The Viroqua Public Record: July 18, 2026
"Viroqua's hunt for a new City Administrator heats up while the city discusses upcoming public works financial requests."
Your neighbor's guide to what's happening at City Hall
The Big Takeaway
Viroqua is getting closer to hiring a new City Administrator. A seven-member Hiring Team meets Monday, July 20 to review applicant resumes and narrow the field to semi-finalists. This is the person who will essentially run the day-to-day operations of the city — managing staff, overseeing projects, and shaping how your tax dollars get spent. The committee, which includes council members Krista Browne, Tanja Birke, Steve Willis, and Cyndy Hubbard along with staff members Justin Running, Chad Buros, and Sarah Grainger, will go into closed session to evaluate candidates, then come back into open session to vote on next steps. If you want to see how this process unfolds, the meeting is open to the public.[3]
Money Watch
The Public Works Committee has a full financial plate on Tuesday, July 21 at 5:00 PM. Two contractor pay requests are up for approval — pay request #9 for the Hanson Farm project and pay request #8 for the Center Avenue project. Dollar amounts aren't listed in the agenda, but these are ongoing infrastructure investments worth watching. Perhaps more significant: the committee will discuss interim financing for the landfill project, which could mean the city is bridging a gap between project costs and longer-term funding. They'll also take a first look at the 2027 Public Works budget, so if you care about roads, water, sewer, and city infrastructure spending for next year, this is the meeting to tune into.[2]
Coming Up
Hiring Team
Hiring Team meets to review City Administrator applicants. Join via Zoom or call toll-free 888-788-0099 (Meeting ID: 880 0644 9048).[3]
All meetings are in the City Hall Lower-Level Community Room, 124 W. Decker Street. Both July 21 meetings have two public comment periods — beginning and end — so you've got multiple chances to speak up.
The Quick Rundown
Wild West Days beer license — The Public Safety Committee will vote on a temporary Class "B" beer license for Wild West Days, August 14–16, 2026. This is standard for community festivals, but it needs committee approval each time.[1]
Public safety ordinances — The committee will discuss possible changes to public safety ordinances. No specifics are listed, so this one's worth attending if you want to know what's being considered.[1]
Police quarterly report — The police department will present its quarterly report, giving the committee (and the public) a snapshot of crime stats, calls for service, and department activity. Fire and police will also give general updates.[1]
Operator licenses — Routine approval of operator licenses (these are the permits that let employees serve alcohol at bars and restaurants).[1]
Construction updates — Public Works will get status reports on ongoing construction projects around town, plus updates from the Street & Utility Department. If you've been dodging orange cones, this is where you find out when it ends.[2]
One More Thing
That Hiring Team meeting is notable for who's on it — it's a mix of elected officials and city staff working together, with help from an outside firm called Public Administration Associates handling the recruitment logistics. Finding the right City Administrator matters: this hire will shape how Viroqua runs for years. The fact that seven people are dedicating a Monday afternoon to reading resumes is, honestly, good government in action.[3]
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Sources
The Viroqua Public Record is an independent community summary of public meetings. It is not affiliated with the City of Viroqua.