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Council approves CityWise rental-listing contract after suspending rules for company presentation
Summary
Racine aldermen approved a contract to license Citywide Software LLC (CityWise) to host a city-branded rental-listing platform and searchable residential rental database after the council voted to suspend rules to allow the company CEO to speak; the rule suspension passed 11-3 and the contract approval passed unanimously.
The Racine Common Council on April 14 approved a city-service and licensing agreement with Citywide Software LLC (doing business as CityWise) to provide a city-branded, searchable rental-listing platform for Racine.
The item (0288-25), sponsored by Mayor Mason, drew a brief procedural dispute after staff indicated the council does not normally permit outside vendors to address the body during the agenda. Council members then voted to suspend the rules to let a CityWise representative address the chamber; that suspension-motion passed 11-3. Dominic Hanslow, identified in the meeting as CEO of Citywide Software, spoke to council about CityWise’s model and prior municipal partnerships, saying the company had last year begun working with municipalities to operate city-branded rental platforms and noted partnerships in Kenosha, Oak Creek, Greenfield, Greendale, South Milwaukee and Mount Pleasant.
After the presentation, the council voted to approve the contract. The transcript records that the motion "passes unanimously." The council did not record additional amendments on the floor.
Hanslow told council CityWise’s goal is to list middle-income and lower-income rental properties that do not always appear on private listing sites, and he said the product aims to help renters find housing that might not otherwise be visible on platforms such as apartments.com. The company’s background remarks referenced a prior business, College Pads, and a multi-city rollout of CityWise during the previous year.
Councilors who supported allowing the presentation said they wanted to hear directly from the vendor before voting on a contract that involves city branding and a searchable rental database; those opposed to the rule suspension cited a longstanding practice barring vendor presentations outside the public-comment period.
The contract is expected to move forward under the terms presented to council; staff retained responsibility for final contract execution and oversight.
