[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6202931,"mediaKeyId","3785128-24ab5424ab7d0daf22caaa02960fdbe4","parentId",3785128,"title","River Falls staff lays out $20–$30 million ‘big‑swing’ Main Street corridor plan; seeks federal safety and build grants","audioSeconds",1930,"startMs",1541000,"endMs",3471000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3785128-24ab5424ab7d0daf22caaa02960fdbe4&start=1541&end=3471","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3785128-24ab5424ab7d0daf22caaa02960fdbe4/thumbnail_1541000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6202931/River-Falls/Pierce-County/Wisconsin/River-Falls-staff-lays-out-2030-million-bigswing-Main-Street-corridor-plan-seeks-federal-safety-and-build-grants","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6202931-0e72145a3aa4640b2bdd3c20b9bf5682/orig.mp4?Expires=1776024353&Signature=YbfmhcdXzRkqrIpP77~Ph74EWn8chLKJIJCgGQW~E52vOPna8h9i2~it5yTKx6VZC4UZVZ1PokWhgj27dkLljjgaCD8pzHZBO6lBKLvxki5jfb0Z-F76SjdOifCm7IagCXhJBBFV1MuJvSViJW79KIZqFBnSBnIaDmkH8hIDMuT-EfH9QFAZN7asnCuHjUauDmfJJ6x1lWixmGBhz5yXpUkZNXAc1UpK6aTTNSBxjPL6q8PtaAtHRhusaPogvgN7whsZ69uTv6fdLhzGDhZG8~lD1Teh-LE8Y~H-0Fqtuu6QKkhFbPUsggyAx4uGIyzSmWfN5xZV-k~zvQ0Kz7RZRw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City of River Falls, WI","date","2025-06-12T16:38:29.63Z","article","City staff on June 10 presented a preliminary, system‑level plan for revitalizing River Falls’ Main Street corridor and recommended pursuing federal funding opportunities to support a multi‑phase project estimated in the $20 million to $30 million range.

Emily Shively, assistant director of community development, said the corridor plan builds on previous Comprehensive Plan updates and downtown design work and aims to coordinate utilities, circulation and river connections. “Main Street has always been a significant priority,” Shively said, and the recent inventories of underground utilities and stakeholder interviews provide a foundation for further public engagement.

Todd Nikleski, the city engineer, summarized the infrastructure findings: the sanitary sewer in the downtown area is generally clay tile installed about 80 years ago and may be replaced or relined; some laterals are shared by adjacent businesses, creating maintenance and grease‑trap complications. “Our sanitary sewer is 80 years old. We believe it was installed around 1940,” Nikleski said. He added the downtown water mains likely date from the late 19th century — “we believe the water main was installed somewhere between years 1894 and 1900” — and are undersized for modern fire flows; many curb‑stop valves have failed, preventing water service to individual businesses during repairs.

Staff described a three‑phase approach: Phase 1 focused on Second Street intersection improvements to maintain circulation while Main Street work occurs; Phase 2 would include alley and Riverwalk improvements and undergrounding electric infrastructure; Phase 3 is full reconstruction of Main Street including stormwater, sewer and water main replacement, ADA improvements and signal upgrades. Staff noted Main Street storm sewer sits above the sanitary sewer in places, complicating repairs and creating inflow concerns; much of the sanitary piping is clay tile that could be relined with cured‑in‑place pipe to reduce excavation expense.

Funding strategy and timing: Staff recommended applying for the federal Safe Streets and Roads for All (Safe Streets for All) action‑planning and demonstration grants to identify safety projects and to make the corridor eligible for implementation funding. They also identified the federal BUILD grant (now called the RAISE/BUILD or similar competitive program) as a likely pathway for larger construction grants; BUILD awards are capped and staff said the city’s estimated full scope could exceed single‑grant limits. Shively and Nikleski said staff’s very preliminary construction cost estimates put the full corridor in the “high $20 millions,” with the earliest realistic start appearing around 2030 given funding and engagement timelines.

Public comments and council questions flagged design priorities and risks. One council member asked that dark‑sky lighting standards and pollinator‑friendly fixtures be considered as part of design; staff said they would include such policy choices in design and public engagement phases. Council members representing downtown businesses emphasized the need for a long lead time for business owners to plan for construction impacts.

What was not decided: No formal approvals for specific design choices, assessments to property owners or funding mixes were adopted. Staff explicitly told the council that property assessments, utility funding shares and final scope will be developed through further public engagement and council policy direction.

Next steps: Staff will submit Safe Streets for All demonstration grant materials, pursue funding opportunities for design and implementation, and return with more detailed scopes, cost estimates and community engagement plans as grant opportunities and schedules develop.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","River Falls Common Council 6/10/25","oneSentenceSummary","City staff presented a preliminary plan to rebuild downtown utilities and streetscapes, estimate project costs at roughly $20–$30 million, and recommended pursuing federal Safe Streets and BUILD grant opportunities to fund work expected to start no earlier than 2030.","taxTitle","River Falls, Pierce County, Wisconsin","taxId",69651,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6202933,"River Falls council authorizes $480,445 purchase of dual‑band radios to address aging public‑safety equipment",1177,318000,1495000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3785128-24ab5424ab7d0daf22caaa02960fdbe4&start=318&end=1495","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3785128-24ab5424ab7d0daf22caaa02960fdbe4/thumbnail_318000.jpg","/articles/6202933/River-Falls/Pierce-County/Wisconsin/River-Falls-council-authorizes-480445-purchase-of-dualband-radios-to-address-aging-publicsafety-equipment","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6202933-47b8fda41e9438558b684104c8d731ad/orig.mp4?Expires=1776024353&Signature=KCO8Go4q5gnNDSLlcNUOLhvFj32W9Xu6QCR7gVOceMTxP9TLwbgrYn21wo4Y~JN0FZhO7hpPpBa22~Rskm7oC8V1AkEqxY17JcRxFhyZaGttaNeRUf2prg35UbORPxRKgQ6NtxgFSGx-krLpZSW0YgvQL2Mw19wyQ6IRDANf24zHloioIm67F4-E6s8jZd5J~bb47~~yRkyLKkevucoLnRPmyV6YOFrib5qEM-agBGIvD~7SFsOuFmQWDw-LOZOUgb8N14GxYx8YziaPkCPacln0Cfo7oJkQcuRzvHnNWQ6M38Jm-usL~Mi9urjVh8eLCR6uMm~cxMTYZDA4CgCrAw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","River Falls City Council on June 10 approved a resolution authorizing the city administrator to proceed with purchase of a new public‑safety radio system for police and fire, using general‑fund balance to cover a $480,445.59 equipment quote.

Deputy Chief Matt Kenneth, who presented the department's analysis, told the council the city's current radios are single‑band VHF units, many dating to about 2007 for police and as far back as 1993 for some fire equipment. “The age of equipment is the main thing,” Kenneth said, adding the existing radios have declining battery life, limited performance and gaps in interoperability with county dispatch centers.

The purchase would replace most police portables and refresh roughly 40% of the fire department's needs, Kenneth said. The requested equipment includes 48 portable radios, 8 mobile radios and a base station with seven desk controllers; under the quoted pricing, 28 portables would go to police and 20 to fire. Kenneth said the quoted package comes from Motorola through a government procurement contract and reflected a temporary 40% discount; he warned that tariff changes effective June 13 could increase costs on later quotes.

Why it matters: current county dispatch centers and neighboring jurisdictions are moving toward 700/800 megahertz systems. Kenneth said the city's single‑band VHF radios have made some digital county channels effectively inaudible inside buildings and in parts of downtown. “Our city channel is starting to become a channel that we just don’t use very often. It’s very difficult to get reception on,” he said.

Discussion and funding: City Administrator Scott explained the purchase fits within the city’s fund‑balance policy, which sets a 40% minimum and a 50% target. “When the fund balance goes above 50%, essentially, the city administrator should be looking for ways to reasonably and responsibly spend that money,” Scott said. He recommended using the fund balance for a one‑time purchase rather than adding debt. Council members asked about interoperability with the private ambulance provider; Kenneth said the city currently cannot talk directly with that ambulance operator’s frequency and must request ETA updates through Pierce County dispatch.

Council action: After staff presentations and questions, the council voted to authorize the purchase. The council directed staff to proceed with ordering the radios promptly; staff stated they planned to place the order that week.

What was not decided: The council authorized the purchase of the quoted radios only. Longer‑term infrastructure work (tower replacements, new dispatch center builds) and any additional capital investment remain separate and would require future approvals.

Quotes in context: Deputy Chief Matt Kenneth presented equipment details and interoperability constraints; City Administrator Scott framed the funding decision in the context of the city's fund‑balance policy.

Next steps: Staff will order the radios and continue coordination with county partners about broader interoperability and future infrastructure work.","The City Council approved using general‑fund balance to buy 48 portable radios, 8 mobile radios and a base station after staff said current VHF radios are aging, have coverage gaps and lack interoperability with neighboring systems and private EMS dispatch.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6202925,"Council approves discontinuance of portion of East Charlotte Street right‑of‑way; developer to receive deeded parcel",159,4185000,4344000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3785128-24ab5424ab7d0daf22caaa02960fdbe4&start=4185&end=4344","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3785128-24ab5424ab7d0daf22caaa02960fdbe4/thumbnail_4185000.jpg","/articles/6202925/River-Falls/Pierce-County/Wisconsin/Council-approves-discontinuance-of-portion-of-East-Charlotte-Street-rightofway-developer-to-receive-deeded-parcel","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6202925-cbc768b7f260d9eb25e0d192c2725bdc/orig.mp4?Expires=1776024353&Signature=gAeNHWtX1h8dJPV~ze42Njnrr5NppYoWqCJHp3M6UmipHs51qZlDNDT6q4-poM9x5HLMuHcL6gGYmdyLsDMvFqx3j1wOfBEMpwb3j1NfE-ItfX08QmC~f-exBqTYdLoE7jLdReLucmVjjKnvswlj3Z6AzKBbAiI43OO9v6iZbLaK4kg8Es2nU3oHDL0iTqYgbsDPhVGYEs-xrHUVesPf~7vByTMabdRbgXGxA2FH2uLIcqWwc2FTGW0gD0YC6Xl9zZDvDWxf5lV2TMPI4GyRjKnEl3FBnie9l44KhJPpg0BA9vqu-HRvI03yqWTQeAbEgjlFYr3dFi4bFjrPU3Mnfw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","River Falls City Council on June 10 voted to discontinue a portion of the East Charlotte Street right‑of‑way between Orange and Sycamore Streets, a step the city said is intended to enable the Sycamore 2 development.

Staff noted the discontinuance was initiated concurrently with approval of a general development plan for Sycamore 2 on April 22. The resolution states that, if discontinued, the property would be deeded to the developer to allow the proposed project. Council will review the developer’s final plans and specific implementation plans on June 24.

Council discussion focused on property access and potential impacts to abutting owners. A council member asked what “no owner of the property abutting the discontinued public way will be damaged by the discontinuance” means in practice. The city attorney explained that the language is intended to confirm continued access and that, in this case, the developer is acquiring both the north and south properties so adjacent owners would not be deprived of access.

A council member declared a conflict of interest and was recorded as abstaining from the vote. The council then voted to approve the resolution. No other conditions, assessments or changes to the development plan were adopted at the hearing.

Next steps: Council will consider the final development plans and implementation details for Sycamore 2 at its June 24 meeting.","The council voted to discontinue a portion of the East Charlotte Street right‑of‑way between Orange and Sycamore to enable the Sycamore 2 development; the discontinuance will deed the property to the developer and council will review final development plans on June 24.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6202929,"River Falls advocate asks council for chance to present plan on mobile emergency housing and affordable units",122,100000,222000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3785128-24ab5424ab7d0daf22caaa02960fdbe4&start=100&end=222","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3785128-24ab5424ab7d0daf22caaa02960fdbe4/thumbnail_100000.jpg","/articles/6202929/River-Falls/Pierce-County/Wisconsin/River-Falls-advocate-asks-council-for-chance-to-present-plan-on-mobile-emergency-housing-and-affordable-units","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6202929-f03239cf19c403daaa2e3fc292010562/orig.mp4?Expires=1776024353&Signature=jKGTIUdMOHEyub75XsrSP935062v7hfgbb4OCAovFskXOFhlDHvEbUTN9S-ziVMsNPKQzbdX~xCAmRAMfdISouKTYemotGbj0Se-GST0cMr6SaPh6IEGnCTy8IhKjBEBGUma57MzW~kat-2N-Y6Mam0xi4CZ-uV3nslQfpEDlR4AMEIQITrd6TXCACXh3p1NdHkQpLEiZrBih-kHCiTmrezp~34omvs6uZlNtIHAhs7uLG5-pQQbwZt0w8kNX-HsmxiCUyR3MtoUzhkz4718r0F-4MVvJbM51qHd0wY-FOaMsGe8Lm4cOHo77PSsmDyJjRj~ntpfaYe0hoI0rbAaMQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","During the public‑comment period at the June 10 River Falls City Council meeting, Dana Linscott, cofounder of the River Falls Alliance for the Homeless, said the city remains short several hundred subsidized housing units and asked the council to let her provide a fuller presentation about a proposed solution.

“I’m Dana Linscott. I’m the cofounder of the River Falls Alliance for the Homeless. I have 2 subjects I’d like to speak about tonight,” Linscott said. She described plans to deploy mobile emergency housing units during winters because of a shortage of emergency shelter in River Falls and nearby areas, and said she wanted to speak directly with the chief of police about deployment plans to avoid conflicts.

Linscott said the community’s housing studies identified a shortfall of several hundred subsidized low‑income units and that only five units have been built since the studies were completed. She told the council she has been unable to present a longer proposal to the governing body and asked the council to direct the city administrator to schedule a 15‑minute presentation so she could explain a proposed solution and answer questions.

What was not decided: The council did not schedule any follow‑up presentation or take formal action on Linscott’s requests during the meeting. Her comments were part of public comment and did not generate a staff report or vote that evening.

Next steps: Linscott asked the council to request the city administrator to allow a presentation; no direction was recorded on the transcript for scheduling such a presentation.","Dana Linscott of the River Falls Alliance for the Homeless urged the council during public comment to meet with staff about deploying mobile emergency housing and to allow her a longer presentation on a proposed plan to build subsidized low‑income housing after studies showed a shortfall.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

River Falls staff lays out $20–$30 million ‘big‑swing’ Main Street corridor plan; seeks federal safety and build grants

River Falls council authorizes $480,445 purchase of dual‑band radios to address aging public‑safety equipment

Council approves discontinuance of portion of East Charlotte Street right‑of‑way; developer to receive deeded parcel

River Falls advocate asks council for chance to present plan on mobile emergency housing and affordable units