Waunakee board approves pantry mural, ethics ordinance rewrite and tourism commission changes

At its organizational meeting the Waunakee Village Board approved a series of administrative and community‑focused actions after public presentations and staff briefings.

Mural for the pantry The board approved a motion to authorize a mural for the Waunakee Food Pantry at 701 South Street. Staff presented proposed designs emphasizing fruits, vegetables and local farm connections; Sherwin‑Williams offered a paint donation and the artist reduced her fee. The Ecumenical Board will fund the project with additional donations and grant searches planned. A trustee moved to approve the mural and, after a voice vote in which one trustee stated opposition, the chair announced the motion carried.

Ethics ordinance Todd (staff) summarized work by outside counsel to update chapter 2, article 3, division 9 of the village code to reflect changes in legislative and case law. The board voted to repeal and recreate the ethics code as presented in the packet. The motion passed after a standard voice vote with no recorded opposition in open session.

Tourism commission changes The board approved an ordinance amending the tourism commission’s structure to create seven voting members and two ex‑officio positions. The proposed composition places a village board member, three residents, two local business owners and one hotel/motel industry representative on the commission, with the community development director and chamber director serving ex‑officio. Trustees discussed potential conflicts, chamber involvement and modest room‑tax revenue (approximately $30,000 per year), and the motion passed with one trustee recorded as opposed.

Committees, dissolution and compensation Trustees voted to dissolve the Village Center Advisory Committee, citing that parks, senior center and public works now handle related responsibilities and the advisory body last met in 2017. The board also approved 2026–27 committee appointments and a standardized compensation policy offering citizen members $30 per meeting (utility commission citizen members included); trustees will not receive separate meeting pay for these assignments, and ad‑hoc committees were not set for automatic compensation.

Closed‑session items The board moved several negotiation and legal matters to closed session under Wisconsin statutes, including review of a term sheet for a Tax Increment Financing agreement with MLG Investments for TID #10 (staff noted updated renderings and discussed site topography and visibility from Highway 19), a liability claim by a resident related to a punctured tire, and minor negotiating points for the Waunakee Area Fire Department intergovernmental agreement. The board said it would reconvene in open session if any actions were required following closed deliberations.

The meeting adjourned after the closed‑session votes were taken; any formal actions resulting from the closed sessions will be reported in the board minutes when required.