The Fond du Lac City Council on Aug. 13 unanimously approved three resolutions authorizing taxable loans to support lead service line replacement and the related Department of Natural Resources financial-assistance agreements.
The actions, introduced by the city's director of administration, Miss Davey, will allow the city to close on three separate loans with differing levels of principal forgiveness depending on census-tract eligibility. Miss Davey said, "the 100% principal forgiveness loan is for properties that are in our qualified census tract," while loans with 75% and 50% forgiveness apply to adjacent or other city census tracts.
Nut graf: The measures create a financing vehicle to accelerate replacement of lead service lines by pairing state-administered forgivable principal with city-issued revenue bonds; the council voted to complete the closings and execute required agreements so work can proceed.
City staff explained the differing forgiveness levels are dictated by the DNR based on census-tract income characteristics, and that changes to the city's lead service replacement ordinance earlier this year were made to permit use of the funding. No council member opposed the measures.
Miss Davey answered procedural questions from council members before each vote. The three motions and outcomes recorded in the meeting minutes were:
- Resolution 9196: Motion by Mr. Godfrey, second by Mr. Heisler; passed unanimously. (Authorizes up to $156,187 taxable private LSL replacement loan program revenue bonds, Series 2025A.)
- Resolution 9197: Motion by Mr. Schisler, second by Mr. Heisler; passed unanimously. (Authorizes up to $230,694 taxable private LSL replacement loan program revenue bonds, Series 2025B.)
- Resolution 9198: Motion by Mr. Heisler, second by Mr. Godfrey; passed unanimously. (Authorizes execution of the DNR principal-forgiven financial assistance agreement; the 100% principal forgiveness component.)
Discussion vs. decision: The council's votes authorized the loans and agreement execution; the record shows no amendments and no debate that changed the substance of the resolutions.
Ending: With resolutions passed, city staff indicated they would continue closing steps with the DNR and proceed with loan-funded aspects of the lead service replacement work.