Within a week from Aug. 16th to Aug. 23rd, three meetings were held to discuss and vote on additional borrowing and the building of the Waushara County Highway Shop. On Aug. 16th, the regular meeting of the Waushara County Board of Supervisors was held, on Aug. 18th the Building and Grounds Committee met, and on Aug. 23rd there was a special meeting of the Waushara County Board of Supervisors where they approved the additional borrowing up to $26.5m and the bids for building the Waushara County Highway Shop. The meetings went as follows:
The Waushara County Board of Supervisors met for their regular meeting on Aug. 16th in the County Board Room at the Waushara County Courthouse, Wautoma, to discuss and vote on a resolution to authorize borrowing not to exceed $27m and it needed to pass by 75%. The resolution failed with a vote of 72%, Jesse Urban, Robert Wedell, and David Bosshard were the supervisors that voted no. At the August meeting it was the understanding that the taxes for the county would increase with the borrowing total of $90m.
Jeff Belongia, Hunting Securities, addressed the board and said that the equalized evaluation for the county went up 17% and actually the taxes would remain the same or even be less than a year ago. (It was noted that the average increase in equalized evaluation is between 2% to 6%.) Belongia, presented the Waushara County Mill Rate History to the County Board on Aug. 16th and the tax per thousand of equalized evaluation in 2020 was $6.840505; 2021 $6.498954, and in 2022 $6.889254, a $0.390300 Increase. “While we will have to wait to complete the total 2023 county budget in order to determine the exact levy amount and tax rate it would be less than the 2022 rate of $6.89. Including debt service,” Belongia said. It should be noted that the Government Center, and Poy Sippi EMS/Dining Center plans were not affected by this vote.
By not passing the resolution there was no approval of awarding the bids for the Highway Shop. At the end of the meeting, knowing the county taxes would not increase, it was decided that the Building and Grounds would have a meeting on Aug. 18th to discuss the master plan for the Waushara County Highway Shop, the additional borrowing, etc. It was also decided that a Special Meeting of the Waushara County Board of Supervisors would be held on Aug. 23rd. The bids for the Waushara County Highway Shop were effective until Aug. 26th.
At the Building and Grounds Committee meeting it was voted on to come back to the Waushara County Board of Supervisors with a resolution for additional borrowing not to exceed $26.5m and put the Resolution for the Bids for the Highway Shop back on the agenda for the Special Meeting of the Waushara County Board of Supervisors.
At the Special Meeting of the Waushara County Board of Supervisors on Aug. 23, there were public comments from several residents including:
John vanAmerongen, Town of Saxeville Chairman, addressing the fact that in the Town of Saxeville they had 8 bridges that were 100 years old and no money to fix them and they increased the tax levy to fix them. He added the work was contracted and completed by the Waushara County Highway Department. “Waushara County Highway Department is the heart of the county and I believe this is a perfect place to put our money. I highly encourage you to pass this…,” vanAmerongen said.
Tiffany Burmeister, asked the supervisors to look at it from a small business perspective. I expect our taxes to go up and the county is at 19% poverty level. I am here representing the people, she said.
Kathy Johnson said she is concerned about taxes and inflation. She said people sat on their hands and didn’t do anything for a long time and added there needs to be better communication to the public is better informed. “I have learned a lot and I continue to learn a lot,” she added.
Following public comments, Jeff Belongia, Huntington Securities, said he would deliver a simpler explanation including just what the borrowing of $90m would mean to the county to complete all the projects including the Highway Shop. (It should be noted the $90m figure is due partly to the rising cost of labor and materials.) When the project was initially brought before the board, the taxes would have increased, but the figures coming in with a 17% increase in equalized evaluation, the county taxes will actually stay the same or go down. So Waushara County taxpayers will not see an increase in their taxes in 2023. He also added that the normal rate of increase in equalized value is between 2% and 6% and if this remains constant the future taxes will not increase for the county.
County board supervisor, Jesse Urban, questioned whether passing the resolution up to $26.5 million in borrowing, would just mean they county will move forward with the building of the Highway Shop. “It is all the unknowns with 20-30% inflation and how it effects the county taxpayers. Do we have other options that haven’t been explored?” he asked. He also asked what would it take to renovate the present Highway Shop and keep the same location and build some new storage.
Kurt Berner, Samuels Group, said he had worked on some preliminary figures as he had talked to Urban earlier in the day and said it would be approximately $22m to $25.5m to do parts of the project.
Supervisor Mark Piechowski said it makes no sense to stick any money into the shop that was built in 1975. Supervisor Pat King said it is a perfect opportunity to build a new Highway Shop and it would be a mistake to pass on this as it won’t cost our taxpayers more.
Supervisors Bart Peterson said the Highway Shop needs this project to be able to expand for future needs. Brian Freimark, Waushara County Highway Commissioner, told the board that he has added 12 men and 12 units and they are maintaining 360 miles of road. This doubles their maintenance. He also said that the state is wanting municipalities to put in a salt brine maker to reduce salt on the roads and there is a $200,000 grant presently available for that project.
Following discussions, the discussion, Supervisor Brandon Bonfiglio, made a motion and Supervisor Peterson made a second, to approve the Resolution Authorizing Not to Exceed $26,500,000 General Obligation Bonds or Promissory Notes for the County Building Project. The Resolution passed with Supervisor Robert Wedell voting against the project, passing it by more than a required 75%. Supervisor Everett Eckstein was absent.
Mark Piechowski made a motion and it was seconded by Mark Kerschner to approve the Bids and Recommendations of Award for Highway Shop including all alternates for the entire project. The motion passed with Robert Wedell voting no and Urban abstaining.
Berner said bids would be awarded and they hope to begin the project this fall, weather permitting, and the completion would take 18-20 months.
The next regular meeting of the Waushara County Board of Supervisors will be held at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 20, in the County Board Room at the Waushara County Courthouse, Wautoma.
