Numbers are Josh Solinger’s thing – which is perfect since he serves as the finance director for the City of River Falls. On this episode of the Kinni Cast, Josh joins to share his passion for helping residents understand how their tax dollars support the services and projects shaping our community. He discusses the city’s annual budget, how the City funds major projects like the upcoming fire station renovation, and gives his outlook on the long-term financial health of River Falls. So...

Before she ran for City Council in River Falls, Diane Odeen actually had aspirations of holding office at the state level of government in Wisconsin. While that didn’t ultimately work out, that experience eventually helped her land a spot on the City Council – a role she’s held for more than a decade. On this episode of the Kinni Cast, Diane takes us behind the scenes of what it’s like to be a City Council member in River Falls, discusses some of the projects she and other council membe...

Growth in a city like River Falls doesn’t happen overnight. It takes a balance of planning, partnerships, and community values. Tying all of those together is part of Emily Shively’s role as the Assistant Director of Community Development for the City of River Falls. On this episode of the Kinni Cast, Emily joins to share more about how development works in the city, examines the current housing market in River Falls, and discusses how the City plans for growth while preserving what mak...

Since he was a kid, Gordon Young knew he wanted to be in law enforcement. He saw his dad and grandfather in the profession and seemed destined to follow in their footsteps. After getting his start in his home state of Michigan, he eventually found his way to River Falls in 2015 as the City’s new Police Chief. On this episode of the Kinni Cast, Chief Young talks about his introduction to River Falls a decade ago, shares how the new police station has been a major upgrade for the departme...

The Kinnickinnic River is an important part of River Falls’ history, its present, and its future. Once the Kinni Corridor plan is complete and both dams are removed to restore the river to its natural state, some aspects of the river will look quite different than they do today. To dive into that topic, we’re joined on this episode of the Kinni Cast by Amy Peterson, the Community Development Director with the City. Amy has been very involved with the Kinni Corridor plan during her tenur...

Justin Wilson went to college with the goal of becoming a firefighter. But plans changed, and he eventually got a job in the corporate world. Several years after he moved to River Falls, he decided to join the River Falls Fire Department as a volunteer firefighter. Twelve years later, Justin is now leading the department as its new fire chief. Among the biggest challenges he faces early on is helping lead the department through a major renovation of the fire station. Chief Wilson joins ...

The River Falls Public Library opened at its current location in 1997. And while the library still does so many great things for the local community, it’s in need of some upgrades. Last year, the library received a $4 million grant for renovations, and the much-anticipated construction is underway. Library Director Tanya Misselt joins this episode of the Kinni Cast to share more about the work being done to help set up the River Falls Public Library for the future. Tanya also discusses ...

In November of 1900, the City of River Falls experienced electricity for the first time as the downtown lights along Main Street were illuminated. This year marks the 125th anniversary of public power in River Falls, which is one of several essential services that River Falls Municipal Utilities provides to residents. Kevin Westhuis is the Utility Directory for the City, and he joins this episode of the Kinni Cast to talk about the benefits -- and value -- of public power. He also discusses t...

Since Abraham D. Andrews became River Falls’ first mayor in 1885, 34 different people have served as mayor in the City's history. None has served longer than the current mayor, Dan Toland. After assuming the role in April of 2012, Mayor Toland has now served the city for 13 years — surpassing the run of Maynard E. Hoffman in the 1950s and 1960s. Despite growing up in River Falls, Mayor Toland never dreamed of becoming mayor of his hometown. It wasn't until someone suggested his wife run...

People get into local government for various reasons. For Scot Simpson, government was not his initial career path. But after shifting course on his original plan, he found himself gravitating toward city government – and he never looked back. He’s spent his entire career in that field, including the past 16 years as the City Administrator for the City of River Falls. In that role, Scot has led the organization and the city through many changes, projects, and growth. He’s also the first...

Welcome to Kinni Cast, an all-new podcast from the City of River Falls featuring real people with a real purpose. In each episode, you’ll hear from City employees about the work being done to make River Falls a better place. Learn about what projects they’re working on and what drives them to make a positive impact on the River Falls community. So if you’re curious about what’s next for River Falls and want a peek behind the scenes of City Hall, you’re in the right place. Subscribe to ...