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Verona council approves $1.23 million in payments, short‑term rental fee and updates to recycling rules
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Summary
At its April 13 meeting, the Verona Common Council approved payments totaling $1,230,035.59, set a $100 licensing fee for short‑term rentals, approved updates to the refuse/recycling ordinance required by WDNR model language, and granted several event and liquor licenses with contingencies.
The Verona Common Council’s April 13 meeting included a string of routine but consequential approvals: the council voted to pay $1,230,035.59 in bills, adopted a $100 short‑term rental licensing fee, passed updates to the city’s refuse and recycling ordinance to align with Wisconsin DNR model language, and approved several licenses and special-event permits.
Alder Helmke moved the finance committee’s payment motion and listed three large disbursements: "The first is to AECOM for various engineering projects in the amount of $200,351. The second to City of Madison for the Madison Metro first quarter payment for $509,736. And the third payment is to Well Water Solutions for well number 5 rehab for $98,286," Helmke said. The council approved the payment motion on a voice vote.
Helmke also moved Resolution 26-012 to add short‑term rentals to the fee schedule with a proposed $100 licensing fee. "The reason that the amount was set at $100 is that that's on the very low end of what other municipalities are doing," Helmke said, noting the council’s preference for a low-entry fee and that penalties would be handled by the courts. The resolution passed on voice vote.
Public safety and licensing actions included approval of a Class B fermented malt beverage and reserve Class B intoxicating liquor license for Tapatio's LLC (contingent on final building and fire inspections), approval for Hop House to operate a full-service retail outlet at the 2026 Verona Little League tournament (contingent on Parks, Recreation and Forestry Commission approval on April 15), and approval of a special event permit and temporary alcohol license for Hometown Days (May 29–31) with standard contingencies including a final background check. Council recorded abstentions where presenters were applicants or had conflicts as noted in the minutes.
On refuse collection and recycling, Alder Tucker Long moved ordinance 26-086 to repeal and recreate Title 8, Chapter 3 to incorporate Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources model updates. Staff said some language in the draft is inaccurate to the city's current practices and will be corrected in a follow-up meeting, but mandatory penalty amounts in the model ordinance require the ordinance to be published and take effect by the city’s stated publication date. The council approved the ordinance with staff directed to return with corrections later.
What the council approved at a glance: payment authorization of $1,230,035.59; Resolution 26-012 (short‑term rental licensing fee $100); Ordinance 26-086 (refuse/recycling updates); licenses and special-event permits for Tapatio's, Hop House and the Verona Area Chamber’s Hometown Days. Several approvals included contingencies (final inspections, commission sign‑offs, background checks) and at least one recorded abstention on licensing items.
