Jan. 17, 2026
By Tim Hundt
VIROQUA, Wis. — For years the Veterans Memorial at Main Street and Terhune Street has been tended by the Parks and Recreation Department, but an overlooked city ordinance says a Veterans Memorial Commission should guide decisions about the site. The issue surfaced when questions about adding a memorial panel and clarifying who qualifies for inclusion reached City Hall. Staff routed the matter to the Parks and Recreation Department which in turn brought it to the Park and Recreation Committee after realizing the ordinance required a commission that no one could recall meeting in recent years. That triggered a legal and practical review led by City Attorney George Hopkins.
Hopkins laid out the core issue and the legal path forward. The city remains bound by a 2006 agreement to maintain a commission with veteran representation and to involve that body in decisions about the memorial. “We intend to continue the spirit of the agreement,” said Hopkins. “We intend to continue to have the same commission composed of the same people required by the agreement to make the decisions, but not make them meet four times a year.”
He explained why a direct amendment with the original nonprofit partner is not feasible and why public transparency will be the city’s approach.
“We have an agreement with Viroqua Area Veterans Memorial Inc., who pretty much the day after they signed the agreement dissolved,” said Hopkins. “So we’re putting it out to you saying we intend to continue the spirit of the agreement … but not make them meet four times a year.”
Hopkins also addressed legal risk and why it is limited if the city restores the commission and adjusts its schedule.
“A very broad class of people … can file an action in court to enforce the agreement,” said Hopkins. “I think it would probably be very rare for somebody to file a court action to say you’re only meeting once a year and you’re supposed to meet four times a year.”
Administrator Nate Torres focused on how to balance compliance and practicality. He said the city should reconstitute the commission to make it defensible in case of challenge and then modernize how it operates.
“For having a more defensible position, we would create the commission,” said Torres. “We would appoint the commission, have the commission meet … and recommend that the ordinance be changed in order to allow for meeting less frequently.”
Torres acknowledged earlier conversations about folding memorial oversight into another board but concluded the memorial’s significance warrants its own body.
“My thought was to take the essence and the spirit of what this was and wrap it up into a different existing regularly meeting body,” said Torres. “But … we probably should continue to have a Veterans Memorial Commission.”
Council member Cyndy Hubbard highlighted eligibility and representation concerns to ensure local voices guide future decisions. She said membership must reflect the school district rather than the broader county.
“The eligibility is too,” said Hubbard. “It’s supposed to be school district people … not Vernon County.”
Clerk-treasurer and administrator Lori Polhamus described the immediate steps to get the commission off the ground. The mayor will bring forward nominees so the council can reestablish the panel.
Commission composition under the current ordinance
The Veterans Memorial Commission is composed of five members. The makeup is two veterans, two city council members and one at large member. Terms are staggered, and the ordinance contemplates quarterly meetings. City leaders indicated they may revise the ordinance to keep staggered terms but shift to an as needed meeting schedule while preserving veteran involvement in decisions.
Moving forward
The committee directed staff to reconstitute the Veterans Memorial Commission consistent with the 2006 agreement and to bring appointments to the City Council. The group signaled support for drafting ordinance changes to shift from quarterly meetings to an as needed schedule and to issue public notice inviting comment before final action.
Parks and Recreation will continue day to day maintenance and upkeep. The reactivated commission will resume responsibility for policy decisions including eligibility rulings, memorial modifications and long term planning so veterans remain central to governance of the site.
The mayor will present nominees for two veterans two council members and one at large member. Once seated the commission will tackle immediate questions such as panel additions and eligibility clarifications then recommend ordinance updates on meeting cadence and terms to the council.
Hopkins emphasized that the land itself is secure and that the city’s goal is to align practice with the agreement while avoiding unnecessary bureaucracy.
“There’s nothing in the deed that would cause us to forfeit the property or lose it in any way,” said Hopkins. “The only consequence would be someone … could file an injunction action to make us follow the exact terms of the agreement.”
Veterans will regain a formal voice through a commission that meets when needed while Parks and Recreation continues the day to day care.
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