Alder Horton, speaking on behalf of the transit mobility director, presented two transit items to the Common Council on Oct. 21, 2025. The council approved a contract for Racine transit service in the village of Caledonia and the village of Mount Pleasant for 2026–27 and authorized staff to apply for state and federal public-transit grants for 2026.

The council received a fiscal note for the contract showing estimated revenue of $650,000 in 2026 and $703,750 in 2027. Alder Horton moved the items; the motions were seconded and passed during the meeting.

The second item authorized the transit and mobility director to apply for the Wisconsin Department of Transportation’s 2026 Public Transit Assistance program, including state and federal operating and capital funding streams noted in the application control numbers presented to the council.

Why it matters: The contract extends transit service into neighboring villages and supplies the transit system with dedicated revenue. The grant applications seek state and federal operating and capital support that underpins local transit operations.

Actions recorded at the meeting: approval to sign the 2026–27 service contract (Item 0976-25) and permission to apply for the Wisconsin DOT 2026 public transit assistance grants (Item 0977-25). Both motions passed on voice/roll call during the session; no roll-call tallies were read into the transcript.