Fitchburg, WI Common Council 10-13-26

The Fitchburg Common Council meeting of October 13, 2026 included a public hearing on the mayor’s proposed 2027 budget, but the budget itself was not adopted. The council approved an ordinance establishing authority for a forestry fee, with the fee amount to be set through the budget process; residents challenged its legality and distribution, and council members asked staff to examine possible assistance for lower-income households. The proposed budget presentation included two full-time firefighter positions, one police officer, and additional peak-time EMS service. The council also amended the 2026 general-obligation-note parameters for police-facility, street, and park improvements, raising the maximum true interest cost to 5.75% (the advisor estimated about 5.18%) ahead of a planned note sale. It approved a park-fee ordinance allowing phased payments as buildings in multi-phase developments are built.

Capital and infrastructure actions included approval of the Kids Crossing playground replacement concept and a 2026 capital-budget amendment adding $315,000, to be funded through future borrowing; bidding and design work are expected to follow, with construction targeted for 2027. A separate amendment for McKee Farms Park approved $17,940 for splash-pad repairs, while the proposed $16,000 sign replacement was removed for further consideration. The council approved a path connection between Fish Hatchery Road and the Cannonball Trail, with about $760,000 in transportation-alternatives grant funding and approximately $650,000 in local matching funds, and the mayor reported a $1.6 million federal award for Irish Lane reconstruction. A roughly $1.85 million brush-and-yard-waste collection contract with Pellitteri was postponed to November 10 for consideration of possible service reductions. The meeting also considered a sewer-services agreement involving the Village of Oregon and the Wisconsin Department of Corrections; the transcript does not clearly capture its final disposition.