Monthly E-Newsletter

October 2026 Edition

City of Baraboo Updates

Halloween

Saturday, October 31st is Halloween! The Trick-or-Treat hours in the City of Baraboo are from 4:00pm - 7:00pm, as set by council at their last meeting.

Alternate Side Parking October 15

From October 15 through March 31, Baraboo uses alternate-side parking so plows can clear the streets. A house’s side is even or odd based on the last digit of its address. Which side you park on depends on the date at 1:00 a.m. If it’s an even date, like the 16th, park on the even side. If it’s an odd date, like the 17th, park on the odd side. Stay on that side until 3 p.m. After that, you can park on either side, so that’s a good time to move your car to the side that will match the date at 1 a.m.

Let’s use Lynn St as an example. 209 Lynn St ends in 9, so it is on the odd side of the street, and 240 Lynn St ends in 0, so it is on the even side. On the evening of October 15th (an odd date), a person parking overnight must park on the EVEN side of the street, because at 1:00 a.m. it will be October 16th (an even date). This rule does not apply on streets that only allow parking on one side or that already have their own overnight limits. Churches and funeral homes are exempt during services, and businesses facing a real hardship can ask the city’s Public Safety Committee for an exemption.

Early Voting for the General Election

In-Person absentee voting begins on Tuesday, October 20th at 8am at City Hall! From then until Friday, October 30th, voter eligible residents of the City of Baraboo may come to City Hall (101 South Blvd) between 8am and 4pm to cast their ballot for the November 3 General Election.

Per Wis. Stat. § 6.79(2)(a), voters must present proof of identification to receive a ballot.

Voter Registration: As of Thursday, October 15, the late registration period began for the November 3 Election. That means, any new registrants must register to vote in-person at City Hall.

Absentee voting: you can still register to vote Absentee for this election. Submit the form on MyVote (external ink). Wis. Stat. § 6.875(6) defines the deadline. The Clerks at City Hall kindly request you to submit your absentee ballot requests no later than noon on Friday, October 30th.

View Ballot: A sample of the ballot you will see on election day has been posted to the Clerk's page on the City's website for your convenience. The document is "2026 November 3 General Election Sample Ballot."

Notice of Referendum Election. There are three constitutional amendment questions on the ballot. Read about them by clicking the link to view the Notice of Referendum issued by the Sauk County Clerk.

Zoo's Page

Zoological Association

Ochsner Park Zoo has been accredited by the Zoological Association of America (ZAA)! This rare and unique opportunity was dutifully earned by the hard-working staff by going through a thorough review and an on-site inspection covering animal care, safety, education and conservation. Staff spent 18 months preparing by improving habitats, facilities and procedures.

Accreditation will help the zoo work with other zoos, recruit staff, bring in new animals and qualify for grants.

Thank you to the staff, volunteers and community members who helped make it happen!

Fall Street Projects Update

Paving is underway on several city streets this fall. Silver Drive/Parkside Avenue, 3rd Street and 2nd Avenue are expected to be paved the week of October 19, and Amundson Drive the week of October 26.

Washington Avenue from 10th Street to 12th Street is expected to be paved in the last week of October or the first week of November.

Glenview Drive will be paved at the same time as Washington Avenue.

All dates depend on the weather, so thank you for your patience and please use caution around work zones.

If you have any quesitons about Street projects, call the Public Works Department: 608-355-2735.

Last Brush Pickup of the Year

The final curbside brush collection of 2026 will be the week of October 26. Brush must be at the curb by 7:00 a.m. on Monday, October 26.

Do not mix leaves or other yard waste into the brush. Curbside brush pickup will not happen again until April, but residents can drop off brush at the City brush site on Briar Street (google maps link).

If you have any questions about brush pickup or the yard waste site, call the Public Works Department: 608-355-2735.

Leaf Pickup Begins October 26

Leaf pickup will begin October 26th and continue until November 26th, weather permitting. Leaves must be placed un-bagged on the treebank and be free of debris such as rocks, stumps, lumber, and other yard waste.

Property owners may be invoiced for damages to City equipment due to contaminated leaf piles (Baraboo Municipal Code § 11.07(7)(a)).

During leaf pickup, please be certain that leaves designated for pick-up are a minimum of 5’ from vehicles, trailers, poles, signs, hydrants, and trees.

Leaf Collection occurs within designated geographical areas that correspond to refuse collection routes. For example: collection will begin in Monday’s refuse collection district and progress through that designated area regardless of how long it takes. After completing collection in Monday’s area, crews will move into the Tuesday district, then Wednesday’s district, followed by Thursday’s, and then Friday’s refuse collection districts. Upon completion of Friday’s refuse district, crews will begin the cycle again in Monday’s district. This rotation will continue until November 25th.

If you have any questions about leaf pickup, call the Public Works Department: 608-355-2735.

Department Updates

Administration Department

The City held interviews for a new Energy Sustainability Technician position. Staff also started a full review of the Employee Handbook, and every employee was invited to suggest changes. Section 1 and 2 of the Handbook's revisions were approved by council and updated by Admin staff. The City is also working with City Attorney Nick O’Connor on a new contract with the Wisconsin Professional Police Association for 2027 through 2029.

Administration Department

Finance Department

The Finance Department continues to put together the 2027 budget. There will be a preliminary Public Hearing at the October 27, 2026 Council Meeting for the 2027 Proposed Budget. Net new construction in Baraboo was limited, so the City can only raise the tax levy by about $60,000.

The Treasurer’s office is getting temporary help while it hires a new Finance Accountant–Deputy Treasurer.

Finance Department

Carnegie-Schadde Memorial Public Library

The Baraboo Public Library is preparing to open its inaugural Community Art Gallery in the Wichern Family Reading Room on the lower level, with an opening reception scheduled for Wednesday, October 21.

The library offers a wide range of programs for all ages throughout the year, including storytelling for young children, book clubs, creative workshops, and gaming activities. Visit the library's online calendar for a complete list of upcoming programs and events.

Carnegie-Schadde Memorial Public Library

Parks, Recreation & Forestry Department

Ochsner Park Zoo

This year the zoo expanded offerings to include behind-the-scenes tours and birthday parties, which have raised over $3,500 in revenue to date. The annual exhibit sponsorship program increased its annual revenue to $7,700 this year. These programs help offset maintenance, food, and veterinary costs for our animals.

Fall Programs and Community Activities

The Civic Center continues to host long- and short-term rentals and its fitness center has 79 monthly members. Enrollment is still open for StrongBodies, youth basketball, tumbling, gymnastics, baseball, and preschool programs, and the Civic Center will also host open gym sessions for preschoolers and homeschoolers.

Parks & Rec

Police Department

Looking ahead, the police department is preparing to participate in fall and winter community events, including the November Lights Parade with a special themed entry for residents to enjoy.

Police Department

Department of Public Works

Beyond all the exiting road projects, wrapping up brush pick-up, and starting leaf pick-up... the department of public works crews have also been using a new (to us) grinder to fix uneven sidewalks by grinding them down, which means fewer sidewalk sections need to be replaced. They are also patching worn streets with asphalt.

Crews also set up barriers and kept the stating area safe for the Homecoming Parade. Other work included painting lines in school zones, repairing storm sewers, and mowing along road right of ways.

Public Works

Water and Sewer Utilities

The Water Utility department made strides towards implementing a major Water Meter replacement project and will share more details as plans develop.

The Water Department finished its required lead and copper testing at 30 homes and replaced 5 lead service lines. Crews are also checking what material old service lines are made of across the city. The project to replace water meters across the city is moving into a 3–4 month planning and setup phase. A new jet/vac truck is now in daily use for cleaning sewer lines.

Water & Sewer Utilities

Brush Collection

Brush is collected the last FULL week of each month April through October. The weeks are indicated by a green outline on the "2026 Baraboo Refuse Calendar."

All brush must be placed on the treebank by 7:00 AM the Monday of a scheduled pickup week to be guaranteed a pickup.

For the safety and efficiency of our brush cleanup crew, brush must be stacked neatly with cut ends facing the same direction. Whenever possible, make a few separate piles that can be picked up by a single person. Please stack brush in a location where it is accessible to Public Works crews, does not impede vision of motorists, or block pedestrian walkways. Please avoid stacking brush close to fire hydrants and signposts.

Property owners not meeting these requirements may be required to re-stack the brush pile set out for pickup or dispose of the material on their own terms.

Monthly brush pickup is for typical residential yard cleanup of limbs and branches and not intended for lot clearing or complete tree removals. The City has right to refuse collection, and property owner may need to dispose of materials by their own means. The City will NOT pickup brush placed by a contractor. Contractors are responsible for the disposal of tree waste of which they generate.

Do not mix yard waste with brush to be collected. Brush piles containing yard waste, trash, lumber, or other debris will not be collected. Yard waste can be dropped off at 407 Briar Street behind the old Public Works Facility. Please be mindful of proper disposal locations marked by signage.

Click to view our Brush Collection Policy. Also reference Chapter 11 of the City of Baraboo's Ordinances.

Below are pictures showing the proper way to place brush out for collection.

2026 Election Dates

Tuesday, November 3, 2026 - General Election

If you, or someone you know, is not registered to vote, but is an eligible voter (18 years-old at time of election, WI Resident, US Citizen, not currently serving a sentence):

Go to https://myvote.wi.gov to: