Janesville council approves family leave

During their Oct. 14 meeting, members of the Janesville City Council approved terms for the city’s paid family medical leave coverage after some of them carried out independent research on the topic. City Administrator Clinton Rogers summarized some important elements of the state-required coverage which allows an employee to receive reduced wages while taking up to 12 weeks of medical leave or 12 weeks of family leave, with a statutory maximum of 20 weeks. 

 

“I just want to point out a couple things with this law – the employee has to apply for this with the state and the state has to approve it,” Rogers added. “The state has to approve it, not the employer.”

 

He also explained that an employee is paid a portion of their wages only, with the state determining the amounts: the maximum as $1,372 a week.

 

“That will probably change every year, as inflation and everything changes, of course,” Rogers said. “The employees do have to notify their employer if they are applying for this, so kind of preventing any unpleasant surprise.”

 

In answer to one council members’ concerns, the group determined employees will not continue to accrue sick time or vacation while on leave; employers will be expected to pay toward health insurance premiums during the absence. 

 

Another major discussion during the meeting regarded the city’s proposed property tax levy for 2026. In September, council members approved a preliminary 15-percent levy increase; information shared during the October meeting indicated the increase will be 11 percent or less thanks to some adjustments in anticipated expenses and revenues.

 

Rogers explained the state had sent an updated summary of income expected from state aid programs, including fire and police aid.

 

He said he observed no huge difference in the police fund, but the fire department could see an increase.

 

“As far as expenses, we actually found the employer share for the city's health insurance  premiums will be less this year than we had with the HealthPartners,” Rogers added. “So we saw some savings with the health insurance.

 

In regards to auto property and liability insurance, he said he anticipates he will know what those new numbers will be in the next month or so, then went on to say the levy increase would be smaller than the 15 percent approved in September. 

 

“I would love to see it under 10 percent,” Mayor Andy Arnoldt stated.

 

He added he and Rogers had a discussion earlier this week about raising the city’s building permit and franchise fees, saying he would like to know how the city’s fees compare to those of similar communities. 

 

“It would be a way to build our revenue and bring our budget down a little bit, too,” Arnoldt said. “Then we can maybe just check with a couple other towns and see where they're at.”

 

In other business matters, Rogers alerted the council he had been contacted by Midcontinent Communication, known as Midco, about building infrastructure sometime in 2026 to provide the community with cable television, phone, and internet service. Meanwhile, Rogers and City Attorney Jason Moran are drafting an agreement with the company for the council to review on Nov. 10.

 

In other matters, Paul Voges from the Park Board reported holding Songs in the Park during farmers market events continues to be well-received and that he and his wife Shelly continue to enjoy putting the event on. On behalf of the farmers market portion of the Park Board, he said he received feedback from the vendors who asked if the start time could be 5 p.m. rather than 4:30. The council indicated agreement with Voges’ suggestion the market could run from 5 to 7 p.m.