The Viroqua Public Record: March 28, 2026
"VFW land deals & the city administrator's employment contract — all behind closed doors."
Your neighborhood guide to what's happening at City Hall — March 31, 2026
The Big Takeaway
The City of Viroqua is gearing up for a busy construction season, and Tuesday, March 31 is a packed meeting night with decisions on asphalt and concrete bids, a landfill gas problem, and a potential deal involving 40 acres of VFW land.
The land deal will be discussed behind closed doors and could mean a significant land purchase or lease for the city - beloved by residents, but a hard-to-swallow additional tax increase?
Meanwhile, if you live near East South Street, heads up: road work is coming, with the Council set to approve both asphalt and concrete contracts for that corridor. And finally, that public hearing on whether to allow someone to build a house in a commercial district on East Decker Street — a small change that could signal how the city handles mixed-use development going forward.[1]
Money Watch
Asphalt bids are up for approval — both for general city paving and the East South Street project. Concrete bids for East South Street are also on the table. Exact dollar amounts aren't listed in the agenda, but these are typically among the city's biggest annual line items.[1]
Pay request #5 for the Hanson Farm project is ready for review, meaning another chunk of that ongoing development cost is coming due.[1][3]
The Council will vote on opening a Debt Reserve Money Market Account — essentially a savings account earmarked to back up the city's debt obligations. It's a housekeeping move, but it signals the city is managing borrowing carefully.[1]
Change orders 1-3 for the Viroqua Welcome Center project need approval. Change orders mean the project scope or cost has shifted from the original plan — worth watching to see if the price tag is creeping up.[1]
The Finance/Personnel Committee will handle the regular payment of bills at their 6:00 p.m. session.[2]
Coming Up
Public Hearing
The Council will hear public input on a conditional use application at 519 E Decker Street to allow a one-story home in a B-2 (general commercial) district. If you have thoughts on residential uses in commercial zones, this is your moment.[1]
Closed sessions will cover two sensitive topics: a potential purchase or lease of 40 acres of VFW land and the City Administrator's employment agreement. Any decisions will be announced when the Council reconvenes in open session.[1]
Brush and Compost plan — the Council will discuss the city's approach to yard waste collection, which matters to every homeowner with a tree and a rake.[1]
Can't make it in person? All three meetings offer virtual access:
Public Works (5:00 p.m.): Join via Zoom
Finance/Personnel (6:00 p.m.): Join via Zoom
Common Council (6:30 p.m.): Join via Zoom
The Quick Rundown
Bethel Home & Services certified survey map — The Plan Commission is forwarding a survey map for Council approval, likely related to a property boundary adjustment for the senior care provider.[1]
Library Board reappointments — Marlene Blatz, Darlene Buhr, and Steve Willis are up for new three-year terms expiring April 30, 2029.[1]
WisDOT curb ramp project — The city is lending its written support to a state-funded standalone curb ramp project, which improves accessibility at intersections at no local cost.[1]
Landfill gas extraction design — Public Works is tackling how to manage gas buildup at the landfill, a health and environmental issue that requires engineered solutions. This item appears on both the Public Works and Council agendas.[1][3]
Operator licenses and Walgreens agent change — Routine liquor license housekeeping.[1]
One More Thing
It's a triple-header at City Hall on March 31 — Public Works at 5:00, Finance at 6:00, and the full Council at 6:30. That's a solid 90 minutes of local democracy before the main event even starts. If you've ever wanted to see how the sausage gets made, bring a snack and settle in.
Sources
[1] Common Council Agenda – March 31, 2026 — View Document
[2] Finance/Personnel Committee Agenda – March 31, 2026 — View Document
[3] Public Works Committee Agenda – March 31, 2026 — View Document
The Viroqua Public Record is an independent community summary of public meetings. It is not affiliated with the City of Viroqua.