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Weston trustees continue debate over possible annual fire fee as 2026 budget is drafted
Summary
Trustees deferred adoption of ordinance language for a proposed annual fire fee while staff continued to balance the village's proposed 2026 budget and await a possible FEMA SAFER grant. A public speaker criticized the board for proposing the fee without parcel-level cost calculations.
WESTON, Wis.
The Village of Weston Board of Trustees continued discussion Sept. 22 about whether to implement an annual fire fee as staff presented a preliminary balanced 2026 budget and said they are awaiting a federal SAFER grant decision. No ordinance language was before the board and no vote was taken.
The fire fee matter is central to the board's attempt to balance next year's budget while preserving public safety services. Staff told trustees the village is budgeting as if it would hire at least three firefighters but said those hires could be covered by a SAFER grant if Weston receives one.
Staff told the board it had not yet produced draft ordinance language for a fire fee. "I did reach out to attorney Edie on a draft, and I I don't have one yet," a staff member said, and asked that discussion continue at the next scheduled budget workshop if draft language becomes available.
Public comment at the meeting included a lengthy critique of the process. Jim Henson, who identified himself to the board, told trustees: "How can you have a proof language for the village attorney to implement perpetual tax on every single parcel in the village of Weston and take action on it tonight without knowing the real and actual impact on each taxpayer?" He urged the board to produce parcel-level calculations before adopting any fee and called for the village to "revisit your spending habits and prioritize by providing public safety to the residents of Weston."
Staff described internal budget options for 2026. The packet presented a proposal that would apply $150,000 of fund balance to balance the budget; staff said an earlier recommendation had been to apply $240,000, split roughly into two $120,000 uses to cover a levy reduction and to support the fire department. Staff also said the village does not intend to rely solely on a fire fee to fund the full cost of fire service and that state statute would allow different approaches.
Trustees and staff discussed timing. The Human Resources committee had recommended bringing final fee language back to the board once the SAFER grant award status is known; staff reported outreach to congressional offices and FEMA and said they expected decisions to be distributed in September but could not yet confirm awards. Staff asked to have any draft ordinance ready to distribute before the Oct. 6 budget workshop so trustees and committees could review it together.
There was no motion on a fire fee ordinance Sept. 22. The board scheduled additional budget workshops for Oct. 6 and Oct. 20 and a formal budget hearing in November, when any fee proposal would be finalized for inclusion on next year's tax bills.
The discussion underscored competing pressures: trustees want to protect public safety staffing levels while some residents and trustees pressed for greater detail on the fee's household impact before authorizing new recurring charges.
The board moved next to other budget items and later held a closed session for an administrative evaluation per Wisconsin statute 19.85; no action was reported from that closed session.
