me.
And it was about 50-50, actually.
People that supported it and people that didn't.
We had a couple people show up at the last meeting
when it was referred as a communication.
We had one person show up tonight.
That's not a groundswell of support against this.
And then we were told that all these communities
are getting rid of it and, you know,
somehow we should do the same thing
because they've done all the research.
Nobody's explained to me why those other communities
have got rid of it.
And what about the hundreds of communities
that have kept it?
Nobody's talking about that
because we're gonna talk about the handful of communities
and we're gonna join them
because somehow they must be smarter than us.
And therefore, we have to jump on the bandwagon into it.
I'm not defending Flock.
I don't know if it's the right technology out there.
A lot of these communities are going to ax on
or whatever that other alternative is.
And it's still the same kind of technology.
What's different about that than Flock?
Well, I know the Trump family has bought into axon
or bought a lot of stock in it.
Kind of interesting that right after that,
all of the anti-flock stuff started coming out.
But I'm not into conspiracy theories.
So I'm not implying anything.
But that seems to be the argument about Flock.
A lot of conspiracy theories out there
about why it's not good for a community.
Every time I walk down the street,
how many families or households
are recording me on their doorbells?
Probably quite a bit.
When I walk into a restaurant,
am I being recorded as I'm eating my dinner?
When I walk into a store,
are they tracking my movements in that store,
watching what I'm buying?
I don't know.
I didn't consent to that.
Oh, maybe I did because I walked inside of it.
But I sure didn't consent to the ring doorbells
recording my every movement
as I walk down Main Street taking my walk.
But there it is.
What happens to that?
This Amazon or whoever sponsors ring doorbell
have all that data out there that they're keeping.
See, we can go down this slippery slope
and come up with all these alternatives
and things that might be happening.
But nobody has been able
to give me a verified documented case
of all these things that were brought up
why we should get rid of it.
It's all hearsay.
In the flock company told us,
no, that's not the case.
That's not the case.
That's not the case.
I don't know how much clearer that could be.
The police department has assured us
that safeguards are in place.
This is how they use it.
That they don't retain the data.
That after 30 days, it goes away.
Flock acknowledged that after 30 days, it goes away.
And unfortunately, it would have compromised investigations
so they weren't able and open session to go into detail
about how it has been utilized
in some of their maybe higher profile cases.
But it's a tool that's had result.
And as Alderman Horton said,
violent crime is down 22%.
Our clearance rate, I believe, has been on the rise
as a result of them utilizing the various tools that they have.
Once again, I'll be voting against the amendment.
I believe that the compromise was extending it
to the end of the year.
And then the mayor will not fund it.
It goes away.
And the police department has their tool and it gives them
some time to come up with some alternatives in the meantime.
Thank you.
Other Pete.
Thank you, Your Honor.
I'm gonna take us, try to keep it short to the point.
Our neighboring communities,
as well as our own county sheriff department,
have presented both the pros and cons.
I won't mention the municipality,
but the company itself tried to sell the same data
that we're talking about back to their own public works department,
which implies that they're monetizing the data.
Many comments have been made tonight about AI and its ability.
I even think about my own ring camera
and how frequently I delete the information.
That information is stored in databases.
When I sit here listening and I'm thinking,
are you familiar with a data center?
That's what they do.
The other point is it's not the technology.
And I agree that we should the police departments
as the other municipalities in our own sheriff department
pointed out they need the technology.
And so my colleagues have already stated they're invaluable.
However, it's the company that is putting us,
taking up public trust, violating public trust.
We talk about accountability.
How can our citizens have trust our accountability
if they can't trust our judgment with the companies
that we do business with?
I think I understand about the budget issue and not funding,
but I think as the other municipalities already pointed out,
it is necessary technology,
but we need to find another source.
Thank you.
Other Frazier?
I'm gonna reserve my comments to the end.
I'm gonna ask the police chief if he can come up here.
I have some questions for him.
The chief would approach the DS.
Stay your question on the freezer.
Chief, can you talk about how your agency has used a flock?
How long have you been able to flock?
How have you used it?
How has it been helpful?
Just to build some context.
Good evening.
Thank you for the opportunity to speak.
Flock or the automated license plate reader
has been very valuable to the city of Racine
and certainly in catching the bad folks.
People who commit crimes that includes homicides,
shootings, stolen autos, hit and runs,
missings and the like.
It's available too.
We've had it since 2022,
and the contract currently would run out.
It's, we signed the contract through 2027,
through that of 2027.
Public safety is my number one priority.
Having tools do our job,
having tools that keep the city of Racine safe
is my number one priority,
along with you guys, I would imagine.
The tools available to protect our residents.
Whether it's flock, whether it's axon,
we have a lot of tools and they don't aren't cheap.
I'm not gonna go into the narrative of what's going on,
but I'll just tell you how it's helped us.
And I've got a statement here,
if I'm allowed and go ahead.
As please see, my responsibility is to use the tools
available to protect our residents.
I'll also respect in their rights,
maintaining public trust as it was brought up here tonight
and ensuring that law enforcement operates responsibly
and transparently.
I think we do a pretty good job of that.
I support continuing the automated license plate reader
system because it has the potential to provide investigators
with valuable leads.
I can assure that up until yesterday,
we use that tool to arrest a homicide suspect
that occurred in Mount Pleasant
and it had never been received.
Fortunately, that person was taken into custody.
As I said, that available in homicide shootings,
so in vehicles, burglaries, hit runs and the like.
At the same time, I understand and respect the concerns
surrounding privacy and the possibility
that technology could be misused.
I understand that.
We're not a perfect society.
Those concerns should not be dismissed.
Any law enforcement tool that collects
provides access to information
about our community must have clear rules.
Appropriate safeguards, accountability and oversight.
We have that here in the City of Racine Police Department.
Currently, I've implemented strict actist controls,
legitimate law enforcement use requirements,
auditing of searches, appropriate data retention limits,
employee training and transparency with the public
about how the system is being used.
The system is also achieving the public safety goals
for which it was implemented.
We got it.
This was what we were gonna use it for.
To help solve crime, to help reduce crime.
We have reduced shootings and shots fired
by 57% since 2022.
If that's not an accomplishment, I don't know what is.
We're gonna continue that
because we want people to come and live and receive.
Racine needs to thrive.
We need jobs.
We need schooling.
We need education.
We need people to get to the thrive in the city.
We need businesses to come downtown.
I live downtown and I hear it all.
Trust me, I hear it all.
I hear it from everybody.
The most important questions should not be simply
to be whether we have cameras.
Questions should be whether those cameras
are helping us solve crimes.
Recover stolen property.
Identify dangerous offenders.
And believe me, we all have dangerous offenders
and make our community safer.
And whether they're doing it so in a responsible
and accountable manner.
I'm not asking the council to choose between
public safety and privacy.
I believe we can protect both.
It's extremely important to protect both.
I also believe that whether whatever the decision
the council ultimately makes regarding flock
or the automated license plate reader system,
there must be a clear strategy in place
to ensure that public safety is not compromised
during any transition.
If the decision is made to discontinue the system
at the end of the year, we should not simply turn it off
without having another effective system in place.
Developing, procuring, implementing and training personnel
on an alternative system does take several months.
We need to account for the timeline now
rather than create a gap in our investigative capabilities.
Removing the current system without a replacement
or transition a plan could put the community
unnecessary risk.
Conversely, the council decides to continue the program.
We should establish clear benchmarks, safeguards
and regular reviews so that its continued use
is based on demonstrated value and responsible
and implementation.
Everyone here at the council was afforded the opportunity
to see how the system worked.
And some of you took advantage of it,
understand that some couldn't make it
because of scheduling things of that nature.
My recommendation is that if we continue
and automate a license plate reader system
with strong safeguards, regular review
and transparent reporting to this council in our community,
if the council ultimately chooses a different approach,
I respectfully ask that we develop and implement
an alternative before eliminating a tool
that investigators currently rely on.
A goal should be straightforward.
Use technology responsibly.
Protect our residents.
Respect their rights or privacy rights
and remain accountable to the community we serve.
Whatever decision is made,
that decision should be implemented thoughtfully
with a clear plan that protects both public trust
and public safety.
So can you talk about,
because there's a lot that we have to uncover.
There's frustration with flock itself
and what they're doing.
There's frustration with how officers
are using the equipment.
So can you talk about in your role
how have you, what safeguards and left and right limits
have you implemented for the police department?
We restricted the use of the flock
to certain individuals,
mainly our investigators and supervisors.
In order to use that system, you have to have a case number.
Who's using it and the reason why you're using it
and it's got to get approved.
That system's in place.
We audit every single day.
Every single day we've been auditing for quite some time.
During an audit, we were able to find two individuals
that have allegedly misused it.
That's because of the auditing system we have in place.
The system has been valuable in it.
It's a license plate.
You read it, you're out in public.
It's a tip.
You still have to verify it.
You've got to verify who's driving the vehicle.
There's a lot of things that go,
it's just like someone would call in.
You still have to verify it.
It's a useful tool and it's been extremely useful
and certainly in our violent crime.
Thanks.
I just wanted to add,
I'm the only person on this console
that is active law enforcement.
Pretty much everyone knows that.
Here's what I'll say.
For me, this is kind of difficult
because I have to separate between law enforcement
and elected official.
It's very, very difficult considering
I use this stuff every day with the sheriff's office.
With that being said,
to order Jorgensen's point,
or to Pabon's point,
Flock did not give us any type of comfort
that they are not about how they're handling
the information that's being used at the same time.
I also understand active investigations
are very, very important.
I need the community to really understand this.
There are investigations that are happening
that have been ongoing for months
and we use this tool to help us.
Getting rid of the tool eliminates
the police department's ability
to get leads on investigations.
I am not an advocate of Flock.
I look forward to us transitioning away from Flock
and going to another alternative,
but at the same time,
and I don't know who can answer my secondary question,
but to order Jorgensen's point,
to his motion,
if we say that Flock has 30 days
to remove the cameras,
does that allow the police department,
within those 30 days,
to actively use the information,
or to actively access information,
or is it just, you know,
Wednesday, September 16th,
30 day notice has been inputted
and Flock's systems are no longer valid,
and we have 30 days to use the information
that we currently have.
So I think that there needs to be clarification on that
because-
So the other feature is that a question you're posing to
all the Jorgensen or-
Yes, yeah, if you were-
If you were Jorgensen would-
If you were to-
To heal to that question?
I would.
So the way the motion is intended to work
is that the cameras would be covered
effective immediately,
so I'm guessing tomorrow,
the next day.
However, we did hear from the police department,
there are concerns around, you know,
there's data that's currently there
that they're planning on using.
So I did actually pose this question in committee
to the Flock representatives,
and they said that they would be able to do it.
So the plan would be the cameras would be covered
and disabled right away,
so there'd be no new data being generated,
but the data that's currently in it
with the police department would have 30 days
to access and retain it,
so that it wouldn't disrupt any current investigations
that they were planning to use it for.
Okay, so then going back to the chief,
how does that help you if the cameras are covered
and no new information is being provided?
Okay, I have a team with me here
that will be able to more get into the details
on that specific question here.
D.C. Matoria,
or Jason Smith,
these are the folks that,
my team here are the folks that look at this
every single day that oversee it every single day
and understand it much better than I do in detail
and are able to provide those details.
Okay, and before she speaks to it,
you know, I understand, you know, press her time,
and I want to honor everyone's time,
but I think that this is important,
because we're talking about public safety,
so if you can speak to that chief
about how that will impact you,
because I know that you're the commander of investigations.
Yeah, yeah, if you could just speak to that,
because I think that it's important
so that we all have a full picture.
Certainly, so covering the cameras
and not allowing any more data to come in
would absolutely 100% interfere
with some of our investigations and hamper them.
The information being,
what the information we have in there now
and having access to that is great,
but I'm more concerned about not having a tool
until without a replacement in place of it.
I deal directly with victims of crimes on a daily basis.
My people do that as well.
And for us to have the equipment there with bags over them
and say, I'm sorry, we're not going to be able to help you with that,
because, you know, that tool is covered
even though the equipment's there,
and we can't access that,
and we have nothing in place to replace it with.
It could take up to nine months
at least to get a new system into place.
The longer we leave,
the longer we leave ourselves without this very important tool,
it will affect our people and our investigations,
and we're very disappointing to my people and myself.
All right.
I think I'm done.
Thank you.
Okay. Thank you.
Dr. Davis.
Thank you, Mayor.
Dr. Mack,
Institute of Justice has a list of individuals
who were followed by their abuse of partner
by using the FLOC system.
So if you take a look at that,
that can give you some of that information.
San Jose, California, an unnamed officer
access FLOC data from his personal phone to locate a woman.
Prairie Grove, Illinois.
Part-time Prairie Grove police officer.
Trax former partners and others.
There's a Wisconsin unnamed.
Has a restraining order petition
and the ex-boyfriend used FLOC.
And there's another San Jose.
But if you take a look at the Institute for Justice,
there's an ongoing list that talks about individuals
where the FLOC was used,
and they were seeking,
these individuals were looking for safety.
They were trying to remove themselves from harmful places.
And the folks who were the officers
that were in positions utilize the FLOC.
So that's just wanted to give you some information on how it's been utilized by
domestic individuals who have been in domestic violence situations.
And the abusers have utilized the FLOC.
That's all.
Order hatches.
Thank you.
So I too am in favor of
Alder Jorgensen's motion.
I understand that mass surveillance is a real thing,
and if we as elected officials have a say so
in how our taxpayers dollars are being used,
I'd rather not use our funding towards mass
or a mass surveillance array.
In the finance and personnel committee meeting,
the FLOC representatives were there,
but I don't believe that they had any answers
from their position of the controversy.
And I did mention as well that this is a two-parted problem.
Misuse number one, but as well as privacy protection
for our community.
So I will be in support of Alder Jorgensen's motion.
And also if this is the only tool that our police department has
to use to solve crimes, I think that's a problem as well.
I understand that it is a tool.
However, this tool has an opposing side of it as well
that impacts our communities.
So that's all.
Otherwise.
So first I just wanted to thank you guys for reaching out
and giving us the opportunity to come in
and see how the technology is used.
I didn't know a lot about FLOC.
Like a lot of people just saw things on the news,
but of all the things I saw in the news,
it became clear that once again, this is not necessarily
the technology that's bad.
It is people that are using it in the wrong way.
So listening to the chief and going to that meeting this week
to see the audits that they have to go through,
I mean, they give a demonstration and they had to put in
Alder demo because they were going to get audited.
So they had to make sure that that was clear,
that it was for me getting this demonstration.
So, and we would go to a new tool.
So do we know enough about a new tool to ensure it's not going to
cause the same problem or explode in the same way?
Versus trusting our department to put safeguards in place
to use the tool in an appropriate way.
In a 20 minute meeting, there were so many misconceptions
that I was able to learn about the number of cameras.
Who owns them?
Do they record people?
All these things that people have asked me that I didn't know
the answers to, and yes, perception is reality,
so it's our job to educate, to change that perception,
and to let people know how these are actually used.
There are so many people that think there are so many more cameras
and I learned that some of those aren't even cameras,
they're just the noise detection.
So you've got people walking around neighborhoods thinking
they're being watched at every corner, not accurate.
So I think that we should, the contract goes to the end of the year,
take that time to figure out are the other systems better?
How can we work at the police department to make sure those guardrails
are in place so that we feel good about it?
Educate the community on how they're used and where they are,
and like how many there actually are.
I think there's a huge opportunity to learn here
and not just see, there were some bad actors, right?
They use the technology in a bad way.
That happens unfortunately with a lot of things,
but some of these communities that change to a different system,
I asked that question too, why did they change?
Well, they were getting body cameras and drones
and all these other things, and that company happened to bundle.
So we're assuming that these communities are making a change
because it's an outrage against flock,
and we don't even know if that's the actual truth.
So I just think this gives us time.
We've got the contract anyway, so that end of the year.
Let them finish their investigations,
let them not have a gap in the service,
and then like go into, if we do something different,
do it with our eyes wide open so we know we're making a better decision.
Father Herman.
Thank you, Mayor.
I have a question for the Chief.
State your question.
Thank you.
I believe that to make an informed decision,
there needs to be answers to both sides of the question,
and you were asked in the just moments ago,
how does flock help the police department?
But my question is, how has flock cameras been problematic
to the police department?
Because there are residents that do have concerns,
and I would like to know how has flock been problematic?
The problematic part just came in not so long ago
when we found two individuals, two officers,
that were allegedly misused in it.
State guards were put in and auditing.
The auditing trail got a lot better,
so it's much easier to audit it.
The other problems that I'm hearing is just the noise
and narrative that I hear outside that's being done.
I read the newspapers, I read the social media,
I read what other communities are doing,
and hear what some of the problems about monetizing the data
or collecting the data, I hear all that.
But when you start taking deeper dives into this,
a lot of it's a lot of noise.
Okay.
Thank you.
Thank you for that.
I believe that the overall crime rate in race scene
has decreased not because there is one specific tool
that assists in decreasing the crime rate.
I actually like to stress that there are multiple ways
in which the crime in race scene has decreased.
There has been community-centered partnerships,
there has been data-driven social programs,
there has been federal public safety grants,
there are programs like race scene violence, crime reduction
initiatives, group violence initiatives,
as well as better reporting in our police department.
Multitask forces working together to decrease our crime.
I also believe that there are grassroots community
programs like Voices for Black Mothers Against Crime.
I also believe programs and initiatives
like free firearms, safety gun locks,
and other things like that.
I believe that there are multiple ways
in which we can work together as a community
to decrease crime and to continue its progress
in that decrease other than one tool that can be problematic,
that can be used in a way to target people
that don't want to be targeted.
I think that we can support other programs
and initiatives in race scene that are doing just as well
in the efforts to decrease crime and deleting one of them
is not going to make the entire box of cards fall.
I believe that we can work with all of the other initiatives
to assist in decreasing crime and with as much money as we each year
put into our police department and our police officers.
I think that I am confident that the chief
and our police can work together with all of the other programs
to continue to do a great job in making our city safe.
Thank you, Chief.
I have a couple of random questions just to clarify things.
I was at the finance committee meeting when this was initially discussed.
Is there a difference, Chief, between what you call
the license plate readers and the flock cameras
or are the flock cameras simply license plate readers?
The flock has a number of systems.
We also have a flocked sound detection within our city.
And flock has an automated license plate reader
just like other companies do as well.
So if I remember correctly, also the contract that the city has
with the flock camera system is for license plate reading only.
Is that correct?
We have that flock has for the automated license plate reader.
We also have them in our squads,
but they operate a little differently.
I'm very familiar with those.
Okay.
So does the contract as it currently exists end in 2026?
Does it end December 31st of 2027?
It ends in 2027.
I don't have the exact date in front of me.
So the current contract that we have actually ends at some point in 2027.
That's correct.
2026 at this year.
Okay.
So if the cameras are removed by flock,
and they're the only ones that can remove the cameras,
is there an additional cost to the city for early removal
or removal of those cameras prior to if those cameras get removed
before the contract expires?
Question for the attorney that if he has a contract in front of him.
I don't mind if you're all right.
I'll direct your latest question to the city attorney.
I don't see that.
That exists in the contract that way.
So that's an unknown then?
No.
Okay.
So I know the mayor said in the finance committee that he did not intend
to fund flock cameras for 2027.
Does that mean there will be no axon or whatever it was called?
Any other kind of license plate reader cameras throughout the city?
No.
My mistake is for the flock product of their automated less plate readers.
We're talking about today.
Okay.
Well, thank you chief.
So I just comment to make.
The idea of the flock cameras became a big issue over the last couple of months
because there has been some officers in different jurisdictions that have
misused those that the camera system or the data that comes from those camera
systems.
I also know that flock cameras do do good.
The first time I was introduced with the notion of flock cameras when there was
a lot of discussion regarding the young woman in Milwaukee that had a blind date.
The date that she had killed her and dismembered her and I remember the police
and the investigators talking about it was the flock cameras that was able to
track her vehicle and then from that vehicle, the tracking the vehicle,
if they could find the pings from the cell towers to find the person that
murdered her and did those horrible things to her.
My other introduction to flock cameras was in December of 2023 when I was hit and
run at the intersection of Rapids drive in Northwestern Avenue.
There were three different eyewitnesses to that hit and run that were able to
provide the police officer that came to this accident and provide information,
and license plate, the vehicle description, the driver's description, the
description of the passenger was able to provide all that information.
It was not enough information though because there was no evidence other than
their testimony so the person that hit and ran got away with it.
So 30 days later I get a new vehicle.
We transfer my plates from my total vehicle to my new vehicle on a Friday
afternoon on Saturday I was pulled over by an officer in wind point that said
that the vehicle that I was driving the plates were not registered to that vehicle.
So I had to explain the whole thing, you know, that just transfer my plates,
blah, blah, blah, and then of course you let me go.
I offered him a granola bar and he wasn't interested.
The next day I'm on Brown Road and I got pulled over again for the very same reason.
So even though we won't have cameras on light poles or wherever the flight
cameras are located, we will still be monitored by some kind of camera system
from our squad cars and we want to have that because it is a tool.
And I appreciate the comments that were made by Elder Davis and Elder Weiss about
it's important to understand how these things work.
And it is true that like any technology it can be abused by some individuals,
whether on purpose or by accident.
I don't think we have to throw out the whole system because a few individuals
abuse the system.
I am concerned that the only discussion that we had in finance and here tonight
is about ending the contract or covering up those cameras whether it's tomorrow or
at the end of this year.
We have not had any discussion about what are we going to do going forward when
2027 rolls are all along.
And I don't think that's a conversation that should wait until we vote on a
budget in November because like the chief said, these programs take months not only to
install but also to train his staff on.
So I am not going to support the motion to end, you know, cover up the cameras.
I think the least we can do is extended until the end of 2026 to give the chief at
least something to work with going forward.
So thank you.
Alderman.
Thank you.
In a moment, I'm going to ask if I can direct a question to the chief.
You may state your question.
Thank you.
But I am going to make a couple of comments first.
I am not a person who jumps and makes a decision based off of emotion.
And when I do make a vote or align with a decision, it is after a lot of research.
And if possible, by inserting myself into that space and have a living experience in
that space.
And I'll give an example about, oh, it's been a long journey.
I began my journey to become an attorney following in my father's footsteps, who is also a
retired police officer and a retired attorney.
And I didn't just wake up one day and say, oh, then I'm going to do that.
I intentionally took a job at the racing county jail.
And I also interned at the DA's office in the juvenile court department.
Then I said, oh, well, I got to know something else about what actually happens with our
juveniles in the court system.
And I'm not going to listen to people who are just on the outside and they're not involved.
I'm going to do something else.
And I started substitute teaching at RUSD.
Those two experiences, along with law school, allow me to make decisions in both of my elected
positions from experience and research, not an emotional decision.
Because believe me, there are opportunities that come along.
Every time I am involved in a legislative decision, that if my emotions were allowed to take over,
I may not vote in a way that was in the best way of centering and focusing in on the communities
and constituency that I serve.
So it doesn't matter what I believe, what I think or what I like.
So I'll put that there.
Our conversation, whether it is justified or not, and whether it was initiated because of
some big corporate scheme and starting what we know they do start fires to get their way,
whether that's the case or not, yes, is an emotional way of going throughout the country
regarding the flock company.
However, the tool, the forensic tool that is used by the police across this country,
across this community and across our state is essential.
Whether you want to assign a large percentage of the 22% of reduced crime in the city of Racine,
whatever role that forensic tool has played in solving a crime is what we have to look at.
And so we're not going to just say we're vacating the tool, the forensic tool that the police,
and we're not going to insert ourselves into the role of deciding how the importance of that
also attached to all of the community initiatives that are necessary in rolling back and repositioning
our community when it comes to how we attack crime because crime happens for all sorts of reasons,
especially in a community that is in our position as we are financially.
We all know that finances, lack of employment and other variables play into why crime escalates or de-escalates.
So there are a lot of moving parts to fighting crime, absolutely.
However, my first question to the chief is going to be what percentage would you assign
if you had to of the 22% that you say and you have proven that crime has been reduced in the city of Racine,
because I am going to say what all the Horton said.
And what we all know as council members, the city of Racine has been flooded with the opinion that this is a community
that is anti new business, new revenue building opportunity because people see that we have a high crime rate.
We can't afford to have a narrative out there that we are not addressing the safety of our community,
and that has many facets to it, the personal and the tangible realities of what safety looks like
and what it looks like in 2026 and going forward 50 years when it comes to technology.
So the first question, sir, and thank you for your service and those that work with you,
what percentage of the 22% would you assign to the reduction of crime,
and how does that forensic tool actually benefit, and while we transition to another tool,
whether we have taken your contract or the working cameras to the end of the year,
to keep in mind that we have been given a timeframe of three, six or nine months in order to put in place another forensic tool,
what would you be doing between the time that we bagged the cameras and the time that we would be able to fully have installed
another forensic tool to help you with your duties?
I appreciate the question, and let me ask my team here.
I don't have that in front of me.
How does it contribute to the reduction of it?
I know it's been a useful tool to us in a number of cases,
as a number of crimes that I said, whether it's burglaries, shootings,
or shots fired, non-fatal shootings, certainly homicides and the like.
I have to look at my team.
Does anyone's got that data?
Thank you for your question, and thank you for bringing back up here.
I don't think that we can give you an exact percentage, but I can give you some real-world examples that just over this summer.
We've received tips about armed individuals looking to retaliate against another opposing side of town,
and we had a description of a vehicle in the place we were able to intercept that vehicle and arrest some known shooters
and known gang members who were supposedly in the process of going to do a shooting,
and we recovered crime guns from that vehicle that have been tied to other crimes.
That's sort of a regular occurrence for us, where we're able to stop things kind of before they happen.
By no means is ALPR technology or FLOC, the only reason or the singular reason that we are crime rate is down 22% are violent crime.
Where does she go?
The elder that listed all of our community partners and other things, all of those are very valuable, all the Herman, sorry.
All valid, all very important tools that we use together, and I would say our partnership with the county
and with the Department of Public Safety, and the tools that we have, and Voices of Black Mothers,
and multiple different community organizations out there that we work with are very important.
None of them are something that can replace this particular tool, but I can tell you that it's a regular occurrence
where we're able to stop violence and recover guns before the actual shooting happens.
Elder Allen, do you have the floor?
Am I alive? Okay.
And so the second part of my question of what would you be doing between a time?
The cameras were inoperable.
Until the time we are able to install another forensic tool, how would you navigate that timeframe with the training and et cetera?
And can you start that now, you know, before the end of the year, how does that work?
Yeah.
So, I mean, this is one tool of many tools and skills that we have that we utilize.
It does provide a huge resource that all of our other investigative tools and resources cannot do.
I think my investigators and officers are fully capable of, will be investigating the same way that we always have,
and would, but solving crimes and stopping things before they happen without that resource would not be possible.
I'll do the mark.
So, I know that there's been a lot of controversy with the FLOC system.
When I was at the committee meeting, I asked the FLOC representative if there's any ways that we can take that data
instead of putting it into a server outside of foreseen in their hands.
If we can have it here localized so we have control over it.
They said that their servers are more secure, but to me that was another way of dodging the question.
The thing is, this has been a thing for about two years.
Early 2025, civil liberty groups have shared issues with the data being shared.
I know that there's other tech companies that said that we are not selling your data.
We're not listening to you, but Apple, Amazon, and Google both were caught in lies when that happened.
I'm not in favor of FLOC at all, but I'm also not in favor of taking away tools from the police officers.
I know that City of Kenosha transferred over to Exxon, but from my understanding, with me and I had,
they were already in the process of changing over about a year ago.
I think that we should have a very good transition from FLOC to another system.
Again, I'm not for FLOC, and I'm not, but I can't fault for this because the safety of our system matters way more.
I'll repeat for a second time.
Thank you.
What's that?
Come me off your back.
Thanks.
Sorry.
Anyway, just a quick question for the police department.
How long does it take to transition from FLOC to a different system, and how would that affect your ongoing investigations?
It takes several months.
I could be anywhere from three plus up, but there's a process, obviously, because of the cost,
we'd have to bring it to a committee, then to the common council for approval and not approval.
There's a cost behind it to procure it.
Then you have to, once you procure it, you have to train individuals on it.
We ask all the same questions.
Who keeps the data?
How long is the data stored for it?
Very similar questions like that.
It'll take several months.
Right now we're going to go through budget season, so if we were to start it from 27,
we'd have to introduce it to the budget here in a month or two, and then you have to make a decision.
But it all depends.
You have to put RFP.
I'm not sure exactly just because of the cost.
Sometimes you have to put all those out there.
Thank you.
There could be other.
There are other vendors as well, besides Axon.
I'll do Kelly.
You have the floor.
Thank you.
I have a question or two for the police chief.
Please state your question.
Okay.
So how would you say that these cameras assist when we have stolen vehicles that come in and out of the city?
As soon as a vehicle is reported, so on goes a dispatch dispatch will put it out there over the dispatch over there.
And it goes out immediately where an officer can come across that vehicle right away.
It can also track it to where it's going to or the plate where it's going to.
And then the officers will descend onto that area.
Okay.
Thank you.
I also want to thank officers.
Mattana for the offer for, you know, getting a briefing on the flock system.
I am not saying I'm in favor of the brand flock, but I also know how absolutely important it is that we have this tool.
I sat through several meetings out at the county when they made the expansion to put cameras out by the highway because we do have an extreme amount of vehicles that come in and out of the city, whether it's Milwaukee, Chicago, whatever they're stolen vehicles.
And it's a tool that they could use when these vehicles come in, whether they're trafficking drugs, humans or whatever is going on, or it's just a stolen vehicle.
You know, I'd say I wouldn't know what the percentage of the crime reduction is, but I know that in my district, we all have our own districts.
We all made up differently.
Mine seems to be a hot spot for some reason.
Unfortunately, a month ago, I had a man that was shot and killed across the street from my house.
The gentleman got into a vehicle and I assume that these cameras probably pick them up and is probably part of the active investigation.
I would hate to have to go back to those family members that came to my home to talk to me and have to tell them that, you know, sorry, we can't grab this dad anymore or, you know, the car is still out there or whatever it is.
Now we can't do that.
We have to have some sort of a tool in place.
We can't just cut it off.
So I am not in favor of taking any sort of tools away from our police department. We have to have a better plan. We have to have something in place.
We have to be able to have a smooth transition as someone has already stated. So I will not be in favor of voting for this.
Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I would like to direct the question to Chief Ramirez here regarding this.
So you said it could take several months to institute another potential, another program like this, correct? Up to nine months. Let's just throw that out there. Is that correct?
It would take several months.
Okay. So in the proposed three month time period that we would have between now and December, what would you see your department's role as just going out and trying to source another vendor?
What would you say? That would be certainly that's the first thing we would do. Okay. But that doesn't help you with the timeline implementation, training, so on and so forth.
Is that correct? That's correct. And how long would that normally take? If you had to estimate.
I would say anywhere from six to nine months. Okay. Six to nine months.
So we would still have to hard stop at the end of December when the funding runs out for this program.
If the council chooses. If the council chooses. And then you would still have another several months after that that you wouldn't have a tool in place because you're trying to acquire, go through all the necessary steps and then also train your employees, your officers. Is that correct?
That's correct. Yes. Okay. So the same thing.
I'm not willing.
To vote tonight to allow it to go another few months with potential risk that we if this is very I'm not willing to find out if there's more that can happen safeguards in place or not.
We we can take the knowledge we've learned from this and apply it to any potential future vendor we may use and scrutinize them as they so just they deserve to be scrutinized.
But to have it out here for another few months when the outcome again of still having to go out and still having to do those things is still going to be there.
Now, if you have to go out and you know within 30 days that you're going to have to utilize, you know, your resources to go out and look for these people, you could potentially start that process of training.
If you find and go to the proper committees sooner. If this were to end sooner. Is that correct?
Theoretically, as to purchasing their procuring a new system. That would take some time. It would take some time, but it takes a lot of time. Right. But if you're doing it in 30 days versus 90 days that you know you're going to be going out there and looking for this.
Is it going to be more beneficial for you.
As to what having the automated license plate reader system would be beneficial to the to the police department ultimate to the city. Correct. The procurement would take some time.
It takes time. It just it has to go to the committees. It has to go to come. And it's got to be since the request was to ended at the 2026. If the request was to end the 26, you'd have to get her go to the budget. The budget's got to get approved.
Usually done sometime November. And then once it's approved to be able to use. I can probably have to direct some of those questions to the to the finance director as far as exactly how the procurement, how the money to spend them, how to spend that money.
But if you know that let's say in 30 days, this is going to end instead of at the end of the year, you're able to get more of a jumpstart on that process and potentially find someone maybe in November, December to start training.
So now you're in June for having officers fully trained how to use it versus you stop in December. Now you're in September. Does that make sense?
We're already looking at other systems right now. Okay. Right. So if the city attorney could, if I could direct a question to the city attorney, Mr. Mayor, please take your question.
Would are the bargaining processes for any potential contract? Are those, would those be able to start sooner than the end of what we have with Flock? So Flock ended in 30 days.
Please get their data and they find somebody. Are we able to start those conversations sooner than if they were to end December 31st? Are those conversations allowed to happen before a contract technically ends?
The discussions with the successor vendor could take place, yes, without waiting for the contract to be end.
Okay. So we have the opportunity to still do that and be proactive knowing that I don't think that, again, extending it out is going to be that much more beneficial.
So I'm still in favor of the original, of the motion by Elder Dorgensen. Thank you.
Elder Mack for a second time.
A little confused by the conversation I just heard. The handwriting is on the wall. Flock is gone.
Whether it's gone 30 days or 90 days is what's being disputed tonight.
So with the handwriting on the wall, the police department, I'm assuming, and I think the chief alluded to the fact that they are looking at alternatives to Flock.
By getting rid of it, now does not put the police department at an advantage in finding a new vendor.
And I think the city attorney stated that very clearly that we can negotiate with someone else.
It's done all the time when you have a contract with someone and, you know, there's an alternative out there.
What we are doing is taking away a valuable tool immediately.
Yeah, they have some data that they can look back on from the past 30 days.
But if we pass this tonight, it takes away that tool tomorrow.
I don't think that's a good thing.
They've stated it's not a good thing.
That there's active investigations and it's been a tool that's been used.
I appreciate the fact that there's a list of victims out there that was abused by police officers who abused the system.
I was probably where Alderman Jorgensen is sitting tonight, a month ago, until I met with one of the vendors that some of us have met up at the League of Municipalities Conference.
He made a social call.
We got to talking.
I said, you know, I don't understand Flock.
Could you help me understand it?
He is a vendor for an alternative.
We weren't talking about the alternative.
We weren't talking about the advantages of what he's selling.
He very clearly laid out what Flock is, and he said the most important part about Flock is that there is that audit capability in there.
Cops that are misusing it are getting caught now.
He said that wasn't happening before.
I'm sure the chief can tell you any cop can use tools out there that aren't being audited to do the same nefarious activities.
Here again, it's one or two.
It's not the majority of them, but this system they're getting caught.
When they were using some of the other tools, they weren't getting caught.
They were flying under the radar.
So I'm still sticking by my position that I'm voting against the amendment.
I think we should let it play out until the end of the year.
The mayor has made it very clear that we are not going to contract with Flock in 2027,
and it gives the police department time to utilize this to hopefully transition to something else and come January 1st.
Hopefully, we'll be close to having something in place.
Thank you.
I'll do a phrase here for a second time.
Okay.
So my only hesitation with this motion is that if we bag the cameras, the tools can't be used.
In my mind, I'm thinking I don't really care to see Flock go to the end of the year,
but at least give the police department more time to actually utilize the tool so that they can handle their investigations.
Well, at the same time, we can walk through them.
They can look out other alternatives to it.
The problem with the motion, like I said, is the motion passes to now tonight.
We bagged the cameras tomorrow, and then the belief is the police department has the ability to use the data from the last 30 days.
My issue with that is that it does not help the police department with what they're currently doing.
The thing about Flock is it is a tool that can also do live tracking.
So when we as law enforcement are sitting in our cars, we get Flock alerts in our car and on our computers that tell us that this car wanted for whatever it is, is at this place.
And it helps us in real time.
Now, I understand the hesitation with LPRs, but again, I have to kind of play devil's advocate.
What are we going to do?
When we go to an alternative organization and potentially face these problems. LPRs are not going away.
I just want to let that be known. LPRs are not going away.
So whether it's Flock, whether it's Axon, or whether it's some other agency or organization, it's not going away.
So I understand the frustration. I have the frustration. I have the same frustrations.
I have the same hesitations, but my mind right now is on enabling the police department to do the best that they can and move with their best foot forward.
And right now, as this motion currently stands, it handicaps them tomorrow.
They can't use the cameras. They can't use the information again.
And I'm saying it for a third time. The information that they're going to have access to will be old information.
And in today's climate, we know that news expires and gets old very quick.
And we're trying to track whomever for whatever, whether it's a homicide suspect, a robbery suspect, a silver alert, because people do go missing, you know, dementia cases or whatever.
That's valuable time that the police department won't have.
So I know it's not appropriate to amend the motion.
Actually, a motion to amend the amendment would be in order at this time.
Okay.
So I'm not saying you have to. I'm just saying if you're wondering if it's in order to amend, to offer an amendment to an amendment.
So I'm not going to move prematurely. I think we should take this vote. And then if it fails, then we'll deal with that.
Other Jorgensen for a second time. Thank you. So it's been brought up tonight.
You know, if we don't have the flock cameras, whatever will we do to solve crime?
I would like to kind of bounce around to some of the other communities that have had this same thing come up.
Because I don't believe that other communities experience with this as just noise.
I think it's important to try to learn from what other communities have shared publicly about this.
And so we'll start right here at home, Racine County.
This is a quote from the Sheriff's Office.
The Sheriff's Office has since learned that flock generates a separate data set from information collected by its cameras
and markets that data set to other government and private customers through its traffic analytics product.
The Sheriff's Office statement reads, flock has confirmed that this aggregated data set has retained for up to five years,
separate from and in addition to the 30 day retention period.
The Sheriff's Office understood to apply to all information generated by its cameras for public safety and crime solving purposes.
So they removed their cameras. I guess I don't feel any left safe in Racine County.
They removed them and there was quite a few news stories of them going out and removing them right away.
So they were able to do it. And somehow the Earth kept turning.
We'll go to Oshkosh.
So here I think was very interesting.
They had moved forward to extend a flock contract.
Their police chief had learned some more information about flock and actually raised a caution flag and said,
I think we need to go back. This isn't what we thought it was going to be.
So to quote from here,
the police chief had actually raised that flag and said, look,
there is a mapping tool that lets you see what license plates pass by specific cameras at that point in time during the 30 day window of the data retention.
They went to remove their contract and ended with a flock immediately.
Oshkosh is still there last time I checked.
I actually went out and contacted the Mayor of Shabogan.
The Mayor of Shabogan had another one. They covered up their cameras right away because they believed that it was wrong.
And actually I obtained an email from flock to the city of Shabogan offering to sell them their data.
Here's a quote from that sales email.
Public Works gets its own login to a live dashboard showing traffic volume,
vehicle types, speed data and long-term trends.
Five years of data updated every 30 minutes.
They chose to end it in Shabogan unanimously.
Once again, Shabogan is still there.
And what was unique about Shabogan as well is this was a joint effort.
And so this is their police chief. Shabogan police chief, Kurt Zemple,
quote, we believe it's in the best interest of our city and particularly the trusting relationship between our police department and community to discontinue usage of flock services immediately.
I think a good way to sum this up. I'll use a kind of abstract analogy here.
But if you have flesh eating bacteria, eating your arm, you don't tell the doctors,
hey, I know this thing might kill me. It's really bad. There's nothing good about flesh eating bacteria.
However, I want to go do a few months of research into what arms, what robotic arms I could replace it with.
I want to see what the alternatives are.
That is against the advisement of any doctor would say, you have to get it removed now.
You can't continue to let the infection grow and fester.
And here we have another police chief of a city in our state saying that he believes that it's in the public's best interest to remove them immediately.
So I don't believe the statement of, well, I don't like flock. I'm still going to vote to keep them for now.
Those are incongruent with each other. We've heard over and over and over it.
Multiple dozens of times across the state that organizations and municipalities have taken this up, looked at it,
and said, you know what? There's too many concerns. We owe it to the public to stop this immediately.
Now, there's other things that can be investigated. That could be done in the future.
But to say that we're going to continue to let the flesh eating bacteria gnaw away at us while we investigate other things in the future.
It's just not safe for the public. When we talk about, you know, we have all of these safeguards in place. We locally have that.
We did learn that we share with other municipalities. They're not beholden to our police and fire commission.
They don't follow our same rules. This our city council doesn't oversee how other organizations are doing.
So we're sharing that data today. At this point, I feel like the best path forward for us, the most prudent,
is to join other organizations, much like Shabogan Police Chief Kurt Zemple.
And in the best interest of our city, and particularly the trusting relationship between our police department and community,
to discontinue the usage of flock services immediately.
There is no one left in the queue. Everybody in attendance is spoken on this matter at least once.
Again, what is before us is an amendment to the main motion that would terminate the contract, cover the cameras,
and give a 30-day grace period for the police to use flock camera data for ongoing investigations.
We do have somebody participating remotely, so the electronic voting does not work.
When the clerk calls your name, please vote as you wish.
Alder Pabone, Alder Frazier, Alder Weiss, Alder Davis, Alder Mack, Alder Jurgensen, Alderman Weidner, Alder Horton, Alder Hodges, Alder Allen.
Alder Pete, Alder DeMark, Alder Kelly, No. Alder Harmon.
Six eyes, eight nose.
That amendment fails. Alder Frazier, did you want to make a different amendment to the motion?
Yeah, so I think that instead of, I think we allow the police department,
so it's kind of in line with what Alder Jurgensen is saying, but instead of bagging the cameras tomorrow,
we can bag them 30 days from now, so it allows them 30 days to use the information current,
the current information in real time, and then simultaneously they can look to vendors for, you know, replacement options.
So that would be my motion.
So, Alder Frazier, I just want to make sure of stating what your intention is.
Then your amendment would be to terminate the contract, not cover the cameras for the next 30 days,
and allow the police to use that data for ongoing investigations.
Is that a fair description of your amendment?
Yes, sir.
Alder Frazier has made that amendment.
Alder Papone has seconded that motion.
Alder Frazier, would you like to speak to your motion?
Yeah, so here's my thing.
Policing is not a one-size-fits-all.
What happens in Racine County cannot be compared to the city of Racine.
I'll tell you right now, the issues in Racine County are not the same as the city of Racine.
Racine County is not as dense as the city is.
And so the things that we do and the tactics that we use are not the same as the city.
Oshkosh Shabogan, the same thing.
The leaders in those municipalities felt it necessary that they could lead their municipality without this tool.
Here we have our police chief in the leadership of our police department who are subject matter experts of our community
saying that this tool is too valuable to just let go within a blink of an eye.
And so for me, if they are subject matter experts and they do the job day in, day out far better than any one of us can,
I think we should take heed to what they're saying.
Still taking into consideration what the community is saying because I don't want to discredit them.
I think it's important that we allow the police department to do their job.
And so if we allow them for the next 30 days to have this tool and use it and then at the end of the 30 days,
which would be what, October 15th, then from there, then we have to figure it out.
And I know the chief has already talked about looking to different vendors.
So hopefully there will be some progress there and he'll be able to come back to us to say, you know, what his findings are.
Thank you.
Alder Mack.
Thank you. I'm going to vote against this.
I think the original motion from the committee was pragmatic and practical.
We paid for the system through the end of the year.
The police departments acknowledge that it is a tool that they actively use.
That they put safeguards in place.
That there are parameters around how they use it.
And I think it addresses a number of the concerns that have been raised.
This would allow the PD to continue using this until the end of the year.
As I mentioned, we've already paid for it.
And even if a vendor was found tomorrow, we'd have to go through the process of bringing it through the finance committee,
bringing it to the council.
In addition, we'd have to find money within this year's budget in order to pay for it.
And so it would be much cleaner to, if they found someone tomorrow, to work within the budget process and be able to hit the ground running the first of the year. Thank you.
Alder Provone.
Thank you, Mr. Mayor.
I'll speak obviously in support of Alder Fraser's motion.
I would prefer it to be more expedited.
But given what we've all hashed out already, we've all spoken on already.
This is, I still am not in favor of giving it through the end of the year.
So I will be voting yes for this amendment. Thank you.
Alder Allen.
Thank you.
And thank you, Alder Fraser, for introducing the new motion.
Again, it would be wonderful if this was 19, anything.
And we were not looking at technology and how it is just part of our everyday infrastructure.
And no, I do not like the idea of invasive tools in my daily life.
And to speak to President Georgensen, yes.
We all signed up for social media.
We've all signed up for insurance discounts, et cetera, et cetera.
And all of that data has been sold everywhere.
Yes.
And it was my choice.
However, this is 2020.
And we are going forward into an era that the 1900s and anything before that.
It's not going to mirror at all.
So these tools are going to be with us.
And how we are going to be able to make everyone comfortable and make it palatable to us probably
is with the exercise that we will go through with our police and our leadership to make
sure that we next introduce a vendor of services that we are able to control more.
That doesn't have a data center states a way that's collecting and holding on to this data.
We have time to learn what that language is and how to handle that and what audit tools are put into place.
But it is not something that we can just say we're not going to use or can use.
Because the crimes are too intricate and our safety on that level, it matters.
You don't want to be the person who wakes up and finds out that someone you know was kidnapped.
You don't want to have to know that someone is being trafficked.
The stories and the things that I know of that are real time, real happening and not on your TV.
And what I know is in, I'm sorry, the city already seen as far as crime is concerned.
And what that looks like and what it looks like with children.
We can't afford to let go of the forensic tools that are available to us.
I know we look around and go, oh no, that doesn't happen here.
I can tell you things happen here.
And it's frightening and it's happening to our children.
So while I wish we were living in Wonderland and didn't need a tool like this,
I'm going to vote in support of at least this modification.
It gives us something and it gives us closer to finding the forensic tool that we can all like.
But no one's going to like it.
Not everybody likes peace soup, not everybody likes tomato soup, but people like soup.
So we're going to find some sort of recipe that works and we're going to put it into play.
Oh, there's your answer.
Yeah, I have a question for the police department.
Could direct your question to the chief of police.
So we've heard, you know, from across the state, you know,
Shibuya again, Steven's point.
Find a lot of county, Winnebago county, Racine county, Canola Shukkana,
Appleton, Ashash, Dane county, Verona, Monona, Fitchburg, Sturgeon Bay.
They moved to get rid of their equipment expeditiously, shall we say.
I feel like it really is summed up with the police chief of Shibuya.
And so I would ask what makes you feel like Racine is different,
that we're okay with the risks that have been called out by other departments
and they chose to end it.
In a lot of cases, they actually led the charge to end their relationship.
So what's different here that we're okay with block?
Well, tell you, green baits keep in their flock system.
We're closer to the size of green bait than we are any of those other communities that you mentioned.
We are an urban-like city.
We have real crime here and we have a lot of crime.
The other communities, they choose whatever they want to.
I mean, I can't control what they do.
I understand that the way they found out was through DP,
and Shibuya again was through DPW selling analytics.
There's companies that do this all the time, traffic analytics.
They get it from satellites.
They get it from other types of data that are being sold through Google,
all those types of things.
That's all out there right now.
Why they choose that?
That's up to them.
I think we chose not to use the traffic analytics.
We chose that in the city here.
But there are other departments that still have it.
I didn't hear those being mentioned, but there are a number of departments that still use this.
We are closer to more of a green bait, conosa size.
Canosas going with the accent.
They haven't been working with accent for quite some time now.
It just happened to be good time for conosa to say what they had to say.
I think it sounded good for them.
Of course, it got that, and they ran with it.
We are here.
You guys are the voices of people.
We're going to adjust our ways to however you guys desire to do that.
That's what we do.
We're down the middle on all this.
You heard me speak about this.
It's a valuable tool to us, along with other things that we do here.
I think we've made great progress in the city.
I think the focus should be more how do we sell this city for people to come in.
One of the things we can say is our crime rate has gone down.
We need to sell the city in different ways.
This is a narrative that I think has caught on quite a bit that people have really not done their research and learned about this tool.
This tool is available to whether it's flock, accent, or whatever other vendor there is out there.
You don't feel like Shabwigan, you felt like Shabwigan got caught up in a false narrative.
We looked into Shabwigan.
We looked into Shabwigan, and then people just catch on, just like any other thing.
It's up to the people they speak.
It got approved by the council just last week by them to terminate their contract.
You mentioned that what sets us apart is our size.
We're not similar to like an Appleton or an Oshkosh at all.
We're not similar to them at all.
The fox cities may have something else with the axon out there.
They may have something, you know, we're a much bigger city.
We believe the fifth largest city in the state.
I mean, Milwaukee also kept there with different limitations about sharing their data.
And so when to Bagel County, the fox city is all along and they're also removing their cameras.
And so it's another population.
Instead of you're looking by Metro, that's very similar in size to where we are.
We also have a Caledonia that has us currently as of today as well as Mount Pleasant.
They have theirs.
And I guess I wish I would like to see Racine step forward and look at all of the concerns
with it that other law enforcement agencies have raised.
If I can just back back in, not so long in the distance, we had body cameras that were
introduced to this city.
It was because bad police, bad police, bad police.
Okay, body cameras are more intrusive than any automatic license plate reader.
I can assure you of that.
We go into homes.
We see the worst of any human being there is.
We see the worst in what they say, what people say.
Do body cameras have a searchable heat map of?
There's a retention period of body cameras.
But is it a searchable heat map where vehicles are?
That is more intrusive than an automatic license plate reader.
I can assure you of that.
I guess the answer to the question is no, there's not a searchable heat map with body cameras.
A searchable heat van with body?
Yeah, where people are.
So I guess I thank you for answering my questions.
But that to me is a big difference between a body camera recording a police interaction
and being an unwilling participant in a searchable heat map of your location and where you go and where you currently are.
I'll be voting in support of this because the faster that we're able to remove flock,
I believe the faster that we will to make it safer for citizens here.
I wish it was much more expedient than it would be, but it's better than nothing.
So 30 days is much better than until the end of the year.
Thank you.
Well, I appreciate and respect the amendment made by the Alderman from the First District.
I want to articulate that I would be voting against his amendment because I don't think the 30 days until October 15th.
This is a substitute enough time for the police chief to do what we're asking him to do tonight.
And that is to find a replacement for the flock cameras and get that up and running and ready to train his officers
in this short of a period of time.
I think that the motion that ultimately was made at the finance committee last week is the appropriate motion for this body to support.
So I'll be voting against that, but I do appreciate the sentiment trying to find a compromise.
I understand that.
So thank you.
Otherwise.
I just wanted to ask the chief.
How much so everything that you talked about gap in services if we are to end in early active cases.
How much benefit is an additional 30 days to those concerns?
It's still certainly it impedes in doing in our progress on these cases.
The procurement procurement for the new vendor would all I mean it takes time.
It's certainly minimum three months, but it's still got to go through the council.
It's the committees and eventually approved in the budget process to move forward because you have to sign contracts
and they go through the city attorney's review.
There's a lot of stuff that go to it.
A lot of layers have to go through it.
So it would help with some of the active things, but there'd still be that extreme gap.
There's still be a gap in this for sure.
Any other discussion on.
Alder Frazier's amendment.
Okay, just to restate the amendment would be to terminate the contract in 30 days and to give police ongoing use of that data in that 30 day period.
But that after 30 days, the contract will be terminated.
Is that an accurate reflection of your amendment?
Alder Frazier.
Okay, when the clerk calls your name, please vote as you wish.
Alder Pabone.
Alder Frazier.
Alder Weiss.
Alder Davis.
Alder Mack.
Alder Jorgensen.
Alderman Weidner.
Alder Horton.
Alder Hodges.
Alder Allen.
Alder Pete.
Alder DeMar.
Alder Kelly.
No.
Alder Harmon.
Seven to seven.
So there's a, well, okay.
So there's certainly been a long and broad discussion around the tension between security and liberty here tonight.
I think it's the only item I can think of that everybody spoke to at least once.
You know, there's long been a debate in this country about what reasonable expectation of privacy our citizens should have from their government that was extended to people's homes in the 60s.
And more recently in 2018, it was extended to people's cell phones.
I think we have an emerging technology here that does raise questions about what expectations of privacy people should have when they move around the community.
And if it were just correcting some of the behavior of some of our officers, I might feel differently about it.
But I am deeply troubled by all this data being given to a private third party company that is doing things with us that to me is not transparent.
So as I stated in my state of the city address earlier, I am.
I'm glad that we are going to terminate this contract.
My vote on all the Frazier's amendment is to vote yes.
Eight eyes, seven nose.
So we're back to the main motion then as amended.
So this might feel redundant, but we just passed was an amendment to the, to the main motion.
So we need to vote on the motion as amended by older Frazier.
It has an identical effect.
When the clerk calls your name, please vote as you wish.
Alder Pabone.
Alder Frazier.
Alder Weiss.
It's, it seems like a redundancy, but it's, it's the same voted as the one we just took.
Yes.
Alder Davis.
Alder Mack.
Alder Jorgensen.
Alderman Weidner.
Alder Horton.
Alder Hodges.
Alder Allen.
Alder Pete.
Alder DeMarck.
No.
Alder Kelly.
No.
Alder Harmon.
Eight eyes, six nose.
Okay.
The motion as amended passes.
Alder Horton.
Were there any other items for separate consideration?
Yes, Sharna.
Please state the next item.
Zero, seven, nine, one dash, two, six, communication sponsored by Mayor Mason requesting to enter into an agreement with Habitat for Humanity to build four homes.
Recommendation from the Finance and Personnel Committee on nine, eight to approve the city of racing to enter into agreement with the city of racing community development authority and Habitat for Humanity to build four homes.
Move to approve.
Do you want to speak to your motion?
No, this is Alder from the sixth one in separate consideration on this item.
Alder Weidner, you have the floor.
Thank you.
I just had a question on this item in regards to the fiscal note.
I believe the question would be for the assistant director of city development.
Mr.
Williams.
Sorry, didn't prep you on this before the meeting, Jeff.
It's just a simple question.
You didn't need your laptop.
It's in regards to the fiscal note.
The two million dollars that in previously authorized home investment partnership program funds plus another $237,572 from two other programs for four homes.
And that comes out to about $560,000 per home.
That is going to be built on 16th and on homes, I believe it was.
And this is being done by Habitat for Humanity.
I'm wondering why the cost per home is so high.
So that was done.
It's over.
It's more than we think it's actually going to be.
It was done in an effort to make sure we allocated enough funding to it to not have to revisit this council.
So we don't expect it to be that high actually.
But there was demolition in some environmental remediation costs.
There was a church that was standing on that property as well.
So some of the cost is for that.
It's not as simple as the total dollars divided by the four homes.
So there's no other costs that are embedded in there as well.
I thought we had already demolished and did the remediation.
We'd already paid for that.
Oops.
Without our funding.
Correct.
It was with this pot of money.
So it was an over the home fund.
The home fund allows for from start inception all the way to completion of the project.
So we paid for demolition with the home funding as well as part of that.
So this total of $2.237 million.
It includes the demolition.
Yeah.
And all that.
Yeah, that's why it seems so high.
It includes demolition site prep, land cell division, environmental remediation and all that.
Okay.
Okay.
Thank you.
You're welcome.
We don't need to vote on this separate.
Mr. Mayor, if you just want to incorporate in.
And I just had that question on this item.
We do have a motion on the floor.
So we do have to take a vote on it.
Any other discussion on this item?
Seeing none when the clerk calls your name, please vote as you wish.
Alder Pabone.
Alder Frazier.
Alder Weiss.
Alder Davis.
I'm sorry.
Thank you.
Alder Mack.
Alder Jorgensen.
Alderman Weidner.
Alder Horton.
Alder Hodges.
Alder Allen.
Alder Pete.
If I could ask the council president to ask the alders in the hallway to let them know that we're in the middle of a vote.
Alder Kelly.
Alder Harmon.
We're in the middle of a vote.
And I believe.
Okay.
Alder Frazier.
Since he votes aye.
Alder DeMarque.
12 ayes.
There are 12 ayes, and zero noes.
The motion carries.
Alder Horton, did you have any other items for separate consideration?
I do.
0792-26, Communications Sponsored by Mayor Mason.
requesting to adopt the attached resolution
regarding the trade negotiations
underway between the U.S. and Canada.
Recommendation from the Finance and Personnel Committee
O9-8, MOOCs approval.
So a motion and a second to approve the resolution.
Discussion, Alderman Wider.
Thank you.
I have no quarrel with Canada.
We've seen businesses sell there
and Brandford is our sister city.
If this stopped at being a resolution
and supporting a fair trade, I would vote for it.
However, it does not stop there.
If you read the last page,
it ends with I, Corey Mason, Mayor,
do hereby proclaim blank as blank
with the blank still in it over the Mayor's signature line.
This is the Mayor's proclamation
with a council resolution in front of it.
And we're being asked to direct the Racine City Clerk
to mail it to the White House,
the Trade Representative, our Congressional delegation
and a foreign government.
That is not what this body is for.
And let's be practical about who it's addressed to.
The current administration has shown it keeps score
with cities that insulted.
Just two weeks ago,
this council approved borrowing $15.5 million
for the Lincoln Clinic
because we did not receive the $17 million in federal grants
back in 2025 that our finance director
had assured this council
that the city would be receiving.
Those assurances are documented.
Racine's housing and neighborhood program runs on HUD money.
Money Washington is already cutting
and every dollar of it has discretionary pieces
that can be delayed, can be denied
or can be audited without anyone ever having to tell us
why we would be getting audited.
Do we want that scrutiny?
Our own house is not in order.
This city has allocated 290,000 in federal funds
to renovate one home on Franklin Street
whose assessed value was one quarter of that amount, one home.
When that was questioned, the mayor stated that
we were creating generational wealth
and noted that the homeowner is a poll worker,
generational wealth for one family,
290,000 of federal money
and the qualification we were given was that she works the polls.
If we invite Washington to look closely
at how Racine spends HUD dollars,
that is the first thing they'll find
and I don't know how we would explain it.
Dear, I mentioned the 160,000 additional no bid contract
given to a politically connected G strategies
for questionable objectives and measures.
Otherwise, you're getting a bit of field
from the resolution regarding it.
Then I'm gonna make a motion.
I've moved to amend by striking the final,
be it further resolved clause
and the where as referencing threats and insults
and the now therefore do hereby proclaim
on the last page of the mayor's proclamation.
It's a motion to strike the last bit of the resolution.
Is there a second?
It fails for lack of a second.
I've been seconded by Aldermank.
Alderman Pavone.
Did I finish my remarks?
I was a maker of the motion.
If you keep it to the remainness of the motion before us,
yes you may.
I'll finish my comments by saying not one Wisconsin export
will go up because of this resolution.
The only thing that changes is that Racine's name
will go on a list and with a 2027 deficit coming,
we cannot afford to be on anyone's list.
The mayor can say whatever he wants
in his own name on his own time.
This council should not be poking this bear,
especially not poking this bear
with the city of Racine's taxpayer's hand.
That is the reason for my motion,
that this resolution be just a resolution
and not include the attached proclamation.
Alderman Pavone, you have the floor.
Thank you, I'm going to speak against the amendment.
I'm sorry, the chair's ruling is fine.
Also, we're going to move on here, if that's okay.
Yes, he can.
He's the chair of the meeting.
So the relevance.
The point of order was not formally made.
The mayor Pavone has the floor.
He is allowed to speak at this time.
Thank you, Mr. Mayor.
Good to speak against the amendment to the resolution.
We don't sit idly by when we just had
the 250th celebration.
We had the mayor come over from Canada.
We have ties as stated by the alder
from the 6th District to Canada.
And so I think having a proclamation
that we are in support of our Canadian allies
that have been our allies since the foundation of our country
and continue to be, again, we just hosted their mayor.
I think we don't want to say something
because we're going to provoke a bully
is an invalid argument.
I think we have an obligation to do that in favor of the case.
The mayor shouldn't have somebody
what he said in the state of the city address
when he called out what the administration is doing either.
Is that already a poked bear at that point?
Relevant to the comments she just made
so that it's still relevant.
Alder Pavone, you have the floor.
Thank you, Mr. Mayor.
So I will be voting against this amendment.
I think it's absolutely asinine just to say,
well, do we really want to provoke the bear?
Do we really want to let the bear continue
to destroy the cottage?
Do we want to stand?
We're worrying about what's in our own house right now.
We just took care of a four-hour conversation.
That's an exaggeration regarding other things
that we have before us,
and we still have more things to take care of,
but it doesn't hurt to let people know
that we're on our on their side.
Thank you.
Any other discussion on this item?
So again, what is before us is an amendment
to strike the last resolving phrases of the resolution,
all the white motion for a second time.
So as I said at the beginning,
I could support this if it was simply a resolution.
If the language in here would be removed
where we are being critical of administration,
I would be in support of the resolution
if it was just a resolution.
This is not just a resolution, it's a proclamation.
Not only that, but I remember very vividly
the former Ultimate of the Knight's District
was always very cautious and always voted against resolutions
that are outside of the purview of this body.
We take care of city business.
We care about our policing,
we care about picking up our garbage,
we care about plowing our streets.
What happens in Washington happens in Washington.
And I don't think there's anyone on this council
that understands enough about tariffs
to be able to vote on this resolution.
So.
Alderman.
Alderman.
Okay, so I'm going to go with,
I absolutely do understand tariffs.
I literally just took a test on it.
And passed it, by the way.
And yes, I see your expression.
But if I am not mistaken, because I've read through this resolution,
and if I think, what I think is what the point of contention is,
would be now therefore be a result of the common council,
the city of Racine calls upon President Donald J. Trump
and his administration to engage the government of Canada
in fair, constructive and respectful trade negotiations,
intended to strengthen the economic relationship
between our two nations and protect workers,
businesses, consumers, and communities
on both sides of the border.
Okay.
Since we're going to go into history,
a couple of months ago we had a presentation
that talked about our economic and employment status here in Racine.
And it was dismal.
And since then, you know, tariffs have gone into effect,
and it cannot be denied that our businesses and our,
the consumer pockets and our constituency community
have been affected.
I had an interesting conversation with a business owner
a couple of months ago, and I broke it down to him.
Just a really simple question, and one was,
so do you make those in your lab,
or are they shipped over here?
And it made him pause,
because first he was only thinking,
well, I can buy my socks here.
You know, and then when he thought about it, he goes,
oh, wow, yeah, that's really affecting me.
So the tariffs do affect,
it affects all of us.
It's only getting worse.
And if we are doing our fiduciary
and following our fiduciary responsibility to our community,
then, yes, we can, we can put on our big boy pants,
and our big boy boy pants,
and we can talk to without fear,
under our protection from the Constitution,
that says that we can call on our federal government
to act on behalf of our community.
We can do that.
And we should not be afraid to do that.
We were elected to do that.
If you don't know what tariffs are and how they're affecting,
then you can go take a class.
But they are affecting everyone here in the city of Racine,
in the state of Wisconsin.
And if we are going to follow our responsibility,
it is to say something about it.
Currently, no one in the queue.
The amendment is to strike the final language
or the resolution when the clerk calls your name.
Again, this is the amendment to remove the language.
At the end of the resolution,
when the clerk calls your name,
please vote as you wish.
Alder Pabone.
Alder Frazier.
Alder Weiss.
Alder Davis.
Sorry, what was that?
Abstain.
Thank you.
Alder Mack.
Alder Jorgensen.
Alderman Widener.
Alder Horton.
Alder Hodges.
Alder Allen.
Alder Pete.
Alder Demark.
Alder Kelly.
Aye.
Alder Harmon.
Two ayes, two abstains.
Ten nos.
Motion fails.
We're back to the main motion.
Any further discussion on the main motion?
Seeing none, when the clerk calls your name,
please vote as you wish.
Alder Pabone.
Alder Frazier.
Alder Weiss.
Alder Davis.
Alder Mack.
Alder Jorgensen.
Alderman Widener.
Alder Horton.
Alder Hodges.
Alder Allen.
Alder Pete.
Alder Demark.
Alder Kelly.
Abstain.
Alder Harmon.
Ten ayes, three abstains, one no.
Item carries.
Alder Horton.
Did you have other items for separate consideration?
Yes, I do.
Please state the next item.
0798-26.
Communication sponsored by Mayor Mason.
Seeking the modification of the assignment of tax increment.
Financing payments.
Rights.
As to Jay Jeffers and company LLC 2100 Northwestern Avenue.
LLC and 2200.
Holdings, LLC.
Recommendation of the Financing Personnel Committee.
On 9082026 to approve.
Motion to approve.
Item 0798-26.
May by Alder Horton, seconded by Alder Pabone.
Alder Horton, did you want to speak to your motion?
No, this was called out for separate consideration from Alder White.
Alder Whiteener, you have the floor.
Thank you.
I'm kind of confused about this particular legislative report.
Maybe the city attorney can enlighten me.
There's this legislative report and the next one which has to do with 2020 Northwestern
Avenue.
This one is for 2100 Northwestern Avenue.
And I think there's some confusion.
There's 2220 and then there's 2222 Northwestern Avenue.
I don't know that there's a 2100.
So this item relates to the TIFF loan that is not a loan from the city.
It's a loan that the Jeffers company received from a private lender.
They are refinancing that loan.
It doesn't change anything for the city.
And that loan is for 2100 Northwestern Avenue LLC and 2200 Horlick Holdings LLC.
This property is divided up into several different LLCs.
Basically each building, maybe not each building, but each building is a separate LLC.
Alder Whiteener?
So this file number 079826, that talks about the pilot program.
If I'm not, am I correct in that?
The first item is in regards specifically just to the pilot program?
No.
This, when a lender takes a TIFF loan, it's common for the TIFF payments that would be
made to a property owner be assigned to the lender.
So this would do several things.
It would recognize that there's a new TIFF loan.
The payments that are currently assigned to the current TIFF lender would now be assigned
to the new TIFF lender and there would also be a pilot agreement in place.
Pilot meaning payment in new taxes.
That's an agreement that essentially says that this becomes a non-profit entity as opposed
to a for-profit entity that they would continue to make payments to the city in an amount
equal to whatever the property taxes would be.
Okay.
So I just want to be absolutely clear.
This whole property is in a TIFF district.
It does pay property tax, but it goes into the TIFF to pay back whatever debt is there.
Is that correct?
Or it goes back to the developer for incentives for the development itself?
We're probably about to stray into finance director questions, but TIFF payments that
would be made to the property owner under other circumstances here have been assigned
to the TIFF lender.
Okay.
So for 27 years, there will be no property tax that will go into the general funds of any
of the taxing bodies, but after the TIFF is retired, whether it's 27 years from now or
35 years from now, like we've done with other TIFFs, then the tax collected would go into
all the taxing bodies, general funds.
But if they would sell their property to another non-profit, that non-profit then would not
have to pay taxes at all, correct, like what happened with the wagon wheel?
Mitchell wagon?
Generally non-profits don't pay taxes.
This would require the payment in lieu of taxes to be made.
Were that to happen?
Okay.
So that's a good thing that there will be that protection either 27 or 35 years from now
for the property taxpayers should that development get sold to a non-profit.
So I just wanted to be clear on that because I called you to get some clarification about
the pilot, and then I do believe that there are some council members that don't understand
why we would have even negotiated a pilot for that development.
So I wanted to make that clear.
So I don't have any other questions.
Elder Jürgenson.
A question for the finance director.
The finance director could approach the DS.
Do you want to state your question while she's watching that?
I guess there was a statement made about no property taxes going into the general fund
because it's in a TIF.
I think I know the answer on this, but I think at this point maybe we can get a tape recorder
every time this comes up, but I just want to make sure that the record is clear on that.
TIFs don't pay anything towards the general fund?
So I don't want to stray too much.
It's been a very, very long night.
My computer is dead.
I have no information anymore, so I don't want to stray too much.
But what we're talking about here is the incremental growth in the district
and the tax that is generated by the incremental growth in the district.
That piece of the incremental growth, the tax increment, if you will,
is paid into that district, is received by that district,
and then 90% of it per the TIF incentive agreement that was approved by the common council
would be assigned to, in this particular case, untamed up equity.
So Scott said it exactly right.
Thank you so much.
I really appreciate setting the record straight.
Now we've all heard it.
So next time this comes up again, hopefully we can save a bit of time,
but that's just not true.
So in this case, I mean, we spent quite a bit of time talking about addresses.
It felt like it was a Better Call Saul episode with 1240, a Royal Vista.
I think it's pretty clear what's going on.
This was discussed at the Finance and Personnel Committee
with many of the alders that are in this room for that as well.
And so this is something that does make sense, so I'll be in support of it.
Seeing no further discussion on the item, when the clerk calls your name,
please vote as you wish.
Alder Pabone.
Alder Frazier.
Alder Weiss.
Alder Davis.
Alder Mack.
Alder Jorgensen.
Alderman Weidner.
Alder Horton.
Yeah, this is the motion that you made Alder Horton to approve item 0798-26.
I'm sorry, what was it?
He said aye.
Thank you.
Alder Hodges.
Alder Allen.
Alder Pete.
Alder DeMar.
Alder Kelly.
Aye.
Alder Harmon.
Aye.
13.
Aye is 1.
Alder Horton, did you have any other items for suffering consideration?
Yeah.
Yes.
I have a new one here.
So, since we own this, we'll go back to that one.
So, the next item is 0799-26.
Communication sponsored by Mayor Mason seeking an amendment to the tax increment district
25 tax increment finance agreement with Jay Jeffers as to 2220 northwestern avenue,
LLC.
Recommendation from the Finance and Personnel Committee on 982026 to approve as discussed
in closed session.
Move to approve.
So, motion and a second to approve item 0799-26.
Alder Horton, did you want to speak to your motion?
No.
This is from Alder the 6.
Alder Weidner, you have the floor.
Thank you.
I'm going to speak against this one, even though I know that the council is between a rock and
a hard place as far as extending the $5 million loan that we gave to Jeffers for this
development.
The $5 million is outside of the TIFF that we are providing to that developer.
So, back in 2021 when this development was negotiated, we allowed for all this TIFF money to go to
the developer.
And on top of that, we loaned to the developer a million dollars out of the shared revenue
fund and we took out a loan from, it's called the pass through loan from the commission
of public lands for $4 million.
So, our first payment that was made to the commission of public lands was $517,806.
That is what we will be paying every year until that loan is paid off.
That loan is coming off the levy.
So, that's $517,000 that we are taxing our property taxpayers every year until this loan
is paid off, outside of the loss of revenue from this development being in a TIFF district.
So, I wanted the council to be aware of that.
This agreement says that the developer, if we extend for seven and a half years, will make
a payment to the city that should have been made going back to 2022 on this $5 billion loan
that has not been made.
Instead, we're going to get an interest payment of around $350,000, which is not even equal
to one of the payments that we have made to the commission of public lands.
So, I understand that the development did not come to the fruition that was originally
anticipated, but I've been down this road several times with developments, including with
the machinery row, the walker site.
And I'm not asking anyone else, but I just can't support this extension because I don't
think any effort has been made in good faith to make payments to the city as had been
originally agreed when we took out this loan for this developer.
Thank you.
Alder Praboon.
Thank you, Mr. Mayor.
If the finance director would like to talk to questions, Director Fisher, if she could,
if we were, let's say, not to approve this, with the payments that the Alder from the
sixth district had mentioned of $517,000, would we still have to pay those?
Yes.
Okay.
But then we would have no development.
Correct.
We would have no development, nor would we receive the $340,000.
Okay.
So then we would have no development, no $340,000, but still be paying $517,000 until when?
I think it goes through 2032, but I don't have it off.
2031.
2031.
Okay.
So not to mention potentially having the development fall through people that are currently occupying
these spaces, not having a home, businesses that have currently set up shop.
They're also not having a place to conduct the businesses there so they can go find housing
elsewhere.
These business owners can go find places elsewhere to conduct their business instead of stimulating
our local economy here, instead of living here in the city, just because of a perceived
lack of good faith.
In my opinion, that's my question.
You can sit down.
Thank you.
In my opinion, I think that this particular developer has done almost everything that they
can, and an extremely good faith that's reached out to the Alders, has offered tours of the
facilities, has laid out very clearly in face, and has taken self-accountability for dropping
the ball at certain points, but is still willing to do this with our, we have to be,
we have to give them this approval in order for this to continue.
I am not willing to let this development fall through for who knows how long that land
was vacant before this came through.
I am not willing to let people not have a home or businesses not have a place to conduct
their business and have these people wondering what's going to happen within the next few
months or years because this is all in shambles now.
So I am in support of approving this because I do believe that the developer in good faith
has done everything that they can and taken accountability, which is rare because developers
can normally just move on.
They don't want to lose the money, but sometimes they're just too big, they can just keep going.
So the amount of investment into this community, the amount of loops and hoops that had to
have been jumped through over the past year or probably even longer than that, and the
willingness to reach out and say, hey, this is what I'm doing, being fully transparent
by that and giving things that I can't talk about because they were in closed session
almost looked up there.
But I do think that it has been done in good faith and I am in support of this, so thank
you.
All the pressure.
Yeah, I just want to echo what Mr. Jeffers said.
He said that they have over 313 apartments there currently, 95,000 square foot of commercial
space and overall accumulated over $110 million worth of development in a time where this city
desperately needs development.
I think that this is an opportunity to order Pabong's point that we can't waste, especially
in this legislative report, this developer to take Pabong's point a little bit further
has personally guaranteed and taken financial responsibility for this.
So I think we really have to think about that and it shows his commitment to this city.
So I will support this again one more time for the numbers, 313 apartments, 95,000 square
foot of commercial space, $110 million worth of development in the 8th district.
So I think keep those numbers in your mind when you vote.
I'll go round.
Thank you.
Okay.
Well, once again, we're hearing comments about thoughts and without being able to look at
actual ledger sheets and saying, well, essentially you don't believe what he came in front of
the council and said and he doesn't have this money or why he didn't pay this payment.
What we do have, though, is his agreement that he is going to give a personal guarantee
for repayment of the loan and the required monthly payments going forward.
He did come forward and say that through the process, as been stated, he did not check
his eyes and his teas and something slipped through the cracks.
One probably would have been the marketing.
But when I look at that area over there, and by the way, my son lives there, it's beautiful.
What comes to mind is there is a community in Illinois and it's right outside of Park
City.
So if you're familiar with Lake County area at all, and I watched this little area develop
over maybe two, three years, and it was in stages just as we were doing here.
And one day I went and I had to drive over there and I was going to the bank and in
that area.
And there is an entire community there now.
And when I see this space here in Racine, where we have not been able to until recently
begin working on your communities, new neighborhoods in our city, really bring some fresh air and
energy into our city, I see that community growing into that kind of a space.
We have the commercial businesses over there.
We have the homes over there.
And the way those apartment complexes are that community is built with the amenities, all
the things that you would want, especially if you are young or unencumbered with young
children so much.
But there are families over there with young children, so they see it differently than
I do.
But it's a wonderful opportunity for us to continue moving forward with this development.
And as has been stated, we either continue down on this journey and meet it at its end
and that rainbow experience or we stop it right now and it'll just be the unfinished
vision and we will have to relocate people.
The commercial properties will eventually leave because they don't have that captive
consumer base anymore.
And we will just have another area in Racine that starts to look like the rest of Racine.
And that is not what we're supposed to be about.
When I first got elected to the council, I said that there were two sides to this coin.
Yes, one, you watch your pennies and who's robbing Peter to pay Paul, et cetera, because
we are very, very challenged when it comes to finance.
But the other side to any revenue ledger is the revenue side.
And we have not been able to do anything on that side until recently.
And what is required for us to bring revenue in and attract new people are these kinds
of developments, are these kinds of initiatives.
And we have to be willing to engage in this process.
So I am going to support this, one, because I don't like to have another property.
And we keep talking when everything else comes out.
All this person wants to put extra amount of dollars into this space and that's why we
should support it regardless of what the other concerns may be.
So in this particular case, we are building a community there.
We are revitalizing buildings and properties over there.
And it is a collaborative partnership at the end, the city of Racine,
who is the gateway into the county, will benefit.
And so we're going to vote to go forward with this, or I am rather.
Other drug incident?
Yeah, due to the, it's my understanding of the nature of the complexity of this issue.
We did retain a consultant that looked into this.
I see they're here tonight.
Are they able to answer a question related to, there was some, it was brought up tonight
of the developer wasn't upfront about certain things, or are they able to kind of explain
the background of what was reviewed and what they went into this?
I think you could refer your question to the director of finance and if she wanted to ask
them to assist her in her answer, that would be appropriate at this time.
I would do that.
Sure, absolutely.
And so for those that maybe weren't at finance and personnel, when we talked through this,
we did retain a consultant, a couple of different consultants, both an attorney and then a fiscal
consultant that did go through deep, deep, deep, deep dive into rec rolls and occupancy
rolls and all of those things.
So Russ is certainly here if Russ could give just a little bit of detail of the detailed
records that you did go through and the deep dive that you went into both Mr. Jeffers
personal finances as well as the finances of the development itself.
Okay, we, I reviewed the rent rolls and the budgets for this project from its inception
to current date.
The Jeffers company was more than willing to provide us all of that information and
they provided us the personal tax return of, of Josh, the 2024 personal tax return 2025
is on extension.
That'll be due sometime here in October.
We've reviewed all of that in great, in great detail and as part of this agreement going
forward, we will get monthly reporting on occupancy, police up tenants and how the project is
doing on a, on a go forward basis.
Um, can't go back his history about the fact that the payments weren't made.
Project was not cash flowing at that point in time.
Uh, it is presently and will cash flow as part of this refinance.
Thank you.
So to say that the, the developer wasn't upfront on the finances is just a gross miscategorization
of the payments weren't made.
Okay.
So over this period of time, we were, we were behind, uh, in getting receiving payments
from the city.
When we asked for updated financial information, we were given that in a timely basis.
And thank you.
And that was really what I'm getting at here is he's not withholding information.
We've been presented the whole piece.
We actually to Elder Frazier's point and have a personal guarantee, uh, on the project for
this.
Um, so to say that, that, you know, they're not being upfront about this, they're being
absolutely upfront, uh, to give you some history on why this is so important here and
why we, we really need this to succeed, uh, a while ago back in the early 2000s, the city
became landlocked.
We gave away our water and sewer rights and we made it so we can't expand anymore.
So we have a lot of properties that we have to redevelop just like what happened here.
So we have a developer here that's basically coming forward with, uh, refinancing, uh,
extending much like you would do on your house.
Anyone who's gotten a lower interest rate, uh, that they've refinanced with their house.
Very similar situation here.
Again, I mean, there's people who have gotten into the issues with their own payments on
their mortgage and if they had to refinance later, we don't somehow deem them not trustworthy
and a failure.
They're trying to make good on it.
I think we should allow them to do that and not turn our nose at a developer that's trying
to help make Racine a better place and actively participate in Racine's turnaround.
So I find it extremely disrespectful to, um, to make those comments toward a developer
that is trying to do everything right right now.
Thank you.
I'll be voting in favor of this.
All right.
I just want to make a comment.
Um, I have spoken with the developer as well, um, as this is actually my home that we're
talking about.
So obviously I want to see, um, this project, you know, continue forward.
Um, I believe the accountability is there.
Um, I'm honestly not sure why this came up because I believe the alder from the sixth
district was there, um, during the presentation, um, at the finance committee.
Um, so I will be voting in favor.
Um, I love everything you've done.
Um, and yeah, I think that's it.
Thank you.
Under whiter for a second time, I just have a question.
I'm not sure who would answer it, whether it be Kathleen Fisher or the attorney or, um,
who, but we were given two options.
We either go along with the extension or what was the other option that we had.
I don't know who would like to answer that question.
I'll refer your question to the finance director.
Yeah.
I'm going to have Seth come up the attorney.
He is more versed on the other option.
Good evening.
My name is Seth Desard.
I am a, uh, 1997 graduate of market university law school.
I have a statewide practice based in Milwaukee, which is entirely dedicated to commercial
and real estate financing and restructuring.
Uh, in the event that a subordinated lender like the city of Racine is unwilling to participate
in a restructuring of the primary lenders loan, in other words, tries to assert a blocking
position, that lead lender would not refinance under those circumstances.
It would be forced to either commence a foreclosure action rather than refinance or
put the property into receivership.
That's really the only other option if the city was to not cooperate and go along with
the refinance that's, uh, Mr. Jeffers is negotiating with his lead lender.
Thank you.
So I'm going to make a comment.
Like I said, I'm not asking anybody to support my position, but I look at what the taxpayers
are paying every year and that is over $500,000 and we have not had any payments from Mr.
Jeffers or any communication regarding the lack of, of nonpayment over the last few years
when we've been making those payments that he should, we should have been reimbursed
for.
So I understand the position that he's in, but I also think that we have to look out
for the taxpayers of the city of Racine and I understand we're building a community.
If we did not agree to this, people are not going to be relocated, businesses are not
going to go out of business, like what's being proposed here tonight.
I never said anything about the, uh, developer not being forthcoming with us.
Um, I don't like it when people put words in my mouth.
It's bad enough that every time I post a question or make a comment, I get attacked from the
rear.
I get attacked from the side for asking those questions, which I have every right, right
to ask.
We are a comprised, a body comprised of 15 alderman because we have 15 different perspectives
and 15 different ways of looking at things and everybody's opinion and position should
be respected.
I don't disparage anybody for their questions or their lengthy comments, any of that.
But as I've always said, if I'm going to vote against something, I'm going to give the
courtesy of articulating why I'm not trying to convince anybody.
I'm just stating my position and I look at the debt that we have been paying back.
It's gone from 18 million a year to 22 and a half million.
That's levy that we've added to our property taxpayers every year.
And I was elected by the taxpayers, so I try to be their voice here.
I understand that perspective, but I also have a different perspective and I would ask
this body to respect that and not attack every time I ask a question or have a different
opinion than the rest of everyone.
Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
I have my own opinions too and I do think it's fair to address certain points made throughout
the process of a council meeting.
But I would like to, again, ask Director Fisher if she would entertain me again.
So the point was made that there's the ask of the taxpayer to pay the additional amount
of money, $517,000.
Would that payment be made whether or whether or not this is restructured or foreclosed upon?
Yes, that payment would be made regardless.
Okay, so it would still be made regardless.
Now, if this development, if we decide as a council that we're okay with the restructuring
of this, is that how and what way financially for the city does that benefit us?
So the restructure benefits us in that it gives us the opportunity to get our $5 million
repaid.
If you would go the other option, as Seth referred to, the property would likely go into
foreclosure and we would get none of that $5 million back.
This is by far the best of the two options.
And we also wouldn't get paid for the interest that's all about.
And correct, and we also wouldn't get the interest.
But then we would still have to pay the $517,000.
Correct.
Okay, so I just wanted to make sure that was clear.
And being in foreclosure, does that mean that, what does that mean?
Are we just putting it out?
Are people still going to be able to live there?
That's more of an attorney question and how that would all play out.
But certainly foreclosure or being in a foreclosure or receivership situation can cause problems
for the people that live there.
Right.
That wouldn't give me confidence as a tenant or a business owner to have something.
I know that's in potential foreclosure.
And I just wanted to thank you for clarifying that point that we still have to make that
payment.
If this goes through and is restructured, it is more beneficial because we have an avenue
to get that money back.
Plus we're getting the money from the interest that we're owed.
Correct.
All right, thank you.
Oh, Jordan.
Yeah, that was really going to be my line of questioning here that somehow by it going
into foreclosure, we'll get taxpayers more money, just does not make any sense.
And so anyone here is able to make an opinion and put something forward.
But then when facts disprove that and show that it's a mis-categorization or false,
that's not an attack.
That's just you said something that was wrong.
And so in this case, somehow sending this to foreclosure does not mean that we would
do right by the taxpayers.
It would be worse for the taxpayers.
So I'm failing to see the logic behind that.
I'm in support of this.
I want to make sure that this doesn't go to foreclosure, that those businesses and residents
know that they have a place to live.
And most importantly in this, I want to make sure that the taxpayer gets paid back their
money.
I guess it doesn't sound like everyone in this body wants to make sure the city gets
paid back.
But I do.
All right, and you've spoken to the item twice.
I have a question.
For whom?
For the finance director.
That would be speaking to the item for a third time.
I have a question.
You can have to do a procedural question at this point.
If you have a point of order or a point of comment, but you've spoken to the item twice.
So we can ask questions.
You can do a procedural question.
You can do a point of order.
A procedural question.
What state you're pursuing.
That's not an assumption to question all the winders, that is a.
So this must be a new rule that the council are limited to asking questions to only two
times.
So if the discussion that takes place on the council floor gives rise to an additional
question, then that means that they cannot ask the question.
Is that what you're saying, Mayor, that this means that everybody can speak to an individual
motion twice.
You've spoken twice.
I'm not speaking to a motion.
I'm asking a question of the finance director.
It seems as though you're speaking right now.
I'm not speaking.
I'm speaking with you because you're not allowing me to speak.
I'll defer bones to your point of order.
Could the city attorney enlighten us please on that?
The way I understand it, the rule of the way that we follow Robert's rules is no person
of the council may speak more than twice on an item except by leave of the council.
Is that our questions not part of that?
Or would it require a vote of all of us to allow more conversation from someone that's
already spoken twice?
Well, I'm sorry, I'm having trouble finding the exact provision in Robert's law.
In our municipal code, I know that we have it under limitation of debate is where it
states that that particular part.
So I would think that that would be an interpretation by the city attorney.
Well, the chair is the one that makes the ruling.
Correct.
But if the rule is that I am member of the council may speak on an item more than twice
except by leave of the council, does that include questions or does it not?
Up on top tonight.
Well, no member shall speak more than twice.
I realize this is what you just said at the same meeting on any question except by leave
of the council.
So that would be at chair discretion.
So would that mean that by leave of the council, we would have to make an exception for that
as a body?
Would there be a motion?
How would that work?
The chair makes rulings a member of the body could ask for an appeal of the chair's ruling.
Okay, thank you.
There's no one in the queue to speak on.
What's your, you want to make a, you want to challenge the ruling of the chair?
Correct.
There's a motion to challenge the ruling of the chair or to appeal the ruling of the chair.
Is there a second?
The motion fails for lack of a second.
When the clerk calls your name, please vote as you wish.
Alder Pabon, Alder Frazier.
On the motion.
There was no second on Alder Widener's motion, not appealing the chair, so we're actually
voting on the item itself, item 07, sorry, 0799-26, thank you Alder Harmon.
Alder Weiss, Alder Davis, Alder Mack, Alder Jorgensen, Alderman Widener, Alder Horton,
Alder Hodges, Alder Allen, Alder Pete, Alder DeMar, Alder Kelly, Alder Harmon, 13, Ayes 1,
No.
Alder Horton, did you have any other items for separate consideration?
One more.
One more.
All right.
Please.
0794-26, communications sponsored by Alder Allen, Alder Frazier, Alder Weiss, requesting
to commission a commemorable plait in memorial of Bishop Lawrence Currie, recommendation
of the Finance and Personnel Committee on 9-8 is to approve the purchase of the commemorable
plait in memorial of Bishop Lawrence Currie, moved to approve.
It's a motion and a second to approve the item.
Did you want to speak to the item Alder?
Yes, just briefly I also like to be a sponsor of this item, and this was called by separate
consideration by the Alder, the 14th.
All right.
Alder, without objection, Alder Horton would like to be added as a co-sponsor of the motion
just by a show of hands, I'm just going to anticipate it as somebody else who would
like to be added as a co-sponsor.
Alder's Horton, Mack, Pabone, Harmon, Davis, who would like to be added, did I miss anybody?
Okay.
All right.
And would you like to speak further to the motion?
Alder Pabone, would you like to speak to it?
I mean, nobody in the queue to speak on the item when the clerk calls your name, please
vote as you wish.
Alder Pabone, Alder Frazier, Alder Weiss, Alder Davis, Alder Mack, Alder Jorgensen,
Alderman Widener, Alder Horton, Alder Hodges, Alder Allen, Alder Pete, Alder Demar, Alder
Kelly, Alder Harmon, 14 I's, zero no.
Alder Horton, are there any items that we didn't do for separate considerations?
No, yeah, no.
Then that completes the report.
And we will go to, oh, no, actually that's not true, there are a couple items that were
not pulled for separate considerations.
So without objection, I will move the remainder of this report to the consent agenda and then
move on to Public Works and Services report and ask Alder Harmon if she'd had any requests
for separate considerations.
No, you're out.
And without objection, this report will be placed on the consent agenda.
We'll then move on to the Public Safety and Licensing Committee.
Alder Pete, did you have any items for separate considerations?
My apologies that's happened yesterday, the microphone program has frozen up, so I don't
know that I'm going to be able to turn microphones on at this time.
Something from IT is still here or listening, the microphones are no longer working, so
I can't turn them on or off.
But Alder Pete has said he had no items for separate considerations, so we will move
that on to the consent agenda without objections.
And then one final item for the Planning Here Design Committee report.
Alder Pete, did you get any requests for separate considerations on the second?
And without objection, this will be placed on the consent agenda and we will move to
the consent agenda.
Is there a motion to approve the consent agenda?
Second.
A motion and a second to approve the consent agenda.
All those in favor of the consent agenda, please say aye.
Opposed?
That motion carries.
I believe the microphones may be working again, thank you to IT for helping us with
that.
I'm going to turn all of them off in the hopes that we do this again.
We are on to Common Council announcements.
Our limited to recognition of city residents and employees, memorials and non-political
community events discussion matters related to governmental business is prohibited.
The first announcement for us is Alder Pabone.
I would just say again, it's happened again.
I would ask all of you to have respect for your colleagues when we get to announcements
and stay until the completion of the meeting.
We've all been here for a while.
Everybody's announcement is equally important.
Please give your colleagues the courtesy of staying through the end of the announcements.
Alder Pabone.
Thank you, Mr. Mayor.
I'm going to sound really bad here because I'm blanking on the name, but a very special
birthday here from the clerk's office.
So happy birthday.
Could someone please give me the name of that?
Happy birthday, eventually sat through the whole thing.
It's her birthday.
I couldn't think of a more thrilling way to spend my birthday than me here, but thank
you for the clerk's office and all that they do to the chief and the finance director,
and all the other departments that kind of help us get through these really, really
long meetings.
I just want to say a special thanks to Racine Police Department, Mount Pleasant Police,
the U.S. marshals.
They have apprehended the murder suspect for my cousin's son's murder, so that's fantastic
news.
So thank you to everyone who worked on that, shared, commented, supported, all that fun
stuff.
Also, on a lighter note, I want to wish my niece Autumn a happy birthday or it'll be
on the 17th, and then my cousin, Yula, as well, a happy birthday.
There are a lot of great things.
We're going into fall here.
The bird months is what I like to call, and they get very expensive, but I just hope everyone
has a good time in between the next council meeting.
We're approaching budget, so take a rest where you can, and let's get to it.
All good to mark.
All good to mark.
Sorry about that.
I just want to congratulate Alder Harbin on her recent appointment to the school board.
It was great.
It was great being there, seeing them vote for her, so I'm excited to work with her on
that side of the aisle.
I also want to say happy birthday to my sister, which is going to be tomorrow, and for her
business that will be at, I hate to say this, Kenosha, Talia Fuss, and I just wanted to
give my condolences to the Winegarde family.
Van Winegarde recently lost his daughter, who I know personally.
She was my fifth-grade teacher.
She was a really great teacher to have.
She really helped us out during 9-11, and kept us calm, and kept us cool during that
day when we found out through her, we had a really good discussion, and plus before being
in that class, I didn't really care about school.
She actually made school actually fun, so rest in peace.
Thank you for that remembrance.
I'd like to congratulate Bob Turner on his recognition tonight.
I had the privilege of serving with Bob on the council, and it was a different time,
a more civil time.
Not her a Bob on standing this evening, because every time Bob addressed his council, he
stood up from his chair over there.
Everything he learned in the state assembly, I was told, and never failed.
Bob was a gentleman, he was respectful, he was an elder statesman, and he served this
body with distinction.
What I really took away from my time serving with Bob was that you could disagree without
being disagreeable.
There was no pettiness, there was no potshots, there was no one-upmanship, it was just dealing
with issues, and you walked away afterwards, and you went out, and you had a roof beer,
and there were no hard feelings.
It'd be nice if we could get back to that at some point, because there's something to
be said about civility, and bringing it back to the public square.
I am the son-in-law of a migrant worker, and so Hispanic Heritage Month is very important
to our family as I head up a household that's recorded as Hispanic, and so for those that
are observing, I hope it's going to be a good month.
I am teaching a class that's primarily Hispanic now, so we'll be recognizing that throughout
the month, and then see a party on the pavement.
Thank you for the reminder.
Just as an aside, it is true when you're in this state assembly to speak in this state
assembly, you do have to be standing when you're recognized.
We don't have that tradition here, but it does change the tenor of the debate a little
bit.
Alder Herman.
Thank you, Mayor.
Over the weekend, I spent time with my granddaughter, Nora, and her cousin, Aston Martin.
One of the activities that we did was to go to the Racine Historical Museum and do a scavenger
hunt, and look at different things.
They have a worksheet there where you find little ducks throughout the different exhibits
and stuff.
They just loved it, and I went with my Aunt Rose Martin Stinson, who is an educator, and
any time we do an activity, there's something educational at the end of it, so we had them
create a paragraph of what they loved about the museum, and what they loved was the mummy.
So there is a mummy at the Racine Historical Museum that was purchased for $500 from Egypt,
and they also enjoyed the Underground Railroad exhibit, where there's a simulation of different
questions that you answer, and based off of your answer, you either got caught by the
bounty hunters, or you ended up free in Canada, and Nora died in the river, and my
little cousin, he got free.
But I just want to commend Racine Historical Museum for their additional exhibits, making
it more interactive, and I encourage other Racine residents to go out to the Racine Museum.
It's free.
It is actually on Main Street.
So, yes, so I encourage everyone to go out, check it out, and the staff was very friendly.
So.
Great.
More specifically on the corner of Main and Seventh.
Yeah.
All through Davis.
Thank you.
Today is my parents celebrate their 25th anniversary.
Shout out to Linda and Andrew.
With that also, this, I believe it was September 4th, my cousin, Alice Johnson, known as Faye
passed away, so rest her soul.
We, her service is this Friday, and family's here, so just shout out to her as we were.
We were Leo's together, so I have to shout out my fellow Leo, okay.
The other piece is Bob Turner was here, and we honored him.
And if you did not know, now you would know, he's a district three, constituent, yeah, district
three strong, but that's all.
Other for them.
Labs in memory here, so just my condolences to all of the Davis and her family on the
passing there, and also I'm very excited for the Hispanic Heritage Month proclamation, and
probably part Puerto Rican on my father's side, so it's really great to see those things,
and enjoy.
I've also been to the Racine Historic Museum downtown for a district.
I've also been there, fantastic, great, but I would also like to just re-congratulate
Alder Kelly on being able to ring the bell, and then also send, you know, positive wishes
in a speedy recovery to Alderland, so that's what I forgot.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Alder Kelly, you have the floor.
Thank you.
Thank you very much, those kind words.
I just wanted to say a happy early birthday to my daughter, Cara.
She will be 18 on Friday the 18th, so it's her golden birthday.
Also I wanted to thank Alder DeMark for the kind words.
I want to send out any good thoughts and prayers to the Wongard family.
I was friends with Katie.
Katie sent me a lot of prayer cards during my recovery journey.
I was able to walk with her during the relay for life in June, and she's, you know, was
there with me when I got my hair cut off, and so she was a wonderful, amazing person,
so I just want to say, you know, something to her family, I'm sorry, and that's it.
Thank you.
Alder Allen.
Thank you.
So first I'm going to say I'm excited to celebrate his Spanish Heritage Month for those
that you do not know.
My father is Hispanic.
My mom is indigenous and Caucasian, so it is a well-celebrated month in my house, and
so I'm looking forward to that.
Happy Hispanic Heritage Month to everyone who also is going to celebrate.
I also want to thank everyone, and I do meet everyone that celebrated with me, supported
me during my journey to participate for Mrs. America.
For those who do not know who are listening, I am the current reigning Mrs. Wisconsin America,
and I just returned from competing at the nationals, and I want to tell you, it was
the best experience meeting the other queens from the other states.
It is going to live forever in my mind the two weeks that I spent hearing your stories,
learning about their journey.
It was the celebration of the 50th year for Mrs. America, and those women aren't just
beautiful.
They are accomplished strong women with stories and journeys that deserve to be celebrated,
so I had a wonderful time.
And thank you again.
And also, I think Racine has finished the third week of school, and Kenosha has finished
this, well, I have finished this six week, I'm in my six week of school.
So for all the families who are still just getting adjusted to being back to school,
we're all going over the hump, but congratulations, we've made it this far, and holidays are
right around the corner.
And as everyone also mentioned, we celebrated the wonderful Mr. Turner, and I did not have
an opportunity to work directly with him, but I have come familiar with his legacy,
and I'm excited that we were able to recognize him this evening.
All the working.
Thank you, Mr. Mayor, and I'll be very short since I helped up all the night with all
those items, so I'll be short.
So first of all, I'd just like to, just to Mr. Turner, you know, just thank him for
service, and it's also a service, you know, as a veteran.
Eight years ago, when I first decided, besides my predecessor, Aldra DeHaan, the second
call I got was from Bob Turner.
And I knew he had been in the seat for a while, you know, over 18 years, and he was
just giving me pointers of being an alder.
One of the things he told me, you know, just listen first, you know, the first, first,
you know, for at least a year, six months to a year, just listening here, how things
are panning out and what you're going to be effective in doing.
I want to thank him for that, and also paving the way for some of the seats that are filled
by us tonight, because there was a time, years back, you would only have one alder, a color,
maybe two.
And now we're probably at six or seven, and especially the African American females that's
on here also, it, you know, the council have come a long way with diversity, and I think
that moving forward, it was, you know, following his footsteps.
Might not last 18 to 20 years like he have and been in the state legislator, but thank
him for everything that he done for the city we see.
Thank you, alder Horton.
I too want to thank Bob for being here tonight, and all of you being a part of honoring with
him.
He's been a mentor and a friend to me my entire career, and is just a really decent human
being and good advisor, so I'm really glad we got to honor his public service tonight.
I also wanted to express my deepest sympathies to the Wongard family, particularly to Van
Wongard, who, you know, probably not a lot we agree on politically, but I certainly have
always admired how much he loves his family and his commitment to family, and so my heart
aches for him and his entire family right now, so our deepest condolences.
I want to adjourn, however, in honor of my daughter, Amelia, who's having a 16th birthday
also on Friday.
She's taking her driver's test, so pray for her.
Hopefully she passes, but really excited to celebrate her 16th birthday on the 18th