Menasha Common Council Approves 2026 Budget and Development Agreements on December 1, 2025

The Menasha Common Council met Monday, December 1, 2025, at 100 Main Street, Menasha. Mayor Hammond called the meeting to order at 6:06 pm; all eight aldermen were present. The Council held a public hearing on the 2026 proposed budget, approved consent-agenda items including the FORE Development Province Terrace Apartments project description and development agreement, adopted three budget amendments, and passed the 2026 levy, budget, and borrowing resolutions. The meeting adjourned at 8:14 pm.

Budget Presentation

• Director Sassman presented the 2026 proposed budget with a 0.34% tax levy increase, within the state-imposed levy limit. About $450,000 was removed or reduced from the budget to stay within levy limits.
• The general fund tax levy decreased to accommodate a $125,000 increase in the debt service levy. A $100,000 street project and $108,000 for two squad cars were moved from the general fund to borrowing.
• The city retained its state expenditure restraint payment by keeping the 2025-2026 budget increase at 1.35%, below the 3.5% cap. Only about $830 remained under the levy limit.
• Estimated 2026 general obligation borrowing was just under $6 million, compared with about $3.6 million in the current year. The city tax rate was kept in line with the current year; the Winnebago County rate is $6.89 per $1,000 of assessed value, down 5 cents, and the Calumet County rate is $6.97, up 2 cents. A $100,000 levy cut would reduce the tax rate by 6 cents.
• Four budget review sessions and a capital improvements plan workshop preceded the hearing. The minutes place the CIP workshop in August; the transcript says September.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Public hearing speakers overwhelmingly supported investing in the Jefferson Park Swimming Pool and/or a new aquatic center. Jodi Van Rossum (327 Willow Lane) cited crime-prevention and youth-engagement data, including a 32% violent crime drop in Los Angeles County neighborhoods with summer recreation programs and a 45% reduction in violent crime arrests among youth summer program participants.
• Trish Kasper (1075 Brighton Drive), a retired physician, commended the Jefferson Park renovations and said swimming improves physical, mental, and social-emotional health for all ages, noting drowning is a leading cause of death in children ages 1-14.
• Marcia Fry (318 Willow Lane) cited a 16% property value premium for homes near recreational facilities and $201 billion in economic activity generated by recreational facilities.
• Jean McKnight (704 Tacyo Street) said modern year-round aquatic centers recover 50-70% of operating costs compared with 15-20% for summer-only pools, and she proposed expanded programming and fundraising.
• Charlotte Foth (1033 Brighton Drive) cited data that drowning is the leading cause of accidental death in children ages 1-4, that swim lessons reduce drowning risk by 88%, that heat kills more Americans than any other weather disaster, and that 79% of low-income children have low or no swimming ability. She urged keeping the pool operating during repairs and criticized an unnamed alderman's reported comment about shutting it down.
• KristL Laux (minutes) / Crystal Oaks (transcript) (388 Nassau St), also identified in the transcript as Winnebago County Supervisor District 2, opposed luxury housing and the FORE Province Terrace project, saying Menasha needs affordable non-luxury housing. She cited a 60-person public housing waitlist in Menasha and a waitlist of more than 700 people for voucher housing in Winnebago County, described the project as roughly 105 high-end units costing about $232,000 per unit, and said those units would never be full.
• Luke Schiller (389 Nassau St) expressed full support for the proposed budget, including the 2% employee cost-of-living adjustment, the new aquatic center, and the Pleasants Park playground.
• Amy Nelson (703 Wildwind Drive, Hortonville), an educator in the Menasha Joint School District, supported the Pleasants Park playground, citing safety and access for students.
• James Taylor (340 Broad St), a former council member, questioned the FORE project's density, lack of campus, and proximity to the street, urging quality over quantity.

Consent Calendar

• Common Council minutes of 11/17/25 were approved by voice vote.
• FORE Development Province Terrace Apartments project description was approved 8-0 after discussion of density and developer quality; staff advised that Plan Commission site plan review will still be required.
• The Development Agreement between the City of Menasha and FORE Development, Inc. was approved 8-0.

Action Items

• Accounts payable and payroll for 11/14/25-11/26/25 in the amount of $1,253,254.54 were approved 8-0.
• Offer to Purchase - 800 Ninth Street (Parcel No. 1-210353-15): Council voted 8-0 to enter closed session under Wis. Stat. 19.85(1)(e) and 8-0 to reconvene in open session; no action on the offer was reported in open session.

Ordinances and Resolutions

• R-29-25 (2026 tax levy resolution): Council considered three amendments.
  • Amendment to add $20,000 to the TID #10 budget for the Racine St/Broad St pedestrian beacon project carried 5-3, with Aldermen Eisenach, Marshall, and Ropella voting no. Discussion included traffic counts, slowing traffic, downtown walkability, the High Cliff Connection, and the newly renovated library.
  • Amendment to remove $50,000 from the CIP budget for downtown gateways and mural carried 5-3, with Aldermen Rand, Perkins, and Grade voting no. Staff said the Menasha Joint School District has pledged $200,000 for Pleasants Park and that Jefferson Park pool parking decisions will be revisited in design.
  • Amendment to add $11,250 to the CIP budget and $11,250 to the Stormwater Utility budget for Ear Street (Earl Street in the transcript) design costs, with construction in 2027, carried 8-0. Staff said the Village of Fox Crossing requested moving the project up.
• R-29-25, the resolution levying taxes for 2026 operating expenses, was approved 8-0 after the amendments were adopted.
• R-30-25, adopting the 2026 fund and component-unit budgets, was approved as amended 8-0. After amendments, staff reported TID #10 at $214,826, TID #11 at $241,905, Stormwater Utility at $2,265,208, and total 2026 budgets at $45,461,390 instead of the originally proposed $45,480,140. The adopted minutes list different figures for TID #10 ($194,826) and total ($45,472,650), an apparent inconsistency.
• R-31-25, authorizing 2026 general obligation borrowing and issuance of a certificate of indebtedness, was approved as amended 8-0; the referenced amounts increased from $5,985,350 to $5,996,600.

Key Outcomes

• The Council approved the 2026 levy, budget, and borrowing resolutions, with all three passing 8-0.
• The Council approved the FORE Development Province Terrace Apartments project description and development agreement, both 8-0.
• The Council approved $1,253,254.54 in accounts payable and payroll.
• The Council received and approved Clerk Snyder's report, including Budget Review Session minutes (11/12/25 and 11/13/25), Neenah-Menasha Sewerage Commission minutes (10/28/25), Committee on Aging minutes (10/10/25), Administration Committee minutes (11/17/25), and the Quarterly Storm Water Flyer.
• No members of the public spoke during the agenda-item public comment period. The meeting adjourned at 8:14 pm.