Taylor, Nelson, Eichmann Face Questions Over Pre-Vote Advocacy on Rock Permit
Why the Intense Advocacy — and the Email Before the Vote?
By Dr. Richard A. Busalacchi
Franklin Community News
The question residents are now asking is not whether advocacy occurred — it is why it was so urgent.
Multiple sources have indicated that, prior to the vote, Mayor Nelson and Alderwoman Eichmann were actively contacting council members urging approval of the Tacos & Tequila permit. In addition, it has been confirmed that Alderwoman Eichmann sent an email to all Common Council members and the Mayor regarding the item ahead of the meeting. While the email did not explicitly direct members how to vote, individuals who reviewed it described the tone as supportive of approval.
Reports also indicate that Milwaukee County Supervisor Steve Taylor — who serves as Executive Director of the ROC Foundation — was communicating with individuals regarding the outcome. During today’s Milwaukee County Parks and Culture Committee meeting, Taylor can be observed on video stepping out and using his phone multiple times. The Rock is not located within Taylor’s supervisory district.
Sources further indicate that outreach extended beyond council members, with certain individuals being contacted regarding their anticipated public comment. Franklin Community News has not independently verified the content of those conversations.
Advocacy among elected officials is not improper. Persuasion is part of governance. But the intensity and timing of this outreach — surrounding a permit tied to nearly ten years of documented complaints — demand scrutiny.
This is not a routine administrative matter. It is an extraordinary event permit connected to repeated resident testimony about explicit language and amplified content crossing property lines and entering homes. It is tied directly to a nuisance standard designed to protect public comfort and decency.
When leadership appears mobilized before the public meeting even begins — contacting colleagues, circulating emails to the full body, and engaging in outreach surrounding public comment — residents are entitled to ask what is driving that urgency.
Is it economic pressure?
Is it political alignment?
Is it concern about financial exposure?
Or is it a fundamental disagreement over how strictly Franklin’s nuisance ordinance should be enforced?
There is also a transparency question.
Under Wisconsin’s Open Meetings Law, a “walking quorum” can occur when members of a governmental body engage in serial communications sufficient to determine or influence the outcome of a vote outside a properly noticed public meeting. A one-way email expressing a position does not automatically constitute a violation. However, if communications extend into back-and-forth discussion or serial outreach involving a quorum, legal concerns can arise.
No formal finding has been made. No complaint has been filed. But when multiple members are contacted individually prior to a controversial vote — and when communications are circulated to the full body ahead of public deliberation — residents are justified in asking whether all substantive discussion is occurring where it should: in the open.
Transparency is not optional in public service. It is foundational.
Advocacy may be legal. But public confidence depends on decisions being shaped in public view — not in private conversations.
Final Word
For ten years, this issue has returned to City Hall with the same unresolved concerns. Residents are not asking for perfection. They are asking for enforcement.
The March 3 vote is not simply about a festival. It is about whether Franklin’s ordinances apply equally — whether nuisance standards mean what they say — and whether decisions are driven by code and community, not convenience or pressure.
If amplified, explicit content predictably crosses property lines and enters homes, the council has both the authority and the responsibility to act.
The laws of Franklin were not written with exceptions.
They were written for everyone.
Now the decision returns to the Common Council.
If you believe Franklin’s nuisance ordinance should be applied consistently — if you believe residential neighborhoods deserve protection from amplified explicit content — attend the Common Council meeting Thursday, March 3 at 6:30 p.m. and let your voice be heard.
Public policy should be shaped in the open — with residents present, engaged, and speaking for their community.
Your presence matters.
This piece reflects the author’s personal opinion and experiences. All statements are presented as commentary protected under the First Amendment. Readers are encouraged to review public records, filings, and documented evidence referenced throughout this article.
Dr. Richard Busalacchi is the Publisher of Franklin Community News, where he focuses on government transparency, community accountability, and local public policy. He believes a community’s strength depends on open dialogue, honest leadership, and the courage to speak the truth—even when it makes powerful people uncomfortable.
đź•Ż️ The solution isn’t another insider in a new office. It’s sunlight, scrutiny, and the courage to vote differently.
Because until voters demand honest, transparent government, the corruption won’t stop — it will only change titles.
Elections have consequences — and Franklin’s next one may decide whether transparency makes a comeback.
đź’¬ If you value hard-hitting, fact-based investigative reporting about our hometown of Franklin — follow Franklin Community News on Facebook.
Together, we can keep local government honest, transparent, and accountable
— for the greater good.
đź’¬ If you value hard-hitting, fact-based investigative reporting about our hometown of Franklin — follow Franklin Community News on Facebook.
Together, we can keep local government honest, transparent, and accountable
— for the greater good.
© 2026 Franklin Community News. All rights reserved.
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