Hello Waupun,
On Tuesday, I will be presenting to the council a proposal that the City Administrator, Council President, and I have been working on for making wage adjustments for city employees who fall into the category of volunteer and paid on call classifications. This includes elected officials, paid on call firefighters and EMRs, as well as election workers. Volunteers in these roles provide vital service to the City. They oversee resource allocations, policy decisions, ensure that elections run smoothly and that every vote is counted accurately, and provide rapid response to emergencies, ensuring community safety and resilience. Their dedication and flexibility helps maintain service levels while optimizing budget efficiency.
And while no one runs for city council or joins the fire department for the money, these folks do deserve some compensation for their willingness to serve our community.
The proposal will include changes I wish to make in regard to elected officials. Step one will be to approve a pay increase that takes place NEXT YEAER, in May of 2026, after the next round of elections. The Mayor would go up to $18,000 per year and council members to $6,500 per year.
Step two would be to change the Mayoral term from a two-year term to a three-year term. This will require a 2/3 vote of the council and have to be approved by the voters via referendum on next year’s spring election. I like the idea of a three-year term because it gives more stability in city leadership, and it would mean the mayor’s election would alternate between coinciding with the even and odd numbered aldermanic districts.
The proposal on Tuesday will also include another bump in pay for our volunteer firefighters and EMR’s. I say another, because this will be the second pay increase for the fire department since I’ve been mayor. This increase would also be a part of the 2026 budget process and take effect in January of 2026. Firefighting continues to require more and more training, and emergency call volumes continue to increase. Through this process, I’d like to also change the pay model at the fire department so that the firefighters/EMR’s who respond to the most calls get paid the most, too.
I am hopeful that these pay increases will entice more folks to apply for or run for these important positions.
Finally, we’ve hired part-time folks at $20 per hour, to help staff at the new community center. This means it’s opening earlier and staying open later. Memberships start at $10 per month, so if an early workout, a late evening pickup basketball game is something you’re interested in, please stop in and learn more!
Thank you,
Mayor Rohn
