Jonathan Lampe for Watertown

10/29/2026

🇺🇸 Please make a plan to vote this Tuesday.

Wisconsin voters guide for Governor:
https://www.yahoo.com/news/politics/articles/heres-voter-guide-wisconsin-governor-133015841.html

As you probably remember, both major gubernatorial candidates drew upon the endorsement of lame duck officeholders to win their primaries in August: Tiffany used Trump’s endorsement to clear the Republican field and Evers’ endorsement revived Crowley’s campaign in the contested Democratic primary.

Wisconsin voters guide for the three constitutional amendments on the ballot:
https://www.wbay.com/2026/10/26/wisconsin-voters-decide-three-constitutional-amendments-this-fall/

City of Watertown, WI - Government election information:
https://www.watertownwi.gov/o/cow/page/electionvoter-information

10/22/2026

Tonight is our annual (costume) bingo! I’ll be calling numbers once again and helping to give away the fabulous door and bingo prizes!

WITCHES’ BREW BINGO IS THIS THURSDAY!

Grab your friends, put on your best witchy gear, and join the Watertown Main Street Program for a spooktacular night of BINGO, prizes, food, and fun — all for a GREAT cause! 🖤

📅 Thursday, October 22, 2026
📍 Turner Hall
🚪 Doors open at 5 PM | Bingo begins at 6 PM
🎟️ $25 at the door gets you 16 games with 3 cards per game!

🍀 Want to DOUBLE your chances? Add another 16-game, 3-card packet for just $10!

🍕 Pizza Ranch will be serving up food, and Turner Hall’s bar will be open, so come hungry and ready for a great night!

🎉 Here’s what else is brewing:
🤑 50/50 Raffle
🎡 $10 Spin the Wheel — you could win a T-shirt, bottle of w**e, pack of b**r, or cookbook!
👻 Costume prizes — so bring your spooky best!

🧡 Every dollar raised supports WMSP’s Façade and Sign Grant Program, helping downtown Watertown businesses improve their storefronts and keep our downtown looking its best!

So round up your coven, bring your lucky charms, and join us for a night of BINGO with a purpose!

Play BINGO. Win prizes. Support Downtown Watertown! 🧙‍♀️🖤

10/18/2026

Good news for City of Watertown, WI - Government: a major grant we need to keep the Amtrak extension and stop moving along was secured. (FWIW is the same grant you may have read about in early summer; it took a few months to secure it. )

Additional coverage:

https://www.jsonline.com/story/money/real-estate/commercial/2026/10/16/amtraks-milwaukee-madison-route-moves-closer-with-federal-grant/92270241007/

https://www.jsonline.com/story/money/real-estate/commercial/2026/06/25/wisconsin-seeks-grant-for-planned-milwaukee-madison-amtrak-rail-route/90698794007/

Baldwin, Evers secure nearly $220 mllion for passenger rail between Chicago and Waukesha, Jefferson, and Dane Counties

http://dlvr.it/TVxm7x Local journalism.

10/17/2026

Tonight only! C’mon down and enjoy Main Street Treats and beverages served by the Watertown Humane Society as well.

🎶🎸 WHAT ARE YOU DOING SATURDAY NIGHT?! 🎸🎶

We’ve got a plan for you! 🧡 Join the Watertown Main Street Program for the FINAL MUSIC ON MAIN CONCERT OF THE SEASON this Saturday, October 17, at Bentzin Family Town Square!

🎤 Featuring: The Playlist!

📅 Saturday, October 17, 2026
📍 Bentzin Family Town Square
🍔 Food & beverages available starting at 5 PM
🎶 Concert kicks off at 6 PM!

Why come out? Because COMMUNITY MATTERS! 🤝 Community Engagement is one of WMSP’s four pillars, and there’s no better way to bring people together than through great music, good food, and time spent with friends and neighbors!

Grab your family, invite your friends, and come enjoy one last evening of live music downtown before the season wraps up! 🎵❤️

A huge thank-you to everyone who joined us for Music on Main this year and helped make these concerts a wonderful celebration of our community. Let's finish the season STRONG! 🙌

🧡 Support Small. Support Local. Support Downtown Watertown.

10/12/2026

Happy Indigenous Peoples’ Day! Here’s a good explanation of the day and how our state has recently worked to support the descendants, tribes and culture of Wisconsin’s original settlers from Gov. Evers.

10/07/2026

Thank you District 2 / Mary Knoll residents who wrote in or spoke at tonight’s City of Watertown, WI - Government council meeting about the noise concerns of the pickleball courts tentatively sited next to the existing Brandt-Quirk tennis courts.

With the help from Ald. Arnett the Council voted in favor of an amendment I put forward mandating the inclusion of noise mitigation in the form of trees and a fence wrap. Unfortunately the Council then weakened the requirement with a vague “if needed” clause, that could nullify the noise mitigation. With only that weak language in place I was unable to support the final resolution, but it nonetheless passed as amended.

Despite tonight’s result, there are three important opportunities left to turn the “if needed” into “yes we will put in noise mitigation”.

One is to influence the Watertown Parks, Recreation & Forestry Department staff to decide that noise mitigation is needed. (This may involve an audio study, a closer look at mitigation effects of trees, etc.; I’ll keep working to find out.).

Two is to engage the private group who has generously fundraised to make the courts a reality somewhere in the City to understand if they would voluntarily add it to their plans.

And the third is to adjust the written agreement between the private pickleball group and the City before or when it comes to Council for final approval.

I’m looking forward to pursuing any or all of these avenues collaboratively so we can all deliver a new space for healthy activity while preserving the outdoor enjoyment of District 2 residents.

10/01/2026

I agree with Mayor Stocks that putting a solar farm near to the airport and on a key highway interchange is a bad idea.

Whether or not the City is successful in modifying or halting the related solar project, I hope this encourages the City to take more aggressive action (including annexation) to ensure the City alone controls and encourages smarter development along the 26 bypass.

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/19REmsFzyE/?mibextid=wwXIfr

09/30/2026

Putting my app in today! Please use this program to build and maintain our parkrow tree forest.

🌳 LAST CALL! 🌳

There’s still time to participate in the Rooted in Watertown Tree Planting Program, but registration ends TOMORROW, October 1!

City property owners can choose from a variety of tree species for planting along the street right-of-way by the Watertown Forestry Department.

🌱 $100 per tree
🌳 Limit of 2 trees per property
📅 Registration deadline: October 1, 2026

Help grow Watertown’s tree canopy and create a more diverse, sustainable urban forest for years to come!

👉 Register online on RecDesk or stop by the Parks, Recreation and Forestry Office.

09/26/2026

A few weeks ago the City of Watertown, WI - Government Council was shown a draft of an economic vision that leaned into a rural identity. One of the easiest things we could do to make that a reality and create an immediate economic spark would be to allow UTVs in the city.

Two years ago I sponsored an ordinance that would do exactly that but it was voted down at the City’s Public Safety Committee on a split vote. Maybe it’s time to try again?

(Thought of this today after seeing yet another similar-sized city in Wisconsin finally get their ordinance passed:
https://www.yahoo.com/news/us/articles/wisconsin-city-just-opened-nearly-110300393.html; and thank you for past and future education efforts Jefferson 1/2 Mile ATV Club!)

09/18/2026

I attended this tonight; the City of Watertown, WI - Government has been represented on the working committee by Watertown Fire Department Chief Reynen. The committee’s recommendation (after consultation with the county finance committee) was to create a .25 mill county-wide levy that would provide more than $500K a year to Watertown. Under the draft formula, Watertown is a municipality providing about 15% of Jefferson County’s coverage after weighting population, area and property value. The expected impact of the new levy would be about $75/yr on a Jefferson County $300K home, and could help our fire department add the equivalent of two 24/7 staff (often allowing a second staffed ambulance) to our new fire station.

IMO it’s bold proposal that finally addresses the volunteer fire and EMA departments that are disappearing from the country, and a great way to support our emergency providers.

Public EMS Discussion -- September 17 and 24

Attend one of these sessions to learn about the Jefferson County Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Working Group and ideas the group has presented. You'll also have an opportunity to ask questions during the Q&A session.

Please note: Both sessions cover the same content. We hope you can attend!

Full press release:
https://www.jeffersoncountywi.gov/news_detail_T7_R154.php