August 2024

Recap of Sun Prairie Utilities Groundbreaking

Sun Prairie Utilities recently broke ground for its future operations facility on Linnerud Drive. Sun Prairie Utilities (SPU) has been in downtown Sun Prairie for over 50 years. Its current location has undergone a few expansions to reach the current 29,000 square feet, but the facility can no longer sufficiently meet the space demands required to serve our rapidly growing city.

The new operations facility has several benefits for both staff and the community. These include an all-electric facility, electric vehicle charging, enhanced security, improved energy efficiency, geothermal HVAC, rooftop solar, a large community room, bulk fill water station, and conveniently located across from the utility’s inventory storage yard.

The groundbreaking ceremony was held where the community can expect to find the future operations facility at 510 Linnerud Drive on Thursday, July 11, 2024.

Check out the interview with Rick Wicklund, Utility Manager, about details regarding the new facility and more!

No Mow May Impact Report

The 2024 No Mow May Impact Report is now available! This report reviews the impact of participants in Sun Prairie, covering topics such as the number of registrants, citizen participation data, city park involvement, and more. Check it out here!

No Mow May is a conservation initiative that encourages property owners to limit lawn mowing during May to provide early-season foraging resources for spring-emerging pollinators, especially in urban areas with limited resources. The City of Sun Prairie is excited to offer its residents the opportunity to participate in the 2024 No Mow May program.

Housing Sun Prairie Exhibit

Visit the Sun Prairie Historical Library & Museum after hours on Thursday, August 8 to view its newest exhibition! Housing Sun Prairie will lead visitors through the residential development of Sun Prairie since its founding and includes hands-on elements for children and adults.

Created in collaboration with the City of Sun Prairie Planning Division, this exhibition will help visitors understand how public policies have built the community we live in. This event will provide a chance to meet the exhibit creators while enjoying light refreshments.

Click here to access the flyer!

Sun Prairie Road Conditions Ranked for Quality

Roads may not be top of mind for everyone, but did you know that the City of Sun Prairie ranks third for road quality among the 25 largest municipalities in Wisconsin? According to the Wisconsin Policy Forum's assessment of road conditions, Sun Prairie has a lower share of "Poor" and "Failed" roads compared to other municipalities.

The report states that from 2010 to 2023, the percentage of local roads in Wisconsin rated as excellent or very good decreased by 9.5 percentage points. During the same period, the share of roads rated as good or fair increased by 6.9 percentage points, and there was a slight rise in roads rated as poor or worse.

Although local roads in Wisconsin are generally still in good condition, this decline is concerning. Local roads are essential for their communities and connect to the broader highway system. Road quality affects motorists' commute times, vehicle wear and tear, and safety.

The City appreciates the Public Works staff for their efforts in maintaining high-quality roads! Check out the full report here.

Administration: A press conference was held to unveil the solar array at the Wastewater Treatment Plant. Check out our section for more details!

Clerk's Office: The City will be using all 8 of our Polling Places for the August 13th Partisan Primary. You can get details on those locations by going to our section!

Community Development: The Streets of Sun Prairie is a family-friendly event series held on Thursday evenings in Downtown Sun Prairie, with the next event featuring Classic Cars on Thursday, August 8, from 5-7 pm.

Finance: The City of Sun Prairie is proud to announce that it has received the Distinguished Budget Presentation Award from the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) for the seventh consecutive year.

Parks, Recreation & Forestry: The 2024 Fall Rec Connection is now available and registration will open on August 13^th to residents at 9:00 a.m.

Public Works: Brush collection is scheduled for today, August 5!

Sun Prairie Historical Library & Museum: Enjoy a free guided walking tour of the historically rich Downtown Sun Prairie with a guide from the Museum this summer. Tours run the first Saturdays of May – August at 10:30am from the center of Cannery Square.

Sun Prairie Public Library: Join local naturalist Joe Chase for a tour of the prairie surrounding the Sun Prairie Public Library. Learn about prairie plants, birds, and insects.

Administration

Sun Prairie Solar Array Unveiling

On Thursday, July 25 a press conference was held to unveil the solar array at the Wastewater Treatment Facility.

This array, boasting a capacity of 403 kilowatts DC, has been operational since early May. As of today, it has already generated an impressive 156,000 kilowatt-hours of clean energy.

Contributions totaling approximately $340,000 have been secured for the project, including $20,000 from WPPI Energy and Sun Prairie Utilities, $40,000 from Focus on Energy, and roughly $284,000 allocated through the Federal Inflation Reduction Act's clean energy elective pay.

Thanks to the strong collaboration and persistence of staff, alongside the support of our elected officials, the City is confidently on track to achieve our goal of 100% renewable electricity for municipal operations by 2025.

To learn more about Sustainable Sun Prairie, please visit https://cityofsunprairie.com/1189/Sustainable-Sun-Prairie 
EV Charging Station UpdateEffective immediately, new policies and operational updates have been introduced for EV charging stations at City Hall, aimed at improving accessibility and efficiency for our community.
STATION 1 (NORTHERN UNIT)
-Users are now subject to a maximum 4-hour time limit.
-Notifications will be sent via the ChargePoint app when the time limit is reached, requiring users to promptly unplug and relocate their vehicles.
-A waitlist system has been activated, requiring users to sign up for availability notifications. Upon notification, users have 15 minutes to access the port or forfeit it to the next person on the list.

STATION 2 (SOUTHERN UNIT )
-Open for public charging from 8am to 2pm daily.
-Reserved exclusively for City of Sun Prairie Fleet vehicles from 2pm to 8am the following day.
-City vehicles are exempt from time limits and may remain plugged in over weekends.
Charging remains FREE for everyone, thanks to the passing of Senate Bill 791 in March 2024.

Finance

City of Sun Prairie Earns Prestigious Budget Presentation Award

The City of Sun Prairie is proud to announce that it has received the Distinguished Budget Presentation Award from the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) for the seventh consecutive year. This award recognizes the quality of the City's 2024 Approved Operating and Capital Budget.

To earn this distinction, the City met stringent national guidelines for effective budget presentation in four key areas: policy document, financial plan, operations guide, and communications device. The budget excelled in all categories and met the fourteen mandatory criteria.

This award is part of the GFOA's Budget Awards Program, which includes over 1,700 participants. Award recipients, whose work is featured on the GFOA's website, set the standard for quality budgeting and inspire governments nationwide.

Parks, Recreation and Forestry

Parks, Recreation & Forestry staff are busy finishing up summer programs and events. Summer office hours will be in effect from Tuesday, May 28^th until Friday, August 30^th. The office will be open Monday-Thursday from 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. and Friday from 8:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. The office will be closed on Monday, September 2^nd and normal office hours will resume on September 3^rd.

The 2024 Fall Rec Connection is now available and registration will open on August 13^th to residents at 9:00 a.m. To view and/or to register for current programs, visit rec.cityofsunprairie.com or stop by the office during business hours.

Don’t forget to check out the rest of our summer events in the parks:

Concerts in the Park
1. Monday, August 5^th at Wyndham Hills (6:30 – 7:30 p.m.)
2. Tuesday, August 6^th at Wetmore Park (6:00 – 8:00 p.m.)
3. Tuesday, August 27^th at Sheehan Park (6:00 – 8:00 p.m.)
Pop-Up Beer Gardens with Karben4 (5:00 – 8:00 pm)
1. Wednesday, August 21 at Wetmore Park
2. Wednesday, September 18 at Wyndham Hills Park

As we settle into the summer season and all that comes with it in Parks, Recreation and Forestry,

we extend our heartfelt gratitude to all our incredible volunteers. Thanks to your dedication and hard work, we have already logged an impressive 2,675 volunteer hours this year!

Public Works

BRUSH AND YARD WASTE COLLECTION

Brush collection is scheduled for today, August 5! Please remember to separate your yard waste and leaves from brush. Brush includes woody material from trees, shrubs, or bushes, while yard waste encompasses leaves, weeds, garden trimmings, and plant debris.

Here are the collection dates for 2024:

Brush Collection Weeks:

-Monday, August 5

-Tuesday, September 3

-Monday, October 7

-Monday, October 28

Yard Waste Collection Weeks:

-Monday, November 4

-Monday, November 25

Please note that once a neighborhood has been collected, crews will not return until the next scheduled collection. If your items have not been picked up within one week, please call Public Works at 608-837-3050 to report a missed collection.

For information, please click here.

Sun Prairie Historical Library & Museum

The Museum is open to the public Wednesday - Saturday 11:00am - 4:00pm and by appointment for research and special events. To learn more, visit www.cityofsunprairie.com/museum.

Staff can be reached by phone at (608) 825-0837 or by email at museum@cityofsunprairie.com.

The Historical Library and Museum is located at 115 East Main St. Sun Prairie with parking behind the building. Admission is always free.

Announcements:

Historic Downtown Walking Tours

The final free guided walking tour of the historically rich Downtown Sun Prairie will be on Saturday, August 3. Tours run the first Saturdays of May – August at 10:30am from the center of Cannery Square.

Sun Prairie Public Library

Construction Updates

Change of Hours - Week of August 12th

Beginning Monday, August 12th, the library’s hours will be modified. This will allow for the more disruptive construction work to be done while our patrons are not in the building.

Modified Hours:

M-Th: 10am-9pm

Fri: 12pm-6pm

Sat: 9am-5pm*

Sun: 1-5pm*

*Weekend hours remain the same

Sun Prairie Media Center Access

Access to the Sun Prairie Media Center will be through the Library Community Room during Phase One of construction. The Sun Prairie Media Center is open M-F from 8:30am-5pm. If you need to access the Media Center before the library is open, please call 608-837-4193.

For more information on our Expansion and Renovation page, please visit our website: https://www.sunprairiepubliclibrary.org/library_expansion

Build with the Builders Fundraiser

Friday, August 16 from 10-11:30am

Join our architects from FEH Design and builders from Kraemer Brothers at this special breakfast event where we play and create with LEGO®️, and learn building and design techniques from the experts! Light breakfast refreshments will be served! A few door prizes will be given to lucky attendees!

Everyone in the room will need to purchase an entrance ticket -- buy in advance to guarantee your spot. Space is limited! Tickets are $10 and are available online at: sunlibfoundation.org/events

Children under the age of 8 must be accompanied by a participating adult.

Programs for Children and Teens

Summer Reading Program: Adventure Begins at Your Library

Thursday, June 5 – Saturday, August 10

There’s a reading program for everyone – babies through teens! (And there’s even a program for adults!) Register for the Summer Reading Program in person or online anytime between June 5th and August 10th.

Record your reading on a paper log or on Beanstack (website or app). Track by books (titles) or by minutes (time) – whatever works best for you! The more you read, the more prizes you earn! Complete 75 books, 12 hours, or 15 hours to earn all the prizes, a pass to the Library Pool Party in August, and your “Library Champion” sign!

Gaming 8 to 18

Friday, August 2 from 2-4 p.m., Community Room

Come play board games, Codenames, Gartic Phone, and Jackbox games. You must bring your own device if you choose to participate in digital games. Registration is recommended. When you register, you'll automatically be signed up for all sessions. It is okay if you are not able to come to all sessions. We will meet in the Library Community Room. This program is for kids and teens ages 8-18. All library programs are free and open to the public.

Summer Reading Finale

Tuesday, August 6 from 2-4pm

Have fun with games, crafts, sno cones, and activities! It’s also a great time to check in your completed Summer Reading Log (75 books, 12 or 15 hours) and get your Library Champion Sign! Everyone is welcome!

The Summer Reading Finale is generously funded by the Friends of the Sun Prairie Public Library. Thank you Friends! Children under 8 must be supervised at all times. All library programs are free and open to the public.

Young Critics Book Club

Wednesdays, August 7 3:00 p.m., on Zoom

For those in 3rd-5th Grade. We each read our own book! After you’ve requested a book from the website, you’ll be invited to join an optional meeting on Zoom where we talk about the books!
Learn more here: https://www.sunprairiepubliclibrary.org/young_critics_book_club

Programs for Adults

Adult Summer Reading Program

June 5-August 31, 2024

Track your reading and other activities via Beanstack. Click here or download the "Beanstack Tracker" mobile app to begin!

Prairie Walk and Talk

Thursday, August 8 and 22 from 5:30-6:15pm

Do you want to know more about the prairie that surrounds the Sun Prairie Public Library? Join Joe Chase, local naturalist, on a tour of the prairie and learn more about the prairie plants, and the birds and insects that inhabit this environment.

Space is limited, registration required. Please register for each session you plan to attend.

Big Summer Read - Virtual Author Event with Blair Braverman

Thursday, August 15 from 6:30-8pm

Join us for a virtual author talk with adventurer and dogsledder - Blair Braverman! This year's Big Summer Read selection is Small Game by Blair Braverman! Small Game is a gripping debut novel about a survival reality show gone wrong that leaves a group of strangers stranded in the northern wilds.

We welcome you to join us for this great event in one of two ways:

From the comfort of your own home! (Please register here and Zoom details will be emailed to you.)
At the library with other people. We'll have Ms. Braverman up on the big screen in the Community Room! (You may register if you would like an email reminder prior to the event date.)

Puzzle Club

Saturday, August 17 from 10am-2pm, Community Room

Drop by and join us for socializing and puzzle fun! We'll have a variety of puzzles, including jigsaw, crossword and sudoku. Also, participate in our puzzle exchange - bring a puzzle and/or take a puzzle home. This program is free and open to all!

The Spice Box with Huma Siddiqui-Seitz

Thursday, August 29 from 6:30-7:30pm, Community Room

Join Huma Siddiqui-Seitz, cookbook author and founder of White Jasmine, for a cooking demonstration and tasting featuring Mediterranean chicken and flavorful couscous! White Jasmine is a local company that offers unique spices, cheeses and cooking class. Register here.

2024 Bicycle Friendly Community Survey

The League of American Bicyclists is conducting an annual national census of Americans’ experiences and perceptions of riding a bike in different communities across the U.S.

This year, nearly 100 communities submitted applications to the League’s Bicycle Friendly Community (BFC) program, and we especially want to hear from people who are familiar with biking (or wanting to bike) in those communities as part of our review process. Your input will help the League and applicant communities to better understand current bicycling conditions and potential areas for improvement.

If your community did not apply to the BFC program in 2024, we still encourage you to tell us about biking there – your feedback can help us identify national trends and establish a baseline around how safe, comfortable, and convenient it is to ride a bike in the U.S. We can also use this local input to encourage your community to participate in the BFC program in the future.

This survey should take approximately 10-15 minutes to complete, and nearly all questions are optional. Aggregate survey responses will be shared anonymously with each applicant community as part of their BFC Feedback Report later this year.

GO-CART in Sun Prairie

Area Food Pantry

English

Spanish

2024 Sun Prairie Multicultural Fair

The City of Sun Prairie is thrilled to announce that it will be hosting its highly anticipated annual Multicultural Fair on Saturday, September 21, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Sheehan Park, located at 1375 Linnerud Drive, Sun Prairie WI.

This event aims to honor and celebrate the diverse cultures that thrive within our community, fostering unity and promoting cultural exchange. We invite everyone to come out, enjoy the event, and build relationships!

Sponsors

Interested in serving as a sponsor, please contact Jake King, Communications & Diversity Strategist, at jking@cityofsunprairie.com

Vendors & Exhibitors

To reserve a spot at the fair as a vendor or exhibitor, please complete the following application: https://forms.gle/SgFAfP8kArKM42Ht7

Applications will be evaluated and selected to reflect a balance of various cultural representations in food, arts and crafts, and exhibits/displays. Be sure to accurately and fully describe what you will be selling and/or displaying. All applications will be considered and will be approved by a committee on a first come, first serve basis with priority given to those who live and/or work in Sun Prairie.

Stay Connected

Follow this event page for regular updates leading up to the fair!

Committee of the Whole

The Committee of the Whole, consisting of all 8 seated City Council members, addresses multi-committee issues, reviews the annual budget, manages real estate transactions, engages in long-term planning, has the authority to sanction Council members and officials, and handles matters not assigned to specific committees. Chaired by the Council President, it convenes on the first and third Tuesdays of each month at 5:30 p.m. in the Council Chambers at City Hall, 300 E. Main St., Downtown Sun Prairie, with meeting times occasionally subject to change (refer to the events calendar for specific times).

Check out the latest Committee of the Whole meeting (6/18/2024)

*There was no Committee of the Whole meeting in the month of July*

Check out the latest Common Council meeting (7/16/2024)

Sun Prairie Media Center

Sun Prairie Media Center consists of three main entities, each with its own individual mission:

KSUN: The mission of KSUN is to train and nurture Sun Prairie residents in providing original video programming designed to educate, inform, entertain, and enlighten the city of Sun Prairie. KSUN programming should appeal to a wide range of Sun Prairie residents and reflect the diverse nature of the Sun Prairie population.

KIDS-4: The mission of KIDS-4 is to promote media literacy to the youth population of Sun Prairie as well as to teach students all aspects of producing original video and audio content. Students enrolled in KIDS-4 become more discriminating consumers of media, better communicators, better collaborators, and receive vital hands-on experience on a wide range of media-making tools.

103.5 FM The Sun Community Radio: The mission of 103.5 FM The Sun Community Radio is to train and nurture Sun Prairie residents in providing original radio and podcast programming designed to educate, inform, entertain, and enlighten the city of Sun Prairie. 103.5 FM The Sun Community Radio programming should appeal to a wide range of Sun Prairie residents and reflect the diverse nature of the Sun Prairie population.

Check out the abundance of quality community programming at https://www.sunprairiemediacenter.com/

August 2024

Recap of Sun Prairie Utilities Groundbreaking

No Mow May Impact Report

Housing Sun Prairie Exhibit

Sun Prairie Road Conditions Ranked for Quality

Sun Prairie Public Library Hours to Change

Administration

Sun Prairie Solar Array Unveiling

EV Charging Station Update

Clerk's Office

Polling Locations

Community Development

Streets of Sun Prairie