Councilmember Michael Cass - Janesville City Council

08/11/2026

It’s Election Day! You can find out what’s on your ballot and where your polling place is at MyVote.wi.gov.
‼️REMINDER: If you previously voted at First Lutheran Church, your polling location is now the Craig Center on the fairgrounds!

It’s Election Day, Janesville! 🗳️ Polls are open today from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. for the 2026 Partisan Primary. Before you vote, verify your registration and polling place at myvote.wi.gov.

Remember:
🪪 Bring a valid photo ID
📩 Mail-in absentee ballots must be received by 8 p.m. tonight
🖋️ This is a partisan primary; choose candidates from one party only

Questions? Contact the Clerk-Treasurer’s Office at (608) 755-3070 or visit janesvillewi.gov/vote.

07/15/2026

IMPORTANT INFO FOR THOSE IMPACTED BY THE APRIL 17 FLOODING ⤵️

Rock County has announced that a Disaster Recovery Center is opening today, Wednesday, July 15, to assist residents, businesses, and nonprofits affected by the April severe weather event. The center will be staffed by FEMA and SBA specialists who can provide one-on-one assistance with disaster recovery applications, explain available programs and eligibility, answer questions, and help residents navigate each step of the recovery process.

📍 Dr. Daniel Hale Williams Resource Center, 1717 Center Avenue, Janesville
⏰ Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Residents are encouraged to apply for FEMA Individual Assistance as soon as possible. The fastest way to apply is online at DisasterAssistance.gov. Individuals who need help with the application or have questions about an existing case are encouraged to receive in-person support at the Disaster Recovery Center.

07/09/2026

Early yesterday morning there were reports of possible ICE operations occurring in the city. Since then we have been able to confirm federal authorities were in Janesville conducting a targeted operation. Janesville PD was not asked to assist, participate, or provide information for these federal operations.

If you or someone you know could be impacted by these actions, please reach out to Voces de la Frontera for resources: https://vdlf.org/

06/27/2026

Have you completed the survey yet?! janesvillewi.gov/gmjatco

Help shape the future of the former GM/JATCO site! 🚧

The City of Janesville and the GM/JATCO Redevelopment Advisory Board have launched a new project website and community survey to gather input on the future of the 250-acre redevelopment area. The survey is open through Thursday, July 8.

For more information and to take the survey, visit janesvillewi.gov/gmjatco.

06/24/2026

Last night, the City Council voted unanimously not to extend the Letter of Intent (LOI) with Viridian on their data center proposal. Since a Purchase and Sale Agreement (PSA) was never presented to the Council, this proposal no longer moves forward.
In addition to the LOI vote, the Council voted to direct City Staff to begin the process of creating companion ordinances to supplement any zoning ordinances that have protections for data center development and operation of data centers within the City (should one be developed).

I want to be clear about my vote on an amendment that was made. While I agree with what I understood the intent of the amendment was, words and language matter. We need to be precise with what we want, or don’t want, to happen and we need to get it right. The amendment did not explicitly define what a “data center”is. Would that include a hospital needing to add additional space for servers? Does that include a local technology company offering cloud storage services who is looking to expand? These are important distinctions we need to make.

As I stated during discussion regarding the data center ordinances, I have no intention on voting for any data center proposal until we have protections in place.

05/28/2026

𝗗𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝗙𝗼𝗿𝗴𝗲𝘁!
Today is the first community engagement session for the City Manager recruitment process.

📍 Thursday, May 28 - City Hall Council Chambers (18 N. Jackson St.)
• 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
• 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m.

📍 Thursday, June 4 - UW-Whitewater at Rock County (2909 Kellogg Ave.)
• 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
• 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m.

For more information, visit public-advisors.com/janesville.

05/22/2026

Give your input on what you would like to see for Janesville’s next City Manager! Link to the website dedicated for our search, which also includes a community survey, and important dates for community meetings below!

The City of Janesville is inviting residents to participate in the recruitment process for Janesville’s next City Manager through a public survey and upcoming community input meetings facilitated by Innovative Public Advisors (IPA).

The survey, which will focus on the leadership qualities, experience, and priorities desired in the City's next City Manager, will remain open through Friday, June 5, and can be found online at public-advisors.com/janesville.

In addition to the survey, IPA will host several public input meetings to gather valuable feedback:

📍 Thursday, May 28 - City Hall Council Chambers (18 N. Jackson St.)
• 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
• 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m.

📍 Thursday, June 4 - UW-Whitewater at Rock County (2909 Kellogg Ave.)
• 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
• 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m.

For more information, visit public-advisors.com/janesville.

05/10/2026

🗓 May 11, 2026 - City Council Meeting
📍Council Chambers, 18 N. Jackson St., - City Hall
🕰 6:00 p.m.
📄 Agenda linked below: ⤵

At tomorrow night's City Council Meeting, the Council will take action on several important items. One of the most critical items on the agenda will be taking action on the next steps for hiring a new City Manager (more information in the comments).

OLD BUSINESS:
-Consideration and action on a proposed ordinance authorizing
modification to Janesville’s Impound Vehicles Engaged in Reckless Driving. Currently, officers can only impound a vehicle for reckless driving only if the operator at the time of the reckless driving is the registered owner AND the person has a previous conviction for reckless driving. The modification would align the ordinance to 2025 Wisconsin Act 46, which permits the adoption of an ordinance authorizing law enforcement to impound vehicles used in reckless driving offenses at the time the operator is cited or arrested, regardless of whether they are the registered owner and previously cited/arrested for reckless driving.

NEW BUSINESS:
-First reading and scheduling of a public hearing of the modification of Janesville General Ordinance 6-20(i) concerning temporary extensions of alcohol licensed premises.

-First reading and schedule a public hearing on an ordinance creating a Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area (DORA) for alcohol possession and consumption, with a sunset provision.

-Consideration and Action on a Memorandum of Understanding between the City of Janesville and DK Partnership, LLP, to extend public infrastructure at McCormick Drive and Huntinghorne Drive. This infrastructure is needed to support future multi-family housing.

-Consideration and Action on a TIF Development Agreement between the City of Janesville and River Street Renaissance LLC for the construction of a multi-family residential building on 20 S. River St. This agreement will help support much needed multi-family housing on a empty parcel of land in our downtown.

In case of emergency, use the stairs and not the elevator to exit; walk to the north side of the Police Department and wait for further instructions.

04/28/2026

Following the April 27 City Council meeting, City Manager Kevin Lahner and the Janesville City Council mutually agreed to part ways, with his resignation effective May 29, 2026.

City Manager Lahner has served in the role since 2023, providing leadership to the organization and helping advance key priorities.

We are thankful to City Manager Lahner for his service to the City of Janesville and for his leadership during his tenure. We appreciate his contributions to the community and wish him the very best moving forward.

The City Council will begin discussing next steps regarding interim leadership and the process for selecting the City’s next City Manager in the coming weeks. We have an excellent, dedicated City staff that will ensure City services and day-to-day operations will continue without interruption during this transition.

This is a very pivotal moment for our City and I am excited to do the work to ensure we continue moving our City forward.

04/24/2026

More information for those impacted by last week's flooding ⤵️

Rock County will be hosting a Multi-Agency Resource Center (MARC) for Rock County residents on Saturday, April 25th from 10:00am – 4:00pm at Blackhawk Technical College.

❓Were you impacted by the recent storms and flooding?

Rock County will be hosting a Multi-Agency Resource Center (MARC) for Rock County residents on Saturday, April 25th from 10:00am – 4:00pm at Blackhawk Technical College.

A MARC is a temporary, one-stop service hub established to help those impacted by the recent storms and flooding.

The MARC brings together government agencies, nonprofits (like the Red Cross), and community organizations to provide:

• Disaster Recovery Support: Information on aid applications, guidance on damage repairs, and insurance information
• Essential Needs: Distribution of emergency supplies
• Health and Wellness: Mental health counseling and emotional support
• Case Management and Referrals: Referrals to local social services
• Personal Support: Help replacing documents, identity theft resources, and senior services

If you were affected by the recent storms and flooding, please join us at the MARC on Saturday, April 25th.

More here: www.co.rock.wi.us/residents/marc

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Rock County Sheriff's Office