Number
250418
Version
SUBSTITUTE 1
Sponsor
THE CHAIR
Title
Substitute resolution approving an Operating Agreement with Badgerland Striders Running Club for staging of the 2025 Milwaukee Lakefront Marathon, half marathon, 5K run and 5K walk in the City of Milwaukee.
Analysis
This resolution authorizes an Operating Agreement with Badgerland Striders Running Club for the staging of the 2025 Milwaukee Lakefront Marathon and half marathon in the City of Milwaukee on October 5, 2025, and the Walk the Hoan 5K walk and 5K run in the City of Milwaukee on October 4, 2025.
Body
Whereas, Badgerland Striders Running Club, whose address is 12650 Arden Place, Butler, WI 53007, desires to stage on October 4, 2025, a 5K run and 5K walk, and on October 5, 2025, a marathon and half-marathon distance-running event named the 2025 Milwaukee Lakefront Marathon (“the Event”); and
Whereas, The City has entered into operating agreements with previous organizers for the staging of the previous versions of the Event; and
Whereas, The staging of the Event requires significant City resources, particularly Milwaukee Police Department and Department of Public Works resources relating to traffic control before, during and after the Event; and
Whereas, the Department of Public Works does not have sufficient traffic control equipment needed for the Event; and
Whereas, By Resolution 141123, adopted on November 25, 2014, the Common Council found that City taxpayers should not bear the costs of City services provided to support the Event, but, rather, that the City should fully recover those costs from the event organizer; and
Whereas, The Commissioner of Public Works is authorized to approve or deny special event permit applications according to the criteria set forth in MCO §§ 105-55.5-2-c-1 to c-11; and
Whereas, The Commissioner has determined that in the absence of an operating agreement, a special event permit would not meet the criteria in § 105-55.5-2-c-1 because the Event is of such a size or nature requiring the diversion of so great a number of police officers, ambulances or other emergency services as to deny reasonable emergency services to the city as a whole; and
Whereas, The Commissioner has determined that in the absence of an operating agreement, a special event permit would not meet the criteria in § 105-55.5-2-c-2 because the time, route, size and nature of the Event will unreasonably disrupt the safe and orderly use of any street or any public, or material portion thereof, which is ordinarily subject to great congestion or traffic at the proposed time, or substantially interrupt the safe and orderly movement of other traffic; and
Whereas, The Common Council reaffirms its finding that City of Milwaukee taxpayers should not be required to bear the costs of City services provided to support the Event, but, rather, that the City should fully recover those costs from Badgerland Striders Running Club; and
Whereas, The City Attorney’s Office has prepared the attached operating agreement for the Common Council’s review and approval; now, therefore, be it
Resolved, By the Common Council of the City of Milwaukee that the attached Operating Agreement between the City of Milwaukee and Badgerland Striders Running Club for Staging of the 2025 Milwaukee Lakefront Marathon is approved; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the proper City officials are authorized to execute an Operating Agreement with Badgerland Striders Running Club that is substantially the same as the draft Operating Agreement attached to this file.
Requestor
Department of Public Works
Drafter
James Washington
July 22, 2025