Racine Common Council to Discuss Budget, Safety and Juneteenth

RACINE — The Racine Common Council will convene Tuesday, June 3, 2025, at 6 p.m. in the Community Room of the Racine Public Library to address a wide-ranging agenda that touches on key community priorities, including employee healthcare, crime prevention strategies, historic street renaming, and the upcoming Juneteenth Festival.

Racine Common Council agenda highlights

• Employee Healthcare and Benefits:
  Alder Mary Land will lead a discussion on employee healthcare and plan design options following a communication from the Human Resources Benefits Manager. The Finance and Personnel Committee will review this topic, and the fiscal impacts will be discussed during the meeting.
• Public Safety and Crime Prevention:
  The council will consider crime detection and prevention strategies based on communication from the Police Chief and City Attorney. This item is slated for discussion and highlights ongoing efforts to address public safety in Racine.
• Juneteenth Festival Street Closures:
  The council will vote on street closure requests to facilitate Racine’s annual Juneteenth Festival, planned for June 14, 2025. Streets, including Caron Butler Drive, Roosevelt Park Drive, and parts of Wisconsin Avenue, will be closed from noon to 8 p.m. to accommodate festival activities. The event is city-sponsored and expected to cost taxpayers nothing.
• Historic Street Renaming:
  The council is expected to approve renaming Carrol Street to Bishop Kirby Lane, honoring local heritage and community leaders.
• Infrastructure Projects:
  The council will review several public works matters, including approval of a $589,660 contract awarded to A.W. Oakes & Son, Inc. for the Racine Uptown Green Infrastructure Project, funded partly by a Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources grant. Additionally, a change order for $47,650 will be considered to support 2023 sanitary sewer repairs, along with a final payment request of $485,102 to Genesis Excavators, Inc.
• Public Events and Community Engagement:
  Other notable items include requests for event permits, the Rhino Bar’s fundraising street closure for Racine’s Fourth Fest, and updates on the Racine Zoo and Wustum Museum.
• Licensing and Regulatory Matters:
  Several licensing issues will be discussed, including operator licenses, renewal of massage establishment licenses, and formal expressions of concern related to various business operators in the city.

Fiscal overview:

Budget discussions include the 2026 budget calendar and the 1st quarter 2025 fiscal results presentation, both critical for setting the city’s future financial priorities.

Public participation:

The meeting is open to the public, with a designated time for public comments. Residents are encouraged to attend in person or follow the meeting via available livestream platforms.

Racine Common Council agenda

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