Mayor’s Column November 16, 2024
Rohn Bishop, Mayor of Waupun
Hello Waupun!
This week the Common Council unanimously passed the Mayor’s proposed budget, and I’m glad they did. The 2025 budget invests in the right priorities, beginning with public safety. We will be adding a second investigator to the police department, we’ll order a new fire truck, invest in our city owned downtown buildings, rebuild the second half of the Rock/Newton loop, widen the Harris Creek, and we invest in flood management.
What does this budget not do? It doesn’t spend money on some taj mahal to replace current city buildings. I think Waupun should keep and use the current city hall . It’s a beautiful building and we should utilize it more.
For me, the best part about this budget was it reminded me of all the great things happening in Waupun. As mayor, I can get discouraged by the negative comments, the complaints, and people who never seem happy. But the truth is Waupun has a lot going on! I’m excited to announce we’re beginning work on the downtown alleys, starting with the block between Madison and Mill. We’ll bury the utility poles, tear down an old building, and make the parking lots bigger, nicer, and add green space! We’re getting a second daycare center, our business park is exploding, we will be adding more multi-family housing, and the new Senior/Community Center turned out great! All this is on top of our recent accomplishments of improved garbage service, replacing multiple railroad crossings, and branding Waupun as Wisconsin’s City of Sculptures.
With the budget process over, we will be focusing on better ways for citizens to file complaints and improve government’s response time, negotiate better service agreements with the surrounding townships, and I have a goal of squaring off the city’s boundaries and cleaning up all these “islands” we have in the way. For example, why is Young Street in such bad shape? Answer, some of it is in the Town of Chester, and they aren’t going to help pay for it. So, if we can clean up the islands, bring it all into the city, then we can rebuild the road. It also makes things easier for first responders, and non city residents shouldn’t be receiving services they’re not paying for.
Finally, Thursday is the Waupun Community Christmas Tree Lighting at 6pm at the Food Truck Ally downtown Waupun! I hope you can join us for a holly jolly good time.
Thank you
Mayor Rohn
