August 10, 2026 - Finance Committee Agenda & Packet

CITY OF VERONA 111 Lincoln Street Verona, WI 53593 (608) 845-6495 veronawi.gov FINANCE COMMITTEE DATE: MONDAY , AUGUST 10, 2026 TIME: 5:00 PM LOCATION: CONFERENCE ROOM D110 CITY HALL 111 LINCOLN STREET VERONA, WI 53593 1. Call to Order 2. Roll Call 3. Public Comment 4. Discussion and Possible Action re: Recommended Approval of the July 27, 2026, Finance Committee Minutes 5. Discussion and Possible Action re: Claim Against the City-Coleen Rupnow 6. Discussion and Possible Action re: Claim Against the City-Angie Simon 7. Discussion and Possible Action re: 2027 Budget Updates and Presentations (Buildings and Grounds, Council, Cable (BTRB), Planning, Administration, Municipal Court) 8. Discussion and Possible Action re: Payment of Bills 9. Adjournment. Mara Helmke - Chairperson POSTED: August 7, 2026 Verona City Hall Verona Public Library Miller’s Market All agendas are posted on the City website at: veronawi.gov Notice: If you need an interpreter, materials in alternative formats, or other accommodation to access the meeting, please contact the City Clerk at (608) 845-6495 at least 48 hours preceding the meeting. Every reasonable effort will be made to accommodate your request. Notice is hereby given that a quorum of the members of the City Council or other standing committees of the City Council may be present at the meeting of the Finance Committee to gather information about a subject over which they have decision-making responsibility. The City Council and any other standing committees will not take formal action at this meeting. www.veronawi.gov City of Verona Finance Committee City Hall – 111 Lincoln Street Verona, WI 53593-1520 MINUTES FINANCE COMMITTEE JULY 27, 2026 The meeting was called to order by Chairperson Mara Helmke at 6:32 p.m. Roll Call: Chairperson Mara Helmke, Alder Patrick Lytle and Alder Spencer Harrison were present. Also present: Mayor Luke Diaz, City Administrator Jamie Aulik, Finance Director Brian Lamers, Alder Beth Tucker Long, Assistant City Administrator, Public Works Director Bryan Manning, Deputy Public Works Director Mike Trotter, Landon Leedle from AECOM, Carla Fisher from AECOM and Asley Schulze from AECOM. Public Comment: None Discussion and Possible Action regarding approval of July 13, 2026 Finance Committee minutes: Motion was made by Lytle, seconded by Harrison to approve the July 13, 2026 Finance Committee minutes with no changes noted. Motion carried 3-0. Discussion and Possible Action regarding Update on Verona Avenue and Main Street Intersection: Staff from AECOM went through the presentation of the stages and cost of the project study for the Intersection. No action was taken. Discussion and Possible Action regarding 2027 Budget Updates including Capital Request: Lamers stated that he sent the draft capital request ahead of the department budgets that way the Committee had a chance to review it prior to the operating budgets and the presentations from the Department Heads. Discussion and Possible Action regarding the payment of bills: Motion was made by Helmke, seconded by Harrison to approve the payment of bills totaling $452,044.34. Motion carried 3-0. Adjournment: Motion was made by Helmke, seconded by Harrison to adjourn the Finance Committee Meeting at 6:58 p.m. Motion carried 3-0. Respectfully submitted, Brian Lamers CPA Finance Director CITY OF VERONA 111 Lincoln Street Verona, WI 53590-1520 Ann Freiwald, Assistant City Administrator Phone: (608) 848-0919 Email: afreiwald@veronawi.gov MEMORANDUM To: Finance Committee From: Ann Freiwald, Assistant City Administrator Date: August 10, 2026 Re: Claims Against the City – Coleen Rupnow Members of the Finance Committee: • Discussion and Possible Action Re: Claim (Coleen Rupnow) o Potential motion: Move to deny claim from Coleen Rupnow. ▪ Coleen Rupnow submitted a claim for water damage to her home and associated damages in the amount of $1,000. The water damage occurred on or about June 27, 2026, at1248 Enterprise Drive. The claim was submitted on July 28, 2026. CVMIC, the City’s insurance carrier recommended denying the claim for two reasons: ▪ Under Wisconsin law, a municipality does not face liability unless there is a “known danger” that is compelling enough to warrant specific, non-discretionary action by the municipality. Lodl v. Progressive Northern Insurance Co., 2002 WI 71, 253 Wis. 2d 323, 646 N.W.2d 314. Wisconsin courts have developed a three-step test to determine whether the known and compelling danger exception applies in a given case: (1) whether something happened to create a compelling danger; (2) whether a government actor “[found] out about the danger, making it a known and compelling danger”; and (3) whether the government actor addressed the danger by taking one or more precautionary measures or instead “[did] nothing and let the danger continue.” Heuser v. Community Ins. Corp., 2009 WI App 151, ¶¶27-28, 321 Wis.2d 729, 774 N.W.2d 653 ▪ In this case, the water damage claim is being denied because the change in water pressure experienced at the property was within the normal and allowable operating range established by Wisconsin regulations. The home was originally located in the Central Pressure Zone, where water pressure was approximately 35 to 40 psi, and was subsequently moved to the Northern Pressure Zone, where water pressure averages approximately 80 psi. Wisconsin Administrative Code NR 810.13 and Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) standards require municipalities to maintain distribution system pressures between 35 psi and 100 psi during peak demand conditions. The pressure at this property remains well within those regulatory limits. In addition, the increased pressure provides benefits including improved water quality, more reliable system performance, and enhanced fire flow capabilities. Because the water pressure delivered to the property is operating within the range required and permitted by state regulations, the increase in pressure does not constitute negligence or a defect in the municipal water system and is not a basis for liability for the reported water damage. ▪ Based on the recommendation of the City’s insurance carrier, staff recommend denial of the claim. CITY OF VERONA 111 Lincoln Street Verona, WI 53590-1520 Ann Freiwald, Assistant City Administrator Phone: (608) 848-0919 Email: afreiwald@veronawi.gov MEMORANDUM To: Finance Committee From: Ann Freiwald, Assistant City Administrator Date: August 10, 2026 Re: Claims Against the City - Angie Simon Members of the Finance Committee: • Discussion and Possible Action Re: Claim (Angie Simon) o Potential motion: Move to deny claim from Angie Simon. ▪ Angie Simon submitted a claim for water damage to her home and associated damages in the amount of $2,843.23. The water damage occurred on or about June 27, 2026, at 430 Lucerne Drive. The claim was submitted on July 28, 2026. CVMIC, the City’s insurance carrier recommended denying the claim for two reasons: ▪ Under Wisconsin law, a municipality does not face liability unless there is a “known danger” that is compelling enough to warrant specific, non-discretionary action by the municipality. Lodl v. Progressive Northern Insurance Co., 2002 WI 71, 253 Wis. 2d 323, 646 N.W.2d 314. Wisconsin courts have developed a three-step test to determine whether the known and compelling danger exception applies in a given case: (1) whether something happened to create a compelling danger; (2) whether a government actor “[found] out about the danger, making it a known and compelling danger”; and (3) whether the government actor addressed the danger by taking one or more precautionary measures or instead “[did] nothing and let the danger continue.” Heuser v. Community Ins. Corp., 2009 WI App 151, ¶¶27-28, 321 Wis.2d 729, 774 N.W.2d 653 ▪ In this case, the water damage claim is being denied because the change in water pressure experienced at the property was within the normal and allowable operating range established by Wisconsin regulations. The home was originally located in the Central Pressure Zone, where water pressure was approximately 35 to 40 psi, and was subsequently moved to the Northern Pressure Zone, where water pressure averages approximately 80 psi. Wisconsin Administrative Code NR 810.13 and Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) standards require municipalities to maintain distribution system pressures between 35 psi and 100 psi during peak demand conditions. The pressure at this property remains well within those regulatory limits. In addition, the increased pressure provides benefits including improved water quality, more reliable system performance, and enhanced fire flow capabilities. Because the water pressure delivered to the property is operating within the range required and permitted by state regulations, the increase in pressure does not constitute negligence or a defect in the municipal water system and is not a basis for liability for the reported water damage. ▪ Based on the recommendation of the City’s insurance carrier, staff recommend denial of the claim.