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ACTUALLY, THAT HELPED FORM SOME OF MY OPINIONS.
GOOD MORNING, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN.
WELCOME TO THE AUGUST MEETING OF THE WASHINGTON COUNTY PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE MEETING.
THIS MEETING HAS BEEN APPROPRIATELY NOTICED BY THE CLERK WITH, UH, VARIOUS MEDIA OUTLETS.
WE ARE IN ORDER AND WE'LL BEGIN WITH THE MOMENT OF SILENT PRAYER AND A PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG, TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVIDUAL WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
WE HAVE THIS MORNING, UH, THREE MEMBERS IN ATTENDANCE, UH, SUPERVISOR TOMA EXCUSED, AND SUPERVISOR KRIEGER.
ITEM TWO A ON THE AGENDA THEN IS WITH REGARD TO THE MINUTES OF JULY 16TH, WERE THERE ANY CORRECTIONS OR ADDITIONS THAT NEEDED TO BE MADE TO THE MINUTES? IF NOT THE MINUTES, WE'LL STAND AS POSTED.
ITEM THREE, A DISCUSSION OR POSSIBLE ACTION, DISTRICT ATTORNEY ATTORNEY'S REPORT.
AND FOR THAT, WE HAVE DISTRICT ATTORNEY BARRY BRASS.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR FLEXIBILITY.
I, I APPRECIATE YOUR, YOUR PATIENCE AND, AND INDULGENCE IN COMING BACK AGAIN THIS MONTH.
THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN, AND, AND THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME BACK.
I KNOW THAT THE, UH, THE COMMITTEE HAS, UH, SEVERAL ITEMS ON THE AGENDA THIS MORNING.
UM, WHAT I CAN GIVE AN UPDATE ON WITHIN THE OFFICE.
CERTAINLY STAFFING WISE, WE ARE IN A GOOD POSITION AT THIS POINT.
UH, WE HAVE, UH, EFFECTIVELY SEVEN FULL-TIME PROSECUTORS WITHIN THE OFFICE, INCLUDING MYSELF.
UH, THAT'S IN PART GIVEN THE, UH, 0.6 POSITION THAT THE, THE COUNTY HAS, UH, GRACIOUSLY, UH, PROVIDED FUNDING FOR.
UH, AND SO WE DO HAVE SEVEN FULL-TIME ATTORNEYS.
WE ALSO STILL ACTUALLY DO HAVE A POINT FOR ARPA POSITION, UH, THAT I CAN EXPLAIN.
ULTIMATELY, ARPA WAS, UH, FOR PROSECUTOR POSITIONS, WAS, UH, BELIEVED TO BE, UH, EXPIRING ON JULY 31 OF THIS YEAR, UH, JUST RECENTLY.
THAT WAS ACTUALLY EXTENDED TO OCTOBER FIVE.
UH, AND SO WE STILL HAVE THAT ARPA POSITION, AND I'M ACTUALLY, UH, PROUD TO ANNOUNCE THAT, UH, WE'VE FILLED THAT POSITION EVEN FOR JUST THE BRIEF TIME, UH, WITH SUE OPPER, WHO IS THE FORMER DISTRICT ATTORNEY FROM, UH, WAUKESHA COUNTY.
SHE HAS AGREED TO, UH, WORK PART-TIME IN THAT POSITION TO HELP US WITH CHARGING, UH, AND OTHER ASPECTS WITHIN THE OFFICE.
I'LL ALSO NOTE, UH, ATTORNEYS WISE IN THE OFFICE, WE HAVE A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF EXPERIENCE ACROSS, ACROSS THE BOARD.
WE HAVE ONE NEW ATTORNEY WHO, UH, WHO JUST RECENTLY GRADUATED FROM LAW SCHOOL.
UH, BUT OTHERWISE, A TON OF EXPERIENCE WITHIN THE OFFICE.
UH, CHRISTIE GORDON'S ACTUALLY, UH, A NEW HIRE WITHIN THE OFFICE.
SHE, UH, WAS A DEPUTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY IN WAUKESHA COUNTY, UH, AND RECENTLY JOINED OUR OFFICE AS AN ASSISTANT DISTRICT ATTORNEY.
UH, SO CERTAINLY, UH, WITH THE MAKEUP OF THE OFFICE RIGHT NOW, WE ARE IN A STRONG POSITION.
UH, BUT ULTIMATELY, I DID OUTLINE IT IN MY REPORT, UH, WHAT OCCURRED WITH THE, UH, STATE BUDGET, UH, IN WHICH, UH, I WILL, I WILL SAY I'M, I'M CERTAINLY VERY HAPPY THAT WE DID RECEIVE, UH, PAY PROGRESSION FUNDING THROUGH THE STATE FOR OUR CURRENT PROSECUTORS.
UH, THAT CERTAINLY HELPS WITH, UH, RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION, UH, TO ENSURE THAT ATTORNEYS CONTINUE TO GET, UH, PAY INCREASES.
BUT ULTIMATELY, UH, POSITION WISE, UH, OUR OFFICE DID NOT RECEIVE ANY ADDITIONAL POSITIONS IN THE STATE BUDGET.
UH, AND UNFORTUNATELY, THAT PUTS US IN A VERY DIFFICULT, UH, SITUATION BECAUSE, UH, AS I OUTLINED IN THE REPORT, WE ARE THERE, WE ARE SEEING THIS YEAR A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN CHARGING, UH, UNDER MY LEADERSHIP.
AND THAT'S, UH, IN PART, UH, DUE TO A, A BACKLOG OF REFERRALS, UH, THAT OUR OFFICE IS, IS GETTING THROUGH AND, AND IS NEARLY ALL THE WAY THROUGH.
UH, IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE'RE SIMPLY TAKING A, A MORE AGGRESSIVE APPROACH ON, ON CHARGING DECISIONS.
UH, AND, AND THEN, AND THAT ULTIMATELY LEADS TO, UH, ADDITIONAL CASE FILINGS.
UH, AS NOTED, UH, WE'RE GOING TO SEE, OR WE'RE ANTICIPATING ABOUT, UH, 500 TO 600, UH, CASE INCREASE.
IT'S ABOUT A 25% CASE INCREASE, UH, WITHIN THE OFFICE.
UH, AND SO WHAT THAT ULTIMATELY MEANS THEN IS WITH THE ATTORNEYS IN WITH THAT ARE IN THE OFFICE CURRENTLY, UH, THEIR CASELOADS ARE GOING TO INCREASE.
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UH, A SOMEWHAT MANAGEABLE CASELOAD IS SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 200 TO 250 CASES.UH, I ACT, THIS IS ANECDOTAL, BUT I HAVE A, I HAVE A CLOSE FRIEND FROM LAW SCHOOL WHO USED TO BE A PROSECUTOR IN OAKLAND COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
HIS CASELOAD WAS ACTUALLY A HUNDRED TO 150.
UH, CURRENTLY WITHIN THE OFFICE, UH, THE, THE MAJORITY, THE GREAT MAJORITY OF OUR ATTORNEYS HAVE, UH, BETWEEN 300 TO 400 CASES, UH, THAT THEY'RE PROSECUTING.
AND GIVEN THE RISE IN CASES THAT WE'RE FILING, UH, THAT NUMBER IS GOING TO CONTINUE TO RISE.
UH, AND MY CONCERN IS CERTAINLY AT THAT, AT SOME POINT, UH, ATTORNEYS WITHIN THE OFFICE ARE GOING TO EXPERIENCE, UH, BURNOUT OR PRIORITIES HAVE TO, UH, DECISIONS ON PRIORITIES HAVE TO BE MADE.
UH, AND THAT CAN BE WHEN WE HAVE, UH, ATTORNEYS PROSECUTING A, A SIGNIFICANT FELONY CASE, UH, LIKE AN ARMED ROBBERY OR, OR SOMETHING TO THAT EFFECT.
AND THEY ALSO HAVE A MISDEMEANOR RETAIL THEFT, UH, WHICH CERTAINLY TO THAT BUSINESS OWNER, THAT EXPERIENCE, THAT'S THE VICTIM OF THAT CRIME, UH, THE ATTORNEY HAS TO MAKE A DECISION ON, ON WHERE THEY SET THEIR PRIORITIES.
UH, THEY ONLY HAVE SO MUCH TIME IN THE DAY.
UH, SO MY CONCERN IS SIMPLY THAT, UH, WITH THE, WITH THE INCREASE IN CASES THAT WE'RE SEEING, UH, THAT DECISIONS ARE GOING TO HAVE TO BE MADE, UH, AND I HOPE I'M GONNA DO EVERYTHING IN MY POWER, UH, TO ENSURE THAT THE ATTORNEYS WITHIN THE OFFICE DO NOT EXPERIENCE BURNOUT.
BUT THAT'S CERTAINLY A CONCERN OF MINE.
UM, AND SO I NOTED AS WELL WITHIN THE REPORT, UH, THE, ESSENTIALLY THE DECISION OR MY UNDERSTANDING OF THE DECISION MAKING BY, UH, JOINT FINANCE AT THE STATE LEVEL, UH, WAS ATTEMPTING TO ACHIEVE 80% STAFFING WITHIN AS MANY DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICES AS THEY COULD.
THAT WAS BASED ON A 2024 WORKLOAD ANALYSIS, WHICH CONSIDERED 2021 THROUGH 2023, UH, CASELOAD NUMBERS.
UH, AND WITH THAT, UH, THROUGH THEIR ANALYSIS, WE WERE AT JUST BELOW 80%.
UH, SO UNFORTUNATELY, FOR JOINT FINANCE, UH, WE WERE NOT CONSIDERED A PRIORITY, UH, WHEN THEY WERE DETERMINING WHAT POSITIONS, UH, TO ALLOCATE.
UH, BUT AS I INDICATED, UH, THROUGH THE 2024 WORKLOAD ANALYSIS, UH, THE STATE INDICATES THAT, UH, WE HAVE A NEED OF EIGHT, JUST OVER EIGHT ATTORNEYS, SO EFFECTIVELY EIGHT ATTORNEYS.
UH, BUT AS I INDICATED WITH, WITH THE INCREASE IN CASELOADS THAT WE ARE SEEING, UH, UH, FRANKLY, WE NEED BEYOND EIGHT ATTORNEYS.
AND SO, UM, I CAN, I CAN TELL THIS COMMITTEE THAT, UH, REGARDLESS OF POSITIONS, UH, THE ATTORNEYS IN THE OFFICE ARE WORKING HARD, THEY'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO WORK HARD.
I'M CERTAINLY GOING TO CONTINUE TO WORK HARD, UH, AND WE'RE GONNA DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO WORK WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT TO ENSURE PUBLIC SAFETY IN WASHINGTON COUNTY.
UH, BUT IT'S CERTAINLY, WE, WE APPEAR TO BE APPROACHING AN IMPASSE.
UH, AND, AND I'M HOPEFUL THAT EITHER THROUGH, UH, THE COUNTY OR CERTAINLY THROUGH, UH, THE STATE IN THE NEXT BUDGET, I CAN ENSURE THIS COMMITTEE THAT I'M GOING TO CONTINUE TO BE SPEAKING WITH OUR MEMBERS OF THE STATE LEGISLATURE, UH, REGARDING, UH, CERTAINLY THE NEXT BUDGET CYCLE.
UM, BUT I'M HOPEFUL THAT, UH, IN THE NEAR FUTURE, UH, SOME CON SOME RELIEF CAN BE GRANTED TO OUR OFFICE.
UH, BUT ULTIMATELY, UM, IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS, UH, WITHIN THE REPORT, I'M CERTAINLY OPEN, UH, TO TAKING QUESTIONS.
HOPEFULLY I CAN PROVIDE ANSWERS.
UM, BUT ALL IN ALL, WITH THE, WITH THE STAFF THAT WE DO HAVE, WE ARE IN A GREAT POSITION.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR, OR FOR YOUR REPORT.
WERE THERE ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMITTEE? SO, UH, ONE OF THE, ONE OF MY COMMENTS, FIRST OF ALL IS THANK YOU FOR YOUR HARD WORK AND EFFORT, AND THANK YOU, THANKS TO THOSE IN YOUR OFFICE WHO ARE CONTINUING UNDER STRESSFUL SITUATIONS.
WE APPRECIATE THEIR EFFORTS AS WELL.
UM, AS MORE CASES ARE BEING TAKEN UP THAT MAYBE IN THE PAST WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN CHARGED, IS THERE ANY, AND THIS, THIS IS JUST DUE TO THIS QUESTION'S DUE TO A LACK OF MY UNDERSTANDING OF HOW YOUR OFFICE OPERATES.
IS THERE ANY, ARE THE ADDITIONAL CASES YOU'RE PICKING UP, PERHAPS EASIER TO HANDLE WHERE THEY REQUIRE A LITTLE LESS TIME? SO, YES, YOUR, YOUR PROSECUTORS ARE HAND DEPUTY PROSECUTORS ARE HANDLING 300 TO 350 CASES.
DO SOME OF THOSE REQUIRE LESS ATTENTION THAN, THAN, UH, THAN THE ONES THAT THE 200 THAT YOU WOULD'VE BEEN FOCUSING ON IN THE PAST? SOME, SOME DO.
I MEAN, SOME, IT ALL DEPENDS ON, OF COURSE, CERTAINLY THE COMPLEXITY OF THE CASE.
I CAN, I CAN ADVISE THE COMMITTEE THAT, UH, SOME CASES WITHIN THE BACKLOG WERE VERY SERIOUS FELONIES, UH, BURGLARY OFFENSES, UH, AUTO THEFT
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OFFENSES, UH, THAT TOOK, THAT TOOK LAW ENFORCEMENT A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF TIME TO INVESTIGATE.UH, AND THOSE ARE, THOSE ARE CASES THAT HAVE BEEN, THAT HAVE BEEN CHARGED.
UH, THOSE CASES ARE GOING TO TAKE A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF TIME, UH, TO PROSECUTE AS WELL.
THERE'S CERTAINLY OTHERS THAT ARE MISDEMEANOR LEVEL OFFENSES THAT, UH, THAT COULD BE A BIT MORE SIMPLE IN, IN PROSECUTION.
UH, HOWEVER, WHEN DEFENDANTS ARE CHARGED WITH CRIMES, THEY GET A, THEY GET A DEFENSE ATTORNEY.
AND OFTENTIMES DEFENSE ATTORNEYS, UH, THEY DO THEIR DUE DILIGENCE AND, AND THEY DO THEIR PART IN DEFENDING THEIR CLIENT.
AND THAT CAN CREATE ADDITIONAL INVESTIGATION THAT WE HAVE TO, THAT WE HAVE TO, UH, ADVISE LAW ENFORCEMENT OF THAT WE HAVE TO CONSIDER AS WELL.
SO IT'S, IT'S DIFFICULT TO SAY SOME, SOME OF THE CASES THAT ARE BEING CHARGED AREN'T THE MOST COMPLEX INVESTIGATIONS, UH, HOWEVER MANY OF THEM ARE.
AND SO IT'S, IT'S DIFFICULT TO GAUGE THAT, UH, COMPLETELY.
UM, ALSO, I'M GLAD TO HEAR, I MEAN, IN, IN TODAY'S LABOR MARKET, AND NOT TO SPEAK IN TOO BROAD OF TERMS OR, OR TOO COLDLY, BUT I DO REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR CONCERN FOR THE EMPLOYEES UNDER YOUR DIRECTION.
UM, IT IS IMPORTANT THAT WE DO THE BEST WE CAN TO RETAIN THE EMPLOYEES THAT WE HAVE.
AND, UH, I BELIEVE EVERYONE IN THIS COMMITTEE REALIZES THE IMPORTANCE OF THAT AS WELL.
I APPRECIATE THAT, MR. CHAIRMAN.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMITTEE? THANK YOU.
ITEM THREE B ON OUR AGENDA IS THE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT REPORT TO DATE, UM, FROM EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT COORDINATOR, DUSTIN LOFE, THANK YOU FOR YOUR, YOUR PATIENCE AND INDULGENCE IN DELAYING A MONTH AS WELL.
I APPRECIATE YOUR FLEXIBILITY.
AND GOOD MORNING MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE.
HOW DO WE GET THIS FLIPPED OVER? YES, KAYLA, CAN WE GET THIS FLIPPED OVER TO THE POWERPOINT? ALL RIGHT.
SO I AM HERE TODAY TO PRESENT YOU THE 2025 YEAR TO DATE REPORT FOR THE OFFICE OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT HERE IN WASHINGTON COUNTY.
I'D LIKE TO FIRST START OUT BY POINTING OUT THAT AUGUST IS THE NATIONAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AWARENESS MONTH.
UM, THE INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF EMERGENCY MANAGERS EMERGENCY MANAGERS HAS RELEASED A VIDEO THAT I'D LIKE TO SHOW YOU THAT JUST EXPLAINS EXACTLY WHAT AN EMERGENCY MANAGER IS INVOLVED WITH.
MOST PEOPLE DON'T THINK ABOUT EMERGENCY MANAGERS.
CAN WE, CAN YOU GUYS SEE THAT THE VIDEO? IS IT, I PAUSED IT SO WE CAN FLIP IT UP ON THE SCREEN.
YOU SAID, DO YOU HAVE TO DRAG IT FROM YOUR SCREEN, LIKE LEFT OR RIGHT? LEMME SEE A SECOND.
WE UNDERSTAND WHY WE'RE NOT THE ONES DRIVING AMBULANCES OR PUTTING OUT THE FIRES.
INSTEAD, WE'RE BEHIND THE SCENES MAKING SURE THAT THOSE RESOURCES HAVE EVERYTHING THEY NEED BEFORE THEY KNOW THEY NEED IT, BECAUSE WE KNEW THE RISKS AND WORK TOGETHER TO BE READY EVERY DAY.
WE UNITE THE PEOPLE WHO KEEP OUR COMMUNITIES THRIVING, THE SCHOOLS THAT CARE FOR YOUR CHILDREN, THE HOSPITALS THAT HEAL OUR LOVED ONES, THE UTILITY PROVIDERS THAT KEEP THE LIGHTS ON AND THE WATER FLOWING, THE ELECTED OFFICIALS THAT MAKE DECISIONS, AND THE FIRST RESPONDERS WHO PROTECT US ALL TOGETHER.
WE PLAN, WE TRAIN, WE BUILD RELATIONSHIPS BEFORE THE EMERGENCY HAPPENS.
WE WRITE THE PLANS NO ONE HOPES TO NEED, AND WE ASK QUESTIONS THAT MAKE PEOPLE UNCOMFORTABLE, BECAUSE WE KNOW WHAT HAPPENS WHEN PRESSURE IS REAL, AND MINUTES ARE SHORT.
WE'VE SEEN WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE WHEN COMMUNITIES AREN'T READY, WHEN CHAOS TAKES OVER, WHEN FAMILIES LOOK FOR HELP THAT ISN'T COMING, WE DO OUR JOB SO THAT THE NEXT TIME THE OUTCOME IS DIFFERENT.
BECAUSE THIS JOB ISN'T JUST ABOUT PLANS OR SYSTEMS OR STRATEGIES, IT'S ABOUT WALKING OUR COMMUNITIES THROUGH THEIR DARKEST DAYS AND HELPING THEM FIND THEIR
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WAY BACK.NO MATTER HOW LONG THAT RECOVERY TAKES, IF YOU LOOK FOR US, WE CAN BE FOUND IN ALL LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT, LOCAL, STATE, TRIBAL, FEDERAL, US TERRITORIES, AND INTERNATIONALLY, WE'RE IN YOUR SCHOOLS, COLLEGES, AND UNIVERSITIES, IN YOUR NONPROFITS, UTILITIES, AND TRANSIT SYSTEMS. WE EVEN WORK BEHIND THE SCENES WHERE YOU SHOP, WORK AND UNWIND ON THE WEEKEND.
YOU MAY NOT KNOW OUR NAMES, BUT WE ARE HERE EVERY DAY READY TO HOLD THE PIECES TOGETHER WHEN IT SEEMS THE WORLD IS FALLING APART.
WE'RE YOUR EMERGENCY MANAGERS.
SO I WANTED TO SHOW THAT VIDEO, AND ESPECIALLY THE LAST STATEMENT THAT THEY MADE WE'RE HERE, I'M HERE TO HOLD THE PIECES TOGETHER AS THINGS FALL APART.
THAT'S WHAT I'VE DONE THIS WHOLE PAST 10 DAYS, SUPPORTING A LOT OF THE COMMUNITIES, THE FIRE DEPARTMENTS, THE CITIZENS.
UM, IT'S A BIG TASK, BUT THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT IS.
A LOT OF OUR STUFF IS DONE BEHIND THE SCENES, UH, DURING BLUE SKY TIMES WHEN WE'RE NOT FLOODING, WHEN WE DON'T HAVE THUNDERSTORMS, SNOW, THINGS LIKE THAT.
THAT'S WHERE OUR MOST IMPORTANT PLANNING IS DONE.
SO I JUST WANT YOU TO THINK ABOUT THAT VIDEO AS I GO THROUGH THIS SLIDE SHOW AND EXPLAIN ABOUT OUR ANNUAL REPORT.
SO IN 2025, IT'S BEEN A HIS BUSY AND HISTORIC YEAR TO DATE FOR THIS OFFICE, UH, THE OFFICE OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT.
SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS I WANT TO GO THROUGH IS THE STAFFING AND SCOPE OF RESPONSIBILITIES, THE WHOLE COMMUNITY APPROACH TO EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS, OUR HAZARD ASSESSMENT, DISASTER DECLARATIONS, 2000 THROUGH 2024.
AND OF COURSE NOW HERE IN 2025, THE THREE MAJOR HAZARD RESPONSES WE'VE GONE TO THIS YEAR.
UH, THE LEADER TRANSITION FROM ROB TO MYSELF IN APRIL, THE 30 TO 60 90 DAY TRANSITION PLAN.
UM, OUR BUDGET REQUEST FOR 20 26, 27 FOR AN ADDITIONAL FTE, AND THEN EXPLAINING SOME OF THE FEDERAL POLICY SHIFTS IN EXECUTIVE ORDERS THAT ARE REALLY IMPACTING THE LOCAL EM PROGRAMS. SO THE WASHINGTON COUNTY OFFICE OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT IS CURRENTLY STAFFED BY ONE FULL-TIME EQUIVALENT.
IT'S MYSELF, THE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT COORDINATOR, AND I REPORT TO THE PUBLIC SAFETY DEPARTMENT, THE CHIEF PUBLIC SAFETY OFFICER.
THE OFFICE INCORPORATES THE WHOLE COMMUNITY APPROACH TO ADD VALUE TO THE COMMUNITY THROUGH COORDINATION AND ASSISTANCE WITH RISK REDUCTION, EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS RESPONSE, COMMUNITY LED RECOVERY EFFORTS, EX EXERCISE PLANNING AND EXECUTION TRAINING WITH OUR STAKEHOLDERS, COMMUNITY OUTREACH TO FULFILL SOME OF THE VARIOUS, UH, DELIVERABLES FOR OUR GRANTS, HAZARD MITIGATION, EMERGENCY PLANS, AND OF COURSE, RESOURCING FOR INCIDENTS.
AS THE VIDEO MENTIONED, AND AS THE JOB DESCRIPTION MENTIONS, EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT OFFICES HAVE A TREMENDOUS SCOPE OF RESPONSIBILITY.
OFFICES DON'T JUST RESPOND TO MAJOR DISASTERS.
OFFICES ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR PROJECTS THAT REDUCE RISKS AND THREATS OF ALL KINDS, AND PREPARE COMMUNITIES AND PEOPLE FOR A WIDE RANGE OF DANGERS, INCLUDING CYBER ATTACKS, TERRORISM, EARTHQUAKES, AND FLOODS.
MY OFFICE ASSISTS COMMUNITY-LED RECOVERY EFFORTS AFTER CATASTROPHIC CATASTROPHIC EVENTS.
WE COORDINATE TRAINING FOR VOLUNTEERS THAT MAY BECOME COMMUNITY RESPONDERS AND OFFICES, ENSURE UNDERSERVED AND VULNERABLE POPULATIONS ARE ACCOUNTED FOR AND HAVE EVACUATION PLANS.
THE OFFICE DOES MUCH, MUCH MORE THAN THAT.
IT TAKES AN ENTIRE TEAM OF EMERGENCY MANAGERS WITH DIVERSE SKILL SETS, KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE TO EFFECTIVELY MANAGE THE SCOPE OF RESPONSIBILITIES TO SUPPORT COUNTY AND MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENTS.
THE BANDWIDTH OF ONE COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGER DOES NOT EFFECTIVELY ALLOW THE MITIGATION, PREPAREDNESS, RESPONSE AND RECOVERY ACTIVITIES NEEDED TO SUPPORT THE COMMUNITY.
THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF FEMA'S WHOLE COMMUNITY APPROACH THAT WE USE.
AS YOU CAN SEE, A WHOLE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT TO EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS IS INDIVIDUALS AND COMMUNITIES, NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS, CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE, PRIVATE SECTOR BUSINESSES, STATE, LOCAL AND FEDERAL PARTNERS, AND ANYBODY ELSE THAT WE CAN THINK OF THAT CAN HELP SUPPORT OUR PLANNING AND OUR RESPONSE AND RECOVERY EFFORTS.
SO, A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE COUNTY'S HAZARD
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ASSESSMENT.SEVERAL HAZARDS CONTINUE TO FACE THE COUNTY AND REGION.
EX MOST IMPACTFUL LATELY HAS BEEN EXTREME WEATHER RELATED DISASTERS.
UH, OF COURSE, THE FLOODS THAT WE EXPERIENCED THIS PAST WEEK, WE'VE HAD AN UPTICK IN MORE EXTREME HEAT AND COLD WEATHER PATTERNS, UH, WINTER STORMS AND THUNDERSTORMS, HAIL, LIGHTNING, STRONG WINDS AND TORNADOES.
WE'VE ALSO HAD MORE POTENTIAL FOR CIVIL UNREST AS, AS WE'VE HAD GROUPS THAT DO DIFFERENT TYPES OF DEMONSTRATIONS.
UM, CYBERSECURITY IS ALWAYS A BIG THREAT TO OUR COMMUNITIES.
UH, RECENT EXAMPLE WOULD BE IN THE TWIN CITIES WHERE IT TOOK DOWN, UH, I BELIEVE IT WAS ST.
PAUL FOR SEVERAL DAYS DUE TO CYBERSECURITY.
TOOK DOWN MUCH OF THEIR SERVICES, HAZARDOUS MATERIAL SPILLS, AND JUST THE PROFOUND IMPACTS THAT THOSE HAZARDS HAVE ON CONTINUITY OF OPERATIONS AT THE COUNTY LEVEL AND FOR COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDERS.
I WANNA POINT OUT THAT GRAPHIC THAT YOU SEE ON THE SLIDES.
YOU SEE THAT THE OLD TORNADO ALLEY, OR THE TORNADO ALLEY, AS IT'S CALLED, HAS SHIFTED EASTWARD ACROSS THE UNITED STATES, AND NOW INCLUDES OUR COUNTY IN SOUTHEASTERN WISCONSIN.
SO THIS IS SOME DATA FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE THAT WAS PROVIDED YESTERDAY.
UM, IN THE PAST 12 MONTHS, WASHINGTON COUNTY HAS EXPERIENCED FOUR FLASH FLOOD WARNINGS, THOSE BEING MOST RECENTLY, FLOOD ADVISORIES, FLOOD WARNINGS.
UH, WE'VE HAD ONE TORNADO WARNING THIS YEAR, TWO TORNADO WATCHES, AND OF COURSE, A NUMBER OF WINTER STORM WARNING THREATS.
WHAT THIS IS POINTING OUT IS THAT WEATHER IS TRULY ONE OF OUR BIGGEST HAZARDS TO THE COUNTY.
SO HERE'S AN EXAMPLE OF THE COUNTY'S DISASTER DECLARATIONS FROM 2000 TO 2004.
WHAT THAT GRAPHIC SHOWS IS THAT WE'VE HAD SEVEN, BUT OF COURSE, UP IN THE CORNER YOU SEE THAT I'VE INDICATED ON AUGUST 10TH, WE DECLARED A STATE OF EMERGENCY FOR THE CURRENT FLOODING.
IN THE LAST 25 YEARS, EVERY COUNTY NATIONWIDE HAS EXPERIENCED AT LEAST ONE FEDERALLY DECLARED MAJOR DISASTER IN THE LAST 25 YEARS.
EVERY COUNTY NATIONWIDE HAS EXPERIENCED AT LEAST ONE FEDERALLY DECLARED MAJOR DISASTER.
THAT JUST SHOWS THAT THE SEVERITY OF DISASTERS IS INCREASING AND HOW IMPORTANT THE PLANNING AND RESPONSE IS BY THE OFFICE OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT.
OVER THE PAST TWO DECADES, NATURAL DISASTERS HAVE INCREASED IN FREQUENCY, SEVERITY, AND COST, WHICH IS REALLY DETRIMENTAL TO COUNTY GOVERNMENTS, LOCAL GOVERNMENTS AND CITIZENS IN OUR COUNTY.
THE HAZARDS WERE ESTIMATED HAVE CAUSED OVER $63 MILLION.
THAT'S IN 2020 $1 IN DAMAGES, AND OF COURSE, DOES NOT INCLUDE THE EVENT THAT WE'RE CURRENTLY IN.
SO, AS I MENTIONED, THREE MAJOR HAZARD RESPONSES, UH, ALL SINCE APRIL 2ND.
UM, SO MAY 15TH, 2025, WE HAD A SEVERE WEATHER OUTBREAK THAT IMPACTED THE REGION.
UM, DODGE COUNTY HAD SIX CONFIRMED TORNADOES, TWO OF WHICH WERE JUST A FEW MILES OFF OF OUR WESTERN BORDER.
UM, AS PART OF THAT RESPONSE, WE DID HAVE, YOU KNOW, THAT SAME STORM COME THROUGH HERE.
I RESPONDED INTO DISPATCH TO MONITOR THE WEATHER THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY, AND THEN PERFORMED A WINDSHIELD SURVEY OF THE NORTHWESTERN PORTION OF THE COUNTY WHERE DODGE COUNTY'S TORNADO CAME ACROSS NEAR RESA AND LAIRA.
WE ALSO OFFERED OUR SUPPORT TO DODGE COUNTY ONCE WE WERE ABLE TO CONFIRM THAT OUR DAMAGE WAS MINIMAL, IF ANY.
JUNE 30TH, 2025, THE OFFICE RESPONDED TO A TRAINED DERAILMENT IN HARTFORD INVOLVING THREE LOCOMOTIVES AND 19 TRAIN CARS THAT DERAILED IN THE CITY, PRODUCING MINOR INJURIES AND SPILLING BULK DIESEL FUEL.
WE ASSISTED THE HAZMAT TEAM IN THE CITY OF HARTFORD'S FIRE RESCUE.
FORTUNATELY, WE ALSO HAD DODGE COUNTY'S EM TEAM SUPPORTING US AT THAT INCIDENT WITH RESOURCING AND COORDINATION OF WITH HAZMAT.
UM, THAT INCIDENT WAS LITERALLY ON THE, THE COUNTY LINE, WHICH IS WHY BOTH AGENCIES WERE THERE.
AND THEN OF COURSE, OVER THE PAST TWO WEEKENDS AGO, AUGUST 9TH, SEVERAL MUNICIPALITIES WERE IMPACTED IN THE COUNTY FROM SEVERE FLOODING THAT WASHED OUT ROADWAYS, BRIDGES, FOR EXAMPLE, IN THE TOWN OF FARMINGTON PARKS, WIDESPREAD BRACE BASEMENT FLOODING AND IMPACTS TO WASTEWATER TREATMENT FACILITIES.
ALL THAT REQUIRED E EM SUPPORT TO, UH, LAST COUNT WAS 10 MUNICIPALITIES THAT I COORDINATED
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WITH, UM, TO DO DAMAGE ASSESSMENT, PROVIDE RESOURCES, AND ANSWER THEIR PHONE CALLS AND EMAILS.THAT'S A BIG CHALLENGE FOR ONE PERSON TO COORDINATE WITH THOSE 10 DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES.
THIS IS JUST SIMPLY A STATISTIC THAT 70 HOURS WENT INTO LAST WEEK FOR MYSELF, PROVIDING THAT SUPPORT DAY, WEEKEND, AND NIGHT.
SO, DOESN'T LEAVE A WHOLE LOT OF TIME FOR YOUR OWN MENTAL HEALTH, YOUR OWN SLEEP, YOUR OWN FAMILY.
SO JUST KEEP THAT IN MIND PLEASE.
SO, THE OEM, THE OFFICE OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT LEADER TRANSITION IN ON APRIL 2ND, ROB RETIRED AFTER MORE THAN TWO DECADES OF EXCELLENT SERVICE TO THE COUNTY, UH, RESULTING IN THE TRANSITION OF THE OFFICE TO MYSELF.
I DEVELOPED A 30 60 90 DAY ACTION PLAN TO GUIDE THE LEADERSHIP TRANSITION AND SET TARGETED GOALS FOR LAUNCHING SEVERAL OF THOSE ACTIONS THAT INCORPORATED THE WHOLE COMMUNITY APPROACH.
WE IDENTIFIED PROGRAMMING OPPORTUNITIES THAT SUPPORT THE WHOLE COMMUNITY APPROACH, INCLUDING FUTURE ACTION PLANS.
ALL THOSE THINGS ARE LAID OUT IN THE DOCUMENTED REPORTS.
SO I'LL JUST GO THROUGH SOME HIGHLIGHTS OF THAT.
SOME OF THOSE TARGETED GOALS, INCLUDING INCLUDED STREAMLINING THE OFFICE OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AND EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER CAPABILITIES TECHNOLOGY, UM, MOVING A LOT OF OUR PLANS TO ELECTRONIC ACCESS FOR IN THE FIELD, THINGS LIKE THAT, TO TRY TO REDUCE BUDGET IMPACTS FOR PRINTING PAPERS, STUFF LIKE THAT.
GETTING RID OF OUTDATED TECHNOLOGY THAT WAS THERE, ESTABLISHING CONTINUED RELATIONSHIPS THAT SUPPORT THE WHOLE COMMUNITY, THAT HAS REALLY BEEN IMPACTFUL THIS PAST 10 DAYS.
UM, HAVING A RELATIONSHIP WITH WISCONSIN EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT, THEY'VE SENT SOMEBODY HERE JUST ABOUT EVERY DAY TO AUGMENT OUR STAFF BECAUSE THEY UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS AN OFFICE OF ONE, THAT THEY'RE HERE TO SUPPORT IT.
I ALSO WANT TO POINT OUT THAT THAT MAY NOT ALWAYS BE THE CASE.
IN THE LAST TWO DAYS, THERE HAVE BEEN OTHER STORMS THAT HAVE ROLLED THROUGH THEIR OWN REGIONAL AREAS THAT THEY'VE THEN HAD TO GO BACK AND SUPPORT.
SO THAT IS CRITICAL TO THEN THE SUCCESS OF RESPONSE AND RECOVERY HERE.
ONE OF THE BIG PROJECTS I'VE BEEN WORKING ON, UH, WITH HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES IS FAMILY ASSISTANCE CENTER PLANNING, UM, PARTNERING WITH THE LOCAL EMERGENCY PLANNING COMMITTEE, REGIONAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PARTICIPATION, AND ALL OF THE GRANT FUNDING PLAN OF EFFORT WORKS OR WORK OF EFFORTS.
LASTLY, THE TARGETED GOAL OF ADDING AN ADDITIONAL FTE TO SUPPORT THE WORK IN THIS OFFICE.
SO I WON'T GO READING ALL OF THESE AGAIN.
STREAMLINING OEM CAPABILITIES.
UH, WE UTILIZE THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE, GRANTED STRATEGIC PRIORITY FOR, UH, FUNDS TO HELP PURCHASE NEW TECHNOLOGY.
CREATED AN EOC ACTIVATION GUIDE TO HELP SUPPORT THAT WHEN NEEDED.
UM, UPDATED SOME SOFTWARE, THINGS LIKE THAT, ESTABLISHING CONTINUED RELATIONSHIPS, AS I MENTIONED, CONTINUING TO DEVELOP IMPORTANT RELATIONSHIPS AND NETWORKING TO ENHANCE RISK REDUCTION IN PRE-DISASTER PLANNING.
DURING BLUE SKY TIMES WHEN I REFERENCE BLUE SKY, IT'S TIMES WHEN WE'RE NOT UNDER A DISASTER DECLARATION.
THESE RELATIONSHIPS ARE CRITICAL.
UM, THESE ARE THE RELATIONSHIPS.
THESE ARE THE, THE FOLKS THAT YOU KNOW YOU CAN CALL ON WHEN YOU NEED RESOURCES.
UM, ALL OF THAT IMPACTS THE RESILIENCY OF THE COMMUNITY AND HOW QUICKLY THE COMMUNITY RECOVERS.
SO THIS IS A REALLY IMPORTANT SLIDE.
THESE ARE THE STAKEHOLDER RELATIONSHIPS THAT ONE PERSON TRIES TO MAINTAIN AND HAVE EFFECTIVE RELATIONSHIPS WITH.
COUNTY AGENCY DEPARTMENT HEADS, 14 DIFFERENT FIRE DEPARTMENTS AND EMS AGENCIES AND THEIR COMMITTEE GROUPS.
14 DIFFERENT FIRE DEPARTMENTS AND EMS AGENCIES PROTECT THIS COUNTY.
ONE EM COORDINATOR FOR THIS ENTIRE COUNTY.
NINE LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES, ONE EM COORDINATOR, ALL THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS.
17 PART-TIME MUNICIPAL EMERGENCY MANAGERS.
MOST WHO DON'T HAVE A BUDGET, MOST WHO DO IT JUST BECAUSE THEY'VE STEPPED UP AND TRY TO HELP OUTSIDE OF THEIR REGULAR 40 HOUR A WEEK JOB.
ONE EM COORDINATOR HELPED SUPPORT 10 DIFFERENT LOCALS THIS WEEKEND.
SPLITTING TIME AMONG ALL OF THEM AND PROVIDING THE EFFECTIVE SUPPORT THEY NEED IS A HUGE CHALLENGE.
ALL THE LOCAL PUBLIC WORKS AGENCIES, EMERGENCY PLANNING COMMITTEE MEMBERS, THE HAZMAT TEAM, WISCONSIN EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT, ADJACENT COUNTY DIRECTORS, PRIVATE SECTOR STAKEHOLDERS, I CAN GO ON.
JUST KNOW THAT THERE ARE MANY MORE
[00:30:01]
RELATIONSHIPS THAT NEED TO BE CULTIVATED.THERE JUST ISN'T THE TIME TO DO IT.
I MENTIONED FAMILY ASSISTANCE CENTER PLANNING, SO WE CAN CONTINUE TO WORK TOWARDS DEVELOPING MEMORANDUMS OF AN, UH, UNDERSTANDING MYSELF AND HHS, UM, FOR PRE-PLANNED SHELTERS.
COLLABORATION WITH PARTNERS SUCH AS THE AMERICAN RED CROSS AND SALVATION ARMY.
UM, COMMUNICATION PLANNING WITH 2 1 1, WHO WAS OF COURSE CRITICAL OVER THE LAST 10 DAYS, GATHERING DAMAGE REPORTS AND SENDING THOSE TO OUR COUNTY.
AND THEN, AND THEN THE DEVELOPMENT OF RESOURCE LISTS AND INFRASTRUCTURE THAT SUPPORTS STANDING UP ONE OF THOSE SHELTERS.
FOR THE LOCAL EMERGENCY PLANNING COMMITTEE.
IT'S CONTINUING PLAN REVISION PROGRESS.
SO ANNUALLY WE, I HAVE TO DO 15 OFFSITE PLANS IN ADDITION TO OUR OWN EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PLANS.
UM, THERE'S 15 OFFSITE LOCATIONS, OR I'M SORRY, THERE'S 60 PLUS OFFSITE LOCATIONS IN THE COUNTY THAT HAVE EXTREMELY HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES ANNUALLY.
WE HAVE TO WRITE 15 OF THOSE PLANS.
I WOULD ESTIMATE THAT YOU PROBABLY PUT IN ABOUT 40 HOURS PER PLAN, WRITING, REVISING, MEETING WITH THOSE COMPANIES, TOURING THEIR FACILITIES, AND THEN DOING ALL THE UPLOADS FOR THE GRANT.
SO 15 TIMES, 15 WEEKS OUTTA THE YEAR ARE REALLY COMMITTED TO JUST THAT.
THAT DOESN'T LEAVE TIME FOR ALL THE OTHER THINGS THAT COME INTO PLAY.
UM, THIS IS ALL TIED TO ONE OF THE GRANTS THAT SUPPORTS THIS OFFICE AND PAYS FOR SOME OF THE FUNDING TO OFFSET THE TAX LEVY.
THESE PLANS ALSO SUPPORT WHAT THE HAZMAT TEAM IS LOOKING FOR WHEN THEY GET DISPATCHED FOR A CALL.
SO, PLUME MODELING OF THE, THE AMOUNTS OF SUBSTANCES THAT ARE THERE.
UH, REVIEW WITH THE COMMITTEE, ALL THAT KIND OF STUFF.
REGIONAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT, PARTICIPATION AND COORDINATION EFFORTS.
I PARTICIPATE IN MONTHLY SOUTHEAST REGION DIRECTOR MEETINGS, UH, PARTNERING WITH NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TO HOST STORM SPOTTER TRAINING, HOSTING A LOCAL DAMAGE ASSESSMENT SEMINAR.
TRIED TO HOST TWO SESSIONS A DAY AND AN EVENING SESSION.
FORTUNATELY, DURING THE DAY, WE HAD 14 PEOPLE ATTEND.
WE HAD TO CANCEL BECAUSE THERE WAS ONE OR TWO PEOPLE SIGNED UP.
FAST FORWARD TO LAST WEEKEND, AND THIS WHOLE WEEK THAT CAME INTO PLAY MUCH OF THIS PAST WEEK, WE SPENT A LOT OF TIME WITH GIS SENDING THEM OUT TO DO JUST IN TIME TRAINING TO SUPPORT THE MUNICIPALITIES AND TRAIN THEM UP TO DO DAMAGE ASSESSMENTS IS ALWAYS SOMETHING WE CAN OFFER WHEN A STORM AFTER A STORM HITS.
BUT, UM, AGAIN, THOSE, THOSE PART-TIME EMS, THEY PROBABLY DON'T HAVE A LOT OF TIME TO COMMIT TO THESE TYPES OF SEMINARS, BUT THIS IS THE STUFF THAT THEN CAN BE IMPACTFUL.
UH, ALSO COLLABORATION WITH LOCAL STAKEHOLDERS.
SO ATTENDING EMS SUBCOMMITTEE, COUNTY CHIEFS, UH, COUNTY LAW ENFORCEMENT, THINGS LIKE THAT.
BEING REPRESENTATIVE AT ALL OF THOSE GROUPS.
UM, AND THEN WORKING WITH OTHER GROUPS LIKE THE WISCONSIN TOWNS ASSOCIATION GRANT FUNDING PLAN OF WORK EFFORTS.
SO, CONTINUING WORK ON THE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PERFORMANCE GRANT, THAT IS THE ONE THAT FUNDS A MAJORITY OF MY SALARY.
UM, CONTINUING PLAN OF WORK EFFORTS TO
UM, THAT IS THE ONE THAT IS ALL THE OFFSITE PLANNING COMPLETED PLAN OF WORK EFFORTS RELATED TO THE HAZMAT REFRESHER GRANT, AS WELL AS THE HAZMAT COMPUTER GRANT THAT OPENS TODAY.
AND IT'S OPEN UNTIL NEXT FRIDAY.
THERE'S A GOOD CHANCE THAT IF I DON'T HAVE SOMEBODY TO COME IN, WHICH WE'LL TALK ABOUT LATER, TO SUPPORT WRITING THAT GRANT SO I CAN CONTINUE WITH THE DISASTER STUFF.
WE'D BE OUT $10,000 FOR THE HAZMAT TEAM UP TO $10,000 ANNUALLY THAT THEY RECEIVE.
SO THE 1.0 FTE REQUEST, I THINK I'VE LAID OUT IN THE REPORT, SEVERAL FUTURE ACTION ITEMS THAT SUPPORT THE CONTINUOUS PROCESS IMPROVEMENT FOR RISK REDUCTION, EMERGENCY PLANNING, RESPONSE, AND RECOVERY, AND CONTINUITY OF OPERATIONS.
ONE OF THE MOST CRITICAL NEEDS TO ENHANCE THE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PROGRAMMING HERE IS THE IMPLE, THE IMPLEMENTATION OF ONE ADDITIONAL FTE TO THIS OFFICE.
[00:35:01]
COUNTY IS CURRENTLY THE ONLY SOUTHEASTERN WISCONSIN COUNTY WITH A SINGLE FTE IN THIS OFFICE, WHICH GREATLY INHIBITS THE OFFICE'S ABILITY TO FURTHER DEVELOP MEANINGFUL RELATIONSHIPS WITH STAKEHOLDERS DUE TO TIME CONSTRAINTS AND THE NEED TO FOCUS EFFORTS ON PLAN OF WORK REQUIREMENTS FOR EACH OF THE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT GRANTS THAT SUPPORTS THE FUNDING FOR THIS OFFICE, AS WELL AS FOCUSING ON OTHER EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS RELATED PROJECTS SUCH AS THAT FAMILY ASSISTANCE, SUCH AS BUILDING OUT A VOLUNTEER MANAGEMENT PLAN, SUCH AS PUTTING TOGETHER MORE ROBUST LOCAL DAMAGE ASSESSMENT TEAMS THAT TRAIN REGULARLY.WHAT I REALLY WANNA STRESS WITH THAT IS, WHILE ALL OF THIS DISASTER IS CURRENTLY GOING ON, NONE OF THE OTHER DAY-TO-DAY FUNCTIONS CAN BE PAUSED.
'CAUSE THEY STILL HAVE TO BE COMPLETED.
ADDING AN ADDITIONAL PERSON WOULD HELP WITH INCREASED LIAISON FOOTPRINT WITH COMMUNITY AGENCIES AND LOCAL EMERGENCY PLAN DEVELOPMENT.
ASSISTING WITH THE TRANSITION OF, YOU KNOW, UPDATING OUR OWN ANNUAL PLANS EVERY YEAR, INCORPORATING COMMUNITY LIFELINES, MANAGING THE EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER.
I STRESS THAT IN THE BUDGET MEETING, RIGHT? SO THIS, THIS ROLE IS DEDICATED TO HELPING AND COORDINATING RESOURCES WITH EACH OF THOSE LOCAL EMERGENCY MANAGERS.
IF WE ARE ACTUALLY ACTIVATING THE EEOC, THE EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER AND BRINGING IN ALL OF OUR DEPARTMENT HEADS, THEY DON'T LIVE AND BREATHE THIS STUFF DAY TO DAY, THEY'RE GOING TO NEED A SECOND PERSON WHO MATCHES THE CAPABILITIES AND UNDERSTANDING OF THIS OFFICE AND ITS FUNCTIONS TO EFFICIENTLY RUN THAT EOC.
AND IF THEY'RE NOT IN THE EOC, THEY CAN STEP IN AND TAKE ON OTHER ROLES TO SUPPORT THIS PERSON.
THERE'S ALSO FINITE EMERGENCY PLANNING FOR RESPONSE AND RECOVERY.
WE WILL GO INTO THAT ON THE, THE RECOVERY CONTINUITY ON THE NEXT PAGE, DEVELOPING A BROADER CONTINUITY OF OPERATIONS PLANS FOR THE COUNTY AGENCIES, ASSISTING WITH ATTENDING MONTHLY AFTER HOURS STAKEHOLDER MEETINGS, AND 24 7 EM COVERAGE.
THIS ONE PERSON IS ON CALL 24 7.
IF I GO ON VACATION, IF I AM OUT OF TOWN, SOMETHING LIKE THAT, IT DEFAULTS TO WHOEVER WE CAN FIND TO STEP IN AND COVER.
KEEP IN MIND, THEY DON'T HAVE ALL THAT KNOWLEDGE AND ACCESS TO EVERYTHING THAT I DO.
UM, AND THAT, THAT REALLY LEADS ME TO THE LAST BULLET POINT, IS WE DON'T HAVE A CONTINUITY OF OPERATIONS FOR THIS OFFICE.
IF SOMETHING HAPPENED TO ME ON THE WAY HOME TONIGHT, ALL OF THAT KNOWLEDGE, ALL THAT RELATIONSHIPS, DAVE COULD POSSIBLY STEP IN AND PICK, PICK UP SOME OF IT, BUT HE'S NOT INVOLVED IN THE DAY-TO-DAY SPECIFICS OF WHAT I DO, BECAUSE HE'S GOT OTHER PROJECTS THAT HE'S HEAVILY INVOLVED IN.
SO THERE WOULD BE THAT BIG GAP OF NOBODY'S THERE TO FILL THAT.
SO I WANT TO GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE OF A WEATHER DISASTER SCENARIO.
AND OF COURSE, WE ARE JUST EXPERIENCED AT THIS IN THE LAST 10 DAYS.
BUT THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT POTENTIALLY REQUIRE 24 HOUR EM SUPPORT.
UM, EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER ACTIVATION AND COORDINATION, RESOURCE AND MESSAGING COORDINATION, COLLABORATING WITH HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES REGARDING SHELTER AND MASS CARE VOLUNTEER AND DONATIONS MANAGEMENT AS PART OF THE RECOVERY PROCESS.
EMERGENCY SUPPORT FUNCTIONS, SO DEBRIS MANAGEMENT, UM, LOCAL DAMAGE ASSESSMENT, COMMUNICATION.
THOSE ARE ALL DIFFERENT EMERGENCY EMERGENCY SUPPORT FUNCTIONS THAT GET STOOD UP IN COORDINATED THE RECOVERY SUPPORT FUNCTIONS, POTENTIALLY PROVIDING TOURS FOR LOCAL, STATE, AND FEDERAL LEADERS OF DAMAGES THAT WILL COME INTO PLAY HERE VERY SHORTLY.
UM, WHICH MEANS NOBODY WILL BE HERE IN THE OFFICE TO COORDINATE ANYTHING ELSE THAT COMES THROUGH THE OFFICE.
AND THEN PARTNERING WITH NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ON DAMAGE SURVEYS.
ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE SCREEN, YOU SEE WISCONSIN EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT'S DAMAGE ASSESSMENT TIMELINE.
IT'S A VERY TIGHT, CRITICAL TIMELINE ALL WEEK.
THE GOALPOSTS MOVED AS THEY GET INFORMATION FROM OTHER SOURCES.
SO IT'S BEING VERY PIVOTAL, PIVOTAL THROUGHOUT A DISASTER.
THIS IS JUST A GUIDELINE, AND I THINK YOU CAN'T SEE IT ON THE SCREEN, BUT THEY, THEY HAVE IT ASTERISK ON THE CORNER THAT SAYS, THESE ARE FLUID TIMELINES.
SO IT DOES MAKE IT VERY CHALLENGING FOR ONE PERSON TO PLAN ANYTHING OUT AND STAY ON THAT TRACK, UH, AS THE DISASTER IS UNFOLDING AND, AND RESPONDING IN COORDINATION.
OUR FEMA DISASTER RECOVERY CONTINU I HAVE IN THIS ARROW.
THIS IS WHERE THE ADDITIONAL FTE WILL BEST POSITION THE OFFICE AND COMMUNITY
[00:40:01]
THROUGH ENHANCED PLANNING AND PREPAREDNESS THAT IMPROVES POST-DISASTER RESILIENCY.MUCH OF OUR WORK, AS YOU SAW IN THE VIDEO, IS DONE ON THE FRONT END.
IT'S MAKING THOSE RELATIONSHIPS.
IT'S UPDATING PLANS, IT'S TESTING AND EXERCISING THOSE PLANS AND SHORING UP ANY GAPS.
AND THEN OF COURSE, THAT PERSON WOULD BE VERY CRITICAL TO SUPPORTING AN INCIDENT WHEN IT HAPPENS.
SOME OF THE POLICY SHIFTS IN EXECUTIVE ORDERS THAT MAY IMPACT LOCAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT.
UM, SO RECENT FEDERAL EXECUTIVE ORDERS, FEDERAL FUNDING TERMINATIONS, AND DISCUSSIONS ABOUT DISASTER MANAGEMENT REFORMS ARE LIKELY TO CHANGE FEMA'S INTERACTION WITH LOCAL GOVERNMENTS, POTENTIALLY INCREASING LOCAL FISCAL PRESSURE AND ELEVATED FINANCIAL RISK.
WE ALREADY SAW THAT WITH THE CANCELLATION OF THE BUILDING RESILIENCE INFRASTRUCTURE AND COMMUNITIES PROGRAM.
THAT IS THE ONE THAT PAID A THREE QUARTERS, $45,000 TOWARDS OUR HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN.
UM, THANKFULLY WE ARE GOOD ON THAT PLAN THROUGH 2029, BUT IF THAT FUNDING DOESN'T COME BACK, THAT WILL BE A BIG GAP TO MAKE UP, BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO HAVE THAT PLAN IN PLACE TO RECEIVE FEDERAL FUNDING.
UM, GROWING TREND AND POLICY PROPOSALS TOWARDS SHIFTING DISASTER PREPAREDNESS AND RESPONSIBILITIES TO LOCAL GOVERNMENTS.
THAT'S OFTEN WITHOUT PROVIDING ADEQUATE RESOURCES AND SUPPORT.
SO A LOT OF THINGS ARE BEING PUSHED DOWN TO THE LOCAL LEVEL, AND IF WE'RE ALREADY HAVING CHALLENGES, IT LEADS TO A COMPOUNDING CYCLE THAT CAN RESULT IN INSUFFICIENT PRE-DISASTER INVESTMENT, LEADING TO DELAYS IN POST-DISASTER RECOVERY, WHICH REALLY LIMITS THE LONG-TERM RESILIENCY, UM, WITH BRICK'S TERMINATION.
I WANNA POINT OUT ON THE SIDE, COUNTIES ARE LOSING A PRIMARY DEDICATED SOURCE OF PRE-DISASTER MITIGATION FUNDING.
THERE ARE COUNTIES IN THIS STATE WHO HAD APPLICATIONS APPROVED AND WERE SEVERAL HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS INTO A PROJECT ONLY TO FIND OUT THAT THAT WAS PULLED OUT FROM UNDER THEM.
SO THAT COULD BE VERY CHALLENGING TO A COUNTY.
SO WHY DOES EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT NEED YOUR ADDED SUPPORT? UM, YOU KNOW, IT ALIGNS WITH OUR COUNTY'S MISSION TO CREATE AN ENVIRONMENT FOR RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES TO ENJOY OUR AUTHENTIC QUALITY OF LIFE THROUGH A WELL-GOVERNED IN A ADMINISTERED COUNTY SAFE AND SECURE COMMUNITIES.
IT'S A BIG PRIORITY FOR POLICY MAKERS, LEADERS IN THE PUBLIC.
A STRONGER EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT MEANS FASTER RESPONSE, BETTER COMMUNICATION, AND POTENTIALLY FEWER CASUALTIES.
THESE ARE ALL THINGS, AGAIN, THAT SUPPORT THE COUNTY'S MISSION.
INVESTING IN PLANNING, MITIGATION AND PREPAREDNESS REDUCES FUTURE DISASTER COSTS AND ACCELERATES RECOVERY.
THAT'S PROTECTING BUDGETS, UM, AND PROTECTING TRUST.
SO COORDINATED LEADERSHIP DURING A CRISIS FOSTERS PUBLIC CONFIDENCE, ENABLES COMMUNITIES TO FUNCTION EFFECTIVELY UNDER PRESSURE THAT'S WORKING WITH EACH OF THOSE PART-TIME MUNICIPAL MANAGERS TO HELP THEM GET THINGS KICKED OFF AT THE LOCAL LEVEL AND, AND GET TO RECOVERY.
I THINK THIS IS A GREAT QUOTE THAT CAN APPLY PERSONALLY TO A BUSINESS, THE INVESTMENT LEVEL, AND SOMETHING EQUALS YOUR EXPECTATION LEVEL FOR US TO MOVE THE BASELINE AND, AND ACCOMPLISH A LOT OF THESE THINGS.
RIGHT NOW, THE EXPECTATION LEVEL, PROBABLY THAT I'M SETTING BY MYSELF, BUT ALSO BY LEADERS AND PEERS AND COMMUNITY RESIDENTS, THE INVESTMENT LEVEL AND PERSONNEL HAS TO INCREASE TO EQUAL THAT EXPECTATION LEVEL.
SO, IN CONCLUSION, I JUST WANNA SAY IN 2025 YEAR, THE YEAR TO DATE HAS BEEN A VERY BUSY AND HISTORIC YEAR.
THIS FLOOD IN ITSELF IS A HISTORIC FLOOD.
IT'S IMPACTED MANY COMMUNITIES IN DIFFERENT WAYS IN OUR COUNTY.
UM, SIGNIFICANT HAZARDS CONTINUE TO BE A POTENTIAL THREAT TO THE COUNTY AND THE REGION THAT REQUIRE THE WHOLE COMMUNITY APPROACH TO ENHANCING PREPAREDNESS AND RESILIENCY, INCLUDING FEDERAL POLICY CHANGES THAT IMPACT EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS.
THE OFFICE CONTINUES TO ADD VALUE TO THE RESILIENCY THROUGH OUR RISK, THROUGH MY RISK REDUCTION PREPAREDNESS RESPONSE AND RECOVER ACT ACTIVITIES.
ALSO, COORDINATING WITH ALL THOSE OTHER AGENCIES I'VE IDENTIFIED PROGRAMMING OPPORTUNITIES THAT SUPPORT THE WHOLE COMMUNITY APPROACH, INCLUDING THE FUTURE ACTION ITEMS I'VE LAID OUT IN THE, THE WRITTEN VERSION OF THE, UH, REPORT THAT SUPPORTS CONTINUOUS PROCESS IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATED WITH THE TARGETED TARGETED GOALS.
THE ADDITIONAL F-T-C-F-T-E SUPPORT THAT IS NEEDED TO ENHANCE PRE-DISASTER PLANNING AND SUPPORT, POST-DISASTER RESPONSE AND RECOVERY EFFORTS, REALLY CAN HELP CREATE GREATER CONTINUITY WITHIN OUR OFFICE, BUILD OUT A SUCCESSION PLAN, CREATING GREATER,
[00:45:01]
UM, SUPPORT FOR THE WHOLE COMMUNITY APPROACH, AND REALLY RESULTING IN A SAFE AND SECURE COMMUNITY.SO THANK YOU FOR ALL THE SUPPORT THAT YOU'VE PROVIDED TO THIS POINT FROM THIS COMMITTEE.
UM, THAT'S I WHAT I WANNA SAY, AND I APPRECIATE ALL YOUR, YOUR EFFORTS AND, AND COMMITMENT TOWARDS MY OFFICE.
SO, DO YOU HAVE QUESTIONS? UH, A FEW COMMENTS.
FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU FOR YOUR DEDICATION TO THE COMMUNITY.
IT'S OBVIOUS THAT, THAT YOU ARE A CHAMPION IN THE AREA OF LOCAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT.
SO, SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR HARD WORK AND EFFORT.
YOU'VE DONE A GREAT JOB OUTLINING, UM, STEPS THAT, THAT SHOULD BE TAKEN, UM, OPTIMAL THINGS THAT WE NEED TO DO FOR, FOR OPTIMAL PERFORMANCE.
APPRECIATE YOUR EFFORTS AND, AND YOUR DEDICATION.
UM, IT'S OBVIOUS THAT THIS IS WHERE YOUR HEART IS AND, AND YOU ARE THE RIGHT PERSON FOR THE JOB.
SO THANK YOU AND THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMITTEE SUPERVISOR? NEWMAN? MOST PEOPLE IN THIS ROOM KNOW THAT I WEAR SEVERAL DIFFERENT HATS IN THIS COUNTY, AND I WILL SAY THAT, I MEAN, I, I WANT TO GIVE YOU A LOT OF CREDIT FOR YOUR ORGANIZATION AND YOUR ASSISTANCE TO ALL THE COMMUNITIES IN THE COUNTY, BECAUSE I CAN'T TELL YOU THE COMMUNICATIONS AND THE EMAILS THAT I'VE GOTTEN FROM YOU IN THE LAST 10 DAYS.
UM, AND YOU KNOW, YOU COVERED IT IN YOUR REPORT TOO, THAT THERE'S A LOT OF PART-TIME EMERGENCY MANAGERS OUT THERE THAT, YOU KNOW, DON'T HAVE THIS EXPERIENCE, DON'T HAVE THIS KNOWLEDGE.
THERE'S A LOT OF CONFUSION THAT PART OF YOUR JOB WRANGLING ALL THESE PEOPLE TO MAKE SURE THEY GET WHAT THEY NEED.
THEY GET THE PAPERWORK IN, THEY GET THEIR DOCUMENTATION, EVERYTHING ELSE, THAT'S A BIG JOB IN ITSELF.
SO, I MEAN, I, I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT.
I MEAN, THERE'S A LOT OF COMMUNITIES THAT NEEDED RESOURCES.
I, I MEAN, MYSELF, I UTILIZE, UM, YOUR RESOURCES.
SO IT'S, IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO OUR COMMUNITY, AND I DON'T THINK PEOPLE MAYBE REALIZE THAT UNTIL SOMETHING LIKE THIS HAPPENS.
SO, UH, I'M VERY MUCH A SUPPORTER OF YOUR ADDITIONAL STAFF, BECAUSE THANK YOU.
YOU'D GET SICK, YOU'D HAVE COVID, SOMETHING WOULD HAPPEN.
I MEAN, DURING THIS, YOU KNOW, YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT CAN HAPPEN THERE, THERE SHOULD BE A PLAN B, YOU KNOW, OR PLAN C FOR THAT.
UM, AGAIN, I, I APPRECIATE ALL THE COMMUNICATIONS.
SOMETIMES I, BY THE TIME I READ ONE EMAIL, THERE'S SIX MORE THERE.
SO, UH, IT'S, IT'S BEEN GREAT.
SO I APPRECIATE IT AND WHAT YOU DO FOR OUR COUNTY.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS? YEAH, I THINK I PERSONALLY DID NOT HAVE A, A VERY KEEN GRASP OF ALL THE THINGS THAT THE OFFICE OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT DOES.
SO THANK YOU FOR LAYING ALL THAT OUT FOR US THIS MORNING.
WE CERTAINLY APPRECIATE YOUR, YOUR REPORT, AND, UH, IT LOOKS LIKE YOU'VE LAID OUT A GREAT PLAN.
MOVING ON TO ITEM THREE C, POTENTIAL RESOLUTION FOR PSAP GRANT FOR, UH, PROGRAM FISCAL YEAR 2026.
APPRECIATE THE BACKGROUND INFORMATION YOU'RE ABOUT TO PROVIDE.
SO, UM, KIND OF, UH, BOILERPLATE.
THIS IS ANOTHER YEAR OF PSAP GRANT FUNDING.
IT'S, WE'VE DONE THIS IN THE PAST, I THINK WE'VE DONE THREE PRE PREVIOUS GRANTS.
UM, MY FOCUS ON THIS YEAR'S GRANT IS GONNA BE TRY TO KIND OF A CLEANUP GRANT.
SO WE HAD THE TWO MAJOR CONSOLIDATIONS WITH HARTFORD AND GERMANTOWN.
UM, THERE WAS A LOT OF UNTESTED WATERS, AND WE LEARNED A LOT OF THINGS COMING OUT OF THERE.
LIKE, UM, THE, THE, THE KITCHENETTE AND OUR DISPATCH CENTER WAS BUILT IN 2010 TO ACCOMMODATE 12 EMPLOYEES.
SO PART OF THIS GRANT THAT I WOULD PUT IN WOULD BE TO TRY TO MAXIMIZE THE SPACE IN THERE TO GIVE 'EM, UH, YOU KNOW, ADDITIONAL BREAK SPACE AND REFRIGERATOR SPACE.
UM, IT GOES INTO ERGONOMICS, IT GOES INTO TRAINING, UH, AND, UM, BEING ABLE TO TRAIN MORE PEOPLE AT THE SAME TIME TO USE DIFFERENT TOOLS OUT THERE.
SO, UM, THAT'S KIND OF WHAT I'M TRYING.
I'M BASING MY, UH, GRANT ON THIS YEAR.
I DO NOT HAVE ALL THE BIDS BACK YET, SO I CAN'T REPORT TO THIS COMMITTEE WHAT I'D BE LOOKING TO SPEND.
BUT THE, THE, THE GRANT IS UP TO $750,000.
UM, IF YOU, IF YOU SUPPORT THIS RESOLUTION, UM, THOSE MONIES WOULD COME FROM, I BELIEVE, UH, THE PREVIOUS HARTFORD AND GERMANTOWN, UH, WHERE RESOLUTIONS, AND I THINK THEY'RE LISTED IN YOUR PACKET THERE, WHERE THERE WOULD BE SUFFICIENT FUNDS TO COVER TO 10%.
[00:50:02]
DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE TO CONTINUE PURSUING THE PSAP GRANT PROGRAM FOR 2026? WE HAVE A MOTION FROM SUPERVISOR BERG WITH A SECOND FROM SUPERVISOR NEWMAN.IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
ARE THERE ANY OPPOSED? THAT MOTION CARRIES.
MOVING ON TO ITEM 3D, USE OF STRATEGIC PRIORITIES, FUNDS, UM, STRATEGIC PRIORITIES, FIELD FORCE, UM, BACKGROUND INFORMATION.
SO THIS IS A, UM, KIND OF A CONTINUATION OF A REQUEST THAT WAS DONE BACK IN 2020.
UM, WE STARTED A, IT'S CALLED A MOBILE FIELD FORCE TEAM, WHICH IS COMMONLY CALLED A CROWD CONTROL TEAM BACK IN 2020.
UM, THROUGH A GENERAL FUND TRANSFER, WE OUTFITTED ENOUGH STAT FOR 26, UM, PROTECTIVE SUITS FOR, UH, OUR STAFF.
AND I THINK THIS PARTICULAR REQUEST REALLY FALLS IN LINE WITH THE POLICIES AND THE, THE MISSION STATEMENT OF THE, OF THE COUNTY IN THAT, UH, IT, UH, IT REALLY ENCOURAGES COOPERATION COORDINATION WITH MUNICIPALITIES, UH, ECONOMIES OF SCALE.
UH, BECAUSE WITHIN THE PAST, UH, MAYBE YEAR AND A HALF, TWO YEARS, WE REACHED OUT TO THE POLICE CHIEFS IN THE OTHER MUNICIPALITIES AND SAW IF THERE WAS INTEREST IN HAVING THEM JOIN THE MOBILE FIELD FORCE TEAM, UH, AS A MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL, UH, UNIT.
AND THERE, THERE WAS, SO, UH, IN THE COMMITTEE REPORT, IT, IT HIGHLIGHTS THAT IT'S 26 MEMBERS AND, UH, IT INDICATES FROM ALL THE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS I, IT, IT'S, UH, UH, 14 FROM THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE, FIVE FROM WEST BEND, FIVE FROM GERMANTOWN, TWO OFFICERS FROM HARTFORD, AND ONE OFFICER FROM THE SLINGER POLICE DEPARTMENT.
SO THEY DO QUARTERLY TRAINING.
UM, AND, UH, THE TEAM LEADERS HAVE COME UP WITH A, A SPECIFIC REQUEST FOR ADDITIONAL RE, RE, UH, EQUIPMENT.
AND THAT'S WHAT I'M, UH, IN FRONT OF THIS BOARD REQUESTING.
UM, I HIGHLIGHTED THE, ALL THE INDIVIDUAL EQUIPMENT THAT IS REQUESTED, THE AMOUNT, UM, AND THE REASONING, BUT I'M MORE THAN HAPPY TO ANSWER SPECIFIC QUESTIONS ABOUT, UH, INDIVIDUAL ITEMS. THANK YOU FOR THAT BACKGROUND INFORMATION.
BEFORE WE, UH, CONTINUE ANY DISCUSSION, IS THERE A MOTION? THE MOTION, THE REQUEST IS FOR $56,750 OF STRATEGIC PRIORITIES, FUNDING FOR FIELD FORCE EQUIPMENT.
WE HAVE A MOTION FROM SUPERVISOR NEWMAN WITH A SECOND FROM SUPERVISOR.
AND IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? I DO A QUESTION SUPERVISOR NEWMAN, A QUESTION FOR PROBABLY AARON.
UH, STRATEGIC PRIORITY FUNDS, WE'RE, WE HEAR THIS TERM A LOT, I'M JUST MM-HMM
CAN YOU CLARIFY WHERE THAT ALL COMES FROM? SURE.
WHEN WE SAY STRATEGIC PRIORITY FUNDS, WE'RE, WE'RE GENERALLY TALKING ABOUT, UH, WHAT WE CALL, IT'S A CONTINGENCY FUND, BASICALLY, RIGHT? A LOT OF GOVERNMENTS HAVE CONTINGENCY FUNDS IN THEIR BUDGET.
UM, FOR US IT'S STRATEGIC PRIORITIES.
UM, WE, WE, THE LAST COUPLE BUDGETS, WE FUND THAT BASICALLY, SO WE'RE ON A BIENNIAL BUDGET.
WE FUND THE STRATEGIC PRIORITIES, UM, IN YEAR ONE, AND THEN WE CARRY THAT MONEY OVER FROM YEAR TO YEAR.
UM, SO INTO YEAR TWO, WE'LL CARRY THIS.
THE, THE AMOUNT WE, IN THE LAST BUDGET, IT WAS LEVY, RIGHT? SO, UM, 2024 HAD $300,000 OF LEVY, RIGHT? AND THEN, AND THEN WE, WE ADDED THAT 300 TO THE BALANCE THAT WE ALREADY HAD FROM PRIOR YEARS, AND THEN WE KEEP CARRYING THAT OVER.
UM, AND SO, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF GOVERNMENTS MAINTAIN A CONTINGENCY FUND BECAUSE THERE ARE A LOT OF UNFORESEEN THINGS THAT COME UP LIKE THIS, RIGHT? WE CALL IT STRATEGIC PRIORITIES.
UM, ONE THING WE'VE, WE'VE AUTHORIZED OUR STANDING COMMITTEES TO APPROVE USE OF CONTINGENCY FUND.
THAT HELPS US KIND OF KEEP THINGS MOVING MORE QUICKLY, RIGHT? RATHER THAN TAKE IT VIA RESOLUTION OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
SO, UM, WHEN WE USE THESE STRATEGIC PRIORITY FUNDS, TYPICALLY THEY'RE FOR ITEMS THAT ARE, YOU KNOW, LESS, CERTAINLY LESS THAN LIKE A HUNDRED THOUSAND, FOR EXAMPLE, RIGHT? UM, YOU, YOU'VE SEEN THESE LAST COUPLE OF REQUESTS.
WE TYPICALLY GO THROUGH ABOUT 150 TO 200,000, UM, IN, IN REQUESTS PER YEAR, IN TOTAL IN THE STRATEGIC PRIORITY, UH, AREA.
SO, UM, THAT'S KIND OF A LITTLE BACKGROUND ON, ON OUR CONTINGENCY FUND.
UM, A LOT OF GOVERNMENTS HAVE THEM.
UM, SO ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? HAPPY TO ANSWER THOSE.
IT'S JUST ANOTHER WORD FOR CONTINGENCY FUND.
[00:55:01]
COMMENTS? ALL IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION, SAY AYE.ITEM THREE F ON THE AGENDA IS, UH, BIENNIUM BUDGET BRIEFINGS RELATIVE TO THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE.
AND FOR THAT, WE'LL TURN IT OVER TO CHIEF PUBLIC SAFETY OFF OFFICER DAVE SAGER.
UH, JUST TO, UH, IDENTIFY REAL QUICKLY, DO WE WANT TO TOUCH BASE ON THREE E? YES.
SO CERTAINLY I THINK THE, MY, MY QUESTION WITH REGARD TO THIS ITEM IS TYPICALLY WE SEE A DOLLAR AMOUNT REQUESTED, AND I'M ASSUMING THAT IN THIS CASE, UN UNLESS I MISSED IT IN THE, UH, IN THE DOCUMENT, UM, I'M ASSUMING WE'RE JUST SETTING THE STAGE FOR A FUND REQUEST IN THE FUTURE.
THANK YOU, MR. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN.
IF YOU'LL LOOK AT THE FISCAL EFFECT, IT STATES NOT TO EXCEED $15,000.
THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME A LITTLE, UH, SIDEBAR THERE.
UH, THIS, UH, REQUEST IS ON THE HEELS OF THE, UH, AUGUST 9TH FLOODING AS OUR EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT COORDINATOR IDENTIFIED.
UH, IT DOES, UH, TARGET A TWOFOLD PURPOSE, THE FIRST OF WHICH IS TO ONBOARD A LIMITED TERM EMPLOYEE TO ASSIST WITH SOME OF THE OFFICE NEEDS.
AND, UH, WE HAVE BEEN GRACIOUSLY AFFORDED THE OPPORTUNITY TO BRING OUT OF RETIREMENT ROB SCHMIDT.
SO, UH, FORTUNATELY HE'S WILLING TO DO THAT FOR US IN THE COUNTY TO ASSIST IN, IN HELPING, UH, MR. LOFI IN HIS EFFORTS.
UH, HOPEFULLY AS SOON AS YOU CONSIDER THIS AND IF PASSED, MR. SCHMIDT WILL BE IN HR ACCOMPLISHING THAT TASK TO ONBOARD HIM IMMEDIATELY, BECAUSE, UH, FEMA IS SCHEDULED TO ARRIVE TOMORROW TO TOUR THE COUNTY IN MILWAUKEE, WASHINGTON, AND WAUKESHA, UH, TO BEGIN THEIR PRELIMINARY ASSESSMENT AND GATHER ALL THE INFORMATION NECESSARY TO TAKE IT BACK TO, UH, WASHINGTON DC FOR POSSIBLE DECLARATION FOR FEMA PURPOSES.
UM, THE SECOND HALF OF THAT IS, UH, 2 0 4, OUR WASHINGTON COUNTY RESIDENCE.
SOMEPLACE TO TAKE THEIR, UH, FLOOD DAMAGE DEBRIS, WE WOULD ENTERTAIN A MOTION THEN TO, UM, APPROVE THE USE OF $15,000 OF UP TO $15,000 OF STRATEGIC PRIORITY FUNDING FOR EMERGENCY USES.
OKAY, I WAS GIVEN LOUIS A CHANCE, BUT THAT'S OKAY.
I'LL, UH, SECOND THAT MOTION VERY WELL.
UM, MOTION FROM SUPERVISOR BERG WITH A SECOND FROM SUPERVISOR KRIEGER GUNDER.
IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR? THE MOTION SAY AYE.
ARE THERE ANY OPPOSED? THAT MOTION CARRIES.
THANK YOU AND THANKS FOR, UH, KEEPING ME ON THE END.
UH, MOVING ON THEN TO ITEM THREE F BY ANY AND BUDGET BRIEFINGS WITH REGARD TO THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE.
UH, THIS IS, UH, CONSIDERATION, UH, FOR THREE F, 3G AND THREE H, BUT WE'LL START WITH THREE F.
THIS IS GOING TO BE JUST A HIGH LEVEL PREVIEW, UH, AS WE BEGIN THE PROCESS FOR THE EXECUTIVE BUDGET TO BE INTRODUCED IN SEPTEMBER, BUT GIVING COMMITTEES THE OPPORTUNITY TO HEAR SOME OF THE THINGS THAT THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE IS GOING TO BE INTRODUCING FOR CONSIDERATION AND GIVE ALL COMMITTEE MEMBERS THE OPPORTUNITY TO HEAR WHAT IS POTENTIALLY GOING TO BE PROPOSED SO THAT YOU CAN BEGIN THINKING ABOUT THAT PROCESS.
SO, UH, JUST A VERY HIGH LEVEL PRECURSOR TO WHAT IS TO COME.
SO WITHIN THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE, UH, THE PROPOSED CONCEPT IS TO REDUCE THE SHERIFF OFFICE BUDGET BY $300,000 TO COURT SECURITY.
UM, IF, UH, YOU ALLOW ME A MOMENT TO DIGRESS JUST A LITTLE BIT, I BE, I, UH, I, I AM VERY PARTICULAR AS I'M SURE EVERYBODY IN.