Waukesha council approves CDBG reallocation, 2026 allocations after debate on inclusion specialist and public art funding

The Waukesha Common Council on June 3 approved a $16,000 reallocation to the city’s 2025 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) budget and approved recommended CDBG allocations for 2026 following discussion about an inclusion specialist position and a public art funding line for Freedman Alley.

City staff members told the council that the 2025 grant award was lower than estimated. “The grant funds will be reduced by about $16,000,” Jennifer said, and the resolution reduces the public infrastructure line item by that amount to match the new award.

Council members then considered the city CDBG board’s recommended allocations for 2026. Councilor discussion focused on two programming lines: an inclusion specialist position run through Parks and Recreation and a public art fund to support place-making projects in Freedman Alley. Jennifer said the CDBG board recommended the allocation amounts and that the board reviewed department applications before making those recommendations.

Melissa Lipska, Parks and Forestry Operations Manager, described the inclusion specialist role as primarily training staff and developing individualized plans to help participants with physical or developmental needs access recreation programs. “This inclusion specialist helps train our staff, goes to programs and then also can set individual plans for children and people in our programs, to help bridge that gap,” Lipska said. She said the position is used in before- and after-school programs and summer offerings and provides one-on-one support where the program cannot supply a full-time caretaker.

Lipska and staff clarified the job is a year-round, part-time/seasonal position that is intended to stay below benefit thresholds. She said the position may work directly with school-documented plans such as individualized education programs (IEPs) and 504 plans and that staff would add clearer language to future descriptions to reflect that.

On public art, staff said the proposed funds would be used for public art located in Freedman Alley as part of a broader placemaking plan. Council members noted the city typically seeks outside grant dollars rather than tax levy dollars to fund public art.

Councilors asked whether the council could reassign allocations recommended by the CDBG board. Staff said programming dollars are capped at 25% of the overall grant and that council may reallocate line items within that constraint.

Procedural votes on the CDBG items followed. A motion to approve the 2025 CDBG reallocation passed unanimously. The council later voted to approve the 2026 allocations as recommended by the CDBG board; that motion passed 12–1.

The council and staff said the allocations are based on current estimates and could be revised next year if federal grant amounts change.