Civic Issues
Topics getting the most attention in Pewaukee public meetings, ranked by how frequently they are discussed.
14 issues in taxes budget with medium priority
Parks Garage Roof and Building Repairs
The old highway garage, now the parks garage, keeps leaking along its walls and has failing brick. The city is paying Excel Engineering $22,500 to assess the whole building before deciding on repairs — possibly a $1.5-million-scale project financed by borrowing.
DPW Highway Building Land Purchase Repayment
The city used pooled cash to buy land near the DPW and never formally budgeted it, leaving the DPW fund with a negative balance. The auditor flagged it; the council endorsed a ten-year, $129,000/year repayment with flexibility to pay it off faster — paying the city back, not a third party.
Capital Equipment Fund and Fund Balance Use
The capital equipment contribution drops and about $1.7 million of the $2.7 million needed will come from fund balance. Members warned that relying on fund balance won't be sustainable as equipment costs climb.
2027 Garbage and Recycling Rates
Trash and recycling collection rises 5.1% to $234 for 2027 under the Johns Disposal contract, partly because the county no longer returns recycling credits.
Synthetic turf debt resolved
A long-running question got answered: the $1.68 million synthetic turf project is fully paid off by the tourism fund — no IOU to the city remains, and the fund's projected year-end balance is about $339,000 before outstanding obligations.
Mid-year financial reporting restored
The committee agreed the council should get quarterly budget summaries so members can see how city money is being spent — and shift course mid-year if needed. The first report lands at the June meeting, with a six-month review in August.
Journal Entry Internal Controls
Auditors recommended a city staff member formally review journal entries monthly as a second set of eyes. Committee members agreed it should go to the Council and that the added responsibility might merit extra pay.
Capital Asset Allocation Process Reform
The city currently allocates big construction-project costs (water, sewer, roads) only at year end, which delays the PSC report and complicates audits. The committee discussed allocating invoices throughout the year based on project plans and truing up at year end.
First-ever mid-year budget review with AI assistance
The city produced its first budget-to-actual review using AI (Claude) to summarize a 23-page report — but members caught errors and stressed department heads need to verify the numbers. A half-year review goes to the council in August.
State filing deadlines: PSC report and DOR Form C
The city missed the May 1 PSC deadline and got an extension to June 1, partly because of software problems with meter reports. An amendment will follow the audit, which isn't ideal but is common among communities.
Timothy Kaja property assessment objection
A Rocky Point Road lakefront homeowner fought a $5.03 million assessment that nearly doubled from 2024's $2.7 million after the 2025 revaluation. His appraiser argued the market on Pewaukee Lake is flat-to-declining and the assessor's comparables and frontage data contain costly errors; the city defended its state-approved mass-appraisal software. The board sided with the assessor, 4-0.
Rocky Point Road assessment reduction
A commercial property on Rocky Point Road got its assessment cut by nearly $280,000 after the assessor confirmed deferred maintenance during an inspection. Another Rocky Point Road property (Matson) dropped by $121,300 by stipulation. Neighbors' assessments aren't directly changed, but these values feed the tax base.
L&A coordination and communication
Communication between the outsourced accounting firm and city staff has been strained. Both sides committed to faster email acknowledgment and better collaboration, while cross-training city staff so no single employee is a single point of failure.
Court costs increase on 2026 fee schedule
A state law change lets the city raise its minimum court forfeiture amounts, and the council approved the increase. Anyone cited through municipal court will see higher costs.