Highlights from the City of Antigo Finance, Personnel & Legislative Committee Meeting of May 20, 2026 approved minutes found at: https://antigowi.portal.civicclerk.com/
Executive Summary The City of Antigo Finance, Personnel & Legislative Committee met in regular session to approve funding and ordinance changes for the annual 4th of July celebration and to raise the capital asset tracking threshold to $10,000. Additionally, the committee discussed ongoing challenges in filling the vacant Building Inspector position due to a statewide shortage of certified professionals.
Independence Day Preparations and Funding The committee approved updates for the upcoming Annual Fireworks Celebration scheduled for July 4, 2026, with a rain date of July 5. Due to construction on Tenth Avenue, the parade route has been changed in partnership with the County, which also shifts the fireworks location from the high school to the fairgrounds. To accommodate a live band after the fireworks, the committee voted 6 to 0 to extend the city's standard 10:00 p.m. noise ordinance by one hour to 11:00 p.m.. Furthermore, up to $2,000 from the City's portion of the Hotel/Motel fund was allocated to reserve the fairgrounds and fund the music. Clerk-Treasurer Kaye Matucheski noted that approximately $30,000 remains available in the City's portion of that fund.
Ordinance Adjustments and Economic Development In an effort to reduce waiting periods for applicants, the committee unanimously passed a motion to modify the Transient Merchant Ordinance. This change allows the Clerk-Treasurer to approve applications directly once the Police Department completes and approves a background check, bypassing the previous requirement for Common Council approval. In another use of the Hotel/Motel fund for economic development, a donation of $814.86 was approved for Music in the Park 2026 brochures, which will be printed locally by Tammy Steger.
Financial Adjustments and Asset Thresholds The committee authorized an increase in the minimum value threshold for tracking capital assets from $2,500 to $10,000. Ms. Matucheski explained that the previous $2,500 limit burdened department managers with tracking small pieces of equipment, and noted that city auditors agreed with the increase to $10,000. Mayor Thomas C. Bauknecht clarified that while tracking rules will change, all purchases will continue to be fully recorded regardless of their dollar amount. The committee also approved two budget updates: a $50,000 budget adjustment to reflect a state grant received for contracting out storm tree clean-up, and a budget transfer for ongoing City Hall building maintenance and repairs.
Personnel Challenges and Future Business A significant portion of the meeting involved discussing the vacant Building Inspector/Zoning Administrator position following a recent resignation. The City has advertised the role but received no applicants holding all four required certifications, highlighting a shortage of certified inspectors in the state, especially in the northern part of the state. The current Assistant Building Inspector holds two of the four required certifications, specifically for HVAC and construction, but not plumbing or electrical. As a result, the City will utilize a state-provided list to contract out uncertified services on a short-term basis until the incoming City Administrator takes over the hiring process. Lastly, Alderperson Roy Dieck requested a future council agenda item regarding waiving stand-by ambulance and parking lot sweeper fees for fairgrounds events, which Ms. Matucheski will evaluate for costs before bringing to a future Finance, Personnel, and Legislative Committee agenda first.
Key Decisions and Actions
All of the following motions passed unanimously with a 6 to 0 vote:
The meeting was adjourned at 6:31 p.m
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