Fitchburg Common Council Meeting – Dec. 9, 2025

The Fitchburg Common Council met on Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2025, beginning at 6 p.m. and adjourning at 6:26 p.m. It approved a series of resolutions and one ordinance by unanimous voice vote, covering budget amendments, fire and police equipment purchases, intergovernmental agreements, development support, and a new police facilities impact fee. Finance Director Misty presented a brief report, and no members of the public appeared for non-agenda items.

Consent Calendar / Routine Approvals

• Meeting minutes were approved unanimously on a motion by Alder Jetzer.
• The council reviewed checks 129659–129728 from Nov. 16–30, 2025, totaling $504,387.88, and ACH payments from Nov. 1–30, 2025, totaling $785,360.93; no questions were raised.

Public Comments & Testimony

• No public comments were made for non-agenda items; no one appeared in chambers or online.
• A required public hearing was held as part of the police facilities impact fee ordinance; no public testimony was recorded in the transcript.

Finance Director’s Report

• The October treasurer’s report was routine; one matured investment was reinvested.
• Preliminary audit fieldwork was completed successfully, with final fieldwork planned for March.
• Tax bills were expected to be mailed Thursday, ahead of the statutory deadline in the third week of December.

Discussion Items

• Resolution R213-25 – Wildwood South tennis courts: Approved a $47,000 TID closure excess increment fund budget amendment for plans/specifications, construction inspection, court reconstruction, and contingency. Staff said the work is scheduled for 2026 and is expected to involve crack filling, joint reinforcement, and an overlay rather than full removal. The vote satisfied the required two-thirds threshold.
• Resolution R215-25 – 2024 debt proceeds reallocation: Approved amending the 2025 capital projects budget because 75% of borrowed 2024 debt proceeds must be spent by Friday. Staff proposed swapping funding sources so street projects can use the borrowed funds while police facility funding remains available; total project spending is unchanged.
• Resolution R216-25 – Debt service and future borrowing: Approved using about $1.2 million in special assessment payments and excess interest revenue to reduce the 2026 debt issuance for the police facility. This included about $500,000 from a deferred special assessment, about $400,000 from first-year special assessments on the tax roll, and about $175,000 in excess interest revenue. Staff said the action preserves the debt service fund’s ‘bona fide debt service’ status and helps avoid federal arbitrage calculations.
• Resolution R217-25 – Finance specialist and building inspection support: Approved a 2026 general fund budget amendment that eliminates one vacant building inspection position and reduces planning intern hours to create a procurement/finance/budget specialist and fund about 8 hours per week of LTE building inspector support. Staff said the change responds to restructuring after a failed referendum; an alder noted the roughly $25,000 cost is absorbed by utilities. Staff said public safety is not expected to be jeopardized.
• Resolution R218-25 – Healthy Neighborhoods Grant Program: Approved increasing the maximum grant award from $15,000 to $25,000 and adding scoring incentives for services at the future hub on Traceway Drive. Staff said about 13 grants are being managed in 2025 and the goal is fewer, larger grants. Council members asked staff to monitor impacts on other priority neighborhoods.
• Resolution R222-25 – Replacement fire department staff vehicle: Approved the roughly $48,000 purchase of a Ford Explorer response vehicle through the state bid system. The fire chief said an electric vehicle was not practical for response use because of cold-weather range and electrical load issues. An alder questioned paying $2,850 extra for a non-hybrid gas drivetrain; the chief said he would check the decision.
• Resolution R223-25 – Radios and accessories for fire staff vehicle: Approved about $28,000 for radio and accessory outfitting. Staff said it was the first time outfitting exceeded $25,000, but comparables with police and other agencies showed the price is consistent with the current market; delivery is expected in about three to four months.
• Resolution R225-25 – Joint fire and EMS district exploration: Approved a resolution supporting collaboration with neighboring communities and authorized up to $50,000 from TID closure excess increment funds for long-range planning and consultant services. Staff noted three meetings with representatives from Fitchburg, Oregon, and Verona, including fire chiefs at the most recent meeting.
• Resolution R226-25 – Transfer of DANECOM radio equipment to Dane County: Approved transferring city-owned public safety radio site equipment to Dane County. The two sites were installed around 2014 at about $1.4 million; the transfer relieves the city of about $2 million in future replacement costs and about $12,000 in annual operating costs. The 2026 budget had included the $12,000 annual cost.
• Resolution R228-25 – Rejection of police facility AV bid: Approved rejecting the single bid from Fairings Audio Video for $503,706.78, which exceeded the $250,000 budget. The project will be rebid in January 2026.
• Resolution R229-25 – CARPC facilitation for Southeast Fitchburg development: Approved contracting with the Capital Area Regional Planning Commission to facilitate discussions with property owners and elected officials about potential development collaboration with the Village of Oregon. The cost is about $7,700, with a 50% cost share; net city cost is about $3,650. Findings are targeted for the first quarter of 2026.
• Resolution R231-25 – 2024 sidewalk replacement assessment amendment: Postponed indefinitely because another issue was discovered; no substantive vote was taken.
• Resolution R238-25 – WEDC grant support: Approved a resolution supporting Rost Family Rentals LLC’s application to the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation for a Community Development Investment Grant for the proposed redevelopment at 2917 Fish Hatchery Road, including new commercial space and housing.
• Resolution R241-25 – Replacement police squad: Approved purchasing a replacement squad after a Nov. 24, 2025 crash was declared a total loss by the city’s insurer. The insurer is covering the cost minus the deductible; the replacement vehicle was reportedly available on a lot. Minor injuries were reported in the crash.
• Ordinance 2025-031 – Police facilities impact fee: Approved an ordinance repealing the fire facilities impact fee and creating a police facilities impact fee after the required public hearing. Fees are $861 per single-family unit, $574 per multifamily unit, $0.19 per square foot for commercial space, and $0.30 per square foot for industrial space. Staff said about 35% of the new police facility serves future growth, and the lower fee level is intended to balance revenue with development and housing affordability; estimated recovery is about $5 million versus about $8 million under the maximum study amount.

Key Outcomes

• All resolutions and the ordinance passed by unanimous voice vote.
• Resolution R231-25 was postponed indefinitely.
• The next finance meeting is scheduled for Jan. 13, 2026; the second December meeting was canceled.
• The meeting adjourned at 6:26 p.m.