City Hall  
City of La Crosse, Wisconsin  
400 La Crosse Street  
La Crosse, WI 54601  
Meeting Minutes  
Human Rights Commission  
Monday, February 17, 2025  
6:00 PM  
Grandad Room  
This meeting will also be conducted through video conferencing.  
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Call to Order  
Bakalars called the meeting to order at 6:15 PM.  
Roll Call  
4 - A Xiong, Mac Kiel, Gretchen Guinn Paquette,Claire Bakalars  
Present:  
Approval of Minutes  
Paquette motioned to approve the minutes, Bakalars seconded. The motion  
carried by a voice vote.  
Agenda Items:  
25-0045  
1
2
Annual Code of Ethics Policy Review.  
Attachments:  
City of La Crosse Code of Ethics Policy  
The commission has reviewed and agreed to the code of ethics.  
Discrimination Complaint - Zen Forest Johnston v. Wedgewood Commons -  
Determination whether the complaint alleges sufficient facts that if true, relief  
could be granted and therefore whether complaint is actionable.  
25-0130  
Staff shared that commissioners had all read the complaint and Johnston could add  
any further information. Johnston added that they notified Wedgewood that they were  
no longer interested in renting and got clarification on Wedgewood's additional  
screening for the their landlord whose last name was also Johnston. Lawyer for  
Wedgewood, Cueto, said familial status does not apply to single people and source of  
income does not apply to student loans since loans are not income. Cueto said the  
code allows asking about marital status, and doing background check to ensure  
landlord was a nonbiased source and that Wedgewood could ask for a cosigner.  
Johnston said application form did ask for martial status and did not think it was  
relevant. They felt that student loans and student status were closely related and  
that's why they clicked both. Cueto said checking for marital status could be related to  
additional sources of income.  
Bakalars made a motion to convene in closed session pursuant to Wis. Stats.  
sec. 19.85(1)(a). Following any closed session, the Commission may reconvene  
in open session. Paquette seconded. The motion carried by a voice vote.  
The commission reconvened in open session.  
The commission found that the complaint does not have sufficient facts where  
relief could be granted in the instances of marital status, lawful source of  
income, familial status, or student status.  
Adjournment  
Bakalars adjourned the meeting at 6:44 PM.  
Notice is further given that members of other governmental bodies may be present at the  
above scheduled meeting to gather information about a subject over which they have  
decision-making responsibility.  
NOTICE TO PERSONS WITH A DISABILITY  
Requests from persons with a disability who need assistance to participate in this meeting  
should call the City Clerk's office at (608) 789-7510 or send an email to  
ADAcityclerk@cityoflacrosse.org, with as much advance notice as possible.