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Muskego referendum: Police, fire on November ballot
Muskego voters will decide on a $5.9 million referendum in November to fund additional police officers and transition the city toward its first full-time fire department staffing.
MUSKEGO, Wis. - Muskego voters will decide on a $5.9 million referendum in November to fund additional police officers and transition the city toward its first full-time fire department staffing.
Public safety ballot measure
What we know:
Muskego is asking voters to approve a $5.9 million referendum to hire more emergency personnel as the city expands. If passed, the property tax increase would add about $500 annually to the tax bill of a median-assessed home valued at $512,000.
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The money would fund 16 full-time positions, including a fire chief, and 36 part-time firefighter and EMS roles for the Tess Corners Volunteer Fire Department. City data shows Tess Corners responded to more than 1,800 emergency calls last year alone.
Muskego City Hall
Police department staffing expansion
The backstory:
Muskego is the 30th largest community in Wisconsin, but it remains one of the few of its size still relying on a volunteer fire department. Mayor Rick Petfalski noted that the top 50 largest communities in the state are all served by full-time fire departments.
The city has also seen a 23% increase in police calls over the past five years. Petfalski said about 75% of crime comes from outside city borders, driven by local business expansion and broader regional growth.
Police response and shift coverage
By the numbers:
The proposal would add five new patrol officers, ensuring one additional officer is on duty during each shift. The city would also hire one new police dispatcher to assist with incoming calls.
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Officials designed the measure as a five-year staffing plan, with plans to begin implementing the changes by January if approved. City leaders believe the additional staff will satisfy public safety needs for the foreseeable future.
Future staffing requirements
What we don't know:
Officials have not yet determined whether additional police or fire personnel will be needed after the initial five-year plan concludes.
Public input at city hall
What's next:
City leaders are hosting two public information sessions on Tuesday at City Hall, scheduled for 11 a.m. and 4 p.m., to address questions from taxpayers. Two additional public meetings will follow on Oct. 14 and Oct. 31 before the November election.
Portions of this article were formatted using A.I. FOX6’s Bret Lemoine and an editor reviewed it for accuracy and tone prior to publishing.
The Source: The information in this story was gathered from an interview conducted by Bret Lemoine with Muskego Mayor Rick Petfalski, as well as official data provided by the City of Muskego.