Fredonia trustees approve resolution to seek Wisconsin DNR recreation grants

The Village of Fredonia Board of Trustees voted May 7 to authorize village staff to apply for Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources outdoor recreation grants, including an application described by village staff for a restroom and pavilion work at Freedom Park and a separate stormwater planning grant.

Administrator Jenkins told the board the resolution gives staff the board’s endorsement to pursue multiple state grant opportunities. Jenkins said the village has applied for a grant he referred to in the transcript as a "$50.50" grant for a bathroom at Freedom Park and has also applied for an $86,000 stormwater management planning grant tied to Lake Michigan funding that would produce a village-wide plan identifying low points susceptible to flooding.

Why it matters: The stormwater planning grant is intended to produce engineering analysis that would qualify Fredonia for future implementation grants to fix problem streets and parks created by low elevations and flooding. Jenkins said the village would not be required to expend grant dollars until 2029 if funds are awarded.

Trustees asked for clarification about the $86,000 grant’s scope. Jenkins said it would pay for an engineering firm to map and prioritize low points village-wide and recommend fixes such as lifting road sections or correcting park elevations so the village can later apply for implementation funds. When asked whether the village would face penalties if it failed to use an identified sum referenced in conversation (about $272,000 in the discussion), Jenkins said there would be no penalty — the village simply would not receive those funds and they would go to another applicant.

Motion and outcome: A trustee moved to approve Resolution 2026-02 authorizing the DNR grant applications; the motion was seconded and approved by voice vote. The transcript records a voice vote and the president declared the motion passed; no itemized roll-call vote appears in the transcript.

What remains unclear: Jenkins’s verbal reference to a "$50.50" grant for Freedom Park appears in the transcript with that phrasing; the amount as spoken in the record is ambiguous and was not clarified during the meeting. The transcript clearly records the $86,000 stormwater planning figure and the 2029 timeline for spending if awarded.

Next steps: With the board’s endorsement, village staff said they will continue the grant application process and return to the board with updates if awards are received.