Public Safety/Civic Building Planning

History of Monona's Public Buildings

Monona's city campus consists of City Hall (which houses the Police, Fire, and Administration departments), the Community Center (which also houses the Monona Senior Center in its lower level) and the Public Library.  All three buildings were constructed in the 1960s.  The Police and Fire facilities, in particular, were not designed to meet the needs of modern departments, and are in need of replacement.  (You can take a virtual tour of the current facilities for the Police and Fire Departments at right.) The City first commissioned a study of our public safety facilities in 2011-2012, but remodeling or construction were not pursued at that time.  You can read the 2012 study here.

2018 Long-Range Facilities Advisory Committee 

In 2018, recognizing the need to plan for the future of these buildings or the construction of replacement buildings, the Mayor formed a Long-Range Facilities Advisory Committee to update the 2012 study and create a master plan to meet current and future needs. You can read the 2018 report here.  The Committee spent a lot of time considering various off-campus sites for a new public safety building.  Given that Monona is landlocked, there weren't a lot of options available that met our requirements. After exhausting all the possibilities, the city decided to look at the feasibility of putting a new building on the parking lot behind city hall.  It’s a complicated site featuring a drop of 20 feet from top to bottom as well as a city well and reservoir located in the middle of the property.  

Where are We Now?

Earlier this year, the City contracted with FGMArchitects, who specialize in designing public safety facilities, to conduct a feasibility study to see if a building that meets our needs could work on the current site.  FGM considered several different design options and recommended one that would meet all of our goals.  This final Space Needs Assessment & Site Feasibility Analysis was presented to the City Council on September 6, 2022, and the Council had an initial discussion about the report .  

Where are We Heading?

At the City Council’s September 19 meeting, the Council again discussed the report and its recommendations and ultimately voted to proceed with the public safety/civic building project.  In addition, the council voted to place an advisory referendum on the ballot at the spring election (April 2023) to gauge public support for it.  In the coming months, the city will be distributing detailed information about the project and conducting tours of the current facilities.   

To view the presentation document as seen by the City Council on Sept. 6, the final Space Needs Assessment & Site Feasibility Report, or the videos from the Sept. 6 and Sept 19 City Council meetings, click on the images below. 

View the 9/6/22 Presentation to the City Council

Image Monona PSB CH Study Presentation FINAL

View the 2022 Space Needs Assessment & Site Feasibility Analysis Report

Image City of Monona PSB CH Feasibility Report