[00:00:01]
AND I'LL CALL THIS MEETING OF THE WASHINGTON COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS TO ORDER.UM, WE ARE ALL HERE EXCEPT FOR SUPERVISOR KEL AND SUPERVISOR KREBS, WHO ARE EXCUSED.
WE HAVE A NUMBER OF BOY SCOUTS IN THE BACK THAT ARE WORKING ON A CIVIC MERIT BADGE, SO THEY'RE HERE TO JOIN US AND LISTEN IN TODAY.
THIS MEETING WAS POSTED BY THE CLERK'S OFFICE APPROPRIATELY, UH, WE'LL RISE FOR A MOMENT OF SILENT PRAYER AND A PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FRAUD.
WE HAVE MINUTES FROM MEETINGS OF APRIL 16TH AND THE APRIL 16TH ORGANIZATIONAL MEETING.
UH, DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR CORRECTIONS IN THOSE MINUTES? THERE BEING NONE.
UM, OUR FIRST RESOLUTION IS A COMMENDATION OF PAUL SIBO, SUPERVISOR, BOSER SUPERVISOR HARDWICK.
WHEREAS PAUL SIBO HAS CONTRIBUTED 36 YEARS OF LOYAL SERVICE TO THE CITIZENS OF WASHINGTON COUNTY.
AND WHEREAS PAUL SIBO HAS CHOSEN TO RETIRE FROM HIS PRESENT POSITION OF CONSERVATION AND ZONING MANAGER WITH THE NATURAL RESOURCES DEPARTMENT, NOW THEREFORE BE
[a. 2024 Resolution 2: Commendation of Paul Sebo]
IT RESOLVED THAT THE WASHINGTON COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS PAUSE IN ITS DELIBERATIONS TO PAY TRIBUTE AND TO COMMEND PAUL SIBO FOR HIS 36 YEARS OF MERITORIOUS SERVICE, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT ON BEHALF OF ALL CITIZENS OF WASHINGTON COUNTY, THIS BODY DOES HERE WITH EXTEND TO HIM HEARTFELT THANKS FOR AS MANY ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND SUCCESSES BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT A COPY OF THIS RESOLUTION BE FORWARDED TO PAUL SIBO AS A TOKEN OF APPRECIATION ON THE PART OF THIS BOARD.AND I SHOULD ADD, PAUL WAS AWARDED THE CONSERVATIONIST OF THE YEAR FOR WISCONSIN LAST YEAR.
NOT MANY PEOPLE GET THAT HONOR, SO, WOOHOO.
I CAN JUST SAY A FEW WORDS, ENTERTAIN ME.
UM, I DEFINITELY WANT TO THANK THE COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, THEY ALL PAST COUNTY BOARD SUPERVISORS FOR THE SUPPORT OF THE PROGRAMS AND PROJECTS THAT NOT ONLY MYSELF WORKED ON, BUT ALSO, UH, THE OFFICE AND THE TEAM THAT I HAVE.
UM, ALSO LIKE TO THANK MY WIFE.
UM, I HAVE MY TWO DAUGHTERS HERE, NORA, NATALIE, UM, WANT TO THANK JOSH SCHULMAN AND HIS TEAM, UH, THAT HE HAS, ESPECIALLY JAMIE, MY BOSS, FOR THE, FOR THE KINDNESS AND SUPPORT SHE'S SHOWN OVER THE YEARS, THE LAST COUPLE YEARS, SCOTT SCHMIDT FOR BEING A GREAT FRIEND.
WE'VE WORKED TOGETHER FOR DECADES ALREADY, UM, FOR ALL THE SUPPORT THAT HE'S HAD.
UM, OBVIOUSLY BEING IN WASHINGTON COUNTY, I, MY FOOTPRINTS HAVE BEEN ON A LOT OF PROJECTS, UM, AND GOES FROM THE COUNTY FAIRGROUNDS, EVEN THE COMPLEX AROUND HERE.
UM, I, IT'S JUST, UH, AN AMAZING CAREER.
I STILL LOVE AND, AND PASSIONATE ABOUT CONSERVATION.
OKAY, NEXT WE HAVE RESOLUTION THREE COMMENDATION OF NANCY POOLE.
SECOND, MOTION BY SUPERVISOR GALL.
SECOND BY SUPERVISOR SHO TYPES.
WHEREAS NANCY POOLE HAS CONTRIBUTED 15 YEARS OF LOYAL SERVICE TO THE CITIZENS OF WASHINGTON COUNTY.
AND WHEREAS NANCY POOLE HAS CHOSEN TO RETIRE FROM HER PRESENT POSITION OF CRISIS INTERVENTION SPECIALIST WITH THE HUMAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT, NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT THE WASHINGTON COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS PAUSE IN ITS DELIBERATIONS TO PAY TRIBUTE AND TO COMMEND NANCY POOLE FOR
[00:05:01]
HER 15 YEARS OF MERITORIOUS SERVICE, BE IT FOR THE RESOLVED THAT ON BEHALF OF ALL CITIZENS OF WASHINGTON COUNTY, THIS BODY DOES HERE WITH EXTEND TO HER HEARTFELT THANKS FOR HER MANY ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND SUCCESSES, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT A COPY OF THIS RESOLUTION BE FORWARDED TO NANCY POOLE AS A TOKEN OF APPRECIATION ON THE PART OF THIS BOARD.[b. 2024 Resolution 3: Commendation of Nancy Poull]
YOU FOR YOUR YEARS OF SERVICE.THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU'VE DONE.
I'D LIKE TO SAY A REAL QUICK, UH, NOTE.
I, I WANNA TAKE WASHINGTON COUNTY.
UM, IT'S BEEN 15 YEARS IN THE CRISIS DEPARTMENT, AND IT'S BEEN A JOY.
I HAD WONDERFUL COWORKERS, GOOD SUPERVISORS, AND IT WAS A LITTLE SAD TO WALK AWAY FROM IT ALL, BUT THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
OUR NEXT ITEM IS ARPA AND FUND BALANCE UPDATES.
[a. ARPA and Fund Balance Updates]
OKAY.UM, SO WE'LL START WITH THE FUND BALANCE, UH, THE FUND BALANCE REPORT.
UM, MOST OF YOU HAVE SEEN THIS REPORT EXCEPT FOR THE NEW FOLKS, BUT, UM, SO IT'S THE SAME FORMAT AS, AS WE TYPICALLY SHOW.
UM, IT'S BEEN RECENTLY RECONCILED AGAIN.
SO, YOU KNOW, AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, AS PLANS CHANGE, AS NUMBERS DEVELOP, UH, PARTICULARLY IN THE 24 ESTIMATE AND 25 PLANNED COLUMNS, WE SORT OF RECONCILE AND ADJUST AND WE REPORT BACK.
UM, SO AGAIN, THERE'S SOME ESTIMATES THERE, BUT THEN THERE ARE ALSO COLUMNS FOR THE ACTUALS, RIGHT? 21 THROUGH THROUGH 23, THE ACTUAL SPEND AMOUNTS ARE IN THERE, UM, ACROSS THE, THE LEFT, SORT OF THE ROWS THERE, THOSE CATEGORIES, UM, THOSE ARE DEFINED BY THE FEDS.
UM, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A, A NUMBER OF, OF ELIGIBLE USES FOR ARPA.
AND SO WE SORT OF GROUP, UM, WE SORT OF GROUP OUR REPORT THAT WAY AS WELL.
UM, YOU KNOW, UH, SOME OF THEM ARE, ARE LABELED AND I THINK THEY'RE LABELED FAIRLY WELL, BUT IF THERE ARE QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT'S IN THOSE LINES, I CAN CERTAINLY HELP TO ANSWER THOSE.
BUT REALLY, UM, IN THE END, UH, YOU'LL SEE AT THE, THE BOTTOM RIGHT, UM, THE GREEN HIGHLIGHTED SELL ON THE BOTTOM RIGHT, THE $1.5 MILLION THAT REPRESENTS THE AMOUNT THAT'S STILL YET TO BE ALLOCATED, UM, OUT OF THAT, UH, ARPA OUT OF THE FULL 26.4 MILLION.
UH, SO THAT'S THE EXTENT OF THIS PRESENTATION.
I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
AGAIN, IF YOU'VE GOT QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT'S IN THESE LINES SPECIFICALLY OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
CAN I UNDERSTAND THAT THAT 1.5 MILLION ROUGHLY HAS NOT BEEN EARMARKED FOR ANYTHING AS OF YET? THAT'S CORRECT.
AS WE EARMARK THINGS, WE ADD THEM TO THOSE COLUMNS THAT ARE FURTHER OFF TO THE RIGHT 24 ESTIMATE OR 25 PLUS PLANNED.
SO, UM, THESE ARE UNALLOCATED SUPERVISOR SCHWAB.
UM, IS THERE A TIMELINE BY WHICH THOSE FUNDS NEED TO BE ALLOCATED, AND IS THERE A TIMELINE BY WHICH THOSE FUNDS NEED TO BE SPENT? UH, YES.
THEY, THEY DO NEED TO BE COMMITTED OR ALLOCATED BY THE END OF 2024, UM, AND THEN SPENT BY THE END OF 2026.
UM, AS THE GUIDANCE FROM THE US TREASURY CONTINUES TO COME OUT, UM, THEY'VE, THEY, THEY CONTINUE TO SOFTEN ON THOSE DEADLINES, BUT AT THIS POINT, THOSE ARE STILL HOLDING TRUE.
UM, SO THEY, THEY'VE SOFTENED ON SORT OF THE, WHAT IT, WHAT IT TAKES TO FORMALLY COMMIT THE DOLLARS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO THERE ARE SOME DIFFERENT OPTIONS, BUT, UM, AT THIS POINT, THOSE ARE THE TIMELINES.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? SO THEN YOU'RE CONTINUING ON TO THE FUND BALANCE? SURE.
UM, SO, UM, I'M GOING TO GIVE, UH, SORT OF A NON ACCOUNTANT VERSION OF, UH, THE GENERAL FUND BALANCE REPORT.
UM, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE'RE FOCUSING ON HERE, UM, WELL JUST TAKE A STEP BACK.
THERE IS A COPY OF A PRESENTATION ALSO INCLUDED IN THE
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PACKET, UM, THAT IS MORE FOR BACKGROUND PURPOSES.I DON'T PLAN ON GOING THROUGH ALL OF THOSE SLIDES.
UM, AGAIN, MOST OF YOU RECEIVED THAT, THAT SAW THAT PRESENTATION LAST SESSION.
UM, AND FOR THE NEW FOLKS, IF WE, IF WE WANTED, YOU KNOW, IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS, I CAN CERTAINLY HELP TO ANSWER THOSE OFFLINE.
UM, BUT AT THIS POINT, THAT PRESENTATION WAS INCLUDED MORE FOR BACKGROUND.
UM, SO AGAIN, THIS, THIS, UH, FUND BALANCE REPORT REALLY FOCUSES ON WHAT WE CALL UNASSIGNED FUND BALANCE.
UM, FOR ME, I THINK OF THIS AS THE SPENDABLE, UM, FUND BALANCE THAT WE HAVE.
UM, YOU KNOW, OVERALL, YOU KNOW, YOU SEE THE NUMBER HERE, 16.9 MILLION OVERALL, THE FUND BALANCE NUMBER IS MUCH HIGHER.
YOU KNOW, IT'S CLOSER TO 37 MILLION.
AND THEN WE START DEDUCTING LIABILITIES OFF THE TOP AND FACTORING DIFFERENT COMMITTED DOLLARS OUT OF THAT NUMBER.
SO ESSENTIALLY, SO WE'RE NOT SPENDING THINGS TWICE AND, AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, UH, AN EXAMPLE OF SOME OF THOSE THINGS WE DEDUCT OFF THE TOP WOULD BE THE CARRYOVER RESOLUTION THAT YOU'RE CONSIDERING, RIGHT? WE'VE JUST, 'CAUSE WE'VE GOT $37 MILLION IN THERE, WE TAKE THAT OUT SO THAT WE'RE NOT COUNTING IT TWICE.
UM, ANOTHER EXAMPLE WOULD BE THERE'S A NUMBER PLUGGED IN TO THAT LIABILITY FOR, UM, A KNOWN SAMARITAN OPERATING DEFICIT, FOR EXAMPLE, RIGHT? SO WE, WE TAKE THAT NUMBER OUT OF THE, OUT OF THE SPENDABLE FUND BALANCE 'CAUSE WE KNOW THERE'S A COMMITMENT THERE ALREADY.
UM, SO TO CONTINUE ON THE FIRST, THE FIRST SECTION, UM, IT'S CALLED LABEL AMOUNT PER POLICY.
SO THAT DESCRIBES OUR RESERVE, OUR FUND BALANCE RESERVE POLICY.
UM, IT'S ARTICULATED AS A PERCENTAGE OF OUR, OF OUR TOTAL EXPENDITURES, RIGHT? SO, UM, YOU CAN THINK OF IT AS LIKE YOUR FINANCIAL ADVISOR WOULD TELL YOU TO KEEP THE EQUIVALENT OF FOUR TO SIX MONTHS WORTH OF, OF BILLS.
UM, KEEP THAT DOLLAR AMOUNT IN YOUR SAVINGS ACCOUNT IN CASE YOUR REVENUES OR YOUR, YOUR INCOME SLOWS OR STOPS, RIGHT? SO THAT'S SIMILAR TO WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE.
UM, BUT, YOU KNOW, SO THAT'S GOOD FINANCIAL PRACTICE.
BUT THEN IN ADDITION, IT'S, UM, IT'S INDUSTRY BEST STAND, UH, INDUSTRY BEST PRACTICE.
UM, THE BOND RATING AGENCIES CONTINUE TO CITE, YOU KNOW, OUR HEALTHY FUND BALANCE POSITION AND POLICIES LIKE THIS AS THE REASON FOR OUR AAA BOND RATING.
UM, SO THAT'S THE REASON WHY WE, WE, WE USE, UH, THE LEVELS THAT WE USE.
YOU'LL SEE THE MINIMUM, UH, SPENDABLE FUND BALANCE, UH, PER OUR POLICY IS 12% OF OUR OPERATING EXPENDITURES.
SO THAT $10.2 MILLION, UH, THE MAXIMUM LEVEL, AGAIN, 13.6.
UM, SO THAT'S 16% OF OUR OPERATING EXPENDITURES.
ONE THING WE DO THAT'S A LITTLE BIT UNIQUE, AND THAT'S NOT REALLY SHOWN ON HERE, WE'VE, WE RECENTLY CREATED THE, THE PROPERTY TAX RELIEF FUND.
UM, SO WITH THAT FUND, WE ACTUALLY CAN TAKE OUR RESERVES UP TO 20% OF OPERATING EXPENDITURES, SO ALL THE WAY UP TO 17.1 MILLION.
UM, AND WE'VE GOT RULES AROUND THE USE OF THAT PROPERTY TAX RELIEF FUND.
UM, BUT, BUT IT SHOULD BE MENTIONED, AND I'LL TALK ABOUT THAT AGAIN HERE IN JUST A SECOND.
UM, WHAT THE BALANCE IS IN THAT PROPERTY TAX RELIEF FUND.
UM, SO CONTINUING TO MOVE DOWN THIS CHART, UM, THERE'S, UH, YOU SEE THE BALANCE AT THE END OF LAST YEAR WAS $18 MILLION.
UM, SO WELL ABOVE OUR MINIMUM AND MAXIMUM IN THE, IN THE POLICY.
UM, BUT THEN YOU, THEN, AS YOU MOVE DOWN THE CHART, WE START BACKING OUT, UM, SOME OF THE APPROVED, UM, THE APPROVED USE OF FUND BALANCE ALREADY FOR 2024.
SO WE APPROVED, WE'VE ALREADY APPROVED ABOUT $1.1 MILLION WORTH, UH, OF, OF FUND BALANCE TO BE USED.
UM, SO FACTORING THOSE THINGS IN, UM, THE CURRENT ESTIMATE FOR THE RESERVE BALANCE, THAT SPENDABLE FUND BALANCE IS 16.9 MILLION.
UM, WHAT THAT MEANS THEN, UH, IN COMPARISON TO THE RESERVE MAXIMUM, THAT'S WHERE YOU GET THAT $3.3 MILLION ESTIMATE OF, OF DOLLARS REMAINING.
UM, 3.3 ESSENTIALLY, THAT REPRESENTS WHAT'S IN THE PROPERTY TAX RELIEF FUND, $3.3 MILLION.
UM, AT THIS POINT, WE ARE AT APPROXIMATELY 19.9% OF OPERATING EXPENDITURES, RIGHT? SO APPROACHING THE VERY TOP OF OUR PROPERTY TAX RELIEF FUND, UM, VERY HEALTHY FUND BALANCE.
WE'RE IN A VERY GOOD POSITION.
UM, AGAIN, THIS IS PUSHING THE MAX, BUT I THINK WE'RE WELL POSITIONED, UM, TO, TO, AS WE GO INTO SOME OF THE, THE MORE MAJOR DECISIONS THAT WE DO HAVE TO MAKE.
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UM, YOU KNOW, ONE THING BEING, UH, THERE'S SOME, CERTAINLY SOME COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH CONTINUING, UM, AND, AND THE SALE OF, OF THE SAMARITAN.SO THAT'S GOING TO BE ONE FOR AN EXAMPLE.
UM, THERE'S A, THERE'S, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A, A COUPLE OF GENERAL FUND BALANCE REQUESTS, UM, POTENTIALLY ON THE HORIZON.
SO, SO THE FUND BALANCE IS HEALTHY, UM, AND WE'RE WELL POSITIONED TO, UM, TO CONTINUE TO MAKE SOME DECISIONS.
I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS ON THAT.
I, I TRY TO MAKE IT, UM, AS LITTLE ACCOUNTING SPEAK AS POSSIBLE.
UM, BUT, UM, ONE QUESTION THERE.
IS THE ENTERPRISE FUND FROM SAMARITAN OWES MONEY, IS THAT REFLECTED IN THIS NUMBER, OR IS THAT STILL OWED? SO THAT'S AN EXAMPLE OF ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT WE PEEL OFF THE TOP BEFORE WE START REPORTING ON THIS SPENDABLE FUND BALANCE THAT, THAT DEFICIT IS, IS, UM, WE'VE ALREADY TAKEN THAT MONEY OFF THE TABLE, SO IT'S CONSIDERED NONS SPENDABLE AT THIS POINT.
WHY ISN'T HE FLASHING? OH, HE'S ON
UH, AARON, I HAD A QUESTION FOR YOU.
UH, THE POLICY THAT WE HAVE FROM 12 TO 16%, AS LONG AS WE STAY ABOVE 12% DOES THAT, THAT DOESN'T CHANGE OUR BOND RATING TO FROM THE AAA.
UM, I, I, I THINK WE'RE, AS LONG AS WE STAY WITHIN THE PARAMETERS OF, OF WHAT WE SAID WE WOULD, WE WOULD DO, UM, I THINK THEY WOULD STILL LOOK UPON THAT AS FAVORABLE.
UM, BUT, YOU KNOW, THEY DID CITE OUR HEALTHY FUND BALANCE POSITION, UM, AS ONE OF THE REASONS THAT WE MAINTAINED OUR AAA RATING.
UM, THEY ALSO CITED SOME OF THE UNCERTAINTY AROUND THE SAMARITAN DECISION AS WELL AS A, AS A, UM, AND COUNTERED THAT WITH THE FUND BALANCE POSITION AS, AS OUR ABILITY TO DEAL WITH THAT UNCERTAINTY AND THAT RISK.
UM, SO I, I, I CAN'T SAY FOR SURE TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, BUT, BUT, UM, THEY ALWAYS LOOK UPON US FAVORABLY AS LONG AS WE'RE PLAYING BY THE RULES WE'VE LAID OUT FOR OURSELVES.
AND THEN, UH, SECOND QUESTION I HAD IS THE 3.2 MILLION, UM, THAT'S THE TAX, WELL, THAT'S WHAT'S IN THE TAX RELIEF FUND RIGHT NOW, UNLESS WE HAVE ANOTHER GENERAL FUND TRANSFER FOR WHO KNOWS WHAT.
AND WE HAVE BUDGETED TO SPEND HALF A MILLION FROM THE PROPERTY TAX RELIEF FUND IN THE 2025 BUDGET.
OKAY, THAT ANSWERS MY QUESTION.
UM, SO MR, BACK TO THE, UH, RELIEF FUND.
SO IS WHAT, FOUR YEARS OF SO AGO? I THINK WE CREATED IT, I THINK 2020 OR 21, AND I MEMORY SERVES ME, I THINK IT WAS LIKE $5 MILLION INITIALLY WE PUT INTO IT.
IT WAS NOT TO EXCEED 5 MILLION.
UM, SO IS THAT A SEGREGATED ACCOUNT? HELP REFRESH MY MEMORY.
IT'S, WE NOW WE'RE GETTING INTO ACCOUNTING SPEAK.
WE, WE, UM, WE COMMIT, WE COMMIT THE PROPERTY TAX RELIEF FUND AT THE BEGINNING OF EVERY YEAR.
UM, AND, AND SO WHEN WE SAID 5 MILLION, IT'S NOT LIKE WE'RE ADDING THIS IN EACH TIME.
THAT NUMBER SORT OF RESETS ITSELF EACH TIME WE DO AN ANALYSIS LIKE THIS.
SO THAT WHICH IS ABOVE THE MAXIMUM 16%, OR IN THIS CASE 13 6, 3 6, UM, THAT THREE SOME MILLION TO 3.3, THAT'S THE EXCESS.
AND THAT'S IN THE FUND RELIEF, CORRECT? THAT'S THE EXCESS ABOVE 16%.
AND IT'S IN THE PROPERTY TAX RELIEF FUND.
AND REMIND ME, WHAT ARE THE GUIDELINES FOR USE OF THAT PROPERTY TAX RELIEF FUND? UM, THE, SO WE BASICALLY, WE USE IT FOR DIRECT TAX LEVY OFFSETS, UM, BUYING DOWN, PAYING OFF DEBT, UM, UH, THINGS OF THAT NATURE, RIGHT? SO ESSENTIALLY, YOU KNOW, RETURNING IT TO THE TAXPAYER, RIGHT, BECAUSE IT WAS EXCESS COLLECTED TAXES.
SO HOW DO WE GIVE THAT BACK TO CORRECT, UH, THE CITIZENRY? SO FOR 2024, IS THERE ANY OF THAT QUOTE UNQUOTE GIVE BACK ALREADY IDENTIFIED? UM, IT, THERE IS NOT, NO, THERE IS NOT.
UM, WE'VE, LIKE, LIKE I SAID, WE BUDGETED TO USE SOME IN 25.
I, I, I THINK, YOU KNOW, EACH TIME WE, EACH TIME
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WE AUTHORIZE A GENERAL FUND TRANSFER, IT REDUCES THAT PROPERTY TAX RELIEF FUND AMOUNT, RIGHT? SO, SO, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT, THAT SORT OF IS AT PLAY HERE AS WELL.UM, THAT, THAT MAKES SENSE, THAT EXCESS AMOUNT.
MR. M**K, WOULD YOU LIKE THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE TO, HE MAY INTERJECT SOMETHING IN THE MEANTIME? NO.
UH, YOU SORT OF HIT ON THE, UH, AND SUPERVISOR GALL'S QUESTION WAS MY QUESTION AT THE END.
HOW DOES THAT MANIFEST ITSELF? SO THE INTERESTING THING IS, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE SAY THAT FOR PROPERTY TAX RELIEF OR THAT, UH, FOR GENERAL FUND EXPENDITURE, THAT THAT COMES OUT OF THAT, EXCEPT I HAVE AN OPERATING RANGE THAT, AND THIS SEEMS PRUDENT, YOU KNOW, 12 TO 16%.
SO OPTICALLY, THIS SORT OF LOOKS LIKE, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, THINGS THAT WE GET ON THE UW SYSTEM ABOUT HAVING THESE, YOU KNOW, UH, LET'S JUST SAY IT'S LUSH FUNDS, YOU KNOW, EXCESS REVENUE, UH, YOU KNOW, LINES THAT AREN'T REALLY ASSIGNED.
AND, UM, AND SO I'D, I'D BE CURIOUS, I, I WAS NOT HERE.
UM, I'VE ONLY BEEN ON THE BOARD FOR TWO YEARS WITH REGARD TO THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, THE PROGRAM FOR PROPERTY TAX RELIEF, BUT I, I, WE SHOULD DO A BETTER JOB OF EXPLAINING WHAT EXACTLY THAT MEANS, RIGHT? SO PEOPLE SAY THREE AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS LYING AROUND, AND THEY WOULD EXPECT THAT, YOU KNOW, IF WE COMPLAIN ABOUT OTHER PEOPLE THAT DO IT, THAT WE SHOULD HOLD OURSELVES TO THAT STANDARD.
AND SO, UH, A BETTER EXPLANATION OF EXACTLY HOW THAT IS APPLIED AND MANIFESTS ITSELF WOULD BE GOOD.
I APPRECIATE THAT FEEDBACK AND I'LL DEFINITELY, YOU KNOW, YEAH.
CAN YOU, CAN YOU GET ME SOMETHING, AARON, ON THAT, THAT JUST SORT OF SPEAKS TO THAT A LITTLE BIT? SURE.
SO IF SOMEONE ASKS ME, YOU KNOW, LISTEN, YOU KNOW, THIS IS WHAT'S GOING, YOU KNOW, THIS IS WHAT'S HAPPENING TO THOSE DOLLARS, RIGHT? SURE.
AND I'LL JUST SAY IT AGAIN, PEOPLE HAVE SORT OF THIS, YOU KNOW, FEDERAL GOVERNMENT UNFORTUNATELY DOESN'T HAVE THIS PROBLEM, BUT OUR STATE GOVERNMENT HAS AN ACCESS, ARE UW HAS, YOU KNOW, MONEY LAYING AROUND EVERYWHERE.
AND I THINK PEOPLE CAST A WARY EYE WHEN THEY SEE THESE THINGS AND THEY DON'T SEE HOW IT'S COMING BACK TO THEM, RIGHT? MM-HMM.
AND SO WE SHOULD BE VERY TRANSPARENT ABOUT THAT.
AND THANK YOU FOR THE, THE COMMENTS, UH, BOTH SUPERVISOR M**K AND SUPERVISOR GATZ, UH, BECAUSE THEY ARE POIGNANT.
AND I'M, I AM NOT AN ACCOUNTANT AND I'M ALSO NOT A BUDGET EXPERT, BUT I AM, I HA HAVE A SIXTH GRADE MATH LEVEL EDUCATION.
SO LET ME BREAK IT DOWN TO YOU THAT WAY.
UM, AS AARON ALLUDED TO, UM, IT'S BASICALLY, THINK OF IT AS A KIND OF A, A GRAIN BIN AND AN OVERFLOW.
AND THE PROPERTY TAX RELIEF FUND ACTS AS OVERFLOW.
THE REASON IT'S IMPORTANT, AND THE REASON IT WAS CREATED FOUR YEARS AGO IS MANY PEOPLE AT THAT TIME LIVED THROUGH THE GREAT RECESSION WHEN, AND WE HAVE A LARGE PORTION OF OUR OPERATING BUDGET, WHICH IS SALES TAX.
WHEN SALES TAX IS GOING GOOD, IT'S GOING REALLY GOOD.
WHEN SALES TAX IS GOING BAD, IT'S REALLY, REALLY BAD.
SO THE PHILOSOPHY WITH THE $5 MILLION IS IT BUYS YOU ENOUGH TIME IN A BAD SALES TAX CYCLE, UH, TO BASICALLY HOLD, EVEN HOLD YOURSELF FLAT, IF YOU WILL, UM, UNTIL SALES TAX CAN REBOUND.
SO DURING THE GREAT RECESSION, UM, BASICALLY IMMEDIATELY YOU START TO FEEL REDUCTIONS IN LOSSES IN SALES TAX.
AND THIS IS A, BASICALLY A MECHANISM TO PLUG THAT HOLE FOR UP TO TWO TO THREE YEARS.
IF THAT HOLE IS THAT LARGE DURING THE GREAT RECESSION, IT TOOK A FULL THREE YEARS TO GET FROM POINT A BACK TO POINT A, IT DROPPED THAT LOW.
UM, SO THAT, THAT IS GENERALLY THE PHILOSOPHY.
THAT BEING SAID, UM, C YOU SHOULD KNOW MUNICIPALITIES, CITIES AND VILLAGES HAVE A MUCH HIGHER THRESHOLD FOR THEIR FUND BALANCES.
MANY CASES THEY'RE OFF IN 25 OR 30%, OFTENTIMES BECAUSE THEIR BORROWING CAPACITY ISN'T NEARLY WHAT OURS IS.
OUR BORROWING CAPACITY IS OVER A BILLION DOLLARS.
SO FOR US, IT'S A LITTLE LESS, UH, URGENT TO HAVE SUCH A LARGE, UH, UH, FUND BALANCE.
HOWEVER, I DON'T GET NERVOUS AS A SIXTH GRADE, UH, MATH PERSON.
I DON'T GET NERVOUS UNTIL THAT 16% GETS CLOSE TO 14, 12 IS UNCOMFORTABLY CLOSE.
AND WHILE A TECHNICAL, UH, BUDGET PERSON OR A CPA MIGHT NOT SAY, YOU KNOW, IT MAY OR MAY NOT IMPACT OUR BOND RATING, WHEN YOU START GETTING TO 14, KNOWING THAT A MUNICIPALITY IS GENERALLY SITTING AROUND 25 OR 30,
[00:25:02]
I GUARANTEE YOU THOSE SAME AUDITORS ARE GONNA LOOK AT THAT AND START TO HYPERVENTILATE.SO I, I'M VERY, UM, FLUID WITH THOSE NUMBERS, MAKING SURE, YOU KNOW, WE CERTAINLY WANT DON'T WANT THAT PROPERTY TAX RELIEF FUND TO GET TOO LOW, BECAUSE IF YOU THINK ABOUT THAT 12 TO 16%, IF YOU TOOK AWAY THE PROPERTY TAX RELIEF FUND AND YOU HAD YOUR SALES TAX DROP LIKE THAT, LIKE IT DID BACK IN OH NINE AND 10, UM, YOU'RE DIPPING INTO FUND BALANCE.
SO IT GIVES US A LITTLE BIT OF ROOM, AND IT GIVES YOU ABILITY TO MAKE DECISIONS, CASH DECISIONS, RATHER THAN BORROWING DECISIONS ON THINGS LIKE THE UWWC ELECTRICAL ISSUE.
YOU CAN PAY CASH ON THE SPOT RATHER THAN HAVING TO DO SOME KIND OF SHORT TERM BORROWING OR LONGER MIDTERM BORROWING.
SO IT, IT GIVES US SOME FLEXIBILITY, AS THEY SAY, CASH IS KING, AND IT ALLOWS FOR THIS KIND OF SAFETY RELIEF VALVE IN THE EVENT THAT YOU DO HAVE, UH, A SALES TAX ISSUE, WHICH WE, IF YOU NOTICE IN OUR CIPS AND IN OUR BUDGET PROCESSES, MORE AND MORE IS SHIFTING TOWARDS OPERATION.
YOU WANNA KNOW WHY WE CUT PROPERTY TAX LEVY, UH, FIVE OUTTA THE LAST 10 YEARS, WE'VE GOT THIS RELIEF VALVE OF PROPERTY TAX RELIEF WHEN MOST OTHER PLACES DON'T CARRY STUFF LIKE THAT.
SO, HO HOPEFULLY THAT BEGINS TO ANSWER SOME MORE OF YOUR QUESTIONS, BUT I DO THINK HAVING THOSE THINGS WRITTEN IN, IN POLICY THAT CAN BE SHARED, UH, WITH THE ELECTORATE PROBABLY IS A, IS A GOOD IDEA.
ANYBODY ELSE WISH TO SPEAK OR QUESTION? SUPERVISOR GALLS.
SO THE FOLLOW UP, UH, EXECUTIVE SHOWMAN, SO TO, TO YOUR, WELL, AND EVEN, UM, UH, MR. DAHL, THE, THE COMMENT THAT WE ARE USING AND HAVE ALLOCATED AS, AS CALLED OUT HERE.
SO IS IT PRUDENT FOR THE BOARD TO HAVE AWARENESS OF POTENTIAL FUTURE, UH, REQUESTS AGAINST, AS YOU ALLUDED TO, BUT YOU DIDN'T CALL THEM OUT SPECIFICALLY, WHETHER IT BE 24, 25, OR 26, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE OUR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT, PRESUMABLY MOST OF THOSE ARE WITHIN OUR OPERATING BUDGET, BUT IF MEMORY SERVES ME, THERE'S A FEW THINGS THAT PROBABLY WOULDN'T FALL INTO OPERATING BUDGET.
SO WOULD THAT THEN BE, UH, AGAINST THE PROPERTY RELIEF? THE SHORT ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION IS YES, AND THE CIP UM, IS GENERALLY THE TOOL WE USE TO TRY TO BE TELEGRAPH AS MUCH AS WE POSSIBLY CAN.
UM, THE, THE SAMARITAN, UH, AS, AS AARON ALLUDED TO, UM, WE HAVE SOME OF THOSE THINGS PARKED ALREADY, BUT THERE'S GONNA BE MORE.
WE JUST DON'T HAVE SOLID NUMBERS ON WHERE THEY ARE.
AND YOU GOTTA REMEMBER, WE HAVE A ALMOST $150 MILLION OPERATING, OPERATING BUDGET.
SO TO BE OFF BY A MILLION AND A HALF IS, IT'S NOT A LOT, IT'S NOT A LOT OF MONEY AT ALL.
SO, UM, I I THINK WE'RE, AS WE'RE TELEGRAPHING AS FAR FORWARD AS WE CAN WITHOUT BEING A LITTLE BIT RECKLESS.
AARON, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANNA NO, THAT'S, THAT'S, YEAH.
UM, I THINK IN THE, IN THE, IN THE CIP THERE ARE NO, THERE'S NOTHING THAT'S UNFUNDED IN THERE.
UM, SO, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S MOSTLY SALES TAX OR ENTER OR, OR FUND BALANCE IN THE ENTERPRISE FUNDS.
SO WE DON'T TYPICALLY PLAN TO SPEND THIS DOWN AS PART OF THE CIP, BUT, UM, BUT JOSH IS CORRECT ON, ON HIS COMMENTS, RIGHT? AND ASSUMING THAT THE SALES TAX, UH, THE REALITIES, UH, UH, COME IN, RIGHT? MM-HMM,
UM, I DO APPRECIATE THE CONSERVATISM THAT WE HAVE OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS.
WE'VE RECEIVED GREATER RECEIPTS IN COUNTY SALES TAX THAN WHAT WE BUDGETED FOR AND WHAT WE EXPENDED FOR.
SO IT, IT'S GOOD TO CONTINUE TO, TO SEE THAT AND WHAT APPLAUD, UH, THAT THAT CONTINUATION, UM, WHICH PRESUMABLY THEY THEN CAN HELP GO BACK TO THE SHARED SERVICES BUCKET.
'CAUSE I THINK I QUESTIONED THAT THE LAST BOARD MEETING OR TWO IS, BOY, WE SEEM TO BE HAVING A LOT THAT ARE COMING AGAINST THE SALES TAX.
WELL, WHEN THAT SALES TAX GOES COLLECTION GOES DOWN, WHICH IT WILL, WE, WE KNOW IT WILL.
WELL, IF, IF WE HAVE ONGOING EXPENSES THAT ARE COMING OFF OF THAT, THEN WE HAVE AN ISSUE.
I, I SHOULD ALSO CLARIFY, THERE WAS A, I DON'T REMEMBER WHICH ONE OF YOU MADE THE COMMENT, BUT, UM, COMMENTING ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT WE HAVE PLANNED USE OF THAT SALES TAX RELIEF FUND, AND, AND AARON MENTIONED, NO, TECHNICALLY THAT'S CORRECT.
HOWEVER, WE DO BUDGET, HAVE, HAVE A BUDGETED USE
[00:30:01]
OF FUND BALANCE.UH, AND THAT WAS MENTIONED, BUT NOT IN THE CONTEXT OF ANSWERING THAT QUESTION, WHICH, WHICH IS A BUDGETING WAY OF SAYING WE ARE PLANNING TO USE IT.
WE USE IT BASICALLY IN THE BACK END OF THE BIENNIUM EVERY SINGLE YEAR, WHICH MEANS WE'RE, WE HAVE A $500,000 HOLE IN THE FOLLOWING BIENNIUM.
SO EVERY NEW BIENNIUM WE'RE STARTING WITH A HALF A MILLION DOLLAR HOLE PLUS WHATEVER THE NEW EXPENDITURES ARE.
'CAUSE THAT'S ONE TIME MONEY THAT WE'RE PLUGGING IN FOR ONGOING EXPENSES.
SO IT IS IN FACT PLANNED, BUT, BUT PRACTICALLY PROBABLY LIKE MOST OF YOUR BUSINESSES OR HOUSEHOLDS, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, WE HAVE $150 MILLION OPERATING BUDGET AND THERE'S A BIG GIANT BREAK BEING PULLED EVERY YEAR RIGHT AROUND SEPTEMBER ON, OH MY GOSH, WE'RE GETTING CLOSE TO SPENDING TOO MUCH SLOW DOWN, AND THEN WE ALWAYS SLOW DOWN A LITTLE BIT MORE THAN WE NEED TO.
UM, AND IN THE LAST COUPLE OF TRIES, WE ACTUALLY HAVEN'T TOUCHED THAT HALF A MILLION DOLLARS.
SO, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, A MILLION AND A HALF IS A LOT OF MONEY, BUT RELATIVE TO A $150 MILLION BUDGET, YOU KNOW, IT'S 1%.
SO IT'S, IT, IT'S A CONSERVATISM MAYBE TO THE EXTREME.
UM, BUT I'D MUCH RATHER BE IN THIS SITUATION THAN WE HAVE.
THERE ARE OTHER MUNICIPALITIES WHO END UP HAVING TO SHORT TERM BORROW.
UM, AND IT'S NOT UNCOMMON FOR TO FIND A MUNICIPALITY AND CERTAINLY SCHOOL DISTRICTS ALL ACROSS WISCONSIN WHO ARE SHORT TERM BORROWING JUST TO KEEP CASH FLOW.
OUR NEXT PRESENTATION IS THE ECONOMIC ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, WASHINGTON COUNTY ANNUAL UPDATE.
[b. Economic Development Washington County (EDWC) Annual Update]
GOOD EVENING.DOESN'T LOOK LIKE THERE'S A BUTTON I NEED TO PRESS TO MAKE THE, UH, MICROPHONE WORK.
AND, UH, WE'LL GET A PRESENTATION UP ON THE SCREEN, I BELIEVE HERE, WHICH IS EXCELLENT.
'CAUSE YOU WERE SEEING THE BACK OF MY BALD HEAD BEFORE.
UM, SO FIRST OF ALL, GOOD EVENING, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO GET IN FRONT OF YOU.
UM, WE GET IN FRONT OF THE COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS TWICE A YEAR, ONE TIME WITH THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE TO GO IN DEPTH INTO OUR REVOLVING LOAN FUND, UH, PORTFOLIO ADMINISTRATION, AND ANOTHER TIME WITH THE BROADER COUNTY BOARD.
SO FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO, WHO, UH, HAVE BEEN IN EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE, UM, THERE WILL BE A SLIDE OR TWO THAT IS A, IS A LITTLE BIT A REPEAT, APOLOGIZE IN ADVANCE, BUT IN GENERAL, WE TAKE A MUCH BROADER VIEW.
IF YOU DO WANNA DO A DEEPER DIVE ON THE, UH, LOAN FUND PROGRAM THAT WE MANAGE ON YOUR BEHALF, BY ALL MEANS FEEL FREE TO REACH OUT.
UM, MY NAME IS CHRISTIAN CHELA.
I'M EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR WITH EDWC.
BEEN IN THE FIELD OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FOR DECADES NOW, BUT THE GREATEST PRIVILEGE HAS BEEN TO BE NOW WORKING ON 20 YEARS, UH, HERE IN WASHINGTON COUNTY.
AND IT'S BEEN SUCH A PRIVILEGE BECAUSE THIS IS A, A PLACE WHERE WE HAVE MOVED FROM AN ORGANIZATION THAT HAPPENS TO BE A NON-PROFIT, DOING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TO A PROFESSIONAL CONSULTING PRACTICE THAT THAT'S LEADING THE WAY.
UH, OUR MISSION IS TO FUEL GROWTH BUSINESSES FOR THE CREATION OF QUALITY JOBS AND ECONOMIC PROSPERITY.
FOR SOME OF YOU THAT ARE NEW TO THE, UH, COUNTY BOARD OR NEW TO EDWC, UH, THOUGHT WE WOULD, UH, SHARE A QUICK VIDEO HERE THAT CAPTURED WHAT DOES THAT MISSION MEAN? AND WITH ANY LUCK, THE INTERNET WILL WORK FOR US HERE.
IF YOU'VE EVER NOTICED A NEW BUSINESS OPENING IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND FELT A LITTLE PROUD OF YOUR COMMUNITY, THAT'S ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
IF YOU'VE EVER THOUGHT ABOUT RETRAINING OR UPGRADING YOUR SKILLS AT A LOCAL COLLEGE, THAT'S ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
IF YOU'VE EVER HAD TO LOOK FOR A NEW JOB AND FELT CONFIDENT THAT YOU WON'T NEED TO MOVE, THAT'S ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
I WANNA LET YOU IN ON A LITTLE SECRET.
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IS AT THE HEART OF EVERY GREAT COMMUNITY, BECAUSE A STRONG ECONOMY DOESN'T JUST MEAN MORE JOBS.
IT MEANS MORE OPPORTUNITIES, MORE CHOICES, MORE RESILIENCY FOR EVERYONE.
SO DEVELOPING OUR ECONOMY REALLY MEANS DEVELOPING OUR COMMUNITY.
AND DYNAMIC THRIVING COMMUNITIES DON'T HAPPEN BY CHANCE.
IT TAKES THE EFFORTS OF SKILLED EXPERTS ON THE FRONT LINES WORKING HARD EVERY DAY TO MAKE OUR COMMUNITY A LITTLE BETTER.
WE ARE YOUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROFESSIONALS FROM LOCAL TO NATIONAL.
OUR COMMON OBJECTIVE IS A STRONGER, MORE RESILIENT, MORE INCLUSIVE ECONOMY.
FROM NEW BUSINESSES TO OLD INDUSTRIES, SMALL TOWNS TO BIG CITIES, WE UNDERSTAND WHAT IT TAKES TO BUILD A VIBRANT COMMUNITY, HELPING IT GROW STRONGER, WHERE EVERYONE
[00:35:01]
HAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO THRIVE.HOW DO WE DO IT EASY WITH EDUCATION AND EXPERTISE.
WE COLLABORATE TO ATTRACT NEW BUSINESSES AND WORK HARD TO CHAMPION FOR THE ONES WE HAVE, MAYBE EVEN HELP THEM GROW.
WE CAN HELP NAVIGATE FUNDING OPTIONS, FINANCING PROGRAMS, AND INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES, AND CONNECT YOU WITH THE RIGHT GOVERNMENT RESOURCES.
WE KNOW TECHNOLOGY, WE UNDERSTAND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT.
WE ARE EXPERTS IN PARTNERSHIPS, MENTORSHIPS, AND APPRENTICESHIPS.
WE CAN WORK WITH COUNCILS TO DEVELOP BETTER STRATEGIES.
WE CAN WORK WITH SCHOOLS TO DEVELOP NEW TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES.
WE CAN CAN WORK WITH COMMUNITY LEADERS TO IDENTIFY CURRENT GAPS.
WE CAN PROVIDE INFORMATION ON EVERYTHING FROM LOCAL TRENDS TO INTERNATIONAL EXPORT REGULATIONS, TO IMPLEMENTING NEW TECHNOLOGY TO INDUSTRIAL CLUSTER DEVELOPMENT.
WE DO A THOUSAND DIFFERENT THINGS CUSTOMIZED TO THE UNIQUE NEEDS OF OUR COMMUNITY BASED ON MOUNTAINS OF RESEARCH AND TRAINING AND BEST PRACTICES.
BECAUSE DEVELOPING OUR ECONOMY IS A SCIENCE AND IT IS AN ART.
SO THIS IS HOW SUCCESSFUL COMMUNITIES INVEST IN THE FUTURE IN SUSTAINABILITY AND OPPORTUNITY AND RESILIENCY IN OURSELVES, WHICH MEANS CREATING A BETTER PLACE TO LIVE WITH PURPOSE, A DYNAMIC THRIVING COMMUNITY FOR ALL OF US.
WE ARE HERE FOR YOU SO WE CAN BUILD A STRONGER COMMUNITY TOGETHER.
LET'S GET TO WORK, LET'S GET TO WORK, LET'S GET TO WORK.
AND HERE IN WASHINGTON COUNTY, SORRY, HOW DO I MOVE ON HERE? THERE WE GO.
TRYING TO, SORRY, TRYING TO MOVE US ON HERE.
I WAS NOT UNDER ANY PRESSURE SPEAKING IN FRONT OF THE COUNTY BOARD UNTIL WE HAD THE BOY SCOUTS HERE, AND THEN, THEN THE, THEN THE PRESSURE, PRESSURE CAME ON.
EDWC HAS BEEN AROUND SINCE 2005, AND WE'RE IN THE MOST EXCITING TIME RIGHT NOW.
WHEN WE FIRST STARTED, IT WAS A STARTUP, FRANKLY, A LITTLE BIT OF ALL THINGS TO ALL PEOPLE.
IF YOU WERE AROUND BACK THEN, UH, WITH WASHINGTON COUNTY, UH, THE NEXT PHASE WAS REALLY FOCUS AND ACCOUNTABILITY, UH, AND RIGHT.
TODAY IT'S EXCITING IN THAT WE ARE HERE LEADING THE WAY AND FOCUSED IN ON IMPACT.
WHAT HAS THAT MEANT IN TERMS OF HOW WE HAVE EVOLVED THE BUSINESS OF EDWC AND INVOLVED THE PARTNERSHIP HERE WITH WASHINGTON COUNTY? YOU CAN SEE FIRST AND FOREMOST, YOU ACTUALLY MADE A CHALLENGE OUT THERE AND SAID, UH, WE WANT YOU TO BE A NONPROFIT THAT CAN, UH, EARN YOUR OWN WAY AND, AND MOVE FORWARD, UH, WITH YOUR OWN CAPABILITIES AND YOUR OWN RESOURCES.
AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT WE'VE DONE.
WE ARE IN AN EAT WHAT WE KILL MODE.
O OVER 90% OF OUR REVENUES ARE EARNED REVENUES, UM, SOME OF WHICH, UH, COME FROM DOING WORK HERE FOR YOU AND, AND WASHINGTON COUNTY.
UH, I DO WANT TO POINT OUT THAT OUR BOARD JUST LAST YEAR, MADE THE DECISION TO MAINTAIN OUR 5 0 1 C FOUR NONPROFIT STATUS AS PART OF THAT EVOLUTION TO ENSURE THAT WE MAINTAINED THAT PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP MODEL AND DIDN'T STRAY AWAY FROM FROM THAT AS PART OF OUR, OUR MISSION GOING FORWARD, WE ARE VERY DEAL FOCUSED.
WE ARE VERY WASHINGTON COUNTY AND LOCAL BUSINESS FOCUSED.
THAT IS NOT A GIVEN FOR ALL OF OUR PEERS.
A LOT OF THEM ARE LOOKING FOR THE NEXT SHINY SPARKLY STAR THAT'S OUT THERE COMING FROM AFAR.
WE BELIEVE WE'VE GOT A LOT OF GREAT COMPANIES, BIG AND SMALL, RIGHT HERE IN WASHINGTON COUNTY THAT DESERVE THE ATTENTION AND ARE GETTING IT.
WE, UH, HAVE VARIOUS LINES OF BUSINESS THAT WE OPERATE IN.
UH, WELL OVER 80% OF OUR BUSINESS IS IN THAT EXISTING BUSINESS EXPANSION BUCKET.
UH, WE ARE SECOND TO NONE IN TERMS OF CAPABILITIES, THANKS, IN PART TO THE PARTNERSHIP THAT WE HAVE WITH YOU AND A $20 MILLION LOAN PORTFOLIO WITH NEW BUSINESS RECRUITMENT IN ADDITION TO THAT EXISTING BUSINESS EXPANSION.
AND WE'VE ALSO BEEN LEADING THE WAY, UH, THROUGH OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT, UH, ON SITE REDEVELOPMENT AND BROWNFIELD REDEVELOPMENT.
IF WE DON'T HAVE TO, UM, MESS WITH A CORNFIELD AND WE CAN REPURPOSE EXISTING INFRASTRUCTURE, UH, THAT IS BEYOND AWESOME, THAT IS JUST GOOD FOR THE TAXPAYER, GOOD FOR, FOR INVESTMENT HERE IN WASHINGTON COUNTY.
AND SO WE, THANKS TO YOU AS A COUNTY BOARD HAVE RESOURCES TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT.
HOW DO WE ENGAGE IS THAT CONSULTING PRACTICE AND FUEL BUSINESSES? IT'S THROUGH THE FOUR THINGS THAT YOU SEE THERE IN THIS, UH, SLIDE CAPITAL CONSULTING WORKFORCE AND OUR ANALYTICS.
AND WE'LL SHARE WITH YOU IN A COUPLE OF SLIDES HERE
[00:40:01]
EXACTLY WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE.THERE'S A, A LOT OF DETAIL THERE, BUT LET'S, UH, HEAR FROM A COUPLE OF BUSINESSES ON WHAT THE, UH, WASHINGTON COUNTY IMPACT RLF HAS MEANT FOR THEM, WHICH IS, UH, CAPITAL AS PART OF THE FUEL THERE THAT WE OFFER IN WORKING WITH OUR EXISTING BUSINESSES.
THE TIME CAME TO FIGURE OUT WHERE THIS BUSINESS WAS GONNA BE.
I HAD TWO SMALL CHILDREN AND REALLY WANTED TO BRING THEM BACK HERE TO GROW UP SURROUNDED BY FAMILY AND FRIENDS.
AND THIS COMMUNITY PROSPERITY IN OUR COMMUNITY IS NOT CREATED BY GOVERNMENT.
IT'S CREATED BY THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE HERE AND THE BUSINESSES.
IT'S PROSPEROUS FAMILIES THAT MAKE THIS COMMUNITY GREAT, AND WE WANT YOU TO BE PART OF THAT.
SO THE PLANNING STARTED ALMOST A DECADE AGO, AND WE REALLY WERE WORRIED THAT WE WEREN'T GONNA BE ABLE TO BUILD THE BUILDING.
WE WERE GONNA HAVE TO START CUTTING CORNERS OR SCALING BACK.
AND THAT'S WHERE THE REVOLVING LOAN FUND REALLY CAME IN WAS, HEY, THERE'S THIS OPPORTUNITY TO DO THIS THE WAY WE REALLY WANT TO AND TO NOT CUT ANY OF THOSE CORNERS AND TO DELIVER THE BUILDING THAT THIS COMMUNITY REALLY DESERVED.
ONE OF THE STRENGTHS OF WASHINGTON COUNTY IS THE FACT THAT THEY HAVE A UNIFIED STRATEGY AROUND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, AND THAT INCLUDES REALLY FOCUSING ON THE EXISTING BUSINESSES THAT ARE PRESENT IN THE COUNTY AND CAPITALIZING ON THEIR GROWTH POTENTIAL.
THE REVOLVING LOAN FUND REALLY TARGETS ANY BUSINESS IN WASHINGTON COUNTY THAT HAS HIGH GROWTH POTENTIAL.
EVERY YEAR FOR SEVERAL YEARS, THEY HAVE BEEN INVESTING A PORTION OF THE SALES TAX TO HELP FUEL THESE GROWTH COMPANIES SO THAT THEY CAN CREATE JOBS, THEY CAN MAKE THE INVESTMENTS THAT THEY NEED TO MAKE IN THEIR BUILDINGS AND IN EQUIPMENT.
AND THAT'S PUTTING MORE MONEY IN PEOPLE'S POCKETS, WHICH IS GENERATING MORE SALES TAX.
NOW IT'S STARTING TO GENERATE ITS OWN ABILITY BECAUSE AS LOANS GET PAID, THAT MONEY GOES BACK INTO THE PORTFOLIO TO BE ABLE TO LOAN OUT TO THE NEXT BUSINESS THAT'S LOOKING TO GROW.
SO WE FAB'S A CONTRACT METAL MANUFACTURER.
WE CUT BEND AND WELD STEEL FOR VARIOUS CUSTOMERS.
WE FAB HAS BEEN AROUND SINCE THE 1990S.
THE HANH FAMILY, HUSBAND AND WIFE OWNED IT FOR 32 YEARS.
THEY WANTED TO MOVE ON AND THEY WERE LOOKING FOR A NEW OWNER TO CONTINUE THE LEGACY AND CARRY THE TORCH FORWARD.
WE WERE ABLE TO USE THE REVOLVING LOAN FUND TO ACQUIRE THE ASSETS OF THE BUSINESS WE TOOK OVER LAST JANUARY.
SINCE THEN, WE'VE INVESTED OVER $2 MILLION IN NEW EQUIPMENT.
WE'VE HIRED ALMOST 30 NEW FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES.
YOU KNOW, IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO US TO STAY IN WASHINGTON COUNTY AND SUPPORT EVERYTHING THAT THE COUNTY'S DONE FOR US.
THERE ARE A FEW DIFFERENT WAYS THAT WE LOOK AT THE RETURN.
ONE IS NEW INVESTMENT INTO OUR OVERALL ECONOMY, SUCH AS A NEW BUILDING CREATES NEW PROPERTY TAXES.
WE'VE HAD OVER 400 MILLION WORTH OF NEW INVESTMENTS SINCE THE INCEPTION OF THE PROGRAM THAT HAS BEEN CULTIVATED HERE IN WASHINGTON COUNTY.
ANOTHER WAY THAT YOU CAN MEASURE SUCCESS FOR SOMETHING LIKE THIS IS WE OBVIOUSLY WANNA PUT MONEY IN PEOPLE'S POCKETS, AND WE HAVE PUT OVER $800 MILLION WORTH OF NEW WAGES INTO OUR AREA ECONOMY.
THOSE ARE MULTIPLES OF THOUSANDS OF PROSPEROUS LIVES AND FAMILIES THAT HAVE NEW OPPORTUNITIES AS A RESULT OF INVESTMENT IN THIS PROGRAM.
HDI WHOLESALE IS OUR FAMILY COMPANY.
WE ARE A WHOLESALE DISTRIBUTOR, AND OUR PRIMARY CUSTOMERS ARE CHARITY, NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS.
WE WERE IN A 30,000 SQUARE FOOT WAREHOUSE.
WE WERE RENTING, AND WE NEEDED MORE THAN TWICE THAT SPACE.
JIM BLY, FROM DESIGN TO CONSTRUCT REFERRED US TO EDWC, WHICH WAS REALLY ESSENTIAL IN ALLOWING US TO BUILD THE BUILDING OF OUR DREAMS FOR OUR BUSINESS.
THE EDWC PORTION OF OUR FUNDING PACKAGE CAME IN RIGHT AT THE BEGINNING, AND SO WE WERE ABLE TO CLOSE ON THE LAND QUICKLY, WHICH WAS THE FIRST STEP.
IT'S AN IMPRESSIVE LOOKING BUILDING.
IT REALLY GIVES US CREDIBILITY IN GOING AFTER LARGE NEW NATIONAL CHARITIES THAT ARE LOOKING AT US AS THEIR RESOURCE FOR GETTING WHAT THEY NEED.
SO OUR BUSINESS PLAN REALLY DID EXPAND AND WE'VE GONE FULL FORCE INTO IT, AND IT'S PAID OFF.
IT'S NOT ABOUT THE NUMBERS, IT'S ABOUT THE PEOPLE THAT ARE HERE AND MAKING NEW OPPORTUNITIES IN THEIR OWN COMMUNITIES.
ASPEN SKY IS A WINERY, A DISTILLERY, AND AN EVENT CENTER WRAPPED UP IN ONE BUILDING HERE IN SLINGER.
WE'RE KIND OF TUCKED BACK AT THE END OF AN INDUSTRIAL PARK TO REALLY GIVE US AN AMAZING BACKYARD AREA AS WELL.
I LOVE THAT I GOT TO COME BACK TO MY HOMETOWN TO BE SURROUNDED BY MY FAMILY AND THE COMMUNITY I GREW UP IN AND PURSUE THIS DREAM THAT I'D HAD FOR A DECADE BEFORE WE HEAR FROM CUSTOMER AFTER CUSTOMER THAT THIS PROGRAM HAS BEEN A GAME CHANGER FOR WHAT THEY WANT TO ACCOMPLISH, ALLOWING THEM TO DO MORE, DO BETTER, AND EXCEED THEIR OWN EXPECTATIONS.
UH, IT IS WITH YOUR INVESTMENT AND, UM, FORWARD THINKING APPROACH TO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT WITH THE UNITED FORCE THAT WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO MAKE THOSE KINDS OF DIFFERENCES.
IT GETS A LITTLE, UM, EASY IF YOU'VE BEEN AROUND THE COUNTY BOARD FOR A WHILE TO THINK THAT THIS IS
[00:45:01]
PRETTY NORMAL ACROSS THE STATE OF WISCONSIN.I CAN TELL YOU IN SPEAKING WITH OUR PEERS AND WITH OTHERS WHO, UH, GIVE US A CALL TO FIGURE OUT HOW ARE YOU DOING THIS? IT IS NOT, UH, THE SUCCESS THAT YOU HAVE HERE IS REALLY PARALLELED WITH ONLY A COUPLE OF OTHER DEVELOPMENT GROUPS, UH, IN THE STATE.
AND SO IT'S, UH, AGAIN, THAT PRIVILEGE TO SERVE.
ONE OTHER REASON THAT WE'RE DIFFERENT IN HOW WE DO THINGS BEYOND THE FACT THAT WE DO HAVE A FOCUS ON THOSE BUSINESSES THAT ARE ALREADY HERE, IS YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE THAT GIGANTIC ENTERPRISE.
HERE'S AN EXAMPLE OF A VERY RECENT LOAN CLOSING THIS YEAR THAT WE DID WITH V AND ASSOCIATES OUT IN HARTFORD, UH, COMPANY THAT'S VERY DEDICATED TO COMMUNITY.
UH, AND IT WAS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE COMMUNITY TO BE A PART OF GIVING BACK TO THAT BUSINESS AND HELPING THEM GROW.
THEY HAVE BEEN ACQUIRING OTHER CPA FIRMS FROM AROUND THE REGION AND WE'RE RUNNING OUTTA SPACE.
AND IT WAS POSSIBLE THEY WOULD LOCATE OUTSIDE OF WASHINGTON COUNTY.
BUT DUE TO THE PARTNERSHIP WITH OUR PROGRAM, UM, WE WERE ABLE TO RETAIN THEIR BUSINESS, UH, HERE IN WASHINGTON COUNTY AS THEY GROW.
MANY YEARS AGO, WHEN WE SET A TARGET OF 500 MILLION FOR TOTAL CAPITAL INVESTMENT, WHEN WE SET A TARGET OF 1 BILLION, WE HAD BOARD MEMBERS WHO DID ONE OF THIS, REALLY 1 BILLION OF NEW DIRECT PAYROLL.
LOOK AT WHERE WE'RE AT TODAY, AND WE'VE STILL GOT A LITTLE BIT OF RUNWAY TO 2030.
AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO, UH, BEATING THOSE, THOSE TARGETS.
UH, AS WE CONTINUE TO DEMONSTRATE LEADERSHIP IN THIS SPACE.
WE HAD MENTIONED, UH, AS WE CLOSE OUT THE PORTFOLIO THAT, UH, WE'VE BEEN WITH US FOR SEVERAL YEARS.
AND, UH, ANOTHER POINT OF DIFFERENTIATION IS IN ALL OF THOSE YEARS, THANKS TO THE EXPERTISE OF OUR REVOLVING LOAN FUND COMMITTEE THAT HELPS US STRUCTURE DEALS, WE HAVE YET TO HAVE A WRITE OFF.
AND WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO CONTINUE THAT TREND THROUGH 2023.
I GUARANTEE I WILL COME SOME YEAR AND THERE WILL BE A WRITE OFF.
BUT SO FAR WE HAVE NOT HAD TO REPORT THAT.
IN FACT, WE HAD ONLY ONE DEFAULT IN 2023, AND IT WAS FROM THE MICROLOAN PORTION OF OUR, OF OUR PORTFOLIO.
AND SO THAT CONCERN, BALANCE IS, UH, A REALLY, UH, SMALL 16,000 AT THIS TIME, WHICH IS UNHEARD OF, IN FACT, UH, UH, WITH AN AVERAGE RISK SCORE OF 2.53, UH, WITH, UH, HIGH RISK BEING FIVE, NO RISK BEING ONE.
UH, THERE'S EVEN ROOM FOR US TO TAKE SOME MORE RISKS AS WE, UH, GO FORWARD IN INVESTING IN BUSINESSES AND BUSINESS GROWTH HERE IN WASHINGTON COUNTY.
ONE WAY THAT WE ARE, UH, LOOKING TO, UH, CONTINUE TO INNOVATE IS TO TAKE THE MICROLOAN PROGRAM, WHICH YOU WERE HEADSY ENOUGH TO PUT FORWARD AND SO MUCH, NOT SO MUCH A PROGRAM, BUT A SEGMENT OF OUR PORTFOLIO DURING COVID AND IZE IT.
SO, UH, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT THE COUNTIES, UM, FINANCE DEPARTMENT WILL BE BRINGING FORWARD TO THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE IN JUNE.
I BELIEVE IT'S, UH, TO SLATED TO BE ON THE AGENDA TO DISCUSS THIS MORE.
OUR BOARD'S TAKING IT UP TOMORROW.
UM, BUT WE'VE HAD QUITE A BIT OF, UH, REQUEST, UH, THAT THERE'S A GAP IN THE MARKET FOR THE REALLY SMALL BUSINESS.
SO THINK THAT THAT SMALL ENTERPRISE ON MAIN STREET THAT DOESN'T NEED TO BORROW A HUNDRED GRAND IN ORDER TO DO AN EXPANSION, BUT DOESN'T WANT TO PUT IT ON A CREDIT CARD EITHER, WHICH IS OFTEN THE SOLUTION THAT MANY LENDERS ARE, ARE PUTTING FORWARD.
'CAUSE THERE'S JUST NOT A SPACE.
THERE'S, UH, IT'S A LOT OF WORK FOR A LENDER TO, TO LOAN MONEY TO THESE SMALL BUSINESSES.
AND SO WE, UH, SEE A GAP IN THE MARKET AND WE, WE'D LIKE TO FILL THAT AS PART OF DIFFERENTIATING.
SO MORE ON THAT TO COME, BUT WANTED TO GIVE YOU A HEADS UP THAT THAT IS ON ITS WAY, UH, AS WE, WE LOOK TO CONTINUE TO EVOLVE THE PROGRAM.
ANOTHER, UH, EVOLUTION IS, IS PART OF THAT EARNED REVENUE IS WE USED TO BE RECEIVING CONTRIBUTIONS FROM OUR OTHER MUNICIPALITIES IN WASHINGTON COUNTY, AND WE NO LONGER RECEIVE ANY CONTRIBUTIONS FROM THOSE MUNICIPALITIES.
INSTEAD, WE CREATED A SUBSCRIPTION PROGRAM WHERE EACH MUNICIPALITY HAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO SUBSCRIBE AT ONE OF THREE TIERS.
AND FOR EACH OF THOSE TIERS, THEY GET A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF CREDITS.
UH, THE CONCEPT HAS MANY REASONS WHY WE WANTED TO GO IN THAT DIRECTION.
ONE, AGAIN, IT CONTINUES TO KEEP EVERYBODY'S MOTIVATIONS IN THE RIGHT SPOT, BUT IT ALSO MOST IMPORTANTLY, ENHANCES TRANSPARENCY IN THAT THEY KNOW WHAT THEY'RE GETTING FOR THEIR CREDITS BECAUSE THEY HAVE MORE CONTROL OVER HOW THOSE CREDITS ARE USED.
AND ON TOP OF THAT, IT'S BEEN INSPIRING VERY UNIQUE WAYS TO, UH, DEPLOY THE CREDITS.
IT'S BRAND, IT'S NOT BRAND NEW, IT'S BEEN FOR TWO YEARS NOW, BUT FOR, FOR US, THAT'S RELATIVELY NEW.
WE CONTINUE TO, TO LEARN AND INNOVATE.
THIS IS HOW THE DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE, UM, PURCHASED CREDITS, UM, ARE HAVE BEEN DEPLOYING THEM, UH, SOME VERY ROBUSTLY.
OTHERS, IT JUST DEPENDS ON THE YEAR, WHICH IS KIND OF NEAT ABOUT THE CREDITS IN ONE OF THE LEARNINGS.
[00:50:01]
DISCOUNTING, FOR EXAMPLE, FUTURE YEARS.SO IF THEY DON'T USE CREDITS, IT'S NOT LIKE THEY LOSE THEM.
THEY GET A DISCOUNT ON THE NEXT YEAR BASED ON ANY UNUSED CREDITS.
SO IT'S KIND OF A NEAT CONCEPT TO KEEP, UH, KEEP EVERYBODY ENGAGED.
HERE'S A CASE EXAMPLE OF HOW, UH, WE'VE BEEN INNOVATING WITH THESE CREDITS.
AND, UH, THIS HAPPENS TO BE THE VILLAGE OF JACKSON.
THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF REALLY NEAT WAYS THAT THE COMMUNITIES HAVE BEEN USING EDWC EXPERTISE.
IN THIS PARTICULAR EXAMPLE, UH, THE VILLAGE OF JACKSON HAD SOME COMMERCIAL PROPERTY, UH, RIGHT NEXT TO, UH, VILLAGE HALL.
YOU MIGHT BE FAMILIAR WITH IT.
AND, UH, THEY WERE LOOKING TO, UM, OBVIOUSLY DEVELOP IT, AND IT'S A UNIQUE MOMENT IN TIME FOR THEM BECAUSE THEY CONTROL THAT PROPERTY.
AND SO THEREFORE, UNLIKE MANY OTHER DEVELOPMENTS ACROSS THE VILLAGE, THEY HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO AFFECT THE DESTINY OF THAT PROPERTY.
AND THEY TOOK CHARGE OF THAT USED DDWC CREDITS TO CREATE NOT JUST A VISION, BUT A DEVELOPMENT PLAN, WORK OUT THE ECONOMICS FOR A TURNKEY OPPORTUNITIES FOR DEVELOPERS, ENGAGE IN A MARKETING AND RECRUITMENT STRATEGY FOR THE SITE, WHICH INCLUDES, FOR EXAMPLE, THE VIDEO THAT YOU'RE WATCHING RIGHT NOW.
UM, PUT TOGETHER THE, UM, ECONOMIC CASE FOR DIFFERENT TARGET MARKETS, WHICH IS WHAT YOU SEE ON THE, THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE SCREEN HERE.
AND NOW WE'RE OUT IN THE MARKET SPACE.
UH, WE'VE EVEN ALREADY SOLD THE, UH, FIRST UH, PARCEL, UH, TO GLACIER HILLS.
IT'S BEEN A LONG ROAD TO, TO MAKE THAT TRANSACTION HAPPEN AS THESE OFTEN ARE.
BUT EDW C'S BEEN HERE AT THE VILLAGE OF JACKSON SIDE IN, UH, NAVIGATING THIS OPPORTUNITY.
UH, AND YOU CAN SEE JUST A REALLY UNIQUE AND INNOVATIVE APPROACH TO, UH, USE OF THEIR SUBSCRIPTION PROGRAM WITH OUR ORGANIZATION.
I'LL LET THIS FINISH UP FOR A SECOND HERE.
YOU CAN SEE IT FEATURES THE, UH, OAKS OF JACKSON, WHICH IS ANOTHER PARTNERSHIP PROJECT WITH THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT IN WASHINGTON COUNTY.
AND THESE ARE SOME OF THE, UH, TARGETED BUSINESSES THAT WE BUILT A BUSINESS CASE AROUND FOR THE VILLAGE OF JACKSON.
AND I AM GONNA, SORRY, MOVE US ON.
YOU GOT THE IDEA? I THINK SO, UH, BEYOND FUNDING AND, UH, EXPERTISE AND PUTTING DEALS TOGETHER, WE HAVE, UH, WE'VE INVESTED SIGNIFICANTLY IN SOME TARGETED DATABASES.
UH, WE'VE USED THEM TO GIVE OUR PAST REPORTS WHEN WE'VE GIVEN YOU, UH, INFORMATION ABOUT OUR AREA WORKFORCE.
WE'RE NOT GONNA DO THAT TODAY FOR IN THE INTEREST OF TIME, UH, BUT WE ARE ABLE TO DO AND PROVIDE REAL TIME ANALYTICS TO THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY.
MANY BUSINESSES HAVE TAKEN US UP ON THIS AND HAVE TRIED TO FIGURE OUT WHERE THEY'RE POSITIONED WITH THEIR WORKFORCE AND ARE THEY POSITIONED COMPETITIVELY AND WHERE THEY'RE NOT, UH, FILL THOSE GAPS.
AND WE'VE GOT THE INTELLIGENCE THAT'S ABLE TO, UH, BE ABLE TO DO THAT.
WE'VE ALSO MADE INVESTMENTS IN SITE SELECTION TOOLS THAT ANYBODY INCLUDING YOU CAN USE TO IDENTIFY OPPORTUNITIES.
WHAT'S COOL ABOUT THIS, AS WE'VE CONNECTED WITH AGAIN, UH, THE COUNTY, UH, THROUGH ANOTHER PARTNERSHIP, THROUGH ANOTHER DEPARTMENT OF THE COUNTY, THEIR GIS DEPARTMENT TO PROVIDE, UH, UNIQUE LAYERS, UH, INTO OUR SITE SELECTION TOOL THAT OUR BUSINESS ORIENTED LAYERS.
AND WE'RE ALSO ABLE TO CUSTOMIZE THE TOOL TO FEATURE CERTAIN PARKS HERE.
WE'RE FEATURING THE WEST BEND MANUFACTURING CENTER AT THE TOP OF ANY SEARCH, NO MATTER WHAT YOU'RE SEARCHING, YOU WILL, UH, FIND THEM AS AN OPPORTUNITY.
AND YOU'VE SEEN THESE BEFORE IF YOU'VE BEEN ON THE COUNTY BOARD.
UH, IT IS ANOTHER TOOL WE'VE INVESTED IN, UH, WHERE WE ARE ACTUALLY ABLE TO DO, UH, REAL TIME IMPACT ANALYSIS.
SO WHEN WE PROPOSE A DEAL OR WE STRUCTURE A DEAL, IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT WHAT'S GOING OUT, IT'S ABOUT THE RETURN ON INVESTMENT TO YOU AND YOUR, YOUR CONSTITUENTS, THE TAXPAYERS.
AND WE'RE ABLE TO CALCULATE THAT.
WE EVEN DID THAT FOR THE OAKS OF JACKSON, UH, PROJECT AS WELL TO HELP YOU MAKE A, AN INFORMED DECISION REGARDING SOME OF THE INVESTMENTS IN THE PARTNERSHIP THAT WAS THERE.
THE MOST RECENT INNOVATION AND PARTNERSHIP ACTUALLY JUST LAUNCHED A FEW WEEKS AGO.
AND IT'S HEART AND HOMESTEAD, WHICH YOU HAVE, UH, I UNDERSTAND, HEARD ABOUT, UH, AND ALREADY KNOW SOMETHING ABOUT, BUT WHAT YOU MAY NOT BE AWARE OF AS WE'VE ALREADY BEEN PULLING IN SOME DATA FROM ALMOST MOMENT ONE.
AND I WILL JUST, IN ALL CANDOR SAY WE HAVE NEVER TACKLED A BIGGER, MORE UNIQUE UNDERTAKING THAN THIS.
IT GOT US OUTSIDE OUR COMFORT ZONE.
IT REPRESENTED A DIFFERENT KIND OF PARTNERSHIP WITH THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT AS CO-ADMINISTRATION OF THE PROGRAM, UH, WHICH HAS, UM, CAUSED US TO WORK EVER CLOSER TOGETHER AND, AND OVERCOME, UH, UNIQUE CHALLENGES THAT IN SOME CASES NOBODY COULD HAVE ANTICIPATED.
WE HAVE SORT OF THE CHALLENGE OF THE DAY NOW, WHICH IS A NEW SCENARIO THAT A LENDER, UH, OR ANOTHER PARTY HAS PUT FORWARD TO US TO FIGURE OUT.
AND, UH, SO FAR NOTHING HAS COME TO
[00:55:01]
THE COUNTY BOARD OR THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE'S OFFICE OF SOMETHING WE HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO SOLVE WITH OUR TEAM HERE.UH, AND THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT, OUR LAUNCH WAS NEAR FLAWLESS, WHICH I GIVE KUDOS TO, UH, EDW C'S, UH, TEAM AND PARTNERSHIPS THAT WE ENGAGED TO MAKE IT AN ELECTRONIC, UH, APPLICATION PROCESS.
WITHIN THE FIRST HOUR, THE SYSTEM MANAGED 30 APPLICATIONS, AND, UM, AS OF MONDAY, THAT'S WHEN THIS DATA WAS PUT TOGETHER.
UH, WE HAD REACHED, UH, WHERE WE NEEDED TO ALMOST TURN THE SYSTEM OFF.
AND AS OF THIS WEEK, WE HAVE TURNED THE SYSTEM OFF BECAUSE WE'VE REACHED, UH, THE FULL APPLICATION AMOUNT WHERE WE COULD BE POTENTIALLY FULLY PRESCRIBED WITH THE AVAILABLE FUNDS THAT WE HAVE CURRENTLY IN THE PIPELINE.
UH, WE, AS THESE LOAN, OR EXCUSE ME, AS THESE INCENTIVES CLOSE, UH, THEN, UH, WE WILL BE, UH, LOOKING TO MAYBE OPEN THE PIPELINE BACK UP OR AS NEW RESOURCES COME INTO THE, UH, INTO THE PIPELINE TO HELP FUND SOME OF THESE, UH, WE MAY BE ABLE TO OPEN THE PIPELINE UP.
BUT AS OF TODAY, WE HAVE HAD TO, UH, SHUT IT DOWN TO BE ABLE TO CONTINUE TO, UH, MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY WHO HAS APPLICATION SUBMITTED AND IS APPROVED CAN BE FUNDED IN THE WAY THAT THEY NEED TO BE FUNDED.
OH, LET ME BACK UP ACTUALLY, BECAUSE THIS IS HUGE.
UM, MAYBE I'M GEEKING OUT ON IT BEING AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPER, BUT THIS IS HUGE.
THERE IS ALMOST NO REALLY, TRULY SUCCESSFUL WORKFORCE ATTRACTION PROGRAM THAT WE'VE RUN ACROSS.
YOU'LL SEE PEOPLE TALK ABOUT, HEY, LET'S PUT UP BILLBOARDS IN CHICAGO ABOUT HOW GREAT IT IS TO BE IN WASHINGTON COUNTY.
BY THE WAY, I'VE YET TO RUN INTO A COMMUNITY THAT SAYS THEY'RE NOT THE BEST PLACE TO LIVE.
UM, NOR HAVE I RUN INTO TOO MANY PEOPLE THAT SAW A BILLBOARD AND, AND PICKED UP THEIR FAMILY AND MOVED, UH, BECAUSE OF THE ADVERTISEMENT.
BUT THIS, THIS IS MAKING A DIFFERENCE, WOULD'VE NEVER ANTICIPATED.
36%, OVER 35% OF THE APPLICANTS ARE CURRENTLY NOT LOCATED IN WASHINGTON COUNTY AND LOOKING TO PURCHASE A HOME, UH, IN OUR COMMUNITIES NOW THAT IS REAL WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AND WORKFORCE ATTRACTION.
WE HAVE A PALTRY TWO RIGHT NOW THAT HAVE, UH, SUBMITTED, UH, SURVEYS BACK TO US AS OF CLOSE.
WE ARE, WE HAVE A HANDFUL OF CLOSES SOME DAYS WE'RE CLOSING, UH, MULTIPLES OF THESE INCENTIVES, UH, AS PEOPLE ARE BUYING THEIR HOME.
UH, THE RESPONSE HAS JUST BEEN AMAZING.
UH, WE'LL BE ABLE TO UPDATE THIS WITH, UH, MORE DATA, OBVIOUSLY AS TIME GOES ON.
IN CASE YOU'RE WONDERING, A NET PROMOTER SCORE IS BASICALLY AN INDICATION OF HOW WELL PEOPLE ARE PROMOTING THE BRAND HEART AND HOMESTEAD, UH, OR IN THE A PRODUCT.
FOR EXAMPLE, IF YOU'VE GOTTEN THAT QUESTION, WHICH I KNOW YOU HAVE, UNLESS YOU'VE LIVED UNDER A ROCK, UM, WOULD YOU, WOULD YOU RECOMMEND OUR BUSINESS OR THIS TO YOUR FRIEND OR FAMILY? THAT'S A NET PROMOTER SCORE QUESTION.
AND, UH, IT'S A WAY TO, TO REALLY GET A SENSE OF WHETHER YOU'VE GOT PROMOTERS OR DETRACTORS OUT THERE.
BUT PERHAPS THE, THE BEST INDICATOR IS WHAT PEOPLE SAY.
I'M JUST GONNA PAUSE ON SOME OF THESE COMMENTS.
WE'VE LITERALLY HAD PEOPLE WALK OUT OF OUR, OUR, THEIR OFFICES, UM, IN TEARS WITH THE INTERACTIONS THAT THEY'VE HAD.
UH, THIS IS MAKING A DIFFERENCE FOR FAMILIES.
THIS IS PROSPEROUS LIVES IN THE LIVING.
AND AGAIN, IT WOULD NOT HAPPEN WITHOUT THE PARTNERSHIP OF THE COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, WITHOUT THE PARTNERSHIP AND LEADERSHIP OF THE COUNTY EXECUTIVES OFFICE.
AND WITHOUT THE, UH, TEAM THAT YOU'VE ASSEMBLED IN THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT, GREAT THINGS DON'T HAPPEN, UH, WITHOUT THAT KIND OF SUCCESS.
AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE AT EDWC DO NOT TAKE FOR GRANTED.
SO THAT IS YOUR REPORT AND WHY I CAN SAY WITH GREAT CONFIDENCE THE STATE OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN WASHINGTON COUNTY IS STRONG.
HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE.
LOOKS LIKE YOU COVERED THE SUBJECT EXCELLENTLY SUPERVISOR.
IF ANYTHING COMES TO MIND, EVER FEEL, OH, THERE IS A QUESTION, BUT I, I DO WANNA SAY WE'VE HAD AN OPEN DOOR AND NOBODY'S TAKEN US UP ON IT, BY THE WAY.
BUT TRULY, UM, COME AND VISIT US.
WE'D BE HAPPY TO SIT DOWN WITH YOU, GO INTO MORE DEPTH ON ANYTHING AND, AND MAKE THAT TIME.
MAYBE GIVE US, UH, 30 TO 60 DAYS AS WE WORK THROUGH THIS BUBBLE OF 105 APPLICATIONS RIGHT NOW, UH, IN HART AND HOMESTEAD AND, AND OF COURSE DO THE CONTINUED OTHER WORK.
BUT WE'D LOOK FORWARD TO MEETING UP WITH YOU SOON.
SUPERVISOR GALLS, UH, THANK YOU.
AND, UH, BE CAREFUL BECAUSE I WILL BECOME KNOCKING ON YOUR DOOR.
UM, SO I JUST WANNA FOLLOW UP A COUPLE THINGS.
UH, YOU HAD MENTIONED ABOUT, AND I, AS YOU KNOW, THE PREVIOUS, UH, UH, PRESENTATIONS, I'VE ENCOURAGED THAT THE PORTFOLIO HAVE GREATER RISK.
SO I ENCOURAGE YOU TO, TO RECONSIDER THAT, UM, BECAUSE
[01:00:01]
I BELIEVE THAT THERE'S PROBABLY SOME ENTREPRENEURS IN THE COUNTY OR AT LEAST WHO WANT TO, UH, SET UP SHOP IN, IN A COUNTY.UM, BUT THEY HAVE A BUSINESS MODEL OR LACK OF A BALANCE SHEET THAT WOULD CREATE SOME LEVEL OF RISK THAT YOU'RE NOT COMFORTABLE WITH.
AND, AND I THINK WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO ALLOCATE, YOU KNOW, THOSE DOLLARS AND TAKE SOME CALCULATED RISKS MORE THAN THAT WE'VE HAD TODAY.
AND I, AND I THINK THAT'S A LEGITIMATE BUSINESS STRATEGY, UH, THAT WOULD CONTINUE TO BRING JOBS AND, UM, BUSINESSES, UH, GROWTH, ECONOMIC GROWTH IN WASHINGTON COUNTY IF WE INCREASE SOME OF THAT RISK PORTFOLIO.
UH, YOU DID SHARE THAT THE LAST TIME, AND I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT, UH, WE ACTUALLY TOOK THAT TO OUR LOAN COMMITTEE AND WE HAVE A STARTUP SEGMENT OF THE PORTFOLIO THAT HAS BEEN MADE MORE ROBUST IN PART DUE TO SOME OF THE FEEDBACK YOU'VE OFFERED.
SO THANK YOU AND I'LL, I'LL REINFORCE THAT.
UH, YOU FEEL THAT THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT.
UM, AND, AND, UM, SO ON A, A HEART AND HOMESTEAD, YOU HAD MENTIONED 36% ARE NON-RESIDENTS.
JUST CURIOUS, DOES YOUR DATA SHOW HOW MANY OF THEM, OF THOSE APPLICANTS ARE CURRENTLY EMPLOYED IN WASHINGTON COUNTY OR EMPLOYED OUTSIDE OF WASHINGTON COUNTY? THE DATA WILL SHOW THAT WHEN WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO MASSAGE IT FURTHER, UM, AND CAN CROSS TAB SOME OF THAT INFORMATION RIGHT NOW.
WE HAVEN'T DONE THAT YET, SO I COULDN'T, IT, IT'D BE INTERESTING ING A QUOTE TO, TO SEE THAT IS THERE, YOU KNOW, ASSOCIATED, IF WE ASSUME THAT THEY'RE NOT RESIDENTS TODAY, UM, AND THEY WORK OUTSIDE OF THE COUNTY, OR ARE THEY ACTUALLY WORKING IN THE COUNTY, IT'D BE INTERESTING, UH, UM, TO SEE THAT DATA.
YEAH, I THINK THAT IS A, A GREAT EXAMPLE OF HOW WE CAN MASSAGE SOME OF IT TO, TO COME UP WITH BETTER INTELLIGENCE.
I WOULD SAY THAT IN EITHER CASE, UM, WE'RE GENERATING A WIN IN PART BECAUSE EVEN IF SOMEBODY IS EMPLOYED HERE, UH, IF THEY LIVE SOMEWHERE ELSE, THERE'S OTHER OPPORTUNITIES FOR THEM THAT MAY BE CLOSER TO HOME.
SO WE CREATE A STICKIER, UH, EMPLOYEE IF WE CAN GET THEM TO, TO MOVE HERE IN WASHINGTON COUNTY.
BUT THAT WOULD BE INTERESTING TO KNOW WHERE WE'RE MOVING THE NEEDLE, NOT JUST THAT WE'RE MOVING THE NEEDLE.
WHERE DO WE WANT TO GET, IF WE'RE ASPIRING TO GET TO SOME X POINT? WELL, WITHOUT THE DATA, WE DON'T KNOW IF WE'RE ON TRACK.
UM, AND THEN LASTLY, UM, SO THE OVERALL PORTFOLIO YOU TALKED ABOUT, UH, RECENTLY SOME VENTURING INTO STARTUPS IN THAT, UH, I'D BE, I'D BE CURIOUS AND MAYBE OTHER BOARD MEMBERS AS WELL AS, YOU KNOW, WHAT IS THAT PORTFOLIO MAKEUP, UH, BASED UPON INDUSTRIES IN WASHINGTON COUNTY.
SO IF WE LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, UH, AN ARRAY OF INDUSTRIES, WHETHER IT BE AGRICULTURAL, WHETHER IT BE, UH, MANUFACTURING, WHETHER IT BE RETAIL, WHETHER IT BE FILL IN THE BLANK, UH, I'D BE CURIOUS TO SEE, UH, WHAT, WHAT THAT IS, WHICH IS A SEGUE TO, TO A, A MEETING I'D LIKE TO HAVE WITH YOU, UH, IN, IN THE COMING, UH, WEEKS WHEN YOU'RE AVAILABLE.
WE CAN DEFINITELY PROVIDE THAT DATA OR BUILD THAT DATA OUT.
ANECDOTALLY, I CAN SAY THAT, UH, WE'VE BEEN VERY FORTUNATE TO HAVE DIVERSITY IN THE PORTFOLIO ACROSS INDUSTRIES.
THERE ARE CERTAIN INDUSTRIES WE'RE, UM, LESS FOCUSED ON BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT, QUOTE UNQUOTE, TO USE DEVELOPER SPEAK, DRIVER INDUSTRIES, MEANING THEY'RE NOT CREATING THE DEMAND.
AND SO OUR BIASES ON THOSE INDUSTRIES THAT CREATE DEMAND, UH, IN THE MARKET AND ALSO CREATE MORE NEW DOLLARS INTO THE MARKET.
BUT WE, DESPITE THAT FOCUS, HAVE BEEN VERY FORTUNATE TO HAVE SOME DIVERSITY IN THE PORTFOLIO, BOTH IN TERMS OF INDUSTRY AND GEOGRAPHY, WHICH HAS NOT ALWAYS BEEN THE CASE.
UM, WE HAVE BEEN HEAVILY CONCENTRATED IN THE PAST IN WEST BEND IN GERMANTOWN, AND THAT IS DEFINITELY NOT TRUE, UH, OF THE PORTFOLIO.
RIGHT NOW, IT IS IN VILLAGES TO TOWNS.
WE'VE EVEN GOT SOME OF THAT ARE IN OUR TOWNSHIPS.
SO IT'S, IT'S BEEN MUCH MORE DIVERSIFIED.
BUT YEAH, I'LL GET YOU, OR WE'LL DEVELOP THAT DATA FOR A FUTURE REPORT.
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY THIS EVENING AND YOUR TIME, MR. CHAIRMAN.
UH, JUST A COUPLE OF THINGS I WANT TO POINT OUT.
THERE'S NEW, SOME NEW BOARD MEMBERS FROM THIS TERM, BUT ALSO EVEN FROM 2020 WHEN WE ORIGINALLY CREATED THE MICRO LOAN PROGRAM AS MEMORY SERVES, THOSE WERE DOLLARS, AND CORRECT ME IF I GO ASTRAY HERE, CHRISTIAN, THOSE WERE DOLLARS, UH, FROM WHEN THE MILLER PARK SALES TAX, UH, WAS CLOSED OUT.
SO THERE WAS, WHEN THE MILLER PARK SALES TAX WAS CLOSED OUT, WE, WE HAD A SUR THEY HAD A SURPLUS OF FUNDS THAT THEY REDIRECTED BACK TO THE COUNTY, AND IT CREATED INITIALLY THAT, UH, THAT SMALL BUSINESS OR MICROLOAN PROGRAM.
AND I CAN'T REMEMBER WHO SAID THIS, BUT SOMEBODY SAID THE PHRASE, MAKING LEMONADE OUTTA
[01:05:01]
LEMONS, UH, YOU KNOW, BEING THAT NOBODY LIKED THE WHOLE COUNTY TAX THERE, RIGHT? SO IT'S IMPORTANT TO KNOW THOSE DOLLARS CONTINUE TO, TO REVOLVE AND, AND WORK FOR, FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.AND FINALLY, THE HEART AND HOMESTEAD PROGRAM, UM, OBVIOUSLY RUNNING OUT IN ABOUT JUST OVER 30 DAYS, UH, IS FANTASTIC NEWS, UM, TO KEEP IT GOING.
WE'RE, WE'VE GOT SOME WORK TO DO.
SO I WILL BE BACK IN FRONT OF YOU TALKING TO ABOUT HAR AND HOMESTEAD.
NEXT UP IS RESOLUTION FOUR, THE 2023 CARRYOVER REQUEST.
[a. 2024 Resolution 4: 2023 Carryover Request]
IS THAT YOU AARON? MOTION? I NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND SUPERVISOR.UM, SO, YOU KNOW, THE, THIS CARRYOVER REQUEST IS, UM, WE, WE DO ONE OF THESE EVERY YEAR.
UM, ESSENTIALLY IT'S, IT'S, UH, TO CARRY OVER DOLLARS FOR, YOU KNOW, UNFINISHED PROJECTS, UM, AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
UM, CONTINUING, YOU KNOW, JUST GRANT DOLLARS, ROLLING THOSE OVER FROM BUDGET TO BUDGET, THINGS LIKE THAT.
UM, THERE'S A, THERE'S A, UH, AN EXHIBIT, UM, ATTACHED TO THE RESOLUTION THAT SHOWS KIND OF LINE BY LINE WHAT THE REQUEST ENTAILS.
AND I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS, UH, ABOUT THE ITEMS ON THERE.
BUT OTHERWISE, I, I DID NOT HAVE, UM, A LOT TO, TO SPEAK ABOUT THIS EVENING FOR OUR NEW SUPERVISORS.
UH, THIS IS SOMETHING WE DO EVERY YEAR.
WE HAVE TO CARRY THE MONEY OVER.
SO THERE BEING NO QUESTIONS OR DISCUSSION, UH, WE'LL VOTE ON THIS ELECTRONICALLY.
IT DOES REQUIRE A TWO THIRDS MAJORITY.
NEXT UP IS RESOLUTION FIVE, WHICH IS A GENERAL FUND TRANSFER FOR THE COUNTY CLERK,
[b. 2024 Resolution 5: General Fund Transfer County Clerk Election Integrity Package]
ELECTION INTEGRITY PACKAGE SUPERVISOR, BOSER SUPERVISOR, MARY.SO I'LL GO THROUGH EACH OF THE ITEMS THAT ARE INCLUDED IN, IN, UH, THIS PACKAGE AND REQUEST.
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, FEEL FREE TO, UM, REQUEST TO SPEAK FROM CHAIRMAN SCH LIFE.
UH, BUT I WILL START WITH, UH, THE FIRST ITEM, WHICH IS OFFERING FUNDING TO OUR MUNICIPALITIES AND OUR MUNICIPAL CLERK OFFICES, SPECIFICALLY TO EXTEND THEIR IN-PERSON ABSENTEE VOTING HOURS.
UH, SO CURRENTLY THEY OFFER HOURS DURING THAT 14 DAY TIME PERIOD PRIOR TO THE ELECTION.
UM, AND THIS WOULD BE FOR NOVEMBER, UH, FIRSTLY, AND WE WOULD WANT THEM TO OFFER HOURS THAT WOULD BE EVENINGS OR WEEKENDS, THOSE TWO WEEKS PRIOR TO THE ELECTION.
UM, SO THIS WOULD BE THE FUNDING TO DO SO, FUNDING, UH, THEMSELVES OR STAFF, UH, WHETHER THEY BROUGHT IN POLL WORKERS OR ELECTION INSPECTORS.
OH, SORRY, GO AHEAD, SUPERVISOR TURNER.
I'M GONNA RECUSE MYSELF FROM THIS ONE SINCE I'M A TOWN CLERK, SO, OKAY.
UM, AND, AND SO IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ON WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE, YOU CAN FEEL FREE TO ASK.
IT WOULD BE A VOLUNTARY OFFERING TO OUR MUNICIPAL CLERKS.
UH, OUR MAIN GOAL WITH THIS IS TO HAVE, UH, THE, THE ABILITY AND EXTENDED HOURS FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE VOTING ABSENTEE AND DON'T WANNA MAIL THEIR BALLOT BACK TO THE MUNICIPAL CLERK'S OFFICE, AND WOULD RATHER BRING IT IN AT A TIME THAT IS CONVENIENT TO THEM THAT TWO WEEKS PRIOR TO THE ELECTION.
UH, WE DO NOT HAVE DROP BOXES.
THEY'RE ILLEGAL CURRENTLY, AND WE ARE NOT IN FAVOR OR SUPPORT OF THOSE BEING REINSTATED.
AND SO THIS PROVIDES THE ABILITY FOR OUR VOTERS OR CONSTITUENTS TO BRING THOSE IN AND HAND DELIVER THEM TO THEIR MUNICIPAL CLERKS OR THEIR, THEIR STAFF.
LOOKS LIKE WE HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS.
UM, I WANNA GIVE OUR COUNTY CLERK A CHANCE TO FINISH HER PRESENTATION BEFORE I MAKE MY REMARKS.
BUT I JUST WANNA HOLD A PLACE IN THE QUEUE.
UH, SUPERVISOR GOETH, ARE YOU SAME OR YOU HAVE A QUESTION AT THIS POINT? OR, OR WE COULD HIT THAT PARTICULAR SUBJECT FIRST AND THEN SURE.
DO YOU HAVE IT? NO, YOU SHOULD BE, YEAH.
[01:10:01]
SUBJECT FIRST, BUT I'LL HAVE MORE AS WE GO.UM, SO WITH THE CLERKS, I GUESS ONE THING, HAVE YOU TALKED TO ANY OF THE TOWN CLERKS TO SEE IF THEY'RE OPEN TO THIS? YES.
SO I'VE ACTUALLY SPOKEN TO EVERY SINGLE MUNICIPAL CLERK IN WASHINGTON COUNTY REGARDING EVERY SINGLE INITIATIVE THAT'S IN THIS PROPOSAL.
I'M GLAD TO HEAR THAT THEY'RE OPEN TO IT.
AND THEN, UM, WITH THE EXTENT, WELL, I NOTICED THAT YOU HAD NOVEMBER 5TH MM-HMM.
WE WANNA BE ABLE TO GIVE THEM ENOUGH TIME TO IMPLEMENT THE ADDITIONAL HOURS.
AND, UM, SO AT THIS POINT, WE'RE JUST REQUESTING FOR NOVEMBER, IT'S THE HIGHEST TURNOUT ELECTION OF THE YEAR.
AND SO THAT'S WHY WE'RE REQUESTING IT AT THIS TIME.
I THINK IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE WOULD POTENTIALLY LOOK AT IN THE FUTURE, UM, FOR ADDITIONAL ELECTIONS.
BUT AS OF RIGHT NOW, WE'RE JUST REQUESTING FOR NOVEMBER AS A PILOT.
AND THEN, UM, AND THIS IS SOMETHING I TALKED TO YOU ABOUT THE OTHER NIGHT.
BUT WHAT I'D LIKE TO SEE WITH THAT, IN, IN ADDITION TO THAT, IS THE OPPORTUNITY FOR PEOPLE TO REGISTER.
SO AS THE CLERKS ADVERTISE IN WHATEVER WAY THEY ADVERTISE TO THEIR, UM, MUNICIPALITY THAT THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE THESE HOURS AVAILABLE.
UM, I'D LIKE TO SEE, UM, IT ALSO ADVERTISED THAT PEOPLE CAN COME IN AND REGISTER BECAUSE NOVEMBER OF 22, UM, I OBSERVED AT SEVERAL LOCATIONS AND EVERY SINGLE ONE HAD CONSTANT LINES OF PEOPLE TO REGISTER.
AND OTHER OBSERVERS THAT I TALKED TO SAW THE SAME THING.
SO I THINK IF WE CAN ALLEVIATE SOME OF THAT, UM, ELECTION DAY, EVERYBODY, EVERYBODY KNOWS WE HAVE SAME DAY REGISTRATION.
BUT I DON'T THINK EVERYBODY REALIZES THEY CAN REGISTER EARLY.
SO THAT'LL BE A PROMOTIONAL EFFORT, UM, BY THE MUNICIPAL CLERKS AND THE COUNTY.
UH, I MEAN, WE CAN SHARE THAT INFORMATION AS WELL.
HE, HE WANTS TO COMMENT AT THE END, AT THE END.
UM, SO WITH THE IN-PERSON, UH, ABSENTEE VOTING HOURS AND THE EXTENDED ABILITY FOR THE CLERKS TO OFFER THAT, THE DOLLAR AMOUNT IS LISTED BELOW, WHICH WE HAVE ESTIMATED AT, UH, 40,500.
UM, SO THAT IS A ROUGH ESTIMATE.
AND WHAT WE TOOK INTO CONSIDERATION WHEN WE CREATED THAT DOLLAR AMOUNT WAS THREE, UH, STAFF MEMBERS OR POLL WORKERS, UM, WORKING EVERY POSSIBLE EXTENDED HOUR THAT WE COULD THINK OF THAT TWO WEEK PERIOD, UM, INCLUDING WEEKENDS.
AND SO THAT WAS THE HIGH ESTIMATE, UM, FOR, FOR THOSE HOURS BEING OFFERED.
SO I JUST WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW THAT AND CLARIFY THAT AS WELL.
UM, AND THEN THE NEXT ITEM, AS MANY OF YOU MAY KNOW ALREADY, WE AT THE COUNTY LEVEL HAVE IMPLEMENTED, UH, HAND COUNT AUDITS AT OUR COUNTY BOARD OF CANVAS, UH, MEETINGS, WHICH OCCUR EVERY, UH, FOLLOWING EVERY ELECTION.
AND SO DURING OUR COUNTY BOARD OF CANVAS MEETING, UH, WE TYPICALLY RANDOMLY SELECT TWO REPORTING UNITS AND TWO RACES.
AND OUR BOARD OF CANVAS ACTUALLY HAND COUNTS THE VOTE TOTALS, UM, FOR THOSE RACES CONFIRMING THAT THE ELECTION MACHINES COUNTED CORRECTLY.
UM, SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE STARTED PRE 2020.
IT WAS FOLLOWING, UM, COMPLAINTS AND CONCERNS THAT WE HEARD FOLLOWING THE 2016 ELECTION.
UM, SO THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT WE IMPLEMENTED.
AND I DO WANNA SAY WE'RE, WE'RE NOT, UM, WE'RE ONE OF THE FEW THAT DO THAT HERE IN WASHINGTON COUNTY IN THE ENTIRE STATE OF WISCONSIN.
UM, SO EXPANDING UPON THAT, WE WANTED TO BE ABLE TO OFFER FUNDING TO OUR MUNICIPAL CLERKS AND THEIR TEAMS TO BE ABLE TO AUDIT THEMSELVES AS WELL IF THEY CHOSE.
IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT WE CAN FORCE THEM TO DO, IT'S NOT IN STATE STATUTE, BUT WE WANTED TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THE ABILITY AND THE FUNDING FOR THEM TO DO SO.
AND AS YOU KNOW, ELECTION DAY IS LONG.
AND IF YOU HAVE POLL WORKERS THAT ARE WORKING FROM POLLS OPENING TO POLLS CLOSING, UH, THEY'RE EXHAUSTED.
SO WE WANTED TO BE ABLE TO FUND ADDITIONAL POLL WORKERS TO BE ABLE TO COME IN OR HAVE POLL WORKERS THAT ARE, ARE REALLY COMMITTED AND WANNA STAY, UH, TO BE ABLE TO DO THE SAME PROCESS OR SIMILAR PROCESS TO WHAT WE DO AT THE COUNTY BOARD OF CANVAS MEETING, WHICH WOULD BE RANDOMLY SELECTING, UH, REPORTING UNITS AND, AND RACES, UH, COUNTYWIDE OR ABOVE, AND ACTUALLY COUNTING THE RACE
[01:15:01]
TOTALS PER CANDIDATE TO ENSURE THAT THE MACHINE TAPE THAT WAS PRINTED, UH, IS EXACTLY AS IT SHOULD BE, UM, WITH THE BALLOT.SO WE WANTED TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THAT FUNDING.
AND YOU'LL SEE BELOW THAT WE HAVE ESTIMATED THAT AT $6,750, WHICH ACTUALLY, YOU KNOW, WHEN RUNNING NUMBERS, WE DID, UH, TEAMS OF THREE AND TEAMS OF FIVE.
AND THE, THE 6,700 IS ESTIMATING TEAMS OF FIVE AT EVERY SINGLE POLLING LOCATION, UM, AND ESTIMATING TWO APPROXIMATELY TWO HOURS.
UM, SO DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ON THAT PROCESS BEFORE I MOVE ON, LINDA? NO, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE SHE DOESN'T YEAH.
UM, YEAH, I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT.
AND ACTUALLY, I'VE GONE TO THE COUNTY BOARD CANVAS AND, UM, OBSERVED THAT A COUPLE OF TIMES AND PARTICIPATED ACTUALLY TIME.
AND IT REALLY IS AWESOME THAT ASHLEY DOES THAT, THAT WE, UM, DO THOSE TEST COUNTS OF ACTUAL BALLOTS.
UM, AND IT GIVES ME A LOT OF PEACE OF MIND.
I HAVE HEARD FROM, YOU KNOW, SOME PEOPLE ARE, UM, NOT THAT THEY QUESTION WASHINGTON COUNTY SPECIFICALLY, BUT THAT THERE'S THE POTENTIAL BECAUSE OF THE TIME LAG MM-HMM.
AND THEN WHEN THE COUNTY BOARD CANVAS IS THAT THERE'S THE POTENTIAL TO BE MESSING WITH THINGS DURING THAT TIME.
SO THE IDEA OF DOING THESE COUNTS AT EACH MUNICIPALITY, I WOULD JUST ENCOURAGE YOU TO, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU TALK TO THE CLERKS MM-HMM.
IF IT'S DONE RIGHT THEN AND THERE, AND IT'S, THOSE COUNTS ARE MATCHED TO THE TAPE RIGHT THEN AND THERE AT THE POLLING LOCATION, I THINK THAT REALLY IS THE BEST THING.
IT DEFINITELY IS AN INITIATIVE TO INSTILL THAT CONFIDENCE OR, OR JUST BOOST THE CONFIDENCE IN THE PROCESS THAT OUR MUNICIPALITIES ARE DOING AND THE, AND THE GREAT JOB THAT THEY'RE DOING AT RUNNING ELECTIONS WITHIN WASHINGTON COUNTY.
DOES SUPERVISOR M**K, NO, YOU CAN CONTINUE.
UH, AND SO NEXT, UH, AS MOST OF YOU ARE LIKELY AWARE, WE DID A FULL COUNTYWIDE AUDIT IN 2022, UM, WHERE WE VOLUNTARILY AUDITED THE ENTIRE COUNTY.
UM, MY OFFICE WAS ABLE TO COORDINATE, UH, POLL WORKERS AND MUNICIPAL CLERKS THAT WOULD, CAME IN OVER A TWO AND A HALF A DAY TIME PERIOD, AND HAND COUNTED THE, UH, GOVERNOR'S RACE IN 2022 AND THE US SENATE RACE.
AND, UH, ACTUALLY PHYSICALLY COUNTED THE RACE TOTALS PER CANDIDATE TO ENSURE THAT THE MACHINES WERE COUNTING ACCURATELY.
UM, SO WE ARE RECOMMENDING THAT WE DO THAT AGAIN, UM, IN 2024.
SO, FOLLOWING THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION, UH, WE ARE RECOMMENDING AUDITING THE PRESIDENT'S RACE AND THE US SENATE RACE.
UM, AND YOU'LL SEE THE DOLLAR AMOUNT THAT WE HAVE ESTIMATED, UH, ON, ON MY, UH, COMMITTEE REPORT IS 15,000.
BUT I JUST DID WANT TO MENTION THAT IN 2022, IT COST LESS THAN 10,000.
UM, AND SO IT, LIKE I SAID, IT TOOK TWO AND A HALF DAYS AND WE'RE PRETTY PROUD OF, OF THE WAY THAT WE OPERATED, UH, THAT AUDIT AS WELL.
UM, SO THE NEXT ITEM IS A RECOMMENDATION TO OFFER FUNDING TO THE MUNICIPALITIES THAT HAVE CENTRAL COUNT.
UH, IF YOU'RE NOT FAMILIAR WITH WHAT CENTRAL COUNT IS, IT'S THE PROCESSING OF ABSENTEE BALLOTS AT ONE LOCATION RATHER THAN AT THE POLLING LOCATIONS.
AND WE HAVE TWO MUNICIPALITIES THAT HAVE CENTRAL COUNT, UH, ONE BEING THE CITY OF WEST BEND, AND ONE THE OTHER ONE, THE VILLAGE OF GERMANTOWN.
UH, THESE CENTRAL COUNT LOCATIONS WERE CREATED, I, I BELIEVE IT WAS POST APRIL OF 2020, DUE TO THE SIGNIFICANT ABSENTEE BALLOT COUNTS THAT WERE RECEIVED, UM, DURING THAT ELECTION.
UH, AND, AND COVID, UM, AS WELL.
AND SO WE WANT TO RECOMMEND BUYING BACK THEIR MACHINES AT EACH CENTRAL COUNT LOCATION, UM, SO THAT THEY WOULD HAVE THE ABILITY, UH, TO PROCESS THOSE ABSENTEE BALLOTS AT THE POLLING LOCATIONS RATHER THAN AT THAT ONE CENTRALIZED LOCATION.
UH, THERE'S A FEW REASONS THAT I PERSONALLY FEEL LIKE THIS IS IMPORTANT.
UM, ONE BEING JUST THE TRANSPARENCY SURROUNDING THE PROCESS, YOU KNOW, HAVING IT AT THE POLLS.
UM, MORE PEOPLE ARE, ARE FAMILIAR WITH THE POLLING LOCATION AND VOTING AT
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THE POLLS, AND SO, UH, THAT ADDS TO THAT ASPECT.BUT ANOTHER THING THAT MOST PEOPLE DON'T AND AREN'T AWARE OF IS THE CENTRAL COUNT PROCESS REQUIRES THE POLL WORKERS TO WRITE THE ABSENTEE VOTER NUMBER ON THE BALLOT ITSELF.
UM, THIS PROCESS IS REQUIRED BY STATE LAW IN CASE YOU HAVE A VOTER WHO DROPS OFF THEIR ABSENTEE BALLOT, UM, AND THEN ALSO GOES TO THE POLLS AND VOTES IN PERSON, UM, WHICH OBVIOUSLY IS CREATING OR COMMITTING A FELONY.
UM, BUT THEY'RE ABLE TO THEN PULL THAT ABSENTEE BALLOT, AND THAT IS THE REASON FOR IT.
UH, THE PROBLEM I HAVE WITH THAT IS IT ELIMINATES THAT, UH, VOTER SECRECY, UH, YOU KNOW, YOUR VOTE SHOULD BE PRIVATE AND IT SHOULD NOT BE EXPOSED OR, OR HAVE THE ABILITY TO BE EXPOSED.
AND I JUST WANNA SAY, FOR EXAMPLE, IN 2020, UH, WITH THE AMOUNT OF ABSENTEE BALLOTS WE HAD, UM, SO THINK OF THAT AND THEN THINK I HAD A PUBLIC RECORDS REQUEST COME IN, UM, FOLLOWING THE NOVEMBER, 2020 ELECTION REQUESTING ALL BALLOT IMAGES FROM THE ENTIRE ELECTION FROM THE ENTIRE COUNTY.
UM, I CAN'T RELEASE THE IMAGES FROM CENTRAL COUNT WITHOUT REDACTING THAT VOTER NUMBER BECAUSE IF THAT VOTER NUMBER WERE, OR THAT BALLOT WITH THAT, THAT NUMBER ON IT WERE TO BE RELEASED AND THE POLL BOOK WERE TO BE REQUESTED AND RELEASED, YOU WOULD BE ABLE TO MATCH UP HOW INDIVIDUALS ARE VOTING, UH, WHICH IS A HUGE PROBLEM.
UM, SO THE SOLUTION TO THAT IS REDACTING THAT NUMBER, UH, WHICH ESTIMATING PROBABLY TOOK ME EIGHT MONTHS TO DO FOR THE CITY OF WEST BEND AND THE VILLAGE OF GERMANTOWN, BECAUSE IT IS AN EXTREMELY MANUAL PROCESS AT THIS POINT.
AND, UM, I WAS RECOMMENDED TO UTILIZE THE PROGRAM PAINT, SO, UH, MANUALLY GOING INTO EACH INDIVIDUAL FILE AND ERASING THAT VOTER NUMBER.
UM, SO THERE, THERE ARE MANY ISSUES THAT I HAVE WITH CENTRAL COUNT, UH, THAT BEING ONE OF THE BIGGEST.
AND SO IF YOU'RE NOT AWARE, IN 2016, THAT IS WHEN OUR VOTING EQUIPMENT WAS PURCHASED.
UM, IT WAS PURCHASED BY THE COUNTY UPFRONT, AND EACH MUNICIPALITY PAID THE COUNTY BACK, I BELIEVE, OVER A THREE YEAR PERIOD FOLLOWING THAT.
SO OUR MUNICIPALITIES OWN EACH OF THEIR MACHINES.
UM, SO BY BUYING BACK THOSE CENTRAL COUNT MACHINES, WE WOULD BE ABLE TO ELIMINATE THAT COST LOSS FOR THEM, UM, BY ELIMINATING CENTRAL COUNT.
ANY QUESTIONS ON THAT? I YOU JUST THAT SURE.
UM, SO IF YOU, IF YOU ELIMINATE CENTRAL COUNT MM-HMM.
UM, SO AREN'T YOU GOING TO HAVE TOO MUCH WORK FOR ONE DISTRICT? SO AREN'T YOU GONNA STILL NEED THOSE MACHINES AND MAYBE CREATE OTHER DISTRICTS? SO, AND I KNOW THAT WOULD BE HARD TO DO, AND I'M NOT SURE YOU CAN GET RID OF CENTRAL COUNT STA SO STATUTORILY, SO THE MUNICIPALITIES WOULD HAVE TO BE THE ONES THAT WOULD ELIMINATE IT.
SO THEY CREATED IT BY APPROVAL OF IN GERMANTOWN, THEIR VILLAGE BOARD AND THE COUNCIL IN WEST BEND.
SO THEY WOULD NEED TO VOTE TO ELIMINATE IT AS WELL.
UM, SO IF YOU ARE FAMILIAR WITH HOW THE VILLAGE OF JACKSON OPERATES, WE ACTUALLY ADDRESS THAT ISSUE.
UM, THE VILLAGE OF JACKSON IS EXTREMELY LARGE FOR ONE POLLING LOCATION.
UH, WE HAVE TWO MACHINES ACTUALLY THAT PROCESSES IN PERSON IN AN ABSENTEE BALLOTS.
AND SO THEY, THEY FEED BOTH TYPES OF BALLOTS THROUGH BOTH MACHINES.
UM, SO THEY HAVE NOTHING THAT'S DEDICATED JUST TO ABSENTEE, AND THE RESULTS ARE MERGED TOGETHER AT THE END OF THE NIGHT COMBINED.
UM, SO I HAVE SPOKEN WITH THE CI WELL, I'VE SPOKEN WITH THE CITY OF WEST BEND CLERK AND THE VILLAGE OF GERMANTOWN CLERK ABOUT, ABOUT THIS, UH, REQUEST.
AND WITH THE CITY OF WEST BEND, WE KNOW THAT DISTRICT THREE AND DISTRICT EIGHT HAVE HIGH ABSENTEE VOTER TURNOUT.
AND SO IT COULD BE A SOLUTION TO HAVE TWO MACHINES AT THOSE POLLING LOCATIONS TO EX, YOU KNOW, EXPEDIENT THAT PROCESS OF THE ABSENTEE BALLOTS WITH THE IN PERSON AS WELL.
AND IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE, I DO HAVE A MEETING SET UP WITH THE CITY OF WEST BEND TO DISCUSS, UH, THE POTENTIAL, UM, ELIMINATION OF CENTRAL COUNT TOMORROW.
AND I WILL BE COORDINATING A MEETING WITH THE VILLAGE OF GERMANTOWN AS WELL.
LIKE I I MENTIONED BEFORE, WE CAN'T FORCE THEM, UH, THEY HAVE TO DECIDE TO DO THIS.
UM, BUT BY PROVIDING FUNDING OR SOLUTIONS, POTENTIAL SOLUTIONS, UM, THAT HELPS.
I, I JUST WANNA TELL YOU, I ADD ONE THING TO CENTRAL, THE WHOLE SURE.
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RIGHT? MILWAUKEE COUNTY HAS CENTRAL COUNT, AND THAT'S WHAT RESULTS IN THAT LATE NIGHT, WHAT THEY CALL LATE NIGHT DUMPS, RIGHT? UM, BIGGER AS, UH, MADISON IS, AS IS ALMOST AS BIG AS MILWAUKEE COUNTY.THEY DO NOT HAVE CENTRAL COUNT.
SO THERE IS NO EFFICIENCY MM-HMM.
AND I WOULD SAY WE HAVE HAD SITUATIONS WHERE CENTRAL COUNT HAS COME IN EXTREMELY LATE AS WELL.
SO, AND OUR, THE WAY OUR SYSTEM IS SET UP, YOU DON'T SEE THAT ALL OF THE RESULTS ARE IN UNTIL CENTRAL COUNT IS IN ON ELECTION NIGHT.
UM, BUT I, I DO THINK THAT WE CAN, WE CAN DO THIS WITHOUT CENTRAL COUNT, UM, EVEN IF IT WOULD BE WITH ADDITIONAL MACHINES AT THE POLLING LOCATIONS.
SUPERVISOR GURA, DID YOU WANNA JUMP IN AGAIN? SURE.
I HAD THE SAME CONCERN AS LOIS WITH, UH, THE MACHINES.
BUT I DO WANNA SAY, UM, I DEFINITELY AM FOR GETTING RID OF CENTRAL COUNT.
UM, AND, BUT I DID TALK TO A GOP ELECTION INTEGRITY PERSON ON THIS SUBJECT ASKING ABOUT WHAT THE PROCEDURES SHOULD THEN BE MM-HMM.
AND THEY WOULD BASICALLY DROP IT OFF AT THE LOCATION.
I DON'T THINK WEC HAS WRITTEN PROCEDURES ON, LIKE, SHOULD YOU ASK FOR ID? RIGHT.
YOU KNOW, THOSE KINDS OF THINGS.
LIKE, I WASN'T GETTING ANY INFORMATION BACK AT ALL ON THAT.
SO I WOULD JUST ENCOURAGE, UM, LOOKING INTO THAT A LITTLE BIT.
AND ALSO IF THERE WOULD END UP HAVING, HOPEFULLY THERE SHOULDN'T BE ANY TRANSPORTING OF BALLOTS.
A VOTER, IF THEY GO TO THE WRONG LOCATION, SHOULD BE SENT TO THE CORRECT LOCATION.
SO THAT SHOULDN'T BE A CONCERN.
UM, BUT, UM, JUST THE PROCEDURES ON, YOU KNOW, AND SHOULD THEY CHECK THEIR ID AND MAKE SURE IT'S, THEY DEFINITELY HAVE TO MAKE SURE IT'S ONE BALLOT PER PERSON THAT, THAT SORT OF THING.
SO, AND THAT INFORMATION THEN NEEDS TO BE, UM, EXPLAINED TO THE CLERKS AROUND THE COUNTY, BECAUSE I CAN TELL YOU RIGHT NOW, SOME OF THEM DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT.
AND THERE IS GUIDANCE TOO FROM WAC, UH, THAT WAS, IT'S REGARDING, UH, ABSENTEE BALLOTS BEING DROPPED OFF FOR SOMEONE WHO IS UNABLE TO MAKE IT TO THE MUNICIPAL CLERK'S OFFICE.
AND THERE'S A SET OF QUESTIONS THAT THEY SHOULD BE ASKING THAT WAS PROVIDED BY WE, UM, PROBABLY TWO OR THREE YEARS AGO.
AND SO THAT, THAT IS SOMETHING THAT THEY SHOULD BE AWARE OF.
THAT MM-HMM,
I, I WOULD LOVE IT IF THE CLERKS WOULD ALL UNDERSTAND THAT AND HANDLE THAT CORRECTLY.
UM, SO MOVING ON FROM CENTRAL COUNT.
UH, ONE OF THE LAST THINGS THAT WE HAVE, UH, OR I HAVE LISTED HERE, IS REPLACING THE CASES FOR THE VOTING EQUIPMENT.
UM, IF YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH THE ELECTION MACHINES, THEY ARE, UH, IF YOU SEE THEM AT THE POLLS, YOU SEE THIS BIG BLACK, UH, MACHINE ON A BIG BIN WHERE THE BALLOTS FALL INTO THE ACTUAL MACHINE ITSELF IS JUST THE TOP, TOP PORTION, WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, MAYBE NINE INCHES TALL.
AND, UM, THAT GETS STORED RIGHT NOW IN A CLOTH, UM, WHAT LOOKS LIKE A SUITCASE.
UM, AND I HAVE FELT FOR A LONG TIME THAT WE NEED TO BETTER PROTECT THOSE MACHINES.
UM, THEY ARE AN EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE INVESTMENT.
UM, THEY COST ROUGHLY $10,000 EACH.
UM, AND WE HAVE FINALLY FOUND SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE SUITABLE IN DOING SO.
IT IS A HARD SIDED CASE, UM, WITH FOAM INSERTS THAT THE MACHINE WILL SIT IN AND THEN BE PROTECTED, UM, AND THEN ALSO BE ABLE TO BE BETTER SECURED.
UM, AND YOU WON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT WATER ISSUES OR THINGS LIKE THAT, UM, THAT HAVE BEEN ISSUES IN THE PAST.
SO WE'RE RECOMMENDING PURCHASING THOSE FOR EACH OF OUR MUNICIPALITIES, UH, AS WELL.
AND THE COST ESTIMATE IS IN THE LIST, UH, ROUGHLY 20,000 ESTIMATED FOR ALL OF THE MACHINES WITHIN THE COUNTY.
AND THEN, UM, BEFORE WE OPEN IT UP FOR FURTHER QUESTIONS, I JUST WANTED TO MENTION, WE ARE LOOKING AT, UH, ADDITIONAL INITIATIVES, ONE BEING GENERATORS, UM, FOR POWER CONCERNS, UH, THERE ARE A DA REQUIREMENTS THAT REQUIRE THE LIGHTS TO BE ON FOR INDIVIDUALS TO VOTE.
UM, IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT TO NOTE, OUR MACHINES ONLY HAVE A TWO HOUR BATTERY
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BACKUP LIFE.AND SO BEING ABLE TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR MACHINES ARE FUNCTIONING, UM, IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT.
AND THEN ALSO TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DO NOT HAVE TO MOVE OUR POLLING LOCATION, UM, IS AND SHOULD BE EXTREMELY IMPORTANT TO REDUCE THE VOTER CONFUSION THAT COULD ENSUE FROM HAVING TO MOVE A POLLING LOCATION.
UM, SO THAT IS SOMETHING WE'LL BE LOOKING INTO, BUT IT REQUIRES MUCH MORE RESEARCH THAN JUST PROVIDING A NUMBER.
UM, EACH MUNICIPALITY IS DIFFERENT.
UM, AND THERE ARE SOME MUNICIPALITIES THAT DO HAVE GENERATORS, SOME THAT DO NOT, SOME THAT HAVE, YOU KNOW, MULTIPLE POLLING LOCATIONS THAT WE WOULD NEED TO LOOK AT.
SO THAT IS SOMETHING WE'LL BE BRINGING FORWARD IN THE FUTURE TOO.
I WANNA THANK OUR COUNTY CLERK FOR PUTTING THIS PACKAGE TOGETHER.
UH, 2020, A LOT OF NEW ELECTION PROCEDURES WERE CREATED ON THE FLY, AND THAT CREATED A LOT OF UNCERTAINTY WITH THE ELECTION RESULTS.
WHETHER WE WANNA BELIEVE THE ELECTION RESULTS OR NOT, IT'S ABSOLUTELY LEGITIMATE TO SAY THAT THERE IS UNCERTAINTY WITH THOSE ELECTION RESULTS.
WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE WILL ELIMINATE A LOT OF THAT UNCERTAINTY FOR 2024.
AND THAT'S GREAT, UH, ESPECIALLY THE HAND RECOUNTS THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT.
I APPRECIATE THAT WE'RE DOING THAT.
AGAIN, THE EXTENDED HOURS ARE IMPORTANT.
MILWAUKEE PUTS A LOT OF THEIR TAXPAYER DOLLARS INTO SPECIAL EXTENDED HOURS FOR VOTING IN MILWAUKEE AND IN A, IN STATEWIDE ELECTIONS THAT HAS THE POTENTIAL TO INFLUENCE RESULTS WHEN SMALL COMMUNITIES LIKE A TOWN OF FARMINGTON OR A TOWN OF WAYNE OR A TOWN OF TRENTON, DOESN'T HAVE THOSE RESOURCES AND HAS VERY LIMITED IN-PERSON EARLY ABSENTEE VOTING.
SO, YOU KNOW, EVENING THE SCALES THERE I THINK IS IMPORTANT TOO.
UM, WITH CENTRAL COUNT, I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE IN THIS ROOM KNOW THIS, BUT FOR THE LAST TWO YEAR ELECTION CYCLE, I WAS A POLL WORKER AT WEST BEND CENTRAL COUNT.
AND OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, THERE'S BEEN THREE TIMES WHERE WEST BEND CENTRAL COUNT HAS EITHER BEEN ONE OF THE LAST, OR MAYBE EVEN THE LAST REPORTING UNIT IN THE ENTIRE STATE OF WISCONSIN.
WHAT THEY'RE DOING RIGHT NOW ISN'T WORKING.
THIS IS GONNA GIVE THEM AN OPTION WHERE THEY CAN EASILY ELIMINATE CENTRAL ACCOUNT.
THEIR OTHER OPTION TO MAKE CENTRAL ACCOUNT WORK IS TO INVEST A LOT MORE MONEY AND HAVE A LOT MORE STAFF THERE, WHICH, IF THEY'RE GONNA KEEP CENTRAL COUNT, THAT'S WHAT THEY NEED TO DO TO MAKE IT WORK.
AND I DON'T SEE WEST BEND HAVING THE RESOURCES TO DO THAT.
UH, JUST TO GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE, THE GOVERNOR'S ELECTION, I WORKED THAT ONE, I STARTED AT 7:00 AM WE WENT UNTIL TWO 30 THE NEXT MORNING, 19 AND A HALF HOURS.
THE CITY ADMINISTRATOR JUMPED IN AT ONE POINT AND STARTED COUNTING BALLOTS AND WAS THERE FOR SEVERAL HOURS COUNTING BALLOTS.
THEY ALSO BROUGHT IN OTHER CITY EMPLOYEES WHO WEREN'T AHEAD OF TIME, ANNOUNCED AS POLL WORKERS, BUT THEY NEEDED TO IN ORDER TO GET THE BALLOTS COUNTED, BROUGHT OTHER CITY EMPLOYEES IN AND HAD THEM WORKING ON COUNTING ABSENTEE BALLOTS AS WELL.
UM, THIS LAST ELECTION WAS A RELATIVELY LOW TURNOUT ELECTION, AND THEY WERE STILL, IT WAS STILL AFTER MIDNIGHT BEFORE THEY REPORTED RESULTS.
AND ONE OF THE SIDE EFFECTS OF THAT IS OUR COUNTY CLERK HAS TO BE HERE TILL ALL UNITS REPORT IN.
SO WHILE EVERYBODY ELSE IN THE COUNTY HAD REPORTED RESULTS BY MAYBE NINE 30, WEST BEND WENT, AND ONLY THEIR CENTRAL COUNT WENT TILL AFTER MIDNIGHT, AND OUR COUNTY CLERK AND HER STAFF WERE HERE WAITING FOR THEM TO REPORT IN THOSE RESULTS SO THAT THEY COULD REPORT 'EM INTO THE STATE AND THEN THEY COULD GO HOME FOR THE NIGHT.
THERE'S ANOTHER WEIRD CAVEAT WITH CENTRAL COUNT.
THEY DON'T, THEY DON'T HAVE TO FOLLOW THE TRADITIONAL POLLING SITE RULES.
SO AT A TRADITIONAL POLLING SITE, THE ELECTION IS ACTUALLY RUN BY THE TWO POLITICAL PARTIES.
EACH ONE APPOINTS POLL WORKERS, WHICHEVER ON THE, ON THE KEY RACE FOR THE LAST TWO YEAR CYCLE.
SO IN THE CYCLE WE'RE IN, IT'S THE GOVERNOR'S ELECTION.
WHICHEVER PARTY WON THE GOVERNOR'S ELECTION FOR A SPECIFIC PRECINCT, THEY GET ONE MORE POLL WORKER THAN THE OTHER PARTY DOES.
SO IN OUR COUNTY, THAT TRADITIONALLY MEANS REPUBLICANS HAVE ONE MORE POLL WORKER THAN DEMOCRATS.
SO IF THERE'S SEVEN POLL WORKERS, FOUR SHOULD BE REPUBLICAN, THREE SHOULD BE DEMOCRAT.
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THAT WAY EVERYBODY'S WATCHING WHAT EVERYBODY ELSE IS DOING.CENTRAL COUNT DOES NOT HAVE TO FOLLOW THOSE RULES.
THE CITY CLERK APPOINTS THE CENTRAL COUNT WORKERS.
THE CITY CLERK DOES NOT HAVE TO FOLLOW ANY RULES REGARDING PARTY AFFILIATION.
IN THEORY, A CITY CLERK WHO'S REPUBLICAN, IF THEY'RE GONNA HAVE SEVEN POLL WORKERS, THEY COULD APPOINT SEVEN REPUBLICANS, AND THE DEMOCRATS CAN ONLY HAVE POLL OBSERVERS THEN, AND THAT'S PERFECTLY LEGAL.
SO THAT'S A SPECIAL RULE THAT I THINK HAS THE POTENTIAL TO CREATE ELECTION INTEGRITY PROBLEMS AS WELL.
SO I THINK OVERALL, THE SOLUTION HERE THAT'S BEST IS TO ELIMINATE CENTRAL COUNT.
OBVIOUSLY, THAT'S NOT OUR, OUR DECISION TO MAKE, BUT WE CAN CERTAINLY SUPPORT THE CITY OF WEST BEND AND OFFERING TO BUY BACK THEIR MACHINES IS A WAY TO DO THAT.
SO I WOULD ENCOURAGE EVERYBODY TO VOTE FOR THIS ENTIRE PACKAGE.
I THINK IT'S ALL GOOD STUFF, AND I WANNA THANK EVERYBODY, SUPERVISOR, ICK.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT INSIGHT.
VERY INTERESTING SUPERVISOR, M**K.
UM, SO ASHLEY, I JUST WANNA ASK YOU ON THE COMMITTEE REPORT, IF I GO DOWN TO THE FOURTH PARAGRAPH AND I JUST GO ONTO THE SECOND HALF OF IT, IT SAYS, ALLOWING FOR THOSE SPECIFIC MUNICIPALITIES TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO ELIMINATE THE CENTRAL COUNT PROCESS, REPLACING IT WITH THE STANDARD PRECINCT BASED COUNTING PROCESS.
WHEN WAS THAT THE STANDARD? OR HOW LONG HAD THAT BEEN THE STANDARD? SO FOLLOWING THE APRIL, 2020 ELECTION IS WHEN
SO PRE PRE THAT PRE NOVEMBER OF 2020, IT WAS STANDARD TO PROCESS ABSENTEE BALLOTS AT EACH POLLING LOCATION.
SO, UH, I WANTED TO COMMENT, UH, ON SUPERVISOR'S BOSS'S COMMENT.
NO MATTER WHAT WE DO, CHRIS WRIGHT, THE PROBLEMS IN NATIONAL ELECTIONS AREN'T IN WASHINGTON COUNTY.
THEY'RE, YOU KNOW, SO, UH, SO THERE'S GONNA BE LOTS OF, YOU KNOW, LOTS OF PROBLEMS. UH, TO BE CLEAR, I'M A BIG FAN OF REPORTING LAST.
SO JUST SO YOU KNOW, THAT'S, IF I HAD, I WOULD REPORT THE LEAST AMOUNT OF INFORMATION THE LATEST THAT I POSSIBLY COULD.
I'M, I'M JUST SAYING THAT'S MY POSITION, UH, ON THIS.
I THINK I, UH, I WOULD SPEAK FOR A LOT OF MY CONSTITUENTS.
I DID WANT TO SAY THAT EVEN BEFORE I SAW THIS.
I'M GLAD TO SEE THIS TOO, ASHLEY.
UM, I HAD AN INTENTION TO GET BEFORE, UH, UH, THE CITY OF HARTFORD'S COMMON COUNCIL.
AND I WOULD VERY MUCH LIKE, AND THIS IS ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT DOES, UM, I THINK, UH, IT DOES RESONATE.
AND I DO HEAR THERE'S SOME CONSTITUENTS, THEY DO WANT TO SEE EXPANDED HOURS.
AND I WANT TO SEE THAT, AND I WANT TO MAKE IT AS EASY AS I CAN.
SO WHETHER OR NOT WE WERE, UM, YOU KNOW, SUBSIDIZING THIS OR NOT, I, I'M, I'M, I'M GOING TO STRONGLY PUSH THAT WE DO THAT.
AND I WANT TO SEE IF I COULD SEE 24 HOUR, YOU KNOW, REGISTRATION, I WOULD DO IT.
SO, UM, SO THANKS A LOT FOR THAT.
AND I DIDN'T MENTION BEFORE, AND A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T KNOW THIS, BUT THE REASON TO PUSH TRULY FOR IN-PERSON ABSENTEE AND REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF ABSENTEE BALLOTS THAT GO THROUGH THE MAIL, PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE WHEN YOU MAIL SOMETHING FROM PRETTY MUCH ANYWHERE IN WASHINGTON COUNTY, YOUR BALLOT IS GOING DOWN TO MILWAUKEE AND COMING BACK TO YOUR COMMUNITY, EVEN IF YOU'RE MAILING IT IN THE COMMUNITY, THAT IT'S GOING TO, UM, IT'S GOING ALL THE WAY DOWN.
SO IT'S APPROXIMATELY, I'VE HEARD FROM SOME OF OUR CLERKS AT LEAST FOUR DAYS, IF NOT MORE, DEPENDING ON THE CIRCUMSTANCE OR THE VOLUME OF MAIL.
UM, BUT THAT IS, IS TOO LONG, UH, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU'RE WAITING UNTIL THE LAST MINUTE TO MAIL IT BACK.
SO HAVING THOSE EXTRA HOURS FOR YOUR CONSTITUENTS TO DROP IT OFF IN PERSON AND ENSURE THAT YOU, YOUR CLERK HAS IT, AND IT WILL BE COUNTED ON ELECTION DAY IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT.
NO, THAT WAS AN AWESOME POINT.
UH, THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR, SUPERVISOR.
MARY, CONGRATULATIONS TO ASHLEY AND THE ENTIRE TEAM IN THE CLERK'S OFFICE.
I THINK THIS IS A VERY, UH, SUPERVISOR BOSER SAID, THIS IS VERY THOROUGH EXAMINATION OF WHAT WE CAN DO HERE LOCALLY TO IMPROVE THE PROCESS, ELIMINATE THE CONCERN ABOUT VOTER TAMPERING AND SO ON.
UH, I'VE WORKED CENTRAL COUNT IN GERMANTOWN FOR MANY, MANY ELECTIONS.
AND I CAN TELL YOU FROM, FIRST OF ALL, ONCE YOU'VE GOT THESE BOXES OF BALLOTS THAT HAVE COME IN DIVIDED BY, UH, WARD WITHIN THE CITY,
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THEN EACH HAS TO BE ALPHABETIZED BY THE LAST LETTER.AND THEN BY THE TIME YOU GET THAT DONE, THEN YOU HAVE TO TAKE EACH ENVELOPE, OPEN IT UP, YOU'VE GOTTA CHECK LIKE THREE CHECKPOINTS ON THE FRONT OF THE ENVELOPE.
WAS IT SIGNED, WAS THERE A WITNESS, ET CETERA.
AND THEN YOU OPEN IT UP, AND THEN YOU HAVE TO GIVE IT A NUMBER.
AND THEN YOU READ THE ADDRESS TO YOUR PARTNER.
THERE ARE THREE PEOPLE ON A TEAM, AND THERE'S THREE PEOPLE THAT DO THIS.
WE CAN AVERAGE 100 BALLOTS AN HOUR, AND IF YOU'VE GOT 15,000 BALLOTS, AND JUST FIGURE HOW LONG THIS IS GONNA TAKE.
AND FOR THE LAST BIG PRESIDENTIAL ELECT PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION, I THINK WE HAD 12 TEAMS GOING.
WE HAD EVERY OFFICE IN GERMANTOWN VILLAGE HALL OCCUPIED BY TEAMS COUNTING ABSENTEE BALLOTS COMING IN.
AND IF WE CAN SPEED, SPEED LIST WHOLE PROCESS UP, I THINK IT'S A WONDERFUL WAY TO ELIMINATE SOME PROBLEMS WE'VE HAD.
WELL, WE HAVEN'T HAD 'EM HERE, WE'VE DISCOVERED THAT, BUT IT JUST ELIMINATES THE POTENTIAL FOR PROBLEMS. AND I THINK ALSO GIVES A GREAT DEAL OF MORE CONSUMER CONFIDENCE IN WASHINGTON COUNTY THAT WHEN YOU VOTE IT COUNTS.
WELL, YOU HEARD ALL OF MY COMMENTS ALREADY, BUT I JUST WANTED TO THANK ASHLEY FOR PUTTING THIS ALL TOGETHER BECAUSE I THINK IT IS REALLY AWESOME AND IT IS NEEDED FOR VOTER CONFIDENCE.
AND ALSO, BELIEVE IT OR NOT, FROM OBSERVING AND BEING INVOLVED IN SOME OF THIS THINGS A LITTLE HERE, A LITTLE, THERE DO HAPPEN IN WASHINGTON COUNTY, YOU KNOW, NOTHING LIKE MILWAUKEE OR MADISON, BUT THERE HAVE BEEN, UH, YOU KNOW, QUESTIONABLE, I'D SAY THINGS HERE AND THERE, BUT THIS SHOULD REALLY HELP TO, UM, ALLEVIATE CONCERNS FOR PEOPLE.
UM, I, I GUESS, COULDN'T WE BE USING THE SALES TAX SHARED REVENUE FOR THIS VERSUS A FUND BALANCE? I MEAN, IT IS SERVING THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY, AND ISN'T THAT WHAT WE'VE BEEN ALLOCATING MANY, MANY OF THE SALES TAX DOLLARS FOR JOSH OR AARON? I'M, I'M JUST THINKING IT SOUNDS LIKE THIS IS A GREAT SOURCE OF FUNDING.
UH, I GUESS WE, WE CO-MINGLE SALES TAX AND PROPERTY TAX AND, UM, THE OPERATING DOLLARS ARE ALREADY ALLOCATED.
SO BECAUSE THIS IS A ONE-TIME SPEND, UM, THAT'S THE REASON IT'S A GENERAL FUND TRANSFER THIS TIME.
IF WE WERE TO INCORPORATE IT INTO FUTURE BUDGETS, WHICH IF THIS WORKS THE WAY WE THINK IT'LL WORK, WE WILL DO THAT.
AND THEN IT WOULD BE EXACTLY WHAT YOU'RE DESCRIBING, MORE OF A SHARED SALES TAX ALLOCATION THAT'S TRACKED AND SO FORTH.
BUT BECAUSE IT'S, UH, THE FIRST TIME WE'RE EVER DOING IT AND THE BUDGET HAD ALREADY BEEN SET, IT, IT'S A GENERAL FUND TRANSFER.
UM, SO THIS WOULD BE TO, UH, UH, ASHLEY.
UM, DO YOU HAVE, I GUESS IF IT'S CALLED A PILOT, FOR LACK OF A BETTER WORD, DO YOU HAVE SUCCESS CRITERIA, UH, ESTABLISHED TO BE ABLE TO DEMONSTRATE, IS THIS GONNA BE ONGOING OR NOT? SURE.
AND THEN IF SO, UM, WILL IT COME BEFORE THE BOARD AS A GENERAL OPERATING EXPENSE? RIGHT.
AND SO, BECAUSE SOME OF THE KEY COMPONENTS OF THIS, UH, PACKAGE ARE VOLUNTARY, UM, PROCESSES THAT THE MUNICIPALITIES CAN TAKE ADVANTAGE OF, UM, IF IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE SEE A GREAT INTEREST FROM EACH OF OUR MUNICIPALITIES, THEN I WOULD FORESEE IT BEING SUCCESSFUL AND WANTING TO BRING IT FORWARD.
UM, THE THINGS THAT WE CAN CONTROL, LIKE AUDITING OURSELVES, COUNTYWIDE, YOU KNOW, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE DONE IN THE PAST AND WE COULD IMPLEMENT MOVING FORWARD AS A, A PERMANENT PROCESS.
UM, SO THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE CAN CONTROL, UM, AND MEASURE THE SUCCESS WITH THAT AS WELL.
UM, BUT THE, THE ITEMS FOR THE MUNICIPALITIES, IT REALLY WILL DEPEND UPON IF THEY TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE OPPORTUNITY TO OFFER THOSE EXTENDED HOURS AND IF THEY CHOOSE TO AUDIT THEMSELVES ON ELECTION NIGHT.
ARE YOU ASKING THOSE, UH, YOUR, YOUR, YOUR COUNTERPARTS IN THOSE MIN MUNICIPALITIES TO PROVIDE YOU WITH DATA? UH, I WILL BE.
SO I HAVE ACTUALLY SPOKEN TO EACH OF OUR MUNICIPAL CLERKS ALREADY REGARDING ALL OF THESE ASPECTS.
UM, AND HAVE HAD LENGTHY CONVERSATIONS ABOUT WHAT IT WOULD LOOK LIKE.
UH, WE HAVE MEETINGS SCHEDULED.
UM, ACTUALLY WE HAVE A MEETING NEXT WEEK TO TALK ABOUT THIS SPECIFICALLY.
UM, AND WHAT HAS BEEN REQUESTED FROM SOME ALREADY IS WHAT WOULD THE STANDARD PROCESS LOOK LIKE? SO WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE PROVIDING A STANDARD PROCESS ACROSS THE BOARD.
[01:45:01]
MAINTAINING THAT ELECTION INTEGRITY, UM, AND CONFIDENCE IN THE PROCESSES.AND SO THAT'LL BE THE START OF EVERYTHING, UM, WITH THE MUNICIPALITIES.
WELL HAS ALREADY BEEN SAID, I APPRECIATE YOUR LEADERSHIP IN THIS.
UM, IT'S, IT'S, YOU KNOW, WELL NEEDED AND I THINK WELL, WELL APPRECIATED BY COUNTY, UH, RESIDENTS AND MM-HMM.
UM, SO IF YOU CAN HELP INFLUENCE THOSE MUNICIPALITIES TO SUBSCRIBE TO BEST PRACTICES MM-HMM,
UM, I JUST WANNA HIGHLIGHT A COUPLE OF THINGS.
I TALKED ABOUT THIS AT EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE BEFORE IT WAS BROUGHT HERE, BUT I THINK THEY'RE WORTH REITERATING.
UM, FIRST OF ALL, IN, IN REGARDS TO SUPERVISOR GALL'S COMMENTS.
UM, I THINK ONE OF THE DATA POINTS, MAYBE THE BUDGET POLICY ANALYTICS DEPARTMENT COULD MONITOR IS THE IN-PERSON TURNOUT RATE COMPAR AND, AND COMPARING IT SPECIFICALLY, UH, DOING THE DATA CRUNCH.
I'M COMPARING IT SPECIFICALLY TO THE LAST TWO, OR MAYBE EVEN THREE, EVEN NUMBERED YEAR ELECTIONS TO SEE DID IT ACTUALLY DRIVE TURNOUT MORE? MAYBE IF WE'RE ADDING TAGGING ON REGISTRATION, DID WE SEE INCREASED REGISTRATIONS BECAUSE OF DOING IT THIS WAY OR NOT? MAYBE IT'LL BE NEGLIGIBLE.
MAYBE IT'LL BE, UH, SUBSTANTIAL, BUT IT IS WORTH MONITORING.
SO THANK YOU FOR THAT SUGGESTION.
IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT TO NOTE, AND I FAILED TO MENTION THIS AT THE, UH, EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE.
UM, ASHLEY CAME TO THE CHIEF ELECTEDS MEETING, UH, A COUPLE WEEKS BACK.
UH, AND THEY WERE REALLY THE FIRST GROUP THAT KIND OF GOT IN A GROUP SETTING THE FULL, UH, EXPLANATION AS SHE JUST LAID IT OUT TO YOU TODAY.
AND IT WAS VERY POSITIVE, UH, FEEDBACK.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, UM, ASHLEY ALSO ATTENDED THE, UM, THE WI WISCONSIN TOWNS ASSOCIATION, EXCUSE ME.
UM, MEETING IN, UH, FOR THE COUNTY UNIT, UH, WHICH WAS IN THE TOWN OF ADDISON, SAME THING.
THAT WAS A, A, A LARGE NUMBER OF, UH, TOWN ELECTED OFFICIALS.
VERY POSITIVE RESPONSE FROM THEM, INCLUDING FEEDBACK AT BOTH MEETINGS ABOUT THE POTENTIALITY OF HAVING UNIFORM HOURS AS CLOSE AS POSSIBLE, EXCUSE ME, UM, ALL ACROSS THE COUNTY.
UM, THAT, THAT LIKELY WILL BE A CHALLENGE.
BUT I THOUGHT IT WAS A VERY POSITIVE SIGN TO HEAR THAT KIND OF GOOD FEEDBACK, UH, ALL ACROSS ELECTED OFFICIALS COUNTYWIDE, UH, I WANT TO EMPHASIZE, BECAUSE I DON'T WANT IT TO GET LOST IN THE WASH.
WE ARE TALKING ABOUT, UM, IN REGARDS TO IN-PERSON ABSENTEE EXTRA ADDITIONAL HOURS.
UH, SO FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE FAMILIAR, JUST AS ONE EXAMPLE, IF THE VILLAGE RICHFIELD DID THEIR DRIVE THROUGH VOTING LIKE THEY DID DURING COVID, WE WOULD COVER 150% OF THE ACTUAL COSTS.
UH, THAT'S IMPORTANT FOR YOU TO KNOW, OBVIOUSLY, 'CAUSE IT'S, UH, AN INFLATED NUMBER FROM WHAT THEIR ACTUAL COSTS ARE.
UH, BUT IT'S IMPORTANT TO REALIZE THOSE MUNICIPAL CLERKS, RICHFIELD BEING THE EXAMPLE, UM, OFTENTIMES ARE SALARIED.
SO TO GIVE THEM THAT, JUST A LITTLE BIT OF ADDITIONAL INCENTIVE TO ACTUALLY DO THE RIGHT THING HERE AND GET SOME HOURS, AS WAS ILLUSTRATED A FEW MINUTES AGO, UH, THE CITY OF MILWAUKEE HAS VERY BROAD HOURS.
UH, WE'RE, WE'RE NOT GONNA PROBABLY GET CLOSE TO THAT, BUT EVEN JUST UPPING THE ANTE A LITTLE BIT AND SETTING THE EXAMPLE HERE IN WASHINGTON COUNTY IS IMPORTANT.
UH, IT ALSO, UH, TRANSLATES INTO THE VOLUNTARY AUDITS.
WE HEARD, UM, ON MANY, MANY OCCASIONS.
I'M SURE THERE'S A NUMBER OF YOU WHO HAVE SEEN, UH, A LOT OF, UH, THE, THE PER THE PERSONS WHO HAVE ELECTION INTEGRITY CONCERNS.
UM, YOU'VE SEEN THEM MORE THAN LIKELY WHEN KNOCKING DOORS OR GOING TO EVENTS, OR, UH, WE HAD A NUMBER OF, SOME OF THE MORE INFLUENTIAL FOLKS THROUGHOUT THE STATE OF WISCONSIN SHOW UP TO OUR AUDIT, UH, WHEN ASHLEY TOOK THE CHARGE AND LED TWO YEARS AGO ON THIS.
UM, AND ONE OF THE PIECES OF FEEDBACK WAS STARTING IT AS ASHLEY INDICATED DOING IT THAT ELECTION NIGHT, INSTEAD OF WAITING A FEW DAYS, UM, THAT WAS TALKED ABOUT AT EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE.
THIS IS TAKING THAT ONE MORE STEP AND DOING THAT.
I THINK, UM, ASHLEY SHOULD GET KUDOS.
SHE'S THE BEST COUNTY CLERK IN THE STATE OF WISCONSIN.
AND BEING BOLD ENOUGH, UH, TO PROPOSE SOMETHING LIKE THIS, UH, COURAGEOUS ENOUGH TO ASK FOR $150,000 TO, TO SET THE, SET THE STAGE, DO THE RIGHT THING, MODEL THE WAY, UM, YOU KNOW, BETWEEN CHRISTIAN AND SHE, UH, TONIGHT YOU SHOULD BE EXTRAORDINARILY PROUD AND DON'T EVER GET, UH, LACKADAISICAL ABOUT HOW AMAZING IT IS THAT WE'VE GOT PEOPLE WHO ARE WILLING TO PUSH THE ENVELOPE AND TALK ABOUT ENDING CENTRAL COUNT.
I MEAN, THE NIGHTMARE STORIES THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT AT KINGPIN
UM, BUT BOTTOM LINE IS, UH, YOU'VE GOT AN OUTSTANDING COUNTY CLERK WHO, WHO'S DOING SOME BOLD THINGS, AND SHE DESERVES A HELL OF A LOT OF CREDIT AND ALL, ALL
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OF OUR PRAISE.SO THANK YOU ASHLEY, FOR DOING THIS.
AND, AND PLEASE, PLEASE, ALL OF YOU, I ASK FOR YOUR SUPPORT FOR THIS RESOLUTION.
I'LL SIGN IT AS FAST AS I CAN, WHICH UNFORTUNATELY ISN'T UNTIL MONDAY
THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE POLL WORKERS, THANK YOU FOR YOUR INSIGHTS AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE.
UM, THERE BEING NO OTHER COMMENTS, I'LL, I TOO WILL SAY VERY GOOD.
THIS ALSO REQUIRES A TWO THIRDS MAJORITY.
IT'S UNANIMOUS WITH ONE ABSTENTION.
OUR NEXT MEETING WILL BE WEDNESDAY, JUNE 12TH AT 6:00 PM THIS MEETING'S ADJOURNED.