City administrator drama, changing park hours, and clearing up budget confusion with La Crosse Mayor Shaundel Washington-Spivey in the WIZM studio Thursday for the The Rick Solem Show.

Washington-Spivey discusses the council failing to pass a city administrator ordinance again and what the path forward looks like. Plus, we discuss homelessness with two meetings coming up soon, the closure of Karuna House and park hour reductions.

We also touch on the $600,000 allocation of funds for public market plans, the real story behind the city’s $8 million budget shortfall for next year, and the old north side library’s future.

Key Topics:

• City Administrator Reset: What now after the charter ordinance failed by one vote, the mayor’s push for a flexible operational leadership model, and how the city’s ongoing workforce study factors in.
• Park Hours & Public Nuisances: Adjusting operating hours at Burns and Cameron Parks to 6 a.m.–9 p.m. to curb late-night disturbances and illegal camping.
• Homelessness & Regional Strategy: Previews of upcoming city and county work sessions on the Pathways Home initiative, and navigating the operational fallout of Karuna House closing.
• Debunking the $8M Budget Deficit: Breaking down the baseline calculations from the budget parameter meeting and how state Expenditure Restraint Program (ERP) targets actually work.
• $600K Public Market Investment: Allocating TID funds for a comprehensive market feasibility study and broader urban renewal vision.
• North Side Library: Mayor offers a quick update, after one group expresses interest in the building.

Listen live weekdays at 5:05 p.m. Find the pod on Spotify, Apple Podcast or here. Tune in on the WIZM app or on air at 92.3 FM / 1410 AM / 106.7 FM (north of Onalaska)