Craig Douglas

The Council meeting covered various administrative and public works agenda items. Decisions were made regarding sidewalk repair resolutions, equipment rental bids, and asphalt pavement contracts. The Council also awarded a contract for 10th Street construction and approved a curb and gutter contract. Two ordinances were adopted: one amending regulations for lot splits by certified survey maps, and another updating ordinances concerning junk and junk vehicles. Additionally, reports were provided by the Library Board, Parks and Recreation department, Public Works, and the Utility Commission, with staff providing updates on upcoming election processes.

This Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan (CORP) serves as a roadmap for the City of Reedsburg's outdoor recreational spaces from 2023 to 2028. It outlines five primary goals: ensuring facilities meet residents' diverse needs, maintaining existing parks, developing new recreation areas, leveraging facilities for economic development, and securing proper funding for upkeep and safety. The plan integrates an inventory of current facilities, an assessment of resident needs, and an implementation matrix to guide future projects, with a focus on accessibility, modernization, biodiversity, and community engagement.

The meeting commenced with a roll call and the Pledge of Allegiance. A note was made regarding public comments on non-agenda topics which would not result in council action. The consent agenda included the approval of meeting minutes from a prior Common Council meeting and a joint Common Council and Reedsburg Utility Commission meeting, both held on February 9th, 2026. The main discussion involved a presentation by the School District of Reedsburg Superintendent regarding an operational referendum proposed for April 7th. The presentation detailed the historical context of school district funding limitations, the transition from total local control to revenue limits in 1992, the cessation of inflationary budget increases in 2009, and the discrepancy between the current $2.5 million referendum request and the $4 million requested in 2024. Reasons for the reduced request included $1 million in budget cuts, an increase in special education reimbursement, and lower-than-expected open enrollment, resulting in a $350,000 actual savings. The district emphasized that the current funding system is broken, leading to minimal state aid increases and rising costs due to inflation. The proposed $2.5 million referendum is non-recurring for four years and is intended to balance the budget, maintain academic programming, address deferred maintenance, and fund minor safety improvements, such as newer buses and camera upgrades. The Superintendent stressed that the vote on the referendum would have no impact on the current tax rate, as the board aims to maintain a stable $7 mill rate, noting that lowering the rate would result in a decrease in state aid and an increase in local taxpayer burden.

The meeting included standard council proceedings such as roll call and the pledge of allegiance. Non-agenda public comments were noted but not discussed. Consent items approved included the January 26, 2026 meeting minutes, the January monthly payments report, the January monthly building permit report, and the January monthly report for the Reedsburg ambulance service. The council held a public hearing and approved an ordinance (1980-26) regarding the rezoning of 821 and 875 Lucky Street, correcting a previous zoning error to designate city well property as government zoned and neighboring storage building property as light industrial. Discussions also covered commission reports, including the completion of a new sign for Mackie Park and the stepping down of Monica Legal from the Historic Preservation commission due to health reasons. The Mayor reported on the successful radio auction, which raised approximately $75,000 to benefit 30 local agencies.

The council meeting included swearing in new officers to the Reeseburg Police Department and recognizing first responders. The council also discussed and took potential action regarding a development agreement with CAPTJ LLC and the potential purchase of public property. Additionally, there were discussions about the city's functional classification system and upcoming community events.