Early Mayor’s Column June 21st, 2023
Rohn Bishop, Mayor of Waupun
Waupun has got it going on!
As Waupun gears up to Celebrate Waupun over the weekend, it seems appropriate to celebrate everything we have going on in Wisconsin’s greatest little city! Over the past year, Waupun tweaked our branding to reflect us as “Wisconsin’s City of Sculpture,” we’ve changed garbage companies which has been a major improvement for our citizens, we’re seriously looking at overhauling and modernizing our staffing model for the fire department, we’ve installed a new Mill Pond fountain that changes colors, we now fly the city flag at most city buildings, we again display the flag inside the council chambers, we’re about to break ground on a new Senior/Community Center, and just this past weekend we opened up the new Main Street railroad crossing!
All this is happening at the same time Waupun will be seeing a long-needed boost in state shared revenue aids! Our legislators (Sen. Feyen and Rep. Schraa) are also working to boost our Mutual Service Payments which we could really use.
As you can see, Waupun has several economic development projects happening. Our downtown has become a destination for visitors looking for unique shopping opportunities, and while I can’t say too much yet, we have several more exciting new businesses looking to be Downton Waupun! Stay tuned!
We take it for granted, but Waupun remains one of Wisconsin’s safest communities. We also have the healthiest and most delicious drinking water in the state, and we’re opening one the most state-of-the-art wastewater treatment plants in the entire country!
Waupun is also busy preserving our past.
The Historical Society’s Cemetery Walk has exploded in popularity! Waupun now has a permanent museum exhibit honoring Waupun’s long and unique history with the Department of Corrections. We put the Shaler Sculptures back on the wayfinding signs, and we’re getting ready to celebrate the Recording Angel’s Centennial with a rededication. The Recording Angel is the oldest of the Shaler Sculptures and arrived in Waupun in October of 1923. With a rededication, a beer walk, a library presentation, and a play, Waupun should have a fun weekend celebrating and honoring the legacy of Mr. Clarence Shaler.
The Waupun Library recently named the large conference room the “Hillyer Room” in honor of Edwin Hillyer, who was an early resident of Waupun; he started the Waupun Library, helped it grow into a public library, and served on the Library Board for many, many years.
So let’s Celebrate Waupun! Because we really do have it going on here!
Thank you and God Bless,
Mayor Rohn
