The commercial building at 111 W. Center St., in downtown Monona, will have new owners. At its Sept. 21 regular meeting, the Monona City Council accepted a bid from Aaron and Jessi Heins—one of four bidders who showed interest in the property after it was readvertised for $1 this past month.
“We’re very excited to get these bids,” said city administrator Barb Collins.
She noted bids ranged from $1 to $400, $500 and $1,000, although the city’s priority was finding someone who could take care of the brick facade that had become a nuisance, and had a good plan and timeline to rehabilitate the building into income-generating units.
“Our main priority is to get that front taken care of. It is a safety hazard with the possibility of brick falling,” said mayor Kevin Brainard. “We want to make the decision tonight so we can move forward.”
Three of the four bidders, including Heins, said they planned to remove the part of the facade in question. Each also answered questions about their plans, which included residential as well as commercial space.
“I own my own woodworking business, so I was going to put my own shop in there,” Aaron Heins told the council.
In the event the Heinses are unable to complete the project, the council also selected a second choice, Brent, Angie and Kole Pape, who expressed interest in using the building for a community space where artisans could share their work and people could take classes.
City officials acknowledged it was difficult to pick between the bidders.
“It’s a tough decision, and it was a good problem to have,” Brainard said.
Also at the meeting, the council approved increasing the garbage/recycling fee by $1.50 per month to cover the fuel surcharge Waste Management has enacted with monthly diesel fuel prices rising above $4 per gallon.
Additionally, the council heard a presentation by Aaron Detter from Upper Explorerland Regional Planning Commission about UERPC’s comprehensive planning services. Detter noted Monona’s current plan dates back to 1969, and that an updated version would project out 10 to 20 years on a broad range of subjects, from infrastructure and transportation to community facilities, utilities and environmental resources.
“In addition to guiding your vision for the community, it’s also really important for grants,” Detter said.
He projected the comprehensive planning process would take a year to complete and run the city $35,000 to $40,000.
The council made no decision last week, but will take this into consideration while budgeting for fiscal year 2027/2028.
