BUDGET SURPLUS EXPENDITURE PROPOSAL

To : The Council
From : The Mayor
Date : 14 May 2008

After receiving the latest audit report, it has been determined we have a surplus of $192,719. I am proposing the following expenditures for your consideration and approval.

EQUIPMENT REPLACEMENT FUND: Per city policy, 50 percent of the surplus ($96,359) must be set aside for equipment replacement. In considering our needs, I am recommending this amount be earmarked for the replacement of our current Emergency Government vehicle, with any additional funds needed to be budgeted in FY2009. If any funds are leftover after this purchase of an EG vehicle, the money should be set aside for a new aerial truck for the fire department

CAPITAL/MISCELLANEOUS IMPROVEMENTS:$96,360 remains from the surplus, and I am proposing the following expenditures
$25,000 – To be set aside as an emergency fuel fund for departments which will run a fuel deficit in 2007 due to the increasing price of gas
$20,000 - Construction of two concrete dugouts for the girls softball diamonds in Murray Park
$10,000 - The purchase of additional and replacement playground equipment (replacing the $3000 request from the Park and Rec Board and adding $7000)
$10,000 - To increase the money set aside for the Welcome to Ripon signs
$9,000 - To fund the hiring of a consultant to determine if the moving of the rail system through Ripon is feasible
$6,000 – Repair four (4) street lights in Barlow Park
$5,000 - Replacement of the existing Ripon population signs, with additional signing beneath highlighting the Birthplace of the Republican Party and the home of Ripon College
$5,000 - Refinancing the Downtown Facade Grant Program (the program has not been funded since 2000)
$3,360 – Additional funding for the city’s sesquicentennial celebration (mainly targeted for the purchase and planting of a city time capsule)
$3,000 – Replace the toilet partitions in Ceresco Park

Alliance Honored By City of Ripon

Alliance Laundry Systems was honored by the city of Ripon, Wisconsin for its 100-year history in the community. The company received a proclamation marking the honor at the April 28 meeting of the Ripon Common Council. Mike Schoeb, president and chief operating officer of Alliance Laundry Systems, accepted the honor on the company’s behalf. The company’s beginnings in the city trace back to 1908, when two local hardware store owners - Joseph Barlow and John Seelig - worked to increase the speed and efficiency of hand-powered washing machines they purchased from a company in Kansas City, Missouri. The two founded the company that became known as Speed Queen, and later evolved into Alliance Laundry Systems. In reading the proclamation during the council meeting, Ripon Mayor Aaron Kramer said the company has "consistently engineered new innovations to its industry ..." and "... established itself as the world leader in manufacturing commercial laundry equipment ..." The proclamation also commended the company for its role aiding efforts during World War II. During that time, the company halted laundry equipment production and produced 20 mm shells as well as parts for airplanes, tanks and guns. The firm won numerous awards for its service during the war effort. Kramer concluded by saying, "Therefore, I, Aaron Kramer, mayor of the City of Ripon, join with the members of the Common Council and the residents of the city, on this 28th day of April in the year 2008, to commend and congratulate the owners, employees and customers of Alliance Laundry Systems for one hundred years of American-made service and ingenuity, as well as their contributions to the cultural and economic improvement of Ripon and the surrounding area, and do wish them continued success in the next one hundred years." Alliance Laundry Systems LLC is a leading North American manufacturer of commercial laundry products and provider of services for laundromats, multi-housing laundries and on-premises laundries. Alliance offers a full line of washers and dryers for light commercial and consumer use as well as large frontloading washers, heavy duty tumbler dryers, and finishing equipment for heavy commercial use. The company’s products are sold under the well-known brand names Speed Queen®, UniMac®, Huebsch®, Cissell® and IPSO®.

New North Towns Named Among State’s Best - Ripon Makes List

NEW NORTH, May 20, 2008 – Eighteen New North communities were recently named some of Wisconsin’s 2008 Best Small Towns by Wonders of Wisconsin. “It’s no surprise that the New North is home to some of the best small towns in the state,” said Jerry Murphy, Executive Director of the New North, Inc. “The New North boasts beautiful trails, wonderful lake and rivers, great shopping, and fantastic entertainment. These towns are truly great places to live and to visit and are deserving of the recognition they are receiving.”

The New North communities being recognized by Wonders of Wisconsin are:
Algoma – Best Town on a Lake (#4)
Baileys Harbor – Best Town for Boating Getaway (#2)
Crivitz – Best Snowmobiling Getaway (#5)
Egg Harbor –Best Galleries and Art Scene (#1)
Elkhart Lake – Best Town on a Lake (#3)
Ephraim – Most Beautiful Town (#3); Most Distinctive Architecture (#5)
Fish Creek – Best Theater and Entertainment Town (#3); Best Cross Country Skiing Town (#4); Most Romantic Town for Adult Getaway (#3)
Green Lake – Most Scenic Beauty (#3); Best Town for Dining (#1); Best Town for Family Weekend (#2)
Keshena – Best Town on a River (#5)
Kohler – Best Shopping (#4); Most Romantic Town for Adult Getaway (#4)
Peshtigo – Best Historic Town (#5)
Plymouth – Best Galleries and Art Scene (#5); Best Cross Country Skiing Town (#5); Best Town for Biking (#5)
Princeton – Best Shopping (#5)
Ripon – Best Historic Town (#3)
Sister Bay – Best Town for Dining (#1)
Sturgeon Bay – Best Shopping (#3)
Two Rivers – Best Town for Biking (#2)
Waupaca – Best Town for a Fishing Getaway (#4)

Wonders of Wisconsin accepts nominations throughout the year from individuals regarding which towns are considered among the state’s best. Over 3,000 people voted online to help select Wisconsin’s best small towns. For a complete list of the winners, please visit http://www.wondersofwisconsin.com/.

New North, Inc. is a regional collaboration effort focused on promoting regional cooperation and economic development in an 18-county region in Northeast Wisconsin. The 18 counties included in the New North are Outagamie, Winnebago, Calumet, Waupaca, Brown, Shawano, Oconto, Marinette, Door, Kewaunee, Sheboygan, Manitowoc, Fond du Lac, Green Lake, Marquette, Florence, Menominee, and Waushara. To find out more information about New North, Inc., please visit our website at http://www.thenewnorth.com/.

RIPON MEDICAL CENTER TO PURCHASE LAND IN BUSINESS PARK FOR NEW HOSPITAL

News Release

For Immediate Release
May 20, 2008

For more information, contact:
Jean Surguy, Interim CEO
Phone: (920) 748-3101
Ripon Medical Center
933 Newbury St.
Ripon, WI 54971

Aaron Kramer, Mayor of Ripon
Phone: (920) 291-5250
100 Jackson St.
Ripon, WI 54971


RIPON MEDICAL CENTER TO PURCHASE LAND IN
BUSINESS PARK FOR NEW HOSPITAL

(RIPON, Wis.) – On Tuesday, May 20, Ripon Medical Center announced its plans to build a new medical facility in Ripon, Wisconsin’s Kohl Business Park.

Through a collaborative agreement among Ripon Medical Center executives and board members, the Ripon Community Development Corporation and the City of Ripon, Ripon Medical Center is set to purchase a 10-acre land parcel in the new business park, at the corner of Highway 44 and Douglas St.

“Ripon has needed groups to work together toward specific goals,” stated Joan Karsten, Ripon Medical Center Board of Directors’ President. “Everyone involved has played an important role and been extremely positive throughout the process.”

The decision to move the hospital from its location at 933 Newbury St. in Ripon, Wis. rested on concerns surrounding the building’s dated infrastructure and extensive costs associated with remodeling the current facility. Ripon Medical Center feasibility studies also indicated that Ripon’s community would support a new facility, adding credence to the project.

Ripon Medical Center’s new hospital will accommodate increased visitor parking, better community exposure, easier helicopter access and a more convenient location. The new facility will offer services identical to Ripon Medical Center’s current offerings, although clinic and specialty expansion are likely due as space considerations are no longer a limiting factor.

Mayor Kramer believes that the new Ripon Medical Center facility will be a great addition to an already thriving community. “I think that Ripon needs certain fundamental elements in place to make it a better place to live and work, and healthcare is one of them,” said Kramer. “Ripon Medical Center’s new facility plans just solidify one of the key components of making Ripon a great place to live and raise a family.”

A verbal agreement between Ripon Medical Center and the City of Ripon has been completed and remaining legal implications are being finalized. Final approval from all parties and purchasing terms are expected within the next 30 to 60 days.

“I am amazed that we were able to put together a proposal and vision for the future that is a win-win for all parties involved,” said Mayor Kramer. “I can’t think of a more appropriate way to put a candle on the City of Ripon’s 150th anniversary within the community. It is truly a watershed event.”

The Ripon Medical Center Board of Directors has given unanimous consensus toward approval, with the final Board approval vote set for Tuesday, May 27. Funding for the new facility will consist of a capital campaign headed by the Foundation for Ripon Medical Center and City of Ripon financing support. The building of this new facility will have no tax impact on the Ripon community.

Although there are no decided estimates of when Ripon Medical Center will break ground at Kohl Business Park, planning members project a date of May 2009. When the new facility is complete, Ripon Medical Center’s previous building, owned by the City of Ripon, will likely be taken down and turned into residential lots, according to Mayor Kramer.

“I think [Ripon Medical Center’s new facility] will send a clear message to anyone outside Ripon that things are happening here and we have the people and the leadership in place to help move dreams into reality,” said Mayor Kramer.

About Ripon Medical Center
Located in Ripon, Wis., Ripon Medical Center and the Medical Specialties Clinic serve over 25,000 people from Ripon, Green Lake, Princeton, Markesan, Brandon, Rosendale, Fairwater and other area communities.

Accredited by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Health Care Organizations, Ripon Medical Center’s 24-hour team of physicians, nurses and visiting specialists provide many patient healthcare services, including laparoscopic and laser surgery, occupational and cardiac rehab, a fully staffed emergency department, walk-in care and community wellness and health programs.

BREAKING: RMC-City reach agreement on land sale

(RIPON - May 20) - The City of Ripon and the Ripon Medical Center have reached an agreement in principle on the sale of nearly ten acres of land in the city's business park for the construction of a new multi-million dollar medical center and clinic, according to Mayor Aaron Kramer. Terms of the agreement have not been released, pending the execution of a developer's agreement. The project is the first for the new 58-acre expansion of the business park.

Ripon Guard unit to brief community/employers on upcoming mobilization

Ripon's National Guard unit will brief community/employers Thursday night about its expected mobilization as part of the 32nd Brigade's 2009 deployment to Iraq. The briefing, to begin at 6 p.m., will include information about training events and expected mobilization dates for Company A, 2nd Battalion, 127th Infantry; soldiers' rights under the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA); and the role of ESGR, the Committee for Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve. Members of ESGR and the 127th Infantry will also be on hand to answer questions and to share experiences from previous deployments. The briefing is part of an Employer Information Open House to be held from 5 to 7 p.m. May 22nd at the National Guard Armory, 707 East Fond du Lac Street, Ripon. The event is co-sponsored by Company A and Wisconsin ESGR, a Defense Department-sponsored volunteer organization that provides education, consultation, and mediation for employers of Guard and Reserve employees. ESGR aims to enhance military readiness by encouraging part-time troops and their civilian employers to cooperate on issues related to training and deployments.

YES!!! BREWERS INK BRAUN TO HISTORIC DEAL

The Brewers announced a record contract extension for Ryan Braun on Thursday, locking up the 24-year-old left fielder through the 2015 season. The 8-year deal is worth $45 million. Braun hit .324 with 34 home runs last season last season and was named National League Rookie of the Year. This season, Braun is hitting .289 with nine home runs and 29 RBIs.

Great, now is Prince next???????????????

Shame, Shame, Shame

The Assembly passed the so-called budget repair bill this week, by a slim 51-46 margin. State Representative Joan Ballweg (R–Markesan), J.A. "Doc" Hines (R–Oxford), and John Townsend (R–Fond du Lac) were among those voting FOR this financial travesty. I have been reading a number of local and statewide blogs, which have highlighted the fiscal landmines in this document (a thanks to Bootsandsabers.com for many of these), and have to give this repair bill a LARGE EMPHATIC F GRADE.

* The cuts in this budget total less than one-half percent of the budget. So repairing a deficity does not mean cutting in Wisconsin, it means reallocating. Another sign we have elected people who cannot say NO.
* It includes another raid on the transportation fund, $50 million, creating a transportation fund deficit of $28 million. What does it mean for you and me? Get ready to pay back more debt (meaning interest) to pay back the bonds (with interest) that are covering that transportation fund deficit. This would be similar to taking your mortgage money to pay the grocery bill, and tapping your home equity credit line to pay the mortgage. More debt piled on more debt...
* Delaying $125 million in school aids into the 2009–11 budget cycle creates an instant $125 million addition to the state’s structural deficit. The Legislature already pushed another $125 million in debt payments from this budget to the next one, meaning we now have a QUARTER BILLION DOLLARS in deferred payments, simply because the Legislature can. Hello, U.S Bank, I will be making my June mortgage payment in July to balance the June family budget. You okay with
* It also delays until 2009–11 the implementation of the federal Real ID act, even though you saw your vehicle registration fees increase $10 to pay for this program. Do I get my money back??
* The 50 states have an average of $1 BILLION in their reserve funds. Wisconsin had $65 MILLION at the end of the 2008–09 fiscal year. It has now been reduced to $26.26 MILLION, as of June 30, 2009. That is just $1.26 MILLION more than the legally required $25 million balance. Another wise fiscal move. Who is advising the lawmakers? Some leftovers from Bear Stearns?????

Of course, what would a budget be without some "policy" issues stuck in their to keep a certain segment of the population happy.

* "If a school board establishes a four-year-old kindergarten (K4) program, the program must be available to all eligible pupils. Provide that a school board that is operating a K4 program in the 2007-08 school year that did not comply with this requirement would need to be in compliance by the beginning of the 2013-14 school year. Specify that a K4 pupil enrolled in such a program would be included in the definition of membership for revenue limit and general school aid purposes." - Keeps WEAC happy with the bill.
* Modify the property tax exemption for educational, religious and benevolent institutions, women’s clubs, historical societies, fraternities, and libraries to extend to low-income housing and exclude low-income housing from the “rent use” requirement under current law.
* Extend the current law exemption for eligible farmland from special assessments for the construction of a sewerage or water system by a town sanitary district or a town to camps.
This also does not have any numbers for it because it doesn’t hit the state budget. (We need to find out which lawmaker has a camp in his district which has been asking for this exemption)
* Modify current law related to the crime of escape by defining “custody” to include actual custody or authorized physical control of persons on probation, parole or extended supervision by the Department of Corrections or under the control of a correctional officer. (What part of a budget repair does this involve??????????????????????????)
* Revise current law relating to the date by which individuals must complete an initial training program before they can solicit, negotiate, or sell long-term care insurance. (See above)
* Specify that no person may possess, release, control, store, sell, or transport, any fish, or viable fish eggs that are of an invasive species, if the person knows, or should know, that the fish is, or the eggs of the fish are, of an invasive species. (Another idea which SHOULD be part of a separate piece of legislation)

And the future looks just as bleak. The current deficit, based on the Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (which Wisconsin, unlike many states does not use, is estimated at $2.15 billion, according to the Wisconsin Taxpayers Alliance's calculations last June. The projected structural deficit, according to the Legislative Fiscal Bureau, now stands at $1.7 billion for the next budget cycle. That new number is about $800 million higher than the estimate made in October, when the Legislature and Doyle agreed on the current state budget.


All in all, this is a classic example of applying a bandaid to a large, gaping wound, and hoping the voters/taxpayers are too stupid to notice until after November's election are in the history books.

God bless this man

A Marine who survived being burned over more than 95 percent of his body in Iraq and established a charity to help burned children has died, the military has announced.

Sgt. Merlin German was 22.

He was severely wounded February 21, 2005, en route to Camp Ramadi when his Humvee hit a roadside bomb.

He was not expected to survive, but he was transported to Germany and then to Brooke Army Medical Center in Texas, which has the U.S. military’s top burns unit.

He spent nine months in intensive care and underwent more than 100 operations.

German moved out of the hospital into his own home after 17 months of treatment.

He founded Merlin’s Miracles, a charity that aims “to assist burned children and their families to take vacations, trips, outings or anything the families needed to make life a little easier,” according to its Web site.

German died April 11 at Brooke Army Medical Center of complications after surgery.

http://merlinsmiracles.com/

Another contribution to society from an ILLEGAL immigrant

http://sheboygan-press.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080502/SHE0101/80502029/1973
Man gets 18 months for sex with disabled teen

(SHEBOYGAN) - A 44-year-old Sheboygan man who admitted having sex with a mentally disabled teen was sentenced this morning to 18 months in prison after confessing his love for the girl while asking the judge for leniency.Juan Aguilar, an illegal immigrant who had been living at 1523 Indiana Ave., met the girl — a 17-year-old with the mental capacity of a third- or fourth-grader — at a Laundromat near his home, according to a criminal complaint. He told Judge James Bolgert that she loved him, came to visit him of her own free will and consented to the sexual contact.“I never abused her. I always took care of her. I don’t want to cause her harm,” Aguilar said in a written statement read by an interpreter. “I would like to ask you to give me the smallest punishment, because I never abused the miss. … She would come to my house every day to eat. We didn’t always have sex. I took care of her.”Aguilar’s attorney Thomas Gerleman, asked Bolgert to sentence Aguilar to probation only, and Assistant District Attorney Jim Haasch recommended two years in prison. Aguilar faced a maximum of 36 years behind bars after pleading no contest to two felony counts each of child enticement and causing a child to view sexual activity under a plea agreement that dismissed 10 misdemeanor offenses.

OK, explain this to me. The crime carried a punishment of THIRTY-SIX years, the assistant DA recommended two years, the pervert's attorney wanted probation. AND the judge gives him eighteen months...EIGHTEEN MONTHS.

Aguilar told police he and the girl watched pornography together on at least two occasions, the complaint said.Gerleman urged Bolgert to be lenient — pointing out Aguilar has no criminal history and worked to send money to his family in Mexico — but Haasch said such factors do not alter the seriousness of the
offense.

NO prior criminal history????????? Of course not, being in the country illegally is not criminal. In fact, watching the parades on Thursday and reading some of the local newspaper articles makes one realize that the laws are WRONG, not the people who break them ***Sarcastic laugh***.

Bolgert said he considered Aguilar’s character in sentencing, but also took into account the girl’s condition. Aguilar’s expected deportation at the end of his prison sentence was also a factor, the judge said.

WHAT character? Illegal immigrant...law-breaker...AND almost a guarantee to come back to the United States shortly after his eventual deportation to do the jobs we Americans will not do. What a tragedy.