Highlights from the Hortonville Village Board Meetings of May 7 and May 21, 2026 minutes found at: https://www.hortonvillewi.org/meetings/
During its May meetings, the Hortonville Village Board approved the issuance of $1.71 million in general obligation promissory notes to fund various municipal improvements, despite learning of compliance issues regarding the Village’s unassigned fund balance. Additionally, the Board advanced several local infrastructure contracts, established updated fire department burning guidelines, and finalized a road maintenance agreement with the Town of Hortonia.
Financial Management and Note Issuance
The Board voted unanimously (7-0) to adopt Resolution R-08-26, authorizing the issuance and sale of $1.71 million in General Obligation Promissory Notes. Ariana Schmidt, the Village’s municipal advisor from Ehlers, reported that the open market bidding process yielded three competitive bids, with the lowest interest rate coming in at 3.768%.
The notes will fund several public initiatives, including:
- Tax Increment District (TID) infrastructure projects
- The Main Street paving project
- Local bridge work and street lighting
- Memorial Square and the Alonzo Park Entrance
- Fire department lot projects and public works equipment
During the financial presentation, Schmidt noted that the Village is currently out of compliance with its internal fund balance policy, as its unassigned fund balance is negative. Village policy dictates maintaining an unassigned fund balance of 30% to 35% relative to operating expenditures. Schmidt stated this “basically means that you have no fund balance to draw on to fund any capital projects going forward,” pointing to underperforming TIDs as a primary factor. Financial advisors are currently working with Village administration to formulate corrective recommendations.
Infrastructure Development and Project Bids
The Board approved several public works expenditures and received updates on upcoming road projects:
- Grandview Road Urbanization: A contract was awarded to Sommer’s Construction Company, Inc. for an amount not to exceed $111,988.00. The project addresses stormwater drainage issues, adds a curb and gutter on the south side of the street, and extends the sidewalk to Horton Terrace to improve student pedestrian access to local schools.
- Honeysuckle Lateral Replacement: The Board accepted a single bid from Robert J. Immel, Inc. not to exceed $37,400.00 to replace copper laterals that have caused repeated leaks in the neighborhood.
- Wastewater Treatment Plant Repairs: A bid from Protective Coating Specialists, Inc. not to exceed $4,830.00 was approved to repair cracked flooring in the ferric storage room.
- Cemetery Columbarium: The Board approved proceeding with the bidding process for a 162-niche columbarium design from Mathewson Monuments, opting to include an adjacent sidewalk but exclude a parking lot at this stage.
- Downtown Reconstruction Delay: Administrator Nathan Treadwell announced that Outagamie County has postponed the reconstruction of the eastern segment of downtown (from Miller Park to Nash Street) until 2027. However, the core downtown reconstruction remains scheduled from July 6 through October 31, 2026.
Ordinances and Intergovernmental Agreements
Policy and intergovernmental coordination were prominent themes across both sessions:
- Town of Hortonia Maintenance Agreement: After deferring the matter on May 7, the Board voted 7-0 on May 21 to approve the joint Road Maintenance Agreement between the Village of Hortonville and the Town of Hortonia.
- Fire Department Burning Ordinance: The Board approved an amendment to Ordinance O-03-26 to clarify campfire and bonfire regulations. Following guidelines from the City of Appleton, the revised ordinance eliminates a previous requirement for individual campfire permits, mandates that bonfires must be at least 10 feet from any neighboring structure, and adds a Fire Department contact to the form to mitigate municipal liability.
- State Transportation Funding Lobbying: Resolution R-09-2026 was approved, answering a request from the League of Wisconsin Municipalities (LWM) to lobby the state government to alter its current transportation funding model to assist local municipalities.
Community Planning and Institutional Updates
The Board received comprehensive updates regarding local education and recreational infrastructure:
- Hortonville Area School District (HASD): District Administrator Todd Timm presented an institutional update, noting that HASD serves approximately 4,200 students and ranks in the top 30 Wisconsin districts for enrollment. HASD scored higher than 85% of state districts overall and matched or exceeded 93% of districts in graduation track metrics. Timm highlighted a recent shift to phonics-based reading instruction and noted the district maintains a 20% to 25% fund balance.
- Outdoor Comprehensive Plan: Joe Stevenson, Principal Planner from the East Central Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission (ECWRPC), presented findings from a community recreation survey that generated 152 responses. The plan identified high marks for natural spaces, playgrounds, and ball diamonds. Recommended future focus areas include developing a dog park, adding disc golf facilities, and expanding community trail connectivity and parking.
Key Voting Outcomes and Staff Directives
- Delta Dental Invoice Correction: Approved the May 7 consent agenda with an adjustment to Invoice #14185, setting the final amount at $2,075.06.
- Committee Appointments: Confirmed regular annual committee chairs and assignments for Public Works, Public Safety, and Public Facilities.
- Olk Street Parking Restrictions: Chief of Police Brian Bahr confirmed that newly approved parking restrictions on Olk Street will take effect on June 8, 2026, delayed slightly to accommodate the end of the school session.
- Closed Session: On May 21, the Board convened in a closed session with legal counsel to discuss litigation strategy regarding municipal dog licensing and Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliance; no formal action was taken upon returning to open session.
The Board approved these records ahead of its next regularly scheduled municipal proceedings on June 4, 2026.
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