The District 3 Dispatch | City staff restructuring
The chill in the air is a reminder that fall is upon us, and that means the return of football, pumpkin spice lattes, and budget season at City Hall.
While there are some pieces of good news, just like with each of our household budgets, our city’s dollars aren’t stretching as far as they once did. That is leading to some tough conversations about how best to use resources to meet our community’s needs, and it will likely mean some staffing changes at City Hall.
On September 3, the Personnel Committee approved a restructuring plan that will eliminate or restructure a number of city staff positions while creating others in higher-demand areas.
The most significant aspect of the plan includes a reorganization of the police department, which involves:
Eliminating the police department’s in-house dispatcher roles and shifting the work to the Dane County Communications (911) Center (which already handles many of our calls);
Eliminating three vacant police officer positions;
Adding a detective sergeant within the police department;
Adding an evening shift lieutenant within the police department;
Changing the police department’s case manager (social worker) position from half-time to full-time;
Creating two new support specialist roles within the police department to handle records and other needs;
Retitling our current record specialists to support specialists; and
Reclassifying our court liaison to support services supervisor.
The Common Council will vote on the police department reorganization plan on Tuesday, September 9.
Other changes include:
Reducing the vacant Parks, Forestry, and Recreation Director role to a Parks and Forestry Manager role;
Moving Parks and Forestry under Public Works;
Moving Recreation into a new Community Services Department with the Senior Center;
Reclassifying the senior center director as the community services director;
Hiring a half-time case manager for the senior center (the current case manager works 50% of the time for the police department and will move to that department full-time under this plan);
Retitling the community center/recreation director to community center/recreation manager; and
Moving the community development program coordinator position and the Healthy Neighborhoods Initiative program to the community services department.
You can read more about the plan here, and watch the Personnel Committee’s meeting here via FACTv.
This plan was formed based on a previous study of city staffing and reflects the reality we face following last fall’s failed referendum. The staffing changes will go into effect between this month and January.
While eliminating positions is difficult, I believe this plan allocates our resources to the areas that need them most and minimizes the impact on the community. It also demonstrates our commitment to using tax dollars as wisely as possible. At the same time, we can only trim so much from our budget before the effects become impossible to ignore.
Stay tuned for more budget details in the next couple of months. If you’d like to learn more about what each department is proposing for their budget for 2026, be sure to attend or watch the Committee of the Whole meetings on September 30 and October 1 for presentations from each department head.
Yours in service,
-Logan
What’s “Growing On
Here’s what’s being built in Fitchburg.
Construction on the city’s new Police Services Facility is just about to begin! You’re invited to a groundbreaking ceremony on September 11 at 4 p.m. at the corner of Lacy Road and Research Park Drive (across from the library). In case you missed it, bids for the project came in around $10 million UNDER budget!!! Read more from WMTV 15 News.
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You've probably noticed a lot of dirt being moved along McKee Road across from Target this summer. Soon, four new businesses will spring up there: a McDonald's, a Chick-fil-A, a car wash, and a Chase Bank.
On a related note, Fitchrona Road north of McKee Road will be closed until October 17 for construction.
Construction at the Jamestown Quarry development.
Working for You
Here’s how city staff and elected officials are working on your behalf to make Fitchburg a better place.
As a reminder, the Common Council is set to vote on the two neighborhood plans — Greenfield and South Stoner Prairie — at our September 23 meeting. Neighborhood plans provide a shared vision for what any future development may look like; they do not force anyone to sell/develop their properties.
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I have the honor of representing Fitchburg on an elected official advisory committee for a Wisconsin Department of Transportation study of the U.S. Highway 18/151 corridor from McKee Road to Dodgeville. Our first meeting was on August 20, and we will meet several more times over the coming years. Stay tuned for more project information and opportunities to weigh in.
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The new playground equipment at Rimrock Park in the Southdale neighborhood is officially ready to use!
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Fellow District 3 Alder Donald Dantzler, Jr., and I are working to set up a number of meet-and-greets/conversations to hear from you about what’s working and what could be improved in the city. We hope to have two events within the next month (final details are still in the works). Stay tuned to my Facebook and Instagram pages for updates.
Get Involved
Upcoming events, volunteer opportunities, and ways you can help make our city a better place
An open house for the city’s Urban Forestry Strategic Management Plan has been scheduled for September 24 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Community Center. Click/tap here for more information.
Mark your calendars for these upcoming events:
The fall recycling event, with both electronics recycling and paper shredding, will be September 13 from 8-11 a.m. at City Hall.
Run, Walk, Bike to McGaw Park: Meet and dine with your neighbors at the park. All residents of Greenfield, Swan Creek, and Fahey Fields neighborhoods are invited to attend.
Food Trucks: September 12: Julie's Fork in the Road; October 3: Steve's Tacos
Fall Fest at the Fitchburg Farmers Market: September 18, 3-6 p.m. at Agora Pavilion
Bike the ‘Burg Wrap Party: October 8, 5-7 p.m. at Agora Pavilion
Fitchburg Chamber Events Calendar
ICYMI (In Case You Missed It)
Fitchburg has four more Bicycle Friendly Businesses, and three of them are here in District 3. Congratulations to Tati Co., Flight Wine & Bourbon Bar, and The Limerick Senior Apartments and Townhomes! Read more from the Fitchburg Star.
Stay Updated
FACTv: Live broadcasts of city meetings/events, plus archived recordings
Follow me on Facebook and Instagram
One Last Thing…
Kids at all three school districts covering Fitchburg are back in class. Make sure you slow down in school zones and drive carefully when pedestrians are present!
