Commission approves routine agenda items, updates MOA and wheeling agreement; finance staff present preliminary 2025 numbers

The Madison City Commission moved through several routine agenda items, approving a temporary on‑sale alcohol license for the Madison Baseball Association’s bingo fundraiser on March 7, 2026, two property tax abatements related to the elderly/disabled assessment freeze, an updated memorandum of agreement (MOA) with Lake County for the 911 communications center, and an updated wheeling agreement for Sioux Valley Energy.

Eric Ortness, president of the Madison Baseball Association, described the event as the organization’s third annual bingo fundraiser, to run from 5 to 9 p.m. in the City Armory with concessions and on‑site beer sales. The commission approved the temporary retail on‑sale alcohol license by voice vote.

Jamieson briefed the body on two property tax abatement applications (2026‑2 and 2026‑3), noting both concern the assessment freeze for the elderly and disabled; applicants missed the county filing deadline and require commission approval to proceed. The commission approved both abatement applications by voice vote.

On the 911 MOA, Jamieson said the agreement updates language to allow additional entities representation on the mutual 911 board so that Minor County can be integrated into Lake County’s 911 system. Kelly said Minor County would pass along its wireless surcharge (about $50,000–$60,000 annually) and a nonemergency-fee contribution to Lake County dispatch, and that consolidation could produce estimated savings for Madison of roughly $25,000–$35,000 annually; she and Jamieson also said state funds may be available to help upgrade radios and equipment. The commission approved the updated MOA by voice vote.

Jamieson described updates to the wheeling agreement with Sioux Valley Energy that align calculation formulas across the city’s wheeling agreements rather than specifying a single fixed wheeling rate; outside engineering review by Blair Metzger of DGR was cited as comfortable with the changes. The commission approved the updated wheeling agreement by voice vote.

Finance staff presented preliminary unaudited financial results for fiscal 2025 and January 2026 activity. Heather and Jamieson said the general fund shows receipts above budgeted projections in part because supplemental appropriations and pass‑through conduit transactions were not reflected in the original revenue line; overall expenditures for the organization were approximately 89% of budget. They noted ongoing reimbursements for creek-wall and electric projects and said the city took a $4.5 million bond-anticipation draw for electric projects that will be paid down using a surcharge added to rates. Staff also reported testing AP automation with Tyler Technologies and implementing a phone line for credit‑card payments.

Votes at a glance: all recorded motions on the consent calendar and listed agenda items passed by voice vote in the transcript; individual roll-call tallies were not recorded in the transcript.