Common Council — Minutes

Page 1 of 2 The Common Council met at City Hall in the City of Black River Falls on July 7, 2026 at 6:00 P.M. Alderpersons Busse, Gearing-Lancaster, and Peloquin were present. Alderpersons M. Rav e, Dougherty, Wussow, and Ammann attended remotely via Zoom meetings. Alderperson E. Rave was absent. Mayor J. Eddy presided. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------- It was moved by Alderpers on Gearing-Lancaster, seconded by Alderperson Wussow to dispense with the reading o f the minutes of t he June 17 , 2026 Special Common Council meeting and approve as presented. Motion carried. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------ CITIZENS IN ATTENDANCE There was one citizen in attendance for an agenda item. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------- COMMITTEE REPORTS ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------ It was moved by Alderpers on M. Rave, seconded by Alderperson Ammann to place on file the minutes of the June 29, 2026 Utility Commission meeting. Motion carried. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------ Each Council member received a copy of the 2025 Audited Financial Statements, the Auditor’s Reporting and Insights from the 2025 Audit, and the 2025 Report on Federal awards – Single Audit. A representative from Baker Tilly will make a presentation of the 2025 audit to the Committee of the Whole on July 15, 2026. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------ Proposals for a Housing Market Study were presented to the Council. Three firms were solicited for a proposal and two responded and both were very comparable . There was a representative from Vierbicher in attendance and there was discussion that included: each proposal would include review and analysis of assisted living, memory care, and other senior living arrangements; review and analysis of homelessness was not included in the scope for this project; this study will be more detailed and in depth than the one completed in 2017 with local stakeholder input and focus groups ; timeline would be July start with final presentation in February 2027; funding sources available would be identified ; Vierbiche r would also be able to potentially point the city to developers in those particular segments; in order to apply for many of the funding programs the City needs to have a housing study and an updated comprehensive plan; Sherri Larson was in attendance an d inquired about low income and homeless , whether or not affordable housing or senior housing is being considered and also whether or no t local coalitions would be invited to participate as stakeholders in the process ; market rate housing is needed to open existing low in come housing option s in the comm unity; you need the right mix of housing for the entire spectrum to support all levels of the communities demographics and all income ranges; most of Vierbichers ’ client base are municipalities with populations under 12,000 with many below 5,000 so Black River Falls would be considered an average size community in their client mix. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------ It was moved by Alderperson Peloquin, seconded by Alderperson Busse to accept and approve the Housing Market Study proposal from Vierbicher Ass ociates, Inc at a cost of $37,200 .00 with f unds to come from the Affordable Housing Fund. Motion carried. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------ There was discussion on a proposal from Make My Move (MMM) for a talent recruitment pilot program that would utilize the work that had already been completed by M MM for the City in preparation for a grant application. The City was not awarded a grant from the WEDC. The discussion included: this would be a 12- month agreement renewable annually; the Black River Falls (BRF) page was built already under the previously approved conditional contract ; MMM is offering to run the f ull talent recruitment program at a pilot rate of $20,000; the program aims to provide nationwide marketing, prove BRF can recruit out-of-state movers, MMM can help those people fi nd BRF, apply, provide strong data points, and then have a strong le g to stand on to apply with the WEDC in their next grant cycle; the WEDC did not provide feedback on the reasons for the grant denial; 15 people have already applied to move through BRF’s program on the MMM platform e ven with the page not being active; there are no caps in the agreement to how many people can move unde r the program; the process inc ludes the City approving applicants so the City has control over how many incentives are p aid out; Alderperson M. Rave raised concerns about justifying the cost per mover without knowing the economic impact and not knowing why we were denied on the grant applica tion; the program will be able to provide ROI and annual economic impact data for the movers; and the incentives are not automatic – the city has to provide the mover with an offer and the mover needs to accept. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------ It was moved by Alder person Gearing -Lancaster, seconded by Alde rperson Peloquin to approve the Service Agreement for a pilot program with Make My Move as presented in the amount of $20,000. Motion carried 6 -1 with Alderperson M. Rave voting no. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------ Page 2 of 2 It was moved by Alderperson Busse, seconded by Alderperson Gearing-Lancaster to approve the application for a Temporary Alcohol Beverage License from the Jackson County Ag Society for Wes Fest Fundraiser on July 18, 2026 at the 1400 Tyler Street Upper Shelter. Motion carried. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------ It was moved by Alderperson Wussow, seconded by Alderperson Ammann to approve ORDINANCE 905 – an ordinance repealing and recreating Section 17.24(3)(a)(4), 17.24(3)(a)(6), and 17.24(3)(b)(2)(c) of the Code of Ordinances regarding Well Head Protection. Motion carried. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- CITY OF BLACK RIVER FALLS ORDINANCE NO. 905 AN ORDINANCE REPEALING AND RECREATING SECTIONS 17.24(3)(a)(4), 17.24(3)(a)(6), and 17.24(3)(b)(2)(c) OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES FOR THE CITY OF BLACK RIVER FALLS, JACKSON COUNTY, WISCONSIN RELATING TO WELL HEAD PROTECTION The Common Council of the City of Black River Falls, Jackson County, Wisconsin, do ordain as follows: SECTION 1. Section 17.24(3)(a)(4) of the Code of Ordinances of the City of Black River Falls is hereby repealed and recreated and shall read as follows: 4. Six hundred feet between a well and any gaso line or fuel oil storage tank installation that has received writ-ten approval from the Department of Commerce or its designated agent under Wis. Adm. Code ATCP 93. SECTION 2. Section 17.24(3)(a)(6) of the Code of Ordinances of the City of Black River Falls is hereby repealed and recreated and shall read as follows: 6. Twelve h undred feet between a well and any solid waste storage, transportation, transfer, incineration, air curtain destructor, processing, wood burning, one time disposal or small demolition facility; sanitary landfill; coal storage area; salt or deicing material storage area; gasoline or fuel oil storage tanks that have not received written approval from the Depart ment of Commerce or its designated agent under Wis. Adm. Code ATCP 93; bulk fuel storage facilities; and pesticide or fertilizer handling or storage facilities. SECTION 3. Section 17.24(3)(b)(2)(c) of the Code of Ordinances of the City of Black River Falls is hereby repealed and recreated and shall read as follows: c. Above ground petroleum product storage tanks less than 660 gallons. All new or replaced tanks shall be installed in compliance with Wis. Adm. Code ATCP 93. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------ It was moved by Alderperson Peloquin, seconded by Alderpers on Gearing-Lancaster to adjourn. Motion carried at 7:08 pm. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------ A. Brad Chown City Administrator