County Board OKs Sustainability Campus construction contract, denies RNG facility
The Dane County Board on June 25 approved a contract with J.P. Cullen & Sons for initial building and infrastructure construction of the county’s Sustainability Campus, a project that required a two-thirds vote. A separate contract for a renewable natural gas maintenance shop was denied after the motion to adopt failed.
The board also moved several housing and land items on its consent calendar, including affordable housing projects at 606 Reeve Road in Waunakee and 103 Perimeter Road in Mount Horeb, an intergovernmental agreement with the City of Madison for an emergency men’s shelter, a rezoning at 7228 Pine Row Road that removed a wetland overlay, a contract for the Aurelian Voice Assistant Platform, and a land acquisition for the Badfish Creek Natural Resource Area.
Zoning and land use
The Zoning & Land Regulation Committee recommended approval of eight rezoning petitions on June 23, all with conditions such as deed restrictions or easements. Six items were postponed, including a 10-lot TDR subdivision and two conditional use permits, most because of pending town action or a need for more information. Every vote was 5-0.
Park fees and infrastructure contracts
The Park Commission adopted the 2027 Dane County Parks fee schedule on June 24, with a 6-0 vote. On June 30, the Public Works & Transportation Committee approved a highway bridge fund transfer and a series of contract change orders — for courthouse cooling, a district attorney’s office remodel, landfill construction, and engineering services — all by 5-0 margins. A lease agreement with the Employment and Training Association was postponed 5-0.
Committee actions
The Lakes & Watershed Commission voted 8-0 on July 1 to recommend approval of Ordinance Amendment 2026 OA-005, which amends Chapter 71 of the county code regarding icebound lakes. The commission also elected Dan Blazewicz as chair and Alan Levin as vice chair by unanimous votes. The same ordinance amendment was recommended 5-0 by the Public Protection & Judiciary Committee on June 30, which also advanced fund transfers for the Office of Justice Reform and a vehicle purchase, as well as resolutions urging severe weather emergency plans, supporting a medication vending machine contract, and authorizing a freeway service team contract.
In other leadership elections, the Specialized Transportation Commission selected Matt Veldran as chair (5 votes to 1, with 1 abstention) and Jennifer Hardesty as vice chair (same tally). The Condemnation Commission re-elected Allen Arntsen as chair and Joel Batha as vice chair by unanimous voice vote.
Area Agency on Aging bodies met but took no substantive votes beyond approving prior minutes or receiving presentations. The UW Extension Committee heard presentations on the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance and Literacy Link programs, and began discussing its 2026/2027 schedule.
Coming up
The City-County Homeless Issues Committee meets July 6 to review Dane County’s budget outlook and an overview of HUD funding. On July 7, the CDBG Commission will hold a public hearing on preliminary funding recommendations for the PRO Housing Grant Program’s third round.
The Traffic Safety Commission on July 8 will review seven recent fatal traffic crashes and discuss e-bike and e-moto trends. Also on July 8, the Park Commission takes up resolutions to sell easements at Babcock County Park to two sanitary districts. The Health & Human Needs Committee on July 9 will consider affordable housing, behavioral health grants, a bid waiver for the Fatherhood Responsibility Project ($105,834), and a possible public contract dashboard. That same day, the Environment, Agriculture & Natural Resources Committee will again take up the icebound lakes ordinance and a water quality grant for the City of Sun Prairie.
Generated from official meeting agendas and minutes — every underlying document is linked from the city page. Read the primary source before you rely on a detail.