Janesville council sets 2026 budget parameters, signals fee changes; vote passes 6–1

The Janesville Common Council voted July 26 to adopt parameters for the 2026 budget process and directed staff to incorporate recommended fee changes as a starting point for the budget. The motion passed 6–1, with Councilmember Erdman voting no.

Why it matters: The parameters set the framework for how staff will build the 2026 budget, including allowable levy growth, treatment of capital financing, employee compensation direction, and use of fund balance. Staff said the city’s general fund has limited revenue diversity and asked council to approve fees and other assumptions so departments can finalize budget requests.

Key points from staff presentations: - Finance Director Dave Godek recommended increasing the operating property-tax levy by the allowable amount under Wisconsin levy limits and preserving infrastructure investment. He proposed a minimal use of unrestricted fund balance and asked council to consider shifting some capital items from debt to cash financing where feasible. - Fee changes presented for inclusion in 2026 budget estimates (staff recommended council concurrence): - Building division: create a floodplain development permit (suggested fee $250; estimated 5 permits; projected $1,250 revenue) to capture staff time required to navigate FEMA processes. - Clerk/Treasurer: create an outdoor vendor license ($75, annual) and sidewalk café extension license ($75, annual); consolidate and eliminate a number of legacy license types; increase fees for mobile food truck, amusement center, amusement devices, fireworks display, and sign erector. Estimated incremental revenue across recommended fee changes: roughly $1,773 for 2026 (Clerk/Treasurer items only) and larger impacts from other suggested fee changes. - Fire/EMS: recommended a 3% increase in rural fire EMS fees charged to four townships ($51,261 additional 2026 revenue projected, per staff presentation); state law requires an offset to the levy when municipal fire-protection fees are adopted. - Parks and Cemetery: small increases proposed to pavilion rentals and Oak Hill Cemetery fees to better recover costs (estimated $750 to general fund and $6,300 to cemetery fund). - Recreation and transit: modest fee adjustments for sports programs, pool admissions and punch passes, and a note that paratransit agency fees may change pending RFP results for a 2026 paratransit provider. - Staff’s preliminary projection showed a roughly $1.4 million general-fund gap for 2026 under current assumptions; Godek asked the council to minimize any fund-balance draw and to adopt the parameters so staff could proceed.

Council discussion and direction: Councilmembers discussed the floodplain permit scope (Mike Payne, public works director, said the permit would address development within the 100-year flood fringe and help navigate FEMA requirements), cemetery surcharge tracking (finance staff offered to add ledger line items if council desires), and long-term carbon neutrality goals (Councilmember Erdman asked that the 2050 carbon-neutrality resolution inform CIP and contract standards; staff said the administration already incorporates such considerations where feasible and that incremental projects such as rooftop solar at WSCC and an electric Zamboni were examples).

Vote and next steps: A motion to adopt the proposed 2026 budget parameters was moved and seconded and passed 6–1. Staff will incorporate the recommended fee changes into the preliminary 2026 budget materials, return in October with budget presentations and workshops, and bring ordinance language in November to enact any fee and licensing code changes.

Provenance: transcript excerpts for the fee review and the budget-parameters motion appear in the provenance section below.