Highlight Edition:

Issue No. 1, Volume 5 (851 words – 4 minute read)

Stay Tuned: The Pulse of Janesville – Hypothetically Speaking

A weekly snapshot of the key actions shaping our community—and what it could be like if we paid attention.

Janesville Plan Commission Meeting

The Janesville Plan Commission convenes with a light agenda but a couple of notable public hearing dates set.

• Electric Vehicle Charging Station Proposal
  • A public hearing date has been set for a conditional use permit request for a 16-stall electric vehicle charging station at 2081 Morse Street, adjacent to Menards.
  • The proposed station will feature an overhead canopy and have high visibility from the Interstate—a sign of the times.
• Boys and Girls Club Permit Renewal
  • The organization is seeking a renewal of its conditional use permit, which is set to expire soon.
  • The building size remains unchanged, with construction anticipated for spring 2025. Equipment pre-orders for electrical and HVAC systems are already underway.
• Zoning Ordinance Rewrite Update
  • The commission will receive an informational update on the comprehensive recodification of the City’s Zoning Ordinance.
  • The consultant’s presentation will provide an overview of draft materials. Discussion only, with action to follow later.

Commentary

Kudos to the Plan Commission and staff for keeping the development agenda moving forward.

• The long-anticipated Zoning Code revisions are finally up for discussion.
• The first non-chicken restaurant project of the year on Milton Avenue is underway! Daniela Samara’s 6,350-square-foot commercial building (Havana Coffee and Cut for You Salon) is set for completion in the fall.

Hypothetically Speaking: Should the Plan Commission place a moratorium on new chicken restaurants and convenience stores? Would focusing on high-quality commercial development help revitalize the area?

Other Board & Commission Meetings

Most meetings, including the Library Board, are addressing routine matters. However, one notable item:

• Library Board Nominating Committee Report
  • The board appears poised to elect new officers before the new board is seated in April, mirroring last year’s process.

Hypothetically Speaking: Shouldn’t the new board members get a say in electing leadership?

Unfinished Business: Alcohol License Controversy

An ongoing issue surrounds an applicant before the Alcohol License Advisory Board who failed to disclose out-of-state arrest records. When Council Members Miller and Williams raised the issue at the last City Council meeting, they were ruled out of order. End of story? Or is there more to come? Stay tuned.

Woodman’s Sports and Convention Center Controversy

A local attorney has shared information on social media regarding the recently hired General Manager’s supposed past employment history. If this gains traction, it could become a major issue.

• Allegedly falsified applications and incomplete background checks are serious charges.
• Where does the city go from here?

Janesville Jets Season Ticket Price Hike

• Reports indicate season ticket prices could increase by 250% or more due to costs associated with the new facility.
• Who takes the hit? Who ends up in the penalty box?

Are you a season ticket holder? Let us know your thoughts!

Beloit City Council Meeting: State of the City Address

Council President Kevin D. Leavy is set to deliver the annual address, with the recent groundbreaking of the Beloit Ho-Chunk Casino and Convention Center project as a major highlight.

Commentary

• The project has been in the works for a long time, and it’s finally moving forward.
• With new convention spaces in Beloit, Rockford, and Janesville, it remains to be seen how they will complement or compete with each other.

Hypothetically Speaking:

• Beloit College is expected to be a major ice-time customer, but will there be enough demand to sustain all these new venues?
• That’s a lot of convention space to fill—who’s paying the light bill?

Beloit Plan Commission: Sign Wars Begin

The battle over signage between Mercy Health and Beloit Health System is heating up:

• Mercy Health received approval for an oversized sign in front of their clinic.
• Beloit Health System protested, citing confusion with emergency department signage. Their appeal was denied.
• Now, Beloit Health is seeking approval for two new major signs—one for their Beloit Clinic and another at hospital emergency entrances.
• City staff recommends approval.

Commentary

• Given the rivalry between these two health systems, expect more sign requests in the future.
• The real winners? The sign companies.

Hypothetically Speaking:

• Where does this end? Bigger, brighter, flashier?
• The area is already filled with oversized, non-conforming signs—maybe the City should start saving money on streetlights!

Milton City Council: Dissolving the Milton Fire Department

• In 2021, Milton and the Town of Milton joined the Lakeside Fire Department.
• The Milton Fire Department remained only to finalize business matters.
• With all outstanding payments now settled, the department is set to be officially dissolved.

Commentary

• The next step is for the Lakeland Fire District to secure funding for promised new fire stations.

Hypothetically Speaking:

• This process has been transparent, strategic, and well-managed—could it serve as a model for addressing other challenging public policy issues?
• Is there hope for more shared services among Rock County municipalities to improve efficiency?
• Could local approaches to governance inspire national policymakers?

Hypothetically Speaking… what if we could bring greater transparency and engagement to local government?

Stay tuned.

We want to hear from you… your thoughts, ideas, tips, dreams, hopes, aspirations, … reach out!