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River Falls council adopts 2025–27 strategic initiatives; resident urges clearer plan for low-income housing
Summary
On Aug. 26 the River Falls City Council approved its 2025–27 strategic initiatives on the consent agenda. During public comment, Dana Linscott of the River Falls Alliance for the Homeless urged the council to clarify how the plan addresses low-income affordable housing and asked that the city administrator respond to citizen questions.
River Falls — The River Falls City Council approved a resolution adopting the city’s 2025–27 strategic initiatives on Aug. 26 during its consent agenda, and a public commenter urged elected officials to clarify how the plan will address the city’s shortage of low-income affordable housing.
Dana Linscott, of the River Falls Alliance for the Homeless, told the council that “nearly all of you have acknowledged that affordable housing, especially low income affordable housing, is a problem in River Falls.” She said housing studies show the city “needs several 100 low income affordable housing units,” and added, “no one's working on it.”
Linscott asked the council to request a response from the city administrator explaining a phrase in the strategic plan she cited — that the plan mentions “housing that supports economic objectives” — and what that language means in practice. “I would ask that you do that,” she said, asking a council member to request the administrator respond to citizens’ questions.
The council approved the resolution listed on the consent agenda as “items 2A through F and 3.” Council member Carroll moved approval; a second was given and the council voted to adopt the items as presented. The vote was taken by voice during the consent process and no formal roll-call vote was recorded in the meeting minutes.
City Administrator Scott gave an administrative report later in the meeting about other items the city hosted but did not, during the meeting, provide the clarification Linscott requested nor did the council record a formal direction to staff to prepare an explanation of the strategic plan language.
Why it matters: Housing-availability concerns raised during public comment reference prior housing studies, and Linscott said the studies indicate a substantial need for low-income units. The strategic initiatives resolution as adopted appears on the council’s consent agenda; at the Aug. 26 meeting no additional discussion or specific implementation steps tied to low-income housing were recorded.
What the meeting produced: a formal adoption of the 2025–27 strategic initiatives via consent and a public-record request from a community advocate for the council or administrator to clarify how housing is addressed. No follow-up assignment or deadline was specified in the meeting record.
About public comment and next steps: The request for a staff response came during the public comment period; the transcript and meeting record contain no formal direction, action item, or staff report scheduled to respond to that request. If the council or administrator provides an explanation later, it would appear in future meeting materials or communications from city staff.
Less-critical notes: The meeting included routine business and ceremonial items and ended with appointments and adjournment. A separate public commenter spoke about energy sources during public comment (see separate article).
