# Live from City Hall - City Council

The Janesville City Council held a special 2027 budget study session on October 22, 2026. The proposed budget totals about $146.7 million, including $120.9 million for operations. The proposed capital improvement borrowing for 2027 is about $14.0 million, roughly $2.1 million above the city’s $11.875 million target. Staff reported reducing initial general-fund capital requests by deferring or removing projects, including $700,000 for fire-department SCBA replacement, $220,000 for hardened vehicle barriers, and $225,000 for the IT strategic plan. Council discussed whether to reset or retain the borrowing target; staff agreed to provide comparisons of alternative target calculations. No overall budget or borrowing-target decision was made. A proposed addition of three firefighters was debated, with estimated personnel costs of about $369,803 and potential annual overtime savings discussed, but no vote was recorded. Staff clarified that the proposed non-represented employee COLA was already 3% in the budget.

The council unanimously approved funding approximately $147,000 for Riverside Golf Course mowers from the golf course fund balance. Council members also asked staff to compare demand, costs, and competing cemetery facilities as part of further analysis of a proposed Oakhill Cemetery columbarium; no construction approval was given. A proposed Oakhill equipment building had an estimated $130,000 design cost and $1.8 million construction cost and remained under discussion. A motion to reduce JATV to one full-time equivalent received no second and died; council consensus instead asked administration to consider JATV’s role in the city’s overall communications plan. Members also questioned the Woodman’s Center’s operating losses and whether the city can exit its management agreement, but staff took no action and said the contract would need review.

**Jurisdictions:** sled
**Industries:** Construction & Infrastructure
**Topics:** Physical Infrastructure
**Published:** October 23, 2026

### Sources
- [Live from City Hall - City Council](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5rPJCUEdVzM) - JATVMedia