Mayor's Community Update - 04/16/2018

Greetings! Spring means construction season and we’re happy to report the first local road projects of the year will begin soon. Our team is planning their pre-construction meetings for Walker Street and West Franklin Street improvements. The Walker Street project includes utility replacement and street reconstruction. Underground utility work is tentatively planned to begin the week of May 7. The West Franklin Street project is a mill and overlay project to resurface the street between Brandon and North Division Streets. You may be wondering what the plan is for the balance of the roads in town that need repair. Our team recently sat down with leaders from Waupun Utilities to review the road improvement plan and to find ways to reduce costs. In addition to identifying cost savings, staff also discussed ways to diversify funding streams to support needed road work. This is an ongoing and important conversation as we recently received notice from the state that all road-related grants are on hold indefinitely. The Common Council will discuss the road improvement plan and funding solutions at the final April council meeting. 

Other work that the Department of Public Works will complete this summer includes the addition of a parking lot near the aquatic center. The city was able to reach an agreement with Fond du Lac County to add a permanent parking lot to the north of the existing lot to handle overflow parking. 

Around town, youth soccer registration begins on Tuesday, April 17, from 6 to 8 p.m. at Sully’s Sporting Goods. Tickets are on sale for the first Waupun Festivals concert of the year which happens on April 21 at the Historic City Hall. The concert features Al Stewart, best known for the hit songs, “Year of the Cat” and “Time Passages”, and special guest Janet Planet. More information about this and other community events can be found on our website.

See you around town! ~ Mayor Julie Nickel