Category: Policy Review
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Is Supervisor Griner the Best Choice for Infrastructure Chair?
Should there be 5 Wausau Supervisors on the Executive Committee? Chair Gibbs has the right, under the Board Rules, to appoint a Supervisor to be Chair of a Standing Committee in the case of a vacancy. The Board has the right – and the responsibility – to reject that appointment if they don’t believe that…
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Marathon County Board: Please use the funds from the wheel tax to improve our roads, not to build a Highway Garage
Marathon County implemented a wheel tax in 2017. The wheel tax was promised to be in place only for 1 year and most residents believed it was intended to be used to improve Marathon County roads. In reality, an amount approximately equal to the annual wheel tax (about $3,000,000 per year) went into County Highway…
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An Alternate Broadband Funding Plan for the County Board’s Consideration
Access to Broadband is very important to most Marathon County residents. My concerns regarding the proposed Bug Tussel loan guarantees have primarily related to the terms of the proposed loan and the somewhat misleading approach of the attempt to get approval. I am offering an alternate proposal for the Board’s consideration. Background The request for…
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Proposed Bug Tussel Bond Financing Appears to Violate County Debt Policy
The proposed 30 year Bonds exceed the 20 year limit imposed by the County’s Debt Policy. Section 1.51(3) Length of debt and timing of bond issues. Debt will be structured to provide for the shortest repayment period, while minimizing large fluctuations in property tax or other revenue requirements for debt retirement. The amortization period will…
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Did the County Board actually commit to a $3,000,000+ Loan Guarantee for Leathercamp Broadband?
The County Board should give Bug Tussel a $142,175 grant from ARPA funds to meet it’s March 15, 2022 Commitment. In the long run, it will undoubtedly cost County taxpayers far less than guaranteeing a $3,000,000 (actually about $4,500,000 with reserves and capitalized interest) loan. Is Misinformation being Provided in an Attempt to Influence County…
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Policy Review: Chair Gibbs – Guilty of Abuse of Power?
Do our Board Rules allow the Chair and Vice Chair to issue a letter of reprimand to a Board Supervisor who was arguably the Chair’s strongest political adversary? During our April 2022 organizational meeting, on my first night as a Marathon County Board Supervisor, I ran for Board Chair against Chair Gibbs. In what is…
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Comparable County Salary Data for County Clerk, Treasurer, and Register of Deeds
Per my request at the March 13th 2024 HRFC meeting, Administrator Leonhard provided the attached salary data for the 3 elected County positions for various Wisconsin Counties. I am posting the data as it may be of use to fellow Supervisors as they consider appropriate salary levels for the Elected Officials. Please note the concerns…
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1/23/24 Rules Review: Rule 6(m) Neglected
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Marathon County Fund Balances Increased by $26.9 Million or 46% in 4 Years.
I was asked to put together a graph showing the aggregate change in the Fund Balances that may have previously qualified to be included in the CIP Rollover Program. As I explained in a earlier post, the previous (or current??) CIP Policy seems to be vague and ambiguous as to which Funds should actually be…
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Policy Review: CIP Rollover Policy
Conclusion: It is probably an appropriate time for the County Board to review and update the CIP rollover policy, but – in my opinion – there is little in previous or recent CIP rollover practice or policy to preclude the use of current sales tax revenue or unrestricted Social Improvement Fund Balance from being used…