One month after officially hiring ISG Engineering as its engineer for the City, the Balaton City Council met publicly with ISG officials at Monday’s meeting.
Parker Hamann, a graduate engineer with ISG, and Michael Nowitski, an ISG development strategist gave the first of what will be many proposals as a kick-off to a new relationship between ISG and the City of Balaton.
The council voted to hire ISG over Bollig Inc. at last month’s meeting.
The main focus of Monday’s presentation was how ISG has handled Capital Improvement Projects with other cities and how The City of Balaton will benefit from implementing a plan of its own.
“The CIP is basically a five-year plan that the City ends up getting,” Hamann said. “That five-year plan, we hope it truly becomes a plan that the City uses, rather than something you adopt and let it sit on the shelf. We want this to be something that you’re using each year.”
The plan, Hamann said, is flexible by nature, so the City can readjust things on the fly, as needs and grant opportunities change.
“This is also here to document all of the City’s existing infrastructure,” he said. “The plan would cover everything from storm sewer and drainage, sanitary sewer, watermain, streets, public facilities, parks and recreational areas — really the city as a whole.”
The next step for the City is to schedule a kickoff meeting that includes ISG, the public works director, mayor and a council member or two.
“In the long run, you’re getting ahead on your city — being proactive instead of reactive,” said Hamann. “We can identify some (of the needs), but we’re still going to want your input. We can come up with the data and see what the needs are, but you guys know how the city is being utilized and where you want to progress the city. You guys get to choose the growth and direction for the community, so we want to see that within the reports.”
The CIP will include the existing conditions of the City’s infrastructure, and ISG’s recommendations for each area of need, as well as timelines for projects. Those recommendations would turn into a line-item project priority list.
“The three to four months is a strategic deadline for us, as there are funding deadlines in March,” Hamann said. “We want to be done or close to done with (the CIP) by that March deadline. It’s not super important that it’s completely done because we’ve already identified some of the larger projects we want to move forward.”
ISG’s CIP was unanimously approved by the council, with council member Tracy McCloud making the motion and council member Curt Paradis seconding.
“This is a tool for you to rely on, said Hamann. “When you see a need, you can put your input in here — it’s a guiding tool for you, rather than seeing a problem and reacting to it. It’s getting ahead … and truly being able to grow toward where you guys want to be.”
In other business Monday …
• The council voted to allow winter walking for the public at the community center during regular business hours; those walking in the community center must sign a waiver.
• The council officially closed the Borchert Challenge Fund savings account.
• The council certified the 2026 levy with an increase in the levy of 3.59% (from $631,770.90 in 2025 to $564,469.04 for 2026.
Revenue for 2026 were projected to be $472,259.10, up from $423,707.31 in 2025; and spending was expected to be $977,512.14, up from $909,989.90 a year ago. Last year’s levy increase was 0.95%.
• The council confirmed a $30,000 budget transfer to the Balaton EDA.
• City Hall will close at noon on Dec. 24 and reopen Dec. 29; and close again on Jan. 1, 2026, and reopen on Jan. 5.
• The council voted to renew the liquor license for Balaton Bay Golf Course.
