The Pulse of Janesville and Rock County– Hypothetically Speaking
From Your Rock County Civics Academy- April 25, 2025. Vol. 1, Issue 8 (1468 words – an eight-minute read)
Commentary:
Vacation is over, new leadership, contemporary issues, and more news to peruse.
Just got back from a whirlwind trip through five European countries over a little more than two weeks and let me tell you—things over there feel just as unsettled as they do here in the good old’ USA, and right here in my adopted hometown of Janesville, WI. At every stop, executive orders and edicts seemed to be the flavor of the day. Even in tiny Liechtenstein, the ripple effects of U.S. political twists and turns were felt in the economy and overall mood.
The upside? The gelato in Salzburg still reigns supreme—especially paired with a cappuccino on a warm afternoon in the city square, watching the world spin on. Oh, the power of the pen…
Always a Purpose: I never embark on a journey without clear objectives. On this occasion, my focus was sharply trained on how local governments grapple with complex issues such as citizen engagement and the scope of executive authority. While abroad it became evident that the challenges faced by the Stadtrats (City Council) and Oberbürgermeisters (Chief Mayor or City Manager) mirror those encountered by their counterparts in the United States.
Repeatedly, discussions circled back to one central theme: the power of the pen. It remains both a formidable tool and a persistent source of tension—often wielded without regard for a big picture of potential impacts, and just as often, without adequate oversight.
In Unna—a city of 59,000 residents in North Rhine-Westphalia and the administrative seat of its district—I found a striking alignment of concerns. My hosts echoed familiar frustrations: disproportionate executive influence, disengaged citizenry, and a growing call for transparency. That word—transparency—resonated deeply throughout our conversations, a shared aspiration that transcends borders.
Now back home, the refrain is unchanged. Whether abroad or here, the central thread remains power—how it is held, how it is used, and, most critically, how it is held accountable.
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Janesville City Council:
The Monday night Janesville City Council meeting is shaping up to be a compelling session, with several high-profile agenda items underscoring the ever-present “power of the pen” dynamic in local governance. At the same time, a new issue is quietly gaining traction—one that deserves closer scrutiny in the coming weeks.
At the center of the current stir is a procedural shift initiated by the newly elected Council President. Seeking a more streamlined approach to board and commission appointments, the President invited fellow council members to simply state their top preferences and any roles they wished to avoid—eschewing the traditional process of ranking choices across the eight standing committees. Historically, councilors have been allowed to submit ranked preferences, and past Presidents have made considerable efforts to honor those requests.
However, the revised approach has already sparked controversy. One council member, the most senior and the most experienced, has raised concerns over being bypassed for a seat on the Alcohol License Advisory Committee. This is a panel on which he has long served with a reputation for rigorous attention to policy and compliance. Known for his strict stance on alcohol-related issues, he is viewed by some as uncompromising, while others appreciate his firm commitment to enforcement. Despite his qualifications, he was not selected. This time, by a new member of the council, one with little to no experience in alcohol regulation—beyond that of a consumer.
Commentary: Whether the decision was made to appease public sentiment or to sidestep potential controversy, the outcome is unmistakable: a seasoned voice was sidelined in favor of a newcomer. For those who believe the city has been too stringent on alcohol policy, this may be seen as a welcome shift. For others, particularly those who value institutional knowledge and consistency, it is a cause for concern. Having an experienced Councilmember Heather Miller, returning to the Committee lends itself to stability.
Hypothetically speaking: From the perspective of someone who has previously held the Council President’s gavel, I understand the difficulty of balancing individual preferences with broader political and administrative considerations. The authority to appoint rests with the President; the power to ratify lies with the Council. Still, this particular decision seems poised to split the chamber—probably in a narrow 4–3 vote. It may well be a preview of the sharply divided decisions that will define the Council’s work in the year ahead. Is this what governance is all about?
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City Manager Appointments: A Pattern of Disregard for Merit-Based Governance
For the second consecutive year, the City Manager has chosen to override the unanimous recommendation of the City’s own Advisory Committee on Appointments, discarding a rigorously vetted, merit-based selection in favor of a personal preference. While the City Manager may technically have the authority to make such appointments, the decision represents a significant affront—not only to the qualified candidate who was overlooked but also to the dedicated Appointment committee members who invested substantial time and effort in a comprehensive and impartial selection process. One of those members now sits with the Council and in his role on the Appointments Committee voted for the recommended candidate. Humm…
Commentary: Disturbingly, this is not an isolated occurrence. In both this year and last, the City Manager dismissed the Library Board nominees put forth by the Appointments Committee. Notably, in each instance, the candidates bypassed had previously voiced concerns regarding the City Manager’s assumption of editorial and budgetary control over public access media services formerly administered by JATV. This pattern raises troubling questions about the influence of dissent on appointment outcomes.
Moreover, the City Manager has demonstrated an inconsistent and selective application of the merit-based process—opting to bypass Appointment committee input entirely for critical bodies such as the Plan Commission and the Police and Fire Commission. This selective engagement undermines the integrity of the appointments process and calls into question the commitment to transparency and fairness in city governance.
One cannot help but recall Lord Acton’s enduring warning: “Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.” If we are to uphold the principles of good governance in Janesville, we must insist on consistency in process and a steadfast adherence to merit. Our current form of government—City Manager/Council—was designed precisely to insulate such decisions from political maneuvering. Should appointments be made based on personal preference rather than qualifications, we risk eroding public trust and institutional credibility.
Hypothetically speaking, would we not better serve the public by consistently utilizing the tools we have—such as the Appointments Committee—to ensure the most qualified individuals are placed in key roles? Would such a system not eliminate the appearance of favoritism and restore faith in the fairness of our civic processes?
If we operated under a mayoral system, such discretion might be more politically expected, if not more palatable. But under our current governance model, this pattern of unilateral decision-making stands in direct contradiction to the very principles it was intended to uphold.
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From the Pending in the Pipeline issues column:
Stay tuned, another round of affordable housing discussions for downtown Janesville is on the horizon. The dead project at 101 Rockport Road put forth by Bear Development is coming back in the form of a 78-unit income-restricted housing project on city-owned property adjacent to Carriage Works building in downtown Janesville. Worse yet, it is coming forward without a lot of discussion by the downtown powers that be who were surprised to see such a project proposed in their domain. Stay tuned as this is just the beginning. We now learn it may be a scheduled item on the May 5 Plan Commission meeting as a resolution declaring the property “surplus” enabling the transfer to the developer.
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Apologies for not having enough space for all the news that you should read. I promise, next time, to do better. This is the fourth week of the month, and we normally focus on the upcoming agendas of the Janesville Schools, Milton Schools, Rock County in addition to the city of Janesville. A handful of people reached out noting my absence the past couple of weeks and specifically asked if I could try to get a handle on what is going on in Janesville with the transfer of power to a new Council President and Vice President and the ongoing saga of executive leadership.
In the meantime, A Call to Leadership
The future of our communities will be shaped not by words, but by actions. If we wait for the “perfect time” to act, we risk missing opportunities to create a better future. The responsibility to build a high-quality community belongs to all of us, and the time to act is now. Volunteer for a Committee or consider a run for elected office. Hillel the Elder’s timeless words” If not me, who? If not now, when?” resonate deeply in today’s world. Make today your time to step up and serve!
Hypothetically speaking… what if we could bring greater transparency and engagement to local government?
Stay tuned—we will continue shining a light on the issues that matter.
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