The Viroqua Public Record: October 10, 2026
Viroqua's budget-heavy Tuesday: the 2027 draft operating budget's first public airing, the 2025 audit, a shared ride taxi renewal, landfill bids and an easement, a closed-session land deal with Emplify Health, tourism grant leftovers and room tax trends.
Your neighbor's guide to what's happening at City Hall — October 10, 2026
The Big Takeaway
The 2027 city budget gets its first real public airing this coming Tuesday, October 13, when the Common Council is scheduled to review the draft operating budget and decide whether to authorize publishing it. [1] That's the step that puts the numbers in front of the public before any final adoption vote, so if you've ever wanted to see what the city plans to spend next year — and what that means for your tax bill — this is the moment the document stops being an internal working paper. The same meeting opens with an outside accounting firm presenting the 2025 audit, essentially a report card on how last year's money was actually handled. [1] Worth noting: the agenda names the budget item but doesn't attach a dollar figure or a tax rate, so nobody can tell you yet what the bottom line looks like.
Money Watch
• The 2025 audit. Johnson Block & Associates is slated to present its findings to the Council. [1] An audit is an independent review confirming the city's books match reality. No figures appear on the agenda — you'd have to attend or request the report to see them.
• The 2027 draft operating budget. Listed for review and possible action, with no amounts published in the agenda packet. [1] Expect the specifics when and if publication is authorized.
• Shared Ride Taxi, 2027. The Council is scheduled to discuss "exercise of options" on the shared ride taxi contract for next year. [1] For the many residents who rely on that service to get to appointments and the grocery store, this is the annual decision about continuing it. No cost figure is listed on the agenda.
• Payment of bills. The Finance/Personnel Committee meets just ahead of the Council to review the city's routine bills, as it does every cycle. [2] The dollar total isn't published in the agenda.
• Tourism grant dollars. The Tourism Commission is set to take up what happens to grant money left over after the second round of event grants has been awarded, plus possible changes to the event grant application and guidelines. [4] If you help run a local festival or event, these are the rules you'll be applying under next year. The agenda doesn't say how much is left in the pot.
Coming Up
📍 CITY HALL LOWER-LEVEL COMMUNITY ROOM
💻 Join by Zoom (Meeting ID: 873 8641 9324)
📄 Full agenda
📍 CITY HALL LOWER-LEVEL COMMUNITY ROOM
💻 Join by Zoom (Meeting ID: 867 0516 6400)
📄 Full agenda
📍 CITY HALL LOWER-LEVEL COMMUNITY ROOM
💻 Join by Zoom (Meeting ID: 847 6287 2232)
📄 Full agenda
💻 In person only — no online option listed
📄 Full agenda
📍 City Hall Lower-Level Community Room
💻 In person only — no online option listed
📄 Full agenda
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
• The landfill project moves toward bids. The Public Works Committee is scheduled to consider approving the project to go out to bid — the step where contractors are invited to submit prices. [3] The committee is also set to take up an easement agreement for landfill site access (an easement is legal permission to cross someone else's land), and the same easement appears on the Council agenda the same evening. [1][3] Two bodies, one item, moving in sequence.
• A potential land deal in the Business Park. The Council agenda includes a closed session to discuss an "Early Access Agreement" with Emplify Health relating to the purchase of property in the Viroqua Business Park, along with a sign review process. [1] Wisconsin law lets elected officials meet privately when they're negotiating a property deal, on the theory that showing your cards publicly weakens the city's bargaining position. The Council is scheduled to return to open session afterward and may take action in public. Nothing has been decided, and no terms or price appear anywhere in the public agenda.
• Who staffs the Welcome Center. The Tourism Commission is scheduled to discuss docent operations — the volunteers who greet visitors — at the Viroqua Welcome Center, referencing a memorandum of understanding that spells out the commission's responsibilities. [4]
• A look back at room tax. Also on the Tourism agenda: a review of room tax collections from 2023 to the present. [4] Room tax is the fee added to hotel and short-term lodging stays, paid mostly by visitors, and it funds tourism promotion. A multi-year look-back usually means someone wants to know whether the trend is up or down before committing to next year's spending.
One More Thing
Keep an eye on Cyndy Hubbard's Tuesday. The Ward 6 alderperson chairs the Public Works Committee, sits on Finance/Personnel, serves on the Common Council, and chairs the Tourism Commission the following week. [1][2][3][4] On October 13 alone her name appears on three separate agendas back to back to back. It's a good reminder of how small-city government actually works: a handful of neighbors wearing a lot of hats, moving between rooms in the same building all evening.
Sources
[1] Common Council Agenda, October 13, 2026 — View Document
[2] Finance/Personnel Committee Agenda, October 13, 2026 — View Document
[3] Public Works Committee Agenda, October 13, 2026 — View Document
[4] Tourism Commission Agenda, October 21, 2026 — View Document
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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.