May 30, 2025. Vol. 1, Issue 13 (1669 words – a nine-minute read
May 29, 2025
What Is Ahead? Navigating Fiscal and Leadership Challenges in Beloit
The Beloit School District faces mounting financial and leadership difficulties, exacerbated by declining student enrollment and repeated voter rejection of tax levy override proposals. With enrollment dropping from 7,000 students to approximately 5,000, the district struggles to reconcile its funding needs with a decades-old state school funding formula that has not adapted to shifting demands.
Commentary:
As the June 30 fiscal year deadline approaches, urgency grows for a new spending plan. However, the absence of finalized state financial aid numbers—which will not be available until fall—further complicates decision-making. The School Board must decide whether to reduce staff, delay critical financial decisions, or continue discussions without a clear resolution.
In response, the Ad Hoc Committee for Finance, formed by the Board, convened last Wednesday to propose solutions. Their recommendations prioritize staff retention and budget stabilization while addressing the district’s $6.2 million deficit. Key proposals include:
- Allocating $1,000,000 to lift the pay freeze for teachers
- Setting aside $500,000 to avoid increased insurance costs.
- Reducing staffing through vacancies and attrition
- Restructuring Central Office to align with current enrollment, targeting $4,000,000 in staff reductions
Hypothetically Speaking: Despite these efforts, challenges remain. The district faces competing pressures, including school closures, class size modifications, and historically low state achievement scores. Nearby schools, such as Beloit Turner and Lincoln Academy, continue attracting students through open enrollment, further straining the district’s future outlook.
With a critical Board meeting on Tuesday, the path forward remains uncertain, but decisive action is needed to stabilize district finances and ensure educational integrity.
Milton City Council: Park Development and Leadership Changes
At its latest meeting, the Milton City Council debated a proposal to transfer ten acres of parkland to the Milton YMCA for athletic field development. The YMCA, in partnership with Milton Youth Football, plans to build and maintain the fields, making them available to the public when not reserved. The project aligns with the Crossridge Park Plan, and after a favorable review from the Parks and Recreation Commission, the Council appears poised to approve the request.
Hypothetically Speaking: The Council’s primary focuses this week will be selecting a new member to fill the vacant seat left by Mayor Stockman, who was elected to office earlier this year. With serious community input, Council vetting, the best of the best emerges to fill this important seat on the Milton City Council.
Milton High School Civics Leadership Project: Shaping Future Leaders
In collaboration with the Rock County Civics Academy, the Milton High School Civics Leadership Project offers a transformative opportunity for students eager to engage in local leadership and civic education. Designed for three to four selected seniors, the program provides hands-on government experiences that emphasize leadership, mentorship, scholarship, and communication—essential pillars for fostering engaged citizens.
Commentary:
Through structured mentorship, students shadow government leaders, gaining insight into policy development and community governance. Interns rotate through six local government settings, including county, city, town boards, and school district offices, attending County Board, City Council, and School Board meetings.
The program also includes four intensive Seminar Days, featuring keynote speakers, Q&A panels with local leaders, and Socratic seminars, where students examine pressing local policy issues alongside community stakeholders.
A culminating research project challenges interns to identify a Rock County issue, conduct in-depth analysis, and propose viable solutions. Their findings are presented to local officials, educators, and community members, fostering a culture of critical thinking and civic engagement.
Beyond the classroom, the program encourages students to build professional connections, helping them network with government leaders, policymakers, and community influencers. As an added incentive, participants earn 1.0 social studies elective credit and 1.0 Laude point upon successful completion of the project.
Hypothetically Speaking: Through this immersive experience, the Milton High School Civics Leadership Project equips students with the skills to actively participate in shaping their communities, preparing them for future leadership roles with confidence and conviction.
Stay tuned for further updates on these developing stories as our local communities navigate key policy decisions and opportunities for civic engagement.
City of Janesville: Housing Policy in Focus
Housing policy remains at the forefront of Janesville’s civic discourse, with the community eagerly anticipating next Monday’s Plan Commission meeting for potential updates on next steps. Following the withdrawal of the Bear Development project near Carriage Works, public concerns over housing shortages continue to grow. Residents and business leaders alike recognize the urgency of actionable solutions.
The Rock County Civics Academy has consistently advocated for structured, solution-driven engagement in this issue. In response, we are proposing another Housing Policy Summit, aimed at fostering meaningful dialogue, generating innovative solutions, and building consensus to address local housing needs.
Commentary: The Case for a Summit
The previous Summit helped catalyze considerable progress, leading to the development of over six hundred multi-family housing units and several new single-family subdivisions. However, major gaps remain, and a Janesville Affordable Housing & Policy Forum could provide a structured approach to deeper engagement.
To ensure inclusiveness and informed participation, this forum would incorporate:
- Keynote presentations
- Small-group deliberations
- Structured voting on housing priorities
- Stakeholder panel discussions
A targeted outreach strategy would engage renters, landlords, seniors, developers, and low-income residents, ensuring diverse representation.
Deliverables from the forum would include a summary report, a community action toolkit, and a formal presentation of findings to Forward Janesville and city officials. The Rock County Civics Academy remains committed to fostering collaboration, civic trust, and innovative housing policy solutions that serve Janesville’s unique needs.
Momentum Builds for Housing Reform
Community engagement has been strong, with numerous volunteers stepping forward to help organize a summit. Forward Janesville President and CEO Char Hermanson has acknowledged the initiative, expressing appreciation for the engagement and outlining next steps.
Hermanson highlighted the findings from Forward Janesville’s Business Retention and Expansion Survey, which included interviews with fifty local businesses. The survey underscored a recurring concern: housing shortages are a major barrier to business growth.
To address this, Forward Janesville partnered with UW-Whitewater to conduct a Rock County Housing Study. However, after reviewing early results and gathering feedback, they recognized the need to refocus the study, specifically on Janesville. Efforts are now underway to refine the scope accordingly.
Time for Action Is Now
Public-private partnerships, such as the ARISE Now downtown development plan, remain pivotal in shaping Janesville’s future. However, ARISE Now is limited in scope to the downtown area—what the city needs is a comprehensive, citywide housing strategy that addresses shortages at all levels.
Much of the necessary housing data has already been compiled by developers, real estate experts, and municipal agencies. A Housing Summit serves as the ideal catalyst to analyze these insights and turn data into decisive policy action.
While we agree with Forward Janesville that a needs assessment is crucial, we also stress the importance of setting a timeline for tangible implementation—delaying action will only worsen the housing crisis.
Hypothetically Speaking: Taking the Next Step:
With the City of Janesville’s response still pending, the Rock County Civics Academy remains committed to advancing the conversation and driving impactful policy discussions.
Calling a citywide Housing Summit—while simultaneously refining housing data—would help push the issue forward. The central question remains:
Do we continue studying the problem, or do we act? While this initiative is commendable, we caution against over-analysis and delayed action—Janesville needs real solutions, not another study gathering dust.
If not now, when? If not us, who?
Delaying solutions exacerbate the problem. We call on Forward Janesville, city officials, and community leaders to respond with urgency and commit to bold, decisive action.
For more details or to get involved, stay tuned for updates on the event date and location. Together, we can create a sustainable, inclusive housing future for Janesville.
Rock County Board Public Health Alert: Vaccination Rates Declining
A new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has raised concerns about declining vaccination rates among Wisconsin children, highlighting increased vulnerability to disease outbreaks.
Commentary:
Using Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) data, the CDC found that kindergarteners statewide are behind on critical childhood vaccines, including polio, pertussis, diphtheria, and tetanus (DTaP), and measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR).
Most notably, only 84.8% of Wisconsin kindergarteners are up to date on their MMR vaccine, compared to 92.7% nationally.
Hypothetically Speaking:
We are working to schedule an interview with Katrina Harwood, Rock County Health Officer, to examine the implications of this report for Rock County residents.
- Should parents be alarmed?
- Are policy changes in Washington impacting compliance rates?
- What steps can be taken to improve local vaccination efforts?
Join us for an informed discussion with our local expert on this critical public health issue.
This Week on Newsmakers
Continuing our weekly series on influential community voices, Newsmakers presents two compelling discussions this week:
Gina Dummer: Addressing Pregnancy Support in Rock County
Gina Dummer from the Pregnancy Helpline of Rock County will discuss the rising demand for services in the area and the impact of recent federal and state policies restricting options for expectant mothers. What resources remain available, and how can individuals contribute to solutions?
Dennis Beggs: Seven Marathons, Seven Continents, Seven Days
Local farmer and businessperson Dennis Beggs made history by running seven marathons on seven continents in just seven days. Covering more than 150 miles across diverse terrain, his feat required rigorous training and intense determination. What drives a person to push themselves to such limits? We will explore his journey, preparation, and motivations.
Where to Watch and Listen
Newsmakers air every Friday at 9:30 AM on JATV Community Access Channel 994, Spectrum Cable, and are available on YouTube TV under the JATV Media channel or Rock County Civics Academy banner.
For radio listeners, tune in to WCLO Radio from 9:15 AM to 10:00 AM every Friday, where we join Your Talk Show Host Tim Bremel for engaging discussions.
Join the Conversation at Havana Coffee
Looking to continue the discussion in a casual setting? Stop by Havana Coffee, 1250 Milton Avenue, a welcoming space for civic dialogue and great food. Whether we are present or not, Havana Coffee remains a hub for community engagement—proudly supporting our efforts to inform, involve, and inspire Rock County residents.
Stay tuned, get informed, and be part of the conversation that shapes our community!
A Call to Leadership
Our communities’ future depends on actions, not words. Waiting for the “perfect time” may mean missing chances to improve our future. We all share the responsibility to create high-quality communities, and the time to act is now. Volunteer for a committee or run for office. Hillel the Elder’s words, “If not me, who? If not now, when?” are relevant today. Step up and serve now!
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Hypothetically speaking… what if we could bring greater transparency and engagement to local government?
Stay tuned—we will continue shining a light on the issues that matter.
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