City of Monroe Common Council Meeting – September 8, 2026

The Monroe Common Council met at 6:30 p.m. on September 8, 2026, in City Hall Council Chambers. A quorum was present. The council approved the August 17, 2026 minutes without correction, heard a presentation from the Green County Development Corporation (GCDC), adopted retirement recognition and two proclamations, approved license and special-event items, held two public hearings and passed two zoning ordinance amendments, and set a September 21, 2026 public hearing before moving into closed session. The provided transcript ends during the roll-call motion to enter closed session, so the outcome of the closed-session discussion and the related WPPA contract resolution is not recorded in the supplied materials.

Consent Calendar

• The council approved the consent agenda, covering miscellaneous licenses and the claims list, by roll call with no nays recorded.

Public Comments & Testimony

• There were no citizen appearances under Agenda Item G.
• No public comments were offered during the public hearings on the in-home daycare ordinance or the historic character signs ordinance.

Presentations, Proclamations, and Announcements

• GCDC representative Olivia gave a high-level update. She reported that in 2025 GCDC returned $16 to the community through grants, loans, and fundraising for every $1 spent on staff and operational costs. She noted GCDC is asking municipal partners for its first increase in municipal investor fees in nearly 35 years as part of the upcoming budget. Housing updates included the fourth year of the high school home construction cooperative (about 24 students from three school districts; 62% of roughly 65 prior participants went into trades or related education), a housing development fund that raised about $3 million and deployed about $2 million to support about 300 new units, and a new Welcome Home Green County program with about $700,000 raised for $10,000 first-time homebuyer grants; about 15 applications had started within the program's first two weeks. She also cited workforce and business-support efforts, including about $500,000 in loans to Monroe businesses over two years, four micro-loans to Monroe businesses, roughly $20,000 in grants to 15 student entrepreneurs, and more than $5 million awarded to community partners through GCDC grant-writing over three years.
• Mayor Miller voiced strong support for GCDC and said construction activity around Monroe shows the community is booming. An alderperson also expressed appreciation for GCDC's collaboration with the city and county.
• The council adopted a resolution recognizing Officer Kimberly Quinn, whose retirement date was September 3, 2026, after 19 years of service. The police chief presented a plaque and noted Officer Quinn was the department's first and only school resource officer.
• Mayor Tom Miller proclaimed September 19-27, 2026 as Wisconsin Stormwater Week in the City of Monroe.
• Mayor Miller also proclaimed September 17-23, 2026 as Constitution Week, noting the 239th anniversary of the framing of the U.S. Constitution. He additionally announced a 9/11 remembrance ceremony, school traffic updates, a 'Walk Your Wheels' scooter/e-bike awareness effort on the square, and the Senior Center Broadbash on September 24.

License Committee

• The council approved a Class B premise extension for Baumgartner Cheese Store Inc. at 1203 16th Avenue to include the leased dining room on the Eugene Hotel property, subject to applicable ordinances and licensing requirements.
• The council approved a temporary outdoor beer garden for Suisse Haus in conjunction with Cheese Days. The beer garden must be operated according to the application and city outdoor-beer-garden guidelines, is subject to fire inspector inspection, and requires licensed operators on the premises. An alderperson confirmed the beer garden is for the Suisse Haus parking lot.

Public Safety Committee

• The council approved Monroe High School's Homecoming Parade as a special event on October 2, 2026, from 1:30 to 3:00 p.m., with the parade starting at 2:00 p.m. at the old Monroe High School. The police department is directed to provide traffic control, including overtime, and to close the west side of the square as necessary. The special event area covers the old Monroe High School property and areas within 100 feet of the parade route.

Judiciary and Ordinance Review Committee

• After opening and closing the public hearing with no comments, the council approved an ordinance repealing and recreating City of Monroe Zoning Code 5-2 provisions for in-home daycare. It increases the maximum number of children from eight to twelve, consistent with state statute, and makes in-home daycare a by-right accessory use in the applicable zoning districts, including the central mixed-use district, while daycares must still meet state administrative-code space requirements.
• After opening and closing the public hearing with no comments, the council approved a zoning text amendment creating Section 5-9-34 for historic character signs in the Historic Preservation Overlay (HP-O). Eligible properties with historic signs in place for 50 years or more may recreate similar signs in the same location, subject to a conditional use permit from the Plan Commission, a certificate of appropriateness from the Historic Preservation Committee, and conditions on location, size, and height.
• The council set a public hearing for September 21, 2026, on a comprehensive plan amendment to change the Future Land Use Map to reflect Parcel 23251-2346.1000 (1915 State Hwy 69) as Industrial.

Closed Session and WPPA Contract

• The council moved to closed session under Wis. Stat. 19.85(1)(e) to discuss a one-year extension of the 2024-2026 Wisconsin Professional Police Association (WPPA) contract with a wage increase. The transcript ends during the roll call on the motion to enter closed session; the vote and any subsequent action on the open-session resolution are not available in the supplied transcript.

Key Outcomes

• Approved the August 17, 2026 meeting minutes as presented.
• Approved the consent agenda, Baumgartner Cheese Store premise extension, Suisse Haus temporary beer garden, Monroe High School Homecoming Parade, in-home daycare ordinance, and historic character signs ordinance by roll call with no nays recorded.
• Approved Officer Kimberly Quinn's retirement recognition by voice vote with no opposition.
• Presented Stormwater Week and Constitution Week proclamations.
• Scheduled the comprehensive plan amendment public hearing for September 21, 2026.
• Moved into closed session for the WPPA contract discussion; no outcome is recorded in the provided materials.