Parking, signage, rental amendments pass

By Sarah Nigbor

RIVER FALLS – River Falls new Fire Chief Steven Cash was sworn in at the Aug. 23 River Falls City Council meeting before a packed house, including his wife, four children, city staff and residents. Deputy Clerk Kristi McKahan administered the oath of office. Cash most recently served as an assistant chief with the La Crosse Fire Department, bringing 22 years of experience to River Falls. “I am humbled and honored to be serving as your fire chief,” Cash said. “Everyone has been open, warm and welcome.” Cash graduated Summa Cum Laude from Columbia Southern University in Orange Beach, Ala., with a Bachelor of Science in Fire Administration/Fire Investigation. Most recently, he managed and supervised the City of La Crosse Community Risk Management Di – vision, where he managed a divisional budget of more than $1.1 million, developed department-wide performance improvements through data analytics acting as the department’s accreditation manager and expanded community outreach programs to underserved demographics. He is also a certified fire and explosion investigator through the International Association of Arson Investigators and the National Association of Fire Investigators.

From 2006-2015, Cash served as an adjunct instructor for EMS/Fire Services at Western Technical College in La Crosse. Prior to taking a job with the City of La Crosse, he served as a firefighter/engineer for four years with the Village of Howard Fire Department.

Cash was one of 17 nationwide applicants for the River Falls Fire Chief position after Scott Nelson retired. After initial virtual interviews, three candidates were selected to meet with panels consisting of representatives from the fire department including Interim Chief Tom Foley, the city organization, the Commission, the City Council and the community. Cash interviewed with the panel on June 14, 2022.

Outside of work, Cash enjoys biking, camping, family movie and game nights, grilling and anything that gets him outside. Since his wife frowns upon extreme sports such as skydiving and bungee jumping, he’s turned to another hobby he’s excited to explore in River Falls. “I brew beer and enjoy getting into the science and chemistry of it,” Cash said in June. “I also enjoy doing projects around the house. I have to stay busy. I’m one of those guys who drives his wife nuts on those ‘do nothing’ days. I’m lucky if I last three hours.”

Code, ordinance amendments The city council approved the second reading of a set of amendments to ordinances and city code related to parking, public nuisances, rental uses, signage, and code enforcement. Alderperson Alyssa Mueller did not vote as she was attending virtually, but was having technical difficulties. Alderpersons Sean Downing and Jeu Bjork voted against the amendments.

Downing said he needed to address the elephant in the room, which is public safety.

“The unintended consequences of this particular code would create more plus-size vehicles and RVs in particular parking on our city streets, which is a bigger hazard for public health and safety,” he said.

The parking ordinance isn’t ready, with more to be considered, he opined.

“An easy way to do this would be allowing plus-size vehicles to be parked in driveways, behind houses, in an approach on the side or on an appropriate surface on cinder blocks, but not on city streets,” Downing said.

The way the ordinance reads, people can park RVs, boats, trailers, semis, etc. in their driveways for 29 days, leave and park them on city streets for a day, then come back and park them in the driveway for another 29 days.

“We should be more concerned about safety than what a vehicle looks like parked in a driveway,” he said.

He also brought up the fact that people park these oversized vehicles on narrow, one-way streets, causing even more safety hazards and congestion. He added that some people who live on one-way streets park on their lawns in order to not park on the street, especially during odd/even winter parking.

“This code lacks direction for those unique problems these narrow, one-way streets have with overcrowding on those particular streets and it doesn’t go into what exceptions or a list that it could follow,” Downing said.

He then asked other council members to vote against the amendment, because safety is more important than appearances.

Alderperson Scott Morrissette said not allowing plus size vehicles to park on city streets just isn’t feasible, especially when visitors come to town.

“I don’t know if I find that practical,” he said.

Public comment

Dana Linscott, who resides at W11395 W. County Road M, described himself as the “inadvertent representative of the least fortunate, unsheltered people in River Falls.” He said he’s had discussions with Toland and Administrator Scot Simpson about solutions to help the city’s homeless population.

“They’ve not gone well. Mr. Simpson hung up on me rather than resolve our problems,” Linscott claimed. “I’m here to open a dialogue about the resources that aren’t working or available to house people in the dead of winter. Last winter six to 12 people were trying to survive the winter in their cars. These aren’t cars where you can run the engines to stay warm safely.”

People huddle in them with all their clothes on with things piled around them to stay warm, Linscott said.

“This isn’t right. I’ve talked to Mayor Toland and he doesn’t believe this is a responsibility the city should have to bear and I agree. I have no choice. So I offered an alternative,” he said.

He suggested using Hoffman Park during its winter offseason to house people, where they can use the bathroom and shower facilities.

“There are more than enough people in River Falls that are willing to foot the bill for it without the taxpayers having to pay one cent,” he said.

He said city officials were not amenable to the idea, so he’s trying to find another place to house people from which they cannot be trespassed.

Other business

• The council approved the following resolutions, with Morrisette abstaining on the ones authorizing local banks.

• Requesting application for exemption from county library tax. The exemption is allowed if the local tax contribution is higher than the amount that would be calculated by the county.

• Authorizing a core fee reimbursement and an option for River Falls non-resident utility customers • Approving the contract with Strand Associates, Inc. for wastewater treatment facility biosolids dewatering and drying design services in an amount not to exceed $550,000. The wastewater treatment facility currently thickens waste activated sludge using a dissolved air flotation thickener (DAFT). The DAFT unit thickens the sludge, and the thickened sludge is stored on site. The sludge is then hauled to the West Central Wisconsin Biosolids Facility located in Ellsworth. In 2021, the city hauled approximately 2.4 million gallons of sludge to WCWBF. The city has elected against renewing its existing contract with WCWBF, which expires on Dec. 31, 2025, and to move forward with adding sludge management capabilities to the City of River Falls WWTF.

• Authorizing $5,155,000 in general obligation bonds to fund the north interceptor sewer extension project and wastewater portion of the north utility loop project.

• Directing publication of notice to electors related to bond issue

• Providing for the sale of general obligation sewage bonds not to exceed $5,155,000

• Providing for the sale of water system revenue bonds not to exceed $5,995,000 for the north zone water tower, the water system’s share of the north utility loop project and refunding the outstanding amount from the 2011 water revenue bonds.

• Authorizing local bank solicitation to finance the Tattersall development incentive, which was $750,000. This financing will be used to reimburse the city for the development incentive made to River Falls Holdings LLC for the Tattersall project on Feb. 11, 2022.

• Authorizing local bank solicitation to reimburse the city $750,000 for the purchase of land adjacent to the Mann Valley Corporate Park, to be used for future corporate park infrastructure and development.

• The council also approved first readings of ordinances annexing N8817 1010th St. and N8753 1010th St. from the town of River Falls, applying a zoning classification of R2 multiple family medium density, and amending the official zoning and future land use maps to rezone a parcel at the corner of Wasson Lane and Cemetery Road to a school zone for a proposed Renaissance Charter Academy facility.

River Falls resident Dana Linscott asked the council to consider providing winter options for the area’s homeless population. Screenshot courtesy of City of River Falls