On February 13, 2025 Oconomowoc Mayor Robert P. Magnus delivered the City of Oconomowoc’s “State of the City” address. The presentation was meant to acknowledge the changes seen by the City over the past year, as well as preparing the stage for what may lie ahead. Magnus has served as Mayor since April 2020, meaning this upcoming spring will be his fifth year leading the community. His address highlighted the growth within the City and the pride of celebrating the City’s 150th anniversary.
Development seemed to be a major theme in the presentation. Magnus spoke about how the City has witnessed massive population growth in the past decade. Since 2015, the population has skyrocketed from 16,400 to 19,600, an increase of 19.6%. He championed the importance of new construction and improving government efficiency while reducing costs. Magnus used a series of pie charts to show a breakdown of city expenditures. The 2025 budget allows 53% of the budget to be used for wages and benefits when assessed by type. The same 2025 budget, when assessed by department, most directly funds safety services such as the police and fire departments. The logic behind the operation of the City’s yearly budget was described by Magnus simply: “We are a service business”.
The address took a moment to reflect on 2024. In a look at the previous year, Magnus pointed out several notable achievements within the community. The local splash pad opened, pickle ball courts were expanded, $3 million was invested in roads and infrastructure, and an additional police officer was hired. Even with all of this expansion, the final end of the year spending clocked in under budget, a comforting thought for those concerned about the use of their tax dollars. The total number of new net businesses had continued to increase throughout 2024 as well, a sign that bodes well for the future.
2025 seems to be a promising year for Oconomowoc, too. Magnus’s optimism was backed up by many upcoming plans for growth. These include not only continuing to add new businesses, but also completing the boat launch, renovating the Village Green area, opening the new Chamber of Commerce Office, and possibly developing new aspects of the ski hill. For pet owners, Toto’s Territory, the new local dog park, was noted to be opening on a 14.7 acre plot of land this fall.
The presentation ended with a brief assessment of some potential challenges that lie ahead. Many of these are connected to the City’s rapid growth, such as event safety, affordable housing, and maintaining the environment. However, one of the glaring problems listed by Magnus includes the border dispute challenges the City has had a public dispute with the newly formed Village of Lac La Belle. Many hope that a resolution over this conflict will be found soon. However, Magnus once again proudly spoke about how Oconomowoc has become a beacon of opportunity for many people and families.
