The District 3 Dispatch | City budget released; construction project updates
After months of work at City Hall, Mayor Julia Arata-Fratta’s proposed 2026 operating budget has been released. The operating budget covers salaries, supplies, and other general expenses (as compared to the capital budget, which includes “stuff”/infrastructure).
This year’s budget was challenging for a number of reasons. There were multiple major cost increases to deal with, including finding $500,000 to cover annual operating costs for the new Police Services Facility, a more than $200,000 increase in our agreement with Fitch-Rona EMS, and significant increases in the cost of providing health insurance to our city employees.
Despite those challenges, the budget still covers our needs while making targeted investments in the community. Included in the budget is funding to provide all-day and weekend service on Metro Transit Routes 65 and 75, money to increase pay for our paid-on-call firefighters to $15/hour, and an increase in paid parental leave for city staff.
I encourage you to read the summary at the beginning of the budget for more details on these items and other highlights. You can also watch the recordings of our September 30 and October 1 Finance Committee meetings for a department-by-department breakdown. Our city staff are working tirelessly to find ways to increase efficiency and use technology to streamline operations, and we’re already reaping major benefits from their efforts.
There will be two public hearings on the budget during upcoming Common Council meetings:
October 14 at 6:30 p.m.
November 11 at 6:30 p.m.
If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out.
Yours in service,
-Logan
What’s “Growing” On
Here’s what’s being built in Fitchburg.
Work has officially begun on a number of projects in District 3.
We broke ground on the new Police Services Facility on September 11. This is a sorely needed project that has been in the works for more than a decade, and with the bids coming in millions of dollars under budget, now is the time to move forward. Read more from WKOW 27.
Construction has begun on Uptown Hills, a 24-unit affordable townhome development on Haight Farm Road. This project, which will bring desperately needed affordable housing for our city, was made possible in part by local, county, and state funds. Fitchburg is providing a $330,000 deferred loan, Dane County is contributing $970,000, and the Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority (WHEDA) is providing millions more.
Construction has also started on a market-rate townhouse development at the corner of Lacy Road and Brassica Road.
Left to right: Alder Logan Reigstad, Alder Bill Jetzer, Mayor Julia Arata-Fratta, Alder Gabriella Gerhardt, and former Alder Jim Wheeler at the groundbreaking of the Fitchburg Police Services Facility.
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At our September 23 meeting, the Common Council approved the final Greenfield Neighborhood Plan and South Stoner Neighborhood Plan. These documents will guide any future development along the edge of “urban” Fitchburg. While no development is imminent in either area (and may not come for many years), it's important to have shared expectations for our community's future. A plan promotes a broader, cohesive vision rather than approaching any proposals in a piecemeal fashion. Neither plan is perfect, and there are still some lingering questions, but both provide a level of clarity about what *could* be built in these areas in the future. Neither plan *requires* any current or future landowner to sell or develop their property, but they do provide some guidance about what the community does and does not want to see.
Read more from the Fitchburg Star (Greenfield) (South Stoner Prairie).
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Another set of population projections for Dane County shows just how much the region is growing – and reinforces why we need to make smart, long-term investments in our city. This latest data projects that Dane County will have 887,000 residents by 2050 and will need 160,000 more housing units. Read more from the Capital Area Regional Planning Commission.
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Working For You
Here’s how city staff and elected officials are working on your behalf to make Fitchburg a better place.
Road construction season is nearing its end, and several projects in District 3 are nearing the finish line:
We hit a major milestone in the South Syene Road reconstruction project on September 19, when the road reopened from just past East Cheryl Parkway to West Clayton Road by the fire station. The remaining work at McCoy Road is scheduled to wrap up on November 3.
Also on South Syene Road, the pedestrian crossing beacon at Swan Creek Park is on track to be reinstalled in about two weeks.
By the time you get this newsletter, the county-led project along Fish Hatchery Road at Lacy Road and East Cheryl Parkway will be almost done. The well-worn turn lanes are replaced and other concrete repairs are being made.
A chip seal project was recently completed along Haight Farm Road between U.S. Highway 14 and County Highway MM.
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Our four new pickleball courts at McGaw Park are ready for action! That brings us up to 12 pickleball courts at McGaw. If you’ve ever been to the park on a summer Friday night, you’ve probably seen just how popular the courts are, so I have no doubt the new ones will be a welcome addition. Check out the ribbon-cutting from FACTv.
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A few notes from recent Common Council meetings:
To use our limited resources as responsibly as possible, on September 9 we approved moving forward with the city department restructuring plan I wrote about at length in The District 3 Dispatch last month.
Also on September 9, we approved several zoning changes to help address our housing shortage. Read more from the Fitchburg Star.
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In addition to our regularly scheduled meetings, I’ve had the pleasure of attending multiple events over the past month, including:
The groundbreaking for our new Police Services Facility on September 11;
A ribbon-cutting ceremony for The Juniper apartments in Hartung Fields on September 12;
Volunteering at the electronics recycling event on September 13;
Attending the Breakfast at the Book Center with the Madison Reading Project on September 17;
Participating in the Week Without Driving from September 29 to October 5;
Hosting a community conversation/meet-and-greet at The Limerick apartments on October 4; and
Attending the Bike the ‘Burg 2025 wrap party on October 8.
Get Involved
Upcoming events, volunteer opportunities, and ways you can help make our city a better place
Recommended trick-or-treating hours in Fitchburg this year are 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. on October 31. Celebrate safely!
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The second-annual Ninebark at the Moon Halloween Block Party in the Swan Creek neighborhood is set for October 25 from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.
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Looking for a way to make a difference in the community? The Friends of the Fitchburg Library group is seeking volunteers. Find more information on their website.
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Fitchburg Chamber Events Calendar
Coming Soon
At the Common Council meeting on October 14, we will be voting on whether to move ahead with installing lights for the pickleball courts at McGaw Park.
New traffic pattern: The parking lanes on Lacy Road between County Highway MM and Brassica Road at the entrance to the Terravessa neighborhood will be eliminated and replaced with bike lanes to address a gap in the bike network. Also in Terravessa, Public Works staff will be applying yellow paint on some curbs in no-parking areas to make it easier to see at key intersections.
A groundbreaking ceremony for the UW Health/Lifepoint/Meriter rehab facility in Uptown is scheduled for October 30.
A rendering of the proposed UW Health/UnityPoint Health - Meriter/Lifepoint rehab hospital in Uptown.
ICYMI (In Case You Missed It)
Rutabaga Paddlesports on Rimrock Road is closing at the end of the year. Read more from the Wisconsin State Journal.
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Oregon School District Superintendent Dr. Leslie Bergstrom is retiring at the end of this school year. Read more from WKOW 27.
One Last Thing…
Construction starts this week on a multi-year project on John Nolen Drive in Madison. If you regularly drive, bike, or take the bus in this area, expect delays. Find more information on the City of Madison’s website.
