Ask the City

In 2025, City of River Falls staff began a new community engagement opportunity called "Ask the City," an informal Q&A session with the Mayor and select City staff where residents can ask questions they have about River Falls. The first "Ask the City" was held on Oct. 21, 2025, and another session took place on Feb. 17, 2026. The intent of the event is to draw people out of their homes and off of social media to get real answers in real time.

Below are some of the questions and answers from the "Ask the City" event that was held on Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026 at River Falls City Hall.

How is the City engaging in environmental sustainability and what plans are in place to address progress in this area?

The City of River Falls has made advancing environmental sustainability a priority by protecting natural resources, improving water quality, and planning for responsible growth.

A major part of this work is long-term stewardship of the Kinnickinnic River through the Kinni Corridor Project, a community-driven effort to protect and restore the river corridor while expanding outdoor recreation and habitat. River Falls also manages a robust Urban Forestry program that cares for 8,000+ public trees and has maintained Tree City USA status for over 25 years. River Falls City Hall was also the first Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Certified City Hall in the State of Wisconsin when it was constructed in 2009. Together with development standards and site plan review, these efforts help ensure River Falls grows in ways that support public health, safety, and community well-being.

Learn more:

https://www.rfcity.org/948/Kinni-Corridor-Project

https://www.rfcity.org/243/Urban-Forestry

https://www.rfcity.org/1111/Natural-Resources

https://www.rfcity.org/656/LEED-City-Hall

https://www.rfcity.org/950/Land-Use-and-Zoning

What actions is the City taking to improve street safety, particularly pedestrian safety at high-traffic intersections, such as N. Wasson Lane and E. Division Street?

In April 2023, City Council approved a Vision Zero resolution enabling the City to pursue federal funding for safer streets. In February 2024, the City received a $200,000 grant to develop a Safe Streets for All (SS4A) Safety Action Plan, which uses crash data to identify high-risk areas and recommended safety projects—positioning the City to apply for future SS4A Implementation grants (between $2.5 million–$25 million).

To date, the River Falls Safety Action Plan is approximately 60% complete, with the remaining work entailing drafting concept designs for key locations, including the E. Division Street/N. Wasson Lane intersection. While a crosswalk is not preferred at that particular location without a connected sidewalk network, potential improvements may focus on reducing vehicle speeds.  

Learn more and get involved by visiting: https://www.cityofriverfallssap.com/

The City has received several questions regarding federal immigration enforcement activities within the City, what clarity can be provided on this topic? 

The City of River Falls does not actively conduct civil immigration enforcement or proactively assist federal immigration and customs enforcement officials, focusing instead on enforcing local ordinances and Wisconsin criminal and traffic laws. The City honors valid judicial warrants and detainers only as permitted under Wisconsin law (with legal review) and have no agreement in place allowing federal agencies to use City facilities or technology.

For more information on this topic, please find a list of frequently asked questions here: https://www.rfcity.org/DocumentCenter/View/6969/FAQ-Sheet-Immigrations-and-Customs-Enforcement

Is it possible for a data center to come to the City of River Falls?

A data center project’s feasibility depends on several key factors. The City would need to confirm site availability, sufficient electric capacity (along with any required grid upgrades in coordination with electric utility providers), and adequate water resources that meet system capacity and regulatory requirements. Ultimately, moving forward with a data center project would be a policy decision by the City Council.

What information can be provided about water quality and safety? Specifically, about the potential presence of Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS)? 

The City of River Falls routinely monitors the quality of all water resources used in the municipal water utility system. Most recently, River Falls Municipal Utilities’ 2024 Water Quality Report (published May 2025) found that the City’s drinking water—sourced from five groundwater wells—met or exceeded all state and federal drinking water standards, with no reported violations. The report also summarizes monitoring results for detected contaminants (including disinfection byproducts, inorganic and radioactive contaminants, and lead and copper), all of which were below applicable regulatory limits. No PFAS compounds were detected in the tests conducted.

For more information, please find the full 2024 Water Quality Report here: https://www.rfcity.org/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/1283