WAUPUN — The Waupun City Council tabled the approval of a new splash pad in town after discussing concerns about water quality and long term funding.
This, among other items, was discussed at the Common Council meeting held Tuesday, September 8, 2026.
The meeting was called to order at 6:00PM with all members in attendance. Before beginning the meeting, Mayor Rohn Bishop congratulated City Administrator Kathy Schlieve for her 60th birthday, and Council sang happy birthday.
There were no comments from the public.
First on the agenda were resolutions and ordinances.
Resolution Adopting Stormwater Utility Rates for 2027-2031 — Alderman Pete Kaczmarski asked about the current rate, which is $7. It was $8 before being reduced to $7 which it has stayed at since 2017. It will increase to $10 for 2027, followed by consecutive increases every year through 2031 which will be $10.70. Passed unanimously.
Resolution Requesting the WI Department of Transportation Conduct an Engineering and Traffic Investigation of the Posted Speed Limit on STH 26 (WIS 26) From US 151 North to Barnes Street — Alderman Kaczmarski asked if a copy of this resolution could be distributed to the City’s State Representatives, State Assemblyman Mark Born and State Senator John Jagler, which Mayor Bishop agreed. Mayor Bishop also said that it’s DeMaa’s concern that if this is not changed it could result in a crash due to the higher speeds near that intersection. Passed unanimously.
Resolution Adopting the City of Waupun Uniform Municipal Court Bond Schedule — Alderman Kaczmarski asked if Judge Todd Snow had reviewed the resolution. Judge Snow was in attendance at the meeting and said that he set the bond amounts for the Council’s approval, and is pleased with the changes. He also said he would be open to provide input on any bond for future ordinance changes. The agenda packet included all bond amounts for associated infractions. Passed unanimously.
Ordinance to amend Ch.18.04 entitled Penalty Provisions — Related to the resolution for Municpal Court Bond Schedule. The Council passed the first reading at the Committee of the Whole meeting on July 28, 2026. Motion to waive second meeting passed unanimously.
Ordinance to amend Ch. 18.08 entitled Citations for Violations of Municipal Ordinances — Also from the Committee of the Whole meeting on July 28, 2026 for the same purposes. Waived second reading. Passed unanimously.
Next was a discussion on the proposed changes to Ordinance Ch 6.10 Bicycles for the inclusion of Electric Bicycles — An earlier draft was discussed at the August 25, 2026 Special Common Council meeting, along with the potential of allowing the Police Department to impound e-bikes that are being driven recklessly.
City Attorney Dan VandeZande said that the ordinance goes beyond just Ch 6.10 as there were more changes necessary in other parts of Chapter 6, but that the Council could approve the ordinances as-is. He also said he received feedback from Public Works Director Jeff Daane and Deputy Chief Ted Sullivan, and still has to look at other changes.
He also said that The State Legislature has announced it will be looking at this issue in the next session as early as January or February. Mayor Bishop noted that the State of Illinois recently passed a law on e-bikes that the Wisconsin Legislature might take inspiration from.
Alderman Kaczmarski asked Police Chief Jeremy Rasch if he would like to pass the ordinance now or wait for further revisions. Rasch said that they could pass it now and revise it later, but if they waited the next draft would be significantly tidied up. He also said that they may want to look at the resitrctions on bicycles downtown, and about helmet requirements for regular bicycles.
Alderman Dan Siebers asked what his recommendation would be for downtown, he said restricting riding bike traffic between the 200 block and 400 block of E Main. Alderman Matoushek asked if it could be expanded to the entire business district, which it does since it covers the blocks around the corner.
VandeZande recommended keeping the helmet requirement in the ordinance. Chief Rasch agreed, noting it’s more productive to have positive interactions with children and even give out helmets during the bike safety program. He said they’ve probably handed out over a thousand helmets over the time he has been with the Police Department.
Alderman Matoushek noted he’s been seeing more incidents of adolescents ignoring traffic laws like stop signs on bikes during his full time job at the Juneau Police Department.
Alderman Kaczmarski asked about the definition of bicycle, VandeZande said that the current definition is a bit of a placeholder and noted that they haven’t designated a specific path or roadway as bicycle paths.
Alderman Matoushek asked about the number of readings, VandeZande said they could have the first reading and include the revisions in the second reading. Motion Alderman Matoushek for first reading, seconded by Alderman Siebers. Passed unan.
The Council then moved on to consideration and action.
Award Bid for Sunrise Ave. Storm Sewer & Fraser Lane Sanitary Extension Project — Alderman Kaczmarski asked if it needed to go through DPW first. Public Work Director Daane said that the Board of Public Works didn’t have a meeting tonight but he passed it to the Council to keep the project moving as no one had any concerns. Passed unan.
ATC #606142 Y-25 Rebuild Water Treatment Easement with WI Power and Light Co. — Alderman Jason Westphal asked if the cost listed in the agenda packet is correct since it matched the immediate previous agenda item. Schlieve said it was a typo, it’s a no-cost project for the city. Passed unan.
Memorandum of Agreement Between the City of Waupun and the WI Department of Transportation Regarding Changes in Access to STHH 26 in the City of Waupun — Related to the resolution earlier in the meeting. Alderman Kaczmarski asked if this could also be sent to their State Representatives, to which the Mayor said yes and offered to let him know when they are in town. Passed unan.
Waupun Community Center Gymnasium Upgrades — The Recreation Department noted the poplarity of the gymnasium at the new Waupun Community Center since opening almost two years ago. The Board of Park and Recreation recommended adding additional basketball hoops, safety wall pads, and a dividing curtain at their August 24, 2026 meeting. They would use the Communtiy Center Donation Fund to fund these upgrades.
Alderman Westphal asked Recreation Director Rachel Kaminski about the youth basketball Hoopsters coming to open gym, but Kaminski said that they have reserved the gym when they come with an organized team practice. Westphal asked if Hoopsters were ever asked if they could contribute to these projects since every other community sport do for each of their facilities. Passed unan.
Waupun Community Fund McCune Park Improvements — Mayor Bishop announced that the Waupun Lions Club approved a $4,000 donation for the splash pad proposed by the Waupun Community Fund for next year if it’s built, and several other businesses have offered to pay for it which may be able to fund it years in advance. Mayor Bishop was looking for a motion to approve the splash pad, which got a motion from Alderman Siebers and seconded by Alderman Matoushek.
Alderman Kaczmarski asked if approving the donation from the Community Fund would lock in the location of McCune, VandeZande said it depends on if the gift is contingent on a specified location.
Kaczmarski also expressed concerns about water quality since it’s untreated. City Administrator Kathy Schlieve said there were two examples of splash pads that have issues with rust and water quality from well water, including one case in Minnesota where the rust made the entire splash pad a single color in a single year.
Westphal agreed with the concerns and said that while he was in favor of such a project, they need to answer these questions before approving it—namely to test the well water to see if it’s suitable for this.
Utilities Director Steve Brooks said that a lot of wells around here are high in iron and can have an orange tint.
Schlieve said that even if it’s unmanned as far as lifeguards, they would still need to dedicate manhours from the DPW to maintain it.
Mayor Bishop said these are the questions they need to weigh before approving the project.
“The decision we have to make is that even though it’s a nice donation and it’s nice they’re doing it, can we even afford to accept it?” Mayor Bishop said. “And if we do turn it down, are we disregarding their mission statement?”
Alderman Westphal said that when Ripon built a similar splash pad they originally had the same plan with using well water, but ended up switching to treated water. Schlieve noted the Ripon splash pad is a Fond du Lac County project, not a City of Ripon project.
Alderman Siebers said the vision seems to be to reinvigorate McCune Park, and doesn’t stop at just a splash pad. He also noted that if it doesn’t get passed tonight, it won’t get on the spring schedule with the company—but that he would prefer they do their due diligence on the project before approving it.
“We could have three or four years of operating costs covered and four years from now it’s all stained and no one wants to go in it,” Siebers said.
Siebers asked if they could test the water hardness. Public Works Director Daane said they could take a sample of well water that Utilities Director Brooks said they could test at Waupun Utilities.
Alderman Siebers and Alderman Matoushek withdrew their motion, and tabled the item for next meeting.
Future Meetings, License-Permit Applications, Expenses — Passed unan, no discussion.
Mayoral correspondence — Proclamation in Recognition of 2026 Suicide Prevention Week- September 6-12, 2026.
Meeting adjourned 6:46PM.
