Packet

Page 1 of 3 101 Alpine Parkway Oregon, WI 53575 | Phone: (608) 835 -3118 | Fax: (608) 835-6503 oregonwi.gov | Find us on Facebook! PUBLIC NOTICE Pursuant to Wis. Stat. § 19.84, notice is hereby given to the public by the Village President, that the following meeting will be held: Meeting: Date: Time: Village Board of Oregon Monday, October 5, 2026 5:00 PM Location: Village Hall 101 Alpine Parkway Oregon, Wisconsin 53575 Note: Any person who has a qualifying disability as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act that requires the meeting or materials at the meeting to be in an accessible location or format must contact the Village Clerk at (608) 835-3118, 101 Alpine Parkway, Oregon, Wisconsin, at least twenty -four (24) hours prior to the commencement of the meeting so that any necessary arrangements can be made to accommodate each request. MEETING INFORMATION The meeting agenda and support materials can be found online at www.oregonwi.gov/agendacenter. Members of the public may view the meeting in -person by entering the first set of main doors at Village Hall (101 Alpine Parkway, Oregon, Wisconsin, 53575) and proceed by stairs or elevator to the Village Board Room on the second floor This meeting may also be viewed LIVE or as a recording after the meeting has concluded on OCA Media’s YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/@OCAmedia. Disclaimer: this service is provided by OCA Media, a separate non-profit organization, the meeting will proceed regardless of any technical difficulties or other factors which may cause OCA Media’s meeting live stream or recording to be unavailable. PUBLIC COMMENT INFORMATION Members of the public may provide public comments either in person , virtually, or in writing under the Public Comments portion of the agenda or any other designated public comment period or hearing identified on the agenda . Please review the agenda for further information and instructions regarding these public comment periods. Individuals who wish to make their comments virtually must register in advance. Please go to www.oregonwi.gov/speak to register for virtual public comments. The registration deadline for virtual comments is 9:00 am on the day of the meeting. Registrants will receive instructions from the Village Clerk for jo ining the meeting virtually to make comments. Disclaimer: technical difficulties may disrupt or limit virtual public comments, if a connection cannot be made or is otherwise determined not to be feasible by the Village Board the agenda will proceed. Comments may also be submitted in writing to the Village Clerk by email ( clerk@oregonwi.gov), delivered to Village Hall with attention to the Village Clerk, or submitted online at www.oregonwi.gov/speak. All written comments must be received by 9:00 am on the day of the meeting. At the Village President’s discretion, written comments may not be read during the meeting. Village Board policies and procedures regarding public comments, public hearings, and meeting agendas can be found at www.oregonwi.gov/speak. If you have any questions or need assistance, please contact the Village Clerk’s office at (608) 835- 3118 or clerk@oregonwi.gov. AGENDA 1) Call to Order. 2) Roll Call. Page 2 of 3 3) Approval of September 21, 2026 , Village Board meeting minutes if correct, and correction of mistakes, if any (staff recommendation: motion to approve as presented). 4) Public Appearances, Comments, and Communications (items are for discussion and / or possible action). a) Presentation from Oregon Community Access (OCA) Media related to 2027 Village budget request. b) Public Comment. This part of the agenda allows members of the public to provide information to the Village Board, including items both on and off the agenda . Under the Open Meetings Law, this agenda item allows the Board to receive information, and to ask questions of a presenter to facilitate a better understanding of the information. Board members may discuss procedural matters relating to the information, such as whether the information should be directed to staff, referred to a committee, or placed on a future Boar d agenda. However, Board members may not expand their discussion beyond such procedural matters. Fifteen (15) minutes will be provided for this item with a three (3) minute maximum per speaker; otherwise, the agenda will proceed as posted. (This note may not be read at Board meetings.) 5) Approval of vouchers in the amount of $774,995.12 (staff recommendation: motion to approve as presented). 6) Consent Agenda (staff recommendation: motion to approve the consent agenda items as presented). a) Village President nomination of Chad Wachtl to fill a vacant term on the Ad Hoc Public Art Committee. b) Approval of TraCS-to-WiSTAR Data Sharing Agreement authorizing the Oregon Police Department to share designated records with the University of Wisconsin–Madison as part of the Wisconsin Safety and Transportation Analysis Resource (WiSTAR) project. c) Resolution No. 26-32 Approving Wage Adjustment for Village Custodian Humberto Arias. d) Resolution No. 26-33 Release of Surety for the Main Street Townhomes (239 North Main Street). e) Declare Public Works equipment identified in the October 5, 2026, memorandum (see meeting packet) as surplus and authorize its sale at auction, with proceeds deposited into Capital Fund 414. f) Amendment No. 4 to the engineering services contract with KL Engineering, Inc., for the Jefferson Street (CTH CC) and Alpine Parkway reconstruction project, authorizing an additional $20,440 for construction administration and project closeout services and increasing the maximum contract amount to $345,115. 7) Reports of Committees (items are for discussion and / or possible action). a) Public Works & Utilities Committee 1. Amendment to Task Order No. 2023-03 with Ruekert & Mielke, Inc. for additional engineering services for the East Lincoln Street Reconstruction project, increasing Page 3 of 3 the contract amount by $80,020.50 to a revised not-to-exceed total of $223,330.50 (Committee and staff recommendation: motion to approve as presented). 8) Unfinished Business – None. 9) New Business (items are for discussion and / or possible action). a) Presentation and review of the draft 2027 Village Budget. 10) Reports of Village Officers, Department Heads, and Consultants. Informational only. No action by the Village Board will be taken. See reports in meeting packet. a) Village Administrator Report. b) Southern Dane County Shared Fire Protection and Emergency Medical Services Feasibility Study and Implementation Plan Project Update, dated September 18, 2026, from McMahon Associates, Inc. c) Oregon Police Department 2025 Annual Report. 11) Announcements and Miscellaneous Business. a) Announcements, comments, communications, upcoming meetings and events, and miscellaneous business. Village Board members may provide brief statements, but no discussion or action of the body shall occur. b) Future Agenda Items. This item gives Village Board members the opportunity to place a topic on a future agenda for discussion and / or potential action. The Board may, if desired, conduct a vote on proposed topics to determine whether a majority of members agrees the topic should be placed on a future agenda. Discussion and actions shall be limited to procedural future agenda setting matters. 12) Discussion and possible action regarding the negotiation of the School Resource Officer (SRO) Program Agreement with the Oregon School District. The Village Board may convene in Closed Session pursuant to Wis. Stats. § 19.85(1)(e) deliberating or negotiating the purchasing of public properties, the investing of public funds, or conducting other specified public business, whenever competitive or bargaining reasons require a closed session, for the purpose of deliberating and developing negotiations strategy for the School Resource Officer (SRO) Program Agreement with the Oregon School District. The Village Board may reconvene in open session for the purpose of taking action on any matter discussed in closed session, as necessary or appropriate. 13) Adjournment. Page 1 of 3 101 Alpine Parkway Oregon, WI 53575 | Phone: (608) 835 -3118 | Fax: (608) 835-6503 oregonwi.gov | Find us on Facebook! PUBLIC NOTICE Pursuant to Wis. Stat. § 19.84, notice is hereby given to the public by the Village President, that the following meeting will be held: Meeting: Date: Time: Village Board of Oregon Monday, October 5, 2026 5:00 PM Location: Village Hall 101 Alpine Parkway Oregon, Wisconsin 53575 Note: Any person who has a qualifying disability as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act that requires the meeting or materials at the meeting to be in an accessible location or format must contact the Village Clerk at (608) 835-3118, 101 Alpine Parkway, Oregon, Wisconsin, at least twenty -four (24) hours prior to the commencement of the meeting so that any necessary arrangements can be made to accommodate each request. MEETING INFORMATION The meeting agenda and support materials can be found online at www.oregonwi.gov/agendacenter. Members of the public may view the meeting in -person by entering the first set of main doors at Village Hall (101 Alpine Parkway, Oregon, Wisconsin, 53575) and proceed by stairs or elevator to the Village Board Room on the second floor This meeting may also be viewed LIVE or as a recording after the meeting has concluded on OCA Media’s YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/@OCAmedia. Disclaimer: this service is provided by OCA Media, a separate non-profit organization, the meeting will proceed regardless of any technical difficulties or other factors which may cause OCA Media’s meeting live stream or recording to be unavailable. PUBLIC COMMENT INFORMATION Members of the public may provide public comments either in person , virtually, or in writing under the Public Comments portion of the agenda or any other designated public comment period or hearing identified on the agenda . Please review the agenda for further information and instructions regarding these public comment periods. Individuals who wish to make their comments virtually must register in advance. Please go to www.oregonwi.gov/speak to register for virtual public comments. The registration deadline for virtual comments is 9:00 am on the day of the meeting. Registrants will receive instructions from the Village Clerk for jo ining the meeting virtually to make comments. Disclaimer: technical difficulties may disrupt or limit virtual public comments, if a connection cannot be made or is otherwise determined not to be feasible by the Village Board the agenda will proceed. Comments may also be submitted in writing to the Village Clerk by email ( clerk@oregonwi.gov), delivered to Village Hall with attention to the Village Clerk, or submitted online at www.oregonwi.gov/speak. All written comments must be received by 9:00 am on the day of the meeting.At the Village President’s discretion,written comments may not be read during the meeting. Village Board policies and procedures regarding public comments, public hearings, and meeting agendas can be found at www.oregonwi.gov/speak. If you have any questions or need assistance, please contact the Village Clerk’s office at (608) 835- 3118 or clerk@oregonwi.gov. AGENDA 1) Call to Order. 2) Roll Call. Page 2 of 3 3) Approval of September 21, 2026 , Village Board meeting minutes if correct, and correction of mistakes, if any (staff recommendation: motion to approve as presented). 4) Public Appearances, Comments, and Communications (items are for discussion and / or possible action). a) Presentation from Oregon Community Access (OCA) Media related to 2027 Village budget request. b) Public Comment. This part of the agenda allows members of the public to provide information to the Village Board, including items both on and off the agenda . Under the Open Meetings Law, this agenda item allows the Board to receive information, and to ask questions ofa presenter to facilitate a better understanding of the information. Board members may discuss procedural matters relating to the information, such as whether the information should be directed to staff, referred to a committee, or placed on a future Boar d agenda. However, Board members may not expand their discussion beyond such procedural matters. Fifteen (15) minutes will be provided for this item with a three (3) minute maximum per speaker; otherwise, the agenda will proceed as posted. (This note may not be read at Board meetings.) 5) Approval of vouchers in the amount of $774,995.12 (staff recommendation: motion to approve as presented). 6) Consent Agenda (staff recommendation: motion to approve the consent agenda items as presented). a) Village President nomination of Chad Wachtl to fill a vacant term on the Ad Hoc Public Art Committee. b) Approval of TraCS-to-WiSTAR Data Sharing Agreement authorizing the Oregon Police Department to share designated records with the University of Wisconsin–Madison as part of the Wisconsin Safety and Transportation Analysis Resource (WiSTAR) project. c) Resolution No. 26-32 Approving Wage Adjustment for Village Custodian Humberto Arias. d) Resolution No. 26-33 Release of Surety for the Main Street Townhomes (239 North Main Street). e) Declare Public Works equipment identified in the October 5, 2026, memorandum (see meeting packet) as surplus and authorize its sale at auction, with proceeds deposited into Capital Fund 414. f) Amendment No. 4 to the engineering services contract with KL Engineering, Inc., for the Jefferson Street (CTH CC) and Alpine Parkway reconstruction project, authorizing an additional $20,440 for construction administration and project closeout services and increasing the maximum contract amount to $345,115. 7) Reports of Committees (items are for discussion and / or possible action). a) Public Works & Utilities Committee 1. Amendment to Task Order No. 2023-03 with Ruekert & Mielke, Inc. for additional engineering services for the East Lincoln Street Reconstruction project, increasing Page 3 of 3 the contract amount by $80,020.50 to a revised not-to-exceed total of $223,330.50 (Committee and staff recommendation: motion to approve as presented). 8) Unfinished Business – None. 9) New Business (items are for discussion and / or possible action). a) Presentation and review of the draft 2027 Village Budget. 10) Reports of Village Officers, Department Heads, and Consultants.Informational only. No action by the Village Board will be taken. See reports in meeting packet. a) Village Administrator Report. b) Southern Dane County Shared Fire Protection and Emergency Medical Services Feasibility Study and Implementation Plan Project Update, dated September 18, 2026, from McMahon Associates, Inc. c) Oregon Police Department 2025 Annual Report. 11) Announcements and Miscellaneous Business. a) Announcements, comments, communications, upcoming meetings and events, and miscellaneous business. Village Board members may provide brief statements, but no discussion or action of the body shall occur. b) Future Agenda Items. This item gives Village Board members the opportunity to place a topic on a future agenda for discussion and / or potential action. The Board may, if desired, conduct a vote on proposed topics to determine whether a majority of members agrees the topic should be placed on a future agenda. Discussion and actions shall be limited to procedural future agenda setting matters. 12) Discussion and possible action regarding the negotiation of the School Resource Officer (SRO) Program Agreement with the Oregon School District. The Village Board may convene in Closed Session pursuant to Wis. Stats. § 19.85(1)(e) deliberating or negotiating the purchasing of public properties, the investing of public funds, or conducting other specified public business, whenever competitive or bargaining reasons require a closed session, for the purpose of deliberating and developing negotiations strategy for the School Resource Officer (SRO) Program Agreement with the Oregon School District. The Village Board may reconvene in open session for the purpose of taking action on any matter discussed in closed session, as necessary or appropriate. 13) Adjournment. Page 1 of 4 101 Alpine Parkway Oregon, WI 53575 | Phone: (608) 835 -3118 | Fax: (608) 835-6503 oregonwi.gov | Find us on Facebook! PUBLIC NOTICE Pursuant to Wis. Stat. § 19.84, notice is hereby given to the public by the Village President, that the following meeting will be held: Meeting: Date: Time: Village Board of Oregon Monday, September 21, 2026 5:00 PM Location: Village Hall 101 Alpine Parkway Oregon, Wisconsin 53575 Note: Any person who has a qualifying disability as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act that requires the meeting or materials at the meeting to be in an accessible location or format must contact the Village Clerk at (608) 835-3118, 101 Alpine Parkway, Oregon, Wisconsin, at least twenty -four (24) hours prior to the commencement of the meeting so that any necessary arrangements can be made to accommodate each request. MEETING MINUTES 1) Call to Order. Village President Phil Van Kampen called the Village Board meeting to order at 5:00 p.m. on Monday, September 21, 2026. 2) Roll Call. Present: Tim Higgins, Tom Kirchdoerfer, Paige Knipfer, Matt Leas, Rick Marx, Lynn McDaniel, and Phil Van Kampen Also Present: Village Administrator Martin Shanks, Village Attorney Larry Konpacki, Chief of Police Jennifer Pagenkopf, Community Development Director Elise Cruz, Public Works Director Lauren Striegl, Village Engineer Rich Koceja, Senior Services Director Tricia Nicoll, Library Director Jennifer Endres Way, Village Clerk Candie Jones, andseveral members of the public 3) Approval of September 8 , 2026 , Village Board meeting minutes if correct, and correction of mistakes, if any (staff recommendation: motion to approve as presented). Marx moved, seconded by Leas to approve the 09-08-2026 Village Board meeting minutes with correcting the word “on” to “in” in the motion for item 8 (b). Motion carried 7-0. 4) Public Appearances, Comments, and Communications (items are for discussion and / or possible action). a) Presentation from Village Municipal Financial Advisor, Ehlers, regarding the 2026 Village Financial Management Plan Update, including governmental funds and water & sewer long range cash flow analyses. Brian Roemer, Ehlers (Village’s Financial Consultant), was in attendance and gave a detailed presentation of theVillage’s Financial Management Plan (FMP). The presentation has been included in the packet of information. The FMP provides a ten-year outlook of the Village’s operating funds, capital improvement needs, debt obligations, tax levy, Tax Increment Finance (TIF) Districts, and utility finances and is updated annually in accordance with the Village’s Long -Term Financial Planning Policy. It was noted that the FMP incorporates assumptions developed through the Capital Page 2 of 4 Improvement Plan (CIP) and debt -planning processes and allows the Village Board to evaluate the long -term financial impacts of capital projects, operating priorities, and funding strategies before beginning the annual budget process.The plan supports informed decision-making, financial sustainability, transparency, and continuity in long -range planning as part of the development of the 2027 budget. b) Public Comment. This part of the agenda allows members of the public to provide information to the Village Board, including items both on and off the agenda. Under the Open Meetings Law, this agenda item allows the Board to receive information, and to ask questions of a presenter to facilitate a better understanding of the information. Board members may discuss procedural matters relating to the information, such as whether the information should be directed to staff, referred to a committee, or placed on a future Board ag enda. However, Board members may not expand their discussion beyond such procedural matters. Fifteen (15) minutes will be provided for this item with a three (3) minute maximum per speaker; otherwise, the agenda will proceed as posted. (This note may not be read at Board meetings.) Paul Larson, 1920 Barber Drive, Stoughton WI appeared for this item. He thanked the Village Board for listening to the concerns raised by neighboring residents regarding the proposed development and changes to Foxboro Golf Course during its September 8, 2026 meeting. He further encouraged the Board to consider amending the Master Plan to prohibit future development within this area in order to preserve Foxboro Golf Course as an 18-hole course for the long term. 5) Approval of vouchers in the amount of $2,638,173.92 (staff recommendation: motion to approve as presented). Knipfer moved, seconded by Kirchdoerfer to approve the vouchers dated 09-21-2026 in the amount of $2,638,173.92. Roll call vote: Higgins– yes; Kirchdoerfer – yes; Knipfer – yes; McDaniel – yes; Van Kampen – yes; Marx – yes; Leas – yes. Motion carried 7-0. 6) Consent Agenda(staff recommendation: motion to approve the consent agenda items as presented). a) Village President nomination of Village Trustee Matt Leas to serve an unexpired term ending April 2027 on the Oregon Area Fire-EMS District Commission. b) Resolution No. 26-28 Acceptance of Public Improvements for Plat of Greenview Preserve Phases 2, 3 and 4. Higgins moved, seconded by Knipfer to approve consent agenda items 6 (a) - 6 (b). Motion carried 7-0. 7) Reports of Committees (items are for discussion and / or possible action). a) Plan Commission. 1. Resolution No. 26 -29 Approving an Extraterritorial Certified Survey Map for Property located at 5794 Lincoln Road in the Town of Oregon (Plan Commission and staff recommendation: motion to approve as presented). Kirchdoerfer moved, seconded by Knipfer to approve Resolution No. 26 -29 Approving an Extraterritorial Certified Survey Map for Property located at 5794 Lincoln Road in the Town of Oregon. Motion carried 7-0. 2. Resolution No. 26-30 Approving a Transportation Project Plat for the Section of Wolfe Street / County Trunk Highway (CTH) MM between Janesville Street and Page 3 of 4 Pleasant Oak Drive (Plan Commission and Staff Recommendation: motion to approve as presented). Higgins moved, seconded by Leas to approve Resolution No. 26-30 Approving a Transportation Project Plat for the Section of Wolfe Street / County Trunk Highway (CTH) MM between Janesville Street and Pleasant Oak Drive . Motion carried 7-0. 8) Unfinished Business (items are for discussion and / or possible action). a) Review bids received for the supply and installation of furniture for the Oregon Senior and Community Center project and consider selection of Atmosphere Interiors (staff recommendation: motion to select Atmosphere Interiors and authorize Village and project staff to finalize specifications, pricing, and purchasing documents in an amount not to exceed the approved $300,000 furniture budget). Kirchdoerfer moved, seconded by Higgins moved to select Atmosphere Interiors and authorize Village and project staff to finalize specifications, pricing, and purchasing documents in an amount not to exceed the approved $300,000 furniture budget for the Oregon Senior and Community Center. Motion carried 7-0. b) Agreement for Sanitary Sewer Service between the Village of Oregon, the City of Fitchburg, and the State of Wisconsin Department of Corrections (DOC) related to DOC facilities located within the City of Fitchburg(staff recommendation: motion to approve as presented). Marx moved, seconded by Higgins to approve the Agreement for Sanitary Sewer Service between the Village of Oregon, the City of Fitchburg, and the State of Wisconsin Department of Corrections (DOC) related to DOC facilities located within the City of Fitchburg. Motion carried 7-0. c) Resolution No. 26 -31 Adoption of the 2027 - 2036 Capital Improvement Plan and 2026 Financial Management Plan Update (staff recommendation: motion to approve as presented). Kirchdoerfer moved, seconded by Higgins to approve Resolution No. 26-31 Adoption of the 2027 - 2036 Capital Improvement Plan and 2026 Financial Management Plan Update. Motion carried 7-0. 9) New Business (items are for discussion and / or possible action). a) Preliminary 2027 annual budget information. Shanks referenced his informational memorandum provided in the packet as the Village Board gets ready for the upcoming budget meetings that start at the October 5, 2026 meeting. b) Resolution No. 26 -27 Recognizing October 1 -8, 2026, as Week Without Driving (staff recommendation: motion to approve as presented). Higgins moved, seconded by McDaniel to approve Resolution No. 26-27 Recognizing October 1-8, 2026, as Week Without Driving. Motion carried7-0. c) Proposal for Village Outreach Program to host a Trunk or Treat event at Village Hall on Saturday, October 31, 2026, from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Leas moved, seconded by Kirchdoerfer to approve the proposal for Village Outreach Program to host a Trunk or Treat event at Village Hall on Saturday, October 31, 2026, from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Motion carried 7-0. Page 4 of 4 10) Reports of Village Officers, Department Heads, and Consultants.Informational only. No action by the Village Board will be taken. See reports in meeting packet. a) Village Administrator Report. b) Southern Dane County Shared Fire Protection and Emergency Medical Services Feasibility Study and Implementation Plan Project Update, dated September 4, 2026, from McMahon Associates, Inc. c) Oregon Police Department September 14, 2026, Media Release regarding disturbance arrest. 11) Announcements and Miscellaneous Business. a) Announcements, comments, communications, upcoming meetings and events, and miscellaneous business. Village Board members may provide brief statements, but no discussion or action of the body shall occur. 1. Oregon Area Senior Center Closed to Public Friday, October 30th from 1:00 pm through end of day for Staff In-Service. b) Future Agenda Items. This item gives Village Board members the opportunity to place a topic on a future agenda for discussion and / or potential action. The Board may, if desired, conduct a vote on proposed topics to determine whether a majority of members agrees the topic should be placed on a future agenda. Discussion and actions shall be limited to procedural future agenda setting matters. There were no future agenda items. 12) Adjournment. The Village Board meeting was adjourned at6:17 p.m. on Monday, September 21, 2026. Submitted by, Candie Jones Village Clerk VILLAGE OF OREGON BOARD · OCTOBER 5, 2026 2027 FUNDING REQUEST Keeping Oregon's trusted source for local government, community information, and storytelling on the air. Presented by OCA Media · Paul Zwicker, Executive Director PROVEN STRENGTH A decade of growth and a record audience 8.6× more annual video views than in 2016 5× more live streams since 2016 4,661+ YouTube subscribers, up 800+ in 2025 600 in 2026 90,293 Facebook views in September 2026 371 videos produced in 2025: 201 community, 170 school. OCA Media · 2027 Funding Request · 2 A YEAR OF COVERAGE 371 videos in 2025, every month of the year Community (201) School (170) 34 Jan 29 Feb 31 Mar 37 Apr 40 May 36 Jun 28 Jul 23 Aug 25 Sep 40 Oct 23 Nov 25 Dec FEB Spring Referendum series JUN OHS Graduation JUL SummerFest Parade OCT Homecoming OCA Media · 2027 Funding Request · 3 WHAT THE VILLAGE RECEIVES Transparency, reach and a strong return ~75 Board and committee meetings a year Streamed and broadcast. 42,000 views in 2025. 25+ Community and cultural events Broadcast and archived. 32,100 views in 2025. 50K+ Monthly Facebook reach at peak Used to promote Village news, announcements and notices. $25,000+ a year in-kind from the Oregon School District (office space at OHS) $30,000+ in private donations and underwriting raised in 2026 OCA Media · 2027 Funding Request · 4 THE RISK Revenue is falling and equipment is aging $96K → $85K Cable franchise fees are declining, from $96,447 in 2025 to an estimated $85,000 in 2026–27. $15,000 The broadcast server is 5 years past end-of-life with no vendor support. OCA has no reserves to replace it, so a cable channel blackout is likely. $5,000+ Current video cameras are 8 years old. In 2026, OCA Media used scheduled funds to purchase two new cameras. A third camera will require fundraising. Our editing systems will also need to be upgraded in the coming years. OCA Media · 2027 Funding Request · 5 OCA is Already Cutting Costs 2027 Staff Restructuring OCA Media · 2027 Funding Request · 6 Prior Staff 2027 & Beyond Four Positions – All Part-Time Executive Director, Programming Manager, Social Media Manager & Production Assistant Three Positions – Full-Time Executive Director Executive Director, Content Manager & Social Media Manager 1,040 fewer staff hours a year after restructuring THE FUNDING PICTURE Asking for less, raising more on our own Village contribution 2026 $129,561 2027 request $100,000 Cable franchise fees 2025 $96,447 2026–27 est. ~$85,000 Private support and underwriting 2026 $30,000+ The request is down 23%, while OCA builds donations and local business underwriting to offset falling fees. OCA Media · 2027 Funding Request · 7 OUR REQUEST $100,000 for 2027, down 23% from $129,561 in 2026 More Video Recaps of Board meetings for transparency More local features as print news declines Matching grants from state and federal sources More Learning Opportunities for OHS Staff & Students OCA Media · 2027 Funding Request · 8 THANK YOU Help keep OCA Media Oregon's preferred source for reliable local information. Questions? Paul Zwicker · Executive Director, OCA Media Oregon Community Access, Inc (OCA Media) 2027 Funding Request & Performance Report Presented to the Village Board of Oregon - October 5, 2026 Submitted by: Paul Zwicker, Executive Director Executive Summary & Value Proposition In 2025, OCA Media demonstrated strong operational stability, record digital reach, and consistent civic coverage. As we look ahead to 2027 funding, sustained investment from the Village Board will help ensure OCA remains the primary, trusted source for local transparency, news, civic engagement, and sports. With traditional local news outlets declining, OCA Media bridges the gap by delivering live municipal coverage, short-form government meeting recaps, high school athletics, and local cultural programming directly to Oregon residents. Key 2025 Performance Highlights ● Digital Growth & Reach: ○ YouTube Subscriber Base: Grew by 800+ subscribers to ~4,661 total followers. ○ Viewership: 110,000+ views across video programming. ○ Social Media Impact: Monthly Facebook reach peaked at 50,000+ people/month. ● Financial Sustainability & Grants: ○ Sponsorship Revenues: Secured $21,000+ in sponsorships. ○ Grant Funding: Received a Dane Arts Grant for core media equipment. ● Equipment & Infrastructure Upgrades: ○ Cable broadcasting equipment: ■ 5 years past end date ■ Currently operating without support. ■ May fail at any time ■ Replacement cost - $15,000 ○ Support equipment: ■ Replacing video cameras as budget allows ■ Replacing editing computers on timely basis -2- Strategic Roadmap & Justification for 2027 Village Funding To maintain high service quality and adapt to changing media consumption habits, 2027 Village funding will support the following key strategic initiatives: 1. Short-Form Civic Summaries: ○ Implementing vertical, short-form video recaps of Board meetings to increase public access and engagement across mobile platforms and social media. 2. Addressing Local "News Deserts": ○ Expanding active local journalism and feature coverage (Oregon Life, Let's Talk Oregon) as regional print newspapers decline. 3. Grant Matching & Capital Upgrades: ○ Leveraging local municipal support to secure matching state and federal grants (e.g., Wisconsin Nonprofit Access Grant) for streaming equipment and remote broadcast hardware. 4. Youth & Student Development: ○ Hiring, training, and mentoring local high school students in broadcast production, live streaming, and sports commentary. Closing Remarks — Paul Zwicker, Executive Director, OCA Media Before I close, I'd like to take a moment to say something a little more personal. This is the last time I'll stand before this board to present a budget request. In December, I'll be retiring. For ten years, I've had the privilege of leading OCA Media, and I'm proud of what we've built together. We've worked to shine more light on the issues that matter to our village, so residents can see how decisions get made, hear directly from the people making them, and feel part of their own community. I believe that has made our village stronger. I'm especially proud of our young team members. Our paid, hands-on program has given high school students a place to learn, make mistakes, and discover what they're capable of. Many came in never having held a professional camera and left with real skills, real confidence, and sometimes a career path. Watching them grow has been one of my great joys.. None of this happens alone. This board has stood behind OCA year after year, and I'm deeply grateful. I want to especially thank you, our elected officials and the OCA Media board of directors for believing in this work and in the people who do it. OCA is a little unusual: we're an independent nonprofit, a community effort supported by this village and by the neighbors, organizations and employers who give to it. I hope the leaders who come after you will keep that partnership strong and keep OCA a priority, because what happens here belongs to everyone. And I leave knowing OCA is in great hands. Josiah Wampfler brings energy, heart, and a real commitment to this community. I couldn't be more confident in where he'll take it. So I'm not saying goodbye with worry. I'm saying it with gratitude, and with a great deal of hope for what comes next. Thank you. It's been the honor of my career. To make it more personal, you could add a single favorite memory, such as one student's story or a meeting that brought the community together, just before the thank- yous. This is the last time I will be presenting a budget request to the Village Board. I am retiring in December. Looking back at my 10 years as director of OCA Media, I am proud of the progress this organization has made. The Village Board of Trustees have supported OCA over those years, passing on much of the cable franchise fees which allow us to operate. My hope is that in the coming years, the elected officials of this Village will make funding OCA Media a priority. Many other PEG stations aoperate ase a department within their municipalities. OCA is unique in that we are a non profit organization which is able to attract donations and underwriting. OCA MEDIA — YOUR COMMUNITY IS WATCHING Facebook analytics - 90,293 VIEWS IN JUST 28 DAYS! From August 17 – September 13, OCA Media reached thousands of people across our community with local stories, events, government, schools, sports, and the people who make Oregon special. THE NUMBERS TELL THE STORY 90,293 Total Views +300% Messaging Conversations Started 28 DAYS Of Consistent Community Engage ment MORE THAN NUMBERS — WE’RE BUILDING CONNECTIONS Our audience isn’t simply watching— they’re engaging. People are reaching out, starting conversations, sharing our content, and turning to OCA Media as a trusted source for what’s happening in their community. AND WE’RE JUST GETTING STARTED Every view represents a person. Every conversation represents a connection. Every story gives our community a voice. OCA Media is putting Oregon stories in front of the people who matter most — our neighbors, families, businesses, schools, nonprofits, and community organizations. OCA MEDIA Local. Connected. Community. 90,293 views. Thousands of connections. One community. This is what happens when we tell the stories that matter. Oregon Community Access (OCA) Media 2027 Funding Proposal to the Village of Oregon 2027 Budget 2026 Projected 2026 Budget 2025 Budget 2024 Budget 2023 Budget Ordinary Income/Expense Income Donations 6,000.00$ 6,450.29$ 2,000.00$ 3,000.00$ 3,000.00$ 1,000.00$ Interest 20.00$ 34.32$ 15.00$ 15.00$ 10.00$ 10.00$ Sales - DVD/YouTube 985.76$ 985.76$ 450.00$ 500.00$ 400.00$ -$ Town of Oregon 4,000.00$ 4,000.00$ 4,000.00$ 4,000.00$ 4,000.00$ 2,000.00$ Underwriting 22,000.00$ 22,540.00$ 15,000.00$ 15,000.00$ 14,000.00$ 14,000.00$ Video Production 5,500.00$ 6,175.00$ 4,500.00$ 8,000.00$ 8,000.00$ 9,000.00$ (3) Village of Oregon 100,000.00$ 129,561.88$ 129,561.88$ 133,568.95$ 129,678.60$ 125,901.55$ Total Income 138,505.76$ 169,747.25$ 155,526.88$ 164,083.95$ 159,088.60$ 151,911.55$ Expense Accounting Services 300.00$ 300.00$ 300.00$ 300.00$ 300.00$ 300.00$ Advertising and Promotion 500.00$ 500.00$ 500.00$ 500.00$ 500.00$ 400.00$ Equip Cables & Misc Devices 250.00$ 500.00$ 500.00$ 1,000.00$ 1,000.00$ -$ Equipment - Computer 250.00$ 500.00$ 500.00$ 1,200.00$ 1,200.00$ 1,000.00$ Equipment - Office 250.00$ 500.00$ 500.00$ 500.00$ 500.00$ 500.00$ Equipment - Video 1,000.00$ 11,988.17$ 2,500.00$ 2,500.00$ 2,000.00$ Equipment, Repair 250.00$ 500.00$ 500.00$ 500.00$ 500.00$ 500.00$ Federal Tax Payable 300.00$ 300.00$ 300.00$ 300.00$ High School Staff Recognition 750.00$ 750.00$ 750.00$ Insurance - General 3,600.00$ 3,568.50$ 3,500.00$ 3,500.00$ 3,300.00$ 3,300.00$ Internet-Phone-TV Office 1,500.00$ 1,276.16$ 2,500.00$ 2,500.00$ 2,000.00$ 2,500.00$ Live Data Transmission 500.00$ 500.00$ 500.00$ 1,500.00$ (2) PAYCHEX 2,931.00$ 3,086.68$ 3,100.00$ 2,200.00$ 2,000.00$ 2,000.00$ (1) Payroll 125,009.69$ 131,649.50$ 139,000.00$ 144,200.00$ 140,000.00$ 134,285.00$ Health Benefits 6,375.00$ Postage Seminars and Meetings 500.00$ 500.00$ 500.00$ 1,000.00$ 1,000.00$ 500.00$ Shipping (shipping we pay) 100.00$ 100.00$ 100.00$ 100.00$ Social Media Software & Computer Programs 315.00$ 1,080.00$ 300.00$ 1,500.00$ 1,500.00$ 1,000.00$ Subscriptions 500.00$ 350.00$ 1,000.00$ 800.00$ 800.00$ 800.00$ Supplies 50.00$ 50.00$ 400.00$ 400.00$ 400.00$ 400.00$ Tax - FED Form 990-T & 4T 100.00$ 108.76$ 700.00$ 400.00$ 400.00$ 400.00$ Tax - WI Sales Tax 100.00$ 100.00$ 25.00$ 100.00$ 100.00$ 100.00$ WI Sellers Permit Registration 10.00$ 10.00$ 10.00$ 10.00$ 10.00$ 10.00$ Miscellaneous 590.63$ Total Expense 144,540.69$ 157,908.40$ 155,485.00$ 164,010.00$ 158,910.00$ 151,895.00$ Net Ordinary Income (6,034.93)$ 11,838.85$ 41.88$ 73.95$ 178.60$ 16.55$ (1) Reduction based on reduced staff (2) Reduciton based on reduced payroll (3) Reduced to match projected Village revenue from Franchise Fees ITEM 5 VOUCHER LIST FOR OCTOBER 5, 2026 GENERAL OPERATING FUND INVOICES Bills previously paid $48,794.39 Vouchers to Village Board 10/05/2026 $304,779.99 TOTAL GENERAL OPERATING FUND INVOICES$353,574.38 ` PAID BY ELECTRONIC FUNDS IN AUG & SEPT 2026 HEALTH INSURANCE $128,799.04 EBC FLEX $1,519.58 DEFERRED COMP $2,665.00 PSN INVOICE $51.95 EBC MEDICAL EXCESS INVOICE PAYMENT TECH INVOICE $50.56 TAX SETTLEMENT PAYMENT CWF/SDW DEBT SERVICE PAYMENT PAYING AGENT FEE EBC ADMIN FEES $100.00 WATER/SEWER BILLS $4,593.88 RETIREMENT $72,459.88 CREDIT CARDS (SEE DETAIL) CREDIT CARDS MACHINE PURCHASE TID FEES PAYROLL $149,192.23 PAYROLL TAXES $61,988.62 EBC RENEWAL FEES TOTAL PAID BY ELECTRONIC FUNDS $421,420.74 TOTAL FOR APPROVAL $774,995.12 G: Admin, Acct, Vouchers, Voucher VILLAGE OF OREGON Payment Approval Report Page: 1 Report dates: 9/17/2026-9/30/2026 Sep 30, 2026 12:29PM Report Criteria: Detail report. Invoices with totals above $0 included. Paid and unpaid invoices included. Vendor.Vendor Number = {<>} 13148 Vendor Vendor Name Invoice No Description Inv Date GL Account Number Net Inv Amt Amount Paid Date Paid Voided 1532 CITY OF MADISON 78553 PD INSTALLED ROOF ANTENNA 08/25/2026 100-52100-241 219.24 .00 Total 1532: 219.24 .00 1680 COMPUTER MAGIC INC. 14071 VH/PD/LIBRARY FIREWALL & SWITCH 09/18/2026 414-57140-830 7,533.75 .00 Total 1680: 7,533.75 .00 2192 DELTA DENTAL OF WISCONSIN PR0912261 DENTAL INSURANCE DELTA DENTAL 09/17/2026 100-21535 3,134.84 3,134.84 09/22/2026 Total 2192: 3,134.84 3,134.84 2775 FIRST SUPPLY 15310497-01 WATER MAIN FITTINGS 09/17/2026 601-66730-350 1,010.00 .00 Total 2775: 1,010.00 .00 3210 GORDON FLESCH CO. INC. I608212 WATER COPIER 09/15/2026 601-69300-340 93.64 .00 3210 GORDON FLESCH CO. INC. I608212 PW COPIER 09/15/2026 100-53270-290 93.63 .00 3210 GORDON FLESCH CO. INC. IN15766874 COPIES OVER BASE AMOUNT 09/25/2026 100-13100 4.41 .00 Total 3210: 191.68 .00 4746 LAKESIDE INTERNATIONAL LLC 8339946P FIRE DEPT AMBULANCE 09/14/2026 100-13100 12.57 .00 Total 4746: 12.57 .00 5765 MINNESOTA LIFE INSURANCE 09162026 LIFE INS- SEP 2026 09/16/2026 100-21531 1,768.70 1,768.70 09/22/2026 5765 MINNESOTA LIFE INSURANCE 09162026 LIFE INS- SEPT 2026 09/16/2026 100-21531 124.95 124.95 09/22/2026 Total 5765: 1,893.65 1,893.65 5886 MSA PROFESSIONAL SERVICE 032078 BIKE PED STUDY 08/20/2026 416-57337-850 3,564.76 .00 5886 MSA PROFESSIONAL SERVICE 033297 BIKE/PED PLAN 09/21/2026 416-57337-850 10,278.45 .00 VILLAGE OF OREGON Payment Approval Report Page: 2 Report dates: 9/17/2026-9/30/2026 Sep 30, 2026 12:29PM Vendor Vendor Name Invoice No Description Inv Date GL Account Number Net Inv Amt Amount Paid Date Paid Voided Total 5886: 13,843.21 .00 6145 NORTH SHORE BANK FSB PR0912261 DEFERRED COMP NORTH SHORE D 09/17/2026 100-21595 130.00 130.00 09/22/2026 Total 6145: 130.00 130.00 6410 OREGON WATER & SEWER 1012026 40989004 10/01/2026 100-51510-340 .61 .00 6410 OREGON WATER & SEWER 1012026 60338005 10/01/2026 100-51510-340 .81 .00 6410 OREGON WATER & SEWER 1012026 80214502 10/01/2026 100-51510-340 .92 .00 6410 OREGON WATER & SEWER 1012026 81066000 10/01/2026 100-51510-340 .14 .00 Total 6410: 2.48 .00 6772 POMP'S TIRE SERVICE INC. 80362547 LEAVES/BRUSH LEAF VAC FRONT TI 09/30/2026 100-53635-361 1,359.24 .00 Total 6772: 1,359.24 .00 6910 PUBLIC SERVICE COMM OF WI 2603-I-04440 WATER RATE CASE REVIEW 04/20/2026 601-69280-340 230.26 .00 6910 PUBLIC SERVICE COMM OF WI 2606-I-04440 CONSTRUCTION AUTHORIZATION WE 07/17/2026 601-69280-340 1,954.80 .00 6910 PUBLIC SERVICE COMM OF WI 2606-I-04440 JCF CONSTRUCTION AUTHORIZATIO 07/17/2026 100-13100 668.95 .00 6910 PUBLIC SERVICE COMM OF WI 2607-I-04440 JCF CONSTRUCTION AUTHORIZATIO 08/19/2026 100-13100 246.51 .00 Total 6910: 3,100.52 .00 6927 QUICK N' CLEAN CARWASHES 092826 PD CAR WASH CARD 09/28/2026 100-52100-240 200.00 .00 Total 6927: 200.00 .00 6930 JACOBUS ENERGY MOBILE FU 3415921 DIESEL FUEL 09/18/2026 100-16112 3,353.24 .00 6930 JACOBUS ENERGY MOBILE FU 3415921 UNLEADED GAS 09/18/2026 100-16111 2,430.40 .00 Total 6930: 5,783.64 .00 7250 STAFFORD ROSENBAUM 216419 GENERAL CORPORATE 09/17/2026 100-51300-215 4,799.00 .00 7250 STAFFORD ROSENBAUM 216419 FDG - HIGHLANDS OF NETHERWOOD 09/17/2026 100-13100 132.00 .00 7250 STAFFORD ROSENBAUM 216419 LIBRARY SOLAR PROJECT 09/17/2026 202-55110-215 645.00 .00 7250 STAFFORD ROSENBAUM 216419 NEW SENIOR CENTER PROJECT 09/17/2026 433-57630-820 100.00 .00 7250 STAFFORD ROSENBAUM 216419 LIBERTY PARK/ALL STAR/LADOPOLO 09/17/2026 100-13100 165.00 .00 7250 STAFFORD ROSENBAUM 216419 VERIDIAN - FEATHERWOOD TRAILS 09/17/2026 100-13100 429.00 .00 7250 STAFFORD ROSENBAUM 216419 WOLFE STREET PROJECT 09/17/2026 405-53110-213 250.00 .00 VILLAGE OF OREGON Payment Approval Report Page: 3 Report dates: 9/17/2026-9/30/2026 Sep 30, 2026 12:29PM Vendor Vendor Name Invoice No Description Inv Date GL Account Number Net Inv Amt Amount Paid Date Paid Voided Total 7250: 6,520.00 .00 8845 VANDEWALLE & ASSOCIATES I 202609013 COMP PLAN GIS DATA TO MSA 09/16/2026 100-56300-214 93.75 .00 8845 VANDEWALLE & ASSOCIATES I 202609013 FEATHERWOOD TRAILS USA- VERIDI 09/16/2026 100-13100 2,600.00 .00 8845 VANDEWALLE & ASSOCIATES I 202609013 ZONING TEXT AMENDMENTS (ZTAS) 09/16/2026 100-56300-214 480.00 .00 Total 8845: 3,173.75 .00 8926 VON BRIESEN & ROPER S.C. 543365 LABOR & PERSONNEL 09/16/2026 100-51392-215 3,003.00 .00 Total 8926: 3,003.00 .00 9375 WI SCTF PR0912260 GARNISHMENT STATE GARNISHMEN 09/17/2026 100-21596 747.90 747.90 09/22/2026 Total 9375: 747.90 747.90 9570 WOLF PAVING CO INC 56977 PW COLD MIX 09/17/2026 100-53100-350 846.00 .00 Total 9570: 846.00 .00 9753 BAER INSURANCE SERVICES I 10048 2026 Q4 - WATER - GL, CRIME, CYBE 09/18/2026 601-69250-510 5,599.47 5,599.47 09/22/2026 9753 BAER INSURANCE SERVICES I 10048 2026 Q4 - SEWER - GL, CRIME, CYBE 09/18/2026 602-58530-510 5,415.34 5,415.34 09/22/2026 9753 BAER INSURANCE SERVICES I 10048 2026 Q4 - DPW - AUTO 09/18/2026 100-53100-522 1,641.77 1,641.77 09/22/2026 9753 BAER INSURANCE SERVICES I 10048 2026 Q4 - CEMETERY - AUTO 09/18/2026 100-54910-522 199.91 199.91 09/22/2026 9753 BAER INSURANCE SERVICES I 10048 2026 Q4 - SNOW & ICE - AUTO 09/18/2026 100-53310-522 1,034.94 1,034.94 09/22/2026 9753 BAER INSURANCE SERVICES I 10048 2026 Q4 - TREE, BRUSH, & LEAVES - 09/18/2026 100-53635-522 482.05 482.05 09/22/2026 9753 BAER INSURANCE SERVICES I 10048 2026 Q4 - WORKER'S COMPENSATIO 09/18/2026 100-21710 38.00- 38.00- 09/22/2026 9753 BAER INSURANCE SERVICES I 10048 2026 Q4 - WORKER'S COMPENSATIO 09/18/2026 100-21710 15,685.00 15,685.00 09/22/2026 9753 BAER INSURANCE SERVICES I 10048 2026 Q4 - PD - CRIME 09/18/2026 100-52100-523 37.25 37.25 09/22/2026 9753 BAER INSURANCE SERVICES I 10048 2026 Q4 - CLERK - CRIME 09/18/2026 100-51420-523 37.25 37.25 09/22/2026 9753 BAER INSURANCE SERVICES I 10048 2026 Q4 - COURT - CRIME 09/18/2026 100-51200-523 37.25 37.25 09/22/2026 9753 BAER INSURANCE SERVICES I 10048 2026 Q4 - SENIOR CENTER - CRIME 09/18/2026 100-55150-523 37.25 37.25 09/22/2026 9753 BAER INSURANCE SERVICES I 10048 2026 Q4 - LIBRARY - CRIME 09/18/2026 203-55110-523 37.25 37.25 09/22/2026 9753 BAER INSURANCE SERVICES I 10048 2026 Q4 - INSURANCE - CRIME 09/18/2026 100-51930-523 111.75 111.75 09/22/2026 9753 BAER INSURANCE SERVICES I 10048 2026 Q4 - STORM SEWER - AUTO 09/18/2026 100-53440-522 319.52 319.52 09/22/2026 9753 BAER INSURANCE SERVICES I 10048 2026 Q4 - PARKS - AUTO 09/18/2026 100-55200-522 390.92 390.92 09/22/2026 9753 BAER INSURANCE SERVICES I 10048 2026 Q4 - POLICE - AUTO 09/18/2026 100-52100-522 1,554.74 1,554.74 09/22/2026 9753 BAER INSURANCE SERVICES I 10048 2026 Q4 - POLICE - GL & CYBER 09/18/2026 100-52100-521 4,841.25 4,841.25 09/22/2026 9753 BAER INSURANCE SERVICES I 10048 2026 Q4 - INSURANCE - GL & CYBER 09/18/2026 100-51930-511 2,300.17 2,300.17 09/22/2026 9753 BAER INSURANCE SERVICES I 10048 2026 Q4 - INSURANCE - GL PUBLIC O 09/18/2026 100-51930-520 2,407.92 2,407.92 09/22/2026 VILLAGE OF OREGON Payment Approval Report Page: 4 Report dates: 9/17/2026-9/30/2026 Sep 30, 2026 12:29PM Vendor Vendor Name Invoice No Description Inv Date GL Account Number Net Inv Amt Amount Paid Date Paid Voided Total 9753: 42,133.00 42,133.00 9901 WI PROFESSIONAL POLICE AS PR0912261 UNION DUES PROFESSIONAL POLIC 09/17/2026 100-21551 705.00 705.00 09/22/2026 Total 9901: 705.00 705.00 9943 LA FORCE INC 2423398SO DOOR HANDLES AND LOCKS 09/24/2026 601-66510-350 1,040.00 .00 Total 9943: 1,040.00 .00 10723 MAX CREEK OUTDOORS 91324 PD RIFLE PARTS 09/18/2026 414-57210-830 90.00 .00 Total 10723: 90.00 .00 10955 IDEAL PRINTING WI LLC 63082 PD NO PARKING SIGNS 09/17/2026 100-52100-310 443.43 .00 10955 IDEAL PRINTING WI LLC 63152 PD BUSINESS CARDS NIEHAUS 09/23/2026 100-52100-310 50.00 .00 Total 10955: 493.43 .00 11057 GILLETTE, LINDA 1012026 UB REFUND 10/01/2026 001-11112 34.54 .00 Total 11057: 34.54 .00 12418 PURCHASE POWER 09242026 POSTAGE 09/24/2026 100-51420-311 500.00 .00 Total 12418: 500.00 .00 12553 CUSTOM METALS INC 260915c PARKS JAYCEE FOUL POLE 09/15/2026 100-55200-240 545.00 .00 Total 12553: 545.00 .00 13094 LOGO PROMOTIONS LLC 8769 PW CLOTHING ALLOWANCE 09/17/2026 100-53100-341 98.10 .00 Total 13094: 98.10 .00 13196 ACI PAYMENTS INC 1000168201 ACI MONTHLY MAINT FEE 09/24/2026 100-51900-210 495.00 .00 Total 13196: 495.00 .00 13323 BENNING, WILLIAM 1012026 UB REFUND 10/01/2026 001-11112 49.77 .00 VILLAGE OF OREGON Payment Approval Report Page: 5 Report dates: 9/17/2026-9/30/2026 Sep 30, 2026 12:29PM Vendor Vendor Name Invoice No Description Inv Date GL Account Number Net Inv Amt Amount Paid Date Paid Voided Total 13323: 49.77 .00 14217 GREEN COUNTY HUMAN SERVI 100 ANNUAL TRAINING KITCHEN STAFF & 09/28/2026 100-54920-330 325.00 .00 Total 14217: 325.00 .00 14529 VERIDIAN HOMES LLC 1012026 UB REFUND 10/01/2026 001-11112 29.13 .00 Total 14529: 29.13 .00 14815 Associated Technical Services, In 255491 PD CAMERA PROJECT 09/17/2026 414-57210-820 35,946.85 .00 Total 14815: 35,946.85 .00 14852 J.M. BRENNAN INC 21006673 PD AC REPAIR 09/21/2026 100-52130-230 323.00 .00 Total 14852: 323.00 .00 15021 DYNA-VAC EQUIPMENT INC 02012 SEWER EASEMENT MACHINE 08/31/2026 602-13790 87,409.00 .00 Total 15021: 87,409.00 .00 15084 Felicia Brown 08262026-1 REFUND FOR COMMUNITY ROOM RE 08/26/2026 100-46721 50.00 50.00 09/18/2026 Total 15084: 50.00 50.00 15095 UPPER MIDWEST ATHLETIC CO 6023 PARKS PICKLEBALL COURT PATCH KI 03/17/2026 100-55200-240 481.94 .00 Total 15095: 481.94 .00 15096 FREEDOM AND GLORY 153157 PARKS JAYCEE FLAGS 09/03/2026 100-55200-340 639.24 .00 Total 15096: 639.24 .00 15099 STREET SMART RENTAL 2012810 PW MESSAGE BOARD DISPLAY CARD 09/14/2026 100-53100-240 555.73 .00 Total 15099: 555.73 .00 15100 SLABY, BEN 1012026 UB REFUND 01/01/2026 001-11112 251.91 .00 VILLAGE OF OREGON Payment Approval Report Page: 6 Report dates: 9/17/2026-9/30/2026 Sep 30, 2026 12:29PM Vendor Vendor Name Invoice No Description Inv Date GL Account Number Net Inv Amt Amount Paid Date Paid Voided Total 15100: 251.91 .00 15101 STRONG, PATRICIA 1012026 UB REFUND 10/01/2026 001-11112 92.55 .00 Total 15101: 92.55 .00 15102 KUSCHMAN, JENNIFER 1012026 UB REFUND 10/01/2026 001-11112 110.93 .00 Total 15102: 110.93 .00 15103 ENGERMAN, DAVE 1012026 UB REFUND 10/01/2026 001-11112 68.14 .00 Total 15103: 68.14 .00 15104 ESTATE OF CAROL BEYLER 1012026 UB REFUND 10/01/2026 001-11112 73.33 .00 Total 15104: 73.33 .00 15105 HEAD, ROBERT 1012026 UB REFUND 10/01/2026 001-11112 133.99 .00 Total 15105: 133.99 .00 Grand Totals: 225,380.05 48,794.39 VILLAGE OF OREGON Payment Approval Report Page: 7 Report dates: 9/17/2026-9/30/2026 Sep 30, 2026 12:29PM Vendor Vendor Name Invoice No Description Inv Date GL Account Number Net Inv Amt Amount Paid Date Paid Voided Dated: __________________________________________ Village President: __________________________________________ Board Members: __________________________________________ __________________________________________ __________________________________________ __________________________________________ __________________________________________ __________________________________________ Village Clerk: __________________________________________ Village Treasurer: __________________________________________ Report Criteria: Detail report. Invoices with totals above $0 included. Paid and unpaid invoices included. Vendor.Vendor Number = {<>} 13148 VILLAGE OF OREGON Payment Approval Report Page: 1 Report dates: 1/1/2026-9/16/2026 Sep 30, 2026 12:44PM Report Criteria: Detail report. Invoices with totals above $0 included. Only unpaid invoices included. Invoice.Invoice Number = "2315663- 00","260193","165594","165595","165596","165597","165598","165600","165601","165602","30166","30167","30168","30169","30182","ORE0726","ORE0826","0242982","0243128","212454471","91584","21297","202610 08","260041-6","6100935-00" Vendor.Vendor Number = {<>} 13148 Vendor Vendor Name Invoice No Description Inv Date GL Account Number Net Inv Amt Amount Paid Date Paid Voided 7057 REINDERS INC 2315663-00 PARKS FERTILIZER 09/03/2026 100-55200-340 58.08 .00 Total 7057: 58.08 .00 7104 RETTLER CORPORATION 260193 GARY DISCH PARK DESIGN 09/09/2026 423-57770-213 3,062.50 .00 Total 7104: 3,062.50 .00 7303 RUEKERT & MIELKE 165594 AUTUMN RIDGE PH 3A (HOFER) ENG 09/02/2026 100-13100 189.00 .00 7303 RUEKERT & MIELKE 165595 AUTUMN RIDGE PH 3B (HOFER) ENG 09/02/2026 100-13100 2,241.47 .00 7303 RUEKERT & MIELKE 165596 GREENVIEW PRESERVE PH 2 (VERIDI 09/02/2026 100-13100 856.25 .00 7303 RUEKERT & MIELKE 165597 HIGHLANDS OF NETHERWOOD PH 4 ( 09/02/2026 100-13100 10,472.44 .00 7303 RUEKERT & MIELKE 165598 WELL NO. 6 PUMPING STATION ENG 09/02/2026 601-13210 1,431.75 .00 7303 RUEKERT & MIELKE 165600 GREENVIEW PRESERVE PH 4 (VERIDI 09/02/2026 100-13100 1,037.22 .00 7303 RUEKERT & MIELKE 165601 FEATHERWOOD TRAILS (VERIDIAN) E 09/02/2026 100-13100 1,295.50 .00 7303 RUEKERT & MIELKE 165602 FRONTIER FIBER (FRONTIER NORTH) 09/02/2026 100-13100 178.25 .00 Total 7303: 17,701.88 .00 10019 TOWN & COUNTRY ENGINEERI 30166 WWTF CONSTRUCTION ADMIN 08/22/2026 602-13310 17,950.00 .00 10019 TOWN & COUNTRY ENGINEERI 30167 WWTF RESIDENT ENGINEERING 08/22/2026 602-13310 12,252.50 .00 10019 TOWN & COUNTRY ENGINEERI 30168 WATER SYSTEM PRELIMINARY DESIG 08/22/2026 601-69230-210 6,375.39 .00 10019 TOWN & COUNTRY ENGINEERI 30169 JCF PROJECT (STATE OF WI) ENGINE 08/22/2026 100-13100 872.50 .00 10019 TOWN & COUNTRY ENGINEERI 30182 INSPECTION - STREET 08/22/2026 405-57332-850 641.67 .00 10019 TOWN & COUNTRY ENGINEERI 30182 INSPECTION - STORM 08/22/2026 405-57335-850 855.56 .00 10019 TOWN & COUNTRY ENGINEERI 30182 INSPECTION - WATER MAIN 08/22/2026 601-13430 7,272.29 .00 10019 TOWN & COUNTRY ENGINEERI 30182 INSPECTION - WATER HYDRANT 08/22/2026 601-13480 1,283.34 .00 10019 TOWN & COUNTRY ENGINEERI 30182 INSPECTION - WATER SERVICE 08/22/2026 601-13450 1,711.12 .00 10019 TOWN & COUNTRY ENGINEERI 30182 INSPECTION - SEWER MAIN 08/22/2026 602-13130 6,202.84 .00 10019 TOWN & COUNTRY ENGINEERI 30182 INSPECTION - SEWER STRUCTURE 08/22/2026 602-13110 1,069.45 .00 10019 TOWN & COUNTRY ENGINEERI 30182 INSPECTION - SEWER SERVICE 08/22/2026 602-13120 1,711.12 .00 10019 TOWN & COUNTRY ENGINEERI 30182 INSPECTION - PW GARAGE ROOF 08/22/2026 414-57331-820 641.67 .00 VILLAGE OF OREGON Payment Approval Report Page: 2 Report dates: 1/1/2026-9/16/2026 Sep 30, 2026 12:44PM Vendor Vendor Name Invoice No Description Inv Date GL Account Number Net Inv Amt Amount Paid Date Paid Voided Total 10019: 58,839.45 .00 10972 DANE COUNTY LAND & WATER ORE0726 249 N MAIN ST (NORTHPOINTE) EC 08/13/2026 100-13100 40.30 .00 10972 DANE COUNTY LAND & WATER ORE0726 CTH CC/ALPINE INT EC 08/13/2026 405-57332-850 120.89 .00 10972 DANE COUNTY LAND & WATER ORE0726 GARY DISCH PARK EC 08/13/2026 423-57770-850 120.89 .00 10972 DANE COUNTY LAND & WATER ORE0726 GREENVIEW PRESERVE PH 4 (VERIDI 08/13/2026 100-13100 40.30 .00 10972 DANE COUNTY LAND & WATER ORE0726 HIGHLANDS OF NETHERWOOD PH 4 ( 08/13/2026 100-13100 60.44 .00 10972 DANE COUNTY LAND & WATER ORE0726 HILLCREST BIBLE CHURCH EC 08/13/2026 100-13100 221.63 .00 10972 DANE COUNTY LAND & WATER ORE0726 OREGON AREA SENIOR CENTER EC 08/13/2026 433-57630-820 161.18 .00 10972 DANE COUNTY LAND & WATER ORE0726 S PERRY PKWY GAS REPLACEMENT ( 08/13/2026 100-13100 70.52 .00 10972 DANE COUNTY LAND & WATER ORE0726 WWTF PH 1 - EC 08/13/2026 602-13310 120.89 .00 10972 DANE COUNTY LAND & WATER ORE0726 WELL NO 6 PUMP STATION EC 08/13/2026 601-13210 90.66 .00 10972 DANE COUNTY LAND & WATER ORE0826 249 N MAIN ST (NORTHPOINTE) EC 09/08/2026 100-13100 60.44 .00 10972 DANE COUNTY LAND & WATER ORE0826 CTH CC/ALPINE INT EC 09/08/2026 405-57332-850 191.40 .00 10972 DANE COUNTY LAND & WATER ORE0826 GARY DISCH PARK EC 09/08/2026 423-57770-850 141.04 .00 10972 DANE COUNTY LAND & WATER ORE0826 GREENVIEW PRESERVE PH 3 (VERIDI 09/08/2026 100-13100 30.22 .00 10972 DANE COUNTY LAND & WATER ORE0826 GREENVIEW PRESERVE PH 4 (VERIDI 09/08/2026 100-13100 191.41 .00 10972 DANE COUNTY LAND & WATER ORE0826 HIGHLANDS OF NETHERWOOD PH 4 ( 09/08/2026 100-13100 130.96 .00 10972 DANE COUNTY LAND & WATER ORE0826 HILLCREST BIBLE CHURCH EC 09/08/2026 100-13100 40.30 .00 10972 DANE COUNTY LAND & WATER ORE0826 OREGON AREA SENIOR CENTER EC 09/08/2026 433-57630-820 261.92 .00 10972 DANE COUNTY LAND & WATER ORE0826 S PERRY PKWY GAS REPLACEMENT ( 09/08/2026 100-13100 20.15 .00 10972 DANE COUNTY LAND & WATER ORE0826 WWTF PH 1 - EC 09/08/2026 602-13310 120.89 .00 10972 DANE COUNTY LAND & WATER ORE0826 WELL NO 6 PUMP STATION EC 09/08/2026 601-13210 130.96 .00 Total 10972: 2,367.39 .00 12261 STRAND ASSOCIATES INC 0242982 T-MOBILE CELL REVIEW (T-MOBILE) 09/06/2026 100-13100 266.95 .00 12261 STRAND ASSOCIATES INC 0243128 WATER LINCOLN RD S STANDPIPE RE 09/09/2026 601-66720-350 5,494.11 .00 Total 12261: 5,761.06 .00 12521 ULINE 212454471 VILLAGE HALL CLEANING SUPPLIES 08/25/2026 100-51600-340 323.06 .00 Total 12521: 323.06 .00 13483 BEST DEFENSE FIRE PROTECT 91584 VH SPRINKLER INSPECTION 09/01/2026 100-51600-290 225.00 .00 Total 13483: 225.00 .00 14059 TINGALLS GRAPHIC DESIGN 21297 SOCIAL MEDIA/WEBSITE 08/31/2026 223-51900-340 312.50 .00 VILLAGE OF OREGON Payment Approval Report Page: 3 Report dates: 1/1/2026-9/16/2026 Sep 30, 2026 12:44PM Vendor Vendor Name Invoice No Description Inv Date GL Account Number Net Inv Amt Amount Paid Date Paid Voided Total 14059: 312.50 .00 14464 KL ENGINEERING 20261008 CONSTRUCTION ENGINEERING - ALP 09/04/2026 405-53110-213 30,605.00 .00 Total 14464: 30,605.00 .00 14782 JT ENGINEERING, INC. 260041-6 BETHEL GREENACRE PARK DESIGN 09/08/2026 423-57770-213 7,700.00 .00 Total 14782: 7,700.00 .00 15023 SPARTAN TURF PRODUCTS 6100935-00 PARKS TORO HYD. MOTOR 08/10/2026 100-55200-240 1,238.41 .00 Total 15023: 1,238.41 .00 Grand Totals: 128,194.33 .00 Dated: __________________________________________ Village President: __________________________________________ Board Members: __________________________________________ __________________________________________ __________________________________________ __________________________________________ __________________________________________ __________________________________________ Village Clerk: __________________________________________ Village Treasurer: __________________________________________ VILLAGE OF OREGON Payment Approval Report Page: 4 Report dates: 1/1/2026-9/16/2026 Sep 30, 2026 12:44PM Vendor Vendor Name Invoice No Description Inv Date GL Account Number Net Inv Amt Amount Paid Date Paid Voided Report Criteria: Detail report. Invoices with totals above $0 included. Only unpaid invoices included. Invoice.Invoice Number = "2315663- 00","260193","165594","165595","165596","165597","165598","165600","165601","165602","30166","30167","30168","30169","30182","ORE0726","ORE0826","0242982","0243128","212454471","91584","21297","202610 08","260041-6","6100935-00" Vendor.Vendor Number = {<>} 13148 Page 1 of 1 MEMORANDUM To: Village Board From: Martin Shanks, Village Administrator Date: October 5, 2026 Subject: Village President Nominations President Van Kampen has nominatedVillage resident Chad Wachtl to fill a vacancy on the Ad Hoc Public Art Committee. By ordinance, the Village President is responsible for nominating with the Village Board responsible for confirmation or rejection of the nomination. 6(a) INTEGRITY · LEADERSHIP · SERVICE · COURAGE · RESPECT OREGON POLICE DEPARTMENT 383 Park St. • Oregon, WI 53575 Telephone (608) 835-3111 • Fax (608) 835-5625 MEMORANDUM TO: Village Board and Village Administrator Martin Shanks FROM: Chief Jennifer Pagenkopf DATE: September 28, 2026 RE: TRACS to WiSTAR Opt-In & Opt-Out Data Sharing Agreement Background: The Wisconsin Safety and Transportation Analysis Resource (WiSTAR) is a statewide traffic safety data and analysis system that combines crash, traffic enforcement, and other transportation-related information into a single platform. Developed through funding from the Wisconsin Traffic Records Coordinating Committee (TRCC) and hosted by the University of Wisconsin TOPS Lab, WiSTAR is designed to help law enforcement agencies, transportation professionals, and researchers identify traffic safety trends, evaluate enforcement efforts, and make data-driven decisions to improve roadway safety. Participation allows the Village's traffic crash and enforcement data, which has already been collected through existing state reporting systems, to be incorporated into a larger statewide database that supports traffic safety planning and analysis. WiSTAR uses data already collected through existing reporting systems and incorporates safeguards to protect sensitive information and ensure compliance with applicable privacy requirements. The agreement is attached for the Board’s review and consideration. Recommendation: The Village Board approve Chief Pagenkopf to sign this agreement that would enable the Village to contribute to and benefit from a collaborative statewide effort aimed at reducing crashes, improving public safety, and enhancing the effectiveness of traffic enforcement initiatives. TRACS TO WISTAR OPT-IN & OPT-OUT DATA SHARING AGREEMENT (DECEMBER 2025 VERSION) By signing this opt-in agreement, the law enforcement agency chief, sheriff, agency head, or designee of the: ______________________________________ agrees to share designated records from its Traffic and Criminal Software (TraCS) with the Wisconsin Traffic Operations and Safety Laboratory (TOPS) at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. This sharing of agency records is accomplished through settings changes in TraCS and executed as part of the agency’s participation in the Wisconsin Safety and Transpor tation Analysis R esource (WiSTAR) project. Agency records exported from TraCS to TOPS containing personally identifiable information (PII) are processed so as to be rendered anonymized. The anonymized data is then made publicly available through Community Maps, or in the case of enforcement records, to credentialed users through reporting, data exports, and interactive maps within the TOPS WisTransPortal system. Shared records from all participating agencies are visible and accessible to all appropriately credentialed WisTransPortal system users including but not limited to those from law enforcement agencies, transportation sectors, public health and others granted access by the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT). This sharing of TraCS data through the opt-in process does not change the ownership of the agency’s data. The contributing agency will remain the owner of the record s and retain all responsibilities for its maintenance and release in compliance with all federal and state laws relating to public records. All requests for the agency’s records that are received by WisDOT, the Wisconsin State Patrol or TOPS will be redirected to the agency as the data owners and custodians. Should the agency wish to cease its sharing of TraCS data with WiSTAR, it may do so at any time wi th thirty days written notice to the TraCS Unit within the Wisconsin State Patrol and to TOPS through the submission of an updated, signed Opt-In/Opt-out agreement form. Upon termination, the assistance of TraCS support staff from the Wisconsin State Patrol will be made available to guide the agency through the TraCS exports deactivation process. Data that has been exported previously to TOPS will remain accessible in the WisTransPortal system and Community Maps. Previously exported data may be removed at the mutual agreement of the agency, WisDOT, and TOPS. Discontinuance of assent will not impact any other agreements, contracts, memorandums of understanding, or any other legally binding agreements you r agency may have in place with WisDOT, the Wisconsin State Patrol or TOPS. Nothing in this agreement creates a cause of action against WisDOT, the Wisconsin State Patrol, the University of Wisconsin or TOPS and it shall not be construed as a waiver of the state of Wisconsin’s sovereign immunity. In signing, you certify that you are a party authorized to bind your listed agency. SIGNED: ____________________________________________________________________ PRINT NAME: __________________________________________________________ PRINT TITLE: ________________________________________________________________ OPT-IN DATE (to begin records sharing): __________________________________________ SIGNED: ____________________________________________________________________ PRINT NAME: __________________________________________________________ PRINT TITLE: ________________________________________________________________ OPT-OUT DATE (for use in discontinuing records sharing): ____________________________ Village Hall  101 Alpine Parkway  Oregon, Wisconsin 53575-3812 Telephone: (608) 835-6285  Fax: (608) 835-6503 lstriegl@vil.oregon.wi.us MEMO TO: Village Board and Martin Shanks, Village Administrator FROM: Lauren Striegl, Director of Public Works DATE: October 5, 2026 RE: Pay Adjustment for Humberto Arias (Custodian) The Village of Oregon Public Works Department management team is seeking Board approval for the movement of custodian Humberto Arias on the Village’s wage scale. Humberto is currently classed as a Grade 5, Step 2. Public Works management recommends that he be moved to a Grade 5, Step 4 effective September 27, 2026. Due to a resignation, in July and August 2026, the Village advertised to fill a vacant custodial position focused on the cleaning and care of the Oregon Public Library. During the hiring process, the hiring team found that the salary necessary to successfully hire the desired and qualified applicant would require a wage higher than that of a Grade 5, Step 1 on the Village’s wage scale. Consequently, the new custodian was hired at Grade 5, Step 3. Generally, this would be a common wage and hiring decision well within the parameters of the Village’s adopted policies. However, in this instance, the situation creates both internal equity and wage compression issues, with Humberto (an employee with over 4 years of experience with the Village, and prior time as a contractor serving the Village) who is situated in a lower step than the new custodial hire. To correct these issues, management proposes to move Humberto to Grade 5, Step 4 effective the hire date of the new Library custodial employee (September 27, 2026). Public Works management would also like to take this opportunity to recognize the outstanding work that Humberto does to maintain Village of Oregon facilities. Humberto is tasked with a broad range of responsibilities, including the care of Village Hall, Senior Center, Police Department, and Public Works facilities. He performs all of these duties efficiently and to the highest standards, ensuring that Village staff, elected officials, and residents feel comfortable and safe in their public facilities. The proposed step increase is important for ensuring consistent and fair wage practices, but is also well deserved for a very valuable member of the Village Public Works team. Funding to cover this increase through the remainder of the year is nominal, amounting to less than $1,000, and can be absorbed in the current budget. Village staff will work to ensure any needed modifications to the draft 2027 budget are made but the impact would be expected to be less than $2,500 with some portions spread out to the utilities’ budgets as well. Recommended Motion: Motion to approve the placement of Custodian Humberto Arias at Grade 5, Step 4 on the Village Wage Scale, effective September 27, 2026. 6(c) Page 1 of 1 VILLAGE OF OREGON DANE COUNTY, WISCONSIN RESOLUTION NO. 26-32 APPROVING A WAGE ADJUSTMENT FOR CUSTODIAN HUMBERTO ARIAS WHEREAS, the Village of Oregon maintains an Employee Compensation Program intended to support the attraction, engagement, and retention of high -quality employees, while balancing equity, competitiveness, supportiveness, affordability, and sustainability; and WHEREAS Humberto Arias is currently employed by the Village as a Custodian, classified at Grade 5, Step 2 on the Village Wage Scale; and WHEREAS the Steps on the Village’s wage scale are intended to recognize, among other factors, an employee’s duration of service to the Village; and WHEREAS Mr. Arias has been employed by the Village in this position for four years; and WHEREAS it was necessary to hire a recent Custodian candidate at Grade 5, Step 3 that met the Village’s desired job qualifications and experience; and WHEREAS this hiring at a step above that held by Mr. Arias creates an internal equity and salary compression issue necessitating a wage adjustment; and WHEREAS, Mr. Arias’s current wage rate is $ 21.74 per hour, or $ 45,219.20 annually, and the proposed wage rate for Grade 5, Step 4 is $22.94 per hour, or $47,715.20 annually; and WHEREAS, the Public Works Department has identified sufficient available funding within the 2026 budget to support the mid-year wage adjustment. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Village Board of Oregon , Dane County, Wisconsin, that: 1. Humberto Arias is hereby placed at Grade 5, Step 4 on the Village Wage Scale, with an hourly wage rate of $22.94, equivalent to $47,715.20 annually. 2. The promotion and wage adjustment shall be effective as of September 27, 2026. Adopted by the Village Board of the Village of Oregon, Dane County, Wisconsin, this 5th day of October 2026. SIGNATURE: Phil Van Kampen, Village President COUNTERSIGNATURE: Candie Jones, Village Clerk V illage Hall  101 Alpine Parkway  Oregon, Wisconsin 53575-3812 Telephone: (608) 835-6285  Fax: (608) 835-6503 lstriegl@oregonwi.gov MEMO TO: Village Board and Martin Shanks, Village Administrator FROM: Lauren Striegl, Director of Public Works DATE: October 5, 2026 RE: Letter of Credit Release for 239 N Main Street Apartments The Village of Oregon Public Works Department is seeking Village Board approval to release in full the Letter of Credit held by Northpointe Development for the Main Street Townhomes / 239 N Main Street Apartment project. The outstanding balance on this Letter of Credit (LOC) is $10,000.00. The contractor for the project has completed all required improvements, and said improvements have been accepted by the Village. The warranty period for all work has now expired. As such, Village consulting engineer Ruekert-Mielke recommends release of the LOC in full, as shown in the attached memorandum. Village staff has reviewed Ruekert-Mielke’s recommendation and concurs with their conclusion. Recommended Motion: Motion to approve Resolution #26-33 to release the bond for the 239 N Main Street Apartments in full as recommended by Village Consulting Engineer Ruekert Mielke in the letter dated September 15, 2026. 6(d) Page 1 of 1 G:\Admin\Agenda\2026\Village Board\2026-10-05\6(d) 2 #26-xx 249 N Main St LOC Release.docx VILLAGE OF OREGON DANE COUNTY, WISCONSIN RESOLUTION NO. 26-33 RELEASE OF SURETY FOR THE MAIN STREET TOWNHOMES (239 NORTH MAIN STREET) WHEREAS, Main Street Townhomes – Oregon, LLC (the "Developer”) and the Village of Oregon (the "Village") entered into a " Development Agreement (N. Main Street )" dated April 24, 2024 (the "Development Agreement"); and WHEREAS, the Development Agreement required the Developer to construct and install certain public improvements, including public sanitary sewer and water main, to serve the Main Street Townhomes (the Project); and WHEREAS, Article IV, Section 2(C) of the Development Agreement provides that the Developer’s Letter of Credit shall be returned to the Developer or issuing institution once the Developer’s guarantee obligations under Article III, Section 2 of the Development Agreement have been satisfied; and WHEREAS the Village Engineer, Ruekert & Mielke, Inc., in a letter dated September 15, 2026 , recommended that the Developer’s surety be released in full due to completion and acceptance of the improvements described in the Development Agreement. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Village Board of the Village of Oregon, Dane County, Wisconsin, as follows: 1. Release of Surety. The performance bond held by the Developer for the public improvements for the Main Street Townhomes ( 239 North Main Street) be reduced to $ 0, as recommended in the Village Engineer’sSeptember 15, 2026, correspondence. Adopted by the Village Board of the Village of Oregon on this 5th day of October 2026. SIGNATURE: _______________________________ Phil Van Kampen Village President ATTEST: ________________________ Candie Jones Village Clerk Attachments: September 15, 2026 letter from Brian Toczyski, 249 N Main Street Apartments – Release in Letter of Credit. ~8113-10077> Striegl-20260915-249 N Main Street Apartments Letter of Credit Release.docx~ Your Infrastructure Ally ruekertmielke.com 4630 S. Biltmore Lane , Madison, WI 53718 608-819-2600 September 15, 2026 Ms. Lauren Striegl, P.E. Director of Public Works Village of Oregon 101 Alpine Parkway Oregon, WI 53575-1451 RE: 249 N Main Street Apartments – Release in Letter of Credit Dear Lauren: Ruekert & Mielke, Inc. has reviewed the above-referenced project for a release in the Letter of Credit. To our knowledge, the balance of the project is $10,000.00. A review of this project has been done. Per the Developers Agreement and the Contractor, items have been satisfied allowing Village Board to accept the sanitary sewer and water main infrastructure improvements. Additionally, paving was completed on 9/23/2025. After review of all components of this project, a release in the Letter of Credit listed above is granted in the amount of $10,000.00. The warranty period is complete and the new balance should be set at $0.00. If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to contact me. Respectfully, RUEKERT & MIELKE, INC. Brian E. Toczyski Project Engineer btoczyski@ruekert-mielke.com BET:alc cc: Martin Shanks, Village Administrator Elise Cruz, Director of Community Development Larry Konopacki, Stafford Rosenbaum LLC. Sean O’brien, Northpointe Development Brian Toczyski Digitally signed by Brian Toczyski DN: C=US, E=btoczyski@ruekert-mielke.com, CN=Brian Toczyski Date: 2026.09.15 15:19:11-05'00' Vil lage Hall  101 Alpine Parkway  Oregon, Wisconsin 53575-3812 Telephone: (608) 835-6285  Fax: (608) 835-6503 lstriegl@oregonwi.gov MEMO TO: Village Board and Martin Shanks, Village Administrator FROM: Lauren Striegl, Director of Public Works DATE: October 5, 2026 RE: Public Works Equipment – Surplus Declaration The Village of Oregon Public Works Department is seeking Village Board approval to declare the following pieces of equipment as surplus and send them to auction. Any proceeds from the auction will go into Fund 414 (Parks and Streets equipment) for future Village purchases. Item Division Reason for Sale Snow Wolf box plow (for skid loaders) Streets Has been replaced with Metal Pless plows. Coring aerator (3-point hitch mount) Parks Has been replaced with a larger and more versatile aerator. Simplicity Signature Pro 1338P snow blower (w/ cab) Streets Was originally purchased to remove snow around old Village Hall and Oregon PD, but has never been used. 2007 100-gal sprayer trailer (w/ 21-ft boom) Parks Too large for current operational practices. Will be replaced in 2027 with a smaller unit (see approved 2027-2036 CIP). Liftmaster garage door openers (x5) Streets Were replaced with new garage door openers with 2025/2026 PW Garage door replacement project. 2008 Bobcat 48” angle broom Streets Redundant. Has been replaced with a smaller, more versatile broom for Toolcat. Auctioning the above-listed items will free up much-needed space in the Village’s Public Works facility, provide funding for various Village equipment needs, and provide an opportunity for these items to find new use in another location. Recommended Motion: Motion to declare the equipment listed in a October 5, 2026 Public Works memorandum as surplus and approve of their auction. 6(e) Village Hall  101 Alpine Parkway  Oregon, Wisconsin 53575-3812 Telephone: (608) 835-6285  Fax: (608) 835-6503 lstriegl@oregonwi.gov MEMO TO: Village Board and Martin Shanks, Village Administrator FROM: Lauren Striegl, Director of Public Works DATE: October 5, 2026 RE: Amendment No. 4 to Purchase of Services Contract with KL Engineering for Engineering Services in Support of the 2026 Alpine Parkway / CTH CC Intersection Reconstruction Project The Village of Oregon Public Works Department is seeking Village Board approval of Amendment No. 4 to the Village’s existing Purchase of Services contract withKL Engineering, Inc. for engineering services in support of the 2026 Alpine Parkway / CTH CC Intersection Reconstruction Project (the Project). The scope of Amendment No. 4, attached, includes extended construction administration services to carry the project through substantial and final completions. The not-to-exceed cost of Amendment No. 4 is $20,440.00. Note that services will be billed on an hourly basis under this amendment, and may not be charged in full dependent on project schedule. The services included under Amendment No. 4 are a result of construction and substantial completion delays. The original contracted substantial completion date for the Project was August 28, 2026; this deadline was extended (via Change Order No. 2 to the Project contract) to September 9, 2026. Per Article 2, Section 3(A)(1) of the Project Agreement between the Village and contractor Rock Road Companies (Rock Road), liquidated damages of $1,570.00 per calendar day after the contracted end date of September 9, 2026 until substantial completion occurs will be due to the Village. Liquidated damages are specifically noted in the contract as intented to offset Village losses due to project delays. As of the writing of this memo, sufficient LDs have already been incurred so as to offset the total cost of KL’s proposed Amendment No. 4. As such, Public Works staff recommends the approval of this amendment. Recommended Motion: Motion to approve Amendment No. 4 to KL Engineering, Inc.’s Purchase of Services contract for engineering services in support of the 2026 Alpine Parkway / CTH CC Intersection Reconstruction Project in an amount not-to-exceed $20,440.00. 6(f) G:\Admin\Agenda\2026\Village Board\2026-10-05\6(f) 2 Jefferson Street (CTH CC) & Alpine Reconstruction Amendment #4 Proposal Letter.docx Page 1 of 2 September 25, 2026 Lauren Striegl, P.E. Director of Public Works/Village Engineer Village of Oregon RE: Engineering Services for CTH CC & Alpine Parkway Reconstruction – Amendment #4, Oregon, WI Dear Lauren, KL Engineering, Inc. is requesting an amendment to our contract to include the following:  Construction administration services The items included in this amendment are intended to include additionalconstruction administration services required to complete project closeout as previously discussed. Attachment A is included with this letter and shall be considered part of this contract for engineering services. It provides the scope of services KL Engineering will perform under this amendment. The total cost for Amendment Number 4 is $20,440. This increases the maximum cost of the contract to $345,115. Services completed under this amended agreement will continue to be billed on an hourly basis. Please let us know if you have any questions regarding this proposal. You may indicate your approval for us to proceed with the specific tasks by signing the appropriate section of this proposal and returning it to us. Sincerely, KL Engineering, Inc. Joshua Vollmer, P.E. Senior Engineer II 5400 King James Way, Suite 200 Madison, WI 53719 608.663.1218 www.klengineering.com G:\Admin\Agenda\2026\Village Board\2026-10-05\6(f) 2 Jefferson Street (CTH CC) & Alpine Reconstruction Amendment #4 Proposal Letter.docx Page 2 of 2 KL Engineering, Inc. Approved By: Name (printed): Mike Scarmon, P.E Title: Director – Infrastructure Services Date: Village of Oregon Approved By: Name (printed): Phil Van Kampen Title: Village President Date: I:\Contracts\Municipal\Village of Oregon\CTH CC and Alpine Reconstruction\Amendment 3\Contract Working Documents\Attachment A - Scope of Services.docx 1 of 2 Engineering Services Contract Assumptions and Scope of Services Traffic Engineering Services CTH CC & Alpine Parkway Reconstruction Amendment #3 Oregon, Wisconsin January 27, 2026 This document describes Amendment #3 assumptions and provides a scope of services to complete additional design efforts, real estate staking, bid administration, and construction administration services for the CTH CC & Alpine Parkway Reconstruction project in Oregon, Wisconsin. Project Assumptions • Real estate staking is required for one permanent limited easement approximately 3,500 square feet in size is required from the parcel to the northwest of the intersection of Jefferson Street with Alpine Parkway. • Real Estate acquisition and recording of documents will be completed by others. • Storm water TSS reduction targets must be addressed with storm sewer design that were not included in the previous agreement(s) • Not all information required for storm sewer design will be provided by AE2S. • Additional design hours to retaining wall design are required over those included in previous agreement(s). • Bidding and post bidding administration services were not included in previous agreement(s) and are now required. • A water main adjustment is required to maintain clearance between proposed storm sewer facilities and the existing water main. • Poured masonry end walls are required on both ends of the proposed culvert structures on the south side of CTH CC. The end walls require customized details to account for proposed conditions. • Construction administration services are required for the duration of the construction of the project. o Assumes construction to begin as early as mid-April and for substantial completion by the end of August of 2026. o Some field activities may occur after August of 2026 but will not require full-time construction observation staff. Scope of Services Real Estate Staking • Includes up to four (4) hours consisting of office and field work to stake up to four (4) points delineating the proposed PLE in the northwest quadrant of the intersection. Retaining Wall Design • Includes up to 80 hours of staff time to complete the following tasks: o Identifying design requirements for one (1) retaining wall approximately 75 feet in length located in the southeast quadrant of the CTH CC intersection with Alpine Parkway. o Coordinate with a supplier of prefabricated block retaining wall system to determine design parameters and bidding documents. o Coordinate with geotechnical sub consultant to obtain geotechnical engineering and soil boring services. o Develop bidding documents and modified construction details for a two (2) poured masonry end walls (for culverts). Water Main Design • Includes one (1) minor modification to the existing water main to accommodate required spacing from proposed culverts. Storm Sewer Design • Includes revisions to storm sewer design to account for TSS reduction targets. I:\Contracts\Municipal\Village of Oregon\CTH CC and Alpine Reconstruction\Amendment 3\Contract Working Documents\Attachment A - Scope of Services.docx 2 of 2 • Includes limited stormwater modelling to supplement information provided by AE2S that was previously assumed to be sufficient for design. Bidding Administration • Includes up to 16 staff hours to administer contractor bidding using the website Quest. o Tasks include uploading documents, responding to contractor questions, and conducting the bid opening. • Includes reviewing bids and recommending a contractor award. Construction Adminstration • Includes conducting one (1) pre-construction meeting. • Includes up to 16 hours of staff time to respond to contractor requests for information (RFIs). • Includes up to 24 hours of staff time to review shop drawings. • Assumes one (1) Professional Engineer averaging 40 hours per week when contractor is actively working on the project for up to 720 hours. • Assumes up to one (1) support staff as needed for up to 20 hours per week when construction activities require additional resources for observation for up to 120 hours. • Assumes up to 40 hours for in-office project closeout activities. • Mileage will be billed according to IRS reimbursement rates. Lunches will be billed at $19/day. Includes up to 2,000 miles and 80 lunches. • This proposal includes an allowance of $3,000 to engage with a subconsultant for materials testing. Project Schedule This contract is based on the following project schedule: Item Date Design Contract Authorization (complete) March 2025 Kick-Off Meeting (complete) March 2025 Topographical Survey (complete) April 2025 Preliminary Plans (complete) June 2025 Public Involvement Meeting #1 (complete) June 2025 Board of Public Works Meeting (complete) October 28, 2025 Pre-final Plans (complete) November 2025 Final Plans/Bid Letting (complete) November/December 2025 Pre-construction Meeting March 2026 Construction Begin April 2026 Substantial Completion August 28, 2026 Project Closeout Fall 2026/Winter 2027 Village Hall  101 Alpine Parkway  Oregon, Wisconsin 53575-3812 Telephone: (608) 835-6285  Fax: (608) 835-6503 lstriegl@oregonwi.gov MEMO TO: Public Works & Utilities Committee FROM: Lauren Striegl, Director of Public Works DATE: September 22, 2026 RE: Contract Amendment to Task Order No. 2023-03 with Ruekert & Mielke, Inc. for Engineering Services for the East Lincoln Street Reconstruction Project The Village of Oregon Public Works Department is presenting a request from Ruekert & Mielke, Inc. (RM) for a contract amendment to Task Order No. 2023-03 with the Village. TO No. 2023-03 includes engineering services associated with the Village’s ongoing East Lincoln Street Reconstruction Project, which is funded in part by the Wisconsin Department of Transportation’s Surface Transportation Program (STP) – Urban program. The services originally scoped in TO No. 2023-03 included:  Survey and basemap creation  Temporary Limited Easement (TLE) creation (where required)  Public outreach  Utility outreach  Environmental screening  Preliminary and final design, including plans, specifications, and construction cost estimates  Permitting  Coordination with the Wisconsin DOT, including the development of reports and other materials required for road construction projects using State and Federal monies  Other tasks as outlined in TO No. 2023-03 (attached for review) TO No. 2023-03 was originally approved on May 8, 2023. The scope outlined in TO No. 2023-03 was structured to support a WisDOT-required final plans, specifications and estimate (PS&E) date of November 1, 2025, and a WisDOT-led bid date in February 2026. The project schedule remained generally unchanged from start to end. Throughout the project planning and design effort, the scope of the overall project expanded in a number of key areas. The attached memorandums from RM Project Manager Cory Horton, PE to the Public Works & Utilities Committee and Director of Public Works Lauren Striegl, as well as the proposed contract amendment, outline in detail the overage categories and associated amounts. The most significant changes were direct requests from WisDOT communicated once design was underway, including the following items: 1) Significant expansion in sidewalk replacement for compliance with ADA standards for new sidewalk throughout the project area, 2) Pedestrian accommodations and detour infrastructure in excess of that typically installed for similar projects, 3) Expanded documentation and notification for a found contaminated area near (but outside) the project limits, and 4) Significantly expanded coordination, revision work and communication. 7(a)1. Page | 2 The Village also requested some additional work from RM as a result of WisDOT requirements, including the following: 1) Coordination with standalone East Lincoln Street curb stop replacement project (completed in Summer 2025), 2) Additional TLE documentation, and 3) Additional analysis and documentation for funding review. The final major component of the proposed amendment includes re-work required due to misalignment between the planned East Lincoln Street improvements and the (at the time) in-progress North Oak Street improvements. This issue was identified during the construction of North Oak Street and at the 90% point in the East Lincoln Street design process, which required some re-design and, more significantly, updating of various documents required by WisDOT ahead of the PS&E date. Both RM and Public Works staff acknowledge that this issue should have been caught earlier in the design process, and that its timely identification could have mitigated these costs. As such, RM and Public Works staff propose that costs associated with this item be shared equally between the Village and RM. Public Works staff has reviewed the contents of this contract amendment request in detail, both independently and with RM. Staff agrees with RM that the costs included in the amendment reflect items not in the original design project scope, and that the majority of the expenses are ones that could not have been reasonably predicted by either party at the time that TO No. 2023-03 was presented to the Village Board. Public Works staff was made aware of this potential amendment request in late February 2026. At the time, RM provided an approximate dollar amount associated with the amendment, which staff included in the total required borrowing amounts for the East Lincoln Street Reconstruction Project as shown in the 2026 Debt Plan. As the final requested amendment amount is below the initial estimate, sufficient money is available in the project budget to fund it without impacting construction funding or contingency. Based on the above considerations, Public Works staff recommends that the Committee recommend this contract amendment request to the Village Board for approval. Recommended Motion: Motion to recommend to the Village Board approval of an amendment to Task Order No. 2023-03 with Ruekert & Mielke, Inc. for engineering services for the East Lincoln Street Reconstruction Project. 9/17/26 Ruekert & Mielke, Inc. East Lincoln Street- Task Order No. 2023-03 Amendment 4630 South Biltmore Lane, Madison WI 53718 This is ATTACHMENT A, made part of Task Order No. 2023-03 between Client and Consultant for Professional Services dated April 25, 2023. This document modifies Task Order No. 2023-03 between Ruekert & Mielke, Inc. (R/M) and the Village of Oregon (Village) as described below: Amendment to Task Order No. 2023-03 1) BACKGROUND DATA: Effective Date of Task Order: April 25, 2023 Client: Village of Oregon Consultant: Ruekert & Mielke, Inc. Specific Project: East Lincoln Street Reconstruction- WisDOT Project ID 5627-00-01/71/72 DESCRIPTION OF MODIFICATIONS: Additional Services The following services are added to the Task Order. These services were required as the project developed and were beyond the assumptions and level of effort included in the original scope. Additional Meetings and Project Coordination- $3,636 Provide recurring project check-ins with Village staff and WisDOT and additional coordination regarding real estate impacts, environmental findings, pedestrian accommodations, ADA compliance, and Oak Street utility revisions beyond the meetings identified in the original scope. Hazardous Materials Findings and Coordination- $5,574 Provide additional coordination, documentation, agency interaction, and project management required to address contaminated- material findings identified during project development and maintain project progression. Additional Temporary Limited Easements and Property Acquisition Support- $2,095 Prepare expanded temporary limited easement exhibits, provide survey and right-of-way documentation support, and coordinate additional property impacts identified as ADA, grading, and sidewalk requirements were refined beyond the four TLE exhibits assumed in the original scope. Expanded Traffic and Pedestrian Control Design- $4,982 Develop and revise traffic control and pedestrian accommodation requirements resulting from WisDOT review, including detour planning, temporary audible messaging devices, and updates to the Wisconsin Transportation Management Plan, cost estimate, special provisions, and plans. Curb Stop and Water Service Lateral Revisions- $3,187.50 Evaluate existing curb stop replacement needs and revise the plans to distinguish curb stops replaced before the roadway project from those included in the WisDOT letting after work beyond the right-of-way was restricted. Grant Funding Revision Request- $552.50 Assist the Village with documenting project costs that may qualify for additional grant funding. Additional Curb Ramps and Sidewalk Replacement for ADA Compliance- $12,500.75 Evaluate additional ADA deficiencies identified after completion of the original survey and design expanded curb ramp and sidewalk replacement improvements, including cross-slope evaluation and additional ADA compliance review. Expanded Storm, Sanitary Sewer, and Water Main Design / Oak Street Redesign- $12,968.25 Incorporate late-received Oak Street design information by redesigning storm and sanitary facilities, reevaluating water main conflicts and separations, and updating plans, quantities, permit documents, and bidding documents. 9/17/26 Ruekert & Mielke, Inc. East Lincoln Street- Task Order No. 2023-03 Amendment 4630 South Biltmore Lane, Madison WI 53718 Additional WisDOT Coordination and PS&E Revisions- $35,992.00 Provide additional coordination and design support associated with the expanded scope, extended schedule, and multiple WisDOT review cycles, including comment resolution and repeated updates and resubmittals of plans, specifications, estimates, special provisions, quantities, utility status reports, funding documentation, and PS&E packages. Rate Adjustment Credit– ($1,467.50) Upon review of the contract, the billing followed the master services agreement pricing. The task order included language to hold the rates from 2023-2024. The entire project was reconciled to correct for this and a credit of $1,467.50 will be provided. COMPENSATION For the Additional Services described above, Client shall pay Consultant on a time-and-expense basis in accordance with the Task Order and applicable rate schedules, up to the revised not-to-exceed amount shown below. Original Task Order $143,310 Additional Services $80,020.50 Total Revised Task Order $223,330.50 Client and Consultant agree to modify the above -referenced Task Order as set forth in this Amendment. All provisions of the Agreement and Task Order not modified by this or previous amendments remain in effect. The Effective Date of this Amendment is September 9, 2026. CLIENT: CONSULTANT: Village of Oregon Ruekert & Mielke, Inc. Signature: __________________________ Signature: __________________________ Title: ______________________________ Jason P. Lietha, P.E. Chief Operating Officer Date: ______________________________ Date: August 20, 2026 September 17, 2026 Village of Oregon Public Works Committee 117 Spring Street Oregon, Wisconsin 53575 Re: East Lincoln Street Reconstruction Project Task Order No. 2023-03 Contract Amendment Request Ruekert & Mielke, Inc. (R/M)respectfully submits the enclosed contract amendment and supporting documentation for additional professional services associated with the East Lincoln Street Reconstruction Project. The original task order was established in April 2023, with most preliminary and final design work anticipated during 2023 and 2024. The project ultimately extended into 2026. What began as a relatively straightforward street and utility reconstructionand roadway resurfacing project became substantially more complex as design advanced and additional environmental conditions, regulatory requirements, property impacts, utility conflicts, accessibility deficiencies, and agency requirements became known. Several significant changes were identified relatively early in the project. The hazardous- materials investigation identified a contaminated site that required additional investigation, coordination, documentation, agency interaction, and related work beyond the original scope. The number of temporary limited easements also increased from the four contemplated in the original scope to six, requiring additional survey, exhibit preparation, property coordination, and right-of-way documentation. Additionally, the sidewalk and most curb ramps within the project corridor were found not to comply with applicable accessibility requirements. Rather than the limited sidewalk and curb-ramp improvements originally anticipated, the project required substantially broader replacement of the sidewalk system and additional curb ramps. WisDOT also required significantly more detailed traƯic-control and pedestrian-accommodation measures than anticipated, including expanded pedestrian routing, detour planning, temporary audible messaging devices, and multiple revisions to the plans, specifications, cost estimates, and Wisconsin Transportation Management Plan. The project became more complex as design progressed. Late-received Oak Street design information showed that existing storm and sanitary sewer infrastructure diƯered from the information available during earlier design. This required substantial redesign of the storm sewer and sanitary sewer systems, reevaluation of related water-main improvements and utility conflicts, and corresponding revisions to plans, quantities, permit documents, specifications, and bidding documents. The majority of the contract overage occurred during Phase 4, the final design and PS&E phase. During this phase, the project team was working under a firm schedule to complete the plans, specifications, estimates, utility documentation, agency forms, andapprovals necessary to maintain the planned PS&E submission, bidding, and construction schedule. Maintaining that schedule was also necessary to protect the Village’s project grant funding. At the same time, multiple WisDOT review cycles required repeated and interconnected revisions to nearly every component of the project. These included updates to plans, specifications, estimates, quantities, traƯic control, pedestrian accommodations, utility status reports, environmental commitments, funding documents, AASHTOWare information, and final PS&E packages. Because changes to one component frequently aƯected several others, the cumulative eƯort substantially exceeded the standard WisDOT Local Program review process anticipated in the original task order. For additional context, the Village’s original construction budget was approximately $1,484,830, while the final construction contract was approximately $2,717,944. The original overall engineering budget, including the separately authorized hazardous- materials work, was approximately $148,310, or approximately 10.0% of the original construction budget. The current engineering eƯort is approximately $223,330.50, or approximately 8.2% of the final construction contract. Although the total engineering cost increased, the engineering eƯort remained generally proportional to the substantially expanded construction scope and final construction cost. Smaller change order discussions occurred as the project proceeded for thesidewalk revisions and additional easements – although these were not formalized in a contract amendment. R/M began discussing the need for a broader contract amendment with Village staƯ in March 2026. We recognize, however, that the changing scope and associated cost implications should have been more formally documented and brought forward earlier. We takeresponsibility for that. Our intent was to resolve each issue as it arose, maintain project momentum, protect the Village’s grant funding, and avoid jeopardizing the PS&E, bidding, and construction schedule. However, the volume and interconnected nature of the project changes, together with continuing WisDOT comments and requested PS&E revisions, made it diƯicult to determine the full extent of the additional eƯort while the work was actively progressing. In hindsight, maintaining the project schedule and formally documenting the changing scope and budget should have occurred in parallel. We regret that the formal amendment did not keep pace with the work, and we apologize for placing the Village and Committee in the position of considering these costs after much of the additional eƯort had already occurred. We have since completed a detailed review of the original scope, project billing, and supporting records to distinguish the additional services from the work included in the original task order and to provide the Village with a transparent accounting of the requested amendment. The enclosed amendment specifically modifies Task Order No. 2023-03 from $143,310 to a revised not-to-exceed amount of $223,330.50, representing $80,020.50 in additional services. The broader engineering-cost figures referenced above include the separately authorized hazardous-materials work and are provided to show the overall relationship between engineering eƯort and the original and final construction costs. We respectfully request the Committee’s consideration of the amendment based on the documented work required to deliver a compliant, coordinated, and constructible project while protecting the Village’s funding and overall project schedule. We are committed to answering the Committee’s questions openly and to applying the lessons from this project through earlier documentation of scope changes, more frequent budget communication, and timelier amendment discussions on future work. Respectfully submitted, Ruekert & Mielke, Inc. MEMO To: Lauren Striegl From: Cory Horton Subject: Evaluation of Additional Services Relative to Task Order 2023-03 Lauren, We evaluated the original scope included in Task Order 2023-03 against the additional services that were required as the project advanced. The following summary is intended to provide a clear and transparent explanation of where the actual level of eƯortexceeded the assumptions in the original task order.We recognize that project needs can evolve over time, and we appreciate the Village’s partnership throughout the process. We would be happy to meet and discuss any of these items in more detail, answer questions, or review the supporting information together if that would be helpful. Additional Meetings and Project Coordination – $3,636 The original task order specifically identified and budgeted for the anticipated project meetings, including the project kickoƯ meeting, railroad coordination meeting, public involvement meeting (PIM), utility coordination meetings, and 30%, 60%, and 90% design review meetings. The total budget allocated for meeting-related eƯort was $4,145. Actual meeting and coordination eƯort totaled approximately $7,781, resulting in an additional $3,636 of uncompensated eƯort. The additional meeting eƯort was due to additional meetings that were not in the original scope. These additional meetings included:  Recurring project check-in meetings with Village staƯ and WisDOT.  Meetings regarding temporary limited easements (TLEs), right-of-way impacts, and property acquisition requirements.  Coordination meetings related to environmental and contamination findings.  Pedestrian accommodation and ADA compliance meetings required by WisDOT.  Oak Street utility redesign discussions and associated stakeholder coordination. These meetings addressed issues that were not included in the original scope assumptions and were necessary to successfully advance the project through design, agency review, utility coordination, and final PS&E development. Hazmat Findings and Coordination – $5,574 The original scope did not anticipate additional eƯort associated with contaminated materials encountered during project development. Additional coordination, documentation, agency interaction, and project management were required to address environmental findings and maintain project progression. These services were performed in response to conditions identified after the original task order was established. Additional Temporary Limited Easements (TLEs) and Property Acquisition – $2,095 The original scope assumed a limited number of easements. As design advanced and ADA, grading, and sidewalk requirements were refined, additional property impacts were identified, resulting in expanded easement exhibits, coordination with property owners, survey support, and right-of-way documentation beyond the original assumptions. TraƯic /Pedestrian Control Complexity – $4,982 ($4,580.00 Design+ $402.00 CAD) The original scope anticipated vehicular traƯic to be closed to local traƯic with minimal pedestrian accommodation during construction. TraƯic control requirements expanded significantly during project development due to WisDOT review comments, pedestrian accommodation requirements, detour planning, temporary audible messaging devices, and additional traƯic control documentation (WisTMP/Cost estimates/Special provisions/Plans). The final traƯic control eƯort exceeded the level anticipated in the original task order and required multiple revisions throughout final design. Curb Stop and Lateral Revisions – $3,187.50 ($2,558.00 Design+ $629.50 CAD) The original scope anticipated entire watermain replacement as well as service replacement up to and including all curb stops. As a result of the real estate requirements (not allowing temporary construction permits), the work was not allowed to disturb any ground beyond the rights-of-way. As a result, the project needed to identify which existing curb stops needed to be replaced before the road project, and the road plans needed to be modified to document which curb stops would need to be replaced and which had already been replaced prior to the WisDOT letting. Grant Revision Request – $552.50 The Village was made aware of the potential for additional grant funding. R/M was asked to assist with documenting project costs that could be eligible for additional funding. This was not a part of the original scope. Additional Curb Ramps and Full Sidewalk Replacement for ADA Compliance – $12,500.75 ($6,964.50 Design+ $5,536.25 CAD) The original scope assumed limited sidewalk replacement and ADA improvements. During design development, additional ADA deficiencies were identified (after the survey had been completed). This necessitated additional curb ramp replacement, evaluation of sidewalk cross slopes, additional ADA compliance reviews, and ultimately the design of substantially more sidewalk replacement and curb ramp improvements than originally contemplated. Expanded Storm, Water, and Sanitary Design / Oak Street Redesign– $25,936.50 ($20,741.00 Design+ $5,195.50 CAD). We propose splitting this 50%-50% The sump pump discharge system underwent multiple design revisions due to right-of-way and easement constraints identified during project development. What was initially envisioned as a more straightforward system ultimately evolved into two separate sump pump discharge systems to collect and convey flows independently from each side of the corridor. This required additional hydraulic evaluation, utility conflict analysis, plan revisions, and coordination to accommodate existing underground infrastructure while maintaining constructability and operational performance. After the 30% and 60% designs of the East Lincoln project had been completed, as built drawings became available for the Oak Street intersection. The East Lincoln Street sanitary sewer and storm sewer systems were originally designed based onOak Street plan information available early in the project. However, late in the design process, newly obtained as-built information revealed that the existing storm and sanitary facilities diƯered from the previously provided records with respect to configuration and depth. This new information necessitated substantial redesign of both systems. The revised design altered portions of the sewer alignment (and flow direction), allowed for the use of smaller sanitary sewer pipe sizes resulting in construction cost savings, and created opportunities to increase storm sewer capacity and improve overall system functionality. Because the storm and sanitary sewer systems were redesigned, the proposed water main improvements also had to be reevaluated to identify and resolve new utility conflicts, maintain required separations, and ensure constructability. These interconnected utility revisions required additional engineering analysis, design iterations, coordination among disciplines, revision of plans and quantities, and updates to permit and bidding documents beyond the level of eƯort contemplated in the original scope. WisDOT Coordination Associated with Expanded Scope and Extended Timeframe – $35,992.00 ($28,764.75 Design+ $7,227.25 CAD) The original task order anticipated a standard WisDOT Local Program review process and a typical progression through final design. However, as the project scope expanded and the schedule extended, the level of agency coordination and design documentation eƯort increased substantially beyond what was originally contemplated. Throughout final design, multiple rounds of WisDOT review comments generated significant downstream impacts across virtually every project component. Revisions associated with traƯic control, right-of-way and property requirements, utility coordination, environmental commitments, quantities, PS&E documentation, and special provisions required repeated updates to plans, specifications, estimates, and supporting project documents. These comments often resulted in interconnected revisions, where changes in one discipline necessitated corresponding modifications throughout the project package. Additional eƯort included preparation and resubmittal of PS&E packages, utility status reports, funding and program coordination, comment resolution, quantity updates, special provision revisions, traƯic control reviews, and extensive document management associated with multiple submission cycles. The cumulative eƯect of the expanded scope, prolonged project duration, and iterative agency review process resulted in a substantially greater level of WisDOT coordination and design support than was includedin the original budget and level of eƯort. Rate Adjustment Credit – ($1,467.50) Upon review of the contract, the billing followed the master services agreement pricing. The task order included language to hold the rates from 2023-2024. The entire project was reconciled to correct for this and a credit of $1,467.50 will be provided. Village of Oregon 2027 Budget DRAFT FOR OCTOBER 5, 2026 VILLAGE BOARD MEETING Current Status - 2027 draft budget has been fully compiled. - There are a few remaining items to address that could yet substantively impact on the budget (e.g., employee benefit open enrollment which takes place through October, the school resource officer agreement negotiation, and the police union contract negotiation). - The current draft operating budget has a deficit of about $49,000. However, between outstanding items above and other options, staff find it reasonable that solutions to balancing the budget can be achieved before adoption in November. - First draft of Budget document (this document) substantially completed for overview sections. Other sections being further compiled and review ongoing. - Quality control. Double checking and triple checking numbers. Next Steps - October 5th – Budget Review. Executive overview, recap capital and debt, and begin general fund. - October 19th – Budget Review. General fund, special revenue funds, tax increment districts, and utilities. Village Board determination if in acceptable form to transmit for public hearing notice. - November 2nd – Budget Review. Further review and finalization of remaining items. - November 16th – Public hearing, final adjustments, and Village Board approval. The Bottom Line: Property Tax Levy Limit The property tax is the principal source of revenue available to Wisconsin municipalities for funding governmental services. For many municipalities, property taxes provide 60 to 70% or more of the revenue that supports services such as police, fire and emergency medical services, public works, libraries, senior services, planning and development, elections, and general administration. Comparable revenue alternatives are limited. Wisconsin municipalities generally lack authority to impose local sales or income taxes, while other revenue sources, including utility charges, special charges, user fees, and permit and license fees, are often governed by state law. Some charges are fixed or otherwise restricted by the state. Imposing or increasing certain fees may require a corresponding reduction in the municipality’s allowable property tax levy. As a result, these sources generally cannot provide an unrestricted and reliable substitute for property tax revenue on a comparable scale. Since 2005, the State of Wisconsin has restricted the annual growth of municipal property tax levies. Because the property tax is the Village’s primary general-purpose revenue source, the state-imposed levy limit is one of the most consequential factors affecting the entire Village budget. The levy limit law restricts how much the Village may increase its total property tax levy from one year to the next. The Village must follow a statutory calculation when establishing its levy. Subject to specific adjustments and exceptions, the baseline allowable increase in the levy is primarily tied to a factor referred to as net new construction. Stated simply, the Village generally gains additional ongoing levy capacity when new taxable value is added to the community through construction. The levy limit does not automatically increase to account for inflation, nor does appreciation in the value of existing homes and businesses authorize the Village to collect additional property tax revenue. Although appreciation may affect the tax rate and how the tax burden is distributed among individual properties, it does not create additional levy capacity. Absent an applicable statutory adjustment or voter approval through referendum, the Village cannot simply increase its base property tax levy as it desires. The table to the left shows the Village’s net new construction percentages for recent years. The percentage is calculated by dividing the net value of new construction by the prior year’s equalized property value. For the purposes of the 2027 budget, the Village’s net new construction totaled $67,752,300, resulting in a new construction percentage of 3.18%. Budget Year Prior Year Equalized Value Net New Construction (NNC) Value % NNC (NNC / EV) 2027 2,129,359,300 67,752,300 3.18% 2026 1,948,853,600 75,805,100 3.89% 2025 1,820,588,000 59,489,600 3.27% 2024 1,587,674,000 46,656,000 2.94% 2023 1,411,777,900 36,314,300 2.57% 2022 1,312,188,300 41,155,000 3.14% 2021 1,232,395,400 25,846,500 2.10% 2020 1,154,984,200 28,282,800 2.45% 2019 1,086,383,800 29,594,900 2.72% 2018 1,008,065,500 32,679,900 3.24% This percentage is incorporated into the State’s levy-limit calculation to determine the Village’s allowable property tax levy for the upcoming budget year, subject to other statutory adjustments. The resulting levy capacity represents the Village’s principal source of additional recurring property tax revenue available to support ongoing operational costs for Village services. Property Taxes: Inflation The following table compares the Village’s estimated allowable levy growth for the 2027 budget, and recent years, with a measure of the Consumer Price Index. CPI is not part of the statutory levy-limit calculation. It also shouldn’t be considered a precise measure of municipal operating costs. However, it nevertheless provides a useful benchmark for comparing growth in the Village’s primary recurring revenue source with inflationary increases in the cost of goods and services throughout the wider economy. Budget Year Adjusted Property Tax Levy (Base Levy) Total Allowable Property Tax Levy Before Adjustments Allowable Property Tax Increase Due to New Construction % Increase Year over Year Due to New Construction CPI-U Annual % Change Prior Year 2027* 6,354,116 6,512,712 158,596 2.50% 3.4%** 2026 6,239,947 6,482,681 242,734 3.89% 2.7% 2025 5,807,824 5,954,031 146,207 2.52% 2.9% 2024 5,626,862 5,792,235 165,373 2.94% 3.4% 2023 5,470,478 5,611,179 140,701 2.57% 6.5% 2022 5,304,141 5,470,479 166,338 3.14% 7.0% 2021 5,195,198 5,304,141 108,943 2.10% 1.4% 2020 5,071,009 5,195,198 124,189 2.45% 2.3% 2019 4,884,706 5,071,009 186,303 3.81% 1.9% 2018 4,721,631 4,874,706 153,075 3.24% 2.1% *Reduced by $172,400 due to fire and EMS levy limit exception error correction; to be offset by State aid payment. **Through July 2026 Please note that the Village’s 2027 property tax levy will be unusually affected by the Wisconsin Department of Revenue’s (DOR) correction of the fire and EMS levy-limit adjustment originally applied in 2024 / 2025. The Village will receive an offsetting state aid payment associated with that correction. Accordingly, the 2027 property tax levy number above is not directly comparable with prior years. Regardless of the unique circumstances for 2027, before and during the early years of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Village’s net new construction percentage generally exceeded inflation. This provided the Village with additional levy capacity to help absorb inflationary cost increases while also expanding service funding to respond to community growth. From 2022 through 2025, however, inflation significantly exceeded the Village’s growth in recurring levy capacity. During that same period, the Village continued to grow, and the demand for municipal services continued to increase. The Village was therefore attempting to address both higher costs and expanding service demands with a primary revenue source that was not growing at the same pace. Property Taxes: Community Growth Community growth affects both sides of the Village budget. New construction adds taxable value and can provide additional capacity to increase recurring property tax revenue. At the same time, growth increases the number of people, properties, and public facilities the Village must serve. However, little or no growth limits the Village’s ability to increase its primary revenue source but does not prevent service costs from rising. Two related points are important: - Little or no growth does not mean costs remain unchanged. Even if the Village added no new residents or development, it would still likely desire to provide police protection, maintain and plow streets, care for parks and public buildings, conduct elections, and perform its other existing responsibilities. The costs of employee compensation and benefits, fuel, utilities, insurance, supplies, contracted services, equipment replacement, and infrastructure maintenance generally increase over time. Recurring revenues must therefore grow simply to maintain the same level and quality of service. If revenues do not keep pace, the Village must defer work, stretch existing staff and resources further, or reduce services. - Growth creates both revenue and new costs. New development can expand the tax base and generate additional revenue, but it also creates additional service demands. More residents, homes, and businesses can mean more calls for public safety services, additional streets and utilities to maintain, greater use of parks and public facilities, more building inspections and development reviews, and increased demands on elections and administrative services. The revenue generated by growth must therefore help cover both the rising cost of existing operations and the additional costs associated with serving a larger community. Neither growth nor a lack of growth automatically resolves the Village’s financial challenges. Little or no growth restricts revenue growth while existing costs continue to rise. Growth provides additional revenue capacity, but it also requires additional infrastructure and service capacity to maintain the public service status quo. Property Taxes: “Tax to the Max” As depicted in the table above, under Wisconsin’s levy-limit framework, the prior year’s actual property tax levy generally becomes the starting point for calculating the following year’s allowable levy. Consequently, if the Village levies less than the maximum amount permitted (sometimes informally described as “taxing to the max”), the lower actual levy may also reduce the base used for future levy-limit calculations. Wisconsin provides limited mechanisms for carrying forward unused levy capacity. These mechanisms are capped, conditional, time-sensitive, and require affirmative action by the governing body. They do not allow the Village to preserve all unused levy authority indefinitely. As a practical matter, therefore, the levy limit operates largely as a “use it or lose it” system. If the Village does not use the authority and cannot preserve it through an available carryforward adjustment, that capacity generally falls out of the Village’s recurring levy base. Future new construction increases are then applied to that lower base, potentially compounding the effect over time. For example, the Village Board may wish to seek property tax relief by levying less than the full amount allowed in a particular year. That decision would reduce the Village levy relative to what it otherwise could have been. By lowering the Village’s recurring levy base, it constrains the revenues available in subsequent budgets. If the Village later encountered an emergency, a loss of other revenue, higher-than-anticipated costs, additional service demands, or a new public policy priority, the Board could not restore the forgone levy capacity in a prior year simply by choosing to do so. This framework creates a built-in financial incentive for governing bodies to levy the full amount permitted each year, even if the entire amount may not appear necessary for the immediate budget. Preserving levy capacity has long-term value because it maintains flexibility for the Village to respond to changing financial conditions and community needs. This does not mean that levying the full allowable amount is the only policy choice. It means that the decision involves a significant tradeoff between providing immediate property tax relief and preserving future financial flexibility and service capacity. A decision to levy less than the allowable amount should therefore be understood as a potentially long-term structural decision. Property Taxes: Twenty Years of Levy Limits; Limited Options Remain Wisconsin’s municipal levy limits have been in place since 2005. During the early years of these restrictions, many local governments could respond by “sharpening their pencils” or eliminating lower- priority expenses, holding positions vacant, consolidating responsibilities, rebidding contracts, introducing new technology, postponing purchases, and finding more efficient ways to provide services. Those measures can produce meaningful savings, but they cannot be repeated indefinitely. Once an expense has been eliminated, it no longer appears in future budgets and cannot be eliminated again. After approximately two decades of operating under levy limits, many of the easiest and least disruptive changes were made years ago and are already reflected in current municipal budgets. A substantial portion of a municipal budget consists of employees (approximately 70% of the operating budget for 2027) and the direct costs of services. Achieving significant additional recurring savings generally requires changes such as eliminating positions and reducing staffing levels, shortening service hours, delaying responses, deferring maintenance, reducing programs, or discontinuing services. One-time measures, such as using fund balance, delaying equipment purchases, deferring maintenance, or relying on temporary vacancies, may provide short-term budget relief, but they do not correct a continuing imbalance between recurring revenues and recurring expenses. In some cases, these approaches merely postpone the cost or create larger expenses and operational risks in later years. As a result, many Wisconsin communities have reached a point where the available choices are increasingly limited. They generally include some combination of: 1. Identifying alternative revenue sources, such as fees, charges, grants, partnerships, or shared- service arrangements. These options are limited, frequently regulated by state law, and may not provide reliable ongoing revenue. Some new or increased fees may also require a corresponding reduction in the allowable property tax levy. 2. Seeking voter approval through a levy-limit referendum to increase recurring property tax revenue beyond what state law would otherwise allow. The Village attempted this in April 2025, which was rejected by voters. 3. Reducing staffing, programs, service levels, or the pace at which services and infrastructure are maintained. After approximately two decades of levy limits, the expectation that substantial recurring budget gaps can be resolved through general belt-tightening, without affecting services, is increasingly unrealistic. Form WI Dept of Revenue Municipal Levy Limit WorksheetSL-202m 2026 Co-muni Code Municipality County Account No. Report TypeYear Section A: Determination of Payable Allowable Levy Limit 1 2 Exclude prior year levy for unreimbursed expenses related to an emergency 3 Exclude levy for new general obligation debt authorized after July 1, 2005 4 payable adjusted actual levy (Line 1 minus Lines 2 and 3) 5 6 % ) applied to 2025 adjusted actual levy 7 Greater of Line 5 or Line 6 10 Total adjustments (from Sec. D, Line U) 11 Payable Allowable Levy (sum of Lines 8, 9, and 10) 8 levy limit before adjustments less personal property aid ( ) 0.00% growth applied to 2025 adjusted actual levy Net new construction ( 12 Higher levy approved by special resolution at a special meeting of Town electors payable actual levy plus personal property aid ( ) Section B: Adjustment for Previous Year's Unused Levy (sec. 66.0602(3)(f), Wis. Stats.) 1 Previous year's allowable levy 2 Previous year's actual levy 3 Previous year's unused levy (Line 1 minus Line 2) 4 Previous year's actual levy x 5 Allowable Increase (lesser of Lines 3 or 4) Section C: Adjustment for Prior Years Unused Levy Carryforward (sec. 66.0602(3)(fm), Wis. Stats.) 1 unused percentage 2 unused percentage 3 unused percentage 5 6 Total unused percentage (sum of Lines 1-5) 7 Previous year's actual levy due to valuation factor 8 Allowable Increase (Line 6 multiplied by Line 7) % % % % unused percentage %4 unused percentage % 9Increase for terminated TID ( %) plus subtracted TID ( %) applied to 2025 allowable levy limit 2026 13165 DANE VILLAGE OF OREGON 0385 2026 2027 2025 2026 2026 $43,591.55 $10,243,921 $0 2025 $3,889,805 2025 2026 $6,354,116 2025 $6,354,116 3.182 2025 $6,556,304 $6,556,304 2026 2027 $43,591.55 $6,512,712 0 0 2025 $0 $4,229,575 2026 2027 $10,742,287 $10,372,713 $10,372,713 $0 $10,372,713 0.015 $155,591 $0 2025 0.000 2024 0.000 2023 0.000 2022 0.000 2021 0.000 0.000 $6,482,681 $0 SL-202m Municipal Levy Limit Worksheet Wisconsin Department of Revenue Page of 1 2 Form WI Dept of Revenue Municipal Levy Limit WorksheetSL-202m 2026 Section D: Adjustments to Allowable Levy Limit A Increase for unused levy from previous year (from Sec. B, Line 5) B Decrease in debt service levy as compared to debt service levy for debt authorized prior to July 1, 2005 C Increase in debt service levy as compared to debt service levy for debt authorized prior to July 1, 2005 D Increase for town, village, or city's share of refunded or rescinded taxes certified under sec. 74.41(5), Wis. Stats. E Debt service levy for general obligation debt authorized after July 1, 2005 F Increase in payable levy approved by a referendum. G Amount levied in to pay unreimbursed expenses related to an emergency H Increase/decrease in costs associated with an intergovernmental cooperation agreement I Adjustment to payable levy for increase in charges assessed by a joint fire department or a joint emergency medical services district J Adjustment to payable levy for transfer of services during to other governmental units Adjustment to payable for transfer of services during from other governmental units Adjustment to payable levy for annexation of land during by a city or village (towns only) M Adjustment to payable levy for annexation of land during from a town (villages or cities only) N Lease payment for lease revenue bond issued before July 1, 2005 O Total Adjustments (sum of Lines A-T) Levy for shortfall of debt service on revenue bond issued under sec. 66.0621, Wis. Stats., or special assessment B bond issued under sec. 66.0713(4), Wis. Stats. U Subtractions L K Additions P Q R Increase in levy for shortfall in general fund due to loss of revenue from the sale of water or other commodity to a manufacturer that has discontinued operations Adjustment to payable levy for the adoption of a new fee or fee increase for covered services partly or wholly funded by levy in 2013 Increase for unused levy carryforward from prior years (from Sec. C, Line 8) S Increase in levy for each occupancy permit issued in for qualifying new single- family residential dwelling units T Increase in levy due to a reduced utility aid payment for a decommissioned or closed plant 2027 2026 2027 2026 $4,158,912 2026 2027 2026 2026 2027 $65,659 2026 2027 2026 2026 2027 2026 2026 2027 2026 2026 2027 2026 $4 2026 2027 2025 $5,000 $4,229,575 SL-202m Municipal Levy Limit Worksheet Wisconsin Department of Revenue Page of 2 2 Draft 2027 Budget Projected Property Tax Levy The 2027 draft budget proposes levying $10,742,287 in property taxes, an increase of $369,574 (or 3.56%) from 2026. A breakdown of how the property tax levy will be allocated compared to 2026 can be found in the table below: Fund 2026 Adopted Budget 2027 Proposed Budget Increase (Decrease) % Change General Fund 5,308,240 5,441,151 132,911 2.50 Library Operating Fund 1,174,668 1,142,224 (32,444) (2.76) General Debt Service Fund 3,716,219 4,027,017 310,798 8.36 TID #3 Debt Service Fund 173,586 131,895 (41,691) (24.02) TOTAL VILLAGE TAX LEVY 10,372,713 10,742,287 369,574 3.56 Property Tax Levy: Debt Service Debt service is a significant exception to Wisconsin’s property-tax levy limits. Amounts levied to pay qualifying general obligation debt are not subject to the ordinary levy-limit calculation. However, this does not provide unlimited borrowing authority. The Village’s outstanding general obligation debt is subject to a separate legal debt limit equal to 5% of its equalized value. The debt-service portion of the Village’s property-tax levy has increased substantially over the past decade as the Village has financed significant, long-term capital investments. These investments include generational public facilities, such as the new library, Village Hall, and Senior Center, as well as major park improvements and street reconstruction projects. The Village manages its debt as part of an integrated, long- term financial plan rather than structuring each borrowing in isolation. Debt repayment schedules are coordinated with the major projects anticipated in the Village’s ten-year capital improvement plan. In some cases, this means making larger payments on existing debt in earlier years to create capacity for additional borrowing when future projects are undertaken. By anticipating these projects and coordinating repayment schedules well in advance, the Village has sought to maintain a more predictable debt-service levy and avoid sharp increases or decreases in property taxes as major projects occur. This planning helps manage when those costs affect taxpayers and distributes the financial impact more deliberately over time. More information on this can be found in the Capital Funds section below. Property Tax Levy for Debt Service Budget Year Levy % Change Prior Year 2027 4,158,912 6.9% 2026 3,889,805 10.1% 2025 3,531,435 6.5% 2024 3,315,873 16.9% 2023 2,837,333 30.9% 2022 2,167,156 44.1% 2021 1,504,278 7.3% 2020 1,401,321 31.9% 2019 1,062,150 25.8% 2018 844,166 - The property tax levy for debt service has increased just over $3.3m or 392% over the last decade Property Tax Levy: Joint Fire and EMS Levy-Limit Exception Wisconsin’s levy limit law provides an adjustment for increases in municipal costs for fire protection and emergency medical services provided through a cooperative or joint arrangement. Because the Village of Oregon participates in the Oregon Area Fire-EMS District (OAFED), it may use this adjustment when the applicable statutory requirements are met. To qualify, the percentage increase in the District’s total charges to participating municipalities may not exceed the applicable change in the consumer price index plus two percentage points. For the 2027 budget, this limit is 5.3%. The Village worked with its OAFED partners to develop a 2027 District budget that meets this requirement. 2026 Budget 2027 Budget TOTAL ASSESSED CHARGES 1,636,952.00 1,723,710.00 $ Difference 86,758.00 % Difference 5.30% CPI-U + 2% 5.30% For 2027, this exception allows the participating municipalities to increase their otherwise allowable property-tax levies by a combined $86,758. The Village’s share of this adjustment is $65,659, as shown below. Total Assessed Charges 2026 Budget 2027 Budget Levy Exceptions for Worksheet Village of Oregon 1,092,291.00 1,157,950.00 65,659.00 Town of Oregon 295,741.00 303,413.00 7,672.00 Town of Dunn 174,243.00 183,706.00 9,463.00 Town of Rutland 74,677.00 78,641.00 3,964.00 Total 1,636,952.00 1,723,710.00 86,758.00 *Municipalities must pass levy exception resolution. This adjustment is particularly important because it is base building. If levied, the amount becomes part of the property tax levy used as the starting point for future levy limit calculations. It therefore provides ongoing revenue to support fire and emergency medical services rather than one-time funding. Resolution of Prior-Year Calculation Issue—2025 Wisconsin Act 91 When calculating the joint fire and EMS exception for the 2025 budget, OAFED municipalities relied on written guidance provided by the Wisconsin Department of Revenue (DOR). After the District’s budget had been finalized and the municipalities had made ongoing service and staffing commitments, DOR advised the municipalities that its earlier guidance had been incorrect. Under DOR’s revised calculation, the affected municipalities collectively would have been required to remove $224,600 from their future property tax levies. This presented a significant financial challenge because the revenue had been used to support ongoing operating costs, including an additional full-time firefighter/EMT position and employee wage adjustments. Removing the revenue in a subsequent year would not have eliminated those continuing obligations and would have created a structural funding gap for the municipalities and the District. The Village and its municipal partners worked with state legislators, the League of Wisconsin Municipalities, the Wisconsin Towns Association, DOR, and the Governor’s Office to seek a resolution. That effort resulted in Assembly Bill 440 and Senate Bill 439. Senate Bill 439 was subsequently enacted as 2025 Wisconsin Act 91 in March 2026. Act 91 establishes ongoing annual levy-adjustment grants for the three affected municipalities: Beginning in 2027, DOR must distribute these grants by June 30 of each year. For the Village, this means the 2027 property tax levy will reflect the required $172,400 reduction, while the budget will also recognize an offsetting $172,400 state grant. This avoids the operating shortfall that otherwise would have resulted from the correction, although the funding will now be recorded as state aid rather than property tax revenue. Property Tax Levy: Tax Increment Districts’ Performance The impact on the property tax levy due to the Village’s four tax increment districts (TID) continues its recent years’ trend of improving. - TID 5 ended its need for levy support in 2023 and projects to no longer need it moving forward. - TID 4 ended its need for levy support in 2025 and projects to no longer need it moving forward. - TID 3 has required many years of property tax levy support to cover its debt service. This support peaked in 2026 and will shrink in 2027 and 2028. All its debt service will be repaid in 2028, and the district will begin repaying the General Fund in 2029. The need to raise property taxes for TID support has dropped from a high of $376,267 in 2022 to a proposed $131,895 in 2027. PROPERTY TAX LEVY CONTRIBUTION FOR TAX INCREMENT DISTRICTS 2027 2026 2025 2024 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 TID 3 131,895 173,586 165,000 149,340 137,392 131,943 166,405 210,259 235,047 TID 4 - - - 166,851 149,190 146,892 115,735 70,648 46,099 TID 5 - - - - - 97,432 67,928 52,980 20,000 TID 6 - - - - - - - - - Total 131,895 173,586 165,000 316,191 286,582 376,267 350,068 333,887 301,146 Municipality Annual Act 91 Grant Village of Oregon $172,400 Town of Oregon $51,100 Town of Rutland $1,100 Total $224,600 Importantly, much of the public infrastructure financed through the Village’s tax incremental districts consists of major street reconstruction and related improvements that the Village would otherwise expect to undertake. With the districts in place, property tax revenue generated by growth in value above each district’s original base value, the tax increment, is used to pay eligible project costs. This revenue includes the portions attributable to the Village and the other overlapping taxing jurisdictions, including the school district, Dane County, and the technical college. TIF therefore allows these improvements to be financed through revenue generated by growth within the districts rather than solely through Village-wide property taxes. In 2027, tax increment generated by the Village’s districts is expected to fund more than $600,000 in debt service associated with these public improvements. If the districts were not in place and the projects were still completed using Village debt, those payments would need to be supported by the Village’s general property tax levy or another Village revenue source. This would shift more than $600,000 in annual debt service solely onto property owners throughout the Village. The districts also provide development incentives that have enabled certain private projects to proceed, including affordable housing developments and business expansions. TIF represents a deliberate tradeoff for the overlapping taxing jurisdictions. During the life of a district, those jurisdictions continue to receive property tax revenue based on the district’s original value, while the tax revenue generated by subsequent growth is used to pay eligible district costs. In return, the TIF-supported investment is intended to create development and a larger tax base than would otherwise occur. Once the district closes, the increased property value becomes available to support the levies of all overlapping taxing jurisdictions. Apportioned tax increment district property tax levy is a different topic that is separately calculated. Draft 2027 Budget Projected Property Tax Rate and Impact The property taxes levied for the 2027 budget use property values established through the 2026 property assessment and equalization process. Wisconsin's property-tax system involves several taxing jurisdictions and several statutory calculations. At its most basic, however, the outcome is driven by two factors: 1. The property-tax levy: the total amount each taxing jurisdiction needs to collect; and 2. Property values: the basis used to distribute that levy among communities and individual property owners. The levy determines the total amount of the tax burden. Property values determine how that burden is distributed. In Wisconsin, assessed value is the value assigned to an individual property by the assessor and is used to determine that property’s share of the property taxes collected within a municipality. Equalized value is the Wisconsin Department of Revenue’s annual estimate of a municipality’s total taxable property value, calculated using consistent statewide standards. Because municipalities update their assessments at different times, equalized value provides a common basis for fairly dividing county, school district, and technical college tax levies among communities. It is also used in certain state aid calculations and to determine municipal borrowing limits. Village Assessed Value For purposes of the 2027 budget, the Village's 2026 assessed value is currently estimated at $2,317,045,900. This is an increase of $97,346,400, or 4.39%, from 2025. This estimate will be finalized in mid to late October. Because 2026 was a maintenance assessment year, it primarily reflects new construction, changes to individual properties, corrections to the assessment roll, and other additions to the taxable base. 2027 will be a market update year. The Village's recent assessed-value history is shown below: Year Assessed Value Change from Prior Year Percent Change 2026* $2,317,045,900 $97,346,400 4.39% 2025** $2,219,699,500 $400,516,900 22.02% 2024 $1,819,182,600 $46,607,940 2.63% 2023 $1,772,574,660 $210,350,918 13.46% 2022 $1,562,223,742 $169,886,911 12.20% 2021 $1,392,336,831 $102,924,761 7.98% 2020 $1,289,412,070 $70,707,900 5.80% 2019 $1,218,704,170 $83,931,600 7.40% 2018 $1,134,772,570 $64,851,270 6.06% 2017 $1,069,921,300 $79,710,900 8.05% 10-year average 9.00% 5-year average 10.94% * Estimated. The final value will be confirmed mid-October. The 2026 assessment is a maintenance-year assessment. ** Market-update year intended to bring the assessment roll back in line with current market conditions. Village Equalized Value The Village's 2026 equalized value is $2,317,045,900, an increase of $187,686,600, or 8.81%, from 2025. Equalized value generally provides a better picture of the current market value of a community’s taxable property and how that value has changed over time. The state updates equalized values annually to reflect market conditions, while local assessed values may remain largely unchanged between revaluations and fall behind changes in the real estate market. Equalized value also provides a more consistent basis for comparing property values among communities because it accounts for differences in their assessment levels. The Village's recent equalized-value history is shown below: Year Equalized Value Change from Prior Year Percent Change 2026 $2,317,045,900 $187,686,600 8.81% 2025 $2,129,359,300 $180,505,700 9.26% 2024 $1,948,853,600 $128,265,600 7.05% 2023 $1,820,588,000 $232,914,000 14.67% 2022 $1,587,674,000 $175,896,100 12.46% 2021 $1,411,777,900 $99,589,600 7.59% 2020 $1,312,188,300 $79,792,900 6.47% 2019 $1,232,395,400 $77,411,200 6.70% 2018 $1,154,984,200 $68,600,400 6.31% 2017 $1,086,383,800 $78,318,300 7.77% 10-year average 8.71% 5-year average 10.45% Draft 2027 Budget and Projected Property Tax Rate The proposed property tax levy gets spread out over the assessed value to determine the tax rate. The tax rate shown below is the dollar amount per $1,000 of assessed value that a property would be taxed. Based on the draft 2027 Budget, the Village portion of the property tax rate is currently projected to remain virtually flat. 2026 Budget 2027 Draft Budget % Change Village Assessed Value* 2,219,699,500 2,317,045,900 4.39 Tax Rate per $1,000 of assessed value** 4.67 4.64 (0.79) * Estimate. Final number confirmed mid-October. ** Estimate. Village portion only. Apportioned tax increment district levy, school tax credit, and any applicable lottery and first dollar credit not included. The projected Village portion of the property tax levy impact is shown below. The chart estimates the impact on various levels of property value. VILLAGE PORTION PROJECTED IMPACT ON PROPERTY TAXES 2025 Assessed Value 2025 Village Property Taxes 2026 Assessed Value (Maintenance Year; No Change) 2026 Village Property Taxes (Est.) $ Change % Change 200,000 934.61 200,000 927.24 (7.37) -0.79% 300,000 1,401.91 300,000 1,390.86 (11.05) -0.79% 400,000 1,869.21 400,000 1,854.48 (14.73) -0.79% 500,000 2,336.51 500,000 2,318.10 (18.41) -0.79% 600,000 2,803.82 600,000 2,781.72 (22.10) -0.79% 750,000 3,504.77 750,000 3,477.15 (27.62) -0.79% 1,000,000 4,673.03 1,000,000 4,636.20 (36.83) -0.79% 2,000,000 9,346.05 2,000,000 9,272.40 (73.65) -0.79% NOTE: The calculations above are for the Village share of property taxes only and do not include the School District, Dane County, or Technical College property tax portions. The calculation above does not include apportioned tax increment district levy, school tax credit, and any property’s applicable lottery and first dollar tax credits. Property Tax Rate Comparison In 2025, the Village of Oregon’s property taxes continued to stay below the median (represented by the thick black line below) of property taxes for cities and villages within Dane County. This is true for both the local taxes (on the right below) and total taxes inclusive of school district, county, and tech college taxes (on the left below). The average net total property tax for a Dane County city and village was $7,998. Oregon’s was $108 less. Municipality 2025 Net Total Property Tax on $500k Home Madison 9,037 Belleville 9,036 Maple Bluff 8,977 Sun Prairie 8,933 Cottage Grove 8,834 Monona 8,805 Stoughton 8,479 Brooklyn 8,381 Fitchburg 8,368 Cross Plains 8,203 Mazomanie 8,151 DeForest 8,126 McFarland 8,121 Marshall 8,082 Mount Horeb 7,952 Cambridge 7,928 Shorewood Hills 7,914 Oregon 7,890 Black Earth 7,881 Verona 7,867 Edgerton 7,655 Middleton 7,410 Blue Mounds 7,369 Waunakee 7,245 Windsor 7,212 Deerfield 7,211 Dane 7,160 Rockdale 5,719 Municipality 2025 Local Tax on $500k Home Stoughton $3,293 Madison $3,223 Belleville $3,044 Maple Bluff $3,032 Sun Prairie $2,868 Cambridge $2,853 Marshall $2,795 Cross Plains $2,764 Monona $2,678 McFarland $2,639 Mount Horeb $2,604 Brooklyn $2,593 Black Earth $2,479 Fitchburg $2,442 Oregon $2,436 Mazomanie $2,389 Blue Mounds $2,149 Cottage Grove $2,106 Edgerton $2,067 Waunakee $2,039 DeForest $2,024 Dane $2,013 Middleton $1,878 Verona $1,848 Windsor $1,751 Shorewood Hills $1,678 Deerfield $1,628 Rockdale $855 2027 BUDGET 2027 Village Board Budget Direction On June 1, 2026, the Village Board adopted Resolution No. 26-14 to establish priorities and parameters for preparing the proposed 2027 Village Budget. The Board’s direction emphasized maintaining existing municipal services, addressing equipment and infrastructure needs through long-range capital planning, providing employee compensation adjustments, considering several priority staffing additions, and establishing funding parameters for certain outside organizations. The proposed 2027 budget has been developed to strive towards carrying out each element of the Board’s direction. 2027 VILLAGE BOARD DIRECTION TREATMENT IN PROPOSED BUDGET Continue funding and delivering existing Village functions and services at current levels Addressed. Existing functions and service levels are continued. Prioritize equipment replacement, facility and infrastructure maintenance, and major repairs through the ten-year capital improvement planning process while balancing property-tax impacts, debt capacity, and long-range financial policies. Addressed. The proposed budget and capital plan continue funding for identified equipment, facility, infrastructure, and major repair needs. Incorporate a one-step compensation increase of 1.25% to 2.50% for general Village employees under the Employee Compensation Plan and police officer wages under the negotiated labor agreement. Addressed; Police union negotiations ongoing. Add one full-time Police Officer Included with six months of funding. Add one full-time Custodian Included with an anticipated April start date. Add one full-time Human Resources Director Included with six months of funding. Add one part-time Library position Included. The cost is partially offset with 50% being covered by Library Donations. Limit the Village’s contribution to the Oregon Area Fire-EMS District to the property-tax levy-limit exception available for joint fire and EMS districts. Included. Reduce the Village’s contribution to OCA Media to no more than $100,000. Included. Maintain the Village’s contribution to the Oregon Youth Center at $17,000, with a minimal increase if financially feasible. Included. Require departments to complete an assessment and budget worksheet identifying capacity issues, service pressures, operational needs, and budgetary impacts. Completed. Department submissions were used to evaluate needs and prepare the proposed budget. 2027 Village Budget Schedule Date Activity Function Process Tuesday, April 21st Village Administrator provides 2027 budget schedule to the Village Board for review and approval. Village Board Meeting Annual Budget Friday, May 1st Finance Director provides 10 year capital plan worksheets to department heads and other Village entities for the annual capital improvement plan update. Administrative Capital Plan Monday, May 18th Village Board to discuss any desired goals, objectives, and direction for draft budget. Village Board Meeting Annual Budget Monday, June 1st If necessary, Village Board to continue discussion on any desired goals, objectives, and direction for draft budget. Formal budget resolution may be adopted. Village Board Meeting Annual Budget Monday, June 15th If necessary, Village Board to continue discussion on any desired goals, objectives, and direction for draft budget. Formal budget resolution may be adopted. Village Board Meeting Annual Budget Friday, June 19th Deadline for departments and other entities to return draft capital plan worksheets to Finance Director. Administrative Capital Plan June 22nd - July 29th Village Administrator, Finance Director, and Village financial consultant compile 10 year capital improvement plan update and related debt plan / benchmarking analysis Administrative Capital Plan Month of July Wisconsin Department of Employee Trust Funds publishes health insurance and retirement contributions rates (may also occur as early as May or as late as October). State of Wisconsin Annual Budget Wednesday, July 1st Finance Director provides annual operating budget worksheets to department heads and other Village entities. Administrative Operating Budget Wednesday, July 29th Joint meeting for Oregon Area-Fire EMS District 2027 preliminary budget review. Joint meeting of Oregon Area Fire - EMS District municipalities Annual Budget Month of August Wisconsin Department of Revenue publishes equalized values and program aid estimates for municipal budgeting and property tax purposes. State of Wisconsin Annual Budget Monday, August 3rd Presentation of draft 10 year capital plan update to Village Board. Village Board begins review. Village Board Meeting Capital Plan Friday, August 14th Deadline for departments and other entities to return annual operating budget worksheets to Finance Director. Administrative Operating Budget August 17th - September 30thVillage Administrator and Finance Director review proposed budgets and compile draft 2027 budget. Administrative Operating Budget Monday, August 17th Village Board continues review of draft 10 year capital plan. Village Board Meeting Capital Plan Month of September Wisconsin Department of Revenue publishes Levy Limit Worksheet, Shared Revenue estimates, and Consumer Price Index certification for municipal budgeting and property tax purposes. State of Wisconsin Annual Budget Tuesday, September 8th Village Board continues review of draft 10 year capital plan. Village Board Meeting Capital Plan Monday, September 21st Village financial consultant presentation of annual financial management plan update to Village Board. Final approval of financial management plan update and 10 year capital plan update. Village Board Meeting Financial Management Plan Wednesday, September 30thJoint meeting to finalize Oregon Area Fire-EMS District draft 2027 budget. Joint meeting of Oregon Area Fire - EMS District municipalities Annual Budget Month of October Wisconsin Department of Revenue publishes aid program estimates and property value information for municipal budgeting and property tax purposes. State of Wisconsin Annual Budget Monday, October 5th Presentation to Village Board of draft 2027 budget executive summary by Village Administrator. Village Board budget review. Village Board Meeting Annual Budget Monday, October 19th Village Board continue 2027 draft budget review. Board to authorize publishing required budget summary, public notice, and set public hearing. Village Board Meeting Annual Budget October 6th - November 10thIf desired or necessary, Village Board may set additional meetings for Village Board review of budget. Village Board Meeting Annual Budget Thursday, October 22nd Deadline to provide budget summary and public hearing notice to Oregon Observer for following week publishing. Administrative Annual Budget Thursday, October 29th Budget summary and public hearing notice published in Oregon Observer to meet minimum 15 day notice prior to public hearing date required below. Administrative Annual Budget Monday, November 2nd Village Board continue 2027 draft budget review. Village Board Meeting Annual Budget Monday, November 16th Public hearing for 2027 draft budget, review any final adjustments, and action by the Village Board to adopt. Village Board Meeting Annual Budget VILLAGE OF OREGONDANE COUNTY, WISCONSINRESOLUTION NO. 26-14ESTABLISHING VILLAGE BOARD DIRECTION FOR PREPARATION OF THE 2027VILLAGE BUDGETWHEREAS, the Village Board has adopted a schedule for preparation, review, and considerationof the 2027 Village Budget; andWHEREAS, as part of that process, the Village Board has reviewed and discussed preliminarygoals, objectives, assumptions, and priorities to guide preparation of the proposed 2027 Village Budget;andWHEREAS the Village Board desires to provide formal directions to the Village Administrator,department heads, and Village staff for preparation of the proposed 2027 Village Budget; andWHEREAS the Village Board desires to continue funding and delivering essential municipalgovernment functions and services currently provided by the Village, including governance, public safety,public works, planning, zoning and development, parks, library services, and senior services; andWHEREAS, the Village Board recognizes ongoing organizational capacity issues, staffingpressures, infrastructure and equipment needs, and the importance of maintaining fiscal discipline withinavailable revenues, levy limits, debt capacity, and long-range financial planning policies; andWHEREAS, the Village Board further recognizes that this resolution is intended to providedirection for preparation of the proposed 2027 Village Budget and does not constitute final approval of anyexpenditure, position, tax levy, debt issuance, fee, charge, outside agency contribution, contract, or otherspecific budgetary action.NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED the Village Board of the Village of Oregon herebyauthorizes and directs the Village Administrator and Village staff to use this resolution as guidance inpreparing the draft 2027 Village Budget:1. Prioritize funding towards the continued delivery of the Village’s current municipalgovernment functions and services at existing levels. These functions and services includegovernance, including administration, clerk functions, elections, assessment, finance, humanresources, information technology, risk management, and legal services; public safety,including police, municipal court, fire, emergency medical services, building inspection, andemergency management; public works, including engineering, streets, sidewalks and trails,shop activities and machinery maintenance, snow and ice operations, buildings and grounds,stormwater, and forestry; planning, zoning, and development; parks; library services; andsenior services.2. Prioritize ongoing equipment replacement, facility maintenance, infrastructure maintenance,and major repair needs through the ten-year capital improvement planning process, whilebalancing property tax levy impacts, debt capacity, and the Village’s long-range financialplanning policies. Page 1 of 2G:\Admin\Resolutions\2026W26-14 Establishing Village Board Direction 2027 Budget docx 3. Incorporate a one-step increase in compensation for general Village employees, based on theadopted Employee Compensation Plan, which is between 1.25% to 2.50%. Incorporate policeofficer wages based on the negotiated labor agreement. Where feasible, wage increases aredesired to be as uniform as possible across employee groups.4. If financially feasible, the following additional staffing priorities may be included andconsidered: one full-time police officer; one full-time custodian; one full-time HumanResources Director; and one part-time library position5. In collaboration with municipal partners, the Village’s target contribution to the Oregon AreaFire - EMS District will be limited to the property tax levy limit exception for joint fire/EMSdistricts.6. The Village’s target contribution to OCA Media will be reduced to no more than $100,000,with the final amount to be reviewed during the budget process based on performance of cablefranchise fee revenue.7. The Village’s target contribution to the Oregon Youth Center is to be maintained at $17,000with a minimal increase if financially feasible to do so.8. All departments shall complete the department assessment and budgetary worksheet underExhibit A, to identify, evaluate, and track departmental capacity issues, service pressures,operational needs, and budgetary impacts.BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED this resolution is intended to establish preliminary budgetpreparation direction and shall not be interpreted as final approval of any specific appropriation, positionauthorization, staffing increase, tax levy amount, debt issuance, fee, charge, contract, outside agencycontribution, or other budgetary action requiring further Village Board approval.Adopted this 1stday of June 2026.SIGillage PresidentCOUNTERSIGNATURE:Candie Jones, Exhibit A - 2027 Budget Process - Department WorksheetPage 2 of 2G:\Admin\Resol utions\2026\#26-l 4 Establishing Village Board Direction 2027 Budget docx 2026-2028 Village Board Strategic Plan Alignment The proposed 2027 budget is also informed by the Village Board’s 2026–2028 Strategic Plan, adopted on June 15, 2026. The strategic plan serves as the Board’s near-term work plan, identifying the projects, policy matters, and organizational needs that are to receive focused attention over the two-year period. It helps connect the Village’s long-range plans and policies with annual budget decisions, capital planning, departmental work plans, and day-to-day operations. The proposed 2027 budget advances the following strategic plan priorities: STRATEGIC PLAN AREA ACTIONS SUPPORTED BY THE PROPOSED 2027 BUDGET Organizational capacity and workforce stability Includes the four staffing priorities identified for 2027: one full-time police officer, one full-time Human Resources Director, one full-time custodian for the new Senior Center, and one part-time library position. Intergovernmental and regional partnerships Provides funding to support work with the Town of Oregon and the Capital Area Regional Planning Commission to evaluate a potential intergovernmental agreement. Sustainability and long- range financial planning Provides funding to study the feasibility, structure, rate methodology, and administrative requirements of a potential stormwater utility. It also continues the feasibility review for future installation of solar energy improvements at Village Hall. Transportation and infrastructure Funds the Phase 1 reconstruction of County Trunk Highway MM. Wastewater utility Supports completion of the current wastewater treatment plant upgrade. Water utility Continues planning and preparatory work for future water-system improvements, including elevated storage and interzonal booster-station needs. Community facilities Supports completion of the new Senior Center building and the transition of programs, staff, and operations into the facility. Parks and recreation Funds implementation of the Bethel Greenacre Park improvement project and provides funding to begin planning for Phase 1 improvements to the Oregon Conservation Parks. 2026-2028 Village Board Strategic Plan Adoption Date: June 15,2026 2026-2028 Village Board Strategic Plan Village of Oregon, Wisconsin | Page 2 Acknowledgements Village Board Members Village Administration / Department Heads Phil Van Kampen Village President (2025 - 2027) Martin Shanks Village Administrator Tom Kirchdoerfer Trustee, Vice President (2026 - 2028) Candie Jones Village Clerk / Deputy Administrator Tim Higgins Trustee (2025 - 2027) Lisa Novinska Finance Director / Treasurer Paige Knipfer Trustee (2025 - 2027) Jennifer Pagenkopf Police Chief Matt Leas Trustee (2026 - 2028) Lauren Striegl Director of Public Works Rick Marx Trustee (2025 - 2027) Elise Cruz Director of Community Development Lynn McDaniel Trustee (2026 - 2028) Tricia Nicoll Director of Senior Services Jennifer Endres Way Library Director 2026-2028 Village Board Strategic Plan Village of Oregon, Wisconsin | Page 3 Purpose A practical, Board-directed work plan for the next two years. The Village Board consists of seven co-equal elected officials. Individual Board members may bring different ideas, priorities, and policy interests. A shared plan helps convert those perspectives into collective direction. Without a shared plan, the organ ization faces the practical problem that either everything becomes a priority, which is not feasible, or nothing is clearly prioritized. A strategic plan is most useful when it is clear about what it is and what it is not. This plan is not intended to list every worthwhile project, replace the budget, or independently authorize staffing, spending, contracts, code changes, or capital projects. Rather, it helps the Village Board collectively identify what should receive focused attention during the plan period and provides direction for staff to develop options, timelines, budget requests, and implementing actions. This strategic plan is the Village Board's short -term governance and management bridge between long -range community vision, adopted policy documents, budget decisions, and day-to-day municipal operations. It identifies the Board's collective priorities for 2026-2028, gives staff a realistic work plan, and creates a shared basis for public reporting. Core Function How this plan should be used Prioritization Identify the goals, policy questions, projects, and organizational needs that should receive attention now, while recognizing that staff time, funding, and Board agenda capacity are finite. Alignment Connect adopted plans, studies, legal requirements, capital planning, staffing discussions, and department work plans so that short-term work advances broader Village direction. Communication Give residents, staff, advisory bodies, partner organizations, and other agencies a clearer understanding of what the Board expects the Village organization to work on during the plan period. Accountability Create a basis for progress reporting, evaluating completion, explaining delays, and deciding whether priorities should be amended as conditions change. Capacity Management Help the Board and staff weigh new priorities against existing obligations, service demands, staffing capacity, budget limits, and legal or technical complexity. 2026-2028 Village Board Strategic Plan Village of Oregon, Wisconsin | Page 4 Planning Context How the strategic plan fits within the Village's broader planning system. The Village develops and adopts many types of planning and policy documents to establish long -range and mid - range goals, objectives, and implementation strategies. Those documents are important, but they often contain more work than can realistically be co mpleted at one time. The strategic plan provides the near -term link between those adopted plans and the allocation of resources. In that sense, the strategic plan answers a practical question: of the many things the Village has identified as important, what should receive attention, staff capacity, Board agenda time, and budget consideration during the next one to two years? The plan should be treated as a living management document. It should be strong enough to guide staff work, but flexible enough for the Board to amend when projects are completed, legal requirements change, funding opportunities arise, or new priorities become more important than previously identified work. Planning Layer Typical Time Horizon Primary Purpose Strategic Plan Relationship Comprehensive Plan 10-20+ years Establishes community vision, values, broad goals, land use direction, and statutory planning framework. Frames long -term direction and helps determine whether near -term priorities are consistent with adopted community goals. Plans, Studies, Reports, and Policies 1-10 years Translate broad goals into more specific strategies, projects, service analyses, infrastructure needs, staffing studies, or policy options. Identifies candidate work items that may be ready for Board consideration, public engagement, funding, or implementation. Village Board Strategic Plan 1-2 years Selects the Board's near -term goals and objectives for concentrated organizational attention. Prioritizes what should be worked on now and helps decide what should be sequenced, deferred, or revisited later. Budget, Capital Improvement Planning, and Department Work Plans Annual Allocate resources, authorize expenditures, schedule capital work, and assign staff responsibility. Convert strategic priorities into funded, staffed, and administratively workable actions when approved through the appropriate process. 2026-2028 Village Board Strategic Plan Village of Oregon, Wisconsin | Page 5 Operational Context Balancing strategic priorities with daily service delivery. The Village Board must also manage the more granular day-to-day operations of the Village's public services. Those services are influenced by immediate internal and external considerations, including staffing capacity, budget conditions, legal requirements , service demand, capital project schedules, intergovernmental obligations, and community expectations. The strategic plan therefore serves as a capacity -management tool. It communicates to departments the administrative and operational priorities of the Board over the next one to two years, while recognizing that every priority competes for staff time, tech nical analysis, legal review, public communication, consultant support, funding, and Board attention. Department leaders should use the plan to develop work plans, identify resource needs, coordinate cross - departmental projects, and bring required decisions back to the Village Board. The Board should use the plan to understand tradeoffs when new priorities are added during the plan period. Operational Reality Why it matters for the strategic plan Existing Service Delivery Current work demands must continue while new priorities are pursued. Project and Policy Work Code updates, studies, capital projects, redevelopment work, facility transitions, labor negotiations, grant administration, and intergovernmental work require planning and sequencing. Organizational Capacity Staffing levels, succession risks, recruitment challenges, training needs, technology demands, and facility responsibilities can determine whether a priority is realistic within a given year. Budget and Legal Constraints Many priorities require separate budget action, contract approval, ordinance amendment, public process, or legal review before implementation can occur. Reporting and Accountability Clear goals make it easier to identify completed work, partial completion, deferred items, capacity constraints, and decisions that need to return to the Village Board. 2026-2028 Village Board Strategic Plan Village of Oregon, Wisconsin | Page 6 Political Context Turning individual policy interests into collective Board direction. Local government work is also political in the civic sense: elected officials are chosen by residents to make value judgments about priorities, service levels, taxes and fees, land use, public investment, and community needs. Board members are accountable to their constituents and may bring different perspectives about what the Village should address first. The plan helps elected officials identify a realistic set of priorities that can be initiated, advanced, or completed during the two-year period. The plan provides a transparent and organized way for the Board to decide which issues have enough collective support, public importance, operational feasibility, and fiscal readiness to move forward. A strategic plan helps distinguish between an individual request, a discussion item, and a Board -adopted organizational priority. This protects staff from inconsistent direction, improves accountability, and gives elected officials a clearer way to demonstrate progress on shared priorities. Governance Step Practical Meaning Individual Ideas and Constituent Concerns Board members, residents, committees, staff, and partner agencies may identify issues that deserve attention. Collective Board Discussion The Board weighs competing priorities, fiscal impact, staff capacity, legal constraints, community expectations, and timing. Adopted Strategic Direction Items included in the plan become shared organizational priorities, subject to the budget and separate implementing approvals. Staff Implementation and Advice Administration and department directors develop options, provide professional recommendations, identify resource needs, and carry out approved direction. Public Reporting and Adjustment Progress updates allow the Board and public to see what has been completed, what is underway, what is delayed, and what should be amended. 2026-2028 Village Board Strategic Plan Village of Oregon, Wisconsin | Page 7 2026-2028 Goals and Objectives The following goals and objectives represent the Village Board's near-term priorities for the 2026-2028 plan period. Inclusion in the strategic plan provides policy direction and prioritization, but any item requiring funding, staffing, contracts, ordinance changes, or other formal action must return through the appropriate Village process. Governance Goal / Objective Target Lead Area Description / Intended Result Complete public transportation committee and grant closeout actions. 2026 Village Board / Administration Complete the Village Board's direction to eliminate the Ad Hoc Public Transportation Committee and return or close out the Wisconsin DOT grant, as applicable. Refocus near-term multimodal transportation work on the Bike and Pedestrian Plan effort scheduled for 2026. Receive and evaluate the Ad Hoc Cultivating Belonging Committee report. End of 2027 Ad Hoc Cultivating Belonging Committee / Village Board Receive the committee's report and determine what, if any, follow -up policy, program, communication, committee, or administrative actions should be advanced during or after the plan period. Evaluate advisory committee structure for public works matters. 2026-2028 Village Board / Public Works Consider whether to create a broader advisory Public Works Committee to replace or modernize the existing standing committee structure, including the scope of advisory duties, relationship to staff administration, and overlap with utility, infrastructure, forestry, stormwater, and transportation policy work. Legal, Code, Court, and Administrative Modernization Goal / Objective Target Lead Area Description / Intended Result Update municipal deposit schedule and court cost fees. End 2026 Municipal Court / Legal / Administration Update the municipal deposit schedule and implement court cost fee changes to reflect Act 113 changes and maintain an accurate, current, and administratively workable court fee structure. Transition online Village Code PDFs to the MuniCode platform. End 2028 Clerk Move from static online Village Code PDFs toward the MuniCode platform to improve public access, code navigation, online searchability, publication management, and long-term code maintenance. Complete Chapter 8 Public Works and Chapter 18 Land Division rewrites. 2027- 2028 Legal / Public Works / Community Development Finalize and present priority code rewrites for Village Board consideration. The work should improve legal clarity, permit and review processes, cost recovery, infrastructure standards, land division procedures, and long-term administrative consistency. 2026-2028 Village Board Strategic Plan Village of Oregon, Wisconsin | Page 8 Organizational Capacity and Workforce Stability Goal / Objective Target Lead Area Description / Intended Result Complete parental leave policy work. 2026 Administration Complete review and presentation of a parental leave policy for Village Board consideration. The policy should be clear, administratively workable, fiscally understood, and aligned with the Village's broader employee benefit structure. Implement phased 2027-2028 staffing capacity priorities through the annual budget process. 2027-2028 Village Board / Administration / Finance / Department Directors 2027 priorities: 1 FT Police Officer; 1 FT Human Resources Director; 1 FT Custodian for the Senior Center; and 1 PT Library position. 2028 priorities: fully fund any partial 2027 priorities; 1 FT Police Officer; 1 FT Community Development / Facilities / IT position; and 1 PT Library position. If additional revenue sources are implemented, evaluate 1 to 3 additional positions for Village Hall, Community Development, IT, Facilities, Public Works, and / or Senior Center. Implementation remains subject to annual budget approval, fiscal capacity, recruitment feasibility, and separate Board authorization. Initiate sick leave payout benefit study. 2028 Administration / Finance Study the purpose, fiscal impact, recruitment and retention value, and long -term liability implications of a potential sick leave payout benefit. Present options and implementation considerations to the Village Board before any policy change is made. Establish and hire the Village's first Human Resources Director. 2027 Administration / Village Board Advance creation and recruitment of a dedicated Human Resources Director position if authorized through the budget process. The position would address a significant organizational gap in employee relations, recruitment, compliance, benefits administration, training, policy development, performance systems, and risk management. Manage anticipated Finance Department succession and transition. 2026-2027 Administration / Finance Plan for anticipated Finance Department turnover, including the expected Utility Clerk Coordinator retirement in early 2027 and Finance Director / Village Treasurer retirement in mid to late 2027. Begin recruitment and transition planning early enough to p reserve institutional knowledge and maintain financial operations. Hire professional recruitment firm for Finance Director position. Stabilize Senior Center staffing following multiple transitions. 2026-2027 Senior Center / Administration Complete staffing transitions associated with retirements, promotion, and backfill needs. Focus on continuity of services, clear role assignments, training, onboarding, internal communication, and stabilization before and during the move to the new facility. 2026-2028 Village Board Strategic Plan Village of Oregon, Wisconsin | Page 9 Public Safety and Emergency Services Goal / Objective Target Lead Area Description / Intended Result Renegotiate the School Resource Officer program agreement. 2026 Police / Administration / Legal / Village Board Work with the Oregon School District to renegotiate the School Resource Officer program agreement. Focus on clarity of expectations, service levels, operational impacts, and administrative efficiency. Renegotiate the Police Officer union contract. 2026 Administration / Police / Legal / Village Board Complete labor negotiations for the Police Officer bargaining unit. The agreement should be evaluated for financial sustainability, recruitment and retention implications, and operational needs Begin implementing the Police Department operations and staffing plan. 2027-2028 Police / Administration / Village Board Use the completed Police Department operations and staffing study to guide staged implementation of staffing recommendations. Any additional positions or funding -dependent actions should be presented through the annual budget process. Complete Fire / EMS regional consolidation study and determine next steps. 2026-2027 Village Board / Administration / Fire-EMS Partners Participate in the regional consolidation study involving Fitchburg, Oregon, McFarland, Stoughton, Brooklyn, Monona, and other participating partners as applicable. After the study is completed, determine whether any governance, service delivery, funding, agreement, or implementation actions should be pursued. Intergovernmental and Regional Partnerships Goal / Objective Target Lead Area Description / Intended Result Maintain openness towards intergovernmental cooperation. Bring cooperative opportunities to the Board when practical. Plan duration Village Board / Administration Explore cooperative efforts where they are practical, mutually beneficial, and aligned with Village priorities. Ensure that work is aligned with the Village's staff capacity, legal obligations, budget constraints, and Board policy direction. Informal conversations should be advanced to the Village Board when there is a defined problem to solve, a realistic partner, a potential financial or service benefit, and enough detail to evaluate governance, legal, operational, and financial implications. Renegotiate the Senior Center service agreement with municipal partners. 2028 Senior Center / Administration / Village Board Renegotiate the Senior Center service agreement with municipal partners before the current five-year agreement ends at the end of 2028. 2026-2028 Village Board Strategic Plan Village of Oregon, Wisconsin | Page 10 Community Development and Economic Development Goal / Objective Target Lead Area Description / Intended Result Advance the Old Village Hall Property redevelopment project. Plan duration Community Development / Administration / Village Board Continue policy, planning, redevelopment, real estate, public communication, and implementation work necessary to advance the Old Village Hall redevelopment project consistent with Board direction and applicable legal and financial requirements. Continue the Fitchburg / Oregon Joint Development Area Initiative. Plan duration Community Development / Administration / Village Board / Capital Area Regional Planning Commission / City of Fitchburg Continue joint economic development discussions and work planning with the City of Fitchburg. Identify realistic shared priorities, actionable next steps, and any agreements, studies, infrastructure discussions, or business development activities that shou ld be brought to the Village Board. Development is not expected to be feasible until 2029 / 2030. Evaluate a formal intergovernmental agreement with the Town of Oregon. 2027-2028 Community Development / Village Board / Capital Area Regional Planning Commission Work with the Town of Oregon and solicit assistance from CARPC to evaluate whether a formal intergovernmental agreement could be pursued. The evaluation should consider municipal boundaries, urban service areas, future land use expectations, annexation phasing, infrastructure coordination, and shared opportunities. Remain ready to work with property owners in identified commercial growth areas. Plan duration Community Development / Administration / Village Board Maintain readiness to work with property owners, developers, neighboring jurisdictions, and partner agencies on land in identified commercial and industrial growth areas identified in adopted plans or economic development discussions. Sustainability Goal / Objective Target Lead Area Description / Intended Result Complete the Bike and Pedestrian Plan. 2026 Public Works / Community Development Complete the bike and pedestrian planning effort and use it to guide future transportation, safety, accessibility, recreation, grant, and capital planning decisions. This work should be the primary near -term multimodal transportation planning focus. Complete the Urban Forestry Management Plan and tree inventory. 2026 Public Works Complete the Village's first urban forestry management plan and tree inventory. Use the results to improve forestry operations, risk management, maintenance planning, planting priorities, budgeting, grant readiness, and implementation of adopted sustainability and comprehensive planning goals. 2026-2028 Village Board Strategic Plan Village of Oregon, Wisconsin | Page 11 Goal / Objective Target Lead Area Description / Intended Result Initiate study of a stormwater utility and potential forestry charge. 2027-2028 Public Works / Finance / Administration / Legal Study the feasibility, legal structure, rate methodology, administrative requirements, public communication needs, and implementation schedule for a stormwater utility. The study may also evaluate a forestry fee or charge if directed. Any implementation would require separate Village Board action. Complete Library Solar Phase 2 2026 - 2027 Library Complete the next phase of the library solar project. Complete Village Hall solar feasibility. 2026-2027 Public Works Complete ongoing feasibility review to determine whether solar can be placed on Village Hall. Public Works, Utilities and Infrastructure Goal / Objective Target Lead Area Description / Intended Result Advance / Complete CTH MM Phase 1 Reconstruction. 2027 Public Works / Engineering Continue planning, coordination, engineering, communication, and implementation work necessary for the CTH MM Phase 1 Reconstruction project. Complete the wastewater treatment plant upgrade project (2027). Begin planning for Phase 2 (~2030) 2026 - 2028 Public Works / Engineering Continue the major wastewater treatment plant upgrade through completion, including construction oversight, financial administration, operational transition, and compliance. Begin necessary planning for Phase 2 work. Complete water system elevated tower and interzonal booster station study. 2026-2028 Public Works / Engineering Complete the elevated tower and interzonal booster station study and prepare for potential future project needs. Evaluate whether water impact fee updates or related capital planning changes should be considered. Community Facilities and Parks Goal / Objective Target Lead Area Description / Intended Result Complete transition to the new Senior Center building. 2027 Senior Center Successfully transition operations to the new Senior Center building, complete facility project closeout, update procedures, support users and partner organizations, and complete rebranding or public -facing identity work associated with the new facility. Determine use and management policies for the new community gymnasium. 2026-2028 Senior Center / Community Development Develop policies for scheduling, fees, supervision, priority users, public access, partner use, maintenance responsibilities, risk management, and operating expectations for the community gymnasium associated with the new Senior Center facility. 2026-2028 Village Board Strategic Plan Village of Oregon, Wisconsin | Page 12 Goal / Objective Target Lead Area Description / Intended Result Prepare / complete the Five-Year Parks Plan update. 2028 Public Works / Community Development Prepare for and complete the next five -year parks planning update so the Village remains positioned for grant eligibility, long -range capital planning, park maintenance, recreation priorities, and implementation of community park system goals. Bethel Greenacre Park and Conservation parks to be primary park improvement projects. 2027-2028 Public Works / Community Development / Village Board For the plan period, primary park improvement projects will be Bethel Greenacre Park improvements, based on the 2026 master plan outcomes, and Oregon Conservation Parks improvements, based on the completed 2025 master plan. Implementation, Reporting, and Plan Maintenance Primary responsibility. The Village Board sets policy direction and identifies priorities. The Village Administrator and department directors are responsible for coordinating implementation, identifying resource needs, and bringing required actions back to the Village Board. Progress reporting. At least annually, staff should provide a status update identifying completed goals, work in progress, deferred items, partial completion, capacity constraints, and recommended changes. More frequent updates may be provided when tied to major policy decisions or project milestones. Capacity management. If new priorities are added during the plan period, the Village Board should identify whether existing priorities should be deferred, removed, or adjusted. This helps maintain the plan as a realistic work plan rather than an unlimited list of desired projects. Budget relationship. The plan should inform the budget, capital improvement plan, work planning, and staff recommendations. It does not replace those processes and does not authorize spending, staffing, contracts, or implementation by itself. Staffing implementation. Personnel priorities identified in the plan should be evaluated through the annual budget process, including revenue assumptions, levy limits and other fiscal constraints, recruitment feasibility, department capacity, service-level impacts, and long-term operating costs. Amendments. The Village Board may amend the plan during the two -year period if circumstances change, major goals are completed, new legal requirements arise, or the Board determines that priorities should be adjusted. 2027 Department Budget Assessments Growth in the Village’s primary recurring general revenues, particularly property tax revenue and state shared revenue, has been restricted and constrained while inflation, personnel costs, service demands, and community expectations have continued to increase. Concern about the Village’s ability to continue funding and sustaining existing services long-term under these conditions led the Village Board to place an operating referendum before voters in April 2025. The referendum sought authorization to increase the property tax levy by $1.9 million to support ongoing operations. Voters did not approve the referendum. During the 2026 budget process, the Village Board asked departments to complete an assessment of organizational capacity, workload pressures, operational needs, and potential consequences for service delivery. The purpose of this exercise was to evaluate and better understand how financial constraints and increasing workloads were affecting the organization. Departments completed a modified version of that assessment for the 2027 budget, providing an updated picture of current conditions and allowing for comparison with the prior year. 2027 Assessment Results The 2027 assessments describe continuing pressure on organizational capacity. Many departments identified recurring challenges involving limited staffing and administrative support, growing service demands, employee turnover and retention, and technology or facility problems. These pressures often pull staff away from their primary responsibilities and reduce the time available for planning and service improvements. Several departments also describe funding constraints or public expectations that exceed available resources. DEPARTMENT ASSESSMENT SUMMARY Clerk Reports increased overload, competing priorities, service consistency concerns, and leadership strain. Election and other deadlines remain difficult to balance with human resources, technology, and facility responsibilities. Most ratings indicated moderate to severe pressure. Community Development Reports greater workload and prioritization pressure. Routine inquiries and limited support staff continue to displace longer-range planning. Most ratings indicated moderate to significant pressure. Finance Reported ratings are unchanged. Most ratings were minimal to moderate; however, financial deadlines continue to drive workloads. Anticipated 2027/2028 retirements in the department adds transition demands. Library Management overload and leadership strain increased; other comparable ratings are unchanged. Sustained higher use, turnover, service desk coverage, and new software continue to delay supervisory and planning work. All ratings indicated moderate to severe pressure. Municipal Court Reported slightly greater workload pressure, with other ratings unchanged. Increased court attendance and recurring interpretation needs were cited. Police Reports lower stress in five of six categories after reaching full staffing. Retention and development of less-experienced officers remain a concern, particularly with anticipated retirement of veteran staff. Moderate pressure remains in staff overload and burnout and quality and consistency of work. Public Works Reports mixed results. Limits on after-hours event services have helped hourly staff, and service consistency improved. Management workload, administrative support, and inconsistent project direction remain concerns. Most ratings indicated some moderate pressure with leadership strain becoming more significant. Senior Center Reports greater leadership and adaptation pressures as staff turnover and the new facility transition add work. Current building-related service constraints remain. Changes from 2026 were mixed and varied by department. The Police Department reported lower pressure in five of the six categories after returning to full staffing. The Clerk’s Department reported increased pressure in four categories, while Library management reported increases in two. Finance reported no change in its ratings, and Municipal Court’s staff overload rating increased from 1 to 2. Community Development, Public Works, and the Senior Center each reported improvement in some areas and increased pressure in others. Departments were asked to identify the single operational investment that would most improve their ability to fulfill core responsibilities and address workload pressures. The following table summarizes the priorities identified in their worksheets and whether there was financial capacity for the issue to be addressed in the 2027 budget. DEPARTMENT PRIORITY IDENTIFIED FOR 2027 ADDRESSED IN 2027 BUDGET? Clerk Add Human Resources position. Yes; partial funding Community Development Add planning and zoning position No; Propose 2028, if possible Finance No specific new investment identified. - Library Add a Circulation Library Assistant for 20 hours per week Yes; partial funding Municipal Court Contract for in-person interpreter services Yes Police Add one police officer to address growing public safety demands. Yes; partial funding Public Works Implement online permitting and payment tools No; staff continue to evaluate options as time permits Senior Center Add one full-time custodian Yes, partial funding 2027 Budget Process – Department Worksheet 1. Internal Stressors and Organizational Consequences Please assess the degree to which your department is currently experiencing each of the organizational stressors listed below. For each one, please provide:  A rating based on the scale below.  An indication of whether the situation is expected to remain stable, improve, or worsen in the next 6-12 months.  A brief, specific example (required for ratings of 3, 4, or 5) that illustrates how this issue is affecting your department's operations or service delivery. This information is critical for understanding systemic pressures across the Village and will be u sed to identify organizational trends and potential solutions, not to assess individual or departmental performance. Rating Scale: 1 – Not occurring: No significant signs in the past 12 months. 2 – Minimal: Has occurred occasionally in the past 6–12 months; limited impact on operations. 3 – Moderate: Occurs occasionally and has a noticeable impact on operations, service quality, or staff. 4 – Significant: Occurs frequently or is widespread; clearly disrupting work, impacting multiple areas, or causing notable staff strain. 5 – Severe: Persistent, potentially department-wide, and critically undermining core operations or service delivery. Organizational Consequence Rating (1–5) Expected Trend (Stable / Improving / Worsening) Example (required for 3–5) Staff overload and burnout Employees are asked to take on more tasks than they can reasonably handle. Morale declines, absenteeism may rise, and productivity drops over time. Turnover increases, which worsens institutional knowledge and creates instability. 3 Worsening To-do list grows faster than we can keep up. Frequent evening meetings put strain on our families. Constant feeling of being behind is exhausting. Decline in quality and consistency Services and functions become inconsistent or error prone. Long-term work is deferred; short-term fixes dominate. 3 Stable Long-term projects are often deferred. Small details are missed in the hustle to get things done. Breakdown in prioritization Without clear direction, staff try to do everything. Focus becomes fragmented and some critical functions are neglected. 4 Stable With our hands in so many areas, it’s hard to prioritize on what is most urgent or needing the most attention. Loss of innovation and adaptability Reactive demands crowd out time for improvement or adaptation. Organizational learning slows. 4 Stable Inability to be proactive, think ahead, focus on long-term projects Reputation and trust erosion Stakeholders notice service slippage or delays. Unmet expectations result in frustration and diminished trust. 2 Stable Leadership strain and decision paralysis Leaders are stuck in crisis mode. Strategic direction suffers as short-term needs dominate. 2 Stable 2. Operational Challenges Limiting Service Delivery What specific factors or conditions do you and your team perceive as limiting your department’s ability to fully deliver onits core responsibilities, at the level of quality, timeliness, and effectiveness necessary to meet your perception of community needs and expectations? Please describe how each factor contributes to these challenges. Example: Staffing shortages— Limited personnel reduce the department’s ability to respond quickly to service demands, causing delays and increasing workload stress. Lack of online payment portal- increases review process/time for Liane to respond to reservation requests Lack of admin/support/entry-level planning and zoning support staff- Elise is doing menial tasks and responding to very general resident inquiries, taking time away from larger or longer-term projects 3. Priority Operational Investment for 2027 If your department could receive one singular, discrete operational item or position (e.g., 1 new staff member, a specific software license, a particular piece of equipment, a specialized training program – distinct from major capital projects submitted in the CIP) in the 202 7 budget that would most meaningfully strengthen your ability to meet core responsibilities and address challenges identified, what would it be? (Please briefly describe what this would provide and why it’s the highest priority operational need for your department.) Example: One additional full -time maintenance technician to address work order backlogs and reduce turnaround time for critical service requests, directly improving our ability to meet core responsibility X. A full -time (or even just part -time shared with another department) planning/zoning entry -level position would do wonders to alleviate strain on current staff, provide better back -up support for resident questions, and could handle more of the current plan ning, leaving the director to focus on longer-range issues like coordination with Fitchburg, Fire District planning, Economic Development, Truth in Planning Comp Plan changes, zoning code updates, etc. 2027 Budget Process – Department Worksheet 1. Internal Stressors and Organizational Consequences Please assess the degree to which your department is currently experiencing each of the organizational stressors listed below. For each one, please provide:  A rating based on the scale below.  An indication of whether the situation is expected to remain stable, improve, or worsen in the next 6-12 months.  A brief, specific example (required for ratings of 3, 4, or 5) that illustrates how this issue is affecting your department's operations or service delivery. This information is critical for understanding systemic pressures across the Village and will be u sed to identify organizational trends and potential solutions, not to assess individual or departmental performance. Rating Scale: 1 – Not occurring: No significant signs in the past 12 months. 2 – Minimal: Has occurred occasionally in the past 6–12 months; limited impact on operations. 3 – Moderate: Occurs occasionally and has a noticeable impact on operations, service quality, or staff. 4 – Significant: Occurs frequently or is widespread; clearly disrupting work, impacting multiple areas, or causing notable staff strain. 5 – Severe: Persistent, potentially department-wide, and critically undermining core operations or service delivery. Organizational Consequence Rating (1–5) Expected Trend (Stable / Improving / Worsening) Example (required for 3–5) Staff overload and burnout Employees are asked to take on more tasks than they can reasonably handle. Morale declines, absenteeism may rise, and productivity drops over time. Turnover increases, which worsens institutional knowledge and creates instability. 4.5 Change from 4 last year. Worsening. The Clerk’s Department revolves around several deadlines (often statutorily required). Additionally, workloads around some of our core responsibilities have increased. Ex. Election Administration – additional administrative work with the rise in interest of in-person absentee voting, and emergency contingency planning. All take considerable staff time. Staff, including myself, remain dedicated to getting everything done. This dedication consistently requires work above 80-hour work weeks. Excess of 100+ during elections. Decline in quality and consistency Services and functions become inconsistent or error prone. Long-term work is deferred; short-term fixes dominate. 3.5 Change from 3 last year. Worsening. The Clerk’s Department is continually focused on improving public access, service delivery, and operational efficiency. We are currently working to transition many of our forms to user-friendly electronic formats and continue steps for accessibility standards. We are also pursuing enhancements such as secure online credit card payment options and improved online access to the Village Code of Ordinances. In addition, we are reviewing and streamlining internal workflows to ensure these new processes are efficient and beneficial for both residents and staff. While these initiatives are important to advancing the Village’s services, implementation requires dedicated time and resources. Because day- to-day operational demands and higher-priority issues often arise, these projects can be delayed despite their long-term value and importance. Breakdown in prioritization Without clear direction, staff try to do everything. Focus becomes fragmented and some critical functions are neglected. 4.5 Change from 4 last year Worsening. Often find our “to-do” lists get longer rather than shorter. The Clerk’s Department is responsible for Village Hall building maintenance, audio visual troubleshooting, and working with the information technology consultants to make sure the equipment and cybersecurity programs are being done appropriately. These added duties don’t fall to my areas of expertise and often take time, research and contemplation to be completed. I understand that when there are many tasks to complete at once, the likelihood of errors can increase. Frequent interruptions can also make it more challenging to stay focused and complete work efficiently. Loss of innovation and adaptability Reactive demands crowd out time for improvement or adaptation. Organizational learning slows. 3 No change from last year. Stable. Hesitant to initiate new projects due to a significant backlog and insufficient time for proper research and planning. Workloads also prevent us from attending crucial training sessions, making it difficult to prioritize essential professional development and continuous education especially as it relates to human resources. Reputation and trust erosion Stakeholders notice service slippage or delays. Unmet expectations result in frustration and diminished trust. 2 No change from last year. Stable. Leadership strain and decision paralysis Leaders are stuck in crisis mode. Strategic direction suffers as short-term needs dominate. 3.5 Change from 3 last year Worsening. The Clerk's Department, much like many other Village departments, consistently goes above and beyond to uphold the public's trust. This dedication, while commendable, creates a difficult paradox: because we always 'make it work’, the public often doesn't see what's truly broken or the immense strain it places on our team. This boils down to a tough but necessary truth: sometimes, the best way to expose a problem is to let it fail. The hidden cost of this dedication of not letting things fail is evident in the very issues we've discussed – burnout and stretched resources. 2. Operational Challenges Limiting Service Delivery What specific factors or conditions do you and your team perceive as limiting your department’s ability to fully deliver onits core responsibilities, at the level of quality, timeliness, and effectiveness necessary to meet your perception of community needs and expectations? Please describe how each factor contributes to these challenges. Example: Staffing shortages— Limited personnel reduce the department’s ability to respond quickly to service demands, causing delays and increasing workload stress.  With numerous strict deadlines and statutorily required items, we frequently must adjust workflows just to get everything done. This pressure makes it genuinely impossible to take time off without the fear of falling critically behind or missing a deadline.  A factor that limits our department's ability to fully deliver on its core responsibilities is the frequency of interruptions related to information technology and building maintenance issues. While these matters are important and must be addressed, there is no dedicated resource assigned to manage them, resulting in staff being pulled away from their primary duties. These interruptions can disrupt workflow, reduce productivity, and make it more difficult to maintain focus on priority tasks. As a result, work may take longer to complete, and the risk of errors can increase due to frequent shifts in attention. Over time, this can impact the department's ability to consistently deliver services at the desired level of quality, timeliness, and effectiveness needed to meet community needs and expectations. 3. Priority Operational Investment for 2027 If your department could receive one singular, discrete operational item or position (e.g., 1 new staff member, a specific software license, a particular piece of equipment, a specialized training program – distinct from major capital projects submitted in the CIP) in the 202 7 budget that would most meaningfully strengthen your ability to meet core responsibilities and address challenges identified, what would it be? (Please briefly describe what this would provide and why it’s the highest priority operational need for your department.) Example: One additional full -time maintenance technician to address work order backlogs and reduce turnaround time for critical service requests, directly improving our ability to meet core responsibility X.  Create a dedicated Human Resources Manager position to centralize critical HR functions. Currently, these responsibilities are split between the Village Administrator and the Human Resources Coordinator within the Clerk's Department. This new role would allow us to proactively manage all personnel functions. Key areas this position would oversee include:  Workforce Planning & Talent Management: Focus on building and maintaining a strong, skilled workforce.  Overseeing the management of the employee handbook, ensuring it's regularly updated and in compliance with applicable laws. Creating new policies is necessary to support a productive and compliant work environment.  Onboarding, management and implementation of a training program for all employees, ensuring they have the skills and knowledge necessary to excel in their roles.  Develop and execute a proactive strategic plan to attract top talent to the Village of Oregon. Implementation of initiatives to help retain our skilled and valuable employees and mitigate turnover risks.  Performance Management: Implement an effective employee evaluation system.  Professional Development & Engagement: Fostering employee growth and boosting morale.  Risk Management: Ensuring compliance with all labor laws, regulations, and internal policies.  Benefits Administration & Work-Life Balance: Manage employee benefits and promote initiatives that support work-life balance. This change would also enable us to restructure the Human Resources Coordinator/Deputy Clerk position and optimize workloads within the Clerk's Department. Since the HR position is highlighted in the Village Board approved resolution, below is my new number one. Software: Municode Codification The municipal code defines how your community operates, from zoning and development to public safety and everyday regulations. A well-organized, clearly maintained code is essential for consistent enforcement. When your municipal code isn’t consistently maintained and easy to access, it creates uncertainty for residents and adds pressure to your staff. CivicPlus® Municode Codification delivers municipal code software and full-service support to help you publish and maintain your legislation with confidence. It integrates every ordinance seamlessly into the code, and provides the functionality to keep everything organized, searchable, and accessible. 2027 Budget Process – Department Worksheet 1. Internal Stressors and Organizational Consequences Please assess the degree to which your department is currently experiencing each of the organizational stressors listed below. For each one, please provide:  A rating based on the scale below.  An indication of whether the situation is expected to remain stable, improve, or worsen in the next 6-12 months.  A brief, specific example (required for ratings of 3, 4, or 5) that illustrates how this issue is affecting your department's operations or service delivery. This information is critical for understanding systemic pressures across the Village and will be used to identify organizational trends and potential solutions, not to assess individual or departmental performance. Rating Scale: 1 – Not occurring: No significant signs in the past 12 months. 2 – Minimal: Has occurred occasionally in the past 6–12 months; limited impact on operations. 3 – Moderate: Occurs occasionally and has a noticeable impact on operations, service quality, or staff. 4 – Significant: Occurs frequently or is widespread; clearly disrupting work, impacting multiple areas, or causing notable staff strain. 5 – Severe: Persistent, potentially department-wide, and critically undermining core operations or service delivery. Organizational Consequence Rating (1–5) Expected Trend (Stable / Improving / Worsening) Example (required for 3–5) Staff overload and burnout Employees are asked to take on more tasks than they can reasonably handle. Morale declines, absenteeism may rise, and productivity drops over time. Turnover increases, which worsens institutional knowledge and creates instability. 3-4 Worsening The finance team will be going through a transition in 2027. There will be a retirement which creates the opportunity to re-allocate duties differently. I plan to allocate some of the duties to other staff to balance the workload. The director’s position has more to do which continues to create a hardship trying to use leave time and not lose it. Decline in quality and consistency Services and functions become inconsistent or error prone. Long-term work is deferred; short-term fixes dominate. 2 Breakdown in prioritization Without clear direction, staff try to do everything. Focus becomes fragmented and some critical functions are neglected. 2 This is not possible for the finance team. If functions are not done, then staff and vendors would not get paid, utility bills would not go out, etc. Loss of innovation and adaptability Reactive demands crowd out time for improvement or adaptation. Organizational learning slows. 3 Stable The director’s position is driven by reactive work daily. Needs arise that need immediate attention that typically cannot be delayed. Once staff has left for the day is when most of the work is typically done. Reputation and trust erosion Stakeholders notice service slippage or delays. Unmet expectations result in frustration and diminished trust. 1 Leadership strain and decision paralysis Leaders are stuck in crisis mode. Strategic direction suffers as short-term needs dominate. 2 2. Operational Challenges Limiting Service Delivery What specific factors or conditions do you and your team perceive as limiting your department’s ability to fully deliver onits core responsibilities, at the level of quality, timeliness, and effectiveness necessary to meet your perception of community needs and expectations? Please describe how each factor contributes to these challenges. Example: Staffing shortages— Limited personnel reduce the department’s ability to respond quickly to service demands, causing delays and increasing workload stress. Management of all village funds Annual Budget Annual Audit Annual Borrowing Annual tax bill processing and collection Monthly utility billing Weekly payroll processing, accounts payable and receivable Numerous annual and quarterly filing for state and federal government Provide support for residents and Village employees Daily preparation of deposits and cash balances 3. Priority Operational Investment for 2027 If your department could receive one singular, discrete operational item or position (e.g., 1 new staff member, a specific software license, a particular piece of equipment, a specialized training program – distinct from major capital projects submitted in the CIP) in the 202 7 budget that would most meaningfully strengthen your ability to meet core responsibilities and address challenges identified, what would it be? (Please briefly describe what this would provide and why it’s the highest priority operational need for your department.) Example: One additional full -time maintenance technician to address work order backlogs and reduce turnaround time for critical service requests, directly improving our ability to meet core responsibility X. The finance team does not have an option not to perform the core responsibilities. The core responsibilities all have a deadline that must be met, or bills would not go out, employees would not be paid and there would be no guidance without a budget or audit for the village board. 2027 Budget Process – Department Worksheet 1. Internal Stressors and Organizational Consequences Please assess the degree to which your department is currently experiencing each of the organizational stressors listed below. For each one, please provide:  A rating based on the scale below.  An indication of whether the situation is expected to remain stable, improve, or worsen in the next 6-12 months.  A brief, specific example (required for ratings of 3, 4, or 5) that illustrates how this issue is affecting your department's operations or service delivery. This information is critical for understanding systemic pressures across the Village and will be u sed to identify organizational trends and potential solutions, not to assess individual or departmental performance. Rating Scale: 1 – Not occurring: No significant signs in the past 12 months. 2 – Minimal: Has occurred occasionally in the past 6–12 months; limited impact on operations. 3 – Moderate: Occurs occasionally and has a noticeable impact on operations, service quality, or staff. 4 – Significant: Occurs frequently or is widespread; clearly disrupting work, impacting multiple areas, or causing notable staff strain. 5 – Severe: Persistent, potentially department-wide, and critically undermining core operations or service delivery. Organizational Consequence Rating (1–5) Expected Trend (Stable / Improving / Worsening) Example (required for 3–5) Staff overload and burnout Employees are asked to take on more tasks than they can reasonably handle. Morale declines, absenteeism may rise, and productivity drops over time. Turnover increases, which worsens institutional knowledge and creates instability. 4.5 Managers 2.5 Team Worsening There is not enough time or capacity for highly capable staff to complete all responsibilities they are assigned. This has been magnified by recent turnover in multiple library positions and a new software system decreasing efficiency during our busiest time of year. Frequently, taking care of one urgent priority or deadline (hiring/training, entering bills, fixing building issue, covering desk shift) causes other delays. Turnover and absenteeism for illness has increased. Decline in quality and consistency Services and functions become inconsistent or error prone. Long-term work is deferred; short-term fixes dominate. 4 Managers 2 Team Worsening Staff works hard to maintain quality and consistency, but short-term fixes dominate. Sometimes circumstances necessitate cutting corners to facilitate task completion at the expense of work quality and deeper improvements. There is insufficient time and capacity to focus on any long-term projects so they get postponed or remain incomplete (e.g. in progress efforts to update a policy have been stalled). Breakdown in prioritization Without clear direction, staff try to do everything. Focus becomes fragmented and some critical functions are neglected. 3 Managers 2 Team Stable Overall, library staff are very good at prioritizing and we work hard to make priorities clear for the team. For full- time staff, because there are often more tasks needing attention than capacity allows choosing to prioritize time to move one task to completion necessitates delaying or neglecting something else important. Loss of innovation and adaptability Reactive demands crowd out time for improvement or adaptation. Organizational learning slows. 4 Managers 2 Team Worsening Our team has excellent ideas and good at identifying opportunities to improve. Managers are too busy doing reactive work and don’t have sufficient time to prioritize proactive tasks to implement them. Efforts to forward important organizational tasks drag out (e.g. recent project to implement library-wide initiative took 6 months to roll out for all staff). Professional development participation has declined due to challenges of schedule and workload. Reputation and trust erosion Stakeholders notice service slippage or delays. Unmet expectations result in frustration and diminished trust. 3 Managers 2 Team Worsening Staff have worked hard to maintain this at high levels. Patrons are noticing impacts of new computer software on workflows and services. When staff have to prioritize to meet a deadline or to make necessary progress on important work, this causes less prompt work on other tasks that other staff or patrons may perceive to be a high priority. Leadership strain and decision paralysis Leaders are stuck in crisis mode. Strategic direction suffers as short-term needs dominate. 4.5 Managers Worsening Short-term needs continue to dominate. Leadership is pulled in many directions. Efforts to move important long term projects forward are often interrupted or repeatedly delayed due to urgent or unexpected situations (e.g. sick staff member, problem requiring urgent attention). Staffing levels make it challenging to schedule and take full advantage of leadership meetings and planned time off. 2. Operational Challenges Limiting Service Delivery What specific factors or conditions do you and your team perceive as limiting your department’s ability to fully deliver onits core responsibilities, at the level of quality, timeliness, and effectiveness necessary to meet your perception of community needs and expectations? Please describe how each factor contributes to these challenges. Example: Staffing shortages— Limited personnel reduce the department’s ability to respond quickly to service demands, causing delays and increasing workload stress.  New Software Challenges – A recent change to new software system-wide provides operational challenges in serving patrons and completing tasks efficiently as functionality, documentation, and training materials are incomplete and still in development; this has caused significant impacts on workflows.  Increased Library Use – The new library has resulted in significantly and sustained increased use of and demand for library services and resources, placing increased demands on staff.  Staffing Challenges – o Staffing Levels: Current staffing levels leave our team with minimal flexibility to respond to planned or unplanned staff absences and position vacancies pose significant challenges. To ensure essential public service functions to continue, full-time staff are frequently pulled from other departments and their critical primary job responsibilities in order to maintain service levels to the public. o Absences Exacerbate Challenges: Since all positions are essential to daily operations, the absence of even one person creates an immediate void. Position vacancies pose significant challenges to operations. There aren't any "extra" hands to step in. Supervisors and full-time staff members are frequently and often unexpectedly jumping in to cover these gaps at the expense of their own schedules and workload. o Lack of Time for Position Responsibilities: Supervisors lack sufficient time to complete and focus on their important position responsibilities. Compounding challenges including staffing levels, new software, increased library use, staff absences, and position vacancies result in a lack of time to perform their critical tasks. These factors decrease productivity, efficiency, quality, and accuracy of work. Consequently, important and strategic projects are frequently delayed, drag out, or remain unfinished. o Challenges to Supervisor Productivity & Support: The amount of time Supervisors are needed to perform essential public service functions exceeds what is manageable and is a detriment to their own responsibilities and workload. Their ability to respond to day-to-day challenges needing attention is limited when they are simultaneously trying to serve patrons.  Lack of Growth in Collection Budget – No regular or recent increases in the collection budget means this falls behind inflation and limits the ability to keep up with demand on popular items, formats, and maintaining a variety of materials for patrons.  Expectations Exceed Capacity – Patron expectations for desired level of services and those found at nearby libraries (e.g. especially collection and programming) are often not in alignment with locally available staffing, budget, and resources. 3. Priority Operational Investment for 2027 If your department could receive one singular, discrete operational item or position (e.g., 1 new staff member, a specific software license, a particular piece of equipment, a specialized training program – distinct from major capital projects submitted in the CIP) in the 202 7 budget that would most meaningfully strengthen your ability to meet core responsibilities and address challenges identified, what would it be? (Please briefly describe what this would provide and why it’s the highest priority operational need for your department.) Example: One additional full -time maintenance technician to address work order backlogs and reduce turnaround time for critical service requests, directly improving our ability to meet core responsibility X. One additional part -time Circulation Library Assistant position (20 hours/week) fully funded in the Village budget would provide strategic staff coverage to serve the public at the circulation desk (including evenings and Saturdays) and would directly reduce strain on managers who are frequently required to table their critical highe r level responsibilities in order to ensure continuity of service delivery to the public. 2027 Budget Process – Department Worksheet 1. Internal Stressors and Organizational Consequences Please assess the degree to which your department is currently experiencing each of the organizational stressors listed below. For each one, please provide:  A rating based on the scale below.  An indication of whether the situation is expected to remain stable, improve, or worsen in the next 6-12 months.  A brief, specific example (required for ratings of 3, 4, or 5) that illustrates how this issue is affecting your department's operations or service delivery. This information is critical for understanding systemic pressures across the Village and will be u sed to identify organizational trends and potential solutions, not to assess individual or departmental performance. Rating Scale: 1 – Not occurring: No significant signs in the past 12 months. 2 – Minimal: Has occurred occasionally in the past 6–12 months; limited impact on operations. 3 – Moderate: Occurs occasionally and has a noticeable impact on operations, service quality, or staff. 4 – Significant: Occurs frequently or is widespread; clearly disrupting work, impacting multiple areas, or causing notable staff strain. 5 – Severe: Persistent, potentially department-wide, and critically undermining core operations or service delivery. Organizational Consequence Rating (1–5) Expected Trend (Stable / Improving / Worsening) Example (required for 3–5) Staff overload and burnout Employees are asked to take on more tasks than they can reasonably handle. Morale declines, absenteeism may rise, and productivity drops over time. Turnover increases, which worsens institutional knowledge and creates instability. 2 stable Decline in quality and consistency Services and functions become inconsistent or error prone. Long-term work is deferred; short-term fixes dominate. 1 stable Breakdown in prioritization Without clear direction, staff try to do everything. Focus becomes fragmented and some critical functions are neglected. 1 stable Loss of innovation and adaptability Reactive demands crowd out time for improvement or adaptation. Organizational learning slows. 1 stable Reputation and trust erosion Stakeholders notice service slippage or delays. Unmet expectations result in frustration and diminished trust. 1 stable Leadership strain and decision paralysis Leaders are stuck in crisis mode. Strategic direction suffers as short-term needs dominate. 1 stable 2. Operational Challenges Limiting Service Delivery What specific factors or conditions do you and your team perceive as limiting your department’s ability to fully deliver onits core responsibilities, at the level of quality, timeliness, and effectiveness necessary to meet your perception of community needs and expectations? Please describe how each factor contributes to these challenges. Example: Staffing shortages— Limited personnel reduce the department’s ability to respond quickly to service demands, causing delays and increasing workload stress. We need assistance on court days to handle registration and payments while court is in session. We have gotten by using Cynthia for this role, as her schedule allows. When she is not available for whatever reason, we then ask Amy to fill in, even though that is not her role. Thankfully, it does not happen very often, but it is a scenario that we have to adjust and plan for. Adding to this issue, we have seen a significant increase in the number of people attending court initial appearances on the first Tuesday of the month. If these increases continue, we may need to adjust our court schedule to add another session, either another adult session or move the juvenile session to a different day. This will also increase our need for this role. We also need to have a Spanish interpreter at our initial appearances. Over the last year, there has rarely been a month that did not include defendants who do not speak English at a level that guarantees they understand the proceedings. Currently, I use google translate but it is not an efficient or effective means of interpreting in court. (If we have a trial, we use an in-person interpreter, but those cases are very rare.) Additionally, there are efforts at the state level to require municipal courts to provide interpretation for all court appearances. I currently have an interpreter that we can schedule when we know we will need assistance, however, it has become such a regular occurrence that I will be seeking to increase the budget to include an in-person interpreter at every initial appearance court date (1 time per month approximately 2 hours each day). We already accommodate all juvenile cases with scheduled interpreter services as we have advance notice of those needs and the law requires it. While using Language Line is an option, my experience with Language Line in a litigation situation is less than ideal. There are delays in getting the interpreter online, sound quality issues, an inability of the person in court to understand the interpreter, and it slows down the whole process. An in-person interpreter is able to be immediately available, assess the person’s language skills and respond to visual clues to ensure that the defendant is understanding the translation. The interpreter, if qualified, can also translate court materials for us. Our current interpreter has done some translations, but we have more that should be done. We will continue to use Google translate or Language Line for other languages as appropriate, but those instances are very rare. 3. Priority Operational Investment for 2027 If your department could receive one singular, discrete operational item or position (e.g., 1 new staff member, a specific software license, a particular piece of equipment, a specialized training program – distinct from major capital projects submitted in the CIP) in the 202 7 budget that would most meaningfully strengthen your ability to meet core responsibilities and address challenges identified, what would it be? (Please briefly describe what this would provide and why it’s the highest priority operational need for your department.) Example: One additional full -time maintenance technician to address work order backlogs and reduce turnaround time for critical service requests, directly improving our ability to meet core responsibility X. The one single investment needed is a contract for in person interpreters at all court appearances. (It does not need to be an employee– a contract is sufficient). As described above, it is an increasing need. It is vital for a fair court process. It is a more efficient and effective way to meet theoperational needs of court and the litigants. It will instill additional confidence in the court process. The estimated cost is $3200 per year. This is based on $50 per hour for in court and travel timewith up to four hours total for each month ( $50 x 4hours x 12 months) plus approximately $800 to cover juvenile/truancy cases and the occasional trial or motion hearing. Across the state, courts pay between $35 -90 for interpreters , $50 seems to be a reasonable middle ground for estimation purposes. 2027 Budget Process – Department Worksheet 1. Internal Stressors and Organizational Consequences Please assess the degree to which your department is currently experiencing each of the organizational stressors listed below. For each one, please provide:  A rating based on the scale below.  An indication of whether the situation is expected to remain stable, improve, or worsen in the next 6-12 months.  A brief, specific example (required for ratings of 3, 4, or 5) that illustrates how this issue is affecting your department's operations or service delivery. This information is critical for understanding systemic pressures across the Village and will be u sed to identify organizational trends and potential solutions, not to assess individual or departmental performance. Rating Scale: 1 – Not occurring: No significant signs in the past 12 months. 2 – Minimal: Has occurred occasionally in the past 6–12 months; limited impact on operations. 3 – Moderate: Occurs occasionally and has a noticeable impact on operations, service quality, or staff. 4 – Significant: Occurs frequently or is widespread; clearly disrupting work, impacting multiple areas, or causing notable staff strain. 5 – Severe: Persistent, potentially department-wide, and critically undermining core operations or service delivery. Organizational Consequence Rating (1–5) Expected Trend (Stable / Improving / Worsening) Example (required for 3–5) Staff overload and burnout Employees are asked to take on more tasks than they can reasonably handle. Morale declines, absenteeism may rise, and productivity drops over time. Turnover increases, which worsens institutional knowledge and creates instability. 2 to 3 Improving but lack of retainment would quickly worsen the progress we have worked hard to make Experienced officers and supervisors are assuming a greater share of operational responsibilities due to a less experienced patrol workforce. There is growing concern that this trend will become the standard if we are unable to retain our current staff. Decline in quality and consistency Services and functions become inconsistent or error prone. Long-term work is deferred; short-term fixes dominate. 3 Improving but lack of retainment would quickly worsen the progress we have worked hard to make Due to turnover over the past several years, our patrol officers and first-line supervisors have become less experienced overall, resulting in errors that are consistent with personnel who are still developing their skills and institutional knowledge. This shift has increased reliance on veteran officers, supervisors, and command staff to provide guidance, oversight, and support. While we have a highly capable and dedicated workforce, they are continuing to learn the increasingly complex and ever-changing demands of the policing profession. Looking ahead, these challenges are likely to persist. Within the next several years, the department is expected to lose two veteran employees with approximately 30 years of experience each, one of which is a first-line supervisor. The loss of this level of experience and leadership will further impact institutional knowledge and mentorship capacity, potentially extending the time needed to rebuild overall experience levels within the organization. Given these factors, I anticipate it will take approximately three to five years before we see significant improvement in staffing experience levels and a corresponding reduction in the operational impacts associated with a less experienced workforce. Breakdown in prioritization Without clear direction, staff try to do everything. Focus becomes fragmented and some critical functions are neglected. 1 Stable – Working to Maintain We have returned to holding monthly department-wide staff meetings to strengthen communication across the organization. These meetings provide a consistent forum to share information, address concerns, and collaboratively work through challenges as a team. Loss of innovation and adaptability Reactive demands crowd out time for improvement or adaptation. Organizational learning slows. 2 Stable There can be challenges associated with having a patrol workforce where the majority of officers have less than three years of law enforcement experience. Newer employees are naturally developing their skills and identifying areas for growth, while more veteran personnel often bring different perspectives based on their years of experience. Despite these differences, our staff has done an outstanding job adapting to the evolving policing needs of a growing community. The monthly department staff meetings and collaborative training opportunities we conduct together encourage open communication, allow for the exchange of ideas and best practices, and help ensure that improvements and innovations are considered from all levels of the organization. Reputation and trust erosion Stakeholders notice service slippage or delays. Unmet expectations result in frustration and diminished trust. 1 Stable Achieving full staffing has significantly improved our ability to respond to calls for service and meet the needs of our community. It has also allowed us to expand our community engagement efforts, including the launch of our Women’s Self-Defense Program. Additionally, we have been working diligently to enhance the effectiveness and utilization of our School Resource Officer (SRO) program. These efforts have strengthened our connections within the community and contributed to increased positive feedback regarding the trust and confidence residents have in the Oregon Police Department. Leadership strain and decision paralysis Leaders are stuck in crisis mode. Strategic direction suffers as short-term needs dominate. 1 Stable The addition of the Patrol Lieutenant position over the past several years has enhanced our operational effectiveness and reduced organizational risk in several key areas. This position has provided valuable oversight and support in areas such as public records management, while also strengthening supervision, mentorship, and guidance for less experienced patrol supervisors and officers. As a result, we have improved consistency in decision- making, increased accountability, and enhanced our ability to effectively support and develop our personnel. 2. Operational Challenges Limiting Service Delivery What specific factors or conditions do you and your team perceive as limiting your department’s ability to fully deliver onits core responsibilities, at the level of quality, timeliness, and effectiveness necessary to meet your perception of community needs and expectations? Please describe how each factor contributes to these challenges. Example: Staffing shortages— Limited personnel reduce the department’s ability to respond quickly to service demands, causing delays and increasing workload stress. We have worked hard to achieve full staffing, a challenge that many law enforcement agencies continue to face. While reaching full staffing is a significant accomplishment, retaining the talented employees we have recruited and developed is equally important. Our continued success depends on building and maintaining a strong team at all ranks and experience levels. To remain competitive in attracting and retaining qualified personnel, it is essential that our compensation remains comparable to similarly sized law enforcement agencies. As we have experienced repeatedly over the past six years, failing to remain competitive can result in the loss of valuable sworn staff and the institutional knowledge they bring to the organization. The Village demonstrated its commitment to public safety by investing in an Operational Study of the Oregon Police Department. The study identified the need for additional staffing in future years to meet the demands of a growing community. We are hopeful that the recommendations outlined in the study will continue to be implemented so that we can maintain appropriate staffing levels and continue providing high-quality police services. Communities that do not proactively address staffing needs often experience increased response times, reduced service levels, and diminished capacity to engage in proactive policing and community outreach efforts. By planning for growth now, we can better position the Oregon Police Department to meet the future needs and expectations of our community. 3. Priority Operational Investment for 2027 If your department could receive one singular, discrete operational item or position (e.g., 1 new staff member, a specific software license, a particular piece of equipment, a specialized training program – distinct from major capital projects submitted in the CIP) in the 202 7 budget that would most meaningfully strengthen your ability to meet core responsibilities and address challenges identified, what would it be? (Please briefly describe what this would provide and why it’s the highest priority operational need for your department.) Example: One additional full -time maintenance technician to address work order backlogs and reduce turnaround time for critical service requests, directly improving our ability to meet core responsibility X. We do need the additional police officer position to ensure we can effectively meet the public safety demands of a growing community. As call volume, community expectations, and service needs continue to increase, adequate staffing is essential to maintaining response times, providing proactive policing services, and supporting community engagement efforts. This need was also identified in the Operational Study conducted by MGT for the Oregon P olice Department, which recommended adding staffing resources to address current and future service demands. Investing in this position will help ensure the department remains well -positioned to provide high -quality police services while continuing to meet the needs of a growing community. 2027 Budget Process – Department Worksheet 1. Internal Stressors and Organizational Consequences Please assess the degree to which your department is currently experiencing each of the organizational stressors listed below. For each one, please provide:  A rating based on the scale below.  An indication of whether the situation is expected to remain stable, improve, or worsen in the next 6-12 months.  A brief, specific example (required for ratings of 3, 4, or 5) that illustrates how this issue is affecting your department's operations or service delivery. This information is critical for understanding systemic pressures across the Village and will be u sed to identify organizational trends and potential solutions, not to assess individual or departmental performance. Rating Scale: 1 – Not occurring: No significant signs in the past 12 months. 2 – Minimal: Has occurred occasionally in the past 6–12 months; limited impact on operations. 3 – Moderate: Occurs occasionally and has a noticeable impact on operations, service quality, or staff. 4 – Significant: Occurs frequently or is widespread; clearly disrupting work, impacting multiple areas, or causing notable staff strain. 5 – Severe: Persistent, potentially department-wide, and critically undermining core operations or service delivery. Organizational Consequence Rating (1–5) Expected Trend (Stable / Improving / Worsening) Example (required for 3–5) Staff overload and burnout Employees are asked to take on more tasks than they can reasonably handle. Morale declines, absenteeism may rise, and productivity drops over time. Turnover increases, which worsens institutional knowledge and creates instability. 3 Past year has seen improvement in this category for some staff, and worsening for others. Continuing high project load and Village expansion would suggest that this will continue. New limitations on staffing and services for after-hours events has improved this issue for hourly PW staff. However, overload and burnout has continued and worsened for management / leadership level staff. Several management team members have struggled to use vacation allocations due to workloads (although some improvement seen on this metric since 2025). One issue that has been significant in 2026 is increased requests for PW management help or work from other Village departments and/or elected officials (parks reservations, added communications requests for construction projects, Fire Department communications complaints). Decline in quality and consistency Services and functions become inconsistent or error prone. Long-term work is deferred; short-term fixes dominate. 2 Stable. See “Reputation and trust erosion” – PW has worked hard to set and enforce boundaries on core functions, and has seen success in this area. Breakdown in prioritization Without clear direction, staff try to do everything. Focus becomes fragmented and some critical functions are neglected. 3 Unknown. Very dependent on choices made by elected officials. Primarily stems from Bethel Greenacre Park experience in 2026. Lack of consistency in direction for committees and/or elected officials led to a potential overinvestment of staff and consultant time and resources on a project that has no clear direction. Staff is concerned that this could repeat with future projects, causing both inefficiencies and decreased staff morale. Loss of innovation and adaptability Reactive demands crowd out time for improvement or adaptation. Organizational learning slows. 2 Stable. PW management and staff still prioritize innovation and are looking for ways to improve, but need support from elected officials to do so. Reputation and trust erosion Stakeholders notice service slippage or delays. Unmet expectations result in frustration and diminished trust. 3 Improving This is a bright spot for PW. PW staff (w/ Village leadership support) have been working to set reasonable expectations with residents for service levels and speed for various service areas (snow plowing, curb & gutter replacement). Residents have not always been happy, but have generally responded well to consistency. Leadership strain and decision paralysis Leaders are stuck in crisis mode. Strategic direction suffers as short-term needs dominate. 3-4 Stable in some areas, improving in others with process improvements. PW leadership continues to be the front line for many small/minor issues, which take up significant time and energy (permitting, construction questions). Leadership have tried to address with solutions such as FAQ documents, improved project/department websites, and GIS tools. One effort that could improve the situation significantly is the overhaul of the Village’s PW permitting process – automation and centralization of permit-associated tasks would improve service delivery and decrease PW leadership time spent on adjacent tasks. 2. Operational Challenges Limiting Service Delivery What specific factors or conditions do you and your team perceive as limiting your department’s ability to fully deliver onits core responsibilities, at the level of quality, timeliness, and effectiveness necessary to meet your perception of community needs and expectations? Please describe how each factor contributes to these challenges. Example: Staffing shortages— Limited personnel reduce the department’s ability to respond quickly to service demands, causing delays and increasing workload stress. Lack of administrative support – the PW Department struggles with a lack of administrative personnel. Managers (particularly the DPW and ADPW) are frequently asked to handle “minor” administrative issues, including permitting issues (which often require significant back-and-forth with applicants due to application errors) and repeated resident questions or complaints (many of which are addressed on the Village website). These issues take up a significant amount of time, and limit management’s abilities to devote energy to core management issues (planning, budgeting, project management, staff management, inter-managerial communication). Lack of administrative tools – as discussed above, permitting is one area that takes up significant PW management time and energy. Unlike some other tasks, the permitting time burden could likely be significantly reduced with access to better electronic tools, including website forms (for applications) and credit card payments. Use of these tools would catch errors before they make it to staff and make the approval and payment processes more efficient. PW staff recognize and appreciate the significant amount of time that the Clerk’s Department has put into this, and truly appreciate their help in implementation. We understand that overload in that department affects the ability of their staff to assist, and PW would advocate for more support for both departments to assist in implementing these changes. 3. Priority Operational Investment for 2027 If your department could receive one singular, discrete operational item or position (e.g., 1 new staff member, a specific software license, a particular piece of equipment, a specialized training program – distinct from major capital projects submitted in the CIP) in the 202 7 budget that would most meaningfully strengthen your ability to meet core responsibilities and address challenges identified, what would it be? (Please briefly describe what this would provide and why it’s the highest priority operational need for your department.) Example: One additional full -time maintenance technician to address work order backlogs and reduce turnaround time for critical service requests, directly improving our ability to meet core responsibility X. While the addition of administrative support staff remains a top long-term priority, PW feels that the most helpful short -term operational investment would be prioritization of online permitting and payment functionality, likely via the Village’s website. This would reduce the workload on staff members across Village departments, including PW, Finance, and the Clerk’s Department. It would also allow for procedures to be put in place that automatically distribute permit applications to several in -Village and outside organizations (ie the Fire Depa rtment), automatically facilitating communication and ensuring all parties are aware of major events or projects. 2027 Budget Process – Department Worksheet 1. Internal Stressors and Organizational Consequences Please assess the degree to which your department is currently experiencing each of the organizational stressors listed below. For each one, please provide:  A rating based on the scale below.  An indication of whether the situation is expected to remain stable, improve, or worsen in the next 6-12 months.  A brief, specific example (required for ratings of 3, 4, or 5) that illustrates how this issue is affecting your department's operations or service delivery. This information is critical for understanding systemic pressures across the Village and will be u sed to identify organizational trends and potential solutions, not to assess individual or departmental performance. Rating Scale: 1 – Not occurring: No significant signs in the past 12 months. 2 – Minimal: Has occurred occasionally in the past 6–12 months; limited impact on operations. 3 – Moderate: Occurs occasionally and has a noticeable impact on operations, service quality, or staff. 4 – Significant: Occurs frequently or is widespread; clearly disrupting work, impacting multiple areas, or causing notable staff strain. 5 – Severe: Persistent, potentially department-wide, and critically undermining core operations or service delivery. Organizational Consequence Rating (1–5) Expected Trend (Stable / Improving / Worsening) Example (required for 3–5) Staff overload and burnout Employees are asked to take on more tasks than they can reasonably handle. Morale declines, absenteeism may rise, and productivity drops over time. Turnover increases, which worsens institutional knowledge and creates instability. 2/3 Stable/Worsening Large staff over at the beginning of FY. While we’re trending to be stable, there is a lot of uncertainty with the new building, increased tasks and workload, larger space to cover greater responsibilities while juggling staff time off. Decline in quality and consistency Services and functions become inconsistent or error prone. Long-term work is deferred; short-term fixes dominate. 2 With increased focus & attention on the new building and new services, there is potential for ongoing tasks to be impacted Breakdown in prioritization Without clear direction, staff try to do everything. Focus becomes fragmented and some critical functions are neglected. 1 Loss of innovation and adaptability Reactive demands crowd out time for improvement or adaptation. Organizational learning slows. 3/ 4 Expected to worsen over the next year Considerable time will be given towards new technology, security and AV systems in the new building. Initially this will be challenging for long-term staff to adapt, meaning more time for select staff members to pick up Reputation and trust erosion Stakeholders notice service slippage or delays. Unmet expectations result in frustration and diminished trust. 2 Stable/Worsening With increased workload and time spent in transition planning and facilitation, customer service, regular tasks and involvement from SC staff may be impacted. While staff hold a high priority for meeting client needs there may not be bandwidth to do so. Leadership strain and decision paralysis Leaders are stuck in crisis mode. Strategic direction suffers as short-term needs dominate. 3 Worsening New leadership has shown a significant time spent onboarding, leaving less time for strategic planning. Currently state is set aside for managing day-to- day operations, and resources need to be allocated for investment in growth outside of daily operations. 2. Operational Challenges Limiting Service Delivery What specific factors or conditions do you and your team perceive as limiting your department’s ability to fully deliver onits core responsibilities, at the level of quality, timeliness, and effectiveness necessary to meet your perception of community needs and expectations? Please describe how each factor contributes to these challenges. Example: Staffing shortages— Limited personnel reduce the department’s ability to respond quickly to service demands, causing delays and increasing workload stress. Unrealistic expectations from the county – Case Managers are supporting seniors in our service area, however due to specific county requirements they are unable to carryout other SC related activities due to lack of reimbursement Recent staff turnover – Current staff are dealing with essential functions of their roles and do not have the time for innovation and capacity building Outdated building – staff spend more time on responding to issues/challenges with the building. 3. Priority Operational Investment for 2027 If your department could receive one singular, discrete operational item or position (e.g., 1 new staff member, a specific software license, a particular piece of equipment, a specialized training program – distinct from major capital projects submitted in the CIP) in the 202 7 budget that would most meaningfully strengthen your ability to meet core responsibilities and address challenges identified, what would it be? (Please briefly describe what this would provide and why it’s the highest priority operational need for your department.) Example: One additional full -time maintenance technician to address work order backlogs and reduce turnaround time for critical service requests, directly improving our ability to meet core responsibility X. An additional FTE for a custodian to maintain the building would help with issues that arise in a day and free staff from responding. There are many interruptions in the workday surrounding equipment not working properly and spaces that are not designed for specific audiences. It would also provide enhanced experience for participants with having dedicated rooms set up for the function and needs of the group. Cost of Labor Local government is fundamentally a service organization, and most Village services are delivered through the work of employees. Police protection, infrastructure maintenance, snow and ice control, planning and development, elections, financial administration, parks, library services, and senior services all depend on having sufficient qualified staff. Managing employee compensation and benefit costs responsibly is therefore essential both to the Village’s financial sustainability and to its ability to maintain public services. Employee compensation and benefits are the largest component of the Village’s operating expenditures. Across the Village’s two primary operating funds, the General Fund and Library Operating Fund, 2027 personnel costs total approximately $7.7 million. This includes employee wages, benefits, and related fringe costs. This represents approximately 70% of the combined operating expenditure for those funds. Employee Compensation Plan Most general Village employees are covered by the Village’s Employee Compensation Plan. A formal compensation plan provides a consistent framework, which helps demonstrate that pay decisions are based on documented factors, such as job responsibilities, experience, service, and market data, rather than favoritism, arbitrary discretion, or protected characteristics. Clear policies also support wage-and-hour compliance, accurate payroll records, internal equity, budget control, and defensible responses to employee complaints, grievances, audits, or discrimination claims. It helps make compensation decisions more consistent, transparent, and legally defensible. The plan is intended to accomplish two objectives: - Maintain external competitiveness by comparing Village positions with similar work performed by comparable employers. - Maintain internal consistency by placing positions into pay grades based on their responsibilities, complexity, required qualifications, and organizational impact. The Village retains Total Rewards Consulting (TRC), a professional compensation consultant, to assist with the analysis and ongoing administration of the plan. Each Village position is assigned to a pay grade, and each pay grade has a wage range with a minimum, midpoint, and maximum. The midpoint, also called the control point, is intended to reflect the Village’s selected market benchmark based on wages paid by comparable employers for similar work. The minimum is set at 87.5% of the midpoint, and the maximum is set at 112.5%. Each range is divided into steps that provide a structured way for employees to progress within their pay grade as they gain experience and service. Step 6 is the midpoint of the Village’s current pay schedule and corresponds to the selected market benchmark for the pay grade. An employee below Step 6 is earning less than the market benchmark, an employee at Step 6 is earning the benchmark amount, and an employee above Step 6 is earning more than the benchmark. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 Village of Oregon 50th Control Point 87.50% 90.00% 92.50% 95.00% 97.50% 100.00% 101.25% 102.50% 103.75% 105.00% 106.25% 107.50% 108.75% 110.00% 111.25% 112.50% GRADE JOB TITLE DEPARTMENT Minimum Step 2 Step 3 Step 4 Step 5 Step 6 Step 7 Step 8 Step 9 Step 10 Step 11 Step 12 Step 13 Step 14 Step 15 Max 22 Village Administrator Administration $62.83 $64.62 $66.42 $68.21 $70.01 $71.80 $72.70 $73.60 $74.49 $75.39 $76.29 $77.19 $78.08 $78.98 $79.88 $80.78 21 Chief of Police Police Department $58.70 $60.38 $62.06 $63.74 $65.41 $67.09 $67.93 $68.77 $69.61 $70.44 $71.28 $72.12 $72.96 $73.80 $74.64 $75.48 20 Finance Director / Village Treasurer Finance $54.89 $56.46 $58.03 $59.59 $61.16 $62.73 $63.51 $64.30 $65.08 $65.87 $66.65 $67.43 $68.22 $69.00 $69.79 $70.57 Director of Public Works Public Works 19 Director of Community Development Community Development$51.35 $52.81 $54.28 $55.75 $57.21 $58.68 $59.41 $60.15 $60.88 $61.61 $62.35 $63.08 $63.81 $64.55 $65.28 $66.02 18 Deputy Village Administrator / Village ClerkClerk $48.05 $49.42 $50.79 $52.16 $53.54 $54.91 $55.60 $56.28 $56.97 $57.66 $58.34 $59.03 $59.71 $60.40 $61.09 $61.77 Lieutenant Police Department 17 Library Director Library $44.97 $46.25 $47.54 $48.82 $50.11 $51.39 $52.03 $52.67 $53.32 $53.96 $54.60 $55.24 $55.89 $56.53 $57.17 $57.81 Assistant Director of Public Works Public Works 16 Senior Center Director Senior Center $42.09 $43.29 $44.49 $45.70 $46.90 $48.10 $48.70 $49.30 $49.90 $50.51 $51.11 $51.71 $52.31 $52.91 $53.51 $54.11 Patrol Sergeant Police Department Civil Engineer Public Works 15 $39.41 $40.54 $41.66 $42.79 $43.91 $45.04 $45.60 $46.17 $46.73 $47.29 $47.86 $48.42 $48.98 $49.54 $50.11 $50.67 14 Support Services Supervisor Police Department $36.93 $37.99 $39.04 $40.10 $41.15 $42.21 $42.74 $43.27 $43.79 $44.32 $44.85 $45.38 $45.90 $46.43 $46.96 $47.49 Parks and Facilities Manager Public Works Wastewater Utility Manager Public Works Water Utility and Sewer Collections ManagerPublic Works 13 Adult Services & Outreach Librarian Library $34.62 $35.61 $36.60 $37.59 $38.58 $39.57 $40.06 $40.56 $41.05 $41.55 $42.04 $42.54 $43.03 $43.53 $44.02 $44.52 Youth Services & Community Engagement LibrarianLibrary Mechanic Public Works 12 Circulation Supervisor Library $32.46 $33.39 $34.32 $35.25 $36.17 $37.10 $37.56 $38.03 $38.49 $38.96 $39.42 $39.88 $40.35 $40.81 $41.27 $41.74 Technical Services Supervisor & Administrative Asst.Library Assistant Director Senior Center 11 Lead Crew Person Public Works $30.46 $31.33 $32.20 $33.07 $33.94 $34.81 $35.25 $35.68 $36.12 $36.55 $36.99 $37.42 $37.86 $38.29 $38.73 $39.16 Adult Day Program (ADP) Worker Senior Center Case Manager Senior Center 10 Human Resources Coordinator / Deputy ClerkClerk $28.60 $29.41 $30.23 $31.05 $31.86 $32.68 $33.09 $33.50 $33.91 $34.31 $34.72 $35.13 $35.54 $35.95 $36.36 $36.77 Village Accountant Finance Court Greeter / Family Liasion Municipal Court Utility Technician Public Works Wastewater Utility Operator III Public Works Water Utility Operator III Public Works Nutrition Site Manager Senior Center 9 Deputy Clerk Clerk $26.89 $27.66 $28.43 $29.19 $29.96 $30.73 $31.11 $31.50 $31.88 $32.27 $32.65 $33.03 $33.42 $33.80 $34.19 $34.57 Recreation and Programming Coordinator Community Development Utility Clerk Coordinator Finance Teen Librarian Library Court Clerk Municipal Court Juvenile Court Services Worker Municipal Court Public Works Crew Person III Public Works Wastewater Utility Operator II Public Works Water Utility Operator II Public Works 8 Reference Assistant Library $25.30 $26.02 $26.74 $27.46 $28.19 $28.91 $29.27 $29.63 $29.99 $30.36 $30.72 $31.08 $31.44 $31.80 $32.16 $32.52 Technical Services Assistant Library Youth Services Assistant Library Parks Crew Person Public Works Public Works Crew Person II Public Works 7 Utility Accounting Assistant Finance $23.81 $24.49 $25.17 $25.85 $26.53 $27.21 $27.55 $27.89 $28.23 $28.57 $28.91 $29.25 $29.59 $29.93 $30.27 $30.61 Public Works Crew Person I Public Works Wastewater Utility Operator I Public Works Water Utility Operator I Public Works 6 Administrative Assistant Clerk $22.42 $23.06 $23.70 $24.34 $24.98 $25.62 $25.94 $26.26 $26.58 $26.90 $27.22 $27.54 $27.86 $28.18 $28.50 $28.82 Police Clerk Police Department 5 Circulation Library Assistant Library $21.13 $21.74 $22.34 $22.94 $23.55 $24.15 $24.45 $24.75 $25.06 $25.36 $25.66 $25.96 $26.26 $26.57 $26.87 $27.17 Janitor Public Works Administrative Assistant Senior Center 4 $19.94 $20.51 $21.08 $21.65 $22.22 $22.79 $23.07 $23.36 $23.64 $23.93 $24.21 $24.50 $24.78 $25.07 $25.35 $25.64 3 $18.82 $19.36 $19.90 $20.43 $20.97 $21.51 $21.78 $22.05 $22.32 $22.59 $22.85 $23.12 $23.39 $23.66 $23.93 $24.20 2 $17.78 $18.29 $18.80 $19.30 $19.81 $20.32 $20.57 $20.83 $21.08 $21.34 $21.59 $21.84 $22.10 $22.35 $22.61 $22.86 1 Library Page Library $16.82 $17.30 $17.78 $18.26 $18.74 $19.22 $19.46 $19.70 $19.94 $20.18 $20.42 $20.66 $20.90 $21.14 $21.38 $21.62 Crossing Guard Police Department Summer and Seasonal Parks & Grounds PersonPublic Works Senior Center Sub Senior Center 2026 EMPLOYEE WAGE SCHEDULE - 16 STEP Development of the Current Compensation System In 2022, the Village completed a comprehensive employee compensation study. The study found that approximately 82% of employees were earning less than the bottom of the market pay range identified as appropriate for their positions. The Village Board subsequently adopted a new compensation plan and wage scale recommended by TRC to address this issue. Costs to get employees to the minimum of the proposed wage range were estimated to be over $400,000. Implementation of the new compensation system was assisted by two ongoing revenue measures adopted by the Village Board in 2022 and 2023: the wheel tax and streetlight electric cost-recovery charge. Together, these measures would generate approximately $500,000 in annual revenue. These actions relieved other general-purpose revenues for use towards addressing the Village’s compensation gap. 2025 Market Update / Progress The adopted compensation system calls for a market review approximately every three to five years to determine whether the wage scale and position classifications remain competitive. TRC completed a market update in 2025. The analysis showed that implementation of the compensation plan had materially improved the competitiveness of the Village’s wage structure. The Village had moved from being entirely below the market in most cases to having a wage structure that, albeit still slightly below, was better positioned closer to the market median. In 2023, the first year of the compensation plan’s implementation, nearly half of employees were at Step 1, and approximately 90% were below Step 6, the plan’s market midpoint. Under the proposed 2027 budget, the share of employees below Step 6 would decline to 51%. Meanwhile, the share of employees at Step 6 would be approximately 24% with another 25% above it. See graph to the right. No employees are under or over the scale. 2027 Wage Proposal The proposed 2027 budget includes one step of wage progression on the adopted wage scale for eligible employees. The value of that step depends on the employee’s placement within the wage scale: - Employees below Step 6 receive a 2.50% step increase. - Employees at Step 6 or above receive a 1.25% step increase. The Village’s current wage structure provides a larger percentage increase to employees below the midpoint. Although the percentages differ, the resulting dollar increases are more comparable than the percentages alone suggest because the 1.25% increase is, in general, applied to employees with higher wage rates. The Village has a limited amount of funding available for wage adjustments. Under a traditional across- the-board percentage increase, employees with higher wage rates receive larger dollar increases because the same percentage is applied to a higher base wage. Within a fixed pool of available funding, this directs a greater share of the available dollars to employees who are already at or above the market midpoint and leaves less funding available to move below-midpoint employees toward the Village’s compensation target. The 2027 proposal attempts to continue progressing employees through the wage scale while recognizing current financial constraints and controlling the growth of recurring compensation costs for employees who have already reached or exceeded the market midpoint benchmark. For 2027, individual increases for full-time employees average approximately $1,530 with a median of $1,498. Most increases are concentrated between $1,000 and $2,000, accounting for approximately 78% of the group. The remaining employees are evenly divided, with five receiving increases of $1,000 or less and five receiving increases above $2,000. The overall dollar impact on the 2027 budget for these adjustments is approximately $100,000, inclusive of wage affected benefit costs (e.g., pension, worker’s compensation, and federal payroll taxes). There is no single correct method for allocating a limited pool of wage-adjustment funding. The proposed approach is consistent with the current policy of emphasizing progress toward the market midpoint while providing measured wage growth above that benchmark and controlling long-term personnel costs. Classification Review / Market Analysis Adjustments Deputy Village Administrator / Village Clerk The 2027 budget proposes a wage adjustment for the Deputy Village Administrator / Village Clerk position. While reviewing the proposed Human Resources Director position for placement on the Village’s compensation schedule, the Village’s compensation consultant identified an internal equity concern involving the Deputy Administrator / Clerk position. Internal equity refers to whether positions with comparable levels of responsibility, complexity, authority, and required expertise are placed appropriately in relation to one another within the organization’s pay structure. To address this concern, the consultant recommended moving the Deputy Administrator/Clerk position up one pay grade, placing it in the same grade recommended for the Human Resources Director. Applying the revised grade placement to the current employee results in an approximate 8% wage increase. Circulation Library Assistants The Library is reviewing the Circulation Library Assistant position for a potential market review following recent and persistent turnover. The position is part-time and the Library has six individuals in this role. The purpose of this type of review is to determine whether the position’s current placement within the Village’s compensation plan remains competitive with the external labor market. The analysis has not yet been completed, and no adjustment is currently included in the proposed budget. If the review results in a recommended change, staff will evaluate its financial implications and consider incorporating the recommendation into the proposed 2027 budget. Police Officer Union Wages The Village is currently negotiating a new union contract with the police officer union employees. An estimated placeholder for wages has been inserted in the draft budget. Staff do not see any current barriers to completing negotiations soon and ensuring any needed adjustments are incorporated into the final 2027 budget. Health insurance The Village participates in the State’s Group Health Insurance Program available to public employees. The program provides health insurance and pharmacy benefits. Employees may pick from different health insurers offered in the program that are available in Dane County. This includes Quartz-UW Health, GHC, and Dean. The Village currently pays for 88% of the average “Tier 1” premium for qualified plans within Dane County, with the employee paying the remaining 12%, for full-time employees. The quality and affordability of the Village’s health insurance plan makes it arguably the most important employee benefit and a significant retention tool for the Village. For the Village share, costs for a full-time family health plan are going up 4.62% from $26,623.92 to $27,854.11. For employees, GHC continues to be the lowest cost option overall, but premiums will increase by an annual total of $739.97 or 24.20% in 2027. Employees selecting Quartz will also see an increase in their premium for a total of $910.85or 24.20%. Dean has been a significantly higher cost option since at least 2021 and continues this trend in 2027. For an employee it is around $10,000 / year or more than the other two options. ANNUAL PREMIUM FOR FULL-TIME EMPLOYEE (NON-UNION / FAMILY PLAN) Plan 2026 2027 $ Difference % Change Dean Employer 26,623.92 27,854.11 1,230.19 4.62% Employee 13,694.64 14,545.01 850.37 6.21% GHC Employer 26,623.92 27,854.11 1,230.19 4.62% Employee 3,058.32 3,798.29 739.97 24.20% Quartz - UW Employer 26,623.92 27,854.11 1,230.19 4.62% Employee 4,202.64 5,113.49 910.85 21.67% The Village has paid a slightly different contribution for law enforcement employees based upon rules outlined under state law and the union contract. For these employees, the Village has paid 92.5% of the lowest cost plan (as opposed to the average cost for non-union) in the County. Since the Village is still negotiating the union contract the budget has been estimated using the current contribution calculation. ANNUAL PREMIUM FOR FULL-TIME EMPLOYEE (POLICE UNION / FAMILY PLAN) (ESTIMATE) Plan 2026 2027 $ Difference % Change Dean Employer 27,456.07 29,278.47 1,822.40 6.64% Employee 12,862.49 13,120.65 258.16 2.01% GHC Employer 27,456.07 29,278.47 1,822.40 6.64% Employee 2,226.17 2,373.93 147.76 6.64% Quartz - UW Employer 27,456.07 29,278.47 1,822.40 6.64% Employee 3,370.49 3,689.13 318.64 9.45% Dental The Village has offered a dental insurance benefit to employees but has not previously provided an employer contribution to this benefit. For 2027, we are proposing to add an employer contribution that would cover 50% of the premium. The estimated cost of this additional benefit to the Village is approximately $20,000 across all funds. Retirement The Village is a participant in the Wisconsin Retirement System (WRS), administered by the State of Wisconsin for public employees. The program provides retirement, disability, and death benefits for employees. By law, the State annually establishes contribution rates for the employee and employer into the system. Rates are dependent upon investment earnings and actuarial analysis. For 2027, the Village, as the employer, is required to contribute 7.25% of an employee’s annual salary into the system, up slightly from 7.20% in 2026. Employees are also required to contribute the same percentage of their salary. The Village is required to contribute more towards qualifying law enforcement personnel. The Village’s contribution for these employees is set at 14.54% of their annual salaries in 2027, slightly down from 14.80% in 2026. Law enforcement employees are also required to contribute 7.25% of their salary in 2027, up from 7.20% in 2026. The net effect of these changes is marginal for the Village year over year. However, with new positions there are added pension costs. As such, across governmental funds, pension costs have risen nearly $25,000 or 4.6% from 2026. Worker’s compensation Premiums change each year based on several factors, which include the Village’s recent history of claims and overall industry-wide trends. In some cases, certain groups of employees’ rates may go up, and some may go down. In recent years, overall, on average, worker’s compensation rates in Wisconsin have been on a steady decline for the past decade. The Village has also had an excellent claims history (overall few injuries and low severity). Unfortunately, in late 2025 the Village experienced a significant claim, which impacts on 2027 rates. Across the Village’s governmental funds, worker’s compensation costs increased from about $61,000 in 2026 to nearly $86,000 in 2027; a $25,000 or 41% increase. State Aids / Shared Revenue While the property tax is the Village’s primary source of revenue for municipal services, intergovernmental aid from the State of Wisconsin is another significant source of ongoing operating revenue. These state payments are commonly referred to collectively as “shared revenue.” The Village’s principal shared revenue programs are County and Municipal Aid (CMA), Supplemental County and Municipal Aid, Utility Aid, and the Expenditure Restraint Incentive Program (ERIP). CMA, Utility Aid, and ERIP generally may be used for general municipal purposes. Supplemental CMA is subject to statutory requirements governing how the revenue may be used. In 2023, the State made the first substantial changes to municipal shared revenue in a generation. Most notably, the legislation created Supplemental CMA and tied future changes in CMA and Supplemental CMA to state sales tax collections. The Village began receiving Supplemental CMA in 2024, materially increasing the amount of state aid available to support municipal services. The history of the Village’s major shared revenue payments is shown in the table below. Year County and Municipal Aid (CMA) Utility Aid Expenditure Restraint Programs Supplemental County and Municipal Aid Total 2027 179,134 61,556 20,691 316,155 577,536 2026 175,449 63,212 - 309,652 548,314 2025 169,681 71,143 58,744 299,469 599,037 2024 165,878 14,500 58,744 292,736 531,858 2023 165,887 14,876 52,500 - 233,263 2022 165,887 15,258 23,886 - 205,031 2021 165,883 15,657 - - 181,540 2020 165,891 16,291 - - 182,182 2019 165,891 16,444 31,252 - 213,587 2018 165,891 16,940 34,001 - 216,832 2017 165,891 17,523 46,872 - 230,286 2016 165,891 18,237 36,381 - 220,509 2015 165,891 12,140 - - 178,031 2014 165,891 12,454 34,551 - 212,896 2013 165,891 12,979 27,562 - 206,432 2012 165,891 12,519 12,460 - 190,870 2011 221,188 5,182 - - 226,370 2010 221,188 5,670 - - 226,858 2009 260,221 6,085 - - 266,306 2008 260,221 5,678 - - 265,899 2007 260,221 5,860 14,993 - 281,074 2006 260,221 6,775 28,641 - 295,637 2005 260,221 6,463 52,297 - 318,981 2004 260,221 6,744 59,664 - 326,629 2003 344,115 - 71,039 - 415,154 2027 State Aid Estimates The 2027 budget includes an estimated $577,536 from these four programs. This is an increase of $29,222, or approximately 5.3%, from $548,314 for 2026. The 2027 CMA payment is estimated at $179,134, while Supplemental CMA is estimated at $316,155. Together, these programs will provide $495,289, an increase of $10,188, or approximately 2.1%, from 2026. This increase reflects the annual adjustment associated with state sales tax collections. Utility Aid is estimated at $61,556 for 2027, a decrease of $1,656 from 2026. The substantial increase in Utility Aid that began in 2025 appears to have resulted from an increase in the state-reported value of utility property within the Village, likely associated with the electric substation improvements completed near the Police Department. Because this aid is affected by the depreciated value of utility property, the payment may gradually decline as those assets age unless additional utility investments occur. Expenditure Restraint Incentive Program The 2027 budget includes an ERIP payment of $20,691 after the Village received no payment in 2026. ERIP provides unrestricted state aid to municipalities that satisfy two requirements: the municipal-only property tax rate must exceed five mills, and growth in qualifying non-debt General Fund expenditures must remain below a state-prescribed limit based on inflation and a limited net new construction factor. Future eligibility for these funds remains uncertain. When property values grow faster than the municipal levy, the Village’s calculated tax rate declines, even if the total levy increases. This could cause the Village to fall below the five-mill eligibility threshold. The Village is riding right on that line currently. The 2027 budget amount was not expected, but the final calculation just barely ended up over five mills. In addition, the State’s expenditure formula may not reflect the Village’s actual cost pressures, including employee compensation, health insurance, contractual obligations, staffing needs, and other service demands. For these reasons, ERIP eligibility is an important budget consideration but should not be viewed as an automatic or overriding objective. The financial benefit of a potential future payment must be weighed against the operational and service consequences of deferring otherwise desired or necessary expenditures. Inflation in Historical Aid Amounts Utility Aid and ERIP payments can fluctuate significantly from year to year because they serve different purposes and depend on factors such as utility property values and annual program eligibility. County and Municipal Aid (CMA) and Supplemental County and Municipal Aid are more consistent sources of ongoing state support. 2023 Wisconsin Act 12 substantially increased municipal aid beginning in 2024 through the creation of Supplemental CMA and changes to the existing CMA program. Even with this increase, however, the combined payments have not fully restored the purchasing power of the aid the Village received under the State’s previous funding model pre-2004. In 2003, the Village received $344,115 in CMA. Based on the change in the CPI-U, that payment would equal approximately $624,440 in August 2026 dollars. The proposed 2027 budget anticipates receiving $495,289 from CMA and Supplemental CMA combined. This is $129,151, or approximately 20.7%, less than the amount needed to provide the same purchasing power as the Village’s 2003 payment. The 2023 legislation therefore restored a substantial portion of the State aid lost to inflation, but it did not fully restore the Village’s historical level of purchasing power. Year CMA Supplemental CMA CMA + Supplemental CMA 2003 payment adjusted for inflation Purchasing- power shortfall 2027* $179,134 $316,155 $495,289 $624,440 $129,151 2026 $175,449 $309,652 $485,101 $624,440 $139,339 2025 $169,681 $299,469 $469,150 $603,927 $134,777 2024 $165,878 $292,736 $458,614 $586,815 $128,201 2023 $165,887 — $165,887 $572,331 $406,444 2022 $165,887 — $165,887 $552,096 $386,209 2021 $165,883 — $165,883 $509,959 $344,076 2020 $165,891 — $165,891 $484,516 $318,625 2019 $165,891 — $165,891 $478,253 $312,362 2018 $165,891 — $165,891 $470,028 $304,137 2017 $165,891 — $165,891 $457,675 $291,784 2016 $165,891 — $165,891 $448,969 $283,078 2015 $165,891 — $165,891 $444,248 $278,357 2014 $165,891 — $165,891 $443,383 $277,492 2013 $165,891 — $165,891 $435,973 $270,082 2012 $165,891 — $165,891 $429,452 $263,561 2011 $221,188 — $221,188 $422,305 $201,117 2010 $221,188 — $221,188 $406,958 $185,770 2009 $260,221 — $260,221 $402,339 $142,118 2008 $260,221 — $260,221 $408,401 $148,180 2007 $260,221 — $260,221 $387,580 $127,359 2006 $260,221 — $260,221 $380,092 $119,871 2005 $260,221 — $260,221 $366,112 $105,891 2004 $260,221 — $260,221 $353,249 $93,028 2003 $344,115 — $344,115 $344,115 $0 *The 2027 calculation uses the August 2026 CPI-U because actual 2027 inflation data is not yet available. *The table measures inflationary change using the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U), All items, U.S. city average, as published by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The calculation compares the CPI-U for August of each year with the August 2003 CPI-U General transportation aids Highway aids or general transportation aids (GTAs) are payments from the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (DOT) to offset the cost of municipal road (and related / adjacent infrastructure) construction, maintenance, and traffic operations (including law enforcement and emergency response related costs). The State raises these funds through fuel taxes and vehicle registration fees. Aid amounts are based upon a calculation that factors in the recent history of how much a municipality spends on qualifying costs, the amount of roadway mileage in the community, and funding availability. In effect, this program is a “we will help you if you help yourself” arrangement, the more you spend on maintaining your highways the more funding you become eligible to receive, up to a maximum amount. The Village has done a very effective job in recent years of doing at least one major street reconstruction project per year which helps maximize this calculation. The Village also continues to add lane mileage due to new development and growth. The Legislature has also increased the available funding in the program in successive biennium. The Village’s 2027 increase is 4.89% more or just under $41,000 than 2026. Year Amount Year over Year Difference ($) Year over Year Difference (%) 2027 876,823.71 40,863.71 4.89% 2026 835,960.00 9,594.00 1.16% 2025 826,366.00 77,031.69 10.28% 2024 749,334.31 94,565.23 14.44% 2023 654,769.08 25,976.54 4.13% 2022 628,792.54 82,016.42 15.00% 2021 546,776.12 33,062.13 6.44% 2020 513,713.99 67,006.17 15.00% 2019 446,707.82 - - It is also notable that while these increases have been helpful, nearly doubling in the last 8 years, it also makes the Village more reliant on this source to fund ongoing operational expenses. While it’s reasonable to assume general transportation aid will not disappear overnight since it is a critical source of funding for all local governments in Wisconsin, it is still subject to the legislature’s discretion. Likewise, to maintain the level of funding currently means the Village will need to continue making investments in qualifying expenses, such as one major street project per year, or risk reduced payments in future years. Investment Income The significant increase in interest rates between 2022 and 2024 materially increased the income earned on invested Village funds. General Fund investment income increased from $80,953 in 2022 to $282,759 in 2023 and $325,078 in 2024. Investment income remained elevated at $296,435 in 2025, while the current 2026 revenue with a few months to go is approximately $187,473. Although this revenue gives the Village financial flexibility, investment income is difficult to rely upon for ongoing operating expenses. The amount earned depends on several variables, including prevailing interest rates, the amount of cash available for investment, the timing of receipts and expenditures, and the terms and maturity dates of the Village’s investments. A change in any of these factors can cause revenue to decline relatively quickly. In recent years, the Village’s conservative investment-income budgets produced favorable year-end variances. These additional revenues provided a financial cushion for unanticipated expenditures, helped maintain the Village’s fund balance, and reduced the amount borrowed for smaller capital purchases and other one-time costs. That cushion becomes smaller as more investment income is incorporated into the operating budget. Only revenue received above the budgeted amount remains available to offset other unfavorable budget variances or support one-time needs. Investment Income - General Fund Federal Reserve Target Rate Budget Year Amount Start of Year Rate End of Year Rate 2027 Proposed Budget 170,000.00 4.00 Estimate 4.00% Estimate 2026 Current 187,472.75 3.50%–3.75% 3.75%–4.00% 2025 296,435.48 4.25%–4.50% 3.50%–3.75% 2024 325,077.77 5.25%–5.50% 4.25%–4.50% 2023 282,759.26 4.25% - 4.50% 5.25% - 5.50% 2022 80,952.66 0.00% - 0.25% 4.25% - 4.50% 2021 14,100.85 0.00% - 0.25% 0.00% - 0.25% 2020 71,712.40 1.50% - 1.75% 0.00% - 0.25% 2019 132,624.35 2.25% - 2.50% 1.50% - 1.75% 2018 59,381.37 1.25% - 1.50% 2.25% - 2.50% 2017 27,861.07 0.50% - 0.75% 1.25% - 1.50% 2016 22,713.86 0.25% - 0.50% 0.50% - 0.75% 2015 16,590.44 0.00% - 0.25% 0.25% - 0.50% 2014 14,991.35 0.00% - 0.25% 0.00% - 0.25% The proposed 2027 budget includes $170,000 in General Fund investment income. This is approximately $17,473, or 9.3%, below the current 2026 revenue and $126,435, or 42.7%, below the amount received in 2025. This assumption therefore represents a meaningful reduction from recent results. However, the assumption is not without risk. As recently as 2022, the Village received only $80,953 in General Fund investment income, less than half of the amount proposed to be budgeted for 2027. During the prolonged low-interest-rate environment of the 2010s and the early pandemic period, annual investment income was frequently much lower. The 2027 budget therefore assumes that a meaningful portion of the current interest-rate environment and investment earnings will continue. The interest rate outlook has also changed since preparation of the prior budget. In September, the Federal Reserve increased its federal funds target range to 3.75%–4.00% with projections around 4% at the end of both 2026 and 2027. These projections suggest that short-term rates may remain comparatively elevated during 2027, but they are not commitments and may change as economic conditions evolve. Based on current information and recent Village investment performance, the $170,000 estimate is reasonable for budget-planning purposes. Nevertheless, the Village remains exposed if investment income falls below that amount. Unless other revenues exceed budget or expenditures are lower than anticipated, a shortfall would contribute to a General Fund deficit. Investment income received above the budgeted amount should continue to be treated cautiously. Favorable variances are best preserved for fund balance, capital purchases, or other one-time purposes rather than used to create additional recurring expenditure commitments. 2027 Budget: Ongoing Financial and Organizational Capacity Issues An annual budget can be financially balanced while the organization becomes increasingly constrained. When recurring revenues do not keep pace with operating costs and service demands, the budget may be balanced by postponing expenses that have become necessary to sustain operations. Examples include deferring new positions needed to address increasing workloads, limiting employee wage adjustments needed to remain competitive, leaving vacancies open longer, postponing equipment replacement, or deferring maintenance and technology investments. These decisions reduce current expenditures, but they do not eliminate the underlying work or operational needs. Instead, they can create an organizational capacity and service deficit (i.e., the amount of work expected from the organization exceeds the staffing, time, and other resources available to perform it). This work is either assigned to existing employees, delayed, reduced in scope, performed less frequently, or left incomplete. Employees assume broader responsibilities, supervisors provide direct coverage for vacancies or workload gaps, and departments have less ability to absorb illnesses, emergencies, major projects, or unexpected assignments. Immediate and legally required responsibilities take priority, leaving less time for preventive maintenance, long-range planning, policy development, employee training, process improvement, public communication, grant opportunities, and implementation of new initiatives. Employees may initially compensate for additional workload through extra effort, broader responsibilities, and informal methods of keeping services operating. This commitment can conceal the extent of the constraint because the public may continue to receive substantially the same visible services. Internally, however, backlogs grow, employees are stretched further, and the organization loses flexibility and redundancy. Persistent overload eventually produces operational consequences. Fatigue increases the risk of errors, absenteeism, burnout, workplace injuries, and turnover. Managers spend more time responding to immediate problems and providing direct coverage, leaving less time for supervision, employee development, project coordination, system improvements, and preparation for future needs. The organization becomes increasingly focused on getting through the day rather than improving how it operates or preparing for what comes next. Compensation constraints can intensify this cycle. When wage adjustments are delayed or reduced, Village compensation may gradually fall behind comparable employers or fail to reflect expanding responsibilities. Wage compression may develop between new and experienced employees or between supervisory and nonsupervisory positions. Recruitment becomes more difficult, vacancies remain open longer, and experienced employees have greater incentive to pursue better-compensated or less-demanding positions elsewhere. Turnover then creates additional operational and financial costs. The Village loses institutional knowledge, remaining employees must cover the vacancy, and substantial time must be devoted to recruitment, onboarding, and training. A replacement employee may require months or years to develop the technical knowledge, organizational understanding, and working relationships held by the departing employee. Overtime, temporary coverage, recruitment expenses, and contracted assistance may also incur additional costs. The same dynamic applies to equipment, facilities, technology, and infrastructure. Deferring maintenance or replacement reduces spending in the current year, but the underlying need remains. Assets become less reliable, repairs become more frequent, employees spend more time managing failures, and eventual replacement may become more expensive. Repeated deferrals can turn manageable maintenance needs into urgent operating or capital expenses. The effects on public services are generally gradual rather than immediate. Response times may lengthen, projects take longer to complete, and inspections, maintenance, communication, and follow-up occur less consistently. Public hours, programs, or service availability may eventually need to be reduced. Employees have less capacity to pursue grants, improve internal systems, plan for growth, or respond to emerging community needs. The organization becomes progressively more reactive, less consistent, and less resilient. A vacancy, illness, emergency, major project, or equipment failure can then expose how little additional capacity remains. A constrained organization may therefore continue to appear functional while its internal capacity is slowly eroding. If recurring revenues and organizational capacity do not keep pace with workload and community expectations, service reductions will occur whether they are formally adopted. They may occur indirectly and unevenly. Requiring employees to continually absorb additional work is itself a policy choice, and it carries consequences for employees, service quality, organizational risk, and the public. Recognizing those consequences allows the Village Board to make deliberate and transparent decisions rather than allowing financial constraints to determine service outcomes gradually and unintentionally. Operating Outlook The Village’s Financial Management Plan, annually updated and recently presented to the Village Board on September 21, 2026, projects General Fund revenues and expenditures over the next ten years. Under conservative revenue and expenditure assumptions, the plan continues to project future budgetary shortfalls as operating costs and identified needs grow faster than available recurring revenues. The Village may continue to balance individual annual budgets through measures such as partially funding new positions, delaying hiring, limiting compensation adjustments, or postponing maintenance and equipment replacement. These measures can be reasonable short-term budgeting tools, but they do not resolve the underlying gap between service demands and organizational capacity. When used repeatedly, they shift the financial pressure into employee workloads, deferred needs, diminished organizational resilience, and the gradual deterioration of service quality. The Village is attempting to accomplish four interrelated objectives: - Maintain its existing municipal services and community partnerships. - Respond to the service and infrastructure demands of a growing community. - Operate within recurring revenues streams that are restrictive. - Sustain the employees, equipment, facilities, and systems needed to provide services reliably. Without additional resources, reduced service expectations, or changes to how services are delivered, these objectives cannot all be maintained indefinitely under the current financial and legal framework. If deliberate policy choices are not made, the adjustment will occur indirectly through vacancies, growing backlogs, deferred maintenance, slower service, reduced organizational capacity, and employee turnover. Wisconsin’s municipal levy limits have been in place for approximately two decades. The easier or less consequential savings have been pursued repeatedly, and remaining efficiencies are less likely to resolve the Village’s long-term financial challenges on their own. Technology may allow employees to complete some work more efficiently, but software, equipment, cybersecurity, training, and technical support also carry ongoing costs. Shared-service arrangements may reduce duplication or stabilize future costs, but they require willing partners and do not eliminate the underlying demand for service. Meaningful recurring savings are therefore increasingly likely to require substantive changes to staffing, services, service levels, or delivery methods. Available Policy Options At the broadest level, the Village has two basic approaches available. 1. C