July 25, 2025, | Vol. 1, Issue 21   
(Approx 2133 words – an 11–minute read)

Janesville City Council Follow-Up:

The Advisory Board Janesville Deserves, or better yet, when Good Ideas Get Sidelined: The Advisory Board That Janesville Needs

As redevelopment of the former GM/JATCO site moves forward, City Manager Kevin Lahner will propose on August 11, creating an advisory board to provide community input on the project. This sounds like a positive step toward inclusive decision-making on one of Janesville’s most significant developments in decades.

But weeks earlier, Council Member Josh Erdman presented a detailed advisory board proposal, complete with mission, vision, and clear guidelines, only to see it dismissed by his colleagues. Far from being a simple suggestion, Erdman’s plan was comprehensive, designed to ensure meaningful public engagement, transparency, and accountability throughout the redevelopment process.

Instead of being embraced, his proposal was criticized as too comprehensive, seen by some as insulting to the current form of representative democracy, and even regarded as a threat to the authority of elected officials. The Council majority opined that Erdman’s plan was simply too complex to analyze, digest, and manage. Even more troubling, the proposal came from a member outside the majority coalition.

These dynamics expose a deeper tension in Janesville’s political culture: balancing respect for elected officials with the urgent need for genuine, structured public participation.

What should the Council demand from any advisory board, whether Erdman’s detailed version or a City Manager proposed alternative? How do you avoid tokenism and truly empower residents?

1. Clearly Defined Advisory Authority

The board’s role must be explicitly advisory, not decision-making. This is to respect elected officials’ ultimate authority while creating a structured venue for meaningful input.

2. Transparent and Representative Membership

Appointments must be made openly, reflecting the diversity of affected neighborhoods, housing advocates, planners, and underrepresented voices — not handpicked insiders or political allies. Have the existing Advisory Committee on Appointment recruit following specific guidelines, screen and recommend to the Council membership.

3. Open, Accessible Meetings

Every meeting should comply with Wisconsin’s Open Meetings Law, with public agendas, livestreaming, and accessible minutes so residents can stay informed.

4. Community Accountability Built In

The board must actively seek public input through forums and surveys and clearly report how feedback shapes development recommendations.

5. Time-Limited Charter with Review

To avoid becoming a permanent bureaucratic fixture, the board should have a defined lifespan of typically 18–24 months, with measurable milestones and a formal evaluation process.

Hypothetically speaking, if Janesville wants the GM/JATCO redevelopment to be a model for equitable, community-centered development, it must first build the public structures to support that goal. Advisory boards can be bridges, not barriers — but only if the Council embraces clear purpose, inclusion, openness, accountability, and limits. Council Member Erdman’s comprehensive approach was an effort to create these very safeguards. The Council’s resistance, viewing it as an affront rather than an opportunity, suggests a missed chance to lead with transparency and foresight. The community expects the City Council to lead on public policy matters. Erdman’s proposal got to the heart of the community’s expectations. While we have nothing but respect for the City Manager, did we not elect the City Council to lead on these important policy matters?

Sometimes you ask for it and get what you wish for: Planned Updates and more!

Monday’s Janesville City Council meeting might prove inciteful. Both for what the community learns and unfortunately, what they will never know. An example to watch could be more painful than a solid body check.

What We (Don’t) Know About the Jets’ New Flight Plan

Jeff, a hockey enthusiast wrote: “What’s the story with the Janesville Jets in their new home? Is everything working out?” A great question. So much so, that we regret to report we do not know very much.

It is not because we did not look. Nor because we are lazy. But because, well… no one is saying much. Which in Janesville usually means something is up.

Let us start with the obvious: the Jets are moving into the city’s gleaming new Woodman’s Sports & Convention Center, a facility still under construction but already over budget in public trust.

The question is: Will the Jets soar? Or will they simply try to taxi around a tighter runway?

We do not know if they have found a fix for the loss of a key revenue stream: alcohol sales. In the old Ice Arena, beer helped fund the team. In the new center, those sales go to the management company, a tiny detail quietly baked into the latest city agreement. We imagine that it might sting more than a slapshot to the ribs.

Then there is the advertising conundrum. In the old barn, the Jets had 20+ dasher board ads. This is a crucial source of sponsorship dollars. In the new setup? Word on the street is they are limited to twelve, give or take, and even those may require pre-approval by the folks who now own the naming rights to the ice arena. (Yes, the people who bought the name might also now approve the decals. Welcome to civic branding.)                                 

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Imagine trying to run a semi-pro sports franchise with a beer ban, ad restrictions, and a lot of “we’ll get back to you on that.” It is like being handed a $40 million building and told: “Don’t touch anything.”

We sympathize with the Jets. Really. Decorating on a budget is hard. Decorating under committee is hell.

But until more answers come forward, we are left with the same question our reader posed, just with more irony and fewer dasher boards.

Hypothetically Speaking: Both are big hits for the low budget professional hockey club. How do other arenas such as Sun Prairie or Stoughton manage such dilemmas?

Before we leave the topic of the Woodman’s Sports and Convention Center get ready for this next news.

City Eyes Second Round of Borrowing for Woodman’s Center—But Questions Linger

JANESVILLE — With just months to go before the highly anticipated opening of the Woodman’s Sports and Convention Center (WSCC), the City of Janesville is moving forward with another major round of borrowing. This time it is to the tune of $7.24 million in new debt.

On Monday, the City Council will consider a resolution authorizing the issuance of taxable General Obligation Promissory Notes to fund the next phase of the project. This borrowing, dubbed the 2025 WSCC Debt Issue, comes in at $400,000 less than originally projected—but it still adds a significant load to the city’s already-committed General Fund, which will carry the full weight of the WSCC debt.

According to city estimates, the new debt will cost the average Janesville homeowner $19.92 annually for 15 years, based on a median home value of $223,600. The average annual debt service payment for the city will clock in at $671,116.

A Multimillion-Dollar Commitment—But Where’s the Plan?

The WSCC’s overall budget is $46.76 million and was set in 2024 when the Council approved a construction contract with J.P. Cullen and Sons for a two-sheet ice arena and convention venue. The budget includes:

• $38.1 million in construction
• $3.3 million in soft costs like architectural and engineering fees
• $1.44 million in furnishings, fixtures, and equipment
• $3.86 million in contingency funding

Funding has been pieced together from a range of sources:

• $15.3 million from the city
• $15 million from the State
• $9 million in private fundraising
• $5 million in federal dollars
• Smaller contributions from local school districts, the Janesville Area Convention & Visitors Bureau, and the Janesville Jets.

But while the financing continues to roll in, critical details about the project’s operations remain unclear.

Where is the Business Plan?

With the grand opening rumored to be just weeks away in September, the public still lacks key information about how the WSCC will be managed or sustained in the long term. A detailed business plan outlining revenue projections, operational costs, staffing, programming, and oversight mechanisms has yet to be shared.

In an ideal world, city officials would provide residents with a transparent “look-see” into the business model behind this massive public-private endeavor. Instead, taxpayers know more about the interest in the debt than about what, or who, will be running the place day by day.

Meanwhile, the city continues to publicly finance a facility whose future operations have been shielded from view. One can only hope the private partners in this arrangement who have invested millions of their own have more clarity than the community footing the bill.

Until then, Janesville residents are left to connect the dots: another multimillion-dollar vote, another round of questions unanswered.

School District of Janesville: Roofing

In the world of public infrastructure, especially in aging school districts, there is a golden rule: pay now, or pay a lot more later. And right now, the local school district is paying—a combined $4.4 million for critical roof repairs and an emergency cooling system fix—thanks to a patchwork of funding sources, voter support, and a little fiscal foresight.

At aa recent facilities committee meeting, district leaders outlined progress on projects. The work is supported in part by the 2024 voter-approved facilities referendum and supplemented by the district’s long-term capital maintenance fund, Fund 46, which has quietly grown to $9.1 million since its creation in 2015.

The Roof Rundown

A project schedule, prepared by Apex Building Consultants, details roofing work at:

• Franklin Middle School – Final sections not completed in 2024: $956,000.
• Lincoln Elementary – All roof sections: $359,000
• Washington Elementary – All roof sections: $572,000
• Rock River Charter School – All roof sections: $96,000
• Marshall Middle School – All roof sections: $1.3 million
• Craig High School – Selected roof sections: $553,000

These projects total $3.9 million, with $2.9 million coming from referendum funds (Fund 49) and $1 million from Fund 46.

Additional roofing work at Parker High School—covering the main gym and mechanical penthouse—will cost another $542,000, funded entirely through Fund 46.

Cooling Crisis at Craig

In May 2025, Craig High School’s cooling system failed, prompting an emergency response. Two portable chiller units were delivered and activated on July 8, offering a temporary fix while a new, permanent system is designed, bid, and installed ahead of the 2026 cooling season.

Hypothetically speaking, investment in preventative maintenance is the surest way to reduce long-term costs. A lesson the district is embracing with its use of Fund 46 and structured planning. Ideally, such work would be funded sustainably through ongoing support from the state and other sources, rather than relying on sporadic and politically charged referendums.

But here is the reality: maintaining a district full of aging buildings requires millions each year. This is a burden that far exceeds what local property taxes can cover.

Which begs the question: Where is the state in all this?

School districts across Wisconsin have been walking a fiscal tightrope for years. While voters have stepped up repeatedly, the state legislature has been notably slower to the plate. If schools are expected to operate safely, efficiently, and without falling into disrepair, then lawmakers in Madison must take a serious look at how public education is funded—and whether local communities are being left to carry more than their fair share.

Until then, the district is doing what it can: patching roofs, renting chillers, and hoping its long-term planning holds up—one project at a time.

Readers’ Corner: Publish the Agenda—It is Not That Hard

John from Beloit writes:
“Why do they make it so hard to keep up with meetings? More often than not, agendas do not get posted until the last minute. Then they wonder why we complain. How can I tell Council to become organized and publish agendas a few days before meetings?”

John, you are not alone. And you are absolutely right to be frustrated.

Late posting of public meeting agendas is not just a nuisance for citizens trying to stay informed. It is a recurring headache for reporters, watchdogs, and anyone who cares about open government. Take Janesville’s Plan Commission, for example. Its agendas are never available before the weekend—and the meetings are on Monday. Technically, that may comply with the letter of the law, but it blatantly misses the spirit of transparency.

As my mother used to say, “Don’t let someone else’s poor planning interfere with what you need to get done.”

So, here is a modest proposal for every council, commission, board, and committee:
Post your agendas at least 72 hours before your meeting. No excuses.

Why? Because the public has a right to know what their government is up to—before it happens. Giving people more than a weekend’s notice is not burdensome; it is basic respect. And who knows? If more public bodies made this minor change, we might see fewer “Hypothetically Speaking” critiques—and more straightforward, fact-based reporting.

The bottom line: If transparency matters, prove it. Start with the agenda.

🎤 Newsmakers Preview

Spotlight on Community Voices

We are thrilled to share the momentum behind Newsmakers, a recently launched public affairs series featuring 15-minute one-on-one interviews with local individuals making a difference.

From civic leaders and arts advocates to nonprofit pioneers and globe-trotting athletes, each episode highlights compelling stories of perseverance, innovation, and deep-rooted community pride.

The first of our series of conversations with locally elected officials from across the area is now available to view on YouTube. In them, we exploring not only the roles these elected officials play, but the motivations that drive their commitment to building a stronger, more engaged community.

📺 How to Watch & Listen:

• Fridays at 9:30 AM – JATV Community Access Channel 994 (Spectrum)
• Fridays at 9:15 AM – WCLO Radio: Your Talk Show with Tim Bremel
• Anytime, On-Demand – YouTube: Search “JATV Media” or “Rock County Civics Academy”

☕ Community Spotlight: Havana Coffee

Fueling Dialogue, One Cup at a Time      

Looking for a space to connect and reflect? Visit Havana Coffee at 1250 Milton Avenue true Janesville gem where civic energy meets excellent espresso. With hearty food, warm service, and a strong commitment to local journalism, Havana Coffee proudly supports the Rock County Civics Academy and all who believe in informed engagement.

💬 A Call to Leadership

Every advancement in our community begins with someone choosing to act. If you have asked yourself when the right time to get involved is—the answer might just be now.

Ways to contribute:
• Volunteer with a civic group
• Apply to serve on a local board or commission
• Run for public office and lead the change.

“If not me, who? If not now, when? — Hillel the Elder

Send us your questions, feedback, suggestions, wit, and wisdom. We want to learn from you how we can improve and be of greater service!

That is the mission of Hypothetically Speaking. And with your voice in the mix, it is closer to reality than ever.

💭 Hypothetically Speaking…

• What if transparency was standard in local government?
• What if civic engagement became Rock County’s defining strength?

🌐 Stay Engaged with the Rock County Civics Academy

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Until next time—stay curious, stay engaged, and stay connected.
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