RIVER FALLS — During a brief River Falls City Council meeting Aug. 26, the council approved strategic initiatives for 2025-27.

“This is not meant to be aspirational or stretch, these are meant to be an identification of priorities of the community via the council about things that you expect us to get accomplished,” City Administrator Scot Simpson said during the Aug. 12 workshop.

City documents laid out the initiatives as follows:

Connected Community

• Kinnickinnic River Corridor Plan Phase I: Complete the USACE Feasibility Study and initiate project design, while continuing greenway and access planning efforts with the National Park Service (NPS)
• Safe Streets Action Plan (SS4A): Finalize the SS4A action plan and develop implementation strategies in coordination with available federal funding opportunities
• Glen Park Phase II: Plan for and begin implementation of Phase II improvements

Economic Vitality

• Downtown Project: Complete downtown inventory and needs analysis, while continuing to pursue funding opportunities
• Continued Infill in Corporate Parks: Market and promote development opportunities on available sites within existing corporate parks
• Innovation Center Expansion: Pursue federal funding for the proposed addition to the SCVBIC

Financial Sustainability

• Examine Impact Fees: Review existing impact fees, analyze feasibility of fee changes, and recommend policy options

Quality Municipal Services

• Fire Station Remodel: Complete fire station remodel
• Library Remodel and Capital Campaign: Finish library renovations and continue supporting the Library Foundation’s advancement of the capital campaign
• Public Safety Communications Upgrade: Pursue federal funding and determine local contribution of modernization of public safety communication systems
• Public Utility Infrastructure Assessment: Examine the scope and capacity of public utility infrastructure

Community member Dana Linscott spoke during public comment on the initiatives, focusing on a lack of emphasis on housing.

“Nearly all of you have acknowledged that affordable housing, especially low-income affordable housing, is a problem in River Falls. All of the housing studies done have highlighted that,” Linscott said.

Linscott said he has visited nearby communities that do have adequate affordable housing, and it was a process of acknowledging the need decades ago and placing a continual focus on the need.

He cited the 2018-22 Strategic Plan, which had one reference to housing, being “housing that supports economic objectives.” While council cannot directly respond to public comment during the meeting, he asked council to ask Simpson what the item means.

Overall, Linscott asked the council to put their acceptance of housing as a need in the city to action.

Resident William Hansen spoke briefly during public comment to ask the city to keep in mind the effect of energy decisions on options available to future generations.