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Onalaska council rejects pay increase, redirects raise funds to equipment replacement fund
Summary
The Common Council voted down Resolution 25‑2025 to raise council salaries (failed by 4 no votes and 1 abstention) and then approved a motion to place the would‑be raise of about $1,271.39 into the equipment replacement fund.
The Onalaska Common Council on Monday voted against a proposed increase in council salaries and then redirected the would‑be funds to the equipment replacement fund.
Council considered Resolution 25‑2025, which would have raised Common Council salaries. During discussion several members said they could not, in good conscience, support a raise given the city's fiscal position. "I'm not sure that we're in a healthy position right now," Alder Steven Knott said, explaining he would vote against the pay increase despite having supported it in committee. Other members, including Kathy Lowendorf and Mike Milke, said they also would not back the raise.
The resolution failed by a vote of four no votes and one abstention. Following that result, Alder Jim Benash moved to place the dollars that would have funded the salary increase into the equipment replacement fund for the 2026 budget. Finance staff confirmed the amount is approximately $1,271.39. That motion passed by roll call with four votes in favor and one abstention (one alder had not been present for the earlier discussion). The council then incorporated that change into the appropriation resolution later in the meeting.
The council's action leaves the city with the funds shifted to capital replacement needs rather than increased council compensation; no public commenters addressed the pay proposal.
