June 6, 2025 | Vol. 1, Issue 14
(1317 words – a six-minute read)
🎓 What Is Ahead? Navigating Fiscal and Leadership Challenges in Beloit
Beloit School Board Update
At its June 3 meeting, the Beloit School Board agreed on tentative budget guidelines. With the fiscal year ending soon, the Board unanimously voted to guide the Superintendent in preparing the final budget proposal for the June 24 meeting.
The Board approved several staffing changes, including economic layoffs for all elementary assistant principals and the elimination of other vacant positions. The impact on currently staffed positions is uncertain due to existing vacancies. Key changes include:
- Ending the pay freeze for teachers, using up to $1 million from OPEB funds
- Covering health insurance increases at a cost of $500,000
These measures aim to reduce next year’s spending by approximately $6.3 million.
📌 Commentary
The district’s path forward is constrained by the failure of four referendum questions, all of which were defeated by voters. These rejections now require significant reductions in services, though the Board is attempting to minimize classroom impacts.
With student enrollment declining from 7,000 to about 5,000, the district must reconcile its financial needs with a state funding formula that hasn’t kept pace with modern realities.
As the June 30 fiscal year deadline looms, the pressure to finalize a spending plan is intensifying. Yet, the lack of definitive state financial aid figures complicates the process. The Board is faced with three options:
- Cut staff now
- Delay major decisions
- Continue discussions without resolution
The Ad Hoc Committee for Finance has proposed measures that prioritize staff retention and budget stabilization. But looming issues—such as potential school closures, larger class sizes, and persistently low state achievement scores—remain unresolved.
Nearby districts like Beloit Turner and Lincoln Academy continue to draw students via open enrollment, further challenging Beloit’s viability.
💭 Hypothetically Speaking…
With a critical Board meeting scheduled for Tuesday, June 24, bold leadership is more vital than ever. The unified stance shown on June 3 may represent a pivotal shift. Demonstrating cohesion and focus will be essential to maintaining community trust and educational quality.
🏛 Milton City Council: Council Member Selection
In a highly competitive appointment process, Trent Kuczynski emerged as the Council’s recommended pick from among five candidates to fill the unexpired term of Mayor Eric Stockman. The next step is for the new Mayor to officially confirm the appointment.
📌 Commentary
This appointment process offers a deeper vetting opportunity than a typical election. Council members can ask direct questions about motivations, values, and commitment to public service. The public nature of this process reflects the strengths of representative democracy.
Congratulations to Council Member Kuczynski and all the candidates. Transparent governance fosters public confidence—and that’s something worth celebrating.
🏙 City of Janesville: Surplus Mobile Hospital Tents
At its next meeting, the Janesville City Council will consider a resolution to declare surplus a series of mobile hospital tents and support equipment (including HVAC units and trailers), and transfer them to the Rock County and State Emergency Management Agencies.
📌 Commentary
During the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, Janesville acted swiftly, with the City Manager utilizing emergency powers to acquire over $500,000 worth of mobile medical infrastructure.
Although the worst-case hospital overflow scenario never occurred, the city was fully reimbursed and the equipment has remained unused and in storage. After unsuccessful attempts to auction it off via state-run surplus platforms, the proposal now is to donate the equipment to agencies better positioned to deploy it.
💭 Hypothetically Speaking…
This decision is both fiscally prudent and ethically sound. While the equipment wasn’t used during the pandemic, its potential value in future emergencies justifies its transfer. Preparedness remains essential—and now other agencies can benefit.
🏟 Woodman’s Sports and Convention Center: Liquor Operations
The Council is set to consider three resolutions regarding alcohol operations at Woodman’s Center. These proposals include:
- Amending the current management agreement
- Establishing a new LLC to handle liquor service
- Authorizing the LLC to apply for a liquor license
📌 Commentary
Last June, the City approved a contract with Sports Facilities Management, LLC (SFM) to operate Woodman’s Center. The scope includes everything from event management to sponsorship acquisition.
Under that agreement, an affiliated SFM entity would handle alcohol service. Accordingly, SFM has created a new company: Sports Facilities Food and Beverage Wisconsin, LLC.
This entity would manage alcohol sales from Sept 1, 2025, through June 30, 2026, for a $2,700 monthly fee paid to the City. It satisfies requirements for public facility licensing by placing operations under a concessionaire.
This marks one of the first major operational updates since the project launched. Previously, City Manager David Moore provided regular briefings—but those have since ceased. Ongoing transparency is needed to build community trust in the Center’s progress.
🚨 Public Health Alert: Vaccination Rates Declining
The CDC has released alarming new data: Wisconsin kindergarteners trail national vaccination rates, especially for measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR).
- Wisconsin MMR vaccination rate: 84.8%
- National average: 92.7%
This gap raises the real risk of outbreaks in diseases once considered under control.
🎙 Upcoming Newsmakers Segment
Rock County Health Officer Katrina Harwood will provide expert commentary on:
- Whether parents should be concerned
- The role of policy in influencing immunization trends
- How the community can help reverse the decline
This is a crucial conversation—don’t miss it.
🧭 Rock County Board of Supervisors: Facility Future in Question
The future of the Rock County Health Care Center is under active review. The General Services Committee has entered a closed session to consider a potential sale.
🏢 Current Status
- Built as a hospital, the facility is now mostly vacant
- Nursing home services moved to Rock Haven
- Human services departments relocated to the Hale Building
📌 Commentary
Rock County’s efforts to modernize services have been significant—from the communications center to redeveloping the Hale Building.
Although housing development for the site was considered, no formal plans emerged.
💭 Hypothetically Speaking…
Should the sale of a historically significant property occur without public input? Many argue that a public information session should have preceded executive deliberations.
With new County Administrator leadership, perhaps a more inclusive approach will guide future decisions.
🧑🎓 Youth in Governance Initiative
Rock County is launching a pilot Youth in Governance program—a civic education initiative designed to give young people firsthand experience in local government.
The Rock County Civics Academy fully supports this program and encourages participation from:
- Schools
- Nonprofits
- Youth groups
- Civic organizations
Investing in civic education today shapes our leaders tomorrow. Stay tuned as this exciting pilot moves forward.
🎤 Newsmakers Preview: Upcoming Interviews
This week, Newsmakers features local voices shaping our region’s future.
🔊 Guests:
- Katrina Harwood, Rock County Health Officer, on CDC vaccine trends
- Rebecca Veium, CEO of the Boys & Girls Club of Janesville, discussing the new South Jackson facility dedicated to youth development, community wellness, and equity
📺 How to Watch & Listen:
- Fridays at 9:30 AM – JATV Community Access Channel 994 (Spectrum)
- On-demand – YouTube (JATV Media or Rock County Civics Academy)
- Fridays at 9:15 AM – WCLO Radio – Your Talk Show with Tim Bremel
Stay informed—wherever you are.
☕️ Community Spotlight: Havana Coffee
Looking to continue the conversation?
Visit Havana Coffee at 1250 Milton Avenue—a space where civic dialogue meets community energy. Great food, friendly people, and support for local journalism make it a true Janesville gem.
Havana Coffee is a proud supporter of the Rock County Civics Academy.
💬 A Call to Leadership
Our communities move forward not by intention, but through action.
There may never be a perfect time to step up—but there is always a right time. And that time is now.
Think about:
- Volunteering
- Serving on a board or committee
- Running for public office
“If not me, who? If not now, when?” — Hillel the Elder
💭 Hypothetically Speaking…
What if transparency was the norm in local government?
What if civic engagement became our community’s defining strength?
That’s our mission—and with you, we’re making it real.
🌐 Stay Engaged with the Rock County Civics Academy:
📍 Visit our Website
📘 Follow us on Facebook
📺 Subscribe on YouTube
📰 Join our Substack newsletter
Until next time—stay curious, stay engaged, and stay connected.
© 2025 Rock County Civics Academy – All Rights Reserved.
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