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THE WASHINGTON COUNTY BOARD TO ORDER.THIS MEETING HAS BEEN NOTICED BY THE CLERK'S OFFICE APPROPRIATELY.
UM, WE ARE GENERALLY ALL HERE.
I KNOW THAT, UH, BOB HARTWIG WAS RUNNING A LITTLE LATE, SO HE MAY BE GETTING HERE OR HE MAY BE EXCUSED.
AND PAM CONRAD IS ONLINE, I BELIEVE SO, UM, WILL RISE FOR A SILENT MOMENT OF PRAYER AND THE 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 OVER THE INJUSTICE FOR ALL.
UM, THE MINUTES WERE IN THE PACKET FROM OUR LAST MEETING.
UM, WE DID MAKE A CORRECTION, UH, INITIALLY IT DID NOT INDICATE THAT MIKE SCHWAB
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READ RESOLUTION ONE.UH, BUT THAT'S BEEN CORRECTED.
SO ARE THERE ANY OTHER CORRECTIONS? OKAY, THERE BEING NONE.
WE'LL RECORD THEM AS MOTIONED.
UM, THERE ARE A WHOLE BUNCH OF REAPPOINTMENTS, WHICH ALWAYS HAPPENS IN MAY IN THE OFF YEARS.
SO, UM, WE'LL TAKE THEM AS PART OF CONSENT AGENDA, UNLESS THERE ARE ANY OF THOSE SOMEONE WANTS TO PULL OUT AND DISCUSS THERE BEING NONE, THEN SHOULD WE TAKE MOTION? ALL IN FAVOR OR ALL IN FAVOR OF ACCEPTING THE APPOINTMENTS AS PRINTED? SAY AYE.
OUR FIRST PERSONAL APPEARANCE IS THE UWM AND MORA PARK JOINT REPORT.
I WELCOME MARK MOONEY AND, UM, CHANCELLOR OF VW MILWAUKEE.
I'M WITH PRESIDENT BONNIE ALD.
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE OUR UPDATE WITH YOU TONIGHT.
WE'RE VERY PLEASED TO BE HERE.
AND WE'RE GOING TO, UM, SHARE WITH YOU JUST A FEW SLIDES.
UM, AND WE'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, UM, THE, THE WORK THAT WE'VE DONE AND, UH, SINCE OUR LAST REPORT TO YOU.
AND I THINK YOU'LL BE VERY PLEASED WITH THE PROGRESS.
UM, IT WOULDN'T HAPPEN WITHOUT THE GREAT PARTNERSHIP THAT WE HAVE WITH MARRA PARK.
AS YOU KNOW, WE HAD A CAMPUS, A TWO YEAR CAMPUS, UWM AT WASHINGTON COUNTY.
AND AS WE CLOSED THAT CAMPUS, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT ENABLED US TO GO DOWN THIS PATH, UH, WE THINK IN TERMS OF MEETING THE NEEDS OF EMPLOYERS, MEETING THE NEEDS OF STUDENTS, PARTICULARLY RETAINING THE TALENT AND THE FUTURE, UH, GENERATIONS IN THIS, IN THIS REGION, IT'S VITALLY IMPORTANT TO HAVE OPTIONS IN ADDITION TO THE GREAT TWO YEAR DEGREES THAT MILWAUKEE, THAT MORAINE PARK TECHNICAL COLLEGE, UH, CAN PROVIDE.
ANOTHER WAY OF SAYING THAT IS, WHY WOULD WE WANT TO HAVE TWO CAMPUSES THAT ARE PROVIDING ESSENTIALLY THE SAME DEGREE? IT'S NOT A GOOD USE OF TAXPAYER RESOURCES.
IT'S NOT A, IT'S NOT A SMART, SMART INVESTMENT.
SO THE NICE THING IS HAVING A GREAT PARTNER LIKE, UH, PRESIDENT ALD AND HER TEAM, UH, THAT HAVE REALLY ENABLED A LOT OF THIS WORK.
I WANNA SAY ALONG THE WAY, ALSO, THAT COUNTY EXECUTIVE SHOWMAN HAS REALLY BEEN A MODEL LEADER AND, AND BEEN ENCOURAGING AND HAS PROVIDED A LOT OF THE NECESSARY RESOURCES AND SUPPORT AS WE'VE GONE DOWN THIS PATH.
THIS WORK IS PREMISED FUNDAMENTALLY ON AN AGREEMENT THAT WE CAME TO WITH THE TECHNICAL COLLEGES.
AND THAT AGREEMENT IS ABSOLUTELY CRITICAL.
AND WHAT YOU SEE IN THIS PICTURE IS MYSELF WITH PRESIDENT ALD TO MY LEFT IN THAT PICTURE.
AND THEN YOU HAVE RICH BARNHOUSE, THE PRESIDENT OF WAUKESHA COUNTY TECHNICAL COLLEGE, VICKI MARTIN, WHO WAS THEN PRESIDENT OF MILWAUKEE AREA TECHNICAL COLLEGE.
AND ON THIS PICTURE, THE FAR RIGHT IS TU RAJU, WHO IS THE PRESIDENT AT THE TIME OF GATEWAY TECHNICAL COLLEGE.
THIS WAS JANUARY 23RD, 2024, A YEAR AND A HALF AGO.
AND WE SIGNED AN AGREEMENT THAT WAS CRITICAL.
WHAT THIS AGREEMENT ALLOWS IS THAT EVERY TECH COLLEGE GRADUATE FROM ANY OF THESE INSTITUTIONS CAN COME TO UW MILWAUKEE AND TRANSFER ALL 60 OF THEIR CREDITS EVERY CLASS WITHOUT A QUESTION.
NOW, FULL DISCLOSURE, IF YOU'VE HAD A CULINARY ARTS TWO YEAR DEGREE, IT'S GONNA BE HARD TO MOVE RIGHT IN AND FINISH YOUR DEGREE IN ENGINEERING.
YOU KNOW, SO, SO THERE'S SOME EXAMPLES WHERE IT'S NOT LIKE ONE-TO-ONE AND EVERYTHING COUNTS AS A PREREQUISITE.
BUT WHY THIS IS SO IMPORTANT IS THAT ONE OF THE BIG IMPEDIMENTS THAT WE'VE HAD IN THE STATE OF WISCONSIN IS THAT WHEN YOU WANT TO TRANSFER WITHIN A TWO YEAR COLLEGE TO A FOUR YEAR ACADEMIC INSTITUTION, YOU HAVE TO TAKE ANOTHER SEMESTER OR SOMETIMES ANOTHER YEAR.
I CAN'T TELL YOU THE NUMBER OF EMPLOYERS WHO SPONSOR STUDENTS AND THEY SAY THEY GOT THEIR TECH DEGREE AND I WANT TO CONTINUE SUPPORTING THEM TO BECOME AN ENGINEER OR A POLICE OFFICER OR A NURSE.
AND WE HAVE TO SAY, WELL, BACK UP.
WE NEED TO HAVE SOME OTHER, OTHER COURSES.
THIS AGREEMENT CHANGES THAT PROFOUNDLY, IT'S NATIONALLY LEADING TO HAVE THAT AUTOMATIC TRANSFER.
SO THAT SETS THE STAGE THEN, NO MATTER WHEN YOU GRADUATED FROM MARRA PARK TECHNICAL COLLEGE TO COME TO UW M, SLIDE RIGHT IN AS A JUNIOR AND JUST GET GOING RIGHT AWAY.
SO IT'S ECON ECONOMICAL AND IT REALLY HELPS ACCELERATE THAT AND WITH SOME OF OUR TECH COLLEGE PARTNERS, AND WE HOPE TO CONTINUE DOING THIS, YOU'LL HEAR TONIGHT ABOUT WHAT WE'RE EXPLORING, THE ACTUAL FIRST DEGREES THAT WE WOULD HAVE ON SITE, FOUR YEAR DEGREES ON SITE.
SO THE TYPES OF THINGS WE'LL TALK ABOUT A LITTLE BIT LATER, BUILD ON THAT TYPE OF TRANSFER AGREEMENT.
SO WITH, WITHOUT HIS BACKGROUND, PRESIDENT BEWELL WILL SHARE MORE DETAILS.
AND AS CHANCELLOR MON, UH, JUST DESCRIBED, UH,
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ONE OF THE THINGS THAT OUR STUDENTS STRUGGLED WITH IS TRANSFERRING THEIR ASSOCIATE DEGREE INTO A FOUR YEAR COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY AND NOT HAVING TO REPEAT COURSES THEY COMPLETED IN THE ASSOCIATE DEGREE.SO, AS MARK MENTIONED, WE THEN TOOK THE NEXT STEP TO SAY, HOW CAN WE, UH, FORMALIZE THESE AGREEMENTS IN A DIFFERENT WAY? AND SO, UH, WHAT WE WANTED TO DO IS WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH UW MILWAUKEE TO CREATE MORE TECHNICAL AND ACCREDITED BACHELOR DEGREE PROGRAM TRANSFER AGREEMENTS.
WE FORMALLY CALL THOSE ARTICULATION AGREEMENTS TO REALLY SET THE STUDENTS ON A PATHWAY FOR SUCCESS, UM, MAKING SURE THAT THEY TRANSFER IN AT JUNIOR STATUS WITH AT LEAST 60 CREDITS UNDER THEIR BELT.
SO DURING THE ACADEMIC YEAR, 20 23, 24, MARRA PARK TECHNICAL COLLEGE LEVERAGED WHAT WAS CALLED AT THAT TIME A WISCONSIN TECHNICAL COLLEGE TO SOME LEADERSHIP GRANT TO ACTUALLY USE SOME RESOURCES TO RUN A PROJECT TO DEVELOP PROGRAM TRANSFER AGREEMENTS WITH UW MILWAUKEE.
NOW, IT WAS ACTUALLY A YEAR LONG PROJECT, AND IT INCLUDED THREE JOINT, UH, WORKSHOPS BETWEEN UW MILWAUKEE FACULTY AND STAFF AND LEADERSHIP, UM, JOINTLY WITH MRA PARK, SAME FACULTY, STAFF AND LEADERSHIP.
THERE WAS A KICKOFF LEADERSHIP MEETING, AND THEN THERE WAS ARTICULATION, UH, CONVERSATIONS GOING ON IN ORDER TO, FIRST OF ALL JUST CREATE RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN FACULTY FROM BOTH COLLEGES, JUST TO GET AN UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT IS IN YOUR ASSOCIATE DEGREE PROGRAM, HOW, WHAT COMPETENCIES ARE YOU TEACHING TO, HOW DOES THAT TRANSITION TO A FOUR YEAR COLLEGE DEGREE AND SO ON.
UH, SO THAT HAPPENED ALL OF 23, 24.
AND QUITE FRANKLY, THE BEST SOLUTION OTHER THAN ACTUALLY SIGNING THE AGREEMENTS YOU SEE ON YOUR SCREEN WAS THAT THE FACULTY GAINED A, A, A MUCH BROADER UNDERSTANDING OF EACH OTHER'S ROLE AND REALLY THE PROFESSIONALISM AND, UH, COMPETENCIES THAT THEY BRING TO THE TABLE.
SO WHAT THAT, UH, RESULTED IN, AS NOTED HERE, IS WE ACTUALLY, IN JUNE OF 24, JUST, UH, LAST JUNE, WE SIGNED ARTICULATION TRANSFER AGREEMENTS TO 49 PROGRAM PATHWAYS.
UM, 31 ASSOCIATE DEGREE PROGRAMS TO SIX DIFFERENT UW MILWAUKEE COLLEGES.
UM, AND I WOULD SAY THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, WE HAD 49 SIGNED IN JUNE OF 24.
WE SIGNED MORE LATER IN THE SUMMER, AND WE ARE CONTINUING THAT WORK EVEN AS OF TODAY, TRYING TO CREATE MORE PATHWAYS.
MOVING ON THEN TO, WHAT'S, WHAT'S HAPPENING RIGHT NOW IS IN THE SPRING OF 2024, AFTER WE LEARNED OF THE UW, UH, MILWAUKEE, WASHINGTON COUNTY, UH, CLOSING OF THE CAMPUS, WE ACTUALLY STARTED BRAINSTORMING WITH EACH OTHER, UH, TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE CAN HAVE A PHYSICAL LOCATION ON THE WEST BEND CAMPUS FOR STUDENTS WHO WANTED TO CONTINUE THEIR JUNIOR AND SENIOR LEVEL COURSES, UH, HERE IN WEST BEND.
UM, START, SO STARTING IN 2026, UH, WE'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THIS.
MRA PARK IS GONNA BE OFFERING PHYSICAL LOCATION ON OUR WEST BEND CAMPUS FOR STUDENTS INTERESTED IN COMPLETING A BACCALAUREATE DEGREE WITH ONE OF OUR FOUR YEAR UNIVERSITY PARTNERS.
AND THE FIRST PARTNER IN THE UNIVERSITY CENTER WILL BE UW MILWAUKEE.
UM, THEY WILL BE AN INTEGRAL PART OF THAT CENTER, AND WE'LL BE THE FIRST PART PARTNER THAT IS ESTABLISHED IN UTILIZING THAT CENTER.
SO TO HELP ENSURE SUCCESS, UM, WE ACTUALLY GATHERED A LOT OF INFORMATION AND SURVEYED OUR STUDENTS TO SAY, WHAT KIND OF PROGRAMS MIGHT YOU HAVE INTEREST IN? 'CAUSE WE CERTAINLY WANNA STRONG ENOUGH COHORT OF STUDENTS IN ORDER TO MAKE THIS FISCALLY VIABLE.
SO WE GATHERED ALL THAT INFORMATION, SHARED THAT WITH UWM AND THEIR LEADERSHIP TEAM.
UM, AND AS YOU KNOW, UM, AND MARK WILL TALK ABOUT THIS IN A IN A MINUTE, WE'RE CONTINUING TO WORK THROUGH WHICH PROGRAMS MAKE SENSE FOR OFFERING.
BUT AGAIN, WEST BEND, UH, LOCAL, UH, LEARNERS, REGARDLESS IF YOU'RE A MARINE MARINE PARK STUDENT OR NOT, CAN TAKE NOT ONLY MARINE, MARINE PARK, UH, LEVEL CLASSES AND AS AN ASSOCIATE DEGREE LEVEL AND OR CONTINUE THEIR EDUCATION IF THEY ALREADY HAVE AN ASSOCIATE DEGREE, IF THEY WANNA LEARN MORE ABOUT IT AND JUST COME BACK AND FINISH THEIR, UH, BACCALAUREATE DEGREE, UH, HERE AT MARRA PARK.
THIS REALLY IS A TRUE PARTNERSHIP.
IT'S A WIN-WIN FOR EVERYBODY, AND WE'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT THIS.
UM, AGAIN, UH, IT'S AGAIN, OPEN TO EVERYBODY IN THE COMMUNITY, SO WE'RE EXCITED TO SEE WHERE THIS GOES.
AND AGAIN, UH, CERTAINLY THE PRESENCE ON OUR CAMPUS IS REALLY GONNA ALLOW THEM TO CREATE AND BUILD PARTNERSHIPS AND RELATIONSHIPS WITH OUR EXISTING STUDENTS AND
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ANY MEMBERS OF THE, THE WASHINGTON COUNTY AND THE SURROUNDING AREA.SO I'LL LET, UH, MARK FINISH UP BY TELLING A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT, UH, WHAT PROGRAMS WE'RE LOOKING AT.
UM, WE HAVE THREE PEOPLE WITH US TONIGHT WHO ARE INTEGRAL.
I WANT TO GIVE THEM RECOGNITION.
UH, WE COULDN'T DO IT WITHOUT THEM.
THEY'VE BEEN LEADING, WHEN YOU HEAR ABOUT THE FACULTY THAT ARE ENGAGED IN OTHER ADMINISTRATORS, THERE'S BEEN A TREMENDOUS NUMBER OF MEETINGS.
AND THERE WILL CONTINUE TO BE, FOR US TO BE ABLE TO PUT THE PROGRAM TOGETHER, UM, BETWEEN SPRING AND, AND, UM, FALL OF 2026 WHEN WE'LL BE OPERATIONAL WITH PROGRAMS THAT I'LL MENTION IN A MOMENT.
BUT WE HAVE THE DEAN OF THE WEST BEND CAMPUS OF MARRA PARK TECHNICAL COLLEGE, PETE LER, WHO'S, UM, JOINED US AND, AND A GREAT CHAMPION OF OUR WORK.
WE HAVE, UH, WITH, WITH HIM ALSO FROM UWM, WE HAVE OUR, UH, REALLY DIRECTOR OF OUR TRANSFER, UH, PROGRAMS FOR OUR, OUR, WE CALL 'EM THE UWM CENTERS, UM, THAT WE'RE PURSUING WITH A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT TECH COLLEGES.
SUZANNE, WHO IS A MATH PROFESSOR AND CAN KEEP TRACK OF AN INCREDIBLE AMOUNT OF DETAIL.
AND, AND IF YOU, YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT A LOT OF THE, THE INTRICATE DETAILS, SHE AND PETE CAN GIVE THOSE.
WE ALSO HAVE, UM, OUR GOVERNMENT RELATIONS OFFICER, SENIOR GOVERNMENT RELATIONS OFFICER, CARRIE DEUCE, WHO, UM, IS MORE THAN JUST GOVERNMENT RELATIONS.
SHE REALLY IS INSTRUMENTAL TO A LOT OF THE PARTNERSHIPS LIKE THIS AND REALLY, UH, HAS BEEN, BEEN VERY HELPFUL.
SO THE WORK THAT WE'VE BEEN TAKING ON WITH THEM LEADING THE WORK IS A SERIES OF REGULAR MEETINGS.
YOU DON'T GET TO WHAT BONNIE DESCRIBED IN TERMS OF THE, THE, UM, NUMBER OF AGREEMENTS, UH, WITHOUT EXTENSIVE ENGAGEMENT.
WE, UH, TODAY ARE LOOKING AT, DEPENDING ON DEMAND, WHAT SEEMS TO BE LEADING BASED ON THE SURVEY WORK AND, AND THE VOICE OF, OF WHAT WE'RE HEARING RIGHT NOW.
COLLECTIVE VOICES ENGINEERING AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY, UH, RELATED TO TWO DIFFERENT DEGREE TRACKS, FOUR YEAR DEGREES IN THOSE AREAS.
CLOSELY FOLLOWING THOSE WOULD BE, UM, WORK THAT WE'D LOOK AT IN BUSINESS AND AND OR ENTREPRENEURSHIP, WHICH, UH, MAKES AN AWFUL LOT OF SENSE.
UM, WORK IN HEALTHCARE AND, UH, COUNTY EXECUTIVE.
WHEN WE SPOKE, UH, THE OTHER DAY, I TALKED ABOUT HOW THAT, TO ME, UH, SEEMS TO BE SUCH A, AN IMPORTANT AREA.
I KNOW THAT WE HAVE A GUEST HERE TONIGHT WHOSE DAUGHTER GRADUATED, UM, IS WORKING TODAY IN, IN HEALTHCARE, YOU KNOW, FROM, FROM THIS AREA.
WE HAVE THOUSANDS OF, OF GRADUATES, UM, THAT STAY IN WISCONSIN EVERY YEAR.
IN FACT, THE NUMBERS, 5,300 GRADUATES EVERY YEAR FROM UWM.
WE HAVE 19 DIFFERENT HEALTHCARE MAJORS.
AND WHETHER IT'S IN OT, PT, DIETICIAN, SPEECH PATHOLOGY, SONOGRAPHY, NURSING, WE CAN GO THROUGH A LOT OF DIFFERENT AREAS.
WE CAN'T BEGIN TO SATISFY THE DEMAND FOR HEALTHCARE.
SO THAT'S WHY TO ME, UM, THAT IS ONE THAT MAKES AN AWFUL LOT OF SENSE.
BUT AGAIN, THOSE ARE THINGS THAT WE LOOK AT AS WELL AS EDUCATION AND PSYCHOLOGY.
THOSE ARE IN THE, THE, UH, SHORT LIST RIGHT NOW.
AS I MENTIONED, THEY'RE DEMAND DEPENDENT.
WE NEED A CRITICAL MASS FOR A COHORT.
WE CAN'T PUT A PROGRAM TOGETHER, A TWO YEAR DEGREE SET OF OFFERINGS FOR THREE OR FIVE STUDENTS.
WE'D LOVE TO HAVE COURSES IN PERSON THAT CREATES, UH, WE THINK A, A RICH AND IMPORTANT LEARNING ENVIRONMENT, UH, TO, TO HAVE THAT THERE.
UM, WE WILL BE OCCUPYING SPACE BEGINNING IN 2026.
WE'RE VERY GRATEFUL FOR MARRA PARK TO GIVE US SPACE AND HELP US FIGURE OUT WHAT ARE THE RIGHT KIND OF COURSE CONFIGURATIONS.
WHAT ARE THE RIGHT THINGS FOR SOME OF OUR ADMINISTRATORS AND SOME OF THE FACULTY TO BE ON SITE.
IT MAKES A BIG DIFFERENCE FOR RECRUITING.
IT, WE THINK MAKES A BIG DIFFERENCE FOR THE COMMUNITY TO HAVE THAT TYPE OF ENGAGEMENT.
SO IT GRACIOUSLY, UH, ALLOWED US TO, TO START REITERING RIGHT NOW, SOME OF THE SPACE.
AND THEN IN FALL OF 26, UH, ONSITE, UH, FOR THE ACTUAL COURSE DELIVERY AND THE, THE PROGRAMMATIC WORK.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S, UH, REALLY KIND OF A HIGH LEVEL SUMMARY OF WHAT, UH, OUR WORK HAS BEEN SO FAR.
AND AGAIN, VERY GRATEFUL TO THE COUNTY FOR YOUR SUPPORT.
WE HOPE THIS MEETS YOUR NEEDS OUT OF EMPLOYERS AND CERTAINLY THE FAMILIES THAT WE HAVE IN THE REGION.
WE'RE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE.
DOES ANYBODY HAVE A QUESTION? SUPERVISOR? BUSSER? JUST CURIOUS.
I KNOW, UH, MARINE PARK IS PUTTING ON, SORRY, I KNOW RAIN PARK PUT ON AN ADDITION.
WAS UWM PART OF THAT, OR THAT WAS JUST THEM? I'M JUST, JUST CURIOUS BECAUSE I KNOW I I DRIVE BY THERE.
AND I, I KNOW THEY PUT ON, THEY'RE PUTTING ON AN ADDITION THERE.
WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF FINISHING THAT EDITION.
IT WAS, UH, ONE PART OF OUR REFERENDUM MM-HMM
UH, APPROVAL THAT WAS, UH, UH, UM, APPROVED BACK IN 2022.
SO IT'S PRIMARILY ADVANCED MANUFACTURING, ROBOTICS AND AUTOMATION.
SO THEY WEREN'T PART OF THE DESIGN AND PLANNING OF IT, BUT WE ARE DISCUSSING WITH THEM, AND WE VISITED, UH, UW MILWAUKEE'S, UM, YOU KNOW, AUTOMATION LAB AND SOME OF THE WORK THEY'RE DOING THERE.
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IT IS OUR HOPE THAT WE CAN ARTICULATE OUR STUDENTS INTO THAT PROGRAM.AND SO THAT'S WHY, UH, ENGINEERING BS IS PART OF, UM, THE FIRST OPTION UP ON THE SCREEN.
WE WERE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THE INVESTMENT AND, AND REALLY KIND OF EXECUTIVE YOUR SUPPORT FOR THE ADVANCEMENT REGION AND THE EXPERTISE THAT WE HAVE WITH ROCKWELL AUTOMATION, MICROSOFT, AND AI.
WE HAVE THE, WE HAVE THE, THE FIRST OF A KIND IN THE WORLD AND AI CO-INNOVATION LAB THAT IS FOCUSED ON MANUFACTURING AND THE CONNECTED SYSTEMS INSTITUTE, INITIAL INVESTMENT THAT ROCKWELL HAS MADE, ENABLED THAT.
SO TO MARRY THOSE UP, TO INTEGRATE THAT AND HAVE THOSE LINKAGES, WE THINK IT'S, IT'S JUST THE RIGHT ANSWER FOR ADVANCING, UM, TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS AND SUPERVISOR BOSER.
UM, I WANNA THANK YOU BOTH FOR ALL THE WORK YOU'VE DONE AS WELL AS YOUR WHOLE TEAM.
THIS IS ANOTHER STEP TOWARDS MAKING HIGHER EDUCATION AFFORDABLE, AND THAT'S APPRECIATED.
THE WINNERS HERE REALLY ARE THE FUTURE STUDENTS FROM MARINE PARK AND UWM.
AND ON A PERSONAL NOTE, UM, THAT DOES INCLUDE MY OWN SON WHO IS ENROLLING FOR FALL AT MARINE PARK.
SO, UM, SO I'M EXCITED FOR THIS.
UM, I THINK YOU WILL FIND, UH, YOU MENTIONED THE HYBRID MODEL.
I THINK YOU'LL FIND THAT FOR SMALLER CO COHORTS, THAT'S GONNA ENABLE THEM TO WORK WELL WITH THE LARGER UWM STUDENT BODIES.
SO I THINK YOU'LL FIND THAT'LL WORK GOOD AS WELL.
UH, I JUST WANTED TO THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN.
UM, I JUST WANTED TO SAY IN 10 YEARS ON THIS BOARD, UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I SEE A LOT IS A LOT OF KINGDOMS FIEFDOMS, UH, NOT MY PLACE.
I, I TAKE IT, IT'S SO GOOD TO SEE COLLABORATION AND, AND NOW IT WASN'T ALWAYS THAT WAY WITH UW AND, AND MORA PARK, BUT LOOK AT WHAT I'M SEEING HERE IS JUST INCREDIBLE.
UH, AND I, AND I AM THRILLED, UH, TO SEE THAT HAPPEN BECAUSE I SEE SO MUCH POTENTIAL IN IT.
AND, AND, AND I THINK IT'S, IT JUST SHOWS THE REST OF THE COMMUNITY THAT LOOK, WHEN WE START WORKING TOGETHER TOWARDS THE MISSION, THE REAL MISSION, WHICH IS TO TAKE CARE OF THE PEOPLE, NOT OUR OWN KINGDOMS, THAT'S SOMETHING I CAN GET BEHIND AND I CAN SUPPORT.
SO YOU HAVE A FRIEND ON THIS BOARD? ABSOLUTELY.
AND I THINK THIS IS VERY MUCH ROOTED IN THE BELIEF THAT THERE'S SO MUCH MORE THAT WE CAN DO TOGETHER THAN ALONE.
AND IN FACT, THE NEEDS, UM, REQUIRE THAT THE NEEDS OF EMPLOYERS, THE NEEDS OF FAMILIES AND, AND WHERE WE'RE GOING.
SO, SO WE'RE DELIGHTED TO BE ABLE TO HELP DELIVER TO THAT.
OH, SUPERVISOR CONRAD, GO AHEAD.
I WAS PATIENTLY WAY WITH MY HAND UP.
I'M SORRY YOU DIDN'T SEE THAT, BUT I TOO JUST WANT, I, I HAVE TO SPEAK AS, UM, MARINE PARK IS MY FIRST ALMA MATER, AND WHERE I GOT MY NURSING DEGREE FOUND, MY HUSBAND GOT HIS TOOL AND DIED DEGREE FROM MARINE PARK.
AND ALSO MY SON JUST GRADUATED, UM, WITH HIS DEGREE IN ACCOUNTING.
AND SO I GREATLY, UM, APPRECIATE THE SERVICE THAT YOU ALL PROVIDE.
AND I AM WORKING ON MY FIFTH ALMA MA MATER, FINALLY MY DOCTORATE.
BUT THANKS TO MARINE PARK, MAKING IT AFFORDABLE, UM, 'CAUSE I PAID FOR MY SCHOOLING MYSELF, LIVED AT HOME AND WORKED AT, UM, C COMMUNITY TO WORK MY WAY THROUGH SCHOOL.
THIS RIPPLE EFFECT TO THE COMMUNITY, YOU KNOW, THE BUSINESSES AND THE FAMILIES IS, IS JUST PRICELESS.
UM, NEXT UP WE HAVE A DISCUSSION ON STRATEGIC PRIORITIES.
UM, I WILL DEFER, UM, BACK TO THE BOARD.
THE, UM, STRATEGIC PRIORITIES DRAFT IS ON YOUR TABLE.
UM, SINCE YOU HAVEN'T HAD A CHANCE TO, TO READ THROUGH IT, I DON'T THINK IT'S FAIR TO TRY TO DROP IT ALL ON YOU TONIGHT AND OR HAVE A DISCUSSION ABOUT IT TONIGHT.
UM, BUT THIS IS THE, THE BYPRODUCT FROM OUR, THE LAST DRAFT WE SHARED, UH, FROM OUR MEETINGS BACK AT, UH, EARLIER THIS YEAR, UM, AT LARON, UH, WHEN EVERYBODY WAS FREEZING COLD
UH, SO, SO HOPEFULLY THE, UH, THE IDEAS WEREN'T ON ICE, AND WE'LL BE ABLE TO THAW THEM OUT NEXT MONTH, UH, WHEN WE COME.
AND WE'LL COME AND PRESENT TO YOU AND ASK FOR YOUR APPROVAL FOR THE NEXT TWO YEARS.
AND THIS ALIGNS WITH, UH, OUR TWO YEAR BIENNIAL BUDGET AS
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WELL.SO WE'LL GIVE YOU A MONTH TO, TO DI DIGEST AND, AND COME BACK AND TALK MORE.
ARE YOU ALSO DISCUSSING THE STATE BUDGET OR LACK THEREOF? YES.
I THINK WE HAVE SUPERVISOR GALL, DID YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO ADD FOR THAT? OH, SURE.
EXECUTIVE SHOWMAN, TO YOUR POINT ABOUT THESE INITIATIVES AND ITEMS AND SUBSEQUENT MONETARY DECISIONS.
IS IT POSSIBLE FOR THIS DOCUMENT TO BE UPDATED WHERE THOSE DECISIONS MAY NEED TO BE MADE? IT'S POSSIBLE.
I THINK WHAT YOU'LL SEE, YOU SEE ALLUSIONS TO IT OR REFERENCES TO IT, BUT IN SOME CASES, SOME OF IT'S BEEN FUNDED, SOME OF IT NEEDS TO BE FUNDED, RIGHT? SO I THINK IT WOULD BE PRUDENT TO UNDERSTAND IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A NEXT BIANNUAL BUDGET, SHOULDN'T WE BE AWARE OF WHAT THAT IMPACT MIGHT BE IF WE WERE TO PURSUE SOME OF THE PRIORITIES? WE'RE CERTAINLY OPEN TO FEEDBACK FOR SPOTS WHERE YOU'D LIKE TO SEE IT TIGHTENED UP.
RELATIVE TO THE DOCUMENT, IT IS A, IT IS A PLANNING DOCUMENT AND A LIVING DOCUMENT, UM, SIMILAR TO THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN, WHICH YOU APPROVED NOT TOO TERRIBLY LONG AGO.
UM, THE DOCUMENT REALLY ISN'T A, UH, A PLAN THAT INFORMS THE BUDGET MAKING PROCESS, NOT THE OTHER WAY AROUND.
UM, BUT CERTAINLY AS YOU GO THROUGH IT, IF THERE'S THINGS YOU'D LIKE TO SEE TIGHTENED UP, WE'RE, WE'RE OPEN TO THAT FEEDBACK.
NOW WE'LL PROCEED WITH, UH, THE STATE BUDGET ISSUE.
SO THIS ONE, UM, I, I THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN.
I'D LIKE TO JUST WALK THROUGH THE SLIDE THAT YOU'RE SEEING HERE.
I KNOW FOR THE MOST PART, EVERYBODY HAS SEEN A DRAFT OF THIS, UH, AT SOME POINT OR ANOTHER.
UM, BUT I WANTED TO START BY LOOKING OVER THE NEXT FOUR OR FIVE YEARS AND, AND REFRESH YOUR MEMORY ON KIND OF HOW GOVERNMENT, COUNTY GOVERNMENT BUDGETS WORK.
UM, IN 25, WE'RE AT A BASELINE.
YOU FUNDED THAT BUDGET THROUGH THIS CURRENT BIENNIUM, UM, AUTOMATICALLY IN 2026, JUST LIKE ANY BUSINESS, UH, YOU HAVE WHAT, WHAT WE REFER TO OFTENTIMES AS THE COST TO CONTINUE OR THE GAP.
UM, THESE, THIS IS OPERATIONAL INFLATIONARY, UH, INCREASES.
SO THINK OF THINGS LIKE, UH, COST OF LIVING RAISES, UH, THE INCREASE IN THE COST OF FUEL OR SUPPLIES OR INFLATION.
UH, ALL OF THOSE THINGS ARE BAKED INTO THAT.
THE DIFFERENCE, UH, THAT $1.55 MILLION NUMBER.
AND BASICALLY WHAT THIS GRAPH THEN SHOWS YOU THE FARTHER TO THE RIGHT, YOU GET, UH, IT PRESUMES YOU DON'T CLOSE THAT GAP, OR YOU USE ONE TIME FUNDING TO CLOSE THAT GAP.
UH, AND THEN THE FOLLOWING YEAR, UH, THERE'S AN EVEN LARGER GAP.
SO IT'S A 1.55 MILLION GAP IN YEAR ONE.
UM, IF YOU DO THE MATH 3.14 MINUS 1.55, THAT'S THE GAP IN YEAR TWO.
YOU ADD 'EM TOGETHER AND IT'S 3.14.
UH, SO IT CONTINUES TO EXPAND YEAR OVER YEAR, OVER YEAR.
UM, SO THAT IS THE CONTEXT OF WASHINGTON COUNTY, BASICALLY EVERY YEAR, FOREVER.
THAT GAP IS, UH, A HECK OF A LOT SMALLER TODAY THAN WHAT WE ANTICIPATED WHEN WE STARTED THIS PROCESS.
13, NOT QUITE 13 YEARS AGO, I GUESS, 11 YEARS AGO.
UM, BUT IT DOES PUT INTO CONTEXT THE IMPORTANCE OF, UH, STATE BUDGETS IN PARTICULAR.
SO, UM, WHAT, HOW DO WE SOLVE FOR THAT 1.5 MILLION? IT'S A MULTITUDE OF THINGS.
UM, THE BIGGEST TWO ARE OUR SALES TAX AND PROPERTY TAX.
AND THEN, UH, THE NEXT CLOSEST IS STATE FUNDING.
UM, FOR US IN PARTICULAR, YOU'LL RECALL THAT WE HAVE BEEN WORKING, UH, WITH THE WISCONSIN COUNTIES ASSOCIATION, UH, ON TRYING TO LAND FUNDING WITH THE STATE, UH, FOR COURT SYSTEM.
UH, AS YOU MIGHT RECALL, UH, THE, THE COURT IS FUNDED.
IT IS A STATE COURT SYSTEM THAT'S OPERATED BY THE COUNTY THAT'S HOUSED BY THE COUNTY.
UM, ABOUT 80% OF THOSE COSTS ARE NOW SHOULDERED BY THE COUNTY.
IT, THAT NUMBER DOES FLUCTUATE COUNTY TO COUNTY.
UM, BUT FOR US, SOMEWHERE IN THE BALLPARK OF 75 TO 80% OF THE COST, UH, OF OPERATING THE STATE SYSTEM, UH, IS SHOULDERED BY WASHINGTON COUNTY, UM, WE ARE ASKING FOR, UH, $70 MILLION.
WE COLLECTIVELY, AS COUNTIES IN WISCONSIN, ARE ASKING FOR $70 MILLION, UM, FROM THE STATE, WHICH WOULD MAKE IT A 50 50 VENTURE.
UM, YOU KNOW, A SHARED COUNTY STATE PARTNERSHIP ACTUALLY FUNDED 50 50 IF YOU JUST, EXCUSE ME, IF YOU JUST DO SIMPLE MATH, UM, THAT WOULD PUT THE WASHINGTON COUNTIES, UH, UPPER,
[01:20:01]
IF THAT WERE TO BE PASSED SOMEWHERE AROUND A MILLION DOLLARS.COULD BE A LITTLE LESS, COULD BE A LITTLE MORE.
IT DEPENDS HOW THE FORMULA, UH, IS WORKED OUT AND NEGOTIATED.
UH, BUT LONG STORY SHORT, THAT GOES A LONG WAY TO SOLVING THAT ONE 1.5 MILLION RIGHT OUT OF THE GATE.
UM, AND THAT IS LARGELY WHAT WE'VE DONE OVER THE LAST 12 YEARS IS DIFFERENT, UH, UH, NEGOTIATIONS.
OBVIOUSLY, SHARED REVENUE, UH, TWO YEARS AGO WAS A BIG PART OF THE SOLUTION IN MANAGING THAT GAP.
SO WHAT I WANTED TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT WHAT HAPPENS IF AND WHEN THERE IS NOT A STATE BUDGET.
UH, AS WITH THE LAST, UH, SEVERAL ITERATIONS OF THE BUDGET UNDER GOVERNOR TONY EVERS, UM, HE HAS PROPOSED A BUDGET THAT IS, IS SOMETHING THE LEGISLATURE HAS ZERO APPETITE FOR, UM, LIKE PAST BUDGETS.
THEY'VE TAKEN THAT BUDGET ESSENTIALLY DISCHARGED OF IT MOST RECENTLY IN THE LAST WEEK, I CAN'T REMEMBER HOW MANY HUNDREDS OF, UH, ITEMS IN THAT BUDGET WERE REMOVED AND START FROM A BASE BUDGET AND BUILD UP.
I'VE BEEN SEEING FOR MONTHS NOW THAT I THINK THERE, IT'S A VERY DISTINCT POSSIBILITY THAT THE LEGISLATURE SENDS BACK A BUDGET TO THE GOVERNOR THAT HE JUST CAN'T, CAN'T APPROVE.
HE'S EVEN, UH, FORESHADOWED SOME OF THE, THE ITEMS THAT HE WOULD VETO THE ENTIRETY OF THE BUDGET, INCLUDING, UM, MAKING STATE EMPLOYEES NO LONGER WORK FROM HOME, BUT COMING TO THE OFFICE.
UH, SO I THINK THERE'S A DISTINCT POSSIBILITY AND MAYBE EVEN A LIKELIHOOD, UH, THAT A BUDGET SITS IN FRONT OF THE GOVERNOR THAT VETOES THE ENTIRE THING.
WHAT DOES THAT MEAN FOR US IF THAT WERE TO HAPPEN? IF IT'S MORE THAN A 50 50 PROPOSITION, WE SHOULD THINK ABOUT THAT.
AND WE ARE THINKING ABOUT THAT.
UM, THE FIRST AND FOREMOST THAT COURT FUNDING IS SIGNIFICANT, UM, FOR US TO NOT HAVE THAT, THAT MILLION DOLLARS, UH, GIVE OR TAKE, EVEN IF IT WAS 750,000, IT'S ALMOST HALF OF THE GAP IN YEAR ONE, UM, FOR US TO NOT HAVE.
THAT WILL BE A, AN IMMENSE CHALLENGE.
UM, OUR NET NEW CONSTRUCTION PROPERTY TAX INCREASE, THE ALLOWABILITY JUST FOR, FOR ONE YEAR IS PROBABLY SOMEWHERE CLOSE TO $600,000.
UM, SO YOU STILL HAVE ALMOST A MILLION DOLLAR GAP THAT YOU'RE TRYING TO CLOSE.
YOU MAY RECALL WHEN WE DID THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN, EXCUSE ME, WE, WE SHIFTED, UH, HOW THE ALLOCATION FOR SALES TAX WOULD WORK TO GIVE OURSELVES A LITTLE BIT MORE FLEXIBILITY IN ANTICIPATION OF EXACTLY THIS CONVERSATION.
UM, THAT SHIFT, UH, WILL GIVE US APPROXIMATELY ANOTHER $600,000.
UM, SO NOW WE'RE, WE'RE GETTING CLOSER, BUT WE'RE STILL A QUARTER MILLION PLUS OFF.
UM, AND THERE'S STILL, UH, STILL ENOUGH OF A GAP THAT ASSUMES NO ADDITIONAL POSITIONS, NO NEW PROGRAMS, UM, BASICALLY JUST THE SAME OLD, SAME OLD, UH, COST TO CONTINUE.
SO STILL ANOTHER QUARTER MILLION PLUS, UH, FOR US TO REACH TOWARDS.
AND THEN ANOTHER 1.6 IN THE SECOND YEAR OF THE BIENNIUM.
SO I THINK IT IS, UH, FULLY WITHIN THE REALM OF POSSIBILITY, UH, THAT WE HAVE DISCUSSIONS, UH, REVOLVING AROUND REDUCTIONS.
NOW, AARON HAS ALREADY STARTED THE CONVERSATION WITH DEPARTMENTS, UM, ABOUT LOOKING AT A, A, A BASICALLY A ZERO BASED BUDGET COME IN EXACTLY AT WHERE YOU'RE AT, NO NEW LEVY.
UM, WE'VE ALSO TALKED ABOUT A FIVE 10 AND EVEN A 15% REDUCTION, UM, FOR PLANNING PURPOSES AT THIS STAGE.
UH, SO IF AT SOME POINT YOU GET INTO A COM, YOUR COMMITTEE MEETINGS, AND YOU'RE HEARING DEPARTMENT HEADS TALKING ABOUT ANTICIPATING WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO IF THERE WERE A 10 OR A 15%, UH, CUT TO LEVY, UH, THAT'S WHY IT'S NOT THAT WE'RE, WE'RE EXECUTING THAT, BUT IT IS THAT WE ARE PLANNING THAT, UM, BECAUSE THAT QUARTER MILLION DOLLARS, AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, THE 1.6 OR 1.7 THAT ARE ON THE HEELS OF IT, UM, ARE THINGS THAT WE NEED TO BE PLANNING AND PREPARING FOR.
WE ARE ALSO STAGED, AND YOU, YOU KNOW, UH, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS AT LENGTH.
UH, THE PROPERTY TAX RELIEF FUND ABSOLUTELY CAN BE USED AND WILL CERTAINLY BE CONSIDERED, UM, IF THIS WERE TO, TO PLAY OUT THE WAY I'M DESCRIBING IT IN THE WORST CASE SCENARIO.
HOWEVER, IF WE DO THAT, PLEASE KEEP IN MIND THOSE OF YOU WHO RUN A BUSINESS KNOW THIS.
IF WE PUT ONE TIME MONEY IN TO CLOSE THAT 1.55 MILLION GAP, LET'S SAY IT'S A HALF A MILLION DOLLARS, UH, YOU JUST CREATED AN EXTRA HALF A MILLION DOLLAR GAP FOR THE FOLLOWING YEAR.
UM, SO YOU HAVE TO FIGURE OUT A WAY TO HAVE AN ONGOING REVENUE SOURCE TO COVER THAT IN THE FOLLOWING 28, 29, AND 30 YEARS.
SO THAT WOULD, THAT WOULD MAKE AN EVEN, EVEN LARGER NUT FOR US TO CRACK IN FUTURE YEARS.
UM, SO IT, IT'S NOT THAT IT'S NOT A POSSIBILITY FOR US TO USE ONE-TIME FUNDS.
UH, WE JUST VERY MUCH PREFER NOT TO GO DOWN THAT PATH.
UM, WE CERTAINLY WILL HAVE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT UTILIZING THAT NEW CONSTRUCTION.
MOST OF YOU IN THIS ROOM KNOW, GENERALLY SPEAKING, WE DON'T DO THAT.
UM, MORE OFTEN THAN NOT, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT CUTTING, UH, LEVY THAN WE ARE ABOUT ADDING TO THE LEVEE.
UM, BUT IF THIS SCENARIO PLAYS OUT, UH, THAT WAY,
[01:25:01]
WE ALMOST CERTAINLY HAVE TO TALK ABOUT NET NEW CONSTRUCTION.WE DO HAVE ADDITIONAL, UM, UH, FLEXIBILITY WITHIN OUR, UH, LEVEE THAT MOST PLACES DO NOT HAVE.
UH, FOR EXAMPLE, UM, WE HAVE, BECAUSE WE'VE CUT LEVY IN YEARS PAST, THERE IS A CLOG BACK PERIOD THAT WOULD ALLOW FOR US TO DO ESSENTIALLY EVEN MORE TAX INCREASES.
UM, GIVEN THE EXISTING ECONOMIC CLIMATE.
I, I WOULD NOT BE INCLINED TO LIKELY DO THAT, BUT KNOW WHEN YOU'RE, WHEN THE BUDGET FINALLY DOES COME TO YOU AND YOUR COMMITTEES, AND ULTIMATELY TO THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE, THAT THAT IS AN OPTION.
AND WE HAVE SIGNIFICANT FLEXIBILITY IN ADDITION TO THAT.
UM, MOST OF YOU KNOW THAT WE, WHEN WE BORROW MONEY, UH, WE DO IT WITHIN OUR EXISTING MEANS.
SO MOST OTHER LOCAL GOVERNMENTS YOU MAY, MAY OR MAY NOT KNOW, THEY ARE ALLOWED BY STATUTE AT THE COUNTY LEVEL TO INCREASE, SIMPLY INCREASE PROPERTY TAXES, UH, BY THE AMOUNT THAT THEY NEED FOR REVENUE TO, TO, TO COVER PRINCIPAL AND INTEREST PAYMENTS.
WE LIVE WITHIN THE EXISTING, EXISTING BUDGET, OPERATING BUDGET WE HAVE.
JUST LIKE WHEN YOU PAY YOUR CAR LOAN OFF, YOU HAVE SOME EXTRA MONEY.
NOW YOU CAN PUT IT TOWARDS SOMETHING ELSE.
UM, SO WE HAVE A NUMBER OF, UH, PROJECTS THAT WE'VE BORROWED FOR A SIGNIFICANT PR PRINCIPLE AND INTEREST, UH, AMOUNT THAT WE COULD ACTUALLY LEVY FOR.
UM, SO YOU HAVE THAT TOOL AS THE, THE PURSE STRINGS THAT YOU ARE IN AT THE COUNTY BOARD LEVEL, IF YOU CHOSE TO USE IT, YOU, YOU WON'T SEE A BUDGET FROM ME THAT, THAT EXERCISES, THAT ABILITY.
UM, BUT I THINK IT'S ONLY FAIR THAT YOU KNOW THAT THAT TOOL EXISTS.
UM, AND THEN OF COURSE, OTHER REVENUE SOURCES LIKE WHEEL TAXES AND, UM, THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
UM, PARK FEES, ALL, ALL THINGS THAT ARE IN THE TOOLBOX THAT YOU CAN UTILIZE.
UM, NONE OF WHICH YOU'RE GOING TO SEE, UH, FROM, FROM ME, MORE THAN LIKELY.
SO I, I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU HAD AT LEAST A, AN UNDERSTANDING OF THIS BUDGET THAT WE'RE WALKING INTO THIS YEAR.
UM, I HAVE COMMUNICATED TO, TO AARON AND I, I UNDERSTAND DEPARTMENT HEADS HAVE AN UNDERSTANDING OF THIS AS WELL.
UM, BUT PLEASE KNOW, UH, EVERYTHING WILL BE ON THE TABLE.
UM, WE, WE WILL LOOK AT, UH, WE'VE HAD THE LUXURY OF DOING SOME PRETTY, UH, HANDSOME INCREASES FOR COST OF LIVING, ADJUSTMENTS FOR EMPLOYEES, UH, FOR MERIT INCREASES FOR EMPLOYEES.
UH, YOU ALL KNOW THAT WE TOOK ADVANTAGE OF, OF SOME, UM, UH, HEALTH INSURANCE BENEFITS THAT, THAT ENDED IN OUR FAVOR.
ALL OF THOSE THINGS WOULD BE BACK ON THE TABLE, UH, FOR LESSER INCREASES AND HIGHER HEALTH INSURANCE, UH, PREMIUMS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
IF, IF THINGS GET BAD ENOUGH, UH, AND IF WE DON'T SEE SOME REPRIEVE FROM, FROM THE STATE AND THE STATE BUDGET PROCESS.
UM, SO I, I WANTED TO, BEFORE WE GET DIVING DEEP INTO BUDGET DISCUSSIONS, WHICH WILL FORTHCOMING HERE IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS IN EARNEST, UH, INCLUDING STANDING IN FRONT OF YOU AT THE COMMITTEE LEVEL, UH, I WANTED TO CERTAINLY GIVE YOU A PREVIEW OF WHAT'S IN MY MIND, WHAT'S BEEN IN THE CONVERSATION WITH DEPARTMENT HEADS AND WITH, WITH AARON AND I IN PARTICULAR.
AND WITH THAT, I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS, ANYTHING I MISSED, AARON? OKAY.
UM, QUESTION, EITHER TO YOU OR, OR, UH, MR. DAHL.
SO THE ZERO, UH, TO FIVE OR 10% POTENTIAL REDUCTION, WHAT, FOUR SOME YEARS AGO, WE ACTUALLY HAD, WE WERE FACED WITH THIS AND WE ELIMINATED 20 SOME PLUS POSITIONS.
DON'T QUOTE ME ON THE ACTUAL NUMBERS, MEANING VACANT POSITIONS, AND WE JUST ELIMINATED THEM FROM THE BUDGET.
AND SO IS THE POTENTIAL FIVE TO 10% REDUCTION IS, IS AT, UH, DOING A SIMILAR EXERCISE AND THEN WHAT THE IMPACT OF THOSE VACANT POSITIONS COULD OR WOULD MEAN? SO THE DEPARTMENT HEADS WOULD'VE TO GO THROUGH AND SAY, WELL, IF WE LOSE 5% OF OUR STAFF, WE'RE GONNA BE IMPACTED BY THIS.
OR WE'RE ASKING PEOPLE TO DO MORE, UM, OR WE BECOME MORE EFFICIENT, BETTER WAY OF WORKING, UH, ET CETERA.
SO ARE THOSE DEPARTMENT HEADS LOOKING AT ALL OF THOSE OPTIONS? LET ME FIRST ANSWER FROM 60,000 FEET, AND THEN I THINK AARON CAN PROBABLY ANSWER FROM MORE LIKE 10,000 FEET.
UM, BUT HOLISTICALLY SPEAKING, IT'S MUCH MORE DIFFICULT TODAY THAN IT WAS EVEN, I THINK IT WAS THREE YEARS AGO WHEN WE WENT THROUGH THAT EXERCISE POST ANTI-CRIME PLAN.
UH, I THINK IT WAS CLOSE TO 15 POSITIONS ULTIMATELY THAT WE ELIMINATED.
UM, WE'RE DOWN NOW 25% OF ALL EMPLOYEES FROM WHERE WE STARTED, UH, WHEN I WAS HERE, 12, WHEN I STARTED 12 YEARS AGO.
UM, SO THERE'S MUCH FEWER, UH, TO PICK FROM FOR ONE THING.
UH, SECONDARILY, A LOT OF THOSE POSITIONS ARE EITHER PUBLIC
[01:30:01]
SAFETY POSITIONS, PARTICULARLY THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE, UM, OR THEY ARE FUNDED FROM OTHER SOURCES BEYOND LEVY.UH, WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TODAY IS PREDOMINANTLY RELATED TO PROPERTY TAX LEVY, UH, WHICH IS APPROXIMATELY $36 MILLION ON, AS YOU CAN SEE, UM, 140 OR $150 MILLION BUDGET.
SO YOU START TO, EVERYTHING BEGINS TO GET MORE AND MORE DI MINIMIS.
UH, THE NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES WHO ARE ACTUALLY IMPACTED RELATIVE TO LEVY IS, IS, UM, MUCH, MUCH, MUCH SMALLER THAN YOU MIGHT THINK.
WE, WE ARE PROBABLY HOVERING AROUND 625 EMPLOYEES TODAY, SOMEWHERE IN THAT BALLPARK.
UM, AND THE NUMBER WHO ARE ACTUALLY FUNDED BY LEVY ARE, ARE A FRACTION.
FOR EXAMPLE, YOU'D THINK, OH, WELL, ONE PLACE WE COULD VERY EASILY GO IS COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT.
ACTUALLY, A BIG PREPONDERANCE OF THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT IS EITHER FUNDED ENTIRELY BY FEES OR IS FUNDED BY STATE GRANT MONEY, UH, FOR THINGS LIKE LAND USE OR LAND CONSERVATION.
SO IT, THE ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION IS YES, AND IT'S VERY, VERY COMPLICATED.
UM, MEANING WE HAVE 19 DEPARTMENTS, UM, I THINK WE STILL HAVE 19 DEPARTMENTS, MAYBE 20 NOW.
UM, BUT THOSE 19 OR 20 OPERATE AS INDIVIDUAL BUSINESS UNITS, AND THE REVENUE PORTFOLIO IS SO, SO COMPLICATED.
IT'S NOT QUITE, IT'S NOT QUITE THAT SIMPLE ANYMORE.
AARON, DO YOU WANNA GIVE A LITTLE BIT MORE DETAIL ABOUT THAT? SURE.
UM, I, I THINK I WOULD, YOU KNOW, CERTAINLY ECHO WHAT THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE SAID, BUT ALSO ADD THAT AT THIS POINT, YOU KNOW, I'VE, I'VE GONE THROUGH ALMOST ONE COMPLETE ROUND OF, UH, INITIAL BUDGET MEETINGS WITH THE DEPARTMENTS.
AND WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THIS CONCEPT, REALLY WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IS, UM, YOU KNOW, GONE ARE THE DAYS OF UNFUNDING A VACANT POSITION.
UM, I THINK, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE'RE TO THE POINT WHERE WE ARE NOW TALKING ABOUT HOW TO ARTICULATE THE IMPACTS TO OUR SERVICES BY, BY THOSE CUTS AND BY, YOU KNOW, IF IT'S PERSONNEL OR IF IT'S PURCHASE SERVICES OR WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE, WE'RE, WE'RE GETTING TO THE SPACE WHERE WE'RE ABLE TO TALK ABOUT THE IMPACTS TO THE SERVICES OR OUR ABILITY TO FULFILL MANDATES AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
ANYONE ELSE? THE FINAL THING I'LL, I'LL MENTION IS, UM, YOU KNOW, THIS IS BASICALLY A, A, A REVENUE EXPENSE EQUATION, BUT ONE THING THAT WE'VE DONE WELL, UH, ESPECIALLY AS COMPARED TO OUR PEERS ACROSS THE STATE OVER THE LAST DECADE, IS LOOK FOR WAYS TO, TO, UM, FIND SAVINGS THROUGH SHARED SERVICES AND MERGERS.
UM, AND WE ARE WORKING ON THAT IN EARNEST IN A MULTITUDE OF WAYS.
UM, SO I WOULD, I'M HOPEFUL THAT, UM, IN THE MONTHS THAT ARE COME AHEAD, THAT YOUR COMMITTEES WILL HEAR ABOUT POSSIBILITIES THAT WOULD MERGE SERVICES.
UM, BUT FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR AND WHO'VE BEEN THROUGH MERGERS AND ACQUISITIONS, UM, YOU CAN ATTEST THAT, UM, THERE IS A CHANGE IN SERVICE LEVEL GENERALLY THAT GOES WITH THAT, UH, AND A MASSIVE CULTURAL SHIFT THAT HAPPENS.
SO IT'S, IT'S, THERE IS A LOTS OF UPSIDE, UNDOUBTEDLY, UM, WE'VE DONE THEM.
UM, BUT THERE IS DEFINITELY A YING TO THE YANG.
SO THAT'S A, IT'S A DOUBLE-EDGED SWORD.
UM, BUT IT ABSOLUTELY, IF, IF WE KEEP GOING DOWN THE PATH, THE WAY WE'RE GOING, THERE WILL BE MORE AND MORE AND MORE CONSOLIDATING, UH, WHICH CERTAINLY IMPACTS SERVICE LEVEL IN SOME WAY, SHAPE, OR FORM.
THE NEXT ITEM ON OUR AGENDA IS THE, UH, DISCUSSION OF FIRE EMS TASK FORCE FINDINGS.
WE HAVE A VOLUNTEER
UH, WELL, THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN.
UM, THE, THE UPDATE THAT I, I'D LIKE TO PROVIDE, AND I ASK DAVE TO GO INTO SOME DETAIL, UM, DAVE HAS BEEN WORKING DILIGENTLY WITH, UH, THE FIRE CHIEFS IN PARTICULAR, UH, SUBCOMMITTEE OF THE FIRE CHIEFS ASSOCIATION, AND THEN A SUBCOMMITTEE OF THE SUBCOMMITTEE, AND THEN THE MEETING AFTER THE MEETING.
UM, SO I, THEY'VE BEEN DOING, UH, EXCELLENT WORK IN TRYING TO BRING TO FRUITION, UH, THAT WHICH WAS REPORTED TO US, UH, BY HEALTHCARE STRATEGISTS.
THE, UM, THE COMPANY THAT DID THE, THE, UM, THE STUDY FOR US.
UH, WE HAD A, A MEETING, I THINK TWO WEEKS AGO NOW.
IT WAS WITH THE CHIEF ELECTED OFFICIALS, MIGHT HAVE BEEN TWO YEARS.
UM, BUT, UH, IT WAS VERY PRODUCTIVE CONVERSATION.
AND LET ME JUST GIVE YOU A THUMBNAIL SKETCH.
UM, HEALTHCARE STRATEGIST HAD A LAUNDRY LIST, I WOULD SAY 25 OR 30, 30 RECOMMENDATIONS OF EFFICIENCIES, CONSOLIDATION,
[01:35:02]
UM, COOPERATE COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS, UM, VERY GOOD BASELINE INFORMATION FOR US TO BEGIN CONVERSATIONS.THE FIRE CHIEFS HAVE KIND OF CATEGORIZED THAT INTO THREE DIFFERENT BUCKETS.
UM, FRUIT THAT'S LITERALLY SITTING ON THE FLOOR THAT CAN EASILY BE PICKED UP, UM, STRETCH GOALS THAT ARE, THAT WILL TAKE SERIOUS WORK, AND THEN FRUIT HANGING ON THE TREE THAT YOU PROBABLY CAN GET TO WITHOUT A LADDER.
UM, AND THEY, WE ARE GOING TO PUSH THEM HARD TO REACH UP AND GRAB THE FRUIT OUT OF THE TREES.
UH, SO LET ME, LET ME BE SPECIFIC ABOUT WHAT I MEAN BY THAT.
UM, THERE ARE A NUMBER OF KEY ATTRIBUTES, UH, TO HOW OUR SYSTEM WORKS, UH, THAT I THINK ARE IMPORTANT FOR YOU TO UNDERSTAND.
FIRST IS, UM, SLINGER IS KIND OF A UNIQUE ANIMAL, UH, IN, IN WASHINGTON COUNTY, IN THAT THEY ARE VOLUNTEER FIRE ONLY.
UM, THEY HAVE A CONTRACT SERVICE IN SLINGER WITH LIFESTAR, WHICH IS A PRIVATE AMBULANCE COMPANY, UH, THAT WORKS IN THAT COMMUNITY AND, AND MAY IN THAT COMMUNITY ONLY BECAUSE OF THEIR UNIQUE CIRCUMSTANCE.
UM, THEY, I THEY HAVE AN IDEAL MODEL IN CERTAIN WAYS, AND A LESS THAN IDEAL MODEL IN OTHER WAYS.
BUT THE IDEAL FEATURES, UM, ARE THAT THE VOLUNTEER MODEL IN THE WAY THAT THEY'VE ESTABLISHED IT, IS ABSOLUTELY THRIVING IN SLINGER.
UH, THEY HIGHLY INCENTIVIZE, UH, RELATIVE TO EVERYBODY ELSE.
THEY HIGHLY INCENTIVIZE VOLUNTEERISM, UH, THROUGH A LARGER CONTRIBUTION TO, TO A RETIREMENT BENEFIT THAT, THAT THE STATE FACILITATES.
UM, AND THEY HAVE SOME OF, SOME REALLY FANTASTIC EQUIPMENT, WHICH CAN BE SET ABOUT MOST OF THE COUNTY, BUT I THINK IN PARTICULAR IN SLINGER, UM, THEY, THEY EVEN GO ANOTHER NOTCH ABOVE.
UH, THE OTHER MODEL THAT I'LL POINT TO IS RELATIVELY NEW, UM, IN THE CITY OF WEST BEND IN THE VILLAGE OF KIOSKI.
AND IT, IT IS APPROPRIATE THAT WE'RE JUST ON THE HEELS OF TALKING ABOUT HOW MUCH WE'VE DONE IN SHARED SERVICES AND CONSOLIDATION, BECAUSE THIS PARTICULAR MODEL WHERE, UH, WEST BEND PARAMEDIC SERVICE IN PARTICULAR IS DELIVERING, UH, FOR KI WASUM, WHAT THEY WERE NO LONGER ABLE TO DELIVER ON THEIR OWN.
UH, AND THAT IS ACUITY CARE AT THE PARAMEDIC LEVEL.
IT'S A SHARED SERVICE MODEL WHERE KI WASUM IS DELIVERING KIND OF FRONTLINE, UH, FIRST RESPONDER, EVEN, EVEN NEXT LEVEL EMR, AND TO SOME EXTENT, I BELIEVE EMT SERVICES, UH, AND ALMOST SIMULTANEOUSLY, DEPENDING ON THE CALL, UH, WEST BEND PARAMEDIC SERVICES ON THE WAY, SOMETIMES ARRIVING NEARLY SIMULTANEOUSLY OR JUST MINUTES AFTER KI WASCOM HAS.
UH, THE REASON WE ILLUSTRATE THOSE TWO IS BECAUSE THAT, I BELIEVE, QUITE FRANKLY, IS THE, IS THE MODEL THAT WILL SUSTAIN US INTO THE FUTURE THAT WILL NOT BREAK THE BANK IN WASHINGTON COUNTY.
UM, WHAT I MEAN BY THAT IS THIS, IF YOU LOOK AROUND US, UH, GRAFTON AND, UH, AND SAVILLE, UH, IF YOU LOOK TO OUR SOUTHWEST IN WESTERN LAKES, UH, EVEN HERE IN THIS COUNTY IN RICH, THE RICH VILLAGE OR RICHFIELD, AND IN THE VILLAGE OF GERMANTOWN, THERE HAVE BEEN CONSOLIDATIONS AND PORT WASHINGTON'S ANOTHER EXAMPLE, AND REFERENDUMS, MULTIMILLION DOLLAR REFERENDUMS TO ADD MORE FULL-TIME FIREFIGHTER PARAMEDIC UNION EMPLOYEES, UH, TO TRY TO ANSWER THIS CALL, WHICH IN CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES WORKS.
UM, BUT ON THE WHOLE, IF YOU LOOK AT IT FROM A COUNTY LEVEL, AND CERTAINLY FROM A REGIONAL LEVEL, IS COMPLETELY AND UTTERLY SUSTAINABLE, IT'S FISCALLY UNSUSTAINABLE.
THERE'S NO WAY IT CAN BE, IT CAN CONTINUE THAT WAY.
UH, AND IT'S FROM A HUMAN RESOURCES PERS PERSPECTIVE, IT'S COMPLETELY UNSUSTAINABLE.
THERE ARE NOT ENOUGH PARAMEDIC FIREFIGHTERS IN ALL OF WISCONSIN TO MEET THE DEMAND FOR WHAT THAT TYPE OF A MOVE, MUNICIPALITY BY MUNICIPALITY WOULD ACTUALLY MEAN.
UM, AND WE'RE BEGINNING TO SEE THAT ALREADY THE, THE CANNIBALIZATION OF DEPARTMENTS, UH, STEALING PEOPLE FROM ONE ANOTHER AND DRIVING UP WAGES AND SO FORTH IS, IS BECOMING UNSUSTAINABLE.
FURTHERMORE, THE REFERENDUMS AREN'T ENOUGH.
UH, FOR EXAMPLE, IN THE VILLAGE OF GERMANTOWN, IN THE VILLAGE OF RICHFIELD, UM, THEY, THEY'VE PUBLICLY STATED, AND FREQUENTLY IN OUR CHIEF ELECTED OFFICIAL MEETINGS, BEEN BEEN CANDID IN SAYING THOSE REFERENDUMS WILL BUY THEM ABOUT THREE TO FIVE YEARS, THE VERY MOST, UH, TO BE ABLE TO SUSTAIN THE NEW OPERATION.
AND THEN THEY'LL NEED TO GO AGAIN BASED ON THE SAME TYPE OF INFORMATION WE JUST TALKED ABOUT A FEW MINUTES AGO.
UM, IT'S JUST THEY DON'T HAVE ENOUGH NET NEW CONSTRUCTION.
THEY DON'T HAVE ENOUGH REVENUE TO BE ABLE TO SUSTAIN THAT OPERATION LONG TERM.
AND NOW THEY'RE NEGOTIATING IN, IN SOME CASES, THEY'RE NEGOTIATING WITH THE UNION OR STANDING UP THEIR OWN MUNICIPAL DEPARTMENT, WHICH IS WILDLY EXPENSIVE.
AND SO IT BRINGS US BACK TO THE KIOSK MODEL AND THE, AND THE SLINGER MODEL.
UM, THERE IS A PROVISION IN THE WISCONSIN STATE STATUTE THAT ALLOWS FOR COUNTIES TO DELIVER
[01:40:01]
EMS SERVICE, UM, THAT MOST COUNTIES HAVE NOT DONE THAT BECAUSE HISTORICALLY THIS HAS BEEN A VOLUNTEER FIRE COMPANY, UH, ATTRIBUTE.MOST OF OUR VOLUNTEER FIRE COMPANIES IN WASHINGTON COUNTY TOOK ON EMS SERVICES BACK IN THE 1970S.
AND IF YOU THINK ABOUT THE DEMOGRAPHIC PERIOD IN THE, IN THE 1970S, UM, THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE ON THE BOTTOM PAYING FOR A VERY FEW PEOPLE ON THE TOP, UM, MEDICAID IN PARTICULAR, BUT ALSO MEDICARE.
UM, AND AS WE SPEAK, AND AS WE SIT HERE TODAY, IT'S MUCH MORE OF A SILO.
UM, AND THAT IS GOING TO INVERT, THAT PYRAMID WILL INVERT, AND YOU'LL HAVE A LOT MORE MEDICAID PEOPLE, UM, WHO WE ARE TRYING TO SUSTAIN WITH VERY, VERY FEW PAYERS ON THE BOTTOM SIDE.
WORSE THAN THAT, THAT SAME PYRAMID, THERE'S, THERE'S NOT ENOUGH VOLUNTEERS.
THERE'S NOT ENOUGH FULL-TIME PERSONNEL FOR ANY WORKFORCE.
UM, BUT TO BE ABLE TO SUSTAIN THE DEMAND, THE CALL, UH, AS THE CHANCELLOR WAS JUST ALLUDING TO IN HEALTHCARE AT LARGE, UH, THAT EXISTS IN, IN THE PUBLIC SAFETY, UH, EMS SPACE IN PARTICULAR.
AND SO, UM, GETTING BACK TO THE COUNTY EMS CAPABILITY, UH, THERE ARE COUNTIES ACROSS THE STATE WHO HAVE ENGAGED IN THIS.
UM, PARTICULARLY ONES IN MORE RURAL AREAS IN WISCONSIN, UH, FLORENCE COUNTY IS ONE THAT COMES TO MIND.
UH, BUT THERE ARE, THERE ARE PLENTY OF OTHERS WHO HAVE GOTTEN INTO THE BUSINESS IN THOSE CASES, FOR THE MOST PART, IT'S BEEN COUNTY GOVERNMENT DOING COUNTYWIDE EMS DELIVERY.
UM, WHAT, WHAT I FORESEE AND WHAT I SHARED WITH THE CHIEF ELECTED OFFICIALS IS THE POSSIBILITY FOR US TO ENTER INTO A MORE, UH, CONSORTIUM TYPE OF A MODEL, UH, SIMILAR TO THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, WHERE THERE'S INDEPENDENT MUNICIPALITIES THAT COME TOGETHER, UH, TO FORM A CONSORTIUM AND THEN LEVERAGE THAT ECONOMY OF SCALE TO BE ABLE TO DELIVER SERVICE AT LARGE EXACTLY THE SAME WAY.
UM, LIFESTAR IS DOING WITH SLINGER EXACTLY THE SAME WAY WEST BEND'S DOING WITH KIOSKI EXCEPT COUNTYWIDE.
UM, IT WOULD, IT'LL REQUIRE, UH, HUGE GIVE AND TAKE.
AND THAT GIVE AND TAKE IS GONNA HAVE EVERYTHING TO DO WITH THE MOST DIFFICULT TWO THINGS IN POLITICS, POWER, AND MONEY IN THAT ORDER.
UM, AND SO I BELIEVE OVER THE COURSE OF THE NEXT 18 MONTHS, I LOOK AT DAVE 'CAUSE HE THINKS HE CAN DO IT IN SEVEN, WHICH ON PAPER ABSOLUTELY COULD.
UM, BUT OVER THE COURSE OF THE NEXT SEVEN TO 18 MONTHS, UM, WE NEED TO WORK WITH OUR MUNICIPAL PARTNERS TO TRY TO FORMULATE HOW A COUNTYWIDE SYSTEM WORKS ON THE EXISTING BUDGET THAT WE HAVE COLLECTIVELY FOR ALL TAXPAYERS.
THAT WHAT THAT WOULD MEAN FOR YOU AS COUNTY BOARD SUPERVISORS IS THE POTENTIAL THAT THE COUNTY BECOMES THE LEVYING AUTHORITY.
UM, WHICH IN MANY, MANY WAYS FROM THE TAXPAYER'S VANTAGE POINT, IS MUCH, MUCH BETTER, UH, BECAUSE IT'S A ONE STOP AND IT'S AN ARMS LENGTH TRANSACTION.
UM, AND THAT'S WHERE THE POWER, UM, DYNAMIC BEGINS TO SHIFT.
UM, SO THAT, THAT CORRESPONDS WITH THE, THE POTENTIAL FOR A CONSORTIUM MODEL WHERE THE MUNICIPALITIES RETAIN OPERATIONAL AUTHORITY.
UH, BUT THE DOLLARS MOVE, UM, IT GIVES US MORE FLEXIBILITY BECAUSE EMS LEVY AT THE COUNTY LEVEL, UH, IS NOT, UM, IS NOT STRICTLY KEPT TO NET NEW CONSTRUCTION, BUT YOU'RE IN ARM'S LENGTH AT THE COUNTY BOARD LEVEL.
SO YOU HAVE THE ABILITY TO THROTTLE MUCH EASIER THAN THE LOCAL MUNICIPALITY, ESPECIALLY OUR TOWN GOVERNMENTS WHO HAVE ESSENTIALLY NO CONTROL.
AND DAVE WOULD, DAVE CAN SPEAK TO THIS IN MORE DETAIL.
HE WAS JUST AT A, AT A TOWN MEETING LAST WEEK, UM, MONDAY, MONDAY, MONDAY, YES.
UM, WHERE THE TOWN WAS PITCHED ANOTHER, A COMPETING, UH, FIRE DISTRICT TO COME IN, UH, AND BASICALLY COMPETE WITH ANOTHER, UH, FIRE ENTITY.
THAT TYPE OF THING WILL COMPLETELY DESTROY, UM, THE TYPE OF PARTNERSHIP, THE MAIS SYSTEM THAT WE'VE HAD OVER THE YEARS.
UM, THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN FIRE AND EMS AT LARGE, UH, IN THE COUNTY BY WORK, BY ALL OF US WORKING TOGETHER IN CONSORTIUM, UH, YOU HAVING THE POWER, POWER OF THE PURSE, UH, ON THAT, UH, IT COULD HELP TO RESOLVE LONG TERM.
SECONDARILY, NOW GOING BACK TO THE SLINGER MODEL, IT COULD ALLOW FOR US TO TAKE SOME OF THE POTENTIAL EXTRA SAVINGS AND ENHANCE THE VOLUNTEER MODEL JUST LIKE SLINGER DOES.
UM, BY GIVING VOLUNTEERS AN INCENTIVE BEYOND THE FEW PENNIES THEY GET FOR PAID ON CALL, UM, TO BE ABLE TO HAVE SOME TYPE OF RETIREMENT BENEFIT, THAT THAT'S LARGELY HOW SLINGER SLINGER IS ABLE TO ACHIEVE WHAT THEY'RE ABLE TO ACHIEVE.
THE, THE REAL SECRET SAUCE TO THE WHOLE THING, UH, FROM AN OPERATIONAL PERSPECTIVE IS YOU, YOU SEPARATE, BUT DON'T DIVORCE FIRE AND EMS FROM
[01:45:01]
ONE ANOTHER.UM, THE, THE DEPARTMENTS THAT WENT INTO EMS BUSINESS WAY BACK WHEN USED TO MAKE MONEY ON EMS BUSINESS, UH, MANY OF THEM ARE NOW TO A BREAKING POINT WHERE THEY'RE ACTUALLY LOSING MONEY ON EMS, UM, AND THEY HAVE LITERALLY A HANDFUL OF FIRE CALLS.
UM, SO NOW KIND OF DIVORCING THOSE TWO FROM EACH OTHER AND, AND HAVING, UH, THE COUNTY STEP IN TO HELP, HELP FUND AT AT LARGE WILL ALLOW FOR US TO HAVE VOLUNTEERS JUST FOCUSING ON FIRE, WHICH IS WAY MORE MANAGEABLE FOR SOMEBODY WHO TRULY WANTS TO VOLUNTEER.
THE EMS REQUIREMENTS FOR TRAINING ARE RIGHT, FRANKLY, OUTRAGEOUS.
UM, YOU CAN'T BE A VOLUNTEER AND, AND PROVIDE PARAMEDIC SERVICE.
YOU CAN'T BE A VOLUNTEER HARDLY ANYMORE AND PROVIDE EMT IV TECH SERVICE.
SO, UM, THE BOTTOM LINE IS THERE'S A LOT OF OPPORTUNITY.
UM, IT, IT IS GOING TO BE A LOT OF HARD WORK.
AND TO FALL BACK TO THE CONVERSATION A BIT EARLIER ABOUT MERGERS AND ACQUISITIONS, UH, THIS WILL BE THAT KIND OF DIFFICULTY WITH 16 FIRE CHIEFS AT THE HELM, UH, 20 CHIEF ELECTED OFFICIALS, 4,726 LOCAL ELECTED OFFICIALS, OR HOWEVER MANY DAMN ELECTED OFFICIALS WE HAVE IN THIS COUNTY, UM, AND THE PUBLIC AT LARGE SITTING AT THE TABLE FOR THE ENTIRE PROCESS.
SO IT, IT IS COMPLETELY ACHIEVABLE.
UH, IT IS TOTALLY POSSIBLE ON PAPER.
NOW, CAN WE GET EVERYBODY TO PLAY NICE IN THE SANDBOX? UM, THE BEAUTY OF WHERE WE ARE AT COMPARED TO WHERE OTHERS ARE AT IS THE FIRE CHIEFS CAME TO US.
UM, IT WASN'T, IT WASN'T US GOING TO THEM.
AND IF THIS DOESN'T GET SOLVED SOON, UH, IT'S GONNA BE BEYOND CRISIS.
UM, I'M CONFIDENT THAT WE WILL HAVE SOLUTIONS.
THE REST OF THE THINGS THAT ARE FRUIT ON THE GROUND AND, AND FRUIT IN THE TREE AND FRUIT BEYOND, ARE ALL THINGS THAT'LL JUST BE FROSTING TO THE CAKE.
THAT'LL BE A BIGGER BANG FOR THE BUCK FOR TAXPAYERS AND PROVIDE A BETTER, UH, QUALITY OF SERVICE DELIVERY, UH, HOPEFULLY AT A CHEAPER PRICE.
SO DAVE, ANYTHING YOU WANT TO ADD? COUNTY EXECUTIVE SAID IT ALL.
HE KNOWS HE HAS HIS FINGER ON THE PULSE OF EVERYTHING, BUT, UH, I CAN SPEAK TO ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE.
I JUST WANT TO START OUT BY SAYING, UM, IT'S A PRIVILEGE TO BE IN THIS CAPACITY, UH, BUT I WANNA, UH, HIGHLIGHT WHAT SUPERVISOR KEL STATED TO THE CHANCELLOR AND THE MPTC PRESIDENT, UM, KINGDOMS AND FIEFDOMS. WE DO A LOT BETTER TOGETHER THAN WE DO ALONE.
AND THAT'S, THAT'S THE PINCH POINT WE'RE AT RIGHT NOW.
AND, UH, QUITE FRANKLY, EVERY AGENCY WITHIN WASHINGTON COUNTY DOES A PHENOMENAL JOB.
EVERY SINGLE DISTRICT THAT YOU REPRESENT ARE PROVIDING EXCEPTIONAL SERVICE.
THERE IS NO QUESTION ABOUT THAT.
THE CHALLENGES THAT WE HAVE IS THE LACK OF VOLUNTEERS AND THE DESIRE TO GET INTO THE FIELD.
SLINGER FIRE IS ABSOLUTELY THE MODEL.
LIKE THE EXECUTIVE SAID, WHEN SOMEONE WANTS TO BECOME A VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTER, IT'S EXACTLY THAT.
THEY WANT TO BE A FIREFIGHTER, THEY WANT TO DO THAT TYPE OF WORK.
WHEN YOU GET INTO THE INDUSTRY AND THEY PUT A THREE INCH BOOK IN FRONT OF YOU AND SAY, OH, BY THE WAY, YOU GOTTA TAKE THIS CLASS TO BE AN EMT AND IT'S GONNA TAKE YOU 288 HOURS TO DO THAT, THAT, THAT BRINGS IT TO ANOTHER LEVEL.
LAWRENCE, HOWEVER, THEY'VE ADDED A NEW MEMBER EVERY SINGLE MONTH THIS YEAR.
SO WHATEVER THEY'RE DOING IS WORKING.
SLINGER, AS STATED, DOES A PHENOMENAL JOB.
I THINK THEY MAY EVEN HAVE A WAITING LIST TO GET ON SLINGER FIRE, BUT, UH, WE, I, I BELIEVE YOU GUYS DID RECEIVE THE POWERPOINT PRESENTATION FROM HEALTHCARE STRATEGISTS WITH THE NUMBER OF RECOMMENDATIONS WE HAVE DONE.
SO YOU, YOU HAVE DONE SO MANY GOOD THINGS SO FAR.
WE'RE LIGHT YEARS AHEAD OF WHERE OTHER ENTITIES THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY ARE.
WE DO HAVE A CONSOLIDATED DISPATCH.
ALL OF OUR ENTITIES ARE WITHIN WASHINGTON COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS WITH THE EXCEPTIONAL WEST BEND FIRE.
UH, EVEN IF WEST BEND FIRE AND POLICE WANTED TO COME ON BOARD WITH OUR CONSOLIDATED DISPATCH, WE DON'T HAVE THE BANDWIDTH TO TAKE THEM ON CURRENTLY, AT LEAST ANOTHER TWO YEARS.
SO, UM, IT, IT ALL WORKS OUT QUITE WELL.
UM, THE FIRE CHIEFS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY, UH, THE COUNTY CHIEF'S ASSOCIATION, OR IT'S ALL, IT'S A BROTHERHOOD, IT'S A SISTERHOOD.
AND QUITE FRANKLY, UM, ONCE WE GET PAST ALL THE THINGS THAT MAY BE DIFFICULT, POWER, MONEY, POLITICS, UM, YOU DON'T SIT IN THE SEATS THAT YOU SIT NOR DO THE FIRE CHIEFS OR POLICE CHIEFS, POLICE OFFICERS, FIREFIGHTERS SIT IN THE POSITIONS.
[01:50:01]
THEY SIT BECAUSE THEY SEEK POWER OR FINANCIAL GAIN.ULTIMATELY, WE DO IT FOR THE PEOPLE THAT WE SERVE.
THE ULTIMATE SATISFACTION IN PURSUING THIS OBJECTIVE IS IT'S FOR THE PEOPLE.
AND WHEN WE GET DOWN TO THE, THE NUTS AND BOLTS OF IT ALL, THAT IS THE CRUX.
ULTIMATELY, IT'S FOR THOSE THAT WE SERVE.
I WAS AT THE TOWN OF HARTFORD MEETING THE OTHER NIGHT, AND IT, IT ALWAYS, WHEN, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT MERGERS AND ACQUISITIONS, I ASKED EVERYONE IN THE ROOM, HOW MANY PEOPLE HERE HAVE CALLED 9 1 1.
SEVERAL RAISED THEIR HANDS, BUT I ASKED EVERY SINGLE ONE IN THE ROOM THAT DID CALL 9 1 1.
BY CHANCE, DID YOU TAKE A LOOK AT THE SIDE OF THE RIG TO SEE THE CITY'S NAME OR THE TOWN'S NAME, OR THE VILLAGE NAME ON THE SIDE? NO, THEY WERE JUST THANKFUL THAT SOMEONE WAS THERE TO HELP.
AND THAT'S ULTIMATELY WHAT THE FIRE SERVICE IS ALL ABOUT, PROVIDING THAT SERVICE IN YOUR MOST DIRE NEED.
SO I AM AVAILABLE FOR ANY QUESTIONS.
I AM AGGRESSIVE WHEN IT COMES TO TRYING TO ACHIEVE AN OBJECTIVE.
LIKE I TOLD THE EXECUTIVE AND I TOLD THE CHIEF OF STAFF I SPENT A CAREER ON, ON CATCHING A RUN, IDENTIFYING THE RUN, IDENTIFYING A PROBLEM, SEEING THE SOLUTION, AND IMPLEMENTING IT ALL WITHIN FIVE MINUTES.
SO THAT'S MY NATURE, BUT I UNDERSTAND THAT I'M IN A DIFFERENT ROLE, SO I NEED TO WORK THROUGH THAT.
BUT ULTIMATELY, UM, THE GOAL AT THE END OF THE DAY, UH, TO ACHIEVE THAT OBJECTIVE IS COMMUNICATION AND SPEAKING WITH ONE ANOTHER AND COMMUNICATING THE EXACT NEEDS AND THE DESIRES, AND WE CAN ACHIEVE THAT OBJECTIVE TOGETHER, NOT ALONE.
I'LL ADD THAT IF ANYONE DOUBTS THAT WE CAN DO THIS, HAVE A SIT DOWN WITH DAVE SEGER
UM, SO I HAVE TALKED WITH SOME OF THE, UH, LOCAL MUNICIPALITIES ON THIS, AND OF COURSE THE TOWN OF WEST BEND WAS ALL ON BOARD FOR THIS.
UH, I HAVE NOT HAD A CHANCE SINCE I SAW THIS, TO TALK TO THE TOWN OF ADDISON, AND I THINK THE TOWN OF WAYNE WOULD PROBABLY BE HAPPY TO BE INVOLVED IN THIS AS WELL.
BUT I GUESS WHEN YOU WERE SAYING YOU HAD A MEETING WITH THEM ALL, DID YOU HAVE A LOT OF PUSHBACK OR ARE A LOT OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENTS ON BOARD WITH LOSING THEIR EMS? BECAUSE I THINK ALLENTON IS PRETTY HAPPY WITH THE WAY THEY ARE.
THEY MIGHT HAVE SOME PUSHBACK.
WELL, LET, LET'S FIRST, FIRST OF ALL, LET'S, LET'S JUST ACKNOWLEDGE THEY, THEY MAY OR MAY NOT LOSE THEIR EMS, SO TO SPEAK.
UM, IT, IT REALLY BECOMES A MATTER OF, OBVIOUSLY WHEN YOU'RE IN ALLENTON AND YOU'RE ON THE ALLENTON FIRE SERVICE OR E EM EMS, YOU ARE LOOKING AT THE DISTRICT OF ALLENTON.
NOW THIS AFFORDS US THE OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK AT THE WHOLE ENTIRE COUNTY.
YOU KNOW, EVEN EVEN WEST BEND UP UNTIL THEY SIGNED WITH KIOSKI HAD A, A, A CONFINED GEOGRAPHIC AREA.
SO I THINK WHAT WILL END UP HAPPENING IS A, A, A, BASICALLY A RESOURCE ANALYSIS.
HOW MANY PARAMEDICS DO WE HAVE? HOW MANY EMTS, HOW MANY EMRS? UM, AND THEN HOW DO, WHAT ARE THEY BEST SUITED TO BE LOCATED TO RESPOND TIMELY? AND IF YOU JUST LOOK AT THE NUMBERS THEMSELVES, LIKE WE HAVE WAY, WAY, WAY, WAY, WAY MORE THAN WE ACTUALLY NEED, UM, IT'S JUST HOW DO YOU DEPLOY THEM MUCH MORE EFFICIENTLY AND EFFECTIVELY? SURE.
AND WHAT WE LEARNED WHEN WE DID THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT MERGER IS THE ONLY WAY YOU CAN GET THIS TO HAPPEN, BECAUSE WE ARE NOT PRIVATE INDUSTRY, WE ARE PUBLIC SECTOR, IS TO GO WITH THE RESOURCES YOU GOT AND THEN WORK YOUR WAY TOWARD WHAT YOU NEED TO HAVE IN THE LONG HAUL.
UM, AND IT'S GONNA, YOU'LL HIT AN EQUAL EQUILIBRIUM.
YOU PROBABLY NEED A LOT LESS TODAY, UH, THAN YOU'LL NEED IN 10 YEARS.
AND, AND YOU'RE, YOU'RE COMING UP AND DOWN SIMULTANEOUSLY.
SO I DON'T, I WANNA MAKE CLEAR THAT I DON'T SEE WHEN WE GO THROUGH THIS PRO, WE'RE NOT, WE'RE NOT DOING THIS TO SAVE MONEY.
WE'RE NOT IN, IN LIKE, CUT COST, I SHOULD SAY IMMEDIATELY.
IT'S, IT'S REALLY COST PREVENTION.
'CAUSE THE, YES, IT'S EXPENSIVE NOW, BUT IF WE DON'T CHANGE, IT'S LIKE TOTALLY UNCONTROLLABLY EXPENSIVE.
THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO PREVENT.
AND WE ARE TRYING TO GET OURSELVES TO, TO A SERVICE THAT EVERYBODY CAN STILL HAVE THEIR, HAVE THEIR SERVICE AND BE PROUD OF THAT SERVICE.
SO THAT I, I WANT TO BE UNEQUIVOCALLY CLEAR ABOUT THAT.
UM, WITH THAT SAID, THE, THE RESPONSE FROM THE CHIEF ELECTEDS WAS VERY POSITIVE.
WHERE, WHERE YOU START TO GET INTO CONVERSATION IS, OKAY, WHERE ARE THE DETAILS OF WHO GETS TO HAVE THE STATION? WHO GETS THE, WHICH CHIEF IS IN CONTROL OF THIS? AND, YOU KNOW, WHAT HAPPENS TO
[01:55:01]
MY, THIS, THAT, OR THE OTHER THING? HERE'S AN ILLUSTRATION.I THINK WE HAVE SEVEN LADDER TRUCKS IN THE COUNTY.
WE, THIS, THIS CONVERSATION HAPPENED WITH ALL OF THE CHIEF, THE CHIEF ELECTEDS AND THE CHIEFS IN THE ROOM.
AND THE DEBATE WAS, DO WE NEED THREE OR FOUR? RIGHT? RIGHT.
THAT'S A $1.5 MILLION PIECE OF EQUIPMENT.
SO THERE'S A GOOD ILLUSTRATION MM-HMM
THAT'S WHERE THE PUSH AND PULLS GONNA END UP BEING.
AND THAT'S WHERE WE ENDED UP GETTING WITH THE CHIEF S WAS LIKE, OKAY, WELL WHO GETS THE, WHO GETS TO HAVE THE, THE NICE TOY? WHO GETS TO HAVE THE STAFF LOCATED? IT WASN'T, SHOULD WE OR SHOULDN'T WE DO THIS? IT WAS, WE GOT, WE WANNA KNOW HOW IT IMPACTS US.
WELL, SO I THINK, I THINK THE ANSWER IS THE CHIEF ELECTEDS ARE THERE.
UM, I THINK THE ANSWER IS THE FIRE CHIEFS KNOW SOMETHING'S GOTTA CHANGE.
NOW HOW DO WE MESH THOSE IMPLEMENT TWO TOGETHER IN AN AGREEABLE WAY? YEAH.
WELL, IT SEEMS LIKE THE FEEDBACK I GET FROM THE TOWNSHIPS, OBVIOUSLY THEY'RE ALL STRUGGLING FOR MONEY.
SO IT'S ALWAYS THE FUNDING SOURCE TO, TO KEEP PAYING FOR THIS.
IT'S NOT GONNA GET CHEAPER HERE.
HERE'S A REALLY GOOD EXAMPLE OF WHAT CANNOT HAPPEN.
AND SOME OF YOU ARE ON TOWN BOARDS.
WHAT CANNOT HAPPEN IS I THINK THERE'S $16 MILLION IN LEVY ALLOCATED CURRENTLY ACROSS THE COUNTY FOR FIRE AND EMS. IS THAT, IS THAT ABOUT RIGHT? 16 3 0 6.
THE GOAL IS WE'RE GONNA KEEP THE SAME LEVEL OF EXPENSE WITH, YOU KNOW, SOME, MAYBE SOME INFLATIONARY INDEX, BUT, AND PROVIDE A BETTER SERVICE THAT DOESN'T HAVE AN EXPONENTIAL INCREASE.
THAT'S, THAT'S ALL WE'RE GONNA TRY TO ACCOMPLISH.
ONCE IT BECOMES ANYTHING MORE THAN THAT, LIKE, WELL, WE'LL JUST HOLD ON TO 10% AND WE'LL PUT IT INTO OUR ROADS.
SO THAT I'M TELLING YOU, WE WERE GONNA RUN INTO TWO ISSUES WHOSE NAME'S ON THE SIDE OF THE TRUCK, AND HOW MUCH MONEY DO WE GET TO KEEP? THAT WILL BE THE, THOSE WILL BE, AND THAT'S NOT JUST CHIEF ELECTEDS, IT'S ALSO GOING TO BE DEPARTMENTS.
THANK YOU SUPERVISOR CONRAD, I SEE YOUR HAND IS UP, BUT SUPERVISOR KEL WAS FIRST, SO YOU'LL BE NEXT.
YEAH, I JUST WANNA MAKE A COMMENT WITH BEING, UH, A CITIZEN OF THE TOWN OF POLK AND, YOU KNOW, ONE OF FRIENDS, UM, WITHIN ALLENTON ST.
LAWRENCE AND SLINGER VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENTS.
UM, YES, THEY ARE STRONG BECAUSE, I MEAN, IT'S IN THEIR BLOOD.
IT'S PART OF, YOU KNOW, HOW THEY IDENTIFY THEMSELVES.
WE GOT MULTI-GENERATIONS OF VOLUNTEER, YOU KNOW, FIREMEN AND WOMEN, UM, AND THOSE COMMUNITIES.
UM, SO, YOU KNOW, I I KNOW YOU'VE BEEN MEETING WITH THEM ALL, BUT YOU KNOW, WE DO HAVE TO, YOU KNOW, BE, YOU KNOW, RESPECTFUL OF, OF THAT CULTURE.
UM, AND THEN TOO, ON ANOTHER NOTE, UH, YOU'RE SPEAKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, COST, UH, WITH, YOU KNOW, THE TOWN OF POLK BEING THE MAJORITY OF MY DISTRICT AND, YOU KNOW, AWARE OF MOST OF THEIR, UM, IT'S OVER 50%.
DON'T, DON'T QUOTE ME AS WHERE IT'S LIKE 70, 75% OR SOME OF THEIR BUDGET ENDS UP GOING TOWARDS FIRE AND EMS AND IT, UM, IF THEY, YOU KNOW, CONTRACT THROUGH SLINGER AND, AND RICHFIELD, I THINK A LITTLE BIT OF JACKSON TOO.
BUT, UM, IT'S, AND THAT NUMBER KEEPS GOING UP AND THEY HARDLY HAVE MUCH MONEY LEFT TO ACTUALLY RUN THE TOWNSHIP.
UM, SO I DO APPRECIATE THIS BEING LOOKED AT, BUT WE, YOU KNOW, DO HAVE TO BE RESPECTFUL OF THOSE, YOU KNOW, VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENTS.
UM, YOU KNOW, THEIR CULTURE REALLY AND HOW IT, HOW IT'S IN THEIR BLOOD.
I WE ARE, WE ARE WILDLY RESPECTFUL OF THAT, OF THAT CULTURE.
UH, SO MUCH SO THAT WE'RE CREATING A VIDEO TO TALK ABOUT HOW AMAZING IT IS.
UH, THAT'S WHAT PART OF OUR UNIQUELY WISCONSIN PACKAGE THAT, THAT WE JUST MOST RECENTLY SIGNED IT, WHAT SLINGER IS DOING IS FANTASTIC.
AND THEY, IT'S NOT JUST CULTURE.
'CAUSE THE CULTURE THAT YOU JUST DESCRIBED IS IN ALLENTON, IT'S IN COLESVILLE, IT'S IN, IT'S IN BOONVILLE, IT'S EVERY CORNER OF THIS COUNTY HAS MULTI-GENERATIONAL INVESTMENT.
SLINGER ALSO FIGURED OUT HOW TO INCENTIVIZE THAT GOOD BEHAVIOR THAT, SO THERE'S A, THERE'S A MONEY COMPONENT, UH, THAT GOES TO IT AS WELL.
SO I, YES, ALL, ALL OF THE THINGS YOU SAID ARE ABSOLUTELY TRUE, AND THERE ARE THINGS THAT THEY'RE DOING THAT NO ONE ELSE IS DOING.
AND, AND WE HAVE TO TAKE THE BEST OF
[02:00:01]
WHAT THEY'RE DOING AND TRY TO TRY TO REPLICATE IT.I MEAN, IF, IF YOU THINK ABOUT THIS FROM HOW, HOW THE COUNTY HAS OPERATED, WHAT ARE WE, WHAT ARE WE ACTUALLY TRYING TO TELL YOU? UM, LOOK AT WHAT WE'VE DONE WITH HEART AND HOMESTEAD AND HOW FAST IN BASICALLY SIX MONTHS, WE'VE SEEN TENS OF THOUSANDS OF HOURS OF VOLUNTEER TIME BY INCENTIVIZING THE RIGHT BEHAVIOR, WHICH WILL UNDOUBTEDLY CONTINUE LONG AFTER THOSE INCENTIVES ARE PAID OFF.
THAT IT'S THE SAME TYPE OF MODEL, JUST APPLIED IN A DIFFERENT WAY.
AND IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT THAT WAY, THE COST OF A FULL-TIME FIRE FIREFIGHTER PARAMEDIC, $110,000 PER YEAR FULLY LOADED, UM, COMPARED TO A LITTLE BIT OF AN INCENTIVE FOR SOMEONE TO VOLUNTEER JUST FOR FIRE.
UM, IT, THIS IS, THIS SHOULDN'T BE THAT DIFFICULT, BUT IT'S JUST GETTING PEOPLE TO LOOK THROUGH A DIFFERENT LENS.
AND MONEY TALKS DIRECTOR GER, CAN I, CAN I ADD TO THAT? MR. CHAIRMAN? UH, SUPERVISOR CONRAD, UH, JUST TO BE CLEAR, THERE'S NOT GONNA BE ONE DEPARTMENT VOLUNTEER PAID ON CALL COMBINATION CAREER THAT WILL HAVE TO SHUT THEIR DOORS.
THAT'S, THAT WILL NOT, THE OBJECTIVE HERE IS TO CREATE AN ENVIRONMENT THAT'S SUSTAINABLE GOING FORWARD IN ORDER TO INCORPORATE AND ENHANCE OUR VOLUNTEER POOL AND INCENTIVIZE THAT.
I DON'T WANT TO GET TOO MUCH INTO THE WEEDS, BUT THE MABA SYSTEM DOES WORK, BUT IT'S, IT'S, UH, IF WE HAD A BORDER DROP CLOSEST, MOST AVAILABLE UNIT AVAILABLE TO RESPOND IS KEY.
AND MAIS IS, IS IT WORKS WELL, YOU KNOW, UH, BUT IT'S NOT THAT.
AND, UM, TO THE EXECUTIVE'S POINT, THE VIDEO THAT IS SOON TO BE RELEASED, I'VE SEEN IT.
AND SLINGER, SLINGER SHOULD BE EXCEPTIONALLY PROUD BECAUSE THEY DO RUN A, A GREAT SHOP.
AND THAT'S WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE WASHINGTON COUNTY WIDE, THAT, THAT TYPE OF, OF AGENCY AND INTEREST AND BRING MORE PEOPLE INTO THAT BE MORE ROBUST AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
NO ONE'S GOING TO TAKE ANY TRADITION OR PRIDE OR AWAY FROM ANYBODY.
BECAUSE IF WE DON'T DO THIS, IT'S, IT WILL DIE.
IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT DEPARTMENT YOU'RE, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.
UH, AND I, I KNOW THE GUYS IN SLINGER WOULD DISAGREE WITH ME, BUT EVEN IN SLINGER, IN THE LONG HAUL, THE THE, THE MATH DOESN'T WORK IN THE LONG HAUL.
10 YEARS FROM NOW, 15 YEARS FROM NOW, 20 YEARS FROM NOW, WE WILL NOT BE ABLE TO SUSTAIN THIS.
THE, AND WE WILL GET GOBBLED UP.
SO WE'VE GOTTA WE'VE GOTTA DO IT THE RIGHT WAY AND WE'VE GOTTA RESPECT THOSE TRADITIONS.
AND ACKNOWLEDGE IF WE DON'T DO THIS, THIS IS GAME THEORY.
YOU DON'T MAKE THE CHANGE NOW, LIKE YOU ARE GOING, IT, IT, IT'S PLAY THIS GAME OR IT'S, IT YOU END, YOU HANG TOGETHER, YOU HANG SEPARATELY.
UM, SO MR. SEAGER, YOU AND I ARE KINDRED SPIRITS.
UH, WE BOTH TEND TO BE PROBLEM SOLVERS AND WE'RE NOT PARTICULARLY PICKY ABOUT THE DETAILS OF WHOSE FEELINGS GET HURT.
WE JUST, UH, LOOK TO FIND THE SOLUTION AND GET IT DONE NOW.
UM, AND I COULDN'T AGREE MORE.
I MEAN, WE'RE TOTALLY ON WITH THAT.
UH, A COUPLE YEARS AGO I RAN FOR MAYOR OF THE WEST BEND, AND EVERYBODY'S PROBABLY PRETTY MUCH AWARE OF THAT.
UH, DURING THAT RUN, UH, I WAS CONTACTED BY A PRIVATE ENTITY ABOUT EMS SERVICE AND, UH, WHAT'S GOING ON IN WEST BEND AND HOW IT COULD BE IMPROVED AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
AND I GOTTA TELL YOU, I READ THROUGH YOUR WHOLE PRESENTATION HERE AND IT'S, IT'S, EVERYTHING'S DEAD NUTS ON WITH WHAT I HEARD.
I MEAN, IT IS, IT IS EXACTLY CORRECT.
UM, AND SO TO ME IT'S CORROBORATED AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED, THIS IS THE REAL DEAL.
BUT LIKE, UH, THE EXECUTIVE SAID, IT DOESN'T GET US ALL THE WAY HOME.
UH, WHAT GETS US ALL THE WAY HOME IS TO DISPEL THE FIEFDOMS AND REALIZE THE MISSION IS THE PEOPLE AND PUT THE COUNTY IN A POSITION WHERE WE CAN HELP TO MANAGE THIS.
UH, AND BY THAT WHAT I MEAN IS UTILIZING THE COUNTY'S ABILITY TO BUY IN BULK ACROSS HOW MANY DEPARTMENTS WE HAVE.
WE CAN CERTAINLY PUT THAT ALL TOGETHER AND GET A LOT OF SAVINGS, A LOT MORE BANG FOR THE BUCK.
EVERYTHING THAT I'VE BEEN DOING IN THE LAST 10
[02:05:01]
YEARS ON THIS BOARD HAS BEEN ABOUT CONSOLIDATION, WORKING TOGETHER, FINDING BETTER WAYS.AND TO THE DEPARTMENTS, I SAY, WE CAN ABSOLUTELY DO THIS, YOU KNOW, BUT IT'S, BUT IT'S GOTTA BE A TWO-WAY STREET.
THERE'S GOTTA BE A LOT OF TRUST.
IT'S GOTTA BE A LOT OF WORKING TOGETHER AND OLD IDEAS.
THEY GOTTA GO BECAUSE IN THIS COUNTY GOVERNMENT, I CAN TELL YOU, ALL THE OLD I OLD IDEAS ARE OUT OF THIS ROOM.
THEY'RE NO LONGER ON THIS BOARD.
AND THE PEOPLE THAT WERE IN THE BUREAUCRACY WITH THEIR OLD IDEAS, THEY'RE ALL GONE TOO.
THIS GROUP RIGHT HERE IS ONE OF THE MOST ADVANCED FORWARD THINKING GROUPS THAT I'VE EVER WORKED WITH.
AND, AND THAT'S WHAT IT'S GONNA TAKE TO GET THROUGH THIS.
UH, HONESTLY, IS THIS BOARD WORKING WITH YOUR DEPARTMENTS AND, AND EVERYBODY JUST REALIZING THE MISSION IS NOT TO SAVE YOUR DEPARTMENT OR YOUR KINGDOM, IT'S TO SERVE THE PEOPLE.
AND THAT'S THE WAY WE LOOK AT IT.
THAT'S WHAT WE KEEP IN MIND WHEN WE TRY TO DO THESE THINGS.
I HAVE A HUNDRED PERCENT FAITH THAT WE CAN ABSOLUTELY DO THIS.
UH, AND I AGREE WITH THE, WE HAVE TO, WE HAVE TO GET GOING ON THIS PRETTY MUCH RIGHT AWAY, UM, BECAUSE WE CAN'T LET THIS SIT BY THE WAYSIDE.
BUT I'M VERY ENCOURAGED BY WHAT I SEE, WHAT I'VE HEARD.
AND I'M, I'M WILLING TO WORK IF, IF YOU GUYS ARE, WE ARE.
I JUST, IF, IF I MIGHT, MR. CHAIRMAN, I JUST WANNA REITERATE THAT ALL THE FIRE CHIEFS WILL STILL BE THE FIRE CHIEFS AND THE SUCCESS, YOU KNOW, AND ALL THE DEPARTMENTS WILL STILL, THAT'S THE PLAN.
NO ONE, NO ONE LOSES THIS OR THAT IS THE PLAN.
WE DON'T WANT, WE DON'T WANT THAT TO BE OUT THERE, THAT THIS IS GONNA BE SHUT DOWN OR THAT IS NOT THE CASE.
EVERYONE WILL STILL BE ABLE TO RUN THEIR OWN AGENCY.
IT IT'LL BE MUCH MORE LIKE SAMARITAN.
THE WAY TO SAVE SAMARITAN WAS TO SELL SAMARITAN THE WAY TO SAVE VOLUNTEER FIRES.
WE KNOW IT IS TO HAVE A CONSORTIUM.
VERY SIMILAR SUPERVISOR KREBS.
UM, THE SLIDESHOW IN FRONT OF US TONIGHT IS, UH, FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS.
WHEN, OR IS IT IN PROCESS? WHEN WILL WE SEE THE ACTUAL PLAN? YOU KNOW, WHAT, WHAT THE REAL NUTS AND BOLTS OF IT WILL BE? OKAY.
SO I JUST THOUGHT TO GIVE YOU, AS THE EXECUTIVE ALWAYS SAYS, A 60,000 FOOT VIEW.
WE HAD OUR CHIEF ELECTEDS AND OUR WASHINGTON COUNTY FIRE CHIEFS HAVE A JOINT MEETING TOGETHER FOR THIS STUDY TO BE UNVEILED.
EVERYONE LOOKED AT EACH OTHER.
ALL THE THINGS WERE DISCUSSED.
COUNTY CHIEFS, UH, HAD A SECONDARY MEETING AS THEIR, AS THEIR BIMONTHLY MEETING AFTER THAT.
AND THE FIRST THING THAT THEY DECIDED TO DO WAS TO CREATE A SUBCOMMITTEE OF THE FIRE TASK FORCE COMMITTEE THAT WOULD BE LIKE THE STEERING COMMITTEE.
THE SECOND MEETING THEY WENT, THEY WENT THROUGH ALL THE RECOMMENDATIONS AND PRIORITIZED THEM.
LIKE THE EXECUTIVE HAD SAID, YOU KNOW, LOW HANGING FRUIT, ONE TO TWO YEARS, THREE TO FIVE YEARS, FIVE TO SEVEN YEARS, THAT TYPE OF PRIORITIZATION.
AND THEN AT THE SECOND MEETING, THOSE PRIORITIES WERE DISPATCHED TO THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS THAT ARE PART OF THAT SUBCOMMITTEE, AND THEY'RE GONNA GO WORK TOWARDS THOSE OBJECTIVES.
SO THE NEXT TIME WE MEET IS GONNA BE JUNE 25TH, AND WE'LL PROBABLY BE ABLE TO PRODUCE SOMETHING FOR YOU BY THEN.
I WOULD ANTICIPATE WE, WE WON'T BE BACK IN FRONT OF YOU TALKING ABOUT ACTUAL NUTS AND BOLTS UNTIL THE, PROBABLY THE END OF THE SUMMER WITH A, WITH A ACTUAL, OKAY, NOW HOW DO WE EFFECTUATE THIS? AND THEN WHAT IS THE TIMELINE FOR EXECUTION? BECAUSE WHAT, WHAT, AND THIS IS WHY I SAY 18 MONTHS, BECAUSE WHAT DAVE JUST TOLD YOU IS THEY'LL HAVE A THUMBNAIL SKETCH IN JUNE.
WELL, MUNICIPAL MUNICIPALITIES ARE STARTING BUDGETS IN JUNE.
SO THERE'S NOT ENOUGH TIME TO ACTUALLY THEN TAKE THE THUMBNAIL SKETCH, DEVELOP IT INTO AN ACTUAL PLAN, DEVELOP IT INTO A TIMELINE FOR EXECUTION.
WORK ON HOW DO WE CREATE A, A REV A A REVENUE MODEL THAT WORKS, HOW DO WE SWAP ALL OF THAT? THAT'S WHY I FEEL IT'S GONNA TAKE A, IT'S GONNA TAKE ALL OF 18 MONTHS TO WORK THROUGH ALL OF THOSE COMPONENTS.
AND HOW DO WE DO THIS WITHOUT ANY, UH, COMPANY SEEING A, A REDUCED BUDGET? UM, IT THAT'S COMPLICATED.
SO I WOULD, I BELIEVE THE END OF SUMMER, YOU'LL START TO SEE THAT FIRST.
YOU MAY SEE A THUMBNAIL SKETCH IN THE BEGINNING.
YOU'LL, YOU'LL GET MORE MEAT ON THE BONE BY THE TIME WE GET TO THE END OF THE SUMMER.
ONCE, ESPECIALLY ONCE BUDGETS ARE OSTENSIBLY DONE.
AND THEN WE'LL, WE'LL HAVE REAL SOLID PLANS.
LIKE I THINK YOU'RE ALLUDING TO PROBABLY EARLY PART OF NEXT YEAR.
IS THAT'S, THAT WOULD BE MY GUESS.
[02:10:01]
AND I'M JO I'M NOT TRYING TO BE OVERLY OPTIMISTIC ONCE THE PLANS ARE OUT THERE, WHAT'S THE ORDER OF OPERATIONS FOR BUY-IN OBVI? UM, WOULD IT BE FIRE COMPANIES FIRST? MUNICIPALITIES SECOND.SO I THINK YOU, UM, I THINK YOU'RE FORCED TO RUN ON PA PARALLEL TRACKS.
SO WHILE THE FIRE CHIEFS ARE DOING THE WORK THAT DAVE JUST ARTICULATED, I THINK THE CHIEF ELECTED OFFICIALS WITH BRAD STERN AT THE HELM HAVE TO BE FIGURING OUT WHAT'S THE LEGAL MECHANISM FOR US TO ACTUALLY EFFECTUATE ALL OF THIS? UH, HOW DOES THE SHARED SERVICES AGREEMENT WORK? HOW DOES THE LEVY ITSELF WORK, UH, UNDER THE SHARED SERVICES AGREEMENT, WHO ACTUALLY HAS THE AUTONOMY, UH, AND THE AUTHORITY? UM, ALL OF THOSE THINGS ARE GOING TO BE COMPLICATED.
AND THEN WE'LL, ULTIMATELY, WHAT DOES AN AGREEMENT LOOK LIKE? WHAT ARE WE AGREEING TO? UM, 'CAUSE ONCE, ONCE YOU EFFECTUATE THOSE AGREEMENTS, UM, I MEAN, THEY'RE GONNA BE IRON CLIENT.
IT'S GONNA BE LIKE THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
YOU CAN GET OUT, BUT IT WILL BE SO DIFFICULT TO UNWIND IT THAT YOU'LL WANT TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE THOUGHT THROUGH EVERY, EVERY POSSIBILITY THAT COULD GO WRONG.
AND THEN DOT EVERY I IN, CROSS EVERY T AND THEN FORCE OURSELVES COLLECTIVELY TO COMMIT TO IT.
YOU REMEMBER WITH THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT, IF WE WANT TO GET OUT, IT TAKES US TWO FULL YEARS TO, TO UNWIND OUT OF IT.
YOU WANT TO BUILD IT SO THAT THERE IS NO, THERE'S NO INCENTIVE, THERE'S NO DESIRE TO EVER UNWIND IT.
WILL THESE PLANS REQUIRE A HUNDRED PERCENT BUY-IN FROM ALL DEPARTMENTS AND ALL MUNICIPALITIES? WHAT IF THERE'S ONE HOLDOUT SOMEWHERE ALONG THE WAY? I, I THINK THE ANSWER TO THAT IS YES, IT HAS TO BE EVERYBODY.
AND WHAT IF THERE'S A HOLDOUT? I I PITY THE FOOL.
IF YOU HAVE 19 MUNICIPALITIES AND 15 FIRE CHIEFS SAYING, THIS IS THE ONLY WAY WE ALL COLLECTIVELY SURVIVE.
AND ONE GROUP IS SAYING, WE DON'T CARE.
I FEEL BAD FOR WHOEVER THAT IS.
THEY'LL HAVE THE WHOLE WEIGHT OF THE ENTIRE COUNTY SITTING ON THEIR SHOULDERS.
DO I THINK IT'S PROBABLE? I HOPE NOT, BUT IT'S POSSIBLE.
UM, TWO, TWO MORE ITEMS. NOT TO TAKE UP EVERYONE'S TIME.
UM, YOU SAID THAT THE SAVINGS SHOULD NOT BE USED TOWARDS ROADS.
SO IS THE OBJECTIVE IS OBJECTIVE TO THE, I DUNNO IF THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT I SAID.
IT'S JUST A DIFFERENT TAXING ON TAKING THAT SHARE OF MONEY A SHIFT, A NEUTRAL SHIFT OF SORT.
THIS IS NOT ABOUT CUTTING COST TODAY.
IT'S ABOUT COST AVOIDANCE IN THE FUTURE.
SO THAT IS TO SAY, I, IF IT'S 16.3 MILLION TODAY, I EXPECT IT WILL BE 16.3 POTENTIALLY PLUS A LITTLE FOR INFLATION TOMORROW.
UM, WHAT I DON'T WANT IS FOR IT TO GO FROM 16.3 TO 24.3 BECAUSE WE, SOME MUNICIPALITY OR SOME DEPARTMENT OR SOMETHING TRIED TO, YOU KNOW, USE THE MONEY FOR SOMETHING ELSE ELSE.
THAT, AND THE AN TO ANSWER YOUR COMMENT ABOUT THE, ABOUT THE TAXPAYER, IT GETS COMPLICATED BECAUSE YOU GO FROM TAXING AT THE LOCAL LEVEL, WHICH IS DISTRIBUTED ONE WAY TO TAXING AT THE COUNTY LEVEL, WHICH IS DISTRIBUTED ACROSS THE COUNTY.
ANOTHER WAY, SO IS, CAN WE SAY EVERYBODY'S TAX BILL WILL BE HELD HARMLESS? ABSOLUTELY NOT.
CAN I SAY IT WILL AVOID MASSIVE COST INCREASE IN THE NEXT DECADE? ABSOLUTELY.
I CAN SAY THAT NO MATTER WHAT COMMUNITY YOU LIVE IN, I'M JUST LOOKING AT IT.
I, I WAS AT THAT MEETING ON MONDAY WITH DAVE AND SOME OF THE TALK, THE AFTER MEETING, WHEN PEOPLE ARE TRYING TO UNDERSTAND WHAT WAS BEING PROPOSED.
WELL, IF WE CAN ELIMINATE X AMOUNT OF DOLLARS OUT OF A FIRE CONTRACT DUE TO EMS, THAT'S X AMOUNT OF DOLLARS.
THAT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE PAID BY THE LOCAL.
THAT MONEY THEN FREES UP SOME OF THE LOCAL LEVY FOR OTHER STUFF RIGHT AWAY.
AND THE HARDEST PART IN THIS PROCESS WILL BE GETTING US BEING ABLE TO CONVINCE LOCAL ELECTED OFFICIALS TO STOP THINKING LIKE THAT AND START THINKING LIKE, IF WE CAN GET THIS TO WORK, THE 10% INCREASES THAT YOU'RE SEEING ANNUALLY, I WILL STOP, STOP.
WE WILL THROTTLE IT AT THE COUNTY LEVEL AND WE CAN ABSORB IT BECAUSE WE'RE GONNA HAVE AN ECONOMY OF SCALE TO BE ABLE TO HANDLE IT.
I MEAN, THE POLL POLK TO, TO SUPERVISOR CONRAD
[02:15:01]
COMMENT EARLIER, LIKE, IT'S NOT THAT THEY'RE, THEY'RE JUST, YOU KNOW, TAKING ALL OF THE NET NEW CONSTRUCTION, THEY'RE TAKING ALL THE NET NEW CONSTRUCTION AND THEN ANOTHER 9% LIKE THIS, THIS IS NOT, OUR TOWNS CAN'T SUSTAIN THIS LONG TERM.SO IF I CAN GET, IF WE CAN JUST GET THE LOCAL ELECTED OFFICIALS TO LOOK THROUGH THAT LENS, AND EVEN AT THE BIGGEST MUNICIPALITY, CITY OF WEST BEND, I MEAN, THEY JUST ADDED, WHAT, 18 FULL-TIME? NINE? WELL, IN THE LAST FIVE, FOUR YEARS, THEY'VE ADDED 18 FULL-TIME POSITIONS.
LIKE AT SOME POINT YOU GOTTA STOP THE BLEEDING 3.4.
YOU CAN'T KEEP DOING THAT $3.4 MILLION LAST YEAR.
SO THIS ISN'T, THIS ISN'T A ONE MUNICIPALITY PROBLEM.
THIS IS AN ALL MUNICIPALITY PROBLEM.
AND EVEN THE CLOSEST ONES TO HAVING IT RESOLVED WHO, YOU KNOW, LIKE, LIKE SLINGER, WHO'S GOT IT WORKING REALLY WELL RIGHT NOW.
CAN YOU TELL ME IF FOR SURE IT'S GONNA WORK IN 10 YEARS? I ALMOST, FOR SURE YOU CAN'T, I ONLY BRING THAT UP BECAUSE THAT'S THE TYPE OF, THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT THE THOUGHTS ARE RIGHT? AT THE MUNICIPAL LEVEL.
SO AS WE GET THE BUY-IN FROM HOPEFULLY A HUNDRED PERCENT YES.
THOSE ARE THE CONVERSATIONS, IDEAS THAT WE GOTTA SET THE EXPECTATIONS PROPERLY ON.
WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THEY KNOW WE ARE NOT TRYING TO SOLVE LEVY LIMITS WITH THIS.
WE ARE NOT TRYING TO GET YOU MAGICALLY NEW MONEY.
UH, WE'RE NOT CERTAINLY NOT TRYING TO TAX PEOPLE MORE.
WE'RE TRYING TO ULTIMATELY TAX PAYER TAX PEOPLE LESS IN THE LONG RUN.
IF YOU REMOVE THE 288 PAGES OF THE EMS BOOK, WHAT DOES IT TAKE FOR ME TO BECOME A FIREFIGHTER? FOR YOU TO BECOME A FIREFIGHTER.
I THOUGHT IT WOULD'VE BEEN A LOT MORE THAN THAT.
SUPERVISOR CONRAD, 280 HOURS OF EMS IS, IS TOUGH TO GET THROUGH.
AND THEY'RE TRYING TO MAKE IT EVEN MORE, EVEN MORE HOURS.
AND THE REASON WE'RE GONNA ACCOMPLISH THIS IS BECAUSE SOMEBODY TOLD US YOU CAN'T, THE VOLUNTEER FIRE SERVICE IS DEAD.
THAT'S WHAT SOMEONE, SO PERFECT GAME ON.
IF I COULD ADD ONE MORE THING, MR. CHAIRMAN
THE REASON WHY I'M SO AGGRESSIVE IN MY APPROACH TO IT IS I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO GET IT DONE FOR MY TOWNSHIPS AND FOR THE VILLAGES.
IN BEFORE BUDGET SEASON STARTS, BECAUSE MANY OF THEM ARE, ARE ON AN ANNUAL CONTRACT.
BUT TO THAT POINT, THIS IS WHY, CAN YOU IMAGINE WHAT WILL HAPPEN IF ONE FIRE DEPARTMENT TAKES A CONTRACT FROM ANOTHER ONE? I MEAN, THINK ABOUT WHAT IT, IT COMPLETELY SCREWS UP THE WHOLE PARTNERSHIP, THE WHOLE MABA SYSTEM.
AND IT'LL, IF ONE DOES IT, THEY'RE ALL GONNA DO IT.
SO I, FOR EXACTLY THAT REASON, LIKE, THIS HAS GOT, IT'S GOTTA STOP.
BECAUSE THAT, THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT I'VE TALKED ABOUT IN THE PAST THAT IS FOCUSED ON HOW DO WE SUSTAIN OUR ORGANIZATION, OUR INSTITUTION.
LIKE IT IS NOT ABOUT WHAT'S BEST FOR PEOPLE.
SUPERVISOR TROUTNER, YOU'VE BEEN WAITING A LONG TIME.
I JUST WANTED TO, UM, MENTION THAT, YOU KNOW WHAT, DURING THIS, THE CONTRACT WITH WEST BEND AND KI WASUM, THERE'S A, AN ADDED FEE FOR THAT FOR ALL OF THE TOWNSHIPS, UM, FOR THE VILLAGE.
UM, AND I'M KIND OF BRINGING IN THE STRATEGIC PRIORITIES.
SO IN THE MEANTIME, UM, I DON'T KNOW WHAT WHAT THEY WOULD'VE DONE HAD WE NOT GOTTEN, GOTTEN FUND FUNDING FROM THE COUNTY, UM, THROUGH THE EMS GRANTS.
SO THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THE GRANTS.
I THINK THAT IS REALLY, REALLY IMPORTANT, UM, TO MEET THE NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITIES.
AND THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT UP.
I THINK IF, IF THIS TRULY DOES TAKE THE FULL 18 MONTHS, I THINK WE NEED TO, WE'LL, I, I'LL LIKELY PROPOSE TO CONTINUE THAT FOR ONE MORE YEAR UNTIL WE GET ALL THE I'S DOTTED AND T'S CROSSED, LIKE JUST BY OURSELVES.
ONE MORE YEAR TO GET TO SUSTAINABILITY SUPERVISOR SCHWAB.
I UNDERSTAND THE PURPOSE OF THIS IS NOT TO SAVE MONEY NOW OR IN THE FUTURE, BUT BY THE SAME TOKEN, IT HAS BEEN THE PRACTICE OF THIS COUNTY TO FIND EFFICIENCIES WHEREVER WE CAN AND TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THOSE EFFICIENCIES FOR ALL THE CITIZENS OF WASHINGTON COUNTY.
AND AS THIS PROCESS DEVELOPS, I WOULD CERTAINLY EXPECT THAT THAT PRACTICE, THAT
[02:20:01]
ATTITUDE WOULD CONTINUE.NOT WITH THE ATTITUDE, NOT WITH THE IDEA OF CUTTING TO THE BONE AND CUTTING AS MUCH AS WE CAN, BUT LEGITIMATELY CREATING EFFICIENCIES.
BECAUSE I'M NOT SURE THAT ALL DEPARTMENTS ARE AS EFFICIENT AS SOME OF THEIR COUNTERPARTS.
AND PERHAPS THERE'S SOMETHING THAT SOME OF THE LESS EFFICIENT DEPARTMENTS CAN LEARN FROM THE COUNTERPARTS AND, AND WORKING COLLABORATIVELY WITH THE CHIEFS ALL CAN BENEFIT.
BUT I, BUT I DON'T THINK IT'S RIGHT TO SAY THAT THOSE, THOSE DEPARTMENTS THAT ARE OPERATING LESS EFFICIENTLY NOW AS THEY BECOME MORE EFFICIENT SHOULD CONTINUE SUBSIDIZING THEIR NEIGHBORS.
I, I, I DON'T THINK THAT'S RIGHT.
WE HAVE SUPERVISOR CHADRON AND THANK YOU.
I GUESS IT'S GONNA BE HARD TO CONTROL THEIR LOCAL BUDGETS.
LIKE YOU SAID, IF WE TAKE THIS OVER, I HAVE A FEELING A LOT OF 'EM THAT ARE SO STRAPPED FOR CASH ALREADY ARE GONNA NEED THAT TO DO OTHER THINGS WITH THEIR, THEIR BUDGETS.
BUT ON ANOTHER NOTE, WOULD IT BEHOOVE US TO LOOK AT LIKE SHARED SERVICES TAKING THAT APPROACH TO THIS? OR WOULD YOU LIKE TO KEEP THAT COMPLETELY SEPARATE FROM THE SHARED SERVICES? NO, THIS WILL BE, THIS WILL BE SHARED SERVICES.
I MEAN, IT, IT WILL, THE ONLY WAY WE'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO PULL OFF IS THE CONSORTIUM MODEL, WHICH IS A MASSIVE SHARED SERVICE MODEL.
IT'S JUST UNLIKE ANYTHING WE'VE DONE BEFORE.
PROBABLY THE CLOSEST ANALOGY THAT I CAN THINK OF IS LIKE, THE LIBRARY SYSTEM IS A, IS A MASSIVE SHARED SERVICE MODEL.
UM, SO IT, IT WOULD, I YES IS THE ANSWER.
UM, AND I AGREE WITH SUPERVISOR SCHWAB IN THE, IN THE END YOU LOOK FOR THOSE EFFICIENCIES, BUT WE, YOU GOTTA GET TO STEADY STATE BEFORE YOU CAN EVEN BEGIN TO TALK ABOUT HOW DO WE BECOME MORE EFFICIENT NOW.
AND THE MINUTE YOU START SAYING, YES, WE'RE GONNA DO THIS AND WE'RE GONNA CUT HERE AND WE'RE GONNA CUT THERE AND WE'RE GONNA CUT OVER HERE, EVERYBODY, YOU LOSE EVERYBODY.
I JUST, UM, NEED TO MAKE ONE ADDITIONAL COMMENT IS THIS IS REALLY ABOUT PEOPLE'S LIVES,
SO WHAT ULTIMATELY, YOU KNOW, ALL THESE DECISIONS, IT'S NOT, IT'S BEYOND THE EFFICIENCIES.
IT'S LIKE HOW CAN WE, UM, WHAT, YOU KNOW, COMBINE RESOURCES AND THE, YOU KNOW, THE QUALITY, THE STRENGTHS OF ALL, ALL THE DEPARTMENTS TO HELP SAVE THAT LIFE AT THE END OF THAT CALL AT, YOU KNOW, AT THE END OF THAT ROAD.
UM, SO THAT'S, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING OBVIOUSLY THAT WE HAVE TO, YOU KNOW, UM, KEEP AN EYE ON AND MEASURE AS YOU KNOW, THOSE RESPONSE TIMES AND THINGS AS WE, UM, MOVE FORWARD.
SUPERVISOR, KRIEGER, KRUM, UM, JUST REALLY SHORT, MAYBE JOSH, YOU KNOW, THE ANSWER TO THIS, UM, OR EXECUTIVE, UM, I'M PRETTY SURE WHEN I WAS IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT THAT IF YOU DROPPED A SERVICE OR NO LONGER, UH, HAD TO BILL IT OUT, THERE ARE LEVEE RULES IN PLACE.
SO YOUR LEVEE GOES DOWN, YOUR ALLOWABLE LEVEE'S GONNA GO DOWN.
SO THOSE ADJUSTMENTS ARE ALREADY OUT THERE.
IF THE COUNTY TAKES OVER THE 15 MILLION YEAH.
THAT THEY'RE GONNA BILL ANOTHER 15 MILLION LOCALLY UNDER THE, WELL, THERE'S TWO COMPLICATING.
YOU'RE, YOU'RE CORRECT THAT, THAT HISTORICALLY HAS BEEN THE CASE.
THERE ARE TWO COMPLICATING FACTORS AND, AND MAYBE BRAD AND AARON CAN, CAN CORRECT ME IF I GO WRONG, IF YOUR MEMORIES ARE BETTER THAN MINE.
BUT ONE IS THE UNDER THE SHARED REVENUE BILL, UH, THAT, UH, PROVISION WAS MODIFIED.
UM, AND SO THERE IS ACTUALLY SOME ABILITY TO, TO HAVE, UM, ADJUSTMENTS.
UM, AND THE OTHER IS IN THE, IN THE CONTEXT IN WHICH WE'RE TALKING, THIS ISN'T THE TRADITIONAL GENERAL LEVY.
UM, THIS WOULD BE UNDER A SEPARATE LINE ITEM ON THE LE LEVEE LIMIT WORKSHEET FOR THE COUNTY ONLY.
AND IT WOULD BE EMS LEVY, WHICH IS A WHOLE DIFFERENT, UH, STATUTE, UH, PROVISION.
SO THE ANSWER IS, I DON'T KNOW,
BUT, UH, CERTAINLY THAN EVER ANYONE WE'VE EVER DONE BEFORE.
BUT YOU ARE CORRECT, THERE IS THAT PROVISION.
WE WANNA MAKE SURE
[02:25:01]
FURTHER COMMENTS.ALRIGHT, WE'LL MOVE ON TO ORDINANCE ONE.
UM, AND I BELIEVE SUPERVISOR SHARUN HAD A COMMENT ON THAT.
DO WE NEED NEED A MOTION? WELL, ON THIS? NO.
ARE YOU BRINGING A MOTION, ARE YOU NOT? WELL, I CAN, I CAN BRING GIVE YOU THE BACKSTORY TO WHAT HAPPENED HERE.
SO AFTER WE APPROVED THE NO PARKING ON COUNTY ROAD, W UH, THE LADY THAT OWNS THE BUILDING ON THE CORNER HAD HER LAWYER SEND A LETTER TO US STATING THAT THEY'RE AGAINST THIS, UH, BRAD HAD CONTACTED ME AND SAID THAT WE COULD MAKE A MOTION TO, UM, RECONSIDER, BUT I HAD TO DO IT WITHIN 48 HOURS.
SO I THOUGHT, NO HARM, NO FOUL, LET'S DO IT.
AND THAT GIVES THEM A MONTH TO SEND US, UH, AN EMAIL OR MAKE ANY ARGUMENT, UH, MAKING HER POINT.
UH, AND I'M NOT SURE IF EVERYBODY HERE GOT A, THE EMAIL FROM THE ATTORNEY, UH, STATING THAT IT WOULD BE A HARDSHIP ON HER AND HER AND THE, UM, THE PEOPLE IN HER BUILDING, UH, IF THEY TAKE PARKING.
UM, I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO THINK ABOUT THAT PERSONALLY.
UH, BUT I DID TALK TO THE TOWN OF ADDISON WHO SAYS THAT, WELL, THERE'S SOME OTHER ISSUES THAT THEY HAD WITH THAT BUILDING BESIDES THIS.
AND THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO HAVE ENOUGH PARKING FOR THEIR ATTENDANCE WITHOUT CONSIDERATION OF STREET PARKING.
UM, SO AGAIN, IT'S THE TOWN OF ADDISON'S POINT THAT IT DOESN'T MATTER WHICH WAY IT GOES.
AND I TALKED TO THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, UH, AND THEY, THEY ARE PRETTY ADAMANT THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE NO PARKING BECAUSE THEY THINK AT, AT TIMES, ESPECIALLY DURING THE DAY WHEN THE SEMIS ARE COMING IN FOR THE GRAIN MILL, THAT IT CAN BE TRICKY GETTING THROUGH THERE WITH THE APPARATUS.
IT IS, IT GETS TO BE PRETTY TIGHT THERE.
SO AGAIN, I, I MADE THE, THE RECOMMENDATION FOR RECONSIDERATION.
UH, I SAW THAT SHE SENT AN EMAIL OR THE ATTORNEY SENT AN EMAIL MAKING THE ARGUMENT FOR THEM.
UH, SO NOW I WOULD LIKE TO THROW THIS TO THE BOARD AND WHAT THEY WOULD CONSIDER, UH, DOING, IF THEY WOULD LIKE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS, LEAVE IT AS IT IS OR BRING IT UP FOR RECONSIDERATION.
AGAIN, MY POINT IS, I HAVE NO SKIN IN THE GAME.
UM, IT SEEMS LIKE THE TOWN OF ADDISON IS OKAY WITH THE WAY WE VOTED LAST TIME.
UM, BUT AGAIN, GIVEN HER ONE LAST SHOT AT MAKING AN ARGUMENT, IF ANYBODY HERE WOULD LIKE TO ADD IT, IF THEY READ THE ARGUMENT AND THINK THAT THIS IS SOMETHING WE SHOULD RECONSIDER, THAT'S FINE.
IF NOT, I'M OKAY WITH IT THE OTHER WAY TOO.
UH, WE EITHER NEED A MOTION TO RECONSIDER OR WE MOVE ON.
WELL NOW THAT I, UH, NOW THAT I TOLD MY STORY, I GUESS, UH, WE CAN MAKE A MOTION TO RECONSIDER AND TALK ABOUT IT AS A BOARD.
IS THAT, ARE YOU MAKING THAT MOTION? I WOULD MAKE THAT MOTION THEN.
DO WE HAVE A SECOND? A SECOND.
WE HAVE A SECOND FROM SUPERVISOR PRIDE MORE.
AND I'D WELCOME TO HEAR ANYBODY ELSE'S OPINION ON THIS SUPERVISOR.
UM, SO I DID GO THROUGH THIS AND I WAS WONDERING HOW AND WHY IT WAS INITIATED AS A RECONSIDERATION, CONSIDERING THAT WE ALL VOTED ON IT UNANIMOUSLY.
UM, AND I DID ALSO LOOK AT THE SUPPORT MATERIAL WITH IT AND, UH, NOTICED SOME OF THE PICTURES IN THE PACKET THAT SHOWS CARS PARKED ON THE STREET AND CARS LITERALLY HAVING TO GO INTO THE OPPOSING LANE OF TRAFFIC IN ORDER TO GET AROUND THEM.
IMAGINE A FIRE ENGINE OR EVEN A SEMI OR ANYTHING ELSE JUST TO GET AROUND THESE CARS THAT ARE PARKED ON THE STREET.
UH, IT'S NOT THE CITY'S, UH, OR THE COUNTIES.
I DUNNO WHAT WOULD BE THE GREATEST WORD FOR IT.
WE, WE SHOULDN'T BE PROVIDING PARKING SPACES FOR PRIVATE CITIZENS IN THEIR, IN THEIR, IN THEIR HOMES.
UH, THAT'S NOT WHAT WE DO NECESSARILY.
UH, WE JUST REDID THAT STREET.
IT'S BRAND NEW AS OF LAST YEAR.
UH, I DON'T SEE ANY, ANY REASON FOR THIS RECONSIDERATION.
UH, I FEEL THAT WE DID VOTE INDEED THE CORRECT WAY THE FIRST TIME AROUND.
THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN, SUPERVISOR M**K.
UH, SO I PERSONALLY GO BY THIS AND I WAS AT THE TRAFFIC COMMISSION MEETING WHERE THIS WAS DISCUSSED.
THERE WERE A COUPLE, UH, THERE WAS ANOTHER THING WITH REGARD, UH, TO THE TOWN OF HARTFORD THAT WAS THERE.
SO I WAS AT THIS MEETING AND, AND SO WE HAD THE DISCUSSION.
I PERSONALLY TRAVEL THIS ROUTE.
WHEN I COME HERE, I TAKE HIGHWAY W AND I COME TO THERE.
AND BEFORE THIS EVER CAME UP, UH, AND I CONCUR, UM, UH, WITH SUPERVISOR KEL, THERE WERE A LOT OF TIMES WHEN I WOULD GO BY THERE.
SO MILWAUKEE, UM, I THINK IT'S MEC HAS A MANUFACTURING PLANT
[02:30:01]
UP THE ROAD THAT HAS SEMIS.THERE'S, UH, DURING, IN THE FALL WHEN I COME HERE, THERE ARE, UH, THE TRACTORS AND HARVESTERS BRINGING IN GRAIN AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
AND THEN WHEN YOU'RE MAKING A TURN, A RIGHT TURN OFF OF 33 ON THERE, AND THERE'S A CAR PARKED RIGHT THERE.
WHEN I WAS COMING HERE, SOMEONE WHO WAS PARKED ON THE ANGLED PARKING LOT WAS BACKING OUT WHILE SOMEBODY WAS MAKING A RIGHT TURN.
AND RIGHT WHILE I WAS COMING HERE, THEY HIT EACH OTHER.
IT WAS JUST A METAPHOR FOR THIS CONVERSATION.
SO I, I'M A SMALL BUSINESS PERSON.
I HAVE EMPATHY FOR THIS PERSON.
THEY HAVE, YOU KNOW, A BUILDING, BUT YOU SHOULDN'T BE PARKING CARS ON THE STREET THERE.
I AGREE WITH THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
UM, AND THERE'S A LOT OF LARGE EQUIPMENT MOVING THROUGH THERE, AND THERE SHOULDN'T BE CARS PARKED ON THE STREET THERE, PERIOD.
I AM NOT CHANGING MY VOTE ONE IOTA.
SO WE VOTED ON THIS A MONTH AGO, AND AS SUPERVISOR LING MENTIONED, WE VOTED UNANIMOUSLY AT THAT TIME.
I DON'T KNOW THAT ANY OF US, OTHER THAN THE PEOPLE ON THAT COMMITTEE HAD HEARD ANYTHING FROM THIS OWNER AT ALL.
THEY HAD TIME BETWEEN THE COMMITTEE MEETING AND WHEN WE MET A MONTH AGO TO EXPRESS THEIR CONCERNS TO THE FULL BOARD.
AND THEY SAID NOTHING AFTER THAT.
AND ONLY YESTERDAY DO WE GET AN EMAIL ABOUT THIS.
AND IT'S A, IT'S AN EMAIL FROM AN ATTORNEY, WHICH IN AND OF ITSELF IS A LITTLE BIT MORE OF AN AGGRESSIVE POSTURE.
AND I GUESS I'M NOT IN AGREEMENT WITH THAT APPROACH FROM THEM.
UM, AT THE CORE OF THIS, THE COUNTY GOVERNMENT IS NOT OBLIGATED TO PROVIDE STREET PARKING FOR A BUSINESS THAT DOES NOT PROVIDE ADEQUATE PARKING FOR THEIR CUSTOMERS.
WHETHER THAT'S A LANDLORD WHO, YOU KNOW, HAS, YOU KNOW, RENTS OUT UNITS, APARTMENT UNITS, AND THEY NEED SPACES FOR THEIR TENANTS.
IT'S THEIR RESPONSIBILITY TO HAVE THOSE.
IF IT'S A RESTAURANT, IT'S THEIR RESPONSIBILITY TO HAVE PARKING SPOTS FOR THE, THE PATRONS OF THAT RESTAURANT.
NOW, HEARING FROM, UH, SUPERVISOR CHILDRE THAT THE TOWN HAD ORIGINALLY EXPECTED THERE TO BE MORE PARKING AVAILABLE, THAT TELLS ME AGAIN, THAT THIS IS REALLY A LANDLORD ISSUE.
THAT THIS PROPERTY OWNER NEEDS TO FIGURE SOMETHING OUT FOR HOW TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE ADEQUATE PARKING ON THEIR PROPERTY UNTIL THEY DO THAT.
THERE IS ONE SECTION OF PARKING ON THE STREET AVAILABLE, AND IT'S ONLY A HUNDRED FEET AWAY FROM WHERE THEY CURRENTLY PARK PRIOR TO THIS ORDINANCE.
BUT I LOOK AT, UM, YOU KNOW, WE JUST HAD A BIG DEVELOPMENT BUILT HERE IN WEST BEND AND THERE WERE A LOT OF QUESTIONS THAT I HEARD BECAUSE THEY HAD 1.4 PARKING SPOTS PER RENTAL UNIT.
ACCORDING TO THIS EMAIL, THIS TENANT ONLY HAS ONE PARKING SPOT FOR A RENTAL UNIT.
EVEN IF THEY'RE ONE BEDROOM APARTMENTS, THAT DOESN'T MEAN THEY ONLY HAVE ONE CAR.
HOW DID THIS OWNER EXPECT TO HAVE ENOUGH PARKING ON THEIR PROPERTY IF STREET PARKING EVER WENT AWAY? SO I'M NOT SEEING A BIG NEED HERE TO CHANGE MY VOTE, EITHER.
I'M, I'M RIGHT WITH SUPERVISOR M**K, SUPERVISOR KEL, I AM.
I SAY WE NEED THE SNOW PARKING ORDINANCE.
WE'RE HEARING FROM THE COMMUNITY, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, AND THE RESIDENTS THAT THEY NEED BETTER SIGHT LINES ON THIS ROAD.
SO I'M GONNA KEEP MY VOTE WHERE IT WAS.
I ALSO AGREE WHOLEHEARTEDLY, SUPERVISOR CONRAD.
UM, YEAH, I WOULD LIKE TO, UH, THANK THE SUPERVISOR SCH FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD AND BEING THE VOICE OF HIS CON CONSTITUENT.
UM, THAT IS, THAT IS OUR ROLE.
AND THEN WE WORK THINGS OUT AS WE ARE RIGHT NOW.
BUT HOWEVER, YET I'M, UM, AT THIS POINT TOO, I DON'T PLAN TO CHANGE MY VOTE.
UM, NUMBER ONE BECAUSE OF THE SAFETY CONCERN AND THEN THE OTHER VARIABLES TOO THAT WERE NOTED.
THANK YOU, SUPERVISOR SHARIN, LAST WORD.
UH, SUPERVISOR KELLY, AGAIN, THE REASON I BROUGHT IT UP FOR RECONSIDERATION IS 'CAUSE I HAD TO DO IT WITHIN 48 HOURS AND I FIGURED NO HARM, NO FOUL.
GIVE THEM A CHANCE TO RESPOND.
THEY'RE TRYING TO MAKE AN ARGUMENT THAT IT ISN'T A SAFETY ISSUE, BUT EVERYBODY ELSE I TALK TO THINKS IT IS.
SO IT'S AN OPINION OF SOMEBODY ELSE.
RIGHT? SO I'M OKAY WITH, AGAIN, WITH EITHER WAY THAT THIS THING GOES.
SUPERVISOR HARTWIG HAS THE LAST WORD.
[02:35:01]
I DELIVER GREEN UP THERE QUITE OFTEN AND I SEE THIS PROBLEM.THEY COME OVER TO CENTER LANE 'CAUSE IF THERE'S A CAR PARKED THERE, THEY'RE ALWAYS COMING OVER TO CENTER LANE.
SO I DON'T THINK WE SHOULD BACK DOWN.
AND THANK YOU ALL THE OTHER SUPERVISORS THAT SEE THIS ISSUE.
OKAY, WE'LL VOTE ON THIS BY VOICE VOTE.
AND ANYONE IN FAVOR OF RECONSIDERING SAY AYE.
ANYONE IS NOT WANT TO RECONSIDER, SAY NAY.
OUR NEXT ITEM IS ORDINANCE THREE, TAX DEED SALES.
AND I BELIEVE BRAD'S GONNA SPEAK TO THIS BRIEFLY.
I, UH, I FILED A REPORT THAT I BELIEVE MADE ITS WAY INTO THE PACKET THAT EXPLAINS THE BASIS FOR THIS ORDINANCE CHANGE.
I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE.
I KNOW WE'VE BEEN HERE A LONG TIME THIS EVENING.
YOU'VE HEARD LOTS OF REPORTS, SO I WOULD, I WOULD, UH, WANNA LIMIT MY REMARKS TO ONLY, UH, ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE FOR ME.
UH, SO I DON'T TAKE ANY OF YOUR TIME UNNECESSARILY.
BUT BASICALLY WHAT'S GOING ON HERE IS THE, UH, STATUTES HAVE BEEN AMENDED, UH, TO CHANGE THE TAX DEED PROCESS HERE IN THE STATE OF WISCONSIN.
AND THOSE STATUTES REQUIRE US TO ALSO EITHER PASS A RESOLUTION OR AN ORDINANCE THAT, UH, MATCHES THE NEW STATE LAW.
UM, OUR CODE CURRENTLY HAS ORDINANCES RELATED TO THIS, SO IT SEEMED MORE PRUDENT RATHER THAN JUST PASSING A RESOLUTION AND REPEALING OUR ORDINANCE TO REPLACE OUR CURRENT ORDINANCE WITH A NEW ONE.
THAT WAY THE BOARD, AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, THE PUBLIC, HAS AN UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT THE TAX DEED PROCESS IS HERE IN THIS COUNTY, WHAT THEIR RIGHTS ARE, HOW THEY CAN EXERCISE THOSE RIGHTS, AND SO, SO ON.
SO, UM, THAT'S REALLY WHAT THIS IS ALL ABOUT AND WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO.
AND, UM, I GAVE A LENGTHY PRESENTATION IN FRONT OF EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE ABOUT THIS BECAUSE ESSENTIALLY WHAT HAPPENS HERE IS THE TAX DEED PROCESS REALLY FALLS ON THEIR SHOULDERS NOW TO MANAGE ON BEHALF OF THE COUNTY BOARD.
AND, UM, WHEN THE TIME COMES TO DO TAX DEED SALES, I'LL SPEND MORE TIME WITH THEM, THEM AND WALK THEM THROUGH IT.
UM, BUT, UH, THE REPORT THAT I WROTE DOES SORT OF WALK THE BOARD THROUGH THAT PROCESS, BUT I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
MOTION BY SUPERVISOR SCHWAB SECOND BY SUPERVISOR SICE.
ANY DISCUSSION THERE BEING NONE, WE WILL VOTE ELECTRONICALLY.
MR. HARTWIG, DID YOU WISH TO SPEAK? YES, SIR.
THAT SUMS UP PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
NEXT UP IS ORDINANCE FOUR, AMENDING SECTION 1 57 DASH NINE RELATING TO ALL-TERRAIN VEHICLES AND UTILITY TERRAIN VEHICLE ROUTES.
SUPERVISOR SHARUN MAKES THE MOTION SUPERVISOR KREB SECOND.
ANY DISCUSSION? THIS WAS COVERED VERY WELL IN PUBLIC WORKS.
SO, UM, OH, SUPERVISOR OR DIRECTOR SCHMIDT.
UM, UH, YES, UH, I JUST WANTED TO POINT OUT THAT THIS DID PASS, THIS DID PASS THE TOWN OF ADDISON TOWN BOARD RECENTLY AS WELL, SO, UH, IT WAS APPROVED IN BY THEM AS WELL.
WE'LL VOTE THIS ALSO ELECTRONICALLY.
IT'S A SIMPLE MAJORITY VOTE PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
OUR NEXT ITEM IS RESOLUTION 14, CONFIRMING PROVIDING UNI MUNICIPAL PLANNING SERVICES TO THE TOWN OF ADDISON AS PART OF SHARED REVENUE OF THE COUNTY SALES TAX.
A MOTION AND A SECOND, PLEASE.
ANY DISCUSSION OR QUESTIONS? OKAY.
[02:40:01]
UM, DON'T START THE VOTE UNTIL THE CLERK SETS IT UP.NEXT UP IS RESOLUTION 15 A FUNDS TRA FUND TRANSFER FOR PARKS AND TRAILS FUND TO BROWNFIELD'S ASSESSMENT FUND.
UH, THIS IS A TWO THIRDS MAJORITY VOTE.
I NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND PLEASE.
ANY DISCUSSION? OH, OH, SUPERVISOR GALLS.
UM, I, I FULLY UNDERSTAND WHAT, WHAT WHAT WE'RE DOING.
MATTER OF FACT, LAST MONTH, UH, IT WAS PULLED OUT OF OUR CIP TO NOT FUND THE BROWNFIELD, AND THIS OBVIOUSLY IS NOW THE SOLUTION.
SO I, I UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT WHAT I WANNA MAKE CERTAIN I UNDERSTAND IS IT SAYS THAT THE REMAINING BALANCE, APPROXIMATELY 148, UH, K, THAT WOULD BE SHIFTED TO THE CIP FOR OTHER PROJECTS IN 20 26, 20 27.
IS THAT STILL WITHIN THE, UH, BIKEWAY DEVELOPMENT OR IS THAT SOME OTHER CIP AARON? THAT WOULD BE JUST TO FUND THE GENERAL CIP.
SO ESSENTIALLY IT WOULD GO TO THE GENERAL FUND AND THEN BE USED TO FUND, JUST OFFSET THE COST OF THE PLAN OVERALL.
I MEAN, WE COULD PICK A PROJECT AND, AND PUT THE MONEY IN IT, BUT JUST GENERALLY SPEAKING, IT OFFSETS THE, THE NEED FOR THE, THE PLAN BY THE A HUNDRED AND WHATEVER, UM, THAT WAS LISTED IN THE PACKET.
SO JUST FROM A, MYSELF AS A TAXPAYER AND, AND FOR ANY OF THOSE LISTENING, I JUST WANNA ENSURE THERE WAS TRANSPARENCY AROUND, YOU KNOW, A COUPLE YEARS AGO WE DID DECIDE AS A BOARD TO PUT MONEY IN THIS PARK DEVELOPMENT FUND FOR BIKEWAYS WALKWAYS, ET CETERA, TO, UH, CONNECT WITHIN THE COUNTY.
UH, I'M LOOSELY DESCRIBING THAT, AND THAT HASN'T MATERIALIZED, UH, FOR ANY NUMBER OF REASONS, AND PROBABLY LACK OF INTEREST, I SUSPECT IS FIRST AND FOREMOST.
SO TO BE CLEAR THAT THOSE GENERAL FUND DOLLARS THAT WE CARVED OUT AND USED FOR THE DEVELOPMENT FUND NOW ARE JUST SHIFTING TO THE BROWNFIELD ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT FUND, WHICH I FULLY SUPPORT.
I WOULD ARGUE THAT NUMBER NEEDS TO BE HIGHER.
UH, IF WE HAD A MILLION SOME, A NUMBER OF YEARS AGO, AND THAT'S DOWN TO ZERO, WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO LOOK AT THIS AGAIN.
SO I, I WOULD CONSIDER THE COST BENEFIT ANALYSIS OF THAT BROWNFIELD ENVIRONMENTAL AS ASSESSMENT FUND, WHICH I SUSPECT IS PRETTY HIGH.
SO $400,000, PROBABLY TOO LITTLE IN MY OPINION, THAT WE SHOULD BE SIGNALING TO THE DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY OR THOSE IN WASHINGTON COUNTY THAT WANNA, AND US, WE'VE SAID THIS, I THINK COLLECTIVELY AS A BODY, WE WANT MORE PROPERTIES BACK ON THE TAX ROLL AND A DEVELOPED ABILITY VERSUS, YOU KNOW, A VACANT LOCK SOMEWHERE IN THE MIDDLE OF WHO KNOWS WHERE, THAT JUST CAUSES OTHER PROBLEMS. SO AGAIN, I WOULD ENCOURAGE THAT WE CONSIDER ADDING MORE TO THIS.
UM, AND AGAIN, FOR JUST CLARITY TO THE PUBLIC, IT, IT IS WAS FUND BALANCE DOLLARS THAT IN EFFECT OUR JUST BEING TRANSFERRED TO THE BROWNSFIELD.
MR. DAHL, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, THIS FUND STARTED IN 2019.
THERE WAS A MILLION FOR REVOLVING LOAN FUND AND 600,000 FOR THE ASSESSMENT FUND.
SO IT TOOK US SIX YEARS TO USE THAT 600,000.
SO I HOPE THAT 400,000 NOW WILL LAST US SEVERAL MORE YEARS.
SO I THINK THAT'S THE THOUGHT PROCESS.
UH, AS CHAIRMAN OF LAND USE AND PLANNING, THIS DID COME BEFORE MY COMMITTEE, UM, AND THIS WAS THE BIKE PATH PROGRAM, UH, TO CONNECTING, UH, CONNECT TRAILS THAT WE VOTED ON SOME YEARS AGO.
A LOT OF YOU WERE HERE FOR THAT VOTE.
UM, THAT HAS NOT COME TO FRUITION FOR, AS MR. GALLS SUPERVISOR GALLS POINTED OUT A LOT OF DIFFERENT REASONS.
IT'S A VERY DIFFICULT, UH, TO GET GOVERNMENT UNITS TO, TO WORK TOGETHER AND, AND ALL THE REST OF THAT.
UM, BUT OUR COMMITTEE DID LOOK AT THIS AND SEE THAT, UH, THIS MONEY IS BETTER UTILIZED IN THE BROWNFIELDS PROGRAM.
UH, THE BROWNFIELD PROGRAM IS, UH, CERTAINLY A BANG FOR YOUR BUCK PROGRAM.
[02:45:01]
IT NOT ONLY ENVIRONMENTALLY CLEANS THINGS UP, IT ALSO PUTS PROPERTY BACK ON THE TAX ROLLS, UH, THUS REDUCING TAXES AND, AND, AND CLEANING UP OUR COMMUNITIES.SO, UM, I'M VERY PROUD OF THE WORK OUR COMMITTEE DID ON THIS AND, AND I SUPPORT WHAT THEY, WHAT THEY VOTED FOR, WHICH IS TO CONVERT THIS MONEY OVER TO THE BROWNFIELD PROGRAM.
ANY FURTHER COMMENTS? THEN? AS SOON AS THE CLERK SETS THIS UP, WE'LL VOTE ELECTRONICALLY.
THIS IS A TWO THIRDS MAJORITY VOTE REQUIRED.
IT'S UNANIMOUS WITH ONE ABSTENTION.
OUR NEXT ITEM UP FOR DISCUSSION IS RESOLUTION 16 GENERAL FUND TRANSFER FOR REPLACEMENT OF CA CAST IRON PIPES IN THE JAIL.
MOTION BY SUPERVISOR TOMA, SECOND BY SUPERVISOR ALEK.
ANY DISCUSSION? PRETTY WELL EXPLAINED IN THE REPORT? OH, GUESS WHO? MR. GALLS.
I, I, I COULDN'T HELP BUT GO BACK TO LAST MEETINGS, UH, OR AT LEAST MY CONVERSATION.
AND A QUESTION ABOUT THE PRIORITIZATION OF PROJECTS FOR CIP AND MAYBE A, A CRITICALITY COMPONENT NEEDS TO BE ADDED.
AND, AND I SAY THAT BECAUSE IN MARCH OF 2023, THIS WAS A MEDIUM PRIORITY, AND NOW IT'S BECOME LIKE A NEEDS TO BE DONE TOMORROW PRIORITY.
SO SHOULD, AND FROM A POLICY PERSPECTIVE, UH, DEPARTMENT HEADS, ET CETERA, HAVE THE ABILITY TO MAKE SOME DECISIONS WITHIN THEIR OWN ALLOCATED CAP TO SHIFT THINGS AROUND AS NEEDED.
SO IT DOESN'T HAVE TO COME BACK TO THIS BOARD OR BODY.
BECAUSE GUESS WHAT, IF THE SHERIFF HAS PROJECT WORK CAP AND IT'S A MILLION DOLLARS AND THEY NEED TO SHIFT 300 BECAUSE IT'S A CRITIC CRITICAL PIECE THAT HAS JUST COME UP UNBEKNOWNST, WELL THEN THEY SHOULD BE ABLE TO DO THAT, IN MY OPINION.
'CAUSE IT'S NOT IMPACTING ANY OF THE OTHER, UH, CAP AND ORIGINAL FUNDING.
SO IT JUST, I, I'M TRYING TO THINK ABOUT EFFICIENCY AND FOR THESE LEADERS TO BE ABLE TO DO THE RIGHT THINGS AND GET SOMETHING DONE VERSUS HAVING TO WAIT FOR A BUREAUCRATIC PROCESS, FOR LACK OF A BETTER WORD.
SO AGAIN, MY SUGGESTION IS, IS THERE ABILITY TO ADD A, A CRITICAL COMPONENT TO THE PRIORITIZATION OF PROJECTS VERSUS JUST, UH, WHAT IS IT, LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH, UM, RISK? THAT WOULD BE MY SUGGESTION IF, IF YOU WOULD ALLOW ME TO.
UH, THANK YOU FOR THAT SUGGESTION.
UH, WE CAN CERTAINLY LOOK AT INCORPORATING THAT INTO HOW WE LOOK AT THESE PROJECTS AND COMMUNICATE ABOUT THEM GOING FORWARD.
UM, I I WILL SHARE THAT, YOU KNOW, FROM THE TIME THE, THE, THE LAST VERSION OF THE CIP WAS ADOPTED UNTIL NOW, AND, AND REALLY THE LEAD UP TO US PULLING THE EVENTUAL PRO THIS, THIS JAIL PROJECT OUT OF THE CURRENT CIP, WE HAD A, WE HAD A FAILURE, UM, AT THE JAIL IN THOSE PIPES, WHICH REALLY BOOSTED THE, THE SENSE OF URGENCY THERE FOR US.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? WE'LL VOTE ELECTRONICALLY.
I SEE THIS ONE'S ALREADY SET UP, SO VOTE AWAY.
OH, IT'S NOT, IT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
AND LAST ON OUR LIST TONIGHT IS RESOLUTION 17, CONFIRMING AND RATIFYING THE AUTHORITY OF COUNSEL FOR WASHINGTON COUNTY TO ADD ADDITIONAL DEFENDANTS TO THE OPIOID LITIGATION.
[02:50:01]
BRIEFLY ON THIS, I BELIEVE MOTION.MOTION AND SECOND SUPERVISOR, BOSER SUPERVISOR CHADRON.
SO THE, UH, OPIOID LITIGATION HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR MANY YEARS NOW.
UH, 2017 IS WHEN THE, UH, BOARD AUTHORIZED THE COUNTY TO PURSUE LITIGATION AGAINST THE MAJOR OPIOID MANUFACTURERS IN THIS COUNTRY.
THE COUNTY HAS REAPED THE BENEFITS OF THAT LITIGATION, UM, TAKING MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN, I BELIEVE IN, IN, UH, IN SETTLEMENT FUNDS.
THERE'S ANOTHER DEFENDANT THAT COUNSEL WOULD LIKE TO SUE AND I BELIEVE HAS COMMENCED SUED AGAINST, THAT'S OPTUMRX.
UM, AND WHAT HAPPENED WAS, APPARENTLY WHEN THE CASE GOT INTO COURT WITH OPTUMRX ADDED AS DEFENDANTS IN AN AMENDED COMPLAINT, THEY RAISED THE ISSUE THAT MOST, IF NOT ALL THE COUNTIES WHO AUTHORIZED LITIGATION NEVER CONTEMPLATED THEM TO BE SUED AS A DEFENDANT.
AND SO THEY'RE ASKING THE FEDERAL COURT TO ESSENTIALLY ALLOW THEM TO BE DISMISSED OUT OF A LAWSUIT.
FOR THAT REASON, OUR COUNSEL BELIEVES THAT THE ORIGINAL RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THAT LITIGATION DOES IN FACT PROVIDE ENOUGH FLEXIBILITY TO ALLOW US TO SUE ANYBODY THAT WE COME ACROSS WHO MAY BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE OPIOID EPIDEMIC.
HOWEVER, UM, BECAUSE YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT CAN HAPPEN IN A COURT OF LAW AND HOW A JUDGE WILL VIEW THINGS, THEY SUGGEST THAT WE PASS THIS RESOLUTION EXPRESSLY AUTHORIZING SUIT AGAINST OPTUMRX.
THIS HAS COME UP ONLY WITHIN THE LAST FEW DAYS, QUITE HONESTLY, WHICH IS WHY IT'S BEEN INCLUDED SO LATE INTO YOUR PACKET AND ONTO TONIGHT'S AGENDA.
THEY NEED TO HAVE THIS HAPPEN THIS MONTH.
WE WERE SERVED WITH A NOTICE OF CLAIM FROM OPTUMRX JUST LAST WEEK, UM, ASKING AND BASICALLY DEMANDING THAT WE DROP THEM FROM THE LAWSUIT, NOT ASKING FOR ANY DAMAGES AGAINST US OR ANYTHING AT THIS POINT, BUT, UH, IN ORDER TO TRY TO RENDER THEIR MOTION FOR DISMISSAL, MOOT COUNSEL'S ASKED THAT WE PASS THIS, THIS EVENING.
UM, JUST AS KIND OF A PERSONAL NOTE, UH, I WILL BE VOTING TO ABSTAIN FROM THIS.
UH, AND I KNOW THAT'S NOT REQUIRED FOR ME TO SAY, BUT I WANTED TO MAKE IT KNOWN BECAUSE I, I ORIGINALLY DID NOT VOTE FOR THIS LAWSUIT IN THE FIRST PLACE.
I WAS NOT PROBABLY THE ONLY MEMBER OF THIS BODY THAT DID VOTE AGAINST IT.
AND I FEEL THAT BEING THAT AS I DID, I SHOULD ABSTAIN FROM FURTHER VOTES FROM IT.
SO I'D ENCOURAGE EVERYBODY TO VOTE YES ON THIS.
UM, I THINK THERE ARE FIVE SUPERVISORS ON THE BOARD WHO WERE PART OF THIS VOTE BACK IN 2017.
AND AT THAT TIME WE HAD A LAWYER WHO IS ESSENTIALLY OUR LAWYER IN THIS CASE, TALK ABOUT WHAT WAS HAPPENING THAT CAUSED THIS OPIOID EPIDEMIC AND WHY WE WERE FILING THIS LAWSUIT.
ESSENTIALLY, THE FRAUD AND THE WAY OPIOID MEDICATIONS WERE MARKETED TO DOCTORS IS THE SOURCE OF WHY THIS LAWSUIT IS HAPPENING.
SOME OF THESE PHARMACEUTICAL COMPANIES ACTUALLY MADE UP OUTTA THIN AIR FAKE MEDICAL JOURNALS THAT WERE DESIGNED TO LOOK LIKE THEY WERE PEER REVIEWED MEDICAL JOURNALS WITH FAKE STUDIES SHOWING THAT OPIOID PAINKILLERS WERE COMPLETELY NOT ADDICTIVE.
THEY ALSO PITCHED TO DOCTORS THE IDEA THAT IF SOMEBODY WAS SHOWING SIGNS OF, UH, BECOMING ADDICTED AND HAVING A RES REDUCED RESPONSE TO THESE MEDICATIONS, THAT THAT WAS ACTUALLY A REACTION THAT REQUIRED ADMINISTERING ADDITIONAL OPIOID PAINKILLERS.
UM, AND BY THE WAY, ANYBODY WHO WAS THERE FOR THAT MEETING, IF YOU THINK I'M MISQUOTING ANYTHING, PLEASE CORRECT ME.
I'M GOING FROM MEMORY OF EIGHT YEARS AGO.
UM, BUT THIS IS PRETTY CLEAR FRAUD IN MY VIEW.
IT WOULD BE LIKE A GUN COMPANY TELLING, UH, GUN RETAILERS.
YOU CAN TELL YOUR CUSTOMERS THAT YOU CAN PUT A LOADED GUN IN A HAND OF A 2-YEAR-OLD AND THEY WON'T BE ABLE TO HARM ANYBODY.
I MEAN, THAT'S THE LEVEL OF FRAUD THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE.
OBVIOUSLY, THAT CLAIM'S ABSURD.
THE IDEA THAT OPIOID PAINKILLERS ARE NOT ADDICTIVE, THAT IS ABSURD.
AND WE NOW KNOW THAT FACTUALLY WE LOOK AT HOW MUCH WE'VE INVESTED SO FAR IN LIKE THE DRUG COURT, FOR EXAMPLE, AND THERE'S A LOT MORE OPPORTUNITIES TO TAKE THIS MONEY THAT WE'RE GETTING FROM THESE SETTLEMENTS AND HELP ALLEVIATE THE IMPACTS THAT THIS OPIOID EPIDEMIC HAS HAD ON OUR COMMUNITY.
SO I WOULD REALLY ENCOURAGE EVERYBODY TO VOTE YES.
I HOPE EVERYBODY PLANS TO ANYWAY, BUT THANK YOU SUPERVISOR CONRAD.
AND YES, UH, THANK YOU SUPERVISOR BOER FOR PO POINTING OUT THAT A FALSE RESEARCH FROM YEARS AGO THAT ME, MYSELF TOO AS A HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONAL, UM, YOU KNOW, ME AND MY COLLEAGUES
[02:55:01]
IN HEALTHCARE SYSTEMS, I'VE SERVED FOLLOW, WE, UM, MADE PAIN LIKE AN ADDITIONAL VITAL SIGN.UM, HOSPITAL SYSTEMS WERE ACTUALLY EVEN, YOU KNOW, REIMBURSED AND, UM, QUALITY INDICATORS ON CONTROLLING PEOPLE'S PAIN.
AND WE DID FALSELY SHARE WITH PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, ME TOO AS A NURSE, THAT, UM, WE WERE TOLD THAT NO, THESE WEREN'T, YOU KNOW, UH, ADDICTIVE.
AND FREQUENTLY THAT, YOU KNOW, FIRST LINE WE WENT TO OPIOIDS INSTEAD OF, YOU KNOW, NON, UM, PHARMACEUTICAL, UM, PAIN RELIEF MEASURES OR, UM, OTHER MEASURES, YOU KNOW, TYLENOL OR, OR OTHER THINGS.
UM, THAT WAS KIND OF OUR, OUR GUT REACTION, YOU KNOW, PAIN GOAL OF ZERO.
UM, SO SADLY, YOU KNOW, I, YOU KNOW, AND MY COLLEAGUES IN, IN HEALTHCARE, WE HELPED CREATE THIS ISSUE FROM, YOU KNOW, FALSE INFORMATION.
AND, UM, WE OWE IT TO OUR, OUR PUBLIC TO, UM, HELP THEM IN ANY WAY POSSIBLE.
UM, THIS VOTE REQUIRES A SIMPLE MAJORITY.
UM, AND WE WILL VOTE ELECTRONICALLY IN A MOMENT WHILE YOU'RE VOTING.
UM, LET'S, UH, THANK OUR CLERK FOR DOING DOUBLE DUTY TONIGHT.
SHE'S BEEN RUNNING THE CAMERAS IN AN EFFORT TO MAKE OUR VIDEOS COME OUT BETTER THAN THEY HAVE, SO IT'S UNANIMOUS EXCEPT FOR ONE ABSTENTION.
THAT CONCLUDES OUR BUSINESS TONIGHT.
AND THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR SERVICE TO YOUR COMMUNITY.