The Franklin Common Council voted Tuesday night to hire Ehlers & Associates to prepare financial analyses and draft documents related to a potential Tax Incremental District (TID) on the southeast corner of S. 76th Street and W. Rawson Avenue.

The decision followed more than an hour of public comment and council discussion about transparency and whether the city should proceed before a development agreement is finalized and publicly released. "I respectfully ask the council to vote no on items 13 and 14 until the development agreement is completed and shared with the public," a resident identified later in the meeting as Linda Mathwig said during citizen comment.

Council members and staff framed the Ehlers contract as a preparatory step, not the formal creation of a TID. City staff said the consultant will produce feasibility analyses and the state‑required documents that must be available before any formal TID creation and joint review board consideration. "These documents need to be created in order for the TID to be created," a council speaker explained during the discussion.

Councilors also addressed concerns about drainage and developer outreach raised by residents. City staff and council members said there have been multiple public meetings and that engineering and financial advisers are reviewing stormwater and fiscal impacts. One council speaker said the developer has met with neighbors and that city staff will continue to coordinate outreach.

On the substantive motion to authorize the Ehlers agreement, the council approved the resolution (roll call noted six ayes) and later voted to enter closed session under Wisconsin Statute 19.85(1)(e) to deliberate bargaining strategy and terms related to potential residential/commercial development and the investment of public funds. After returning from closed session the council voted to "proceed as discussed in closed session." The motions to enter closed session and to proceed carried on recorded votes according to the agenda minutes.

What happens next: Ehlers will prepare the TID feasibility analysis and the package of documents that would be required before any formal TID creation or joint review board review. Council members emphasized that approving the consultant is separate from approving a TID or development agreement, and that additional public presentations and formal votes would follow.

Sources: statements and motions on the Dec. 16, 2025 City of Franklin Common Council agenda and meeting record.