Ashwaubenon committee forwards balanced 2026 budget with $15.09M levy; public hearing set for Nov. 25

The Village of Ashwaubenon Finance and Village Board reviewed and voted to forward the proposed 2026 budget for final adoption, setting a public hearing for Nov. 25.

Finance staff presented a budget that they described as balanced as presented and recommended the board forward it for final adoption. Staff said the total proposed levy is $15,089,001.45 — roughly a $1.0 million (7.16%) increase over last year — but explained that assessment apportionment and equalized value changes mean the village’s tax rate would rise by a much smaller share, about 1.96% (just under $0.10 per $1,000 of assessed value). Presenters gave example impacts: on a $100,000 home the village portion would increase by about $9.66; the average home (value listed as $247,300) would see a village tax change of about $23.84.

Staff framed the levy increase as primarily driven by labor and public‑safety cost pressures, including ongoing collective bargaining costs and the requirement that the village now bear the full cost for officers’ body cameras. They noted that roughly 73% of the village’s expenditures are wages and benefits and that the general fund unassigned balance sits just above $6 million (about 25% of policy). "The budget that is presented to you tonight is balanced as it is," a presenter said during the meeting.

Capital projects highlighted in the packet include $875,000 for street maintenance, a cost‑shared Packerland roundabout with Brown County, park and recreation work (including the Ashwaubomay Trail maintenance, a new Canterbury Park playground and Ashwaubomay Chalet roof replacement), and a $5,340,000 package of building improvements and site work tied to the village’s facility condition assessment and space‑utilization study. Staff said the $5.34M would be funded by new debt; removing the project from the current budget would not affect the 2026 tax rate but would affect rates in later years when debt service is due.

On personnel, the budget proposes 118 positions in total and one new full‑time fire marshal position that staff said would replace two part‑time fire inspection positions; contracted inspection services would continue during the 2026 transition year and could be reduced or eliminated after the marshal is established.

Trustees asked several technical questions, including why a depreciation chargeback for fleet vehicles was removed (staff said depreciation was being double counted with recent debt issuances and they instead will rely on debt service for large equipment purchases) and why some residents reported recent high bills (staff said some stormwater and source‑supply pass‑through rate changes took effect earlier this year and billed later, which may explain delayed resident awareness).

Trustee Servais moved and Trustee Flucke seconded the motion to recommend the 2026 proposed budget as presented; the board voted by voice to forward the budget for final adoption and scheduled the required public hearing on Nov. 25, 2025.

Following the vote the board moved to convene into closed session on separate agenda items.