Two Rivers, WI, City Hall

-GENERAL FUND UPDATE FROM CITY HALL-

The City’s latest financial report was finalized last week on Friday and shows continued improvement over last year through July.

• Through the first 7 months of 2026, General Fund revenues totaled $6.39 million, up $445,000 (7.5%) from the same point in 2025.

• Expenditures totaled $7.38 million, down $17,000 from last year.

• Taken together, the General Fund is $462,000 better off than it was at the end of July 2025.

City employees deserve credit for managing these costs while continuing to provide the services residents rely on.

Through July, General Fund spending was slightly lower than at the same point last year, despite rising costs for many of the things the City needs to operate. That takes careful work across every department, and it’s progress our community can be proud of.

-HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE REPORT-

• Building activity remains strong. Building permit revenue reached nearly $220k through July, compared with about $50k at the same point last year.

• Ambulance revenue is on pace with the budget. It totaled $524k through July, up about $21k from last year.

• Investment earnings have grown. The City earned $135k through July, compared with $63k during the same period in 2025.

• Overall spending remains steady. General Government spending is about $75k below last year. Public Safety spending is up 3%, with Police and Fire spending generally in line with where we would expect them to be seven months into the year.

-WHAT'S THIS DEFICIT ABOUT?-

The report shows a $984k year-to-date deficit, compared with $1.45 million at this point last year (end of July). That figure is heavily affected by the timing of state payments.

Through July, the City had received only 15% of the $4.9 million in State Shared Revenue budgeted for the full year, so the July deficit should not be read as a year-end projection.

-BIG PICTURE-

These financial results are encouraging and we've come a long way in balancing this ship, but the City still faces a real longer-term challenge: recurring expenses have been growing faster than recurring revenues for years. We’ll keep that front and center as we develop the 2027 budget and monitor results through the rest of this year.

AppleFest is coming back to downtown Two Rivers! 🍎

Join us Saturday, October 10, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. for this annual autumn celebration in and around Central Park. Come for the apples and baked goods, stay for the music, games, and a great day with neighbors.

Hope to see you there!

Public meetings scheduled for the week of September 28-October 2, 2026.

Stay Informed. Get Involved.
There are many ways to stay connected to what’s happening in Two Rivers. Attend an upcoming public meeting to hear project updates, learn about community progress, and share your ideas. Your participation helps make a difference in shaping the future of Two Rivers.

Meeting agendas are posted on our website at least 24 hours before each meeting.
https://www.two-rivers.org/meetings

☕ There are plenty of great places to grab coffee in Two Rivers! ☕

Whether you want a quick cup or a place to sit and catch up, there’s a local spot for you:

*RED BANK COFFEEHOUSE.: Specialty coffee and espresso in a cozy space overlooking Central Park.

*LINDA LOVES CHEESECAKE: Coffee and a slice of cheesecake make a pretty good pairing.

*COOL CITY BREWING COMPANY: Coffee and espresso at a downtown spot that also serves food and brews its own b**r.

*THE HIGH LIFT: Settle in with a cup, enjoy the patio, or use the drive-through when you’re on the go.

*BEE'S EMPORIUM & CAFE: Grab a coffee and take a look around the shop.

*COZY B'S FAMILY DINER: A welcoming place to pair your coffee with breakfast.

*TWO RIVERS FAMILY RESTAURANT: A classic hometown diner for coffee and a sit-down meal.

*KIMMER'S DINER: Another great local spot to meet over coffee and enjoy a diner meal.

Pick an old favorite or try somewhere new this week. Every visit supports the people investing in Two Rivers. ❤️

- Catching Up on Public Works Projects Before Winter -

Public Works crews are making the most of the remaining good weather. They’re repairing pavement along 23rd Street, preparing for leaf collection, and assisting with the 17th Street Bridge inspection.

Crews also applied concrete sealer to the Washington Street Bridge overlay yesterday and this morning to help slow further pavement deterioration.

🌼🐝 Help Create a Pollinator Habitat in Two Rivers! 🦋🌿

Join us for a Pollinator Habitat Volunteer Planting at the Two Rivers Community House grounds on Saturday, September 26, from 9:00 a.m. to noon!

Volunteers will help plant pollinator-friendly plants donated through the Xerces Society Wisconsin Pollinator Habitat Kit Program, creating a beautiful new natural area that will provide habitat for bees, butterflies and other pollinators. 🌻

📍 Where: Gather on the 17th Street side of the Two Rivers Senior Center
📅 When: Saturday, September 26
⏰ Time: 9:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m.

🧤 What to bring: Work gloves, a garden trowel or small shovel, and water. No special gardening experience is needed!

Whether you have a green thumb or are simply looking for a way to give back to the community, all are welcome!

🌱 Let’s grow beauty and support pollinators, together!

Something SPOOKY is coming to Two Rivers! 👻

Join us Saturday, October 31 for the Zombie Zoom 5K & 1-Mile Walk! Come run, walk, dress up, and get your zombie on!

🏃 5K: $35 early | $40 regular | $45 late
🚶 1-Mile Walk: $20
🎃 Zombie face painting available race morning
👻 Costume awards for individuals, groups & dogs
🏅 Finisher medal + t-shirt included with 5K registration

📍 Central Park East
⏰ Race starts at 9:00 AM
🏆 Awards at 10:30 AM

All proceeds support the Two Rivers Parks & Recreation Youth Sports Equipment & Financial Aid Fund.

🧟‍♂️ Register here: https://runsignup.com/Race/WI/TwoRivers/ZombieZoomHalloween

Grab your crew, pick out your costumes, and get ready to ZOOM! 🎃

Stop down to Central Park East this evening and see what the Two Rivers Farmers Market has to offer!

📍 Central Park East – 1700 Washington Street

⏰ Tonight from 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM

🍅 Fresh produce
🧁 Homemade treats
🎨 Handmade crafts
🌻 Local vendors
🤝 Community fun

Come support local vendors, enjoy the beautiful weather, and experience one of Two Rivers’ favorite community traditions. Whether you're shopping for fresh ingredients, unique gifts, or simply looking to enjoy a summer evening downtown, there's something for everyone!

See you at the market!

🌙🦅 Wisconsin Lights Out Alert Tonight🚫💡

A Wisconsin Lights Out Alert has been issued for tonight, September 23, as millions of birds continue their fall migration across Wisconsin.

About 80% of migrating birds travel at night, and artificial light can disorient them, drawing them away from their natural migration routes and increasing the risk of collisions with buildings and windows.

You can help make their journey a little safer! 💙

🌙 From 11:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. tonight:
• Turn off non-essential outdoor lights
• Switch off unnecessary indoor lights
• Close window shades or blinds
See more tips below.

It’s a simple step that can make a difference for migrating birds passing through our area. Thank you for helping keep Wisconsin’s skies a little darker and our feathered visitors a little safer! 🐦✨

For more info visit: https://www.lightsoutwi.org/

(🌿 Shared by the Two Rivers Environmental Advisory Board (EAB) to help spread the word!)

POSITIVE NEWS FOR TWO RIVERS HARBOR!

Our effort to secure federal support for much-needed overdue dredging of the Two Rivers Harbor took another important step forward.

Last week, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Water Resources Development Act of 2026 (H.R. 9497).

Importantly for our community, the House-passed legislation specifically identifies Two Rivers Harbor and directs the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to expedite maintenance dredging of our harbor.

And that’s not the only effort underway.

Two Rivers is also already included for $1.8 million in proposed federal funding for harbor dredging through the separate FY2027 Energy & Water appropriations process.

That means we now have efforts moving forward on two fronts:

⚓ Funding: $1.8 million proposed for the dredging work.

⚓ Direction: Congressional language telling the Army Corps to expedite the project as soon as possible.

Neither effort is final until the respective federal legislation completes the congressional process, but having Two Rivers specifically identified in both is encouraging progress.

We’ll keep working with our federal partners and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to move this project forward and get the Two Rivers Harbor dredged.