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Monona staff report nearly $800,000 added to year-end fund balance; franchise fees decline flagged
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Summary
City staff reported the 2025 year-end financials to the Finance & Personnel Committee on March 16, noting an almost $800,000 increase to fund balance (partly from referendum interest and police salary savings), a decline in cable franchise fees, strong EMS fund performance, and a projected $8,000 2026 cost from Madison traffic-signal rate increases.
City staff presented the 2025 year-end financial report to the Monona Finance & Personnel Committee on March 16, reporting a near-$800,000 increase to total fund balance driven in part by referendum interest income and personnel savings in the police department.
Mark, a city staff member who delivered the report, said the general fund added "almost close to $800,000," noting the police department saved nearly $200,000 because several positions remained vacant for an extended period. He attributed additional revenue gains to higher-than-expected building-permit activity tied to projects including Riverplace and Topgolf, with permit revenues about $130,000 over budget.
Mark also flagged a longer-term concern: a decline in cable franchise-fee revenue. He said quarterly franchise receipts averaged roughly $21,000–$22,000 in 2021 and have fallen to about $14,500 most recently, creating a revenue source that will need monitoring for future budgets.
Other fund highlights included a $214,000 surplus in the EMS fund (with a revenue surplus of roughly $176,000) and modest surpluses in the library and community funds. The tourism fund remains incomplete pending one outstanding fourth-quarter payment, which staff expect shortly.
During the accounts-payable portion of the meeting (checks dated Feb. 27–Mar. 12), staff reported several operational updates: use of building-repair funds for HVAC work at the community center; near-completion of Kelly Place stormwater work with grant funding expected in about six months; and final payment to KSW for a garage and roof project.
Mark said the City of Madison unexpectedly increased its traffic-signal rates, and staff project that change will add about $8,000 to the city’s 2026 budget line for signal maintenance and electricity. Committee members thanked staff for the report; no formal vote was required to accept the year-end report. The committee moved and approved acceptance of the listed accounts payable checks.
