Nursing home officials wonder what the future holds after recent county vote | New Richmond News | New Richmond, Wisconsin

Nursing home officials wonder what the future holds after recent county vote | New Richmond News | New Richmond, Wisconsin: "Wentz noted that the 2008 county advisory referendum indicated 3-to-1 support from voters wishing to aid the nursing home operation with tax dollars. She feels the board is acting against the wishes of the majority of county residents."

According to the numbers I got from the Clerk, the vote was about 2 to 1 — not 3 to 1. 27,428 Yes and 14,769 No.
Note that the referendum has “if property tax dollars are needed to fund its operation”. Some people may disagree about weather the nursing home needs tax dollars to continue operation.

Here is what the ballot said:
QUESTION 1:
Should St. Croix County continue to operate a public nursing home if property tax dollars are needed to fund its operation?
O YES
O NO
EXPLANATORY STATEMENT AND EFFECT OF VOTE:
The St. Croix County Board of Supervisors desires public input on the question of whether or not the county should continue to operate the public nursing home if property tax dollars are needed to fund its operation. The result of the vote is advisory, not binding. A “yes” vote means you want the county to continue to operate the public nursing home if property tax dollars are needed to fund its operation. A “no” vote means you do not want the county to continue to operate the public nursing home if property tax dollars are needed to fund its operation.?

County board sets 2011 budget | Hudson Star-Observer | Hudson, Wisconsin

County board sets 2011 budget | Hudson Star-Observer | Hudson, Wisconsin: "The $83.8 million budget raised the mill rate .269 per $1,000 of valuation or about $3.64."

"a drop in the equalized value of property in the county by more than $600 million or 7.45 percent."

I voted against this budget. If county values decreased 7.45% then the county levy should also decrease that percent -- especially in the current economic environment.

2011 Budget

The 2011 budget will be reviewed and approved on Oct. 26th at 9 AM.
Agenda
Preliminary Budget

This is one of the most important meetings for making your voice heard!

Our View: County equalized values take it on the chin | Hudson Star-Observer | Hudson, Wisconsin

Our View: County equalized values take it on the chin | Hudson Star-Observer | Hudson, Wisconsin: "Local governments will no doubt be looking to do some belt tightening when they develop their 2011 budgets."

I'm certainly not confident that the county will do some belt tightening. :-/

Per diam and mileage

Here is a chance for you to give feedback:

What should I do about the per diam ($60/meeting) and mileage ($0.50/mile) that the county provides to county board supervisors?

Thoughts:

I know of at least one supervisor who apparently doesn't take anything. Apparently most take the full amount.

Most jobs don't provide mileage to go to work but they also don't require you to live a certain distance from work.

$0.50/mile is probably a lot more than is needed to account for wear and tear on my vehicle.

These payments aren't significant compared to the amounts that can be saved elsewhere.

Would not taking the money reduce taxes or just get spent elsewhere?

So far most meetings have been 2-3 hours but some have been as long as 6 hours.

Should I take the money and send it on (i.e. to charity or politician/organization that has the same goals)?

There are at least 3 meetings per month which would total about $250.

Committee of the Whole: June 1, 2010

Water System at New Richmond Campus

Water tower has problems: Lead Paint, OSHA (ladders, guard rails)
$180K Replace piping (included in prices below)
Keep and fix water tower: $430,000
Connect to city water: $305,000

Grants may pay 30%
DNR grant: <30%. December preliminary application, June final application. City of N.R. already has application in process but may not have enough points by itself to get a grant. Still eligible for grant after construction starts.
Dept. of Commerce(CDBG): <25%. Probably won't fund just replacement – want expansion of services.
Combined project with city expansion is $1.8M - $2M (but county portion remains the same).

Could possible payment by rearranging recent bond money.

West Central Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission

I attended the May 13th meeting of the West Central Wisconsin Regional
Planning Commission and here are the highlights.

Levy:
5 options were presented -- amount changes were: -2.12% (same mill
rate as 2010), 0% (same amount as 2010), -2.5%, -5%, and 2.3%
(inflation).
Jay Tappen (new director) mentioned that the levy can't be reduced too
much because there are minimum matches that have to be made -- the
total of those minimum matches is about $84,000 so the most the levy
amount could be decreased is 62%.
The -2.12% option was moved. Much discussion about economic condition
and need for cuts. The only discussion in favor of another options
was in favor of the -5% option. The levy hasn't been increased since
2006. -2.12% option was passed overwhelmingly (maybe unanimously).
That options means a -5.5% decrease for St. Croix County because our
real estate valuation went down the most.

Current officers were reappointed.

Regional Comprehensive Plan public hearing July 6th.
http://www.wcwrpc.org/RPCCompPlan/

Updates from the representative from the governors office:
SAGE program limits class size to 18.
BadgerCare covers every child under 18
BadgerCore will cover low-income, childless adults
Basic: for people who didn't make it into the Core program
98% are now offered medical coverage

The USDA has funds for libraries, rural development, etc.

A few of the members expressed grave concern about national debt and
the nation we are leaving to our grandchildren and ask Ron Kind
representative to bring those complains back to him.