Monroe Finance and Taxation Committee – October 13, 2026

The City of Monroe Finance and Taxation Committee met on October 13, 2026, in City Hall Council Chambers. Members present were Alder Truehart, Alder Tolman, Alder Schaefer, and Alder McGuire. The committee recommended approval of the 2027 fee schedule and the 2027 budget to the Common Council, entered closed session on four property and development matters, and returned to open session to forward the North Industrial Park site investigation proposal to the Common Council. No public comments were heard.

Minutes

• The committee reviewed the September 28, 2026 minutes. No corrections were offered, and the minutes stood as written.

2027 Fee Schedule

• Administrator Rindy presented the annual fee schedule review. Department heads and organizations such as the airport board were asked to review fees and report changes. Increases are not automatic every year; the city tries to keep increases fair and equal over time, and some license and permit fees are adjusted every couple of years.
• Historic preservation: the city is combining sign permits and certificates of appropriateness in the historic district into one application and one fee to reduce confusion and duplication.
• After-school program: the program was split into two sessions, each costing $600. Registering for both would cost $1,150, compared with $975 when it was offered as one session this year, so the apparent decrease is actually an increase. Fees can fluctuate based on program actuals and enrollment.
• Sanitation fees, including garbage cart fees, were increased to build the sanitation fund.
• Fire department service fees: increases were proposed for fire suppression system inspections and fire/smoke alarm system testing. Per-hour charges apply only to additional or separate responses, not to every emergency call. False alarm charges were changed so the first three false alarms in a calendar year are free, with charges beginning on the fourth or more, to avoid penalizing new system installations.
• A committee member praised the parks department’s thorough review, saying it avoids waiting and then making larger increases later.

2027 Budget Update

• Administrator Rindy provided an updated budget presentation reflecting recent direction from Finance and Salary/Personnel.
• Debt service increased by a little over $58,000. TID 12, the newest tax incremental district on the east side, does not yet generate enough increment to cover its full principal and interest payment in its first year of increment. The general tax levy will cover the shortfall, and the general fund could be reimbursed later if the TID generates enough increment. TID values are as of January 1, 2026, and additional value is expected by January 1, 2027.
• The total budget remains $14.3 million, with a little more added by the debt service increase.
• Expenditure Restraint Program: the city is eligible for a little over $200,000 in state revenue if expenditures stay within the state’s inflation-based limit. The city has an additional cushion of over $300,000, but cannot increase expenditures by that amount because of the levy limit, illustrating a gap between the LEMI levy limit formula and inflation.
• Staff COLA was increased from 2.5% to 2.8%, plus step increases, not reaching the requested 3%.
• Organization funding requests were accommodated: GCDC received an increase of around $8,000, Main Street Monroe was increased from $35,000 to $40,000, the Chamber stayed the same, and the cemetery increase to 55 was included.
• Main Street Monroe’s funding will be shifted to TID 7 funding because TID 7’s project plan allows support for general Main Street operations. TID 7 has a positive balance and increment available, and the shift frees $35,000 in general levy funding for other requests and COLA. A future resolution will formalize funding Main Street through TID 7; when the TID closes, funding would return to the general levy. If TID 7 closed today, the city could add around $116,000 to the levy, enough to absorb the $40,000 Main Street payment.
• Transit/shared ride service: SSM is willing to contribute based on ridership. An alliance community grant was attempted without success. The Administrator plans to present a shared-ride program summary, including usage and revenues, before the end of the year; monthly data shows pick-up and drop-off locations.
• Special event fee structure had been incorporated into the fee schedule; Public Safety recommended keeping it the same this year, and the committee discussed revisiting it next year with a cost breakdown of events before deciding on fees.
• The Administrator also noted the building permit threshold is $2,000 or more and that another increase will be proposed through the Judiciary & Ordinance process.

Closed Session

• The committee moved into closed session under Wis. Stat. § 19.85(1)(e) to discuss four items: a potential offer to purchase or lease city-owned downtown property; the North Industrial Park site investigation proposal and potential sale of property; a residential development request for a developer’s incentive in TID 7; and a letter of intent for potential city property acquisition for residential development in TID 9.

Post-Closed Session Action

• After returning to open session, the committee voted to recommend the North Industrial Park site investigation proposal to the Common Council.

Key Outcomes

• Recommended the 2027 fee schedule to the Common Council; motion passed.
• Recommended the 2027 budget to the Common Council; roll call vote passed with Alder Tolman, Alder Schaefer, Alder McGuire, and Alder Truehart voting aye.
• Voted to forward the North Industrial Park site investigation proposal to the Common Council; motion passed.
• No votes were taken in open session on the downtown property, TID 7 developer incentive, or TID 9 acquisition discussion items.