Jul 09, 2025 Washington County Board of Supervisors Meeting

[00:00:01]

DO YOU WANT THIS, PLEASE? YES.

I DON'T.

GOOD EVENING.

IT'S SIX OH ONE AND I WILL CALL THIS MEETING.

THAT'S YOURS.

I'M NOT SURE.

.

THAT WOULD BE ME.

GOOD EVENING.

IT'S 6 0 1, PROBABLY TWO.

NOW.

I'LL CALL THIS MEETING OF THE COUNTY

[Call to Order, Roll Call, Affidavit of Posting, A Moment of Silent Prayer, and Pledge of Allegiance]

UM, THIS MEETING WAS NOTICED APPROPRIATELY BY THE CLERK'S OFFICE.

UM, WE HAVE SUPERVISORS KREBS AND TOMA EXCUSED THIS EVENING.

UH, SUPERVISOR KEL MAY BE HERE, BUT HE'S RUNNING LATE.

AND SUPERVISOR CONRAD IS ON ZOOM.

SO WE'LL ARISE FOR A MOMENT OF SILENT PRAYER AND THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.

I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE PLAY OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.

UM, THE MINUTES OF THE LAST MEETING, MY MONTHLY NOTES AND AN APPOINTMENT ARE IN THE CONSENT AGENDA.

ARE THERE ANY

[Consent Agenda]

[a. Minutes of June 11, 2025]

[b. Communication from the County Board Chair]

[c. Appointment of Tom Jeffery to the Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC) by County Executive]

WE'LL RECORD THEM AS PRESENTED.

UM, SO OUR FIRST ITEM IS INTERVIEWS AND ACTION ON APPOINTMENT OF A DISTRICT FIVE COUNTY BOARD SUPERVISOR COMMUNICATION FIRST.

NOPE, THAT WAS PART OF CONSENT.

[a. Interviews and Action on Appointment of District 5 County Board Supervisor]

THAT'S OKAY.

SO YOU WANT TO PRESENT THE, UH, THE RULES AND PROCEDURE.

WE WILL FOLLOW, WE'LL BE PRESENTED BY OUR DEPUTY COUNTY ATTORNEY.

UM, WE HAVE TWO .

YOU CAN TURN THAT ONE ON.

OH, I GOT IT.

WE HAVE TWO CANDIDATES, UH, THIS EVENING FOR THE VACANCY IN DISTRICT FIVE IN WEST BEND.

UH, PRIOR, PRIOR TO THIS MEETING AT THE COUNTY, UH, EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING, UH, THE, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THEY MEET THE MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS TO HOLD AN OFFICE IN THE STATE OF WISCONSIN.

THAT BEING THAT THEY'RE UNITED STATES CITIZENS, THEY'RE AT LEAST 18 OF AGE OR OLDER, UH, THAT THEY SATISFY THE RESIDENCY REQUIREMENTS FOR THIS SPECIFIC OFFICE.

THAT BEING THEY LET RESIDE IN DISTRICT FIVE IN WEST BEND.

UM, AND THEY, NEITHER OF THEM HAVE BEEN CONVICTED OF A FELONY IN ANY COURT IN THE UNITED STATES OR OF A MISDEMEANOR INVOLVING A VIOLATION OF THE PUBLIC TRUST.

UM, AND NEITHER, UH, HAVE ANY OF THOSE TYPES OF CONVICTIONS.

IT'S IMPORTANT AT THIS TIME TO NOTE THAT, UH, IN THE STATE OF WISCONSIN, THERE ARE NO MISDEMEANORS THAT ARE DESIGNATED BY THE LEGISLATURE AS A VIOLATION OF THE PUBLIC TRUST AT THIS TIME.

SO WE ARE GOING TO INVITE BOTH CANDIDATES TONIGHT TO SPEAK, UH, BRIEFLY ABOUT FI UP TO UP TO FIVE MINUTES HERE AND INTRODUCE THEMSELVES TO THE BOARD.

UM, ONCE BOTH CANDIDATES ARE DONE, UH, WE WILL ALLOW QUESTIONS REGARDING THE INFORMATION THAT HAS EITHER BEEN PRESENTED IN THE FORM OF A RESUME OR THEIR APPLICATION OR, UH, QUESTIONS REGARDING THEIR PRESENTATIONS GIVEN HERE AT NIGHT.

UH, THE BEST WAY GIVEN HERE TONIGHT.

SO THE BEST WAY TO COMPARE THAT WOULD BE TO THE EVIDENCE THAT'S BEFORE THE BOARD.

SO WE WANTED TO INCLUDE THAT.

UH, THERE WILL BE NO DISCUSSION, UH, THAT IS NOT PROVIDED FOR IN OUR COUNTY CODE.

SO, AND THEN AT THE END OF QUESTIONING, WE WILL, UM, SUBMIT BY BALLOT THE VOTES.

SO DO WE HAVE ANYBODY THAT IS, WANTS TO VOLUNTEER TO GO FIRST? OKAY, SO AM MY ON, YEAH, I CAN HEAR MYSELF HERE.

UH, SO MY NAME IS MARY ANGELA STECH, AND, UM, I'D JUST LIKE TO SHARE A LITTLE BIT WITH YOU ABOUT HOW I GOT HERE TO, SO, MY, UM, JOURNEY IN RUNNING FOR OFFICE ACTUALLY STARTED 10 YEARS AGO WHEN I LIVED IN A SMALL TOWN IN NEW YORK STATE.

AND I HAD AN EXPERIENCE WITH LOCAL GOVERNMENT THAT MADE ME REALIZE HOW, UM, MUCH, YOU KNOW, LOCAL OFFICIALS CONTRIBUTED TO RUNNING THINGS SMOOTHLY, UM, AND HOW HARD THEY WORKED.

PRIOR TO THAT TIME, I WAS KIND OF COMPLACENT.

AND AS LONG AS THE ROADS WERE PLOWED AND THE GARBAGE WAS PICKED UP, I WAS, I WAS HAPPY.

I DIDN'T REALLY UNDERSTAND WHAT ELSE WENT ON.

[00:05:01]

SO AT THAT POINT, I GOT ON THE, UM, BOARD OF ZONING APPEALS IN THIS SMALL VILLAGE IN WESTERN NEW YORK.

AND IT WAS AN INTERESTING EXPERIENCE.

IT INCLUDED A LAKE DISTRICT WHERE, UM, MANY PEOPLE HAD COMPLAINTS OR WANTED VARIANCES.

UH, SOMEBODY WOULD BUILD A FENCE AND IT WAS A FOOT TALLER THAN IT USED TO BE, AND SOMEBODY WOULD COMPLAIN.

THEIR VIEW OF THE LAKE WASN'T GOOD ANYMORE.

SO WE WERE PRETTY ACTIVE.

UM, I ALSO RAN FOR, UM, VILLAGE BOARD IN THAT COMMUNITY.

UM, SO MY OPPONENT WAS SOMEONE WHOSE, UH, SON WAS THE SHERIFF OF THE COUNTY, AND THE FAMILY HAD OWNED THE ONLY FUNERAL HOME IN THE VILLAGE FOR YEARS.

SO HE HAD A LOT MORE VISIBILITY THAN I DID.

UH, SO I, I LOST THAT ONE, BUT IT WAS A GOOD EXPERIENCE.

I LEARNED A LOT.

AND SOMETHING I REALIZED AT THAT POINT WAS THAT I HAD GONE FROM A SENSE OF DUTY TO REALLY BEING INTERESTED IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND WANTING TO CONTRIBUTE AND DO MY PART.

SO, UM, ABOUT SIX YEARS AGO, I MOVED HERE FROM WESTERN NEW YORK, AND I HAD ALWAYS, I PLANNED AT THAT POINT TO, TO BE ACTIVE IN THE COMMUNITY.

I PICKED WASHINGTON COUNTY BECAUSE IT WAS VERY SIMILAR TO THE COUNTY I HAD LIVED IN IN NEW YORK.

I LOOKED AT SOME OF THE MUNICIPALITIES AND I LIKED THE SIZE OF WEST BEND.

UM, I LIKED THE LIBRARY, AND I NOTICED ON THE CITY OF WEST BEND WEBSITE, THERE WAS A VACANCY ON THE BOARD OF ZONING APPEALS.

SO I THOUGHT, WELL, THIS IS GOOD.

I'VE DONE THAT.

UM, SO WHEN I MOVED HERE, I GOT A POINT.

I APPLIED AND GOT APPOINTED TO THAT POSITION.

I ALSO RAN VERY SOON AFTER I MOVED HERE, UH, FOR DISTRICT THREE COMMON COUNCIL, WHICH, WHICH I DIDN'T WIN, BUT I REALLY DIDN'T EXPECT TO.

I FIGURED IT WOULD BE MUCH LIKE, UH, RUNNING FOR OFFICE AS I HAD IN NEW YORK STATE.

UH, BUT I LEARNED A LOT AND I MET A LOT OF DIFFERENT PEOPLE.

UM, ONE THING I LEARNED WAS THAT THE BOARD OF ZONING APPEALS IN THE CITY OF WEST BEND WAS NOT NEARLY AS ACTIVE AS THE ONE IN LIVONIA OR IN NEW YORK WHERE I WAS.

AND THE, THE PEOPLE, UH, IN WEST BEND JUST DIDN'T HAVE THE NEED FOR VARIANCES OR COMPLAINTS ABOUT WHAT WAS GOING ON WITH ZONING.

SO I ASKED THE MAYOR AT THAT TIME, WHO WAS CHRIS JENKINS TO APPOINT ME TO A BOARD THAT WAS A LITTLE MORE ACTIVE.

SO HE PUT ME ON THE BOARD OF REVIEW IN THE CITY OF WEST BEND, AND I'M STILL ON THAT.

AND THAT HAS BEEN A GOOD EXPERIENCE AND I'VE LEARNED A LOT FROM THAT.

SO, UM, I'VE, I, AS MANY OF YOU PROBABLY KNOW, I'VE RUN FOR THIS POSITION TWICE, AND I'VE LOST BY EXCRUCIATINGLY SMALL MARGINS BOTH TIMES, .

SO WHOEVER WOULD'VE THOUGHT I'D HAVE THIS EXPERIENCE, YOU KNOW, THE OPPORTUNITY TO, UH, TO DO THIS AGAIN NOW.

UM, SO IF APPOINTED TO THIS POSITION, I WOULD BRING A, UH, PRACTICAL, FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE ATTITUDE TOWARD IT.

UM, IN THE PAST FEW YEARS, I ATTENDED THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE BUS, THE TRANSIT SYSTEM BETWEEN MILWAUKEE AND WEST BEND.

AND AT THAT HEARING, PEOPLE WHO RODE THE BUS HAD LEGITIMATE, MEANINGFUL REASONS THAT THEY NEEDED THAT TRANSPORTATION, BUT IT WAS OBVIOUS THAT IT JUST WAS NOT FISCALLY SUSTAINABLE.

SO IT WAS UNFORTUNATE, BUT THAT'S THE KIND OF DECISIONS THAT THAT HAVE TO BE MADE SOMETIMES.

UM, ANOTHER ISSUE THAT I WAS INTERESTED IN WAS THE, UM, ANTI-CRIME REFERENDUM THAT WAS NOT, WAS VOTED DOWN SEVERAL YEARS AGO.

UM, AND THAT WAS INTERESTING TO ME BECAUSE I HAVE BEEN IN TOUCH WITH PEOPLE WHO WERE NOT IN FAVOR OF THAT REFERENDUM, BUT IT WASN'T BECAUSE OF INCREASED TAXES.

THERE WERE OTHER REASONS.

SO I THOUGHT IF I HAD BEEN ON THE BOARD AT THAT TIME, I MIGHT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO BRING A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE TO, UM, YOU KNOW, THE, THE WORDING OR, YOU KNOW, WHAT WAS GOING ON WITH THAT REFERENDUM.

AND I REALIZED THE COUNTY MADE IT HAPPEN WITHOUT A, A TAX INCREASE, WHICH IS GOOD, BUT I THINK I MIGHT BE ABLE TO CONTRIBUTE ANOTHER PERSPECTIVE, UM, TO HELP THINGS WORK BETTER FOR THE COUNTY.

SO DURING THE, UH, SECOND TIME THAT I RAN FOR THIS POSITION, UM, THERE WAS INFORMATION CIRCULATING ABOUT ME THAT WAS INCORRECT.

SO I, UM, REACHED OUT TO THE PARTIES INVOLVED WITH THAT AND TRIED TO HAVE AN AMICABLE CONVERSATION.

SO THERE WAS NO HARD FEELINGS OR ANYTHING.

IT'S BEEN MY, UM, BELIEF MY ENTIRE LIFE THAT IT'S MORE IMPORTANT TO FOCUS ON A WORKING RELATIONSHIP WITH PEOPLE IF YOU WANNA GET A JOB DONE.

AND I DID THAT IN MY CAREER AS WELL.

SO, A CURRENT ISSUE THAT

[00:10:01]

WELL, AN ADJACENT VILLAGE, ACTUALLY, THERE WAS A SIMILAR SITUATION THAT WAS MUCH SMALLER IN SIZE AND SCOPE.

IT WAS AN OLD, UM, BRICK, UH, MIDDLE SCHOOL BUILDING WITH, YOU KNOW, THE, THE TALL CEILINGS IN THE CLASSROOM.

AND, UH, THE GYMNASIUM THAT, UH, DOUBLED AS AN AUDITORIUM, YOU KNOW, WITH THE STAGE AND ALL THAT.

AND WHAT HAPPENED THERE WAS THE COMMUNITY CAME TOGETHER TO MAKE IT A REAL COMMUNITY ASSET IN A FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE WAY.

SO I SAW THAT HAPPEN AND SEE THAT IT IS POSSIBLE, AND I HOPE THAT THE SAME THING CAN HAPPEN WITH THE UWWC CAMPUS.

I, THERE'S A LOT MORE INVOLVED WITH THAT.

UM, BUT I THINK IT WOULD BE A GREAT ASSET TO THE COMMUNITY AND THE QUALITY OF LIFE IN WASHINGTON COUNTY.

SO I THINK IT'S EVIDENT THAT, THAT I'M REALLY INTERESTED IN THIS POSITION.

UM, I'VE HAD SUPPORT FROM VOTERS FOR THIS POSITION BEFORE.

UM, SO I WOULD APPRECIATE YOUR VOTE.

AND, UH, THANK YOU FOR, FOR LISTENING TO ME TONIGHT.

THANK YOU.

WE'LL PROCEED WITH MR. STEWART.

GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE.

UM, BEFORE YOU IS MY COVER LETTER AND MY RESUME.

UM, AND THOSE ARE THINGS THAT PRETTY MUCH EVERYONE NEEDS WHEN THEY APPLY FOR A JOB OR ANYTHING, AND ARE VERY IMPORTANT TOOLS TO GET AN IDEA OF SOMEONE'S BACKGROUND, THEIR EDUCATION, THE JOBS THAT THEY'VE WORKED.

UM, BUT IN MY 46 YEARS ON THIS PLANET, IN MY EXPERIENCE, I'VE LIVED ALL OVER THE COUNTRY.

I'VE TRAVELED ALL OVER THE WORLD.

I'VE SERVED IN THE MARINE CORPS WITH BROTHERS FROM EVERY RACE, RELIGION, AND CREED.

AND I'VE LEARNED THAT JUST AS IMPORTANT AND IN SOMETIMES IN MY OPINION, EVEN MORE IMPORTANT, IS SOMEONE'S LIFE EXPERIENCE RESUME.

MY LIFE EXPERIENCE RESUME GOES A LITTLE SOMETHING LIKE THIS.

I WAS BORN NICHOLAS ALEXANDER STEWART, MAY 28TH, 1979 IN MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN.

BORN TO KEN AND CHRISTIE STEWART LIFELONG, UM, EXCUSE ME, CAREER LONG NURSES.

AND THEY'RE BOTH RETIRED NOW IN FREDONIA.

THEY RAISED ME IN A HOUSEHOLD FULL OF STRUCTURE, LOVE, COMPASSION, AND A MIDDLE CLASS WORK ETHIC.

UM, WHEN I WAS THREE YEARS OLD, WE MOVED TO MAGUANA GO, AND THAT'S WHEN I REALLY GOT A SENSE OF RURAL COMMUNITY AND HOW GREAT IT WAS.

I REALLY ENJOYED LIVING THERE.

AND I WENT TO PUBLIC SCHOOL THERE UP THROUGH THIRD GRADE.

AND THEN AFTER THIRD GRADE, LOVING WHERE WE LIVED ON THE SOCCER TEAM, NOT WANTING ANYTHING TO CHANGE, MY PARENTS DECIDED TO SELL OUR HOUSE, BUY A MOTOR HOME, AND TRAVEL AROUND THE COUNTRY FOR 12 MONTHS AND HOMESCHOOL ME FOR FOURTH GRADE.

I WAS SO UPSET AT THE TIME, BUT IN THE LONG, IN THE LONG HAUL, I REALIZED IT WAS SUCH A GOOD LEARNING EXPERIENCE FOR ME.

IT REALLY OPENED MY EYES TO THE WORLD AND WHAT IS OUT THERE.

UM, WHEN WE GOT BACK, WE MOVED TO WAUWATOSA, WISCONSIN.

UM, I STARTED FIFTH GRADE AT PIUS GRADE SCHOOL.

I STARTED PRIVATE SCHOOL THEN, AND THEN WENT TO PIUS HIGH SCHOOL.

DURING THAT TIME, I WAS WORKED AS A PAPER ROUTE DISHWASHER AND WAS A WAITER AT HEINEMAN'S RESTAURANT IN 76 AND BLUE MOUND BY PIUS HIGH SCHOOL.

UM, ONE OF MY CUSTOMERS, MY FAVORITE CUSTOMERS, HER SON OWNED A CONSTRUCTION COMPANY.

AND WHEN I WAS DONE WITH HIGH SCHOOL, IT JUST, I LOVED BEING OUTDOORS.

I LOVED WORKING OUTDOORS.

I WORKED FOR THE DNR OVER THE SUMMERS AND JUST COLLEGE WASN'T FOR ME.

SO I WANTED TO DO ROUGH CARPENTRY.

AND BECAUSE I HAD A GREAT CUSTOMER WHOSE SON OWNED A COMPANY IN CARPENTRY, I IMMEDIATELY STARTED WORKING AFTER HIGH SCHOOL BUILDING HOUSES.

AND I ENJOYED IT.

BUT THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN IT HIT ME THAT TRIP AROUND THE COUNTRY FROM YEARS AGO, THAT THERE'S MORE OUT THERE.

THERE'S MORE TO THIS WORLD THAN JUST CLOCKING IN BUILDING A HOUSE.

NOT SAYING THAT THAT'S NOT RESPECTABLE.

I LOVE BUILDING STUFF, BUT THERE WAS, FOR ME, THERE WAS JUST SOMETHING ELSE OUT THERE.

SO THAT'S WHEN I ENLISTED IN THE UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS IN MARCH OF 1999.

UM, AND A YEAR LATER, UH, IT WAS A BITTERSWEET, UM, TIME IN MY SERVICE.

UM, LIKE MOST PEOPLE, UM, WENT IN DURING PEACE TIME.

NINE 11 HAPPENED AND THEN I WAS SERVING DURING WAR TIME.

SO IT WAS AN INTERESTING TRANSITION PERIOD FOR ME.

UM, ABOUT A YEAR IN, DURING PEACE TIME BEFORE NINE 11, I WAS TRAINING YUMA, ARIZONA.

UNFORTUNATELY, WE HAD A HELICOPTER CRASH.

UM, 14 MEMBERS OF MY COMPANY WERE KILLED, UM, IN A TRAINING ACCIDENT.

UM, COMPLETELY UNPREPARED FOR THAT.

UM, AND UNFORTUNATELY, YOU KNOW, THERE WASN'T REALLY ANY SERVICES.

IT WAS

[00:15:01]

UM, THEN THAT TOOK US TO MARCH OF 2003.

I WAS SUPPOSED TO BE OUT OF THE MARINE CORPS.

MY SERVICE WAS DONE, BUT I WAS EXTENDED, UH, PAST MY TOUR TO INVADE IRAQ WITH THE THIRD BATTALION, FIFTH MARINES.

UM, AS SOON AS WE WERE DONE, I WAS EXTENDED PAST MY CONTRACT.

SO I CHECKED OUT, UM, 23 DAYS.

I WAS PATROLLING THE STREETS OF ADINI IRAQ TO BE WALKING AS A CIVILIAN ON THE STREETS OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, WITH NO TRANSITION INTO THE COMMUNITY.

UM, I DID GO TO THE MILWAUKEE VA HOSPITAL 'CAUSE YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO CHECK IN.

AND I WAS ACTUALLY THE FIRST IRAQ VETERAN TO CHECK IN AT THE MILWAUKEE VA HOSPITAL.

UM, I LOVED SERVING.

I REALLY LOVED SERVING.

UM, WHEN I GOT OUT, UM, EVERYONE THAT GETS OUT OF ACTIVE DUTY MILITARY QUALIFIES FOR SIX MONTHS OF UNEMPLOYMENT, THE STATE THEY WENT TO.

I REFUSE TO TAKE THAT.

I IMMEDIATELY STARTED WORKING AT ROCK BOTTOM AS A COOK AND GOING TO SCHOOL AT MATC OAK CREEK TO BE A FIREFIGHTER.

'CAUSE I WAS OUTTA THE MARINES.

BUT I JUST LOVE THAT SENSE OF SERVICE.

I LOVE THAT SENSE OF COMRADERY.

SO I IMMEDIATELY STARTED DOING THAT.

I GOT ON WITH NEW BERLIN FIRE DEPARTMENT AND I WAS ON THE WAITING LIST FOR MILWAUKEE AND CHICAGO FIRE DEPARTMENTS.

UNFORTUNATELY, LIKE MANY OF OUR VETS, THAT'S WHEN I WENT DOWN A DARK HOLE FOR A FEW YEARS.

AND I, UM, MADE SOME MISTAKES.

I KIND OF DESTROYED MY DREAM OF BEING A FIREFIGHTER.

I GOT INTO SALES, WHICH I WAS REALLY GOOD AT, BUT IT DIDN'T HELP ME LONG TERM.

UM, FROM THERE, UM, IN 2011, I WENT TO THE MILWAUKEE VA AND WENT IN FOR PTSD TREATMENT.

AND IT HELPED ME OUT TREMENDOUSLY.

AND, UH, AFTER THAT I VOLUNTEERED FOR ABOUT A YEAR THERE BECAUSE THE COUNSELORS WERE SO AMAZED AT MY TURNAROUND AND HOW WELL I CONNECTED WITH VETERANS.

I WAS KIND OF A PEER SUPPORT VOLUNTEER, I GUESS YOU WOULD SAY.

AND, UM, FROM THERE I WAS LIKE, WHY NOT WORK HERE? SO I STARTED GOING TO SCHOOL AT, UM, UW MILWAUKEE FOR MY BACHELOR'S IN SOCIAL WORK.

AND THEN I WAS GONNA BE A COUNSELOR AT THE VA.

UM, I IMMEDIATELY STARTED WORKING AN ADMIN JOB IN THE MENTAL HEALTH DIVISION, THE MILWAUKEE VA.

AND THEN I REALIZED OVER TIME THAT HAVING A CASELOAD WILL BE IN A COMBAT VETERAN COULD BE A LITTLE TOUGH.

AND I WAS DOING REALLY WELL ON THE ADMIN SIDE.

I BECAME DIVISION ANALYST.

THEY WERE RELYING ON ME A LOT FOR MY, UM, MY INPUT AND WHATNOT.

SO THAT'S WHERE I'VE BEEN THIS LAST TIME, WORKING IN THE 125 BED MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT FACILITY, UM, WORKING WITH THE VETERANS.

AND IT'S BEEN AMAZING.

UM, SIX YEARS AGO, MY WIFE AND I AND DAUGHTER, WE WERE LOOKING TO MOVE BY A HOUSE AND WE WERE LIVING IN, IN WAUWATOSA.

AND MY WIFE SAID, HEY, MY GRANDPARENTS USED TO HAVE, UM, A LAKE HOUSE ON BIG CEDAR LAKE OUT IN, UM, UH, WEST BEND.

LET'S GO OUT TO NER PARK.

AND WE WENT OUT TO NER PARK.

AND THIS WAS RIGHT WHEN WE STARTED LOOKING FOR HOUSES.

AND I BASICALLY DREW A 45 MINUTE CIRCLE AROUND THE MILWAUKEE VA.

SO WE WERE LOOKING EVERYWHERE.

AND WHEN WE CAME OUT HERE, WE JUST FELL IN LOVE WITH THIS PLACE.

AND WE BOUGHT A HOUSE.

WE'VE BEEN HERE FOR SIX YEARS.

UM, I'M SO GLAD THAT WE MOVED OUT HERE TWO AND A HALF YEARS AGO.

I RAN FOR SCHOOL BOARD IN WEST BEND.

UM, MY DAUGHTER WAS BORN, UM, HIGH FUNCTIONING AUTISTIC.

SO PRIVATE SCHOOLS WEREN'T AN OPTION FOR US.

UM, SO I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM WAS GOING TO DO THE THINGS THAT NEEDED TO BE DONE SO SHE COULD GET THE PROPER EDUCATION.

SO I RAN FOR SCHOOL BOARD.

I LOST BY 1%, BUT I DID GET 5,622.

MAYBE ASHLEY COULD DOUBLE CHECK THAT.

5,622 WASHINGTON COUNTY RESIDENTS TO VOTE FOR ME.

UM, LIKE I SAID, SERVICE IS A BIG THING FOR ME.

I ENJOY SERVING, AND I'VE BEEN TO THE LAST TWO BOARD MEETINGS.

THE TALK OF CONSOLIDATING THE FIRE DEPARTMENT'S INTERESTS ME A LOT.

UM, WHAT MARYANNE BROUGHT UP ABOUT THE TECHNICAL COLLEGE, THAT'S A HUGE THING FOR ME AS WELL.

UM, AND MENTAL HEALTH AND, UM, HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES.

YOU KNOW, I STEERED, I'VE STARED AT TENS OF THOUSANDS OF PATIENTS CHARTS.

UM, I NAVIGATED THE VA DURING COVID.

I WAS NEVER REMOTE A COUPLE DAYS HERE AND THERE FOR ABOUT A MONTH WHEN IT GOT REALLY BAD.

THEY JUST FORCED US TO REMOTE.

BUT I WAS ALWAYS ON SITE AND, YOU KNOW, WILLING TO HELP MY VETERANS.

AND THAT'S THE SAME THING THAT I WOULD BRING TO THIS COUNTY IS MY RESUME OF SERVICE.

UM, MY WILLINGNESS TO SERVE AND PUT EVERY PERSON BEFORE MYSELF.

AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, I THINK WHEN IT COMES TO SERVING, WHETHER IT'S LOCAL, STATE, OR FEDERAL, IF THE DECISIONS YOU'RE MAKING, NUMBER ONE, AREN'T GONNA IMPACT

[00:20:01]

I WORK FOR THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT FOR TWO AGENCIES, DOD, AND VA.

AND THEY LOVE PUTTING SHORT-TERM BANDAIDS ON STUFF AND IT DOESN'T WORK.

SO LITERALLY ALL WE'RE DOING IS TRYING TO MAKE THIS BETTER FOR THE NEXT GENERATION.

AND THAT'S WHAT I PLAN TO DO.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU BOTH FOR YOUR INFORMATION.

ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS ON WHAT WAS PRESENTED? WE'RE GONNA DO A VOTE BY BALLOT.

WHY DOESN'T IT TURN ON? THANK YOU.

NICK STEWART.

NICK STEWART.

NICK STEWART, NICK STEWART, NICK STEWART, MARYANNE SEK, NICK STEWART, NICK STEWART, NICK STEWART, NICK STEWART, NICK STEWART, NICK STEWART, NICK STEWART, NICK STEWART, NICK STEWART, NICK STEWART, AND NICK STEWART.

YOU HAVE AN OFFICIAL TALLY OR DID SHE GET OFFICIAL? SHE DID VOTE.

OKAY.

UM, SO

[00:25:01]

STEWART, THE NEW SUPERVISOR FOR DISTRICT FIVE IS NEXT.

STEWART, CONGRATULATIONS.

YES, SIR.

OKAY.

UM, COME FORWARD AND ASHLEY WILL ADMINISTER THE OATH.

OKAY.

SO IF YOU WANNA RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND, YOU CAN REPEAT AFTER ME.

I, NICHOLAS STEWART, A NICHOLAS STEWART, HAVING BEEN APPOINTED TO THE OFFICE OF WASHINGTON COUNTY BOARD SUPERVISOR, DISTRICT FIVE, HAVE I GIVE YOU THAT.

HAVE BEEN APPOINTED TO THE OFFICE OF WASHINGTON COUNTY BOARD SUPERVISOR, DISTRICT FIVE, BUT HAVE NOT YET ENTERED UPON THE DUTIES THEREOF, BUT NOT HAVE YET ENTERED UPON THE DUTIES THEREOF.

SWEAR THAT I WILL SUPPORT THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES.

SWEAR THAT I WILL SUPPORT THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES AND THE CONSTITUTION OF THE STATE OF WISCONSIN AND THE CONSTITUTION OF THE STATE OF WISCONSIN, AND WILL FAITHFULLY DISCHARGE THE DUTIES OF SAID OFFICE AND WILL DISCHARGE THE DUTIES OF SAID OFFICE TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITY.

SO HELP ME GOD, TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITY.

SO HELP ME GOD.

CONGRATULATIONS.

THANK YOU.

SO IF YOU WANNA SIGN, UM, YOUR LINE ON BOTH AND THEN, AND YOU CAN KEEP A COPY.

THANK YOU SUPERVISOR STEWART, YOU MAY BE SEATED IN THE DISTRICT FIVE SEAT.

OUR NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS A DISCUSSION, UH, BUDGET GOALS AND PREVIEW BY OUR COUNTY EXECUTIVE JOSH SHOWMAN.

THANK YOU MR. CHAIRMAN.

UM, I'D LIKE TO JUST GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF A GLIMPSE OF THE BUDGET.

UH, YOU KNOW, THAT WE'VE ALL BEEN WORKING ALREADY BEGINNING BACK IN DECEMBER ON THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN, WHICH IS REALLY THE FIRST STEP IN OUR BIANNUAL BUDGET PROCESS.

AND YOU MAY RECALL THAT AT THAT TIME I TELEGRAPHED,

[b. Budget Goals and Preview]

UM, UNFORTUNATELY A LOT OF MY CONCERNS AND MY FEARS CAME TO FRUITION, UH, WITH THE STATE BUDGET THAT WAS JUST ADOPTED.

UM, YOU RECALL IN PART OF THAT CONVERSATION, WE DISCUSSED THAT THE COUNTY'S ASSOCIATION, UM, HAD BEEN LOBBYING FOR A $70 MILLION INCREASE IN FUNDING TO THE COURT SYSTEM IN PARTICULAR, WHICH OF COURSE, AS ONE OF 72 COUNTIES WOULD PUT WASHINGTON COUNTY IN LINE FOR APPROXIMATELY A MILLION DOLLARS A YEAR.

UH, WE ACTUALLY ESTIMATED A LITTLE HIGHER THAN THAT.

UH, THE ULTIMATE BUDGET THAT WAS SIGNED, UH, AT ONE 30 IN THE MORNING BY THE GOVERNOR, UH, WAS ACTUALLY $10 MILLION A YEAR IN COURT FUNDING.

UH, WHICH WE, OUR BEST CALCULATION IS ROUGHLY $130,000.

SO, UH, ABOUT ONE TO $1.1 MILLION LESS THAN WE ANTICIPATED.

AND SO, UM, THAT PUT US IN QUITE A PRECARIOUS SITUATION AS WE ARE JUST NOW GETTING KICKED OFF, UH, WITH OUR BUDGET.

SO I HAD ASKED THE CHAIRMAN FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO GO A LITTLE BIT DEEPER THAN WE TYPICALLY DO.

UH, FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE A LITTLE BIT NEWER.

GENERALLY SPEAKING, AT THIS TIME, WE, WE JUST TALK ABOUT BUDGET GOALS AT A HIGH LEVEL.

UH, AND THAT HELPS US TO SET TARGETS FOR DEPARTMENTS AND THEN PROCEED, UH, THROUGH A AUGUST AND SEPTEMBER BEFORE THE COUNTY OR THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE GETS THE BUDGET RIGHT BEFORE YOU DO AS A COUNTY BOARD IN NOVEMBER.

IN THIS CASE.

UM, WE WILL TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT BUDGET GOALS, BUT WITH THAT BACKGROUND IN MIND, UH, THAT $1 MILLION, $1.1 MILLION, UM, SHORTFALL, UM, IS COMPOUNDED BY A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN HEALTH INSURANCE THAT WE'RE ANTICIPATING.

UM, GENERALLY THE LAST 10 YEARS HAS BEEN VERY, VERY GOOD FOR OUR HEALTH INSURANCE.

WE ARE SELF-FUNDED, UH, AND IT HAS DONE VERY, VERY WELL.

UH, THAT'S DIFFERENT THAN THE FIRST COUPLE OF YEARS, FOR FEW YEARS THAT I WAS WITH THE COUNTY WHERE IT WAS QUITE HORRENDOUS ACTUALLY.

[00:30:01]

UH, AND THE HEALTH INSURANCE NUMBER IS CONTRIBUTING TO THAT.

SO WE'RE ANTICIPATING ABOUT A 15 TO 20% INCREASE IN PREMIUMS AND HEALTH INSURANCE.

UH, THAT'S AT 180 DEGREES OF THE OPPOSITE OF WHAT WE SAW LAST BIENNIUM, WHERE WE SAW ACTUALLY ABOUT A 10% DECREASE.

UM, AND SO YOU, YOU COMBINE THOSE TWO THINGS, UH, ALONG WITH US NOW STARTING TO FEEL THE EFFECTS OF SOME OF THE INFLATION, UH, THAT HAS BEEN GOING ON THE LAST FOUR OR FIVE YEARS, UH, DURING THE BIDEN YEARS.

AND WE'RE REALLY STARTING TO, TO FEEL IT HERE AT THE COUNTY.

ULTIMATELY, ALL OF THOSE THINGS COMBINE, UM, LEAD TO ABOUT A $3 MILLION GAP.

UM, MAYBE A LITTLE BIT MORE THAN THAT.

GENERALLY SPEAKING, YOU MIGHT REMEMBER FROM OUR PRIORITY BASED BUDGETING EXERCISES, UH, THAT WE WALK INTO ANY NEW BIENNIUM, UH, ANY NEW BUDGET YEAR, I SHOULD SAY, WITH ABOUT A 1.5 TO $1.75 MILLION COST TO CONTINUE.

UH, THAT'S, YOU KNOW, KEEPING THE LIGHTS ON, KEEPING THE TOILETS, FLUSHING, PAYING, UH, WAGE INCREASES, HEALTH INSURANCE INCREASES, FUEL INCREASES, AND SO ON.

THAT'S ABOUT ONE TO ONE AND A HALF, ONE THREE QUARTER MILLION DOLLARS, UH, PER YEAR.

SO YOU COMBINE THAT WITH THE THINGS THAT I JUST DESCRIBED, AND YOU GET THE THREE, THREE AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS PRETTY FAST.

UM, NOW ON THE WHOLE, WE HAVE APPROXIMATELY $140 MILLION BUDGET, MAYBE A LITTLE BIT SHY OF THAT.

UH, SO IT'S NOT THE END OF THE WORLD, BUT IT IS A BIG HEAVY GULP, UH, WHEN WE GET THAT SIZE OF A, OF A GAP THAT WE HAVE TO MANAGE.

AND SO, UM, WE ARE NOW, UH, IN THE PROCESS OF DISTRIBUTING TARGETS, UH, AND OUR TARGETS FOR BUDGETS TO EACH DEPARTMENT ARE PREDICATED ON TAX LEVY.

UH, BECAUSE PROPERTY TAX LEVY IS, IS WHAT WE AS ELECTED OFFICIALS HAVE THE CONTROL OVER.

UH, SALES TAX IS AN ON-OFF SWITCH.

IT IS WHAT IT IS.

UH, STATE AND FEDERAL REVENUES ARE WHAT THEY ARE, UH, BUT PROPERTY TAX LEVY REALLY DRIVES THE DISCUSSION AND DRIVES THE PUBLIC POLICY MAKING.

SO THAT $3 MILLION GAP, UH, STARTS US, UM, IN A VERY DIFFICULT POSITION.

THE CABINET AND I HAVE BEEN HAVING CONVERSATIONS FOR THE LAST ABOUT THREE WEEKS NOW AS REGARD TO HOW TO, TO MANAGE THAT $3 MILLION GAP.

UH, IT HAS LED TO A, A, A FLURRY OF, OF VERY DIFFICULT CONVERSATIONS AND DECISIONS.

UH, I WANT TO GIVE CREDIT TO OUR CABINET, UH, AND, AND MY, MY TEAM IN OUR OFFICE, UH, FOR REALLY HELPING TO MITIGATE THAT GAP.

UM, I'LL TALK ABOUT THOSE BUDGET GOALS AND WHAT IT HAS RESULTED IN.

UM, BUT THE, ULTIMATELY THE BUDGET THAT YOU'RE GONNA SEE HAS A LOT OF REALLY HEAVY DECISIONS, UH, DECISION POINTS IN IT.

UH, WE STILL HAVE TIME BETWEEN NOW AND AUGUST WHEN I ULTIMATELY PRESENT THE BUDGET.

UM, BUT YOU SHOULD KNOW GOING IN THAT THERE'S SOME LARGE CHANGES THAT YOU'RE GOING TO SEE AND BE ASKED TO MAKE THE FINAL DECISIONS ON IN THE COMING WEEKS MONTHS, UH, LEADING UP TO NOVEMBER.

UM, THE, THE UNDERLYING THEME TO ALL OF THAT, HOWEVER, IS THAT THERE ARE NO NEW MAJOR PROGRAMS THAT ARE BEING ADDED ASIDE FROM THOSE THAT YOU'VE ALREADY ADOPTED, SUPPORTED, UH, EFFECTUATED IN THE LAST YEAR, YEAR AND A HALF, UH, WHICH NEEDED TO BE FUNDED IN THE NEW BUDGET.

UH, BUT THERE'S NOTHING NEW THAT'S CURRENTLY BEING, UH, PROPOSED IN THE UPCOMING BUDGET TARGETS.

UH, IN THE DOCUMENT THAT YOU'LL EVENTUALLY GET TO SEE IN AUGUST AND SEPTEMBER, UM, I MENTIONED THE STATE FUNDING AS AN ISSUE.

I MENTIONED THE 15% HEALTH INSURANCE.

UH, BUT I WOULD BE REMISS IF I DIDN'T, UH, DRILL IN A LITTLE BIT TO, TO INFLATION, PARTICULARLY CONTRACT INFLATION.

YOU'LL RECALL WHEN WE DID THE BUDGET REPAIR RESOLUTION, UM, ALMOST A YEAR AGO NOW, UM, WE HAD DONE SOME PREPARATORY WORK ON THE JAIL MEDICAL CONTRACT AS AN EXAMPLE.

UH, I THINK WE, WE PLANNED FOR, OR AT LEAST ACCOMMODATED FOR ABOUT $150,000 INCREASE.

AND YOU RECALL AT THAT TIME, WE TALKED ABOUT IT'S PROBABLY GONNA BE CLOSER TO A HALF MILLION DOLLAR TOTAL INCREASE.

THE BALANCE OF THAT IS IN HERE, UH, IN THAT $3 MILLION NUMBER.

UM, SO THAT WAS A MAJOR PORTION, UM, AS WELL AS, UH, ON SOME OTHER INFLATIONARY INDICES.

UM, AND FINALLY, UM, SOME OF THE PAST, UH, COMMITMENTS OR OBLIGATIONS THAT WE'VE COMMITTED TO, UM, IN, IN THE LAST YEAR, I WOULD SAY, UH, THE COS RESPONDER UNITS.

UH, YOU RECALL WE ADOPTED A GRANT FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, UM, TO FUND A FOURTH CORRESPONDER UNIT THAT GRANT FUNDING WILL END IN THE MIDDLE OF THE UPCOMING BIENNIUM.

AND SO, UH, WE'LL NEED TO FUND THAT.

I'LL GET TO THAT IN A FEW MINUTES.

ALL OF THE SHARED SERVICES THAT WE'VE ADOPTED IN THE LAST BIENNIUM WILL CONTINUE UNDER THE BUDGET TARGETS THAT WE'RE PUTTING FORWARD TO DEPARTMENTS, AND ULTIMATELY IN THE BUDGET GOALS THAT I'LL TALK ABOUT IN A MOMENT, UH, WHICH YOU'LL THEN SEE IN AUGUST AND SEPTEMBER.

AND THEN THE ELECTION INTEGRITY INITIATIVE, UH, WHICH I KNOW IS AT THE TOP OF THE LIST FOR A NUMBER OF YOU IN THIS ROOM, UH, IS ALSO FULLY FUNDED, UH, IN THIS BUDGET.

SO, UM, ON ON THE WHOLE, UM, LIKE WE ALWAYS

[00:35:01]

UM, BUT WITH ALL OF THAT BEING SAID, UH, THERE ARE FOUR KEY, UH, BUDGET GOALS THAT I WANNA WALK THROUGH, UH, THAT YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT AS WE BEGIN TO ADMINISTER THE BUDGET TARGETS DOWN TO THE DEPARTMENT LEVEL.

AND THEN ULTIMATELY THAT YOU'LL SEE AT YOUR STANDING COMMITTEES.

UH, THE FIRST IS THAT IN 2026, UH, WE WILL HAVE A FLAT PROPERTY TAX LEVY AGAIN.

UH, SO NO, NO NEW, UH, GENERAL PROPERTY TAX COLLECTIONS.

UM, YOU'LL REMEMBER THAT THERE IS A LIBRARY LEVEE AND THAT THERE IS A, UH, BRIDGE, UH, BRIDGE AID LEVEE.

THOSE ARE TWO SEPARATE FROM THE OPERATIONAL LEVEE.

THOSE WILL BE HANDLED DIFFERENTLY ON THEIR OWN AS THEY ALWAYS ARE.

BUT IN TERMS OF THE GENERAL LEVY, THERE WILL BE NO NEW ADDITIONAL MONEY IN GENERAL LEVY IN 2026.

OUR CURRENT ESTIMATE WOULD BE THAT THAT WOULD RESULT IN APPROXIMATELY, UH, 10 CENT REDUCTION PER THOUSAND, UH, ON THE TAX RATE, WHICH IS A BIG DEAL BECAUSE THERE'S A NUMBER OF MUNICIPALITIES THAT ARE GONNA SEE RELATIVELY, UH, SIGNIFICANT UPTICKS IN THEIR, UH, TAX COLLECTIONS.

AND THE SAME WITH SCHOOL DISTRICTS WHOSE REFERENDUMS ARE JUST NOW COMING ONLINE.

UM, SO TRYING TO GIVE TAXPAYERS A REPRIEVE IN THAT REGARD.

UH, IN THE SECOND YEAR OF THE BIENNIUM, THERE IS A $250,000, UH, GENERAL LEVY INCREASE.

UH, AND THAT I TIE DIRECTLY BACK TO THAT COS RESPONDER UNIT, WHICH IS WHY I MENTIONED IT A MOMENT AGO.

UM, BUT YOU REMEMBER, THAT'S A DEPUTY AND A SOCIAL WORKER, UH, WHO ARE TEAMED UP THOSE TWO POSITIONS.

COMBINE ALONG WITH A LITTLE BIT OF, UM, COSTS FOR THEM TO DO THEIR WORK, UH, IS ROUGHLY A QUARTER MILLION DOLLARS.

AND SO THIS LEVY INCREASE COVERS THE COST OF THAT FEDERAL GRANT THAT IS ENDING.

UM, OTHER THAN THAT, UH, THERE IS NO ADDITIONAL INCREASE IN THE GENERAL OPERATING LEVY THAT'S GONNA BE PROPOSED THAT'S WORKED INTO THESE, UH, BUDGET TARGETS THAT YOU'RE GONNA HEAR ABOUT, OR THAT THAT DEPARTMENTS ARE HERE ABOUT SOON.

UM, ALL OF THAT IS IMPORTANT BASELINE INFORMATION.

UM, BUT ALSO I WANT YOU TO KEEP IN MIND THAT WE HAVE COMMITTED AS A, AS A BOARD, AS A GROUP, AS A TEAM OF ELECTED OFFICIALS, UH, TO ASSISTING IN SOME WAY, SHAPE OR FORM WITH FIRE AND EMS, UH, THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY.

THIS WILL ACCOUNT FOR NONE OF THAT.

UH, I ANTICIPATE IN 2027 THAT WE WILL HAVE SOME SORT OF LEVY INCREASE.

UM, THE WAY THAT I PLAN TO, TO STAGE THAT FOR THIS BOARD TO ULTIMATELY MAKE THE DECISION IS TO NOT SHOW IT IN THIS BIENNIAL BUDGET, UH, BUT TO ALLOW FOR A BUDGET REPAIR BILL OR BUDGET REPAIR RESOLUTION IN 2027, JUST LIKE WE HAD LAST YEAR, THAT WOULD ALLOW YOU TO MAKE CHANGES TO THE LEVY BASED ON THE INFORMATION THAT THE FIRE AND EMS CHIEFS, ALONG WITH THE CHIEF ELECTED OFFICIALS CAN COME UP WITH FOR SOLUTIONS.

I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO DO IT THAT WAY, UH, BECAUSE IT HELPS HOLD ALL OF US ACCOUNTABLE, UH, TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S ACTUAL AGREEMENT, UH, ON HOW THINGS WORK AND THAT TAXPAYERS ARE ULTIMATELY THE ONES, UH, DRIVING THE TRAIN ON HOW THE CONVERSATION GOES, UH, AND NOT SOME OTHER METHODOLOGY.

SO THAT I, I SAY ALL OF THAT BECAUSE I WANT YOU TO KNOW, YES, WE'RE HOLDING THE LEVY FLAT, BUT THERE'S A MASSIVE, UH, PUBLIC POLICY DECISION THAT YOU HAVE HANGING OUT THERE, WHICH IS PRECISELY WHY WE'D WANNA HOLD IT FLAT NOW TO ALLOW OURSELVES SOME FLEXIBILITY FOR SUCH A DECISION DOWN THE ROAD.

UH, IN ADDITION TO THAT, WHICH IS THE MOST IMPORTANT BUDGET GOAL, ALWAYS PUTTING TAXPAYERS FIRST.

IT'S THEIR MONEY, NOT OUR MONEY.

UM, PLEASE KNOW THAT, UM, TOTAL COMPENSATION FOR ALL OUR EMPLOYEES, UH, EMPLOYEES, UM, PERSONNEL IS THE BIGGEST PORTION OF COST OF THE ENTIRE COUNTY BUDGET, PARTICULARLY IN THE PUBLIC SAFETY AREA.

UM, WHERE IN THAT, IN THOSE DEPARTMENTS, UPWARDS OF 80 OR 90% OF THE BUDGETS ARE PERSONNEL COSTS OR PERSONNEL RELATED COSTS.

UM, SO TO COMPETITIVE TOTAL COMPENSATION, UM, IN THE MOST YEARS THAT I'VE BEEN HERE IN THE LAST 12 YEARS, WE'VE GIVEN A 2% COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENT IN ADDITION TO A 2% MERIT INCREASE IN THIS BUDGET.

UH, WITH THE GAP THAT WE HAD, WE ARE PROPOSING A 2% MERIT INCREASE AND A 1% COLA, UH, THAT IS APPROXIMATELY IN LINE WITH WHERE SOME OF THE LABOR, UM, LABOR STUDIES HAVE BEEN POINTING TO.

UM, NOT, UH, NOT EXACTLY WHAT WE'D HOPED TO DO, BUT, UM, STILL COMPETITIVE NONETHELESS, ESPECIALLY WHERE U HAVE ALL APPROVED OUR COMPENSATION PLAN TO BE.

UM, SO WE HAVE A ONE PLUS TWO IN BOTH 2026 AND 2027.

UM, AND OF COURSE, FROM OUR PERSPECTIVE, UH, AS ELECTED OFFICIALS, THAT IS IN ADDITION TO COVERING THE 15% INCREASE IN HEALTH INSURANCE, WHICH IS, UH, DEMONSTRABLE, IT'S ABOUT $75,000 FOR EVERY 1% INCREASE.

SO AS YOU CAN DO THE

[00:40:01]

UM, SO CO TOTAL COMPENSATION, ASIDE FROM JUST WAGES, UH, WE ARE STILL VERY, VERY COMPETITIVE.

LAST, UH, COUPLE OF THINGS.

UM, PROGRAM PRIORITY FUNDING, ALL OF OUR TIER ONE AND TIER TWO PROGRAMS, UH, GENERALLY SPEAKING ARE REMAIN INTACT, UH, ARE FULLY FUNDED PROGRAMS. UM, THERE ARE A FEW EXCEPTIONS AS REGARD TO SOME CHANGES THAT NEED TO BE MADE.

THE PROGRAMS THEMSELF WILL BE KEPT WHOLE, UM, BUT THERE WILL BE SOME EFFICIENCIES THAT ARE SOUGHT, UH, THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS.

AND FINALLY, UM, STRATEGIC PRIORITIES, WHICH, UH, WE HAVE JUST ADOPTED, UM, UH, A MONTH OR SO AGO.

UH, ALL OF THE OPERATIONAL FUNDING TO ALLOW FOR THE DECISION MAKING IS IN PLACE HERE.

THAT'S NOT TO SAY THAT EXECUTION IS FUNDED IN THIS BUDGET, BUT YOU WILL STILL HAVE ALL OF THE DECISION ABILITY AND AUTHORITIES.

NOTHING'S BEING TAKEN AWAY IN THIS BUDGET PROCESS.

I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT THIS TO THE COUNTY BOARD.

I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW WE, HOW WE GOT THERE.

UH, WE CERTAINLY DON'T WANT TO GET INTO SPECIFIC DETAILS ABOUT PARTICULAR LINE ITEMS YET AT THIS POINT.

UH, WE'D LIKE THE DEPARTMENT HEADS TO BE ABLE TO HAVE SOME TIME AND DO THEIR WORK, UH, POTENTIALLY BE ABLE TO HELP US, UM, MAKE SOME ADDITIONAL ADJUSTMENTS AND CHANGES THAT MAY GIVE US SOME MORE FLEXIBILITY.

UH, BUT SUFFICE IT TO SAY THERE ARE A NUMBER OF REVENUES THAT WE ARE STILL PLANNING ON COMING IN THAT THE LEGISLATURE HAS SAID THEY WILL DO, THAT THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE HAS INDICATED THEY WILL SIGN THAT HAVEN'T BEEN FULLY REALIZED, BUT WE ARE COUNTING ON.

AND IF THEY DON'T HAPPEN, THERE ARE, THERE'S OVER A HALF A MILLION DOLLARS, UH, IN ADDITIONAL ADJUSTMENTS THAT WILL NEED TO BE MADE.

UH, AND AS WE DO WITH EVERY, EVERY BUDGET, IT'S PRIORITY BASED BUDGETING AND TAXPAYERS COME FIRST.

SO LEVIES DON'T JUST AUTOMATICALLY GO UP, UH, WHEN WE HAVE CHANGES LIKE THAT.

UH, AND YOU SHOULD BE CONFIDENT IN THAT BECAUSE WE WERE JUST ABLE TO MANAGE A, A $3 MILLION GAP IN SO DOING.

SO.

WITH THAT, MR. CHAIRMAN, I'D TURN IT BACK OVER TO YOU.

I AM HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.

OUR CABINET IS HERE TO DO THE SAME SUPERVISOR BOSER.

OKAY.

I APPRECIATE THE APPROACH WE'RE TAKING.

AS YOU SAID, WITH PRIORITY BASED BUDGETING, THE TAXPAYERS DO ALWAYS COME FIRST.

I LOVE THAT.

UM, I DO HAVE ONE QUESTION.

YOU MENTIONED THE 70 MILLION THAT WCA WAS ASKING FOR.

I WANNA MAKE SURE I UNDERSTAND CORRECTLY THAT THAT WAS NOT A RENEWAL, BUT THAT WAS ADDITIONAL FUNDING, CORRECT? YOU'RE CORRECT.

IT'S ADDITIONAL FUNDING.

SO, UM, THE SHORT VERSION OF THE STORY IS, UM, 50 YEARS AGO, ALMOST 60 YEARS AGO, THE STATE CHANGED THE WAY THAT THE COURT SYSTEM WORKED IN WISCONSIN.

EVERY COUNTY NOW HAS A COURT.

UM, THE STATE AT THAT TIME FUNDED ROUGHLY HALF OF THE COST, AND THE COUNTY FUNDED HALF.

IT WAS A TRUE PARTNERSHIP.

TODAY, DEPENDING ON THE COUNTY, IT'S CLOSER TO 20% STATE, 80% COUNTY.

AND THE ASK WAS TO GET BACK TO 50 50.

WE MIGHT HAVE GOTTEN TO 25 75 .

UM, SO IT, THEY, WE ARE A LONG WAY SHORT OF A, OF A SHARED COST.

PERFECT.

THANK YOU.

YES, SUPERVISOR NEWMAN.

THANK YOU.

UM, I, I UNDERSTAND THE, THE TAXPAYERS COME FIRST.

IT'S THE TAXPAYERS MONEY.

UM, ONE THING I, I, I GUESS I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE UNDERSTAND IS IMPORTANT IS, I UNDERSTAND THE, THE INCREASE IN HEALTH INSURANCE.

UM, I DON'T WANT TO SEE BALANCING THE BUDGET ON THE BACKS OF OUR EMPLOYEES.

I MEAN, OUR EMPLOYEES ARE, ARE OUR MOST IMPORTANT ASSETS HERE.

SO I JUST DON'T WANT TO SEE BALANCE IN THE BUDGET ON THE BACKS OF THE EMPLOYEES, BUT THIS INCREASE, UH, HEALTHCARE COSTS AND WHATEVER ELSE WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, WAGES, EVERYTHING ELSE.

SO THAT'S ALL.

I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE WE UNDERSTAND HOW IMPORTANT THEY ARE TO US HERE.

AGREED.

THANK YOU.

ANYONE ELSE? THANK YOU, MR. EXECUTIVE.

WE WILL HAVE SOME INDIVIDUAL, UM, PUBLIC POLICY DECISIONS THAT COME BEFORE YOUR COMMITTEES ALREADY STARTING THIS MONTH, UM, THAT WILL HAVE IMPACTS TO THIS BUDGET.

AND AS CABINET MEMBERS BRING THOSE ITEMS, THEY WILL CERTAINLY BRING THEM TO YOUR ATTENTION THAT NOT ONLY IS THIS A STANDALONE ITEM ON YOUR AGENDA, BUT IT WILL HAVE REVERBERATING IMPACTS, UH, IN THIS BIENNIAL BUDGET TOO.

SO PLAN ON THOSE BEGINNING TO COME IN FRONT OF YOU ALREADY STARTING, UH, THIS MONTH.

THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN.

THE NEXT ITEM ON OUR AGENDA IS RESOLUTION 28, AUTHORIZING THE WASHINGTON COUNTY GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION

[Consideration and Upon Request, Reading of Resolutions and Ordinances]

[a. 2025 Resolution 28 – Resolution Authorizing the Washington County Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Department to Provide GIS Services to the Town of Barton as Part of the Washington County Shared Revenue Grant Program]

[00:45:01]

MOTION.

AND A SECOND, PLEASE.

SUPERVISOR SHARIN.

SUPERVISOR SCHULTE.

WE'VE DONE THIS BEFORE.

UM, YOU SEE THIS, A MUNICIPALITY IS NINE AND 10.

UM, I'VE ACTUALLY BEEN CONTACTED BY A MUNICIPAL, UH, A WHAT COULD BE 11 TODAY.

SO, UM, OUR LOCAL GOVERNMENTS ARE DEFINITELY TAKING ADVANTAGE OF GIS SHARED SERVICES.

UM, LIKE SOME OF THE OTHER ONES THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT.

THE TWO THAT YOU SEE TONIGHT ARE VERY MINIMAL IN TERMS OF THE STAFF LOAD.

UM, PRIMARILY LOOKING AT, UM, MODERNIZING THEIR LOCAL ZONING DATA AND FOR US TO HAVE THAT ON OUR WEBSITE IN CONJUNCTION WITH PARCELS AND ORTHO PHOTOGRAPHY AND EVERYTHING ELSE THAT WE MAINTAIN HERE.

SO THE QUESTION YOU ALWAYS ASK ME IS, CAN WE OBSERVE THESE WITH EXISTING STAFF FOR THESE TWO? YES.

THE, THE QUE THE ANSWER IS YES, WE CAN.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR DISCUSSION? THERE BEING NONE.

UH, ONCE IT'S SET UP, WE'LL VOTE ELECTRONICALLY.

THIS IS A SIMPLE MAJORITY VOTE.

DID YOU GET CONRAD? OKAY, UNANIMOUS.

IT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.

UH, AND SUPERVISORS, HARTWIG AND GALS, THANK YOU FOR HELPING OUT OUR NEWBIE .

OUR NEXT ITEM IS RESOLUTION 29, AUTHORIZING WASHINGTON COUNTY GS TO PROVIDE SERVICE TO THE TOWN OF AARON.

SIMILARLY, UH, MOTION AND A SECOND PLEASE.

SUPERVISOR, GATZ SUPERVISOR.

MARY, UM, ANY QUESTIONS OR DISCUSSION? THERE BEING NONE.

WE'LL ALSO VOTE ELECTRONICALLY ON THIS.

ALSO A SIMPLE MAJORITY.

I UNANIMOUS PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, SIR.

NEXT UP IS RESOLUTION 30 FOR COUNTY AIDED BRIDGE AND CULVERT REPLACEMENT TOWN OF BARTON MOTION.

AND A SECOND PLEASE.

SUPERVISOR SCHWAB.

SUPERVISOR NEWMAN.

THANK YOU.

ANY DISCUSSION OR QUESTIONS? MAY I? SURE.

THANK YOU MR. CHAIRMAN.

I JUST WANTED TO POINT OUT THAT THERE WAS AN ERROR IN THE, IN THE REPORT FORM THAT WENT OUT TO THE, TO THE PUBLIC WORKS COMMITTEE THAT WAS, UH, FOUND THERE AND I APPRECIATE THAT.

UH, THE AMOUNT OF THE FISCAL EFFECT, UH, HAD AN EXTRA FIVE IN IT.

UH, SO IN THE REPORT ITSELF HAD THAT TO THE BALANCE OF THE, UH, ROAD AND BRIDGE AID FUND IS 28,000 794 39.

IN THE FISCAL EFFECT, UH, THERE WAS A FIVE IN FRONT OF THE 28.

SO IT LOOKS LIKE YOURS, 528, UM, 7 94 39, BUT THERE IS ONLY 28 7 94 39.

UH, SO IT IS IMPORTANT THAT, UH, ONE THING THAT'S DIFFERENT ABOUT THIS ONE THAN THE PAST ONES YOU'VE DONE IS THIS WILL THEN ZERO OUT THAT ACCOUNT FOR THE REMAINDER OF, OF THIS CALENDAR YEAR.

UH, WE HAVE SENT OUT AN EMAIL TO TOWNS, UH, REQUESTING THEIR, UH, ANTICIPATED PROJECTS FOR NEXT YEAR AND THEN THE YEAR AFTER THAT.

UH, SO WE'RE HOPING TO, TO DIAL THAT IN A LITTLE BIT BETTER.

AND AS THE ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE POINT OUT, THAT IS A, A SEPARATE FUND THAT WOULD BE WORKING OUR WAY THROUGH THE BUDGET PROCESS WITH THE PUBLIC WORKS COMMITTEE AND THEN EVENTUALLY THE, THE COUNTY BOARD.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

UM, QUESTIONS OR DISCUSSION? THERE? BEING NONE.

ONCE IT'S SET UP, WE'LL VOTE ELECTRONICALLY.

THIS IS ALSO A SIMPLE MAJORITY VOTE UNANIMOUS ALSO PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.

NEXT UP IS RESOLUTION 31.

DELEGATING THE AUTHORITY TO ENTER INTO SETTLEMENT AGREEMENTS WITH OPIOID DEFENDANTS TO THE WASHINGTON COUNTY EXECUTIVE.

A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR SCHULTY.

SECOND BY SUPERVISOR PRIDE MOORE.

ANY DISCUSSION OR QUESTIONS?

[00:50:04]

SUPERVISOR GALLEX.

SO I, I GUESS I HAVE A QUESTION THAT COMES UP WHAT'S, WE'VE HAD A NUMBER OF SETTLEMENT AGREEMENTS AND WHO HAVE HANDLED THOSE TO DATE.

SO I GUESS I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND, ARE WE JUST NOT TIMELY RESPONSIVE AND THEREFORE WE'RE TRYING TO DIRECT TO THE EXECUTIVE VERSUS, UH, THE BOARD MAKING THAT DECISION? SO I AM REALLY TRYING TO UNDERSTAND WHAT PROBLEM ARE WE TRYING TO SOLVE FOR? ARE WE JUST NOT RESPONSIVE ENOUGH IN TIMING TO, UH, GET ON THESE LAWSUITS OR SETTLEMENT AGREEMENTS OR NEGOTIATIONS? UM, SO IT, THAT'S MY GUESS.

MY FIRST QUESTION IS, WHAT IS THE ISSUE THAT WE'RE TRYING TO RESOLVE? UM, BECAUSE I DO LIKE, YOU KNOW, SEPARATION OF DUTIES AND WE HOLD THE PURSE.

AS EXECUTIVES SAID EARLIER, BUDGET ITEMS DO COME BEFORE US.

SO I GUESS I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND FROM A, FROM A, I GUESS A PARENT FUNDING STANDPOINT, SHOULDN'T UH, THE BOARD CONTINUE TO HAVE A, A VOICE IN THAT? SO IF SOMEONE COULD HELP ME UNDERSTAND, UH, I I CAN, I CAN HELP YOU OUT THERE.