Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Referendum topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Council votes to draft $5.9M public-safety referendum question for November ballot
Summary
After hours of debate about timing, staffing and the fate of the volunteer Test Corners fire department, the Muskego Committee of the Whole voted to draft a referendum question asking voters to approve a $5.9 million annual levy increase to fund police, fire and public‑works staff.
The Muskego Committee of the Whole voted on July 28 to draft a referendum question asking voters to approve a $5.9 million annual increase in the city levy to fund public-safety positions and related operating costs.
Alderman Hamill moved to bring the draft question forward and the motion passed on a roll-call vote after a short count: five members voted yes and one voted no. Clerk-conducted roll call recorded yes votes from Hamill, Bellows, Bryce, Dilge and Madden and a no vote from Alderman Wolf; one member did not vote. Mayor (speaker 1) said the council will finalize wording and formally consider the resolution at an upcoming meeting so the question can be filed with clerks under the statutory timetable.
Mayor argued the city must act quickly to address service gaps and meet statutory filing deadlines, saying, "All I'm asking from you is that ability to let the people weigh in." Opponents warned the proposal and timeline felt rushed and urged committee-level review and more public outreach before placing the measure on the ballot.
Next steps the council discussed include finalizing a ballot question by Aug. 12 for placement on the agenda, filing the question with the city clerk by Aug. 24 and with the county clerk by Aug. 25. The mayor said the $5.9 million request is an annual operating levy increase (not a capital bond), intended to fund 16 fire‑related positions, five police officers and two public‑works employees over an initial five-year plan.
Provenance: topicintro SEG 2260, topfinish SEG 2541.
