Your neighbor's guide to what's happening at City Hall — August 29, 2026

The Big Takeaway

Money Watch

• A plain-English caution up front: neither agenda lists a single dollar figure. These are meeting agendas — lists of what will be discussed — so anyone telling you what these items cost is guessing. Here's what has a price tag attached that simply hasn't been published in these documents:

• A generator contract with Total Energy Systems for city utilities. Backup power for water and sewer operations is the kind of purchase residents never think about until the lights go out. Public Works is scheduled to review and approve it; the amount isn't in the agenda. ^[2] - The final pay request for Hanson Farm Contract B — Railroad Avenue. A "final pay request" is the last check on a construction job, the contractor's closing bill. This one signals the Railroad Avenue work is wrapping up. No amount listed. ^[2] - Moving forward with the Hanson Farm road extension project. This is the go/no-go on more road building. Cost, scope, and timeline aren't in the agenda. ^[2] - A contract extension for Vierbicher, the planning and engineering consulting firm the Development Association works with. Up for discussion and possible action, with no figure published. ^[1]

• The Development Association also has its regular Treasurer's Report and payment of bills on the schedule, with Treasurer Brian McCulloh presenting. ^[1]

Coming Up

Meetings are open to the public — most have a public comment period near the top of the agenda. See the city's full meeting calendar for dates beyond the next two weeks.

The Quick Rundown

• Closed-door talk about who builds what. The Development Association may go into closed session under a state law that lets public bodies negotiate property deals privately when bargaining would be hurt by doing it in the open. On the table: development proposals for Hanson Farm and for the Viroqua Business Park — eight tax parcels in all. The board can come back into open session and take action on what it discussed, so watch for that. ^[1]

• Live Action Storage. The Development Association is scheduled to discuss and possibly act on an amendment to the development agreement with Live Action Storage. Development agreements spell out what a builder promises the city in exchange for city support; an amendment means something in that deal is being changed. The agenda doesn't say what. ^[1]

• Who's running the Development Association. The board has an item on membership, leadership, and succession — in other words, who sits on it and who leads it going forward. The current board is Jacob Kanis (chair), Michael Corr (vice chair), Tom Weston (secretary), Brian McCulloh (treasurer), and members Mary Henry and Aaron Cade. ^[1]

• Training for the Utility Billing Clerk. Public Works will review a professional development plan for the clerk who handles your water and sewer bills. Small item, but it's the person on the other end of the phone when a bill looks wrong. ^[2]

• Construction and department updates. Public Works will hear the running report on active construction projects and from the Street & Utility Department — usually the best place to find out which streets are torn up and for how long. Cyndy Hubbard chairs the committee, joined by Andrew Bergum, Kyle Bartelt, Tanja Birke, and Todd Kirking. ^[2]

• Two chances to speak, both times. Each meeting has a public comment period at the beginning and another at the end. You don't need an invitation and you don't need to be on the agenda. ^[1][2]

Sources

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The Viroqua Public Record is an independent community summary of public meetings. It is not affiliated with the City of Viroqua.