Monroe · issues
Civic issues
Topics getting the most attention in Monroe public meetings, ranked by how frequently they come up.
Rear setback variance at 1121 21st Avenue
A homeowner wants to build a two-story garage addition that encroaches into the required 25-foot rear setback on a shallow 85-foot-deep lot. The board weighed the unusual lot shape against precedent and neighbor drainage concerns.
Outdated parking signs around the old high school
With the high school gone, roughly 23 no-parking signs in surrounding blocks no longer serve a purpose and will be removed, with seven kept on 14th Avenue for elementary school traffic. Members also flagged the neighborhood's many stop signs for possible future review.
Vacancy on Historic Preservation Commission
Member Donna has resigned, leaving a seat open. Members want to reach out to Sharon Reese, praised for her sense of history, so the mayor can nominate her for appointment.
Election Equipment and Voter Information
In-person absentee voting starts Oct. 20 at City Hall, and the county is shopping for new voting machines — alderpersons were invited to a Wednesday demonstration, followed by a UW-Extension public education session on the data center moratorium.
November Fall Wine Walk
Main Street Monroe wants to serve beer and run a beer garden during the November Wine Walk, a downtown event with participating stores. The License Committee endorsed the temporary licenses, and the Common Council makes the final decision.
Urban Forestry Grant Programs
The city will seek state cost-share grants that help pay for removing and treating ash trees and planting new terrace trees — money it wins about half the time it applies.
Political sign ordinance amendments
Court rulings mean the city can't regulate signs based on their message, so staff propose dropping the election-window rules for yard signs and hand-held sign limits. Signs could legally stay up indefinitely.
ATV traffic downtown
Alder Thoman noted ATV traffic at a local hotel is down and wants ideas to draw more ATV riders to Monroe.
Cheese Days and Fall Nationals beer gardens and special events
The council OK'd outdoor beer gardens for Green County House during Cheese Days and the Lions Club at the Fall Nationals Tractor Pull, plus three special events including the fire district pancake breakfast and the Huber Bock Run.
Nepotism policy hire at street department
The city is filling a vacant streets maintenance worker position with a candidate who is a first cousin of a current street department employee. The city's nepotism policy permits the hire because neither would directly supervise the other.
Community events calendar
Five events — a recovery rave, an addiction awareness walk, a community worship picnic, Police Night Out, and a car show — were all recommended for approval, keeping Monroe's late-summer event calendar full.
EV Charging Stations in 10th Street Parking Lot
Eugene Hotel will install public EV chargers on two leased city stalls; some alders thought the $500-per-stall fee should have been lower to reward the public service.
Light industrial landscaping requirement fix
A drafting error made light industrial properties meet an 80% landscaping minimum when the intent was 20%. The fix aligns the code with the original intent and heads to council.
2027 Revaluation Coming
The assessor flagged that 2027 will be a revaluation year, meaning every property gets reassessed from the ground up. Owners could see bigger swings in their assessed values next cycle.
City Treasurer compensation
With the treasurer's responsibilities shifting, the committee discussed the position's pay grade in closed session and recommended a one-time step increase on the pay scale.
1423-1425 21st Street lot split
A two-year-old duplex at 1423-1425 21st Street can be split into two zero-lot-line lots, like a similar approved project earlier this year.
2027 Certified Local Government historic survey grant
The city plans to apply for a no-match Wisconsin Historical Society grant of up to $50,000 to hire a contractor to survey every property in Monroe and identify historic sites citywide — something that has never been done here. The survey could also unlock historic tax credits for property owners.
Signage at former Two Thirteen Mercantile location
A member questioned bright-blue vinyl lettering with a phone number at 1024 17th Avenue; staff said the vinyl material didn't require historic preservation or sign-permit review under the code, and will request a written summary from the zoning administrator.
Tree service bidding practices
Alder Franke flagged that Whitney Tree Service has been essentially the recurring bidder for city tree work and suggested periodically seeking competitive bids.
Account Clerk Position Converted to Full-Time
After the staff accountant resigned, the utilities account clerk role was made permanent full-time to handle the added workload. The cost was already in the 2026 budget.
Special Event Police Coverage Costs
Alder Miller raised a recurring concern: the city spends about $1,500 in police overtime on a small charity run, and he wants routes redesigned or fees increased for small events to cut costs.
Alders' committee reporting and proclamation dispute
Alds will now regularly report committee updates to keep the public informed, but a partisan-tinged dispute over the mayor's proclamation wording ended in a 4-4 tie the mayor broke against amending it.
Visitor and Promotion Commission composition update
The commission's five seats now explicitly include a short-term rental operator (like Airbnb or VRBO hosts) alongside a hotel/motel manager, an alder, and two residents.