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City of Waupun · Fond du Lac County · meeting of May 14, 2026 · Minutes
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M I N U T E S
CITY OF WAUPUN
Police & Fire Commission (PFC) Meeting
Waupun Safety Building – 16 E. Main Street, Waupun
Thursday, May 14, 2026 at 4:30pm
Upon reasonable notice, efforts will be made to accommodate disabled individuals through appropriate aids and
services. For additional information, contact the City Clerk at 920-324-7915.
CALL TO ORDER
Meeting convened at 4:31pm by PFC President.
ROLL CALL
Present: John Bett (PFC Vice President), WFD Chief BJ DeMaa, Bobbi Jo Kunz (Council Member-Ex Officio, excused
at 5:45pm), WPD Chief Jeremy Rasch, Tara Rhodes (PFC Citizen/Secretary), Josh Snow (PFC Citizen), Mike Thurmer
(PFC Citizen/President),
Member(s) absent (excused): Teresa Heidemann (PFC Citizen)
Guests: N/A
The PFC welcomed Josh Snow to his first meeting and start of his appointment.
RECOGNITION OF MAYORAL APPOINTMENT AND NOMINATION OF APPOINTMENTS 2026-2027
The following annual Commission Nomination and Appointments were recognized:
- Recognition of Mayoral Appointment of Ex-Officio Bobbi Jo Kunz.
- T. Rhodes nominated M. Thurmer for President; nomination accepted. Motion at 4:34pm by T. Rhodes
second by J. Bett to approve M. Thurmer as President; all in favor, motion passed.
- T. Rhodes nominated J. Bett for Vice President; nomination accepted. Motion at 4:35pm by T. Rhodes,
second by J. Snow to approve J. Bett as Vice President; all in favor, motion passed.
- J. Bett nominated T. Rhodes for Secretary; nomination accepted. Motion at 4:26pm by J. Bett, second by
J. Snow to approve T. Rhodes as Secretary; all in favor, motion passed.
DESIGNATION OF FUTURE MEETING DATE AND TIME OF THE POLICE AND FIRE COMMISSION
Motion at 4:37pm by T. Rhodes, second by J. Bett for Commission to meet on quarterly basis with dates to be
established due to wanting to align meetings with interview needs of Fire and Police departments; all in favor,
motion passed. The next regularly scheduled Commission meeting is to-be-determined. If necessary, please send
any agenda requests to Chief DeMaa or Chief Rasch so appropriate preparation(s) can be made.
PERSONS WISHING TO ADDRESS THE POLICE AND FIRE COMMISSION - State name, address, and subject of
comments. (2 minutes)
No person(s) present.
No Public Participation after this point.
CONSIDERATION - ACTION
Minutes from February 4, 2026 meeting presented for approval. Motion to approve minutes as submitted at
4:39pm by J. Bett, J. Snow second; all in favor, motion passed.
Minutes from March 18, 2026 meeting presented for approval. Motion to approve minutes as submitted at
4:40pm by J. Snow, J. Bett second; all in favor, motion passed.
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DISCUSSION - INFORMATION
WPD Chief Rasch provided the following update:
- Staffing: Candidate A. Gile finished background investigation, expected to start 6/4/2026. Received
resignation from officer A. Warner. Officer K. Brice returned from deployment. Hiring process
commended, applications due end-of-May. Written warning provided to officer related to process
deficiency.
- Training: February included Wisconsin Chiefs’ Conference (Chief Rasch, Deputy Chief Sullivan), Reasonable
Suspicion (Officer Effert, Detective Konkel, Lieutenant Willians), Alcohol and Tobacco Enforcement
(Officer Schnell), Critical Incident Review (Lieutenant Navis), Public Records Request (Administrative
Assistant Greenfield, Records Clerk DeBoer), Beyond Recruitment (Deputy Chief Sullivan), Wisconsin
Narcotics Officers Association Conference (Detective Konkel, Officers Halverson/Knudson). March
included Wisconsin DOJ Division of Criminal Investigation Drug School (Detective Konkel), FBI LEEDA
Supervisor Leadership Institute (Lieutenant Williams), Magnet /Axiom Training Certification (Lieutenant
Williams), Practical Application of Incident Command (Officer Hopp), Website Training (Chief Rasch,
Lieutenants Kreitzman/Brzezinski, Administrative Assistant Greenfield, Records Clerk DeBoer), WRAP
Restraint System (Chief Rasch, Deputy Chief Sullivan, Lieutenants Williams/Kreitzman/Navis, Detective
Konkel, PSLO Dumke, Officers Schnell/Knudson/Effert/Hensen/Halverson/Hopp). April included Wisconsin
Association for Identification (Detective Konkel), Influencing Performance of Others (Officer Hopp), FBI
Spring Seminar (Chief Rasch, Deputy Chief Sullivan), Drone Pilot Certification (Lieutenant Brzezinski)
- Operations:
o Senior Citizen Police Academy was again a success.
o WPD continues to work with a Policy and Procedure Vendor for policy development. 52 policies
have been completed and 17 additional are in the final stages; total of 111 policies to be written.
o DOJ Drug Trafficking Grant: WPD advised the grant that was submitted in 2025 was approved for
$24,197 for the purchase of a Pole Camera Surveillance System and a set of recordable infrared
surveillance binoculars. Items were purchased and received.
o Drone Program: Drone Purchased and received. Lieutenant Brzezinski certified and 3 others are in
the process.
o Magnet/Axiom Digital Forensics: Software was purchased and received. Lieutenant Williams
received certification and has been analyzing phones. (11 successfully completed already)
o Our Rescue Digital Forensics Assistance: WPD received $5250 of assistance for new our digital
forensic software.
o School Safety/Community Engagement Program: Lieutenant Williams is working with Dr Hill to
provide a community engagement program reference school safety.
o Radio Grant: $50,000 total ($40,000 from state and $10,000 city match), in process.
o Calls (Jan-April 2026): Service: 4,117 (2025 had 10,583 total). 2026 Arrests: 62. 2026 Open
Records: 181.
o Investigations: juvenile auto theft, drug search warrant, fraud w/check printers and fake checks
(Michigan suspect) and burglary. Detective Konkel participating w/LWAM regularly (training type
phase).
o Cinco de Mayo held WPD Pot luck luncheon.
- Community Outreach: For Police Week Events: Current and Former staff brat/burger fry. Dodge LE
Memorial (Chief Rasch was the MC for the Dodge Memorial) and FDL LE Memorial.
WFD Chief DeMaa provided the following update:
- Staffing:
o Fire: 30 of 31 positions filled. 2025/2026 Youth Apprentice students wrapping up (1 has applied
for EMT position; 1 has application for fire and EMT position); continues to be a great recruitment
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program. Two 2026/2027 Youth Apprentice positions open with three applications received. 4
firefighters completing a total of 6 different courses.
o EMS: 9 of 14 positions filled. Currently have 3 individuals out on medical. One firefighter is
completing EMT course (as well as 2 Youth Apprentice students). Currently accepting applications
for open EMT positions. 1 application received so far.
- Training: 3 completing Fire Officer 1; 1 completing Driver/Pumper Operator; 1 completing Fire Instructor
1; 1 completing Aerial Driver/Operator. Six-month reviews were conducted with 4 probationary members
(3 of the 4 have met the requirements of their probation). One firefighter has interviewed with FDLFR
and is working through their process. Another is working through a hiring process at Volk Field.
- Fire Operations:
o Call Volume (January through April): Flat to slightly below YTD: City Fire (+8), Country Fire (-6),
EMS (-22).
o Merger of the 2 fire departments has gone well so far.
o New Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus were put into service in March.
o As a city, only able to submit one Interoperability Radio Grant request (not per department), thus
since the WPD already had radios budgeted for the year, the state will move forward with that
grant.
o The boat that WFD housed for the Dodge County Fire Chief’s Association has been re-deployed
down with the CLR Fire Department.
o Mock car crash demonstration was conducted alongside the WASD. Fire, EMS, PD, Dodge County
Sheriff and ME, Flight For Life all participated.
o The US Fire Administration switched to a new reporting database as the start of the year
(switched from the National Fire Incident Reporting System or NFIRS to the National Emergency
Response Information System or NERIS). The new system is designed to be more fluid, allowing
for more real-time data, analytics, resource allocation, and firefighter safety. Mike has spent
many hours on the phone working through the growing pains of a new system.
o May 4 was International Firefighter’s Day and a meal was brought in for the crew
o Fire Inspectors are very busy with spring inspections, new building and systems inspections.
o WFD has joined a number of fire departments in the Fox Valley as part of a regional inspection
program for Food Trucks. This allows all participating agencies to see which trucks have gone
through inspections.
- EMS Operations:
o Went “live” with our EMS service upgrade (EMR to EMT) on March 2, 2026. This service upgrade
allows us to now transport patients versus them waiting 20+ minutes for mutual aid to arrive
from a neighboring community. In the first 4 weeks, EMS conducted 4 transfers. To date, have
transported 5 patients.
o Working through Medical Director changeover (Dr. Mohiuddin to Dr. Dille).
o Working through final contract with EMS billing service provider.
o May 17 – 23 is EMS Week. This year’s theme is: “Improving Outcomes, Together.” WFD will be
hosting an EMS Meet-and-Greet with Lifestar EMS, Ripon Guardian Ambulance, Mayville EMS,
Mayville EMS School, and MPTC on May 20. A meal will be brought in on May 27.
- Community Outreach: REACH Waupun Bowling Fundraiser, Senior Citizen Police Academy (EMS and Fire),
Monthly reader at Amity School – Sprinkles the Fire Dog, Cadets tour, Multi-Lingual Family Night, Girl
Scout visit – provided basic first aid training, Envision Greater Fond du Lac Job Fair, Alter Metal
Recycling/Professional Fire Fighters of WI Charitable Foundation (collected 3,640lbs of metal at WFD).
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ADJOURNMENT
Motion at 5:58pm to adjourn meeting made by T. Rhodes, J. Snow second; all in favor, motion passed.
Respectfully submitted,
Tara Rhodes, Secretary
Source: City of Waupun website. First collected Oct 14, 2026.