Coming to a mailbox near me, and you

SOURCE: Marketplace Magazine - Steve Prestegard
The winner of the Euphemisms of the Month Award is the Ripon Area School District, where my three children go to school:

The Ripon Board of Education voted at its special meeting on October 26 to invest in education and preserve the quality of Ripon schools by increasing local property taxes to fill the gap left by the state’s reduction in state aid for the 2009-10 school year.

The punch line for us Ripon Area School District residents is buried in the next paragraph:

As a result of the decrease in state aid, the percent that property taxes will be raised is more than double the amount than if the percent of the budget covered by state aid had remained the same as last year. The 12.31% increase in the tax levy translates to an increase of the equalized mill rate of $1.18 per thousand dollars of equalized property value from last year’s equalized mill rate of $9.20. The owner of a property with an equalized value of $100,000 will pay $118 more this year in school taxes as the equalized mill rate rises to $10.38 for the 2009–10 budget.

I find this next paragraph interesting given that Gov. James Doyle and Democrats are bought and paid for by teacher unions:

“The governor and Democratic-led state legislature reneged on their promise to fund two thirds of school costs and left local school boards with no way to fulfill their responsibility to operate quality schools except to raise property taxes,” explained Ripon Superintendent Richard Zimman. “The people we elected to govern our state broke their promises and shifted school costs to local property taxes where the school boards would be blamed rather than the governor and state legislators who caused the problem. Those politicians broke promises to communities and put the future of our children in harm’s way because they refused to make the tough choices in Madison. Why should this year’s children receive less of an education than last year’s children just because our politicians don’t want to stand by their commitments?”

That was not part of the $2 billion in tax increases the Legislature passed and Gov. Doyle, the teacher unions’ good friend, foisted on us earlier this year. Because of the Legislature’s refusal to cut government, the owner of the $100,000 house in Ripon will pay an additional $118 for schools, an additional $20 for Fond du Lac County government, and an additional $14 for city services. Mil rates for Moraine Park Technical College and the state haven’t been determined yet, but take a wild guess which direction those rates will go.

This also does not include what’s likely to happen in the future with the demise of the Qualified Economic Offer, which kept automatic teacher pay increases somewhat in line with reality. Beginning with the next teacher contract negotiations, the sky will be the limit. (And the Ripon school district has had a particularly fractious history with its teacher union in the past.)

Ripon is, I suspect, not much different from other school districts in Wisconsin. (Except, perhaps, for the fact that the installation of artificial grass at the school district’s football field two football seasons ago is still being bitterly argued, though not enough to compel school district critics to run for office.) Finding a school district that does not raise its 2009–10 property taxes will be as rare as a nice day in the Wisconsin “summer” of 2009.

Schools in Wisconsin (with one major and perhaps other smaller exceptions) are better than in most other states, but they certainly are not world-class, proven by worldwide comparisons of math and science test scores. Such happy talk as “We invest in learning today for our tomorrow” is half-reality (the first part) and half-blue sky. One definition of “blue sky,” as a business appraiser might say, is “unrealistic and, as intangible assets, cannot be readily valued.” Another is “based on the income that they produce.” (Wisconsin’s per capita income, by the way, is about $2,500 less than the national average.)

Zimman’s right about one thing: The Legislature did indeed “refuse to make the tough choices in Madison.” One example is the $86 million per year the Department of Natural Resources plans to spend on land purchases for the next decade. The Legislature chose that spending over $150 million in school aids, which, as we see, directly affects the biggest chunk of our property tax bills.

Another example that Zimman didn’t mention is the fact that the Ripon Area School District is one of this state’s 427 school districts, and the school district is one of this state’s 3,120 units of government. School district administrators are very well paid, and naturally are the highest paid employees of school districts. If we had fewer school districts, school district taxpayers would be paying fewer six-digit administrator salaries, as well as fewer salaries for specialists, directors, coordinators and so on. (I wrote that for all those who get in high dudgeon over CEO salaries, which are paid by the revenues of their companies, not by tax dollars.) The same could be written for the municipalities of this state: 72 counties, 190 cities, 402 villages and 1,259 towns. (Here’s one example of what could be done.)

The Legislature failed to create a mechanism to force this state’s really small school districts (several of which are near where I live, as well as where I have lived before) to realize the economies of scale of somewhat larger school districts. The Legislature also failed to give school districts any leeway with teacher benefit costs, but teachers are apparently about to realize that their benefits come with a cost. And, as always, the Legislature continues to bless us with an abundance of government spending (and thus taxes) while we suffer from a scarcity of income.

Of course, this news release/commentary plays the “it’s-for-the-children” card first perfected by the Clinton Administration. Education is a constitutional responsibility of state government. It is not the only thing government is responsible for, however. Families across the state have had to make difficult decisions on not spending money in certain areas because of the current economy, and it is unreasonable to not expect government to do the same.

RIPON COLLEGE ACCREDITATION

I am honored to be part of the Ripon College accreditation program this fall. The college goes through re-accreditation every ten years, with one of the main benefits being that accredited colleges are eiligible to participate in federal student loan programs. I will join a number of community members late Tuesday afternoon, meeting with the four members of the accreditation board, who come to Ripon from across the nation. The college has made its accreditation application public, as well as information on the entire process. That can be found here.

One of the factors for accreditation is community involvement. As mayor, I will be asked to expand upon the internal findings of the college. The public, as well, can send comments to the committee via the college. The college's internal report, to the best of my knowledge and experience, appears to accurately reflect the current state of town-gown relations:

Engagement with the Local Community: The City of Ripon and Ripon College are historically linked to the utopian movements of the 19th century United States. Indeed, two of the College’s founders, David P. Mapes and Warren Chase, who had competing interests in the land that now comprises the city, agreed that a college would “attract responsible settlers to the area.” Ripon College occupies the highest hill in the city, but the towngown relationship is synergistic rather than competitive and is remarkably, though not completely, free of conflict.

Access to events is one of the main benefits that city and area residents experience by having a liberal arts college in the town. With a few exceptions, events on the campus are open to the public. These include poetry readings, art exhibits, plays, concerts, sports events, speakers, and the annual Ethical Leadership Conference. Advertisements, the College web site, posters, and press releases publicize events, and audiences generally include people within a forty mile radius of the campus. One measure of the importance of these events to the local community is participation of many community members in groups that have recently been formed to show support for events, renovation, programing and student scholarships. Friends of Ripon Athletics, Friends of Lane Library, and Friends of the Fine Arts provide opportunities for like-minded individuals to gather on campus, get to know students, faculty, staff, and each other, while supporting something of personal meaning and interest. During the most recent fiscal year (2009), individuals in the three groups gave $7,432 in current gifts and added $14,200 to the two “Friends” endowments supporting Lane Library and fine arts programs in music, theatre, and the visual arts. The combined value of those endowments is now over $98,000.

Motor Vehicle Policy: Student parking and street closings have been the sources of some town-gown tensions in recent years. An increase in the number of students at the College coupled with a lack of bus or rail access to the campus led to an increase in overnight student parking on the residential streets adjacent to the campus. College authorities moved to increase and regulate parking and to encourage the use of bicycles on campus. The City of Ripon posted signs limiting overnight parking near the campus for most of the academic year. Some of this debate occurred in the town and college newspapers and in city council meetings before the actions listed above were taken. Similarly, public debate about the street closings that have created the pedestrian mall on upper campus was carried out over several months in various planning and governmental meetings, as well as in the Ripon Commonwealth Press and on the local radio station. The final approval of the pedestrian mall project did not satisfy everyone, but did involve compromises to address public concerns about access to the city cemetery and the availability of short term and handicapped parking near Harwood Union and Pickard Commons. Overall, tensions between the campus and the community have been significantly reduced in recent years as the College has enforced its on-campus residency policy, significantly reducing the number of students living in rental properties in the City of Ripon.

Movement of the College’s executive offices into the historic Carnegie Library building was, as mentioned earlier, a symbolic demonstration of the ties between the College and the City of Ripon. Revitalization efforts in the downtown area have been slowed by the national economic recession, but the College maintains a vital interest in that project because the downtown area is adjacent to the eastern edge of the campus. Access to local businesses is crucial to student satisfaction with their on-campus living experience. An active business community not only provides shopping and entertainment options for students but also opportunities for internships and job shadowing. As an example of the synergistic relationship of the city and the College, the college’s Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE) team 1) consulted with the downtown revitalization effort, and 2) translated the city calendar into Spanish as two of its competition projects during the 2007-2008 academic year.

Kemper Foundation Grant Proposal, 2009: The Creative Enterprise Center, initiated during the 2006-2007 academic year, and now located in the Carnegie Building is an umbrella organization that includes the SIFE team and staff who broker connections between community enterprises and student consultants. Funded by a grant from the James S. Kemper Foundation, the CEC “serves local community members and entrepreneurs as a resource for the creation of feasible and sustainable enterprises.” The CEC and SIFE have already worked with community members to develop plans for eleven enterprises ranging from selling bags made by Jamaican women as part of the Blue Mountain Project in Hagley Gap to rehabilitation of a downtown building to house a woodworking company. CEC collaborations provide students with valuable business planning experience and contribute to the ongoing partnership between the College and the City of Ripon to improve the quality of life for all Ripon residents.

Matriculation Convocation Programs, 2008, 2009 :Each year, the mayor of Ripon welcomes new students to the community at the Matriculation Convocation, and local churches put on a pot luck dinner for students during the first week of classes. Students, faculty, and staff are a driving force in the local economy, and college programs enrich the community culture. Although not without tensions, the town-gown relationship is positive and strong, and the College’s engagement with the community has been strengthened by the increased emphasis on community service as an element of liberal education at Ripon College.

Government forum planned in Ripon

SOURCE: Fond du Lac Reporter
RIPON — A panel of local government officials will gather in Ripon on Monday, November 9, to discuss current issues that affect residents and business owners. The event will kick off at noon at Royal Ridges. Panelists are Ripon Mayor Aaron Kramer, City Administrator Steve Barg, Fond du Lac County Executive Allen Buechel and Ripon Area School District Superintendent Richard Zimman. Cost of the lunch buffet is $7. Those wishing to attend are asked to contact the Ripon Chamber of Commerce office at (920) 748-6764 by noon on Friday, Nov. 6, to make a reservation. The Chamber is partnering with the Ripon Rotary Club and League of Women Voters of the Ripon Area to host the event.

BEST LINE SO FAR TO EXPLAIN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT

The leadership of Al Qaeda is in Pakistan, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said on Thursday. “I find it hard to believe that nobody in your government knows where they are and couldn’t get them if they really wanted to,” she added. “Maybe that’s the case; maybe they’re not gettable. I don’t know... As far as we know, they are in Pakistan,” Clinton told senior Pakistani newspaper editors in Lahore, AFP reported. “The percentage of taxes on GDP (in Pakistan) is among the lowest in the world... We (the United States) tax everything that moves and doesn’t move, and that’s not what we see in Pakistan,” she said.

Ripon College pairs dinner with performance for fall play

SOURCE: Fond du Lac Reporter
RIPON — Ripon College's fall play, "Fuente Ovejuna," will be presented at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 4 to 7 in the Benstead Theatre, Rodman Center for the Arts. Due to subject matter and language, the show — which will be presented in English — is intended for mature audiences.

The production features a cast of 21 students and a backstage crew of 12. All tickets for the show are free, though reservations (920-748-8791) are recommended. A special South America-themed menu and wine selection will be offered during its dinner hours for the entirety of the show's run. Patrons may order a four-course, prix fixe meal (soup, appetizer, choice of two entrees, dessert) for $32, or selections a la carte. Dinner service begins at 5 p.m. each night. Twenty percent of the proceeds will be donated to Ripon College Friends of the Arts. Written in 1612 by Shakespeare's Spanish contemporary Lope de Vega, "Fuente Ovejuna" is a classic tale of tyranny and triumph. The title is the name of a small town in Spain where, in 1476, a group of villages rose up against a cruel and vicious tyrant, took over their town, and restored their honor.

Like Shakespeare's plays, this has a number of short scenes and mixes comedy and serious drama as well as music and dance. "We have used a modern English adaptation of this play and updated the setting," said Director Ken Hill in a news release. "The production opens in contemporary Colombia during a workers' strike where the citizens of the town retell the story of Fuente Ovejuna using modern music ranging from salsa to Shakira, and using modern props and costumes."

A Message Regarding the Future of Merriman House

SOURCE: Ripon College
Dear Ripon College Alumni, Faculty, Staff and Students,

As you may be aware, the Ripon College Board of Trustees has approved the recommendation made by college administrators to take Merriman House – longtime home of the Phi Kappa Pi Fraternity – off-line effective May 2010. This decision has understandably struck a dissonant chord with many of you, so I would like to clarify the facts of the matter and respond to some of the common questions that have arisen.

First, a brief history: Merriman House was constructed in 1939 and opened in 1940. While the College has always owned the building, the Merriman Club financed the construction of the building and was responsible for its maintenance. In 1988, another agreement was reached between Merriman Club and Ripon College, superseding the original agreement. This placed the responsibility for maintenance of Merriman House with the College.

While maintenance projects have been completed during the past 69 years, no major
renovations were undertaken. Eventually the need for major repairs and maintenance developed to the point where Merriman no longer meets the standards of a Ripon College residence hall. In deference to the standards of a Ripon education – of which residence life is an inextricable part – we have made the decision to move the Phi Kappa Pi fraternity out of Merriman and into another residence hall.

This decision was not reached lightly. Merriman’s longtime status as a social nexus is acknowledged by all, as is its place in Ripon College history. Some say that Merriman IS Phi Kappa Pi and vice-versa, implying that to take the building off-line is tantamount to taking the fraternity off-line. That is not the case. Furthermore, no decision has been made as to the ultimate fate of Merriman House. Until that time, it will simply be left unoccupied.

I respect the importance of Merriman and its place in some people’s memories of Ripon College. We will be looking for long-term solutions and weighing our options, and hope that we can sustain a positive dialogue during that process.

A brief FAQ follows for any questions/concerns not addressed here. Thank you for your time.

Sincerely yours,
David C. Joyce
President
* Is the condition of Merriman House really that bad? - It is unfit to house the students of a reputable institution.
* Why didn’t the college and/or the fraternity address the deferred-maintenance issues that led to its unusable condition? Who’s to blame? - At some point in the building’s history, the cost of necessary renovations surpassed its fair share of maintenance resources. In other words, to make the necessary repairs to Merriman would have required a disproportionate amount of the funds set aside for deferred maintenance on other, much older campus buildings that are used by all. While deferring too many small repairs for too long may have led to this situation, it falls on us to contend with the results of those decisions. It is not useful to assign blame.
* Why wasn’t a portion of the $20M bond issue used to fully renovate Merriman? - The price tag to renovate the building fully exceeds $1.5M, more than the fair market value of the entire property. Dozens of other deferred maintenance projects existed that were no less pressing, and affected buildings used by the entire student body.
* Was there a dedicated fundraising effort to raise money for Merriman? - Yes. A fundraising effort for building renovations fell far short of its goal.
* Why are you singling out Phi Kappa Pi fraternity? - This decision has nothing to do with the fraternity or its members, nor does it represent any ill will. In our judgment, it is best to vacate the building.
* What is likely to happen to Merriman House going forward? - All we know for certain is that the building must be vacated until we determine the best way to proceed.

Third annual Man Pageant seeks to crown ‘Mr. Ripon’

SOURCE: Ripon College
RIPON, Wis. – At 7 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 12 the applied communication class of Ripon College will present the third annual Man Pageant, sponsored by Golden Rule Community Credit Union. All proceeds benefit the Huntington’s Disease Society of America (HDSA). The event will take place in the Great Hall of Harwood Memorial Union. Tickets are $2 in advance and $3 at the door.

During this evening of entertainment, men from Ripon College and the community competing for the title of “Mr. Ripon.” Contestants will compete in several categories, including talent, formalwear, swimwear, and knowledge of Huntington’s.

The communication department began working with HDSA more than five years ago when they learned about the organization from a former student.

“We started being involved with HDSA because it had some project needs that applied communication students could fill – hands-on learning projects,” explains Jody Roy, professor of communication at Ripon. “Four years ago, applied created a host of fundraising alternatives for HDSA, stratified for different audiences and areas. As a follow-up to that, HDSA Great Lakes Region asked the class to pilot an awareness-builder and fundraiser that would target college students.”

The result was the creation of the man-pageant concept by the applied class of fall 2007. The first event raised $1,300 for HDSA. In 2008, the applied class later expanded on the idea and created a user guide that enables HDSA to support any college group that would want to sponsor the event on another campus. That year’s event raised $3,700 for HDSA.

Each year, Professor Roy creates a new goal for the new applied communication class. This year, the students are faced with the challenge of raising $3,500 in the current economic climate, increasing Ripon community involvement, and getting 100 community members to attend. For the first time, Ripon community members will be contestants in the pageant. Fundraising efforts were expanded to include business sponsors in Green Lake, Fond du Lac and Oshkosh, and this year the contestants themselves will raise money for the event. Also, three judges and contestant escort positions will be auctioned off. The applied communication class has participated in community events like Septemberfest and will be stationed at Pick ‘n Save on Nov. 7 along with 90.1 WRPN-FM, the college radio station, to promote the event and raise awareness for its cause.

For general information please contact Katie Mead at meadk@ripon.edu. For further information about Huntington’s Disease and how you can help in other ways, please go to www.hdsa.org.

About Huntington’s Disease and the HDSA
Huntington’s Disease is a devastating illness that most often affects people between the ages of 30 and 45. Symptoms of Huntington’s Disease fall into three major categories: loss of motor skills, altered personality and changes in cognitive function. This disease currently has no effective treatment or cure. However, with the help of HDSA’s continued research, a solution to this devastating illness may be found. Progress towards finding a cure to Huntington’s Disease may also aid in finding more effective treatments to related diseases such as Multiple Sclerosis, Parkinson’s Disease, Alzheimer’s and Lou Gehrig's Disease.

The HDSA is a nonprofit organization that offers assistance to families suffering from Huntington’s Disease, provides education about the illness, and contributes to research for a cure. This organization greatly impacts the lives of the 30,000 Americans that are afflicted with the disease, and the 250,000 who are genetically “at risk” to inherit Huntington’s Disease.

The Contestants
Tyler Schultz
George Infantado
Scott Gillespie
Jeremy Custer
Zac Mans
Paul Williams
Abdel Marched
Addison Ransom
Matt Switzler
Tyler Schwertfeger
Matt Rohrbeck
Steve Sorenson

2009 Sponsors
Christiano's
Appearances Unlimited
Fat Bruce's
Baker Battery
Casual Living Outfitters
Ripon Drug
Quality Plumbing
Imagineers
Golden Rule Community Credit Union
WRPN-FM 90.1
Watson Street Wear
Pick 'n Save
Marigold Yoga
Brandon Meats
Century 21
Comfort Suites
AmericInn

STOEBERL WILL NOT SEEK RE-ELECTION

Alderman Gib Stoeberl turned in a "Notification of Noncandidacy" form Friday morning, meaning he won't be a candidate for Council from District 3 this coming April. As a former student of Gib's, I have known him for many years, and his wisdom, patience and leadership will be missed on the Council. I know that he wanted to see the Boca Grande agreement and the building of a new fire station come to pass, and he was able to see both.

CANDIDATES
* Jeremy Custer, a Ripon College student, filed his completed Campaign Registration Statement and Declaration for Candidacy for the office of Mayor.
* Up for re-election in April: myself, Deano Pape, Joel Brockman, and Al Schraeder. None of us have made a formal announcement or decision.

TWO ARRESTED IN GRAFFITI SPREE

SOURCE: WRPN-AM
Two 16-year-old Ripon Males have been arrested and will be referred to Fond du Lac County Juvenile authorities in connection with the Graffitti Vandalism spree that took place in Ripon. Police Chief Dave Lukoski says the vandalism happened at four different locations over the weekend. They were Ingalls Field, the Union Hall on Scott Street, Barlow Park, and Schmitt Lumber. According to incident reports filed with the police, the graffiti consisted of the words “BASE”, “FUSE”, “NWS”, and “ASK”, and a picture of a three-point crown. The reports indicate the graffiti was the same at all four locations. Lukoski says it has not been determined yet if the vandalism is gang related, but it does look the part. Lukoski says this vandalism is not related to previous vandalism in the city earlier this year. As for estimated damage, Lukoski says none of the building owners have come forward with that information yet.

COMMONWEALTH'S TAKE ON TRICK-OR-TREAT

SOURCE: Ripon Commonwealth-Press
Ripon Mayor Aaron Kramer says he may be going Trick-or-Treating as The Invisible Man this year. Even after issuing an order to move Ripon's Trick-or-Treating up one day - from Sunday to Saturday - he still can't please everyone. With the change, the annual sugar festival will take place on Halloween Day, and it no longer conflicts with Sunday's Packer-Viking game. The hours remain the same: 3 to 5 p.m. Still, Kramer hears rumblings of dissent.

"Right now it's running 50-50," he said Monday, hours after the decision was announced. "Some people think it's the greatest thing since sliced bread. Others think I'm the most evil mayor in Ripon history." Many Packer fans in Ripon breathed a sigh of relief when Ripon city leaders announced the Trick-or-Treat event would be moved up a day. This means costumed candy-lovers won't compete with the game to end all games: Green Bay Packers taking on Brett Favre at Lambeau Field, with kickoff at 3:15 p.m. Kramer said his reasoning was twofold: the game, and also because he's a traditionalist. "It should have been the 31st from the start," he said.

The new date puts Ripon's Trick-or-Treating on the same day as other local communities, which had planned for Saturday (Halloween Day) all along. When Ripon set the original Nov. 1 date for this year's Trick-or-Treat, the Packer-Viking game was scheduled for noon, meaning the game would have been over a good hour before the ending of Trick-or-Treat, allowing people to enjoy both. "I've been told that Ripon traditionally holds theirs on the Sunday nearest to Halloween, and it goes back to the 1970s ... That was the rationale I was told," Kramer said. But then the game time was moved to 3:15 p.m. - which placed it right in the middle of Trick-or-Treating. This created quite the buzz.

Now that the Trick-or-Treating has been moved to Saturday, it's still a catch-22, Kramer said. That's because although the Packer game is no longer a concern, some residents have other conflicts with Saturday, such as a possible Ripon Tiger football playoff game. "I have more people contacting me about Trick-or-Treating than Boca Grande, or the city budget, or rising taxes. It's frightening," Kramer said. "It's Trick-or-Treating. It's not like I moved Christmas," he added.

DEVELOPERS AGREEMENT NOW ONLINE

CLICK HERE
This is a large PDF file of the developer's agreement between the city of Ripon and Boca Grande.

NEWS AND NOTES FROM THE RIPON SCHOOL DISTRICT

Board Votes to Preserve Quality and Protect Budget from More State Cuts
The Ripon Board of Education voted at its special meeting on October 26 to invest in education and preserve the quality of Ripon schools by increasing local property taxes to fill the gap left by the state’s reduction in state aid for the 2009-10 school year. The District has been required to cut annual operating expenses by $1.2 million in the past three years as a result of the revenue limits placed on school districts by the state. At the same time the percentage of Ripon’s school budget supported by state funds has fallen by 9% that has caused school costs to be shifted onto local property tax bills. Faced with even deeper cuts that would be matched by the state next year with even more state aid reductions, the Ripon school board voted a 12.31% increase in the tax levy to preserve the District’s programs and protect the budget from the loss of more state aid next year. The tax levy increase translates into rise in the equalized mill rate of $1.18 per thousand dollars of equalized property value. The owner of a property with an equalized value of $100,000 will pay $118 more this year in school taxes as the equalized mill rate moves to $10.38 for the 2009-10 budget. The actual amount of the mill rates on local tax bills will vary based on local property values in the eleven municipalities that comprise the school district. Because those municipalities had changes in property values ranging from a 4% decrease to a 15% increase, the effect on local property tax bills will vary considerably.

Board Accepts Gift of New Ingalls Field Team Room
The Ingalls Field Community Volunteers group is donating a new team room and storage building to the District with construction planned for the spring of 2010. The school board accepted the gift at its October 26 meeting with the understanding that no budget or taxpayer dollars will be used for building the new facility. In addition to providing shelter for RHS and Ripon College home teams during athletic events, the new building will also be used for storage during the winter and will contain women’s public restrooms during Ingalls Field events. Current restroom facilities for women are inadequate for the large crowds now coming to Ingalls Field. The new building will be located diagonally across St. Wenceslaus Street from the Ingalls Field main gate in the lot now occupied by the Voysey barn and garage adjacent to the Ripon Middle School lot. The Ingalls Field Community Volunteers will demolish the barn and garage at no cost to the District or taxpayers in order to make room for the new team room building.

District Now on Facebook
The Ripon Area School District now has a Facebook page where updates and information are available to residents using that social networking site. The new presence on Facebook is part of the outreach effort by the District to provide information and a place for feedback to parents and community members. Facebook is free to all Internet users, and there is no cost to the District for its page. Friends of the District’s page receive regular updates.

School Board Votes to Invest in the Education of Ripon Children by Filling the Gap Left by State Aid Cuts

SOURCE: Ripon Area School District
The Ripon Board of Education voted at its special meeting on October 26 to invest in education and preserve the quality of Ripon schools by increasing local property taxes to fill the gap left by the state’s reduction in state aid for the 2009-10 school year. The amount of the school budget supported by state funds has fallen by 9% during the past three years as the Governor and legislature have retreated from their promise of two-thirds funding. The gap created by this withdrawal of state aid has been shifted to local taxpayers through the school district’s property tax.

As a result of the decrease in state aid, the percent that property taxes will be raised is more than double the amount than if the percent of the budget covered by state aid had remained the same as last year. The 12.31% increase in the tax levy translates to an increase of the equalized mill rate of $1.18 per thousand dollars of equalized property value from last year’s equalized mill rate of $9.20. The owner of a property with an equalized value of $100,000 will pay $118 more this year in school taxes as the equalized mill rate rises to $10.38 for the 2009-10 budget.

The actual amount of the mill rates on local tax bills will vary based on local property values in the eleven municipalities that comprise the school district. Because those municipalities had changes in property values ranging from a 4% decrease to a 15% increase, the effect on local property tax bills will vary considerably.

In the past three years the school district has had to reduce its operating budget by a total of $1.2 million dollars in annual expenditures to stay within the revenue limits mandated by the state. At the same time the state decreased its share of the local school budget by 9%. State support has dropped from 78% of Ripon’s revenue limit budget to 69% in the past three years. Consequently, as the state shifted costs for schools to the local property tax the equalized mill rate for local property taxes has increased.

“The governor and Democratic-led state legislature reneged on their promise to fund two-thirds of school costs and left local school boards with no way to fulfill their responsibility to operate quality schools except to raise property taxes,” explained Ripon Superintendent Richard Zimman. “The people we elected to govern our state broke their promises and shifted school costs to local property taxes where the school boards would be blamed rather than the governor and state legislators who caused the problem. Those politicians broke promises to communities and put the future of our children in harm’s way because they refused to make the tough choices in Madison. Why should this year’s children receive less of an education than last year’s children just because our politicians don’t want to stand by their commitments?”

Although the calculation of the 2009-10 school district budget and tax levy is now over, the work on the 2010-11 budget is just beginning. Preliminary forecasts show Ripon will need another major budget cut to stay within state-mandated revenue limits, and the percent of the budget supported by state aid will likely continue to be reduced. Ripon’s Budget Planning Team is expected to give its first report to the school board on the 2010-11 budget at its November 16 meeting.

STATEMENT ON THE BOCA GRANDE SIGNING

Today, at the direction of the Ripon Common Council, I, and City Administrator Steve Barg, signed a development agreement with the investment firm of Boca Grande. The agreement comes after several months of discussions and negotiations. Boca Grande has proposed a $30 million redevelopment of downtown Ripon, to be highlighted by an inn and spa, several new storefronts and restaurants, and a Republican Presidential Museum. Construction is set to begin shortly and run through 2013.

There has been a delay in the actual signing of the document over the past several weeks in order to finalize several pieces of the agreement. One component, a completion performance bond, was requested to insure the project could be completed if Boca Grande were to stop their project or run into difficulties. At this time, there is nothing to suggest in the background of Boca Grande or Jim Connelly, the lead developer, that such a scenario would play out. The tightening of the credit and bond market over the past year has made it increasingly difficult to find a company which would write the bond. Therefore, Boca and the city have agreed to withhold nearly $2 million of the city's $5.5 million investment in the Inn and Spa in an escrow account until actual construction on the new building begins. A second component, a life insurance policy on Frank Cumberbatch, one of the investors in Boca Grande and a resident of the city of Ripon, had to be altered as well. The initial policy request was for $4.3 million. Roughly one half of that policy has been approved. Boca Grande, in the most recent negotiations, agreed to contractual language which obligates them to continue pursuing the construction completion bond and the remaining life insurance coverage as the project moves forward.

As mayor, I would like to thank our staff and advisors for their diligent and thorough work on this project. An endeavor of this size does not come to pass without teamwork on both sides of the table. In the end, the city and Boca Grande went through 14 versions of the final developers agreement, before reaching the finish line. I am proud of the work we have done, and excited about the future. As has been my policy since we announced this agreement in August, the public is invited and encouraged to ask questions about the project and the city's involvement. No one who has asked questions about this project has been denied access to the public records and deliberations. The city and Boca Grande have held three informational meetings on the project, and additional public meetings may be held in the future as the numerous construction and redevelopment projects are launched.

On a personal note, I realize there will never be unanimous public consent on this project. It has never been my goal to seek 100 percent approval. It has been my goal to provide as much information as is legally permissible to allow everyone to form their own opinion, whether it is for or against. I believe in this project because I have always believed Ripon's best days are yet to come, and this project is a solid belief in the future of the downtown, the city of Ripon, and the region.

BOCA GRANDE SIGNING TODAY

The signing of the official developer's agreement between the City of Ripon and the development firm of Boca Grande will take place at 430 PM in Ripon's City Hall. Members of the Council may attend, and may exceed the number for an official quorum, but no official action will take place, and this will not constitute an official meeting. Members of the public are invited to attend, and representatives from the city and Boca Grande will be available for questions.

RIPON COLLEGE STUDENT TO RUN FOR MAYOR

Jeremy Custer, a Ripon College student, filed his completed Campaign
Registration Statement and Declaration for Candidacy for the office of
Mayor. This makes him the first official candidate for a City office
for the spring 2010 municipal election.
Jeremy has a Facebook page for now. Best of luck to him in the 2010 election.

RIPON UNITED WAY DINNER

The annual United Way Fundraiser Dinner will be Wednesday November 18th at Alibi’s from 4:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Adult tickets are $10 in advance and $12 at the door. There will be a cash bar, raffle prizes and silent auction items. The menu will consist of ham, chicken, mashed potatoes, vegetable, coleslaw, and dinner rolls. Carry-outs are available. Advance tickets are available from any United Way board member, or at any of the following locations: Ripon Chamber of Commerce, Ripon Drug, Ripon M&I Bank, and Ripon Pick ‘N Save.

GOOD LUCK TO THE RIPON BOYS CROSS COUNTRY TEAM

After finishing in second place at the sectionals meet Saturday morning, the Tiger boys' cross country team is heading back to the state championship meet in Wisconsin Rapids. They run Saturday, Oct. 31 at 1:40 p.m. Only five of the 16 teams from last year’s field return to compete for the title in Division 2, including champion Tomahawk.The Hatchets will attempt to make it two in a row with three members of the team back from last year’s meet. Ripon, which is looking for its first-ever state team title in boys cross country, finished second in 1961, 1986 and 1997.

Congratulations to head coach Chris Gatzke and his "dynasty".

COUNCIL RECAP - OCTOBER 26th

* Ordinance – adopting restrictions regarding burning within the City - The Council heard comments from the public on a proposed ordinance, based largely on Fond du Lac’s ordinance, with added language from DNR’s model ordinance on burn barrels, and the City of Beaver Dam’s “open burning” definition. Under the proposal, burn barrels could be used one day a week, provided appropriate materials are burned. The distance from structures would be set at 25 feet. Alderman Pape, after meeting with the fire chief and other city officials, requested that the item be tabled until November 23rd in order to have the city attorney draft a new ordinance modeled after the state's burning regulations. The motion to table was unanimously approved.
* Ordinance – repealing and recreating the City’s floodplain ordinance - The DNR has written a model floodplain ordinance, and they are requiring that cities across Wisconsin adopt this, or something similar. The Plan Commission approved the ordinance last week, and the council unanimously did last night. A new series of flood plain maps, which are not vastly different from the current ones, will be available in November.
* New 3-year agreement for audit services (2010-2012) – Schenck - The city solicited bids for auditing services, and Schenck was the lowest price of the 4 bids received at $57,300. The city council approved the 3-year deal, which means Schenck will be the city's auditor for nine years. Typically, you want to change auditors from time to time to allow a "fresh" set of eyes to look at the books, and the council agreed that a new audit firm may be needed as this contract expires.
* Proposed 2010 employee health insurance renewal – Network Health - The City’s retirees are being split off onto a plan separate from current staff. With this, and increasing deductibles ($3500 single; $7000 family), the base premium stays flat, and the estimated overall hike, including HRA, is 6%. The council approved the new insurance constract.
* CLOSED SESSION - The council discussed the proposed developer's agreement with Boca Grande. As of this morning, no agreement has been signed.

COUNCIL MEETING MOVED TO 730 PM

Tonight's Common Council meeting (Monday October 26th) has been moved from 7 to 730 PM, as two members were not positive they could make the 7 PM start time due to work conflicts. The Council agenda will also include a closed session after the regular meeting to discuss the developer's agreement with Boca Grande.

Tscheschlok named director of Economic Development/Washington County

SOURCE: Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel
Economic Development/Washington County said Monday that Christian G. Tscheschlok, has been named its new executive director effective December 7. Since June 2007, Tscheschlok has served as vice president of the Fond du Lac County Economic Development Corp. He holds an MBA from Western Illinois University and a Bachelor of Arts in the Teaching of English from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The EDWC is a county-wide public/private economic development partnership in Washington County.


After working the past two years with Christian, I "selfishly" hate to see him leave Fond du Lac County, but wish him well. Washington County is getting a great resource.

Wisconsin car insurance premiums rise; Democrats refuse blame for hike after law change

SOURCE: Appleton Post-Crescent
MADISON — As insurance companies begin mailing notices to Wisconsin customers telling them that their premiums are likely to increase soon, state politicians are scrambling to avoid the blame.

The first changes expected to affect premiums start Nov. 1 with more coming next year when all motorists must carry liability insurance. The minimum levels of coverage also are increasing.

Terry Scheller, 47, of Nichols, recently received notice that coverage for his three vehicles was increasing $231.

"I think it's awful," Scheller said. "How much more can people afford? Times are tough. Guess who's paying for it? People like me with clean driving records."

The new insurance requirements were approved by the Democratic-controlled Legislature earlier this year.

But Democrats aren't willing to accept blame for any higher premiums.

Assembly Majority Leader Tom Nelson, D-Kaukauna, said in an Oct. 7 letter to a constituent who inquired about higher premiums that "any premium increases are due to the business decisions of insurance providers rather than any action taken by the Legislature."

That's the same thing he told Scheller when he called to complain.

"I'm not buying it from Mr. Nelson," Scheller said. "I believe it's the state law. That's what I'm hearing from two different agents."

Nelson said that insurance companies were "simply using the Legislature as an excuse to raise premiums and generate more profit."

Nelson's assertion is "flat out wrong," said Andy J. Franken, president of the Wisconsin Insurance Alliance. The alliance represents insurance companies and spent more than $500,000 lobbying against the changes passed by the Legislature.

Franken said at its most basic level, the Legislature increased the amount of coverage people will have to carry and it's "simple economics" to see that will result in higher premiums.

"Everyone understands if you buy more of something, it costs more money," Franken said.

Both the insurance industry and state regulators agree that premiums will go up because of the changes. But they may not go up for all policyholders and how much they increase depends on several factors.

The state Office of the Commissioner of Insurance did not prepare, and does not intend to prepare, an analysis of what impact the changes approved by the Legislature will have on premiums.

However, premiums in general are expected to go up for consumers who purchased only the minimum limits because of the changes, said OCI spokesman Jim Guidry.

Determining how much, or what the impact would be on an individual policy holder, is difficult because some consumers purchased more than the minimum limits, Guidry said. Also, there are more than 200 insurance companies competing with one another and a variety of other factors, including driving record and past claims experience, affect premiums, he said.

"People who have higher limits that are at or higher than the new mandated amounts will not be impacted," said Ken Muth, a spokesman for American Family Insurance, which is based in Madison. "It's going to depend on what the coverages are now and the additional coverages you'll have to take on. ... It may go up significantly for some."

American Family is sending out letters to policyholders warning them about increases.

"Every insurance company in the state will be forced to charge more as a result of this legislation," one letter sent by American Family said. American Family is the largest auto insurer in Wisconsin.

Nelson called American Family's letter blaming the Legislature for higher premiums "disingenuous and shameful."

Republicans see an opportunity to attack Democrats as policyholders getting notices of increases are looking for someone to blame.

"Obviously this is no mystery. We knew when this policy was put in it was going to raise insurance rates," said state Rep. Jeff Fitzgerald, R-Horicon, the Assembly minority leader. "I think everybody's bill will increase; it's just a matter of how much."

Insurance companies, including American Family, fought against the changes but were unable to overcome support from Democratic lawmakers and Gov. Jim Doyle, a Democrat, who signed them into law.

Supporters, included trial attorneys, argued that because the current minimum coverage levels haven't increased in 29 years they don't take into account current costs.

FdL County budget will include tax increase

SOURCE: Fond du Lac Reporter
Residents of Fond du Lac County should expect to see a modest increase in the county portion of their property tax bills. Early projections are that residents with a home valued at $100,000 would see a $20 increase in the county portion of their bill over last year. Fond du Lac County Executive Allen Buechel continues to put finishing touches on his 2010 budget presentation. He said the tax rate is expected to increase by 20 cents — from $5.02 to $5.22 per $1,000 of valuation. He will address the budget when the Fond du Lac County Board of Supervisors meets at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 27. The meeting will take place in Legislative Chambers of the City County Government Center, 160 S. Macy St. The public is welcome to attend. In addition, regular meetings are televised live on Charter cable Channels 21/980.

Furloughs
Buechel said most county employees will be asked to take one to five furlough days. The plan does not include those working 24-hour-staffed positions, such as corrections officers or nurses at the Health Care Center. Clerical staff and managers would be among those affected.

Retirement incentive
Persons close to retirement age are being offered one year of paid medical insurance as incentive for early retirement. The offer is for those in positions that could remain vacant for 2010. It is estimated 2-4 employees may take advantage of the offer.

Sales tax
The half-cent county sales tax to be implemented in April will not help balance the budget — though it's tempting, Buechel said. "The funds will be used to make a first payment on the ($50 million) Mercury loan and a half-million will go to the FCEDC (Fond du Lac County Economic Development Corporation) for its revolving loan fund," he said. Proceeds from the sales tax will continue to provide funds for the Mercury loan to reduce the amount of borrowing needed. "This is the toughest one I've done," Buechel said of his 17th consecutive county budget. "The challenges are that costs keep going up and the state is cutting our funding. They keep cranking out the (unfunded) mandates and they're just using us as a cash machine."

Tuesday's agenda is jammed with presentations, reports and resolutions, including a resolution awarding the sale of $20 million in taxable general obligation promissory notes for Mercury Marine.

Additional Facts
How to attend - The Fond du Lac County Board of Supervisors will meet at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 27, in Legislative Chambers of the City County Government Center, 160 S. Macy St. The public is welcome.

TRICK OR TREATING MOVED FROM SUNDAY TO SATURDAY

RELEASED - Monday October 26th 8 AM
In light of the recent decision by the National Football League to move the starting time of the November 1st game between the Green Bay Packers and Minnesota Vikings from 12 PM to 3:15 PM, and the fact that Halloween itself falls on a Saturday, I am hereby directing that the 2009 City of Ripon Trick-or-Treat hours be moved from Sunday November 1 to Saturday October 31 from 3 to 5 PM, and would request that the Common Council support said decision. If a member of the Council objects to my directive, the item can be discussed and debated at the Council meeting on October 26th.

I would also encourage the city staff to review and discuss the pros and cons of designating Trick-or-Treat to be held on October 31st, regardless of the day of the week on which it falls.

COUNCIL AGENDA - OCTOBER 26th - 7 PM

I. Call to order/roll call
II. Pledge of Allegiance/Invocation
III. Public communications and comment
IV. Consent calendar (Unless the Mayor, Council or staff asks that one or more of the items listed below be pulled, this list may be approved with a single vote.)
1. Ordinance – writing off uncollectible personal property accounts
2. Plan Commission minutes – October 21st
3. Resolution – authorize request for local road improvement grant funds
V. Other business
1. Ordinance – adopting restrictions regarding burning within the City - The attached ordinance is based largely on Fond du Lac’s ordinance, with added language from DNR’s model ordinance on burn barrels, and the City of Beaver Dam’s “open burning” definition. Burn barrels could be used one day a week, provided appropriate materials are burned. The distance from structures would be set at 25 feet. At this time, it seems likely the issue will be tabled until November as more fine-tuning is needed.
2. Ordinance – repealing and recreating the City’s floodplain ordinance - The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has written a model floodplain ordinance, and they are requiring that cities across Wisconsin adopt this, or something similar. The attached ordinance is based on their model. After holding the public hearing on October 21st, Plan Commission recommended approval as written.
3. New 3-year agreement for audit services (2010-2012) – Schenck - As shown on the attached memo from Lori Rich, Assistant to the City Administrator, staff solicited bids for auditing services, and Schenck was the lowest price of the 4 bids received at $57,300. Staff is pleased with their work, and recommends that we enter into a 3-year agreement with Schenck for 2010-2012 as outlined in their proposal.
4. Proposed 2010 employee health insurance renewal – Network Health - The City’s retirees are being split off onto a plan separate from current staff. With this, and increasing deductibles ($3500 single; $7000 family), the base premium stays flat, and the estimated overall hike, including HRA, is 6%. Staff recommends approval.
5. Update – status of 2009 workplan items and other recent issues
VI. Mayor’s communications and appointments
VII. Agenda items for future Council meetings
VIII. Adjourn

Entrepreneur's Connection 2009

On Tuesday, November 17th, entrepreneurs and emerging business owners will come together for the Oshkosh/Fond du Lac Entrepreneur’s Connection 2009: Network. Learn. Grow. Held during Global Entrepreneur’s week, E-Connect 2009 will focus on the unique challenges, issues and concerns that matter to entrepreneurs who live and work in and around the Oshkosh Area and Fond du Lac County.

Taking into consideration the busy lifestyle of entrepreneurs, E-Connect 2009 is an evening event, running from 4 to 7:30 p.m. Last year, in the first year of the event, the event attracted over 200 participants in Oshkosh. This year, it will be held at University of Wisconsin--Fond du Lac and will be packed with real-world knowledge through networking, speakers and exposition-style product and information booths. Breakout sessions will cover topics such as social media, entrepreneurial success stories and financing in a challenging economy. The evening will include networking over hors devours as well as coffee and desserts.

The keynote speaker for event will be former Green Bay Packer and successful entrepreneur, Santana Dotson. Having completed a career that started by winning Rookie of the Year with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and culminated in two Super Bowls appearances with the Green Bay Packers, Santana is no stranger to success. Today he is an accomplished businessman. He has invested in and operated fitness centers throughout Texas and the Southeast as well as an international beverage distribution-company. He also owns and operates the NFL’s youth football league in Houston.

Sponsors for E-Connect 2009 include The Reporter, The Northwestern, Fond du Lac County Economic Development Corporation, WTCX/Sunny 97, Cumulus of Appleton/Oshkosh, New North B2B and 4-Imprint at the platinum level; Horicon bank and Promotions with Pizzazz at the gold level; Citizens First Credit Union, M&I Bank, Huberty & Associates, Associated Bank, Moraine Park Technical College and UW-Fond du Lac at the silver level; and 44-North, Clifton Gunderson, US Bank, Choice Bank, Ripon College/Creative Enterprise Center, and Mountain Dog Media at the bronze level. The event is organized by the Oshkosh Origin and Fond du Lac County Entrepreneurial Partners.

Registration is $30 per person. To register, log on to www.econnectevent.com. Registration deadline is Thursday, November 12th.

Democrats lock Republicans out of committee room

This is getting ridiculous in Washington...
SOURCE: The Hill.com
Democrats lock Republicans out of committee room
By Susan Crabtree - 10/20/09 05:47 PM ET
Rep. Edolphus Towns (D-N.Y.) locked Republicans out of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee room to keep them from meeting when Democrats aren’t present.

Towns’ action came after repeated public ridicule from the leading Republican on the committee, Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.), over Towns’s failure to launch an investigation into Countrywide Mortgage’s reported sweetheart deals to VIPs.



For months Towns has refused Republican requests to subpoena records in the case. Last Thursday Committee Republicans, led by Issa, were poised to force an open vote on the subpoenas at a Committee mark-up meeting. The mark-up was abruptly canceled. Only Republicans showed up while Democrats chairs remained empty.

Republicans charged that Towns canceled the meeting to avoid the subpoena vote. Democrats first claimed the mark-up was canceled due to a conflict with the Financial Services Committee. Later they said it was abandoned after a disagreement among Democratic members on whether to subpoena records on the mortgage industry’s political contributions to Republicans.

A GOP committee staffer captured video of Democrats leaving their separate meeting in private chambers after the mark-up was supposed to have begun. He spliced the video to other footage of the Democrats’ empty chairs at the hearing room, set it to the tune of “Hit the Road, Jack” and posted it on the Oversight and Government Reform Committee’s minority webpage, where it remained as of press time.

Towns’s staffers told Republicans they were not happy about the presence of the video camera in the hearing room when they were not present. Issa’s spokesman said the Democrats readily acknowledged to Republicans that they changed the locks in retaliation to the videotape of the Democrats’ absence from the business meeting even though committee rules allow meetings to be taped.


"It's not surprising that they would choose to retaliate given the embarrassment we caused by catching them in a lie on tape,” said Issa spokesman Kurt Bardella. “If only they
would use their creative energy to do some actual oversight rather than resorting to immature tactics, but I guess we're getting some insight into what lengths they'll go to avoid addressing the Countrywide VIP issue."

Towns’s office said in a statement the locks were changed on Republicans "because they don't know how to behave." As for the video the GOP made, Towns's office pointed out: "The minority is using taxpayer dollars to make these campaign style videos."

Bardella replied: "It's also those same taxpayer dollars that paid for them to sit in a room while they came up with an excuse to cancel the mark-up -- what exactly do they do all day?"

The partisan sniping recalls a similarly bitter name-calling match between House Republicans and Democrats on the Ways and Means Committee in 2003 when Republicans controlled the majority and former Rep. Bill Thomas (R-Calif.) chaired the panel. The episode ended in Thomas, known for his acerbic tongue, summoning the Capitol Police to evict an outraged gaggle of Democratic colleagues from a library in the Longworth House office building.

The committee had convened that morning to consider a bipartisan bill that would revise the nation's pension and retirement-saving system.

Democrats objected when Thomas brought up a 90-page substitute measure that had been released shortly before midnight the night before. Democrats said they needed more time to read it. Thomas disagreed.

In response, Democrats objected to a normally perfunctory motion to dispense with the reading of the dense legislation. A clerk obligingly began reading it line by line.

Democrats departed to a library just off the main hearing room, leaving only Rep. Fortney "Pete" Stark (D-Calif.) to prevent the Republicans from obtaining unanimous consent to skip the reading. After a few minutes, Thomas asked again for the unanimous consent, and instantly brought down his gavel. Stark told reporters he had objected, but Thomas had replied, "You're too late."

Even before Thomas gaveled the reading to an end, he had directed staff to call the Capitol Police to remove the Democrats form the library.

Countrywide, now owned by Bank of America, was reported to have given VIP loans and treatment to lawmakers and officials at the federal and local level who were in a position to influence policy affecting the mortgage giant. Issa has repeatedly reminded Committee Democrats that Bank of America officials had said they would turn over records on the VIP program – but only in response to a subpoena.

Towns, who received a mortgage loan from Countrywide but insists he was not part of the VIP program, has said he declined to launch an investigation because he does not want to interfere with an ongoing Justice Department probe into the matter.

TEAM LOCKER ROOM FACILITY PLANNED FOR INGALLS FIELD

SOURCE: WRPN-AM
The Ripon Board of Education gave its approval to Ingalls Field volunteers to begin removal of the Voysey Barn and garage located behind the middle school. The buildings, according the School District, have outlived their usefulness. Ripon School Superintendent Richard Zimman says the Ingalls Field volunteers have plans for a Team Room and Storage Facility in that location. Zimman says the removal of old building and construction of the new building will be done at no cost to the district or its residents. Construction on the building will begin yet this year and will be ready for the 2010 season.

Just one more example of how volunteerism makes our community stronger....

THOUGHTS ON THE 2010 BUDGET

As the 2009 budget cycle comes to an end, I am proud of the work the city staff has done in crafting a fiscal plan for 2010 that includes a 1.65 percent increase. I don't enjoy raising taxes, and, during my tenure as mayor, we have had budgets with little to no tax increases. This year, it was the most difficult budget to balance. Despite a decrease in state aid, increases in health insurance costs and salaries and increasing costs for most of the every day items city staff uses, the budget is actually up just 1/2 percent from the budget we are under this year. The tax increase comes as a result of the drop in the city's property values, which is a number the state Department of Administration determines. In their infinite wisdom, they claimed the city's value went down while Fond du Lac County, as a whole, went up.

Despite the tax increase, this has been a quiet year from the public in regards to the budget. No one spoke up at a recent public hearing (another one will be held in late November), and I have not received one email, letter or call about the proposed spending plan. I am not going to be naive enough to believe that this means everyone in the city of Ripon is happy with their taxes. And, since I and the council have control over only about 30 percent of the total tax bill, the silence could be broken as tax bills hit the mail boxes in mid-December.

It is a common theme to hear residents claim their taxes are too high. Heck, I don't like paying them anymore than you do. I am very aware that this year the increase will hit our senior citizens harder than in years past since they are not receiving an increase in Social Security benefits. Every year I have been mayor I put out the same challenge to those who believe their taxes are too high: What would you like to see cut or eliminated, as long as the suggestion is a service you use?

It would be easy for me, as mayor, to simply target the Senior Center for elimination. I do not use the services of the center at this stage in my life. It would also be easy for a person with no children to want to see school taxes reduced. That is an easy way out of the budget issues we face, and it is inherently wrong.

As we move forward, I would encourage all of the residents to become educated on the budget. Copies are available at City Hall, and I will be more than willing to answer questions or concerns about the budget, as will the council and city staff members. If I can't find the answer, I can usually find a person who does know the answer among our staff.

Budgeting and taxes are never an easy issue to deal with for any politician. I am proud where we are as a city in terms of its financial health and future. Are there challenges for us to face? Of course. Am I confident in the abilities of our staff and elected officials to meet those challenges? Of course.

NEWS AND NOTES FROM THE RIPON SCHOOL DISTRICT

District Awarded $375,000 in Charter School Grants
The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction has awarded two charter school grants to the Ripon Area School District for the 2009-10 school year totaling $375,000. Crossroads Academy is receiving a $175,000 implementation renewal grant. The Quest Charter School is receiving a $200,000 planning grant. Both schools are designed around the project-based learning concept. Crossroads Academy is located in the lower level of the First Congregational Church, and Quest Charter School will be located in the Murray Park Elementary School building when it opens for the 2010-11 school year. The District has now received over $1 million for establishing its three charter schools that offer more choices to parents for public school options.

State Cuts School Aid by $396,000
State aid to the Ripon Area School District is dropping by $396,000 for the 2009-10 school year. The state’s decision to drop its level of funding from 66.6% to 60% of the cost of K-12 public education means shifting more of the school district’s budget onto local property taxes. Instead of the planned 1.79% tax increase for the current fiscal year, the Ripon Board of Education must consider an 8.41% increase in the tax levy to make up for the state’s shortfall. The board is already under-spending its taxing authority by $234,000 according to the revenue limit law which has resulted in program cuts, staff layoffs, and larger class sizes. If the board used its full taxing authority, as it has in past years, the local tax levy would increase by over 12%. One consequence of not using its full taxing authority is that state aid, which is always calculated on the previous year’s expenditures, will decrease again for 2010-11. The amount that the December 2009 local tax bills will increase depends on local property values in the eleven municipalities that comprise the school district. A final decision will be made on October 26.

RHS Partnering with RMC for Medical Exploring Course
Ripon High School and the Ripon Medical Center have formed a partnership to begin a Medical Exploring course starting in January 2010 for high school students who are considering careers in the medical field. The new half-credit, one-semester course will require students to rotate through RMC departments in a variety of activities that will include observation and assistance with blood drives, sports medicine, patient care, emergency care, and surgery.

Two Teachers Recognized for Advanced Placement Work
Rick Kelm and Amy Maciolek, both Ripon High School teachers, were recognized by the Ripon school board for their recent work with The College Board’s Advanced Placement (AP) program. Mr. Kelm recently completed the certification process of The College Board as an AP U.S. History teacher. Ms. Maciolek, a certified AP German Language teacher, was one of just a few hundred high school German teachers from across the country who were invited to grade the 2009 national AP Exams this past summer. AP courses allow high school students to earn 4-year college credit by taking courses at RHS taught by AP-certified RHS faculty.

NEWS AND NOTES FROM RIPON COLLEGE

SOURCE: Ripon College Days
Decision made to move Merriman House off-line starting in the fall of 2010
The Haunted House, which was held this past weekend at the Merriman House might be the last of its kind, as starting in the fall of 2010, the house will be vacant. This vacancy is due to a ruling at the Oct. 2 Operations Committee meeting.

The house, which has been occupied by Phi Kappa Pi members for the better part of the past seven decades, was deemed unsafe to live in. The ruling allowed the college to give the fraternity the needed six months of warning before taking the building off-line.

The decision to take the building off-line doesn't necessarily spell the end to the building. The future of the house is much cloudier, as there are many options that have been explored and many others that are being considered.

Internal investigation ongoing following three related acts of vandalism Sept. 29
In the wee hours of Tuesday morning Sept. 29, three different Ripon College buildings were pelted with rocks. At least six baseball-sized rocks were projected at a panel in Great Hall, a hallway in Johnson and a residence room in Scott Hall.

The incident in Scott Hall was the most evident, as the breaking of the windows and shattering of a mirror awoke two sleeping students. Even though nobody actually got hurt, two people in Scott Hall could have been injured. Ryan Dwyer, hall director of Scott Hall and Josh De War, the director of residence life are first and foremost concerned for the safety of the student.

"My number one priority is to make sure every student in the building is safe. We wanted to make sure that they didn't have glass on them or were injured in any way," says Dwyer.

MY OPINION - THE BUDGET AND LIBRARY SALARIES

Opposing funding for library operations is likely a losing proposition in the world of politics. It usually translates into a vote-losing proposition, but, in the proposed 2010 city budget, I have taken issue with the Ripon Public Library's proposed wage increases. Let me stress that I am a supporter of the library. I made a donation to the expansion earlier this decade, and my childre, my wife, and I frequent the library several times a month. The arguments I am making today are directed at the pay system and not at any individuals.

The employees will receive a 2.75 percent increase, which the amount the city agreed to pay under its most-recent contract with union employees. The city traditionally extends the same pay raise to non-union employees. What has made me upset is the step increases of up to five percent on top of the proposed base pay increases. For some library employees, this means a 7.75 percent increase.

I will argue that a 7.75 percent increase, in today's economic climate and with many city residents seeing their pay stay the same or decline, is simply wrong. We learned this week that senior citizens will be receiving a ZERO increase in their monthly checks. I think this makes the salary schedule at the library an even more painful pill to swallow.

The step system, which was approved over two decades ago to bring Ripon into line with the salaries of comparable libraries and reward seniority, is obsolete. If Ripon has not caught up to the salaries of comparable libraries, then the system apparently has not worked. To give someone a five percent increase after five years on the job is a prime example of why people look at government with a suspicious eye. I also have a problem with simply looking at salaries between comparable libraries and making compensation decisions without looking at the corresponding benefit packages and the cost of living in the cities being compared. Lastly, if a libary in another community is paying more, there is nothing to prevent our employees from seeking a job at the facility if pay is the primary driver behind their career choices.

Under state law, the city of Ripon can not determine how library funds are spent; we can only set what contribution we will make with tax dollars to the revenue stream. In 2010, the city will pass the $400,000 mark in the amount of tax dollars going to the city, and the amount has jumped $25,000 in the past three budgets.

I am strongly encouraging the library board to review and revise the current salary structure. There was a motion at the last council meeting to cut the city's tax contribution by one percent, which failed 6-2. I would NOT have supported the motion, since I would like this dicussion on the library's salaries to be constructive and not adversarial. Let's give the board, which is appointed by the mayor and approved by the council, the opportunity to address the issue in the next year.

SCHOOL BOARD MEETING - OCTOBER 19th

* Recognition - Amy Maciolek (Served as a reader (i.e., grader) for the German Language Advanced Placement (AP) Exams in the summer of 2009) and Rick Kelm (Received his certification from the College Board as an Advanced Placement (AP) U.S. History teacher. Rick was also selected as a participant in “The Navaho Experience” in the summer of 2009)
* Special Presentations - Warren Sherman & Ingalls Field Volunteers - A proposal for a new team room/storage facility as part of the Ingalls Field complex will be presented.
* Consider approval of revised Policy 8510 – Wellness (second reading) - The major change is authorization to allow soda sales at school events held at Ingalls Field.
* Consider approval of RHS Medical Exploring Program - The proposal is for a new program for high school students to earn graduation credit while participating in a medical careers exploratory program. The program will begin in 2010-11.
* Consider approval of demolition of Voysey barn and garage - Warren Sherman and the Ingalls Field volunteers are requesting to demolish the Voysey barn and garage, located next to the middle school and across the street from the home bleachers of Ingalls Field, without any cost to the District. The buildings have outlived their
usefulness and the land could be used for more important purposes.

Possible Upcoming Action Items
* FY 10 Tax Levy and Loss of State Aid - The board will receive information on the loss of state aid, now calculated at approximately $233,000 which has caused a comparable reduction in the District’s 2009-10 instructional budget. Because of the reduction in the budget, the District has a budget that is now approximately $233,000 below the allowable revenue limit for 2009-10. The Board must decide at its tax levy meeting on October 26 if it will make up the loss of state aid, in part or in whole, through the local property tax levy which is permissible within the District’s revenue limit.
* Pandemic Influenza Plan - Information will be sent regarding the District’s mandated Pandemic Influenza Plan that outlines the District’s responses to an outbreak. Our goal is to continue the learning opportunities for students even if teachers are ill or the school building is closed.
* Team Room/Storage Facility - Information regarding a proposal for a new team room/storage facility on the site of the Voysey barn and garage for use by athletic teams (football, soccer, track) during competitions at Ingalls Field and by maintenance for storage of equipment, especially during the winter, will be reviewed.
* Memorial benches for Jill Chatterson - Will discuss a request to place a memorial bench for Jill Chatterson at BPES and a similar bench at MPES.

Informational Reports
* RHS Homecoming report - Information will be sent regarding the annual report of RHS Homecoming activities from principal Dan Tjernagel. RHS and police staff all reported better behavior this year than in recent past years.
* Enrollment report - Reflects a decrease in membership and an increase in the number of incoming open enrollment students. Further information will be presented about the budgetary implications of these trends.

Ripon Receives 2 Charter School Grants Totaling $375,000

SOURCE: Ripon Area School District
The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction has awarded two charter school grants to the Ripon Area School District for the 2009-10 school year totaling $375,000. Crossroads Academy is receiving a $175,000 implementation renewal grant. The Quest Charter School is receiving a $200,000 planning grant. Both schools are designed around the project-based learning concept.

Crossroads Academy, located in the lower level of Ripon’s First Congregational Church, opened in September 2008 and graduated two students at the end of the 2008-09 school year. Crossroads is designed for students who have encountered a crossroads in their learning and need to enter a more individualized project-based learning environment that fosters academic, personal, and 21st century employment skills for students in grades 8-12. Crossroads has previously received $200,000 in planning and implementation grant funds.

The Quest Charter School will be a project-based learning school for elementary students in grades 3-5. It will be located in the Murray Park Elementary School building although it will operate as an independent school. Randy Hatlen will serve as principal of both schools. The planning grant will focus on staff training and curriculum writing for the project-based approach. Some funds will also be used for equipment and materials. The new charter school will open for the 2010-11 school year and will be eligible to apply for implementation grants during its first and second year of operation.

Ripon’s first charter school, the Ripon Exploration & Application Charter High (REACH) School, is located in the Ripon High School building. It offers a hands-on curriculum to students in grades 9-12. The REACH School is in its fourth year of operation with sixty-one enrolled students. The REACH School received three charter school grants for planning and implementation totaling $450,000.

Wisconsin’s charter schools are public schools that provide options to traditional schools, instructional methods, and curriculum. Charter schools are granted independent status by the public school board. Each charter school is operated by its own board within the terms of the contract, or charter, with the public school board. Admission to the charter school is voluntary and is open to all students. There are currently 206 charter schools in Wisconsin serving approximately 35,000 students.

In addition to awarding grants to Ripon for its three innovative charter schools, the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction has also awarded a $360,000 five-year alternative education grant to the Connections program for students in grades 6-8. Located within the Ripon Middle School building, Connections makes curriculum relevant by connecting it to life in the community through activities with its business partners. The Connections program began in September 2009 with 38 students and can expand to 60 students.

Ripon School District receives two grants totalling $375,000

SOURCE: Ripon Commonwealth
The Ripon School District learned this week that it will receive two charter school grants totalling $375,000. The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction has awarded the grants for the 2009-10 school year. Crossroads Academy is receiving a $175,000 implementation renewal grant. The Quest Charter School is receiving a $200,000 planning grant. Both schools are designed around the project-based learning concept.

CONGRATS TO THE RIPON COMMONWEALTH

For entering the world of Internet News - http://riponpress.com/

The best part so far is that people can comment on the news stories, but the Commonwealth will make sure they are appropriate. Something I considered on more than one occasion due to the inflammatory and silly comments that get posted on her (thank heavens that has toned down):

Article Comment Submission Form
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Please feel free to submit your comments.

Article comments are not posted immediately to the Web site. Each submission must be approved by the Web site editor, who may edit content for appropriateness. There may be a delay of 24-48 hours for any submission while the web site editor reviews and approves it.

Note: All information on this form is required. Your telephone number is for our use only, and will not be attached to your comment.

Drop Box - Utility Payments

The City of Ripon has installed a drop box for water/sewer utility payments in the entrance of City Hall across from the Ripon Dispatch window. Please do not put cash in the drop box. This drop box can be used during normal office hours and after office hours.

RIPON SCHOOL DISTRICT NEWS AND NOTES

District Saves $35,000 in Energy Costs with New Technology
The District has entered into a 5-year, zero percent interest capital lease agreement with Alliant Energy in the amount of $35,861 for energy savings that will come from changing computer servers to virtual servers and computer monitors to more energy efficient screens and units. Students are already using netbooks instead of desktop computers with CRT monitors, and the entire network is already being shifted to virtual servers with referendum technology funds.

School Board Invited to Present at Statewide Conference
After hearing about the two-year study the Ripon Board of Education conducted on the subject of homework and the resulting new policy and guidelines for assigning homework, the Wisconsin Association of School Boards (WASB) has invited the Ripon school board to present a session at the 2010 State Education Convention for other school boards to learn how it was done. Thousands of school board members and administrators attend the annual convention in Milwaukee to share with colleagues, talk with vendors, and listen to international experts.

New Boiler at RHS Fires Up
The new boiler for Ripon High School approved by voters in the April 2009 referendum is now installed and providing heat throughout the school just in time for falling outside temperatures. The two original 1963 massive boilers have been replaced by a three-stage, energy-efficient system that will be more responsive at a lower cost.

First Curriculum Updates and Books Approved
Using referendum funds approved for curriculum and textbooks, K-12 teachers from the English/Language Arts curriculum committee met during the summer and updated the curriculum for the first time since 2002. Based on the updated curriculum new high school textbooks have been approved by the school board and ordered. The selection process for new books for K-8 grades is now near completion. A standards-based curriculum format is being used for greater clarity and will be posted on the District’s web site soon.

Sixteen Ripon Teachers Earn Master’s Degrees
The Ripon Board of Education recognized 16 teachers at the September school board meeting for role modeling lifelong learning by earning their master’s degree in the past year. This raises the percentage of Ripon teachers who have a master’s degree to 62%. Another dozen or so teachers are in the midst of their graduate programs. Fifteen of the recognized teachers participated in the weekend UW-Oshkosh cohort program for educational leadership that was developed in partnership with the Ripon Area School District. Receiving school board recognition for earning their master’s degree were Gretchen Geiger, Sue Mokler, Jessi Johnson, Kara Weir, Sherri Schmidt, Mark Bradley, Jenny Reilly, Lisa Burdick, Barb Korneli-Krueger, Becki Baird, Barb Ames, Wendy Hoepfner, Shelly Hokenson, Lori Hron, Beth Lors, and David Wilkins.

NEW LOCKER ROOM FACILITIES PROPOSED FOR INGALLS FIELD

A new 3,000-square foot locker room facility is in the planning stages for Ingalls Field. The project would get underway shortly with the demolition of the existing barn across from the field on the Middle School grounds. A nearby building would also be razed in the process. The new facility, which would be constructed in 2010, would consist of a locker room (without shower facilities at this time), storage space and additional bathrooms. At this time, it appears that private fundraising and donations will pay for the facility.

CITY COUNCIL, BUDGET MEETING ON THURSDAY

CITY OF RIPON COMMON COUNCIL MEETING - Conference room, City Hall
Thursday, October 1, 2009 - 6:30 p.m.

1. Call to order/roll call
2. Adjourn to closed session under Wisconsin Statutes 19.85(1)(e) “Deliberating or negotiating the purchasing of public properties, the investing of public funds, or conducting other specified public business, whenever competitive or bargaining reasons require a closed session” RE: Developer’s agreement for financial assistance under TIF District #11
3. Adjourn (by 6:55 p.m.)

COMMON COUNCIL MEETING - Conference room, City Hall
Thursday, October 1, 2009 - 7:00 p.m.

I. Call to order/roll call
II. Discussion on 2010 City budget
 Staff’s presentation of proposed 2010 budget
 Council’s questions, comments, and discussion
 Information requested for next budget meeting?
III. Announce next budget meeting – Tuesday, October 13th at 6:00 p.m.
IV. Adjourn

ANNOUNCEMENTS FROM THE CHAMBER

From Extreme Auto Body & 24 Hour Towing
Join us at our Open House - Saturday, October 3rd, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. - Light refreshments, register for giveaways, and meet our Extreme family!

From Ripon College
Arts and All That Jazz - Friday, October 2, 5:30 - 9:30 p.m. - Great Hall, Harwood Memorial Union
A benefit auction for scholarships in the Arts - 1920's Speak Easy theme; live and silent auctions - $45 includes appetizers, dinner & 2 drinks - For more information or to register call 748-8351 or go to www.ripon.edu/aatj

From Tango/Uncorked
Australian Winemakers Dinner at America Restaurant - Thursday, October 1st - $45 per person (tax & tip not included) - Gathering 6:15; Seating 6:30; Guest Speaker Trevor Jones - Please call America at 748-3524 to book your reservation

From Ripon College
37th Ripon Performance of the Milwaukee Symphony - Sunday, October 11th, 7 p.m., Storzer Center - Conducted by Edo de Waart; special musical guests include Frank Almond on the violin and Joseph Johnson on cello - Adults - $15; seniors 62+; Ripon College faculty and staff - $12 - Youth age 18 and under - $8, Ripon College students - free - For tickets or more information call 748-8791

CITY TO HOLD FIRST BUDGET MEETING THURSDAY

The Ripon Common Council will hold the first meeting regarding the proposed 2010 budget this Thursday evening at 645 PM. The proposed budget includes a tax increase of 1.65 percent, mainly driven by the decrease in property values across the city. The meeting is open to the public

The council is tentatively scheduled to meet in closed session at 630 PM in regards to the proposed final agreement with the development firm of Boca Grande.

COUNCIL AGENDA - SEPTEMBER 28th

CLOSED SESSION - 6:15 p.m.

1. Call to order/roll call
2. Adjourn to closed session under Wisconsin Statutes 19.85(1)(e) “Deliberating or negotiating the purchasing of public properties, the investing of public funds, or conducting other specified public business, whenever competitive or bargaining reasons require a closed session”
RE: Developer’s agreement for financial assistance under TIF District #11
Adjourn to closed session Wisconsin Statutes 19.85 (1)(c) “Considering employment, promotion, compensation or performance evaluation data of any public employee over which the governmental body has jurisdiction or exercises responsibility”
RE: Employee health insurance issue involving the City’s labor unions
3. Adjourn (6:55 p.m.)

REGULAR SESSION - 7:00 p.m.
I. Call to order/roll call
II. Pledge of Allegiance/Invocation
III. Public communications and comment
IV. Consent calendar (Unless the Mayor, Council or staff asks that one or more of the items listed below be pulled, this list may be approved with a single vote.)
1. Common Council minutes – July 27th
2. Resolution – authorizing participation in DNR municipal dam grant program - Staff note: As of now, it’s unknown whether significant repairs are needed to our dam, but we will learn more as we continue studying this into 2010. In order to qualify for DNR grant funds toward the repairs that may be required, we need to approve the attached resolution. Funding for our share of project cost has not been determined as yet, but this is just to get the process going.
3. Request for street closure – “Tiny Terror on the Square” (October 29th) - Staff note: Ripon College and the Ripon Area Chamber of Commerce are again co-sponsoring “Tiny Terror on the Square”, a Halloween-type event for young children. They’re asking for closure of the 100 block of Watson Street {both sides} from 5:00-7:00 p.m. on Thursday, October 29th. This event went well last year, and staff has no objections to the request, subject to execution of a “hold harmless” agreement and proof of insurance coverage.
V. Other business
1. Resolutions – authorizing debt for downtown redevelopment projects
a. Providing for sale of $6,320,000 note anticipation notes - Staff note: This is for that portion of debt related specifically to the Ripon Inn & Spa project, which will be tax-exempt bonds.
b. Providing for sale of $3,875,000 taxable note anticipation notes - Staff note: This is for that portion of debt related specifically to the other renovation projects, which will be taxable bonds.
2. Presentation – current restrictions and citizen complaints on burning - Staff note: After meeting with staff, Mayor Kramer chose to step back on the burning ordinance issue to review the regulations (state/local) in place today, and get a report on complaints received from our citizens over the past year. The police chief, fire chief, and a state fire inspector will offer information that should give the Mayor and Council a better foundation as we consider tightening our requirements.
3. Request to reserve land for future expansion – Ripon Public Library - Staff note: On September 2nd, the CDA voted, if no proposals were received to redevelop the former Smuckers site by the September 4th deadline (which occurred), to recommend that Council “reserve” the east 100 feet of this site for possible future library expansion. A copy of the minutes and a map showing the land in question are attached.
4. Proposed new building façade grant program under TIF District #1 - Staff note: The approved project plan for TIF District #1, the original downtown TIF district, included approximately $30,000 to start a fund for downtown building improvement loans/façade grants. I’ve attached a proposal from Craig Tebon on how Main Street might administer a façade grant program for your review.
5. Proposed Ripon Area Fire District budget in excess of 5% increase - Staff note: As indicated in the attached page from the Ripon Area Fire District agreement, budget increases above 5% require approval of the governing bodies of all participating municipalities. The fire district board is proposing a budget that includes an increase of approximately 8%. Board Chairman Pape will address this issue and seek Council’s approval for the additional increase.
VI. Mayor’s communications and appointments
VII. Agenda items for future Council meetings
VIII. Adjourn

Insurer ranks state 8th in vehicle-deer collisions

SOURCE: Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel
Wisconsin ranks eighth in the U.S. for the likelihood of drivers crashing vehicles into deer, State Farm Insurance said Monday.

The likelihood of a Wisconsin motorist striking a deer is 1 in 116, Bloomington, Ill.-based State Farm said in a statement.

West Virginia was the top-ranked state with the chances of striking a deer there at 1 in 39. Michigan was second at 1 in 78. The average for the United States is 1 in 208, according to the State Farm analysis.

Using its claims data, State Farm estimates 2.4 million collisions between deer and vehicles occurred in the U.S. between July 1, 2007, and June 30, 2009. That's 100,000 per month and 18.3% more than five years earlier. That's roughly equal to a vehicle-deer crash occurring every 26 seconds. And those crashes are much more likely this time of year as the animal's annual mating season begins.

State Farm ranks second in private passenger car insurance in Wisconsin, with 12.9% of the market, according to the state Insurance Commissioner's Office. Madison-based American Family is No. 1, with 22.5% of the market.

Hicks-Sorensen: Relief for Fond du Lac after 'roller coaster' of Merc Marine saga

SOURCE: WisBusiness.com

Fond du Lac’s recent, unsettling experience with Mercury Marine -- one day the company was headed to Oklahoma and soon after officials said it would remain -- was an emotional “roller coaster” for most of those involved.

At least that’s the description from Brenda Hicks-Sorensen, president of the Fond du Lac County Economic Development Corp.

“I experienced some of the most incredible highs I’ve ever felt and probably some of the most incredible lows,” she said. “And some of those came within five minutes.”

She said things changed so rapidly during the back-and-forth negotiations and on-and-off contract votes in late August and early September that she had a hard time keeping up.

Ultimately, Mercury Marine decided to stay put, but not before it had wrung concessions out of its labor union, as well as public backing by Fond du Lac County and the city of Fond du Lac.

That support includes a $50 million low-interest loan from the county that would be paid for with a first-ever, half-cent county sales tax that will start on April 1 of 2010. Mercury Marine would have to meet certain job creation goals, however, Hicks-Sorensen said.

In addition, the city will provide $3 million to purchase land owned by Mercury Marine or provide loans and grants to the company.

“We were thrilled with the ultimate outcome, but it still seems kind of surreal because it was so pervasive and on everyone’s thoughts and minds for such a long time,” she said.

She noted that that the community could gain upwards of 1,000 new jobs over seven years at Mercury Marine as part of the agreements. The company now employs 850 union factory workers in Fond du Lac.

“They are talking about some significant employment numbers,” she said.

Labor leaders have complained about the concessions they had to make. Community leaders in Stillwater, Oklahoma were especially bitter and said they felt used by Mercury Marine. The company has a plant with 385 workers in the Sooner state. They will all be moved to Wisconsin over the next 24 months, officials said.

In addition, Hicks-Sorensen said, some county residents are not happy about the new tax.

“That is definitely not what we wanted as an outcome,” she said. “But overall, the magnitude and the scope of what would have happened had Mercury left far outweighs the concerns about the sales tax.”

Still, she said she has spoken to many business people who are “very, very supportive and thrilled” that Mercury Marine, which is celebrating its 70th anniversary in Fond du Lac, will stay.

Though in competition for jobs with Stillwater, Hicks-Sorensen said she has compassion for that community’s impending job losses.

“It’s unfortunate, but we forget that we are dealing on a global economy and this is a global company making global business decisions,” she said. (Mercury Marine is owned by Chicago-based Brunswick Corp.)

“But when the day is done, there are still families affected, whether they are in Fond du Lac or Stillwater,” she said. “We definitely feel for them and wish them the best.”

With a strong manufacturing base, Hicks-Sorensen said her county has been hit by the recession. Its jobless rate now stands at more than 9 percent, compared to the state’s 8.4 percent rate.

“We’ve experienced some challenges, but we also have had some opportunities,” she said.

Chicago Tube and Iron recently opened a 120,000-square-foot facility in Fond du Lac’s Fox Ridge Industrial Park. In addition, a new steel plant is expected to begin operations later this month, she said. Together, they will employ up to 70 workers.

“We also have a number of other projects that we hope will come to fruition in the next month,” she said, noting that her agency has an aggressive, customized marketing campaign and works closely with site selection companies to bring new companies to the county.

It is also working to stimulate start-ups generated from within the county and to generate new business for existing firms.

She said her agency recently received a $440,000 “economic gardening” grant that is focused on “growing our own.”

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY OF BOCA GRANDE PROJECT

The following is an executive summary of the proposed development agreement between Boca Grande Capital, LLC, its affiliate Ripon Renew, Inc. (“Developer”), and the City of Ripon (“City”), being negotiated in connection with Developer’s planned Ripon Inn & Spa and other projects.

City Assistance
• City’s TIF assistance to Developer will be provided in the form of a single advance, in the amount of $8,620,000, payable into escrow on the effective date of the agreement, a portion of which will be directly repayable by Developer to City.
• The grant portion of the advance will be allocated as follows:
Ripon Inn & Spa Project (B-1): $5,500,000
• The repayable portion of the advance will be allocated as follows:
Other Projects (B-2 through B-10): $3,120,000

Developer Guarantees and Security
• Developer will guarantee a certain dollar amount of investment in the Ripon Inn & Spa project. Developer also will guarantee a specified increase in assessed value for each property included within the other projects.
• Developer also will provide a “key-man” life insurance policy on the life of Frank Cumberbatch for the first ten years of the project to cover one-half of the City's total investment, and a construction completion bond to ensure the completion of the Ripon Inn & Spa and insure City’s investment in that project.

• James P. Connelly will provide additional security in the form of a personal guarantee of Developer’s repayment and assessed value guarantee obligations for the repayable portion of the project (Projects B2-B10) for the years 2012-2021. At the end of that period, the two sides will bilaterally discuss and negotiate new terms of a guarantee if conditions at that time warrant.
• All of Developer’s obligations will be further secured by subordinate mortgages on the properties included within the projects.

Other Terms
• The amounts advanced will be held by an escrow agent, and City will obtain the benefit of any interest accruing on the balance of the advance held in the escrow account.
• Disbursements of funds to Developer will only be made upon Developer providing to City evidence satisfactory to City that the funds have been or will be spent properly.
• Developer will commence all of the projects it undertakes within 40 months and will complete all such projects within 50 months.