Monroe Business Improvement District Meeting - October 19, 2026

The City of Monroe Business Improvement District (BID) met at 12:00 PM in City Hall Council Chambers, 1110 18th Ave, on Monday, October 19, 2026. Members approved the prior year's minutes, elected officers, heard the Main Street Monroe annual report, and acted on the annual levy plan and funding distribution.

Consent Calendar

• Minutes of the October 20, 2025 meeting were approved unanimously as presented; no corrections were offered.

Election of Officers

• Patrick Bordell was nominated and elected president.
• Chris Sokop was nominated and elected vice president.

Main Street Report

• Jordan of Main Street Monroe presented the annual update. She reported speaking at the National Main Street Conference on entrepreneurship and succession planning, and described the night market and pocket park dedication. The pocket park won the 2025 state award for best public improvement project in Wisconsin. Melissa Zettel was named volunteer of the year, and Joanne's Dress Shop was recognized as best business success story after Lisa Buell purchased the business.
• Events this year included a car show with a second entrance and beer garden, a 15th annual summer concert series with no rainouts, a growing Fourth of July concert with Parks and Recreation, the fourth annual Art Walk, and a new Phantom Quest event with 31 teams and at least 120 participants, supported by about 50 volunteers.
• Historic walking tours drew 120 people in their first year, including stationary tours for people with mobility issues. Main Street Monroe is planning teen social connection nights with SSM Health and Green County Health, a possible Day of the Dead event with a high school club, and a retail boot camp with merchandising consultants for six businesses.
• The historic facade grant program has awarded about a dozen grants totaling just over $300,000 from the $400,000 approved; Main Street may request additional TID funding.

Discussion Items

• Operating Plan Levy: City Administrator Britney explained the annual operating plan, which maintains a $1.50 mill rate based on assessments, with a $50 minimum and $3,000 maximum per parcel, anticipating $62,982 in assessment income. The agenda labels this as the "2026 Operating Plan Levy," while the attached file is titled "BIDOperatingPlan2027.pdf"; the discussion referenced January 1, 2026 assessment values and an upcoming full revaluation. The plan requires council approval each year. A motion to recommend keeping the levy rate the same carried unanimously.
• Business Improvement District Property Participation: The board reviewed the list of BID properties and assessments. No action was required, and no properties were identified for addition or exclusion. The BID boundary generally matches the Main Street Monroe map.
• Main Street Funding Request: Main Street Monroe requested the full levy amount, consistent with previous years. The board approved the funding request.
• Authorization to Release Levy Funds: The board pre-authorized release of the full 2026 levy funds after tax collection is completed on January 31, 2027, paying Main Street Monroe in one lump sum in February 2027. The motion carried; one member initially voted both ways but clarified for the record that their vote was "aye."

Key Outcomes

• Minutes of October 20, 2025 approved.
• Patrick Bordell elected president; Chris Sokop elected vice president.
• Board endorsed the operating plan levy with an unchanged mill rate, minimum, maximum, and assessment income for council approval.
• Board approved Main Street Monroe's request for the full levy amount.
• Board authorized release of the collected 2026 levy funds to Main Street Monroe in February 2027.