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August 4, 2021
The City of Janesville is facing a deficit in the 2022 budget.
The city council held its first budget workshop of the year, with preliminary projections showing an over $600,000 shortfall.
City Manager Mark Freitag said Janesville saw a strong increase in equalized value and net new construction, but levy limits will keep the city from meeting the costs of inflation.
The most significant cost increase for next year is a two-percent cost of living adjustment for city employees, along with the addition of a fifth ambulance to meet an increased need for service from the fire department.
Freitag hopes they can encourage more participation from the public during this fall’s budget process as his staff tries to find ways to reduce costs or increase revenues to meet the deficit.
JANESVILLE
The town of Janesville and three other towns served by the city of Janesvilleâs fire department face big hikes in fees for fire protection, rescue and ambulance services starting in 2022.
The city of Janesville plans over the next three years to end a nearly $1 million subsidy that pays the bulk of annual fire protection operations the Janesville Fire Department provides the adjacent towns of Janesville, Harmony, La Prairie and Rock, according to a June 18 letter from the city to the townsâ chairs.
Over the next three years, the city of Janesville plans to shift a growing burden of the cost of fire protection services to the four townsâthe cityâs aim being to see the four towns fully fund the cost of their protection by 2024.
JANESVILLE
The local unmasking continues. The next chapter: this coming week at Janesvilleâs City Hall and other municipal buildings.
The city of Janesville announced that the city is lifting its COVID-19-era, mask-wearing policy in city buildings or facilities effective Wednesday.
The move affects most of the 518 employees at the city of Janesville, and it extends to residents whoâd visit city buildings, city spokesman Nick Faust said.
In an announcement released Friday, city officials said âmembers of the public will no longer be required to wear face masks or face coverings while visiting or conducting business in city buildings or facilities.â
JANESVILLE
Both the city of Janesville and Rock County could be looking to start holding in-person meetings again this year, although it appears Janesville City Hall might host a return sooner than the courthouse.
City Manager Mark Freitag said Wednesday he is advising the city council and other major committees to decide for themselves whether to resume holding in-person government meetings at City Hall as early as June 14.
Rock County, on the other hand, hasnât decided whether it would return to in- person meetings, although last week the county board discussed a rule change that would allow board and committee members to attend meetings virtually even after the threat of the COVID-19 pandemic calms.