RIVER FALLS – At the regular River Falls City Council meeting held on Dec. 14, the council held public hearings, approved liquor licenses for new businesses coming to River Falls and approved resolutions supporting a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion ream.

Following presentations from the Kinni Corridor Collaborative and outline of the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion team, the council held public hearings for the approval of two new liquor licenses.

First, the council approved Class B liquor and beer licenses for Paddy’s Pub and Boxty House, which will be located at 212 S. Main St., the current location of Mainstreeter Bar and Grill.

During the public hearing council members asked questions to ensure that the licenses will be used in a lawful and responsible manner and a motion was made and passed to grant this combination liquor license.

JKLM Enterprises, LLC is leasing the premises located at 212 S. Main St. from BBJ Investments, LLC and plans to open as an additional location to Paddy Ryan’s Irish Pub in Hudson. The restaurant will employ one to five full-time staff members, as well as 11 or more part-time staff. They plan to offer food, music, entertainment, and an outdoor patio area which they anticipate will be fenced sometime during 2022/2023. Servers will be assigned to this area to help with monitoring the space.

The next license was for a Class A liquor and beer license for the new Kwik Trip that will be located at 1536 Cemetery Road. Similar questions were asked during this public hearing and council voted to grant the license.

The council approved several resolutions at once as part of the consent agenda, including a 2022-2023 lease for River Falls Chamber of Commerce and support for the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Team framework and goals.

Land leases

The council approved two resolutions concerning agriculture land lease agreements related to cityowned property in Mann Valley. Each lease is for a one-year term, but gives the city the ability to terminate the lease if it chooses to develop the land.

In 2011, the city bought 85 acres of land in Mann Valley for future development, and in May 2013, bought another 240 acres. The city approved one lease with Gary Moelter for 72.76 acres at $249 per acre and one lease with Joe O’Malley for 90 acres at $264 per acre. Both leases with provide at minimum $41,877 in anticipated revenue for one year.

The council also approved a resolution to enter into an annual lease agreement for approximately 80 acres of agricultural land along County Road MM with the University of Wisconsin- River Falls. Since there is currently no use for the land by the city, it’s being rented for crop land by UWRF for $258 an acre in 2022 for an anticipated revenue of $20,640.

“As an aside, I have been made aware of some concerns about nitrate levels from run off from these two properties in that area so I would like to make sure that we keep that in mind,” said Alderperson Alyssa Mueller.

More discussion was had around this topic about protecting the residents’ water and the waterways of the city and current policies they have in place surrounding land management. The resolutions were amended by the council and then approved.

Election inspectors

The city council approved the following nominations for 2022-23 election inspectors.

Republican Party of Pierce County: Tony Nasvik, Jim Souder, Stephanie Brown, Rachel Mcardle, Elizabeth Kreibich, John Langford, Kathy Cudd, Kim Alton, Jessie Schlee, Dale Olson, Sheila Olson, Joyce Breen.

Democratic Party of Pierce County: George Ball, Samantha Bluhm Republican Party of St. Croix County: Brian Helland, Kathleen Langenohl, Kathy Holmstadt, Michael Holmstadt, Michael Johnson, Paul Berning, Randall Lawson, Jacqueline Niccum, Denys Avery, Matthew Bocklund, Kristie Farnham.

Democratic Party of St. Croix County: Meri Makovec, Carole Mottaz, Pam Frey Unaffiliated: Melissa Abdouch, Pat O'Malley, Debra Andazola, Mark Olson, Richard Andazola, David Page, Pam Anderson, Magdalena Pala, Tom Anderson, Joel Palmquist, David Ayers, Michael Pepin, Richard Beckham, Susan Pesheck, Grace Birdseye, Benjamin Plunkett, Angie Bond, Kathy Rausch, Katie Chaffee, Linda Ross, Sara Church, Joe Sahnow, Marie Deja, Sal Salmonsson, Jeannie Dierbeck, Cheri Schmitt, Bev Eloranta, Mark Schmitt, Derrick Falkowski, Keri Schreiner, Ronald Gavin, Brett Severson, Linnet Graf, Lucille Smith, Lori Hankwitz, Mary A. Sommers, Bridget Heib, Mark Spafford, Russ Henke, Marguerite Squire, Cathy Hjersjo, Caroline Stammers, Doug Hjersjo, Daniel Suffield, Melinda Johnson, Theresa Swinburne, Nadine Johnson, Fern Tomaszewski, Torey Kauth, Erin Tomlinson, Adam Koski, Mark Tomlinson, Patricia LaRue, Jodi Tracy, Virginia (Ginny) Larson, Helen Traynor, Kurt Leichtle, Douglass Weiss, Victoria Losinski , Chris White, Vicki Lund, Ian Williams, Lois Michaelson, Lesley Williams, Greta Miller, Bill Wynn, Alyssa Mueller, Jim Nordgren, Cathy O'Connell, Jody O'Grady.

Snowfall

The meeting then moved to the administrator's report, regarding the heavy snowfall River Falls recently endured. Administrator Scot Simpson reminded the council and community about the city’s snow removal operations.

“I just want to remind the council and the community that snow removal is really an operation for us, because of initial response, then we do even and odd, and then downtown and it may take us sometime to work through it… we just want to remind everyone of the even/odd parking for the snow removal,” he said.

To end the meeting the mayor announced a proclamation for City of River Falls Employee Gratitude Day, which was observed Dec. 17.