Oregon Village Board Tackles Budgeting and Community Needs in Recent Meeting
Oregon, WI – May 20, 2023 – The Oregon Village Board convened on Tuesday to address pressing financial challenges and to strategize for the future amid growing community demands. While no official decisions were made, the meeting highlighted the balancing act between resident desires and essential village operational needs.
Village Administrator Martin Shanks presented key issues stemming from the defeated April 2025 operational referendum, outlining priorities that included planning the 2026 budget and establishing a long-term strategic plan. He stressed that the village’s rapid growth has led to increased service demand, thereby straining its operational capacity.
"Our community continues to grow, which challenges our ability to provide existing services," Shanks noted, warning that delays in addressing these issues could result in staff burnout, diminished public trust, and leadership strains.
Shanks emphasized the need for the Board to reconcile community priorities with those of the village staff who deliver crucial services. Though he proposed revisiting the operational referendum for the November 2026 election with a refined approach, Trustee Tim Higgins expressed skepticism about its potential success following the previous defeat. In addition, challenges in gathering actionable community feedback were raised by both Higgins and Trustee Tom Kirchdoerfer, who pointed out that regular attendees at Board meetings often do not reflect the broader community perspective.
Trustee Lynn McDaniel reminded the Board that balancing resident demands with staff needs is essential. In pursuit of viable solutions, Trustee Jason Mahnke suggested enlisting a consultant to provide broader insights moving forward.
The Board plans to reconvene at the end of June to further deliberate on these critical issues, with Trustee Amanda Peterson and others initiating conversations to better understand community values.
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