Public Meetings - Monroe, Wisconsin

The City of Monroe Salary and Personnel Committee convened on October 26, 2026. The committee took final action on two resolution recommendations for the Common Council: a 2.8% Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) for the city's pay scale and an increase in the City Administrator's wages, both effective in 2027. All votes were unanimous (4-0). Note: The minutes included with the agenda packet are from the committee's September 28, 2026 meeting, whereas the agenda and transcript reflect the October 26, 2026 meeting. The September meeting is referenced during corrections and as prior discussion. Consent Calendar - Correction of Minutes: The minutes from the September 28, 2026 meeting were accepted without any corrections. Discussion Items - City Administrator Wage Increase for 2027: Administrator Rindy introduced the item as a continuation of discussions from the committee's September closed session. A motion to recommend the 2027 wage resolution to the Common Council was made, seconded, and passed unanimously on a roll call vote. - 2.8% COLA Increase for 2027: Administrator Rindy presented the resolution for a 2.8% COLA increase. He noted the figure fell within the 2.5% to 3% range the committee had directed in September, and was in addition to the 2.5% annual step increase for eligible staff. The increase aligned with budget adjustments identified by the Finance and Taxation Committee. A motion to recommend was made, seconded, and passed unanimously on a roll call vote. Key Outcomes - The committee unanimously approved a motion to recommend the City Administrator wage increase for 2027 to the Common Council. - The committee unanimously approved a motion to recommend the 2.8% COLA increase to the City of Monroe pay scale for 2027 to the Common Council.

The Finance and Taxation Committee of the City of Monroe met on October 26, 2026, to discuss a Fire Department equipment purchase, a Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILOT) resolution for the Water Utility, and a community grant funding resolution for Main Street Monroe. The committee also moved into a closed session to discuss a property matter. Consent Calendar - The minutes from the October 13, 2026 meeting were approved as presented. Discussion Items - Fire Department Training System Purchase: Fire Chief Rufer requested committee approval to purchase a LION BullsEye V3 Pro Digital Fire Extinguisher Training System. Chief Rufer expressed strong support for the system, stating that the current training setup is costly, weather-dependent, and presents environmental and safety issues due to the use of dry chemical extinguishers. The proposed system uses a digital sensor and compressed air to simulate fire extinguisher operation safely without chemicals. The department has sufficient funds in its current budget, secured through expenditure prioritization, requiring no additional city money. The committee voted unanimously to approve the purchase. - Water Utility PILOT Payment: City Administrator Rindy presented a resolution to ratify the Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILOT) due from the Monroe Water Utility. The resolution increases the payment to the maximum amount allowable by the Public Service Commission, addressing an under-collection of approximately $12,000 annually. The committee voted unanimously to recommend the resolution to the Common Council. - Community Grant to Main Street Monroe: Administrator Rindy presented a resolution authorizing an annual $40,000 community grant to Main Street Monroe from Tax Incremental District (TID) No. 7 for the remaining life of the district (2027–2032). This shifts the funding source from the general tax levy. Administrator Rindy noted that the grant is fixed at $40,000 for five years, fulfilling the organization's request for a $5,000 increase over the previous $35,000 allocation. Future increases would require a new resolution or funding from the general tax levy. The committee voted unanimously to recommend the resolution to the Common Council. Key Outcomes - Vote (C.1): Motion to approve the Fire Department's purchase of the digital training system passed unanimously (Ayes: Treuthardt, Thoman, Sheaffer, McGuire). - Vote (C.2): Motion to recommend the Water Utility PILOT resolution to Common Council passed unanimously. - Vote (C.3): Motion to recommend the Main Street Monroe TID 7 community grant resolution to Common Council passed unanimously. - Closed Session: The committee voted to enter a closed session under Wis. Stat. 19.85(1)(e) to discuss a land contract and the sale of city property on 21st Street.

The Board of Public Works met on Monday, October 26, 2026 at 5:00 PM in Council Chambers. The board approved routine bills and awarded a snow removal contract for the upcoming winter season. All actions were unanimous. Consent Calendar - Whitney Tree Service Invoice: Approved payment of $3,41.50 for stump grinding and pruning services. Approved by voice vote with all members in favor. - Pay Request 1 – Lead Service Line Replacement Program: Approved payment of $133,733.46 to E&N Hughes Co Inc. for the first phase of the lead service line replacement program. The work on 15th and 17th Streets reviewed 36 service lines and replaced 17 lead or galvanized services. Average cost per replacement was $8,740, under the budgeted $10,000. The project is funded by a $1 million congressional directed spending grant from Senator Tammy Baldwin's office. Approved by roll call vote: Ayes – Alder True Hart, Alder Schaefer, Alder Tolman (Thoman); Noes – None. Discussion Items - Snow Removal Contract Award for 2026-2027 Season: Streets Supervisor Lucas Neuenschwander presented the annual bid process. Nine quotes were solicited and six received. Carrousel Excavating submitted the lowest quote for both truck-only and truck-with-loader options. The board has previously worked with Carrousel and found them reliable. Board members noted the crew's local knowledge and expressed support for awarding the contract. Key Outcomes - Approval of Snow Removal Contract: Motion to award the contract to Carrousel Excavating passed unanimously. Roll call vote: Ayes – Alder Schaefer, Alder Tolman (Thoman), Alder True Hart; Noes – None. The contract does not require further council approval. - Adjournment: The meeting adjourned by voice vote with no opposition. Note: No public comments were received. The minutes from the previous meeting (October 13, 2026) were accepted without correction. There is a minor discrepancy in the transcript: board member Richard Thoman is referred to as "Alder Tolman" during the meeting.

The Public Safety Committee of the City of Monroe met on October 26, 2026, at 4:50 PM in Council Chambers. Members present were Matt Sheaffer, Corinne Wartenweiler, and Darlene Voelkli; Dave Mosher was absent. The committee discussed two items: the purchase of rapid flashing beacon pedestrian crosswalk systems and the removal of outdated parking signs around the old high school. Both items were recommended to the Common Council. Approval of Minutes - The minutes from the September 28, 2026, meeting were approved as presented without correction. Discussion Items - C.1 – Purchase of Rapid Flashing Beacon Pedestrian Crosswalk Systems - The Street Department proposed installing rapid flashing beacons at two crosswalks on 9th Street: at 15th Avenue (near the libraries) and at 17th Avenue (near Studio 906). The recommendation stemmed from a Platteville student parking study. The total hardware cost from TAPCO is $20,601, with the city performing installation. The 17th Avenue location includes an additional crosswalk illumination light. Funding would come from TID 7's positive increment balance; the expenditure period must close by September 2027 (five years before TID 7 ends in 2032). - Alder Voelkli expressed concern about the cost and lack of pedestrian injuries at the locations, questioning whether the expense was warranted given budget constraints. Alder Sheaffer noted the trade-off between safety and cost. Alder Wartenweiler supported forwarding the item to the full council for broader discussion, citing pedestrian safety and the busy nature of 9th Street. - Motion by Wartenweiler, second by Voelkli to recommend to Common Council. Passed 3-0. - C.2 – Parking Signs Around the Old Monroe High School - Street Supervisor Lucas Neuenschwander explained that now that the high school has relocated, many "No Parking School Days 7 AM–5 PM" signs are no longer needed. He recommended removing 23 such signs from 16th Avenue, the 2500 block of 26th Street, and the 2500–2700 blocks of 17th Avenue, while retaining seven signs on 14th Avenue (one side of the street) to manage elementary school traffic. The removed signs can be reused elsewhere. - Alder Sheaffer asked about possibly reviewing stop signs in the area, noting there may be too many. Neuenschwander said that would be a police department question; no action was taken on stop signs. - Motion by Sheaffer, second by Wartenweiler to approve the sign removal and recommend to Common Council. Passed 3-0. Key Outcomes - Rapid flashing beacons: Recommended to Common Council for approval and funding via TID 7 (vote 3-0). - Old high school parking signs: Recommended to Common Council for removal of 23 signs and retention of 7 signs (vote 3-0). - No other business was discussed. Meeting adjourned.

The License Committee met on Monday, October 26, 2026, at 4:45 PM in Council Chambers at 1110 18th Avenue. The meeting was called to order with a quorum present (Holder Vestina, Holder Tolman, Holder Volkley). The sole business item was a discussion and recommendation regarding an extension of the Class B license for Bartel's Tap Co., which has been closed due to a fire. Discussion Items - Extension of Bartel's Tap Co. Class B License: City Administrator Rindi explained that Bartel's Tap Co. is currently closed following a fire earlier in 2026. Per city code, a license not in use for more than 120 days (or less than 25% of the year) can be extended by the council for unforeseen circumstances. A draft resolution was presented to formally extend the license through June 30, 2027. It was noted that the owners are actively working on reconstruction, but construction, insurance, and plan reviews are taking time. Committee members expressed support, noting that a further extension could be requested if needed. Key Outcomes - Motion to Recommend Extension: Holder Tolman moved to extend the Bartel's Tap Co. license until June 30, 2027. The motion was seconded and passed unanimously (Holder Tolman aye, Holder Volkley aye). The recommendation will be forwarded to the Common Council for final approval.

The Monroe Zoning Board of Appeals met on October 26, 2026, to hold a public hearing and consider one variance request: Frank Meier's application for a rear setback variance at 1121 21st Avenue. After hearing from the applicant, city staff, and a planning consultant, the board approved the variance. Public Hearing & Testimony - The board opened and closed the public hearing; no members of the public were present to comment. - The applicant, listed on the agenda as Frank Meier and identified as Frank Mayer in the transcript, explained that he and the neighbor to the north shared a driveway and garage. He purchased property from that neighbor to make the proposed addition possible, and the agreement required the shared garage to be removed. - Meier said he had informed the neighbors, had a supportive letter from one neighbor, and noted that two neighbors to the west could not see his property because of trees; one neighbor he spoke with had no objection. Discussion Items - Staff: Jeff Nysitz, who worked with the applicant, said the variance would allow construction of an approximately 1,300-square-foot, two-story addition. He cited the limited depth of the property as the hardship and said reducing the setback would allow the addition to fit on the lot. - Setback details: The property is about 85 feet deep. The applicant referenced advice that an attached garage was the best option and that the required rear setback for a lot under 100 feet deep might be 17 or 18 feet rather than 25 feet, but a variance was still requested. - Drainage: A board member asked how roof runoff would be handled because the addition would replace open grass area. Meier said the area drained well, recalled an 11-inch rain about 30 years ago that caused sewage backup, but said later storms drained fine. He planned to re-grade and slope the driveway area to the street and would address any neighbor drainage concerns. - Precedent: A board member asked about the potential for setting a precedent. Shannon Eden of Bandwell and Associates said variances are intended as one-off remedies for unique lot conditions, that staff vets requests before they reach the board, and that the small lot here creates an unusual building envelope; this type of request is rare. Key Outcomes - The board approved the variance for 1121 21st Avenue. The motion passed on a roll-call vote, with all responding members voting in favor. - No other business was conducted; the board adjourned after the vote.

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.

The City of Monroe Common Council met in regular session in City Hall Council Chambers on October 19, 2026, with eight alderpersons answering roll call and a quorum confirmed. No members of the public appeared during the public comment period. The council approved routine claims, authorized a site investigation proposal, approved the 2027 fee schedule, set the 2027 budget public hearing for November 16, and canceled the November 2 regular meeting. Consent Calendar - The October 5, 2026 council minutes were approved as presented with no corrections. - The claims list was approved by roll-call vote; no discussion was held. - The Treasurer's Report was received without comment; no vote was required. Mayor's Remarks and Department Reports - Mayor Miller thanked the police, fire, and street departments for their quick response that prevented a major hazmat incident near 8th Street and Highway 69. - The yard waste site will close at the end of October. The city has published leaf pickup routes and asks residents to place leaves on the terrace, not in the street. - A department head announced in-person absentee voting hours ahead of the November 3 election: October 20-22, 8 a.m.-3 p.m.; October 23, 8-11 a.m.; October 26-29, 8 a.m.-3 p.m.; and October 30, 8-11 a.m. New voting machines are anticipated for 2028; the current contract runs through 2027. Discussion Items - Finance and Taxation Committee: The council approved the Fehr Graham proposal to report contamination to the Wisconsin DNR, prepare a site investigation work plan, and complete a site investigation report for the City of Monroe Industrial Park property on 3rd Street North. - 2027 fee schedule: The council approved the 2027 citywide fee schedule, effective January 1, 2027. - 2027 budget public hearing: Administrator Rindy highlighted a balanced $14.3 million recommended budget that incorporates a 2.8% COLA, the police union negotiation increase, and a 5.9% health insurance premium increase. All community grant requests were funded, with the Main Street Monroe community grant shifted to full TID increment funding rather than the general tax levy; the levy impact returns when the TID closes. A mill rate projection from Bauman Associates was still pending and will be shared with the council before the hearing. The council set the public hearing for November 16, 2026, with final adoption also planned that evening. - Council of the Whole - November 2, 2026 meeting: An alderperson noted that canceling the regular meeting would require formal action to bypass the ordinance. Because the November 3 election was the next day and no urgent items were pending, the council voted to cancel the November 2 meeting. The claims list will be handled at the November 16 meeting, with payments allowed to be issued before then. - Special Committee Report Outs: An alderperson reported the senior center will receive a new tricep extension machine. Alderperson Mosier praised GCDC initiatives, discussed the upcoming regional housing summit, and invited council members to the Monroe Botanic Garden open house on Saturday. Another alderperson reported that recent rain flooded the Monroe Golf Course; because of the city's easement, the city is responsible for much of the damage, and Mayor Miller asked Alderperson Al to investigate. Key Outcomes - Approved the October 5, 2026 minutes, the claims list, the Fehr Graham site investigation resolution, and the 2027 fee schedule. - Scheduled the November 16, 2026 public hearing and final consideration of the 2027 city budget. - Canceled the November 2, 2026 Common Council meeting. - Asked Alderperson Al to follow up on the Monroe Golf Course drainage issue. - Adjourned.

The Monroe Redevelopment Authority (RDA) met on Monday, October 19, 2026, at City Hall Council Chambers, 1110 18th Ave. No meeting minutes were available with the source materials, and the raw transcript begins during open session, after the closed session. The agenda listed a correction of the March 16, 2026 minutes, a financial report, discussion and consideration of supporting the Monroe Botanical Garden, and a closed session item. Agenda Items Not Captured in Transcript - Correction of Minutes (March 16, 2026): Listed on the agenda; no discussion or action appears in the available transcript. - Financial Report: The agenda included an RDA Financial Tracking Report dated October 14, 2026; no discussion is captured in the transcript. - Monroe Botanical Garden Support: The agenda included discussion and consideration of supporting the Monroe Botanical Garden; no discussion or decision is captured in the transcript. Closed Session - The agenda included a closed session under Wis. Stat. § 19.85(1)(e) for discussing a financial incentive for a residential development request in RDA 1. No closed-session deliberations or actions are included in the available transcript. Discussion Items - Election of Officers: A member asked whether the RDA needs to elect officers. Another participant responded that election of officers is on the next meeting agenda, that an agenda item is needed to make it official, and the discussion referenced the April election. - Sprinkler System Funding: A member referenced previous discussions and a 'horrible issue' on the square this year, asking the RDA and city to revisit ways to fund sprinkler systems so property owners have some protection when a tragedy like this happens again. Another participant responded that the TID 7 facade grant, created in partnership with Main Street, includes fire suppression as an eligible expense and could provide a matching grant of up to $50,000 for sprinkler systems. Key Outcomes - No formal motions or votes are recorded in the transcript for the open discussion items except the motion to adjourn. - A motion to adjourn was made and seconded; the motion carried and the meeting adjourned. - The next steps identified were placing election of officers on a future agenda and considering the TID 7 facade grant as a potential funding avenue for sprinkler systems.