THE MAYOR'S PAGE

Coming to a mailbox near me, and you

2009-11-04T14:14:00.002-06:00

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

2009-11-02T14:09:00.002-06:00

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

2009-11-02T10:45:00.001-06:00

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

2009-11-02T01:07:00.001-06:00

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

2009-11-02T00:59:00.000-06:00

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

2009-11-02T00:53:00.003-06:00

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’

2009-11-02T00:52:00.002-06:00

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

2009-10-31T11:02:00.002-05:00

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

2009-10-29T11:06:00.003-05:00

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

2009-10-28T17:53:00.002-05:00

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

2009-10-28T13:09:00.002-05:00

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

2009-10-28T11:09:00.002-05:00

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

2009-10-28T09:32:00.002-05:00

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

2009-10-28T00:00:00.000-05:00

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

2009-10-27T13:53:00.001-05:00

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

2009-10-27T13:18:00.002-05:00

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

2009-10-27T11:30:00.001-05:00

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

2009-10-27T10:26:00.003-05:00

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

2009-10-27T10:19:00.002-05:00

* 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

2009-10-26T16:01:00.002-05:00

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

2009-10-26T15:58:00.001-05:00

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

2009-10-26T11:42:00.000-05:00

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

2009-10-26T11:35:00.001-05:00

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

2009-10-26T09:47:00.000-05:00

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

2009-10-23T23:15:00.003-05:00

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

2009-10-23T23:15:00.001-05:00

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

2009-10-21T16:43:00.000-05:00

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

2009-10-21T16:22:00.001-05:00

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

2009-10-21T15:50:00.004-05:00

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

2009-10-21T11:09:00.001-05:00

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

2009-10-20T16:50:00.001-05:00

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

2009-10-16T13:36:00.003-05:00

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

2009-10-15T20:21:00.002-05:00

* 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

2009-10-15T20:18:00.000-05:00

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

2009-10-15T20:11:00.001-05:00

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

2009-10-14T22:10:00.003-05:00

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
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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

2009-10-08T19:31:00.001-05:00

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

2009-10-06T15:59:00.001-05:00

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

2009-10-05T09:34:00.000-05:00

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

2009-09-30T09:42:00.001-05:00

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

2009-09-29T16:45:00.001-05:00

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

2009-09-29T16:35:00.001-05:00

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

2009-09-28T16:12:00.003-05:00

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

2009-09-28T15:23:00.000-05:00

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

2009-09-28T15:22:00.001-05:00

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

2009-09-24T15:49:00.001-05:00

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.

ANSWERS TO COMMON QUESTIONS ABOUT THE BOCA GRANDE TIF PROJECT

2009-09-24T15:47:00.001-05:00

Why does the Boca Grande project need the support of a TIF?

 The State of Wisconsin’s TIF law requires that the City and the other relevant taxing authorities determine that the proposed development would not occur “but for” the TIF. In other words, if city financial assistance is not provided, the developer will not pursue the redevelopment project.

 It would be highly unusual for a developer like Boca Grande to undertake and finance a project like this without some form of city assistance. Cities routinely provide assistance to development projects in order to make them financially viable, recognizing that the successful development will provide long-term benefits to the city. Without TIF in this instance (which will result in lower interest rates and more flexible repayment periods), the anticipated income stream from this development would not justify the costs of undertaking the development. More specifically, this TIF assistance will bridge the gap between the cost of the project and the amount available from Boca Grande’s investment funds and conventional bank loans.

What will happen if Boca Grande does not receive the TIF assistance?

 Unfortunately, if the TID or the development assistance is not approved, Boca Grande will not be in a position to move ahead with its plans. It is likely that no significant new development or redevelopment would be undertaken by Boca Grande in the downtown area for the foreseeable future.

Why can’t TIF be used to fix the potholes?

 As noted above, the effectiveness of TIF depends upon an increase in property values and the amount of taxes generated by the property. That increase will come about as a direct result of the development activities receiving TIF assistance.

 Despite the importance of, and value inherent in, fixing potholes and having well-maintained roads, sidewalks, and other public improvements, simple maintenance and repair of those existing facilities does not cause property values to increase. As a result, those activities also do not generate additional property tax revenues. Conversely, development or redevelopment of new building projects cause properties to be more valuable and, as previously noted, generate increased tax revenues. Those activities are necessary in order to justify the City borrowing money that will be paid back by increased tax revenue. Simply put, without development or redevelopment, there is no increase in tax revenue to pay back the City’s investment.

 As noted above, however, only the increase in tax revenues is applied to repayment of the financial assistance. The original, pre-development base tax associated with the property remains continuously available to pay for municipal services, including fixing potholes.

What this TIF is NOT.

 This TIF assistance is not a handout. The City will not write Jim Connelly a check. Rather, City funds will be deposited into an escrow account, and the developer will submit invoices and similar evidence that specific work has been completed on the project, at which point funds will be disbursed to pay for that work. In short, invoices will be submitted to the City and paid from the escrow if the City is comfortable the payment is justified and in keeping with the agreements between the City and the developer.

 Use of TIF also is not a tax break. The property owner/developer will pay full taxes on all of its properties included in the tax increment district. As noted above, all parties anticipate a significant increase in the taxes on the properties being redeveloped. The only difference from the normal taxing process is that a portion of the developer’s property taxes (i.e., the amount of the increase in taxes) will be applied to pay back the assistance provided by the City.

 TIF is NOT a tax increase; it is a method of allocating taxes in order to enable cities to provide development incentives that will, over the life of the TID, be repaid through increased tax revenues stemming from property development. The only way a property owner’s taxes will increase is if the value of that owner’s property actually increases.

What happens if this project is not successful or completely fails?

 Jim Connelly has agreed to personally guaranty (a) completion of construction of each redevelopment project that the developer starts, and (b) payment of taxes reflecting a significant and agreed upon increase in the assessed value of certain of the properties for a period of 10 years after opening of the project. City representatives have reviewed and approved Mr. Connelly’s personal financial statement in order to verify his ability to satisfy these guaranty obligations.

Where will the people come from to fill the Ripon Inn and Spa?

 Some guests will be from nearby locations, and others will be out-of-town visitors from up to 250 miles away drawn to the attractive and historic development in Ripon. The Ripon Inn and Spa is being designed to feature a level of quality and service similar to the American Club in Kohler, which draws repeatedly from a similar 250-mile regional radius. However, the Inn and Spa in Ripon will feature more modest room rates, making it more affordable, and therefore more attractive, for a broader spectrum of people.

We have no water or golf course; can the Ripon Inn and Spa really work?

 Many different shopping, activity and eating alternatives attract people to a community. The developer and its hospitality consultants believe strongly that a renewed sense of vibrancy and a sense of history stemming from restoration of the historic downtown district and the Republican President’s Museum will attract families, empty nesters, and businesses to the community, both as visitors and as new residents. As a part of the development efforts, the infrastructure of Ripon will be brought to the leading edge of technology through a community-wide wireless broadband to create a uniquely attractive environment for businesses seeking to relocate their operations and/or headquarters to a community that provides an unparalleled quality of life for its employees.

When will this project start? When will it be finished?

 Boca Grande plans to begin construction in the Spring of 2010, with an anticipated opening of the Ripon Inn and Spa and most of its other projects by the Summer of 2012.

How many jobs will be created?

 The development efforts are expected to create 60 to 80 full-time construction jobs for an approximately two-year period. In addition, the new businesses are expected to require 75 to 100 new employees. The developers have pledged to hire local contractors for construction whenever feasible. In keeping with past practices, they will make it a priority to try to hire local employees in connection with each of the businesses included in the project after construction is completed.

What is being done to address parking?

 Boca Grande will be retaining a traffic consultant to fully analyze downtown traffic patterns, traffic flow, and parking needs, including how they will be affected by future development. Based upon the results of that evaluation, the developer will work with the City to address any additional parking or traffic flow needs, and it will undertake all of its construction projects with a view toward minimizing to the extent feasible impacts on parking and traffic flow.

What if I have more questions?

 Boca Grande has established an Information Hotline that you can call if you have additional questions. The Hotline can be called any time, 24/7, and your questions will be responded to within twenty-four hours. The Hotline can be reached at (920) 896-1082.

WISCONSIN IN BOTTOM TEN FOR BUSINESS CLIMATE

2009-09-24T14:19:00.003-05:00

SOURCE: The Taxpayer Foundation
South Dakota has the most "business-friendly" tax system, and New Jersey has the least, according to the Tax Foundation's 2010 State Business Tax Climate Index released today. The Index measures the competitiveness of the 50 states' tax systems and ranks them accordingly based on the taxes that matter most to businesses and business investment: corporate income, individual income, sales, property and unemployment insurance taxes.

The states are scored on these taxes, and the scores are weighted based on the relative importance or impact of the tax to a business. Keeping a state competitive in today's global marketplace can be difficult, but there is one factor lawmakers have direct control over: the quality of state tax systems. The Index measures how well a state's tax system encourages investment by maintaining a broad tax base and low rates.

"When policymakers are considering tax changes in their states, they should remember two rules: Taxes matter to business, and states do not enact tax changes - increases or cuts - in a vacuum," said Kail Padgitt, Ph.D., who authored Tax Foundation Background Paper No. 59, "2010 State Business Tax Climate Index." The Index represents the tax climate of each state as of July 1, 2009, the first day of the standard 2010 fiscal year, and is available online at http://www.taxfoundation.org/research/show/22658.html.

The top 10 states in the 2010 Index, from 1st to 10th, are South Dakota, Wyoming, Alaska, Nevada, Florida, Montana, New Hampshire, Delaware, Washington and Utah. The bottom 10 states, from 41st to 50th, are Vermont, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Rhode Island, Maryland, Iowa, Ohio, California, New York and New Jersey.

Oklahoma saw the biggest drop in ranking this year - from 19th in 2009 to 31st in 2010 - due not to legislative changes, but to the fact that the Tax Foundation was able to obtain much more detailed nationwide data on local-option sales taxes, which are much higher in Oklahoma than in most states (above 4 percent in several municipalities).

Kentucky's ranking improved the most - up 14 spots from 34th in 2009 to 20th in 2010. Many economically damaging changes were enacted in other states that previously ranked better than Kentucky - especially in the personal income tax - so other states' rankings fell while Kentucky remained stable.

HIGHLIGHTS (or lowlights) FOR WISCONSIN:
* Wisconsin dropped three spots this year to finish with a rank of 42nd best. The
blame for Wisconsin’s drop falls on the creation of a new income tax bracket: 7.75 percent on taxable income over $225,000.
* Twelve states have an Alternative Minimum Tax on individual income: California, Colorado, Connecticut, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, Nebraska, New York, Rhode Island, West Virginia and Wisconsin. These states are penalized accordingly.
* Cigarettes were in the crosshairs of a large number of state legislatures this year. Ten states enacted cigarette tax increases this year: Arkansas, Florida, Hawaii, Kentucky, Mississippi, New Jersey, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont and
Wisconsin. Florida and Rhode Island raised their rates by the most, a dollar per pack. In percentage terms, Florida’s tax hike was the largest: 300%. The highest
rate state rate remains with Rhode Island at $3.46, and the lowest rate is still in
South Carolina at $0.07. These rates do not take into consideration the local cigarette taxes. New York City has a combined rate of $4.25.

ALL I CAN SAY IS WOW...

2009-09-24T12:09:00.003-05:00

SOURCE: Fox News
A video posted on YouTube appears to show a New Jersey elementary school class being taught to sing praises of the "great accomplishments" of President Obama. The video shows nearly 20 young children taught a song overflowing with campaign slogans and praise for "Barack Hussein Obama," repeatedly chanting the president's name and celebrating his accomplishments, including his "great plans" to "make this country's economy No. 1 again.

The video identifies the kids as students at the B. Bernice Young Elementary School in Burlington, N.J., with taping taking place last June. The song quotes directly from the spiritual "Jesus Loves the Little Children," though Jesus' name is replaced with Obama's: "He said red, yellow, black or white/All are equal in his sight. Barack Hussein Obama." Among other lyrics, touting a fair-pay bill Obama signed in January: "He said we must be clear today/Equal work means equal pay."

The author of the full lyrics is unknown, but a woman -- possibly a teacher -- can be heard in the beginning of the video correcting and helping a student who has forgotten the words. The office of the superintendent of Burlington Township School District did not provide comment or confirmation to FOXNews.com that the songs were recorded at B. Bernice Young Elementary when contacted by phone Thursday. The video was originally posted Sept. 6, two days before Obama made an address to the nation's schoolchildren in which he praised the American education system as the best in the world and urged students to stay in school.

"At the end of the day, we can have the most dedicated teachers, the most supportive parents, and the best schools in the world," Obama said.

Song 1:
Mm, mmm, mm!
Barack Hussein Obama

He said that all must lend a hand
To make this country strong again
Mmm, mmm, mm!
Barack Hussein Obama

He said we must be fair today
Equal work means equal pay
Mmm, mmm, mm!
Barack Hussein Obama

He said that we must take a stand
To make sure everyone gets a chance
Mmm, mmm, mm!
Barack Hussein Obama

He said red, yellow, black or white
All are equal in his sight
Mmm, mmm, mm!
Barack Hussein Obama

Yes!
Mmm, mmm, mm
Barack Hussein Obama

Song 2:
Hello, Mr. President we honor you today!
For all your great accomplishments, we all doth say "hooray!"

Hooray, Mr. President! You're number one!
The first black American to lead this great nation!

Hooray, Mr. President we honor your great plans
To make this country's economy number one again!

Hooray Mr. President, we're really proud of you!
And we stand for all Americans under the great Red, White, and Blue!

So continue ---- Mr. President we know you'll do the trick
So here's a hearty hip-hooray ----

Hip, hip hooray!
Hip, hip hooray!
Hip, hip hooray!

The Burlington Township School District, to which B. Bernice Youngs Elementary School belongs, posted the following Letter to Parents this morning.

Dear Burlington Township Families:

Today we became aware of a video that was placed on the internet which has been reported in the media. The video is of a class of students singing a song about President Obama. The activity took place during Black History Month in 2009, which is recognized each February to honor the contributions of African Americans to our country. Our curriculum studies, honors and recognizes those who serve our country. The recording and distribution of the class activity were unauthorized.

If you have any further questions regarding this matter, please do not hesitate to contact me or Dr. King, Principal of B. Bernice Young School, directly.

Sincerely,
Dr. Christopher M. Manno,
Superintendent of Schools

I wonder where this story is going to go.......................................

Town-rights bill draws municipal backlash

2009-09-24T11:55:00.000-05:00

SOURCE: Daily Reporter
City and village leaders are fighting a state bill that would limit their rights to review developments in neighboring towns.

“It’s a bad idea,” said Jeff Miller, DeForest’s village president. “If towns don’t like the fact that cities or villages can deny development, then incorporate. Become a city or village.

“But they don’t want to do that. You can’t have your cake with frosting and eat it, too.”

Towns, unlike incorporated areas, are not required to offer such public services as police and fire protection, nor are they required to provide libraries or sewer services.

Still, state Rep. Jeff Smith, D-Eau Claire, argues state law could be more balanced for towns. He and state Sen. Pat Kreitlow, D-Chippewa Falls, are ushering identical bills through the state Assembly and Senate to encourage more cooperative planning between incorporated and unincorporated areas.

A 1963 state law established cooperative planning between towns and cities or villages. If a dispute over, for example, lot size or street layout could not be resolved, the city or village had the right to delay or reject the development.

Cities and villages with populations exceeding 10,000 can review developments within three miles of their borders. Those with populations less than 10,000 can review developments within 1 ½ miles.

But a 2003 Wisconsin Supreme Court decision threw out the cooperative planning, giving cities and villages the right to reject developments within the review areas if the municipalities disagreed with the way land would be used.

Rick Stadelman, executive director of the Wisconsin Towns Association, said that led to cities and villages denying developments proposed for townships but then approving those same projects if the property owners petitioned for annexation into the cities or villages. Towns are losing a lot of land, he said, simply because cities can arbitrarily block development.

“The bill is not as dramatic as what we would ultimately like to see, but it’s a step in the right direction,” Stadelman said. “Towns should have more of a say in what can be built on their land.”

The bill does not strip cities and villages of their review rights, Smith said. It just forces incorporated areas to base the reviews on the cooperative standards established before 2003.

But that might not improve relations between incorporated and unincorporated areas.

Stadelman said the bill still lets cities and villages deny development proposals over lot size or street layout disputes.

Dan Thompson, executive director of the League of Wisconsin Municipalities, said the bill further fragments state development patterns.

“There’s too many levels of government in this state, and there are about 1,850 land-use plans right now that don’t mesh,” he said. “You’re going to still have industrial parks proposed next to residential neighborhoods, and we don’t have a mechanism for disputes.”

And there are plenty of disputes. The city of Eau Claire is trying to reach a compromise with five neighboring towns over a land-use plan that prompted a lawsuit last year, with the towns arguing the plan stymied their developments.

DeForest has blocked town of Windsor developments within 1 ½ miles of the village border for several years, and the town and village have not agreed on land use.

Miller said incorporated areas have earned the right to control the developments that spring up on their borders, even if it leads to, in DeForest’s case, lingering bitterness with a neighboring town. Yet despite Miller’s advice that towns incorporate if they don’t like the arrangement, he said he might not sign off on a petition if Windsor tried to do just that.

“It would depend on what they’re incorporating and where,” he said. “It’s hard to say. We’d have to take time to weigh in.”

REMINDER: BOCA GRANDE MEETING TONIGHT

2009-09-24T09:50:00.002-05:00

There will be a Public Information Meeting on the proposed Boca Grande Developer's Agreement tonight (Thursday) beginning at 6 PM in the City Hall Council Chambers. Representatives from the city and Boca Grande will be present to discuss the framework of the proposed agreement, as well as answer questions on the proposal. IF you are unable to attend, or have a question that may require some research in advance, please feel free to call me at 920-291-5250 or email me at arkramer@charter.net or post your questions here on the blog. At this time, there are no further public information meetings planned, and the Council is scheduled to vote on the proposal this Monday evening.

BOCA GRANDE LAUNCHES WEBSITE

2009-09-23T13:18:00.003-05:00

Boca Grande LLC has launched a website for their project in downtown Ripon:

http://www.bocagrandecapital.com/

There is not much there yet, but here are some of the highlights:

OVERVIEW
Wisconsin-based Boca Grande Capital, LLC is dedicated to the goal of reinvigorating downtown Ripon, Wisconsin through a series of developments and redevelopments that will restore the buildings of downtown Ripon, while simultaneously bringing a new energy and vitality to the downtown area. Ripon is the only remaining Wisconsin community with its original historic downtown still nearly intact, and the new development and redevelopment that will take place will be designed in a way to fully restore the original beauty and luster of these historic buildings. Over the next 36-months, Boca Grande Capital plans to invest an estimated $30 million dollars on projects that range from new restaurants and retail spaces to the luxurious Ripon Inn & Spa and a National Republican President's Museum.

ABOUT US
Jim Connelly - Mr. Connelly is the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of, as well as the principal investor in Boca Grande Capital, and it is his vision that has lead to the development of these plans. Introduced to Ripon as a teenager, Mr. Connelly developed a soft spot for the City that never faded. He was asked to join the Ripon College Board in 2001, and quickly fostered moves that restored the college to its place among the most prestigious private, liberal arts and sciences colleges in this country. An attorney based in Milwaukee, Mr. Connelly has lead many successful real estate development projects, and considers the renewal of downtown Ripon a legacy commitment.

Frank Cumberbatch - The former Senior Advisor for Economic Development under the Mayor of Milwaukee, Mr. Cumberbatch is now the President and Chief Operating Officer of Boca Grande Capital. He and his wife and two children live in Ripon.

Andy Landgraf - Serving as the Vice-President of Operations, Andy manages the Boca Grande Capital properties and coordinates new business development efforts.

PROJECTS
Ripon Inn & Spa - The centerpiece of the new development will be the luxurious Ripon Inn & Spa. The Spa will be built at the intersection of of Watson and Blossom Streets, where the original Mapes House hotel and the American House now stand. The $15 million dollar facility will serve as a major draw and anchor for the entire downtown district.

National Republican President's Museum - Plans also call for a high-tech National Republican President's Museum immediately adjacent to the Little White School House (the founding location of the Republican Party) on Blackburn Street. Ripon, Wisconsin is the birthplace of the Republican Party, and a museum dedicated to the lives of the twenty-three GOP presidents in American history is a fitting tribute to the unique place Ripon holds. A conference center will also be part of the plans, to be built and operated in conjunction with the Ripon Inn & Spa.

Restaurants & Retail - Numerous other projects are also planned, including adding several new restaurants, rehabbing several storefronts for new retail operations, and offering more than twenty fully renovated, affordable apartments.

They also have a website for their properties: http://www.riponapartments.com/Home_Page.html

They have also put up some of their properties on YouTube:

THE UNITED FOOTBALL LEAGUE - 21st Century technology

2009-09-22T21:46:00.003-05:00

SOURCE: USA TODAY
(T)he four-team United Football League, with weeknight games kicking off Oct. 8 on Versus, wants to sell traditional TV football. Says UFL chief operating officer Frank Vuono: "When you tune in it will be just like tuning into a high-level NFL national game on CBS or Fox on Sunday afternoons."...Vuono says the UFL is looking into putting microchips on balls — to see when they crossed goal lines — and using lasers to measure first downs without chains. But ultimately, he says, the UFL's angle seems to be no angle: "We're going for real football, not gimmicks. We don't want avid NFL fans to tune us out because we're playing tricks on them."

I will be curious to see how this new technology works and whether it will makes it way to the NFL, colleges and high school.

RIPON COLLEGE - Repeat offenders will have tires locked if they neglect to pay their parking tickets

2009-09-22T15:31:00.002-05:00

SOURCE: RIPON COLLEGE DAYS
Students may no longer have to invent parking spots in the Kemper lot, trudge through the snow up the hill from Storzer, or complain to their RA that there are no spots in the lot which they have rightfully paid for.

This year, physical plant created new ways to enforce policies concerning parking in different areas on campus for people who do not own the proper parking permit.

"I found that the same vehicles, with no registration or expired registration, were causing the issues day after day. These chronic offenders caused students with legally registered vehicles to hunt for an open spot," says Brian Skamra, director of physical plant.

Although the procedure states to park in the overflow lot by Storzer, it inconveniences students who have paid for a parking spot in their designated area.

However, students don't realize they are adding to the problem by putting someone else with a spot out of their lot.

Parents, students, and college staff have asked the physical plant about towing and impounding the non-registered or illegally parked vehicles.

"Instead of immediately towing the chronic offenders I presented the option of the tire boot as the first step to restrict illegal vehicle parking and insure registration compliance," says Skamra. "This is the same device used nationwide by police departments to enforce parking regulations."

To stop a student or guest from receiving a boot on their car, they must pay the total balance of their parking tickets to the physical plant when they are open.

To prevent the then booted car from being towed, the car owner must pay in a reasonable time frame.

In the instance that a student would get their car towed, Skamra explains the procedures necessary to retrieve the vehicle.

"The owners of these vehicles will need to pay the fine and towing cost, if any, in order to have the vehicle released," says Skamra. "If they are in violation a second time they will have to pay the registration fee, the fine, and the towing cost, if any, prior to their vehicle being released."

Although there may be multiple monetary punishments, the goal for the new policies is not to make money but to ensure that students who have paid for a parking spot receive what they bought.

"The goal [of the new enforcement policies] is to protect the rights of the students who have paid for designated parking on campus, by enforcing the parking policies. It is not intended to penalize students or earn money for the college," says Skamra.

The decision to create a new enforcement policy was created within the last year with the ideas of students, parents and college leaders to help create a solution to the problem students have been having trying to find parking.

Although it will be assisting students, the plant department needed to provide the locks and tags at a cost of about $800.

Reasons why tires will be locked
1. Unregistered vehicles parked in parking lots, after three violations.
2. Unregistered vehicles in faculty parking lots, after three violations.
3. Illegally parked vehicles in handicap spaces, after two violations.
4. Vehicles parked in fire lanes or undesignated parking areas, after three violations.

HOMECOMING 2009 -

2009-09-22T13:39:00.002-05:00

This letter was sent out by the Ripon High School via the Chamber of Commerce today:

Greetings Ripon Community Businesses,

I am writing to you as your local high school principal regarding the topic of “Homecoming.” In the fall of 2008, an incident occurred during Homecoming Week, which got many people’s attention. As some young people were running around town one evening things escalated and went way too far—two students were secured to trees and at least one student was urinated on. Another series of incidents which was very concerning was the rise in “egging” incidents. In addition to the damage to property, as students are running and driving around in the evenings, there is an obvious safety concern.

These matters lead to a discussion at the School Board level of Homecoming and the related activities—both school sponsored and non-school sponsored. Some school districts have eliminated Homecoming from their calendars, while others continue to have Homecoming and the related activities. While I sometimes feel that life (at least for Assistant Principal Rick Bunge and me) would be much easier without Homecoming, there certainly have been many more positives than negatives which have resulted from Homecoming Week. Therefore, I do feel it is a positive thing that the School Board continues to support the concept of Homecoming here in Ripon. That being stated, the School Board does expect us to do our best to work with the community to avoid problems, and if problems persist, Homecoming could certainly be in jeopardy in the future.

As adults, we have all “survived” Homecoming festivities. Different towns and school communities have varying traditions regarding their idea of what Homecoming includes. From my five years in Ripon for example, it is clear to me that many teenagers and adults feel that toilet papering is “OK” during Homecoming, while others do not. A key concern that Police Chief Dave Lukoski and I discuss every year is the type of incidents and behavior that toilet papering leads to. Sooner or later, people push the envelope and behaviors which hurt someone can be the result.

So what can you do to help? School Superintendent Zimman, Chief Lukoski, School Resource Officer Butters, Assistant Principal Bunge, and I respectfully request that we work together in a proactive manner on this topic and that your place of business not sell items such as toilet paper and eggs to teenagers as we approach Homecoming Week (September 27 – October 3). We fully realize that you have a business to run, and that we are living in difficult economic times. Many of you also actively support our students and school programs—thank you. You and I also know that many communities and other stores are just a short drive away for the teenagers who do want to get involved in toilet papering and egging. I even hear reports about parents who drive their children and friends around or who provide items to students. To state the obvious, we also need parents to work with all of us to keep Homecoming a positive week. We have communicated with our parents and students and will continue to do so.

I would like to end this letter on a good note. Too often, teenagers are painted in a negative light. Our high school students are coming off of a year with a great deal of positive student involvement at school for events like Homecoming and Winterfest. To be honest, the students have been handling the school sponsored events during these special weeks extremely well. We have many wonderful young people in Ripon which is a testament to our families and our community. Thank you for considering our request and for all that you do for our school and our student body. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions, concerns, or suggestions (748-4616).

Sincerely,

Dan Tjernagel, Principal

Homecoming 2008 Facts
Much of the following information is reprinted from the report Principal Dan Tjernagel prepared for the Ripon Area School District School Board in October of 2008.

There was some serious misbehavior during the week of Homecoming 2008 when some students were running around town in the evenings. Here is a summary of the Ripon Police Department complaints received during Homecoming Week 2008:
• Reports of 24 egging complaints
• Reports of 11 toilet papering complaints
• Reports of 12 vandalism complaints
• Report of two students being the victims of a hazing incident. (Among other things, they were saran-wrapped to trees and were urinated on.)
• Report of one carrying a concealed weapon complaint
• Reports of two disorderly conduct complaints
• Report of one graffiti complaint
• Reports of two theft complaints
• Report of one illegal discharge of fireworks complaint

Our students have behaved well at school-sponsored events and activities during Homecoming Week.
• One of the 55 incidents to the Ripon Police department listed above took place during a school-sponsored activity on school grounds. It involved an RMS student and took place at the Friday night football game.

Parent and Community Member complaints and contacts
• I spoke with six different adults about litter, misbehavior, or illegal activity. Three were parents of high school students and three were parents of graduates. One of the parents of a high school student came in for a face-to-face meeting. I encouraged him to share his feelings with the Board, which he did. I had email correspondence with one of the parents I talked with on the phone (mentioned above) and also emailed with the person’s spouse.

• As of October 8, 2008, Officer Butters had spoken with and/or met with 27 different parents either during Homecoming Week or during the week after Homecoming Week while conducting investigations.

• Toilet papering is something that . . .
o some people do in good fun, and some people think is OK,
o some people do not like at all, and sometimes leads to more serious misbehavior.

• The community and high school where I began my teaching career got rid of Homecoming due to excessive problems outside of school—especially what students were doing in the evenings.

• Approximately 320 Homecoming breakfasts were served to students, parents, and community members on the Friday morning of Homecoming.
Mark your calendars for Friday morning, October 2, 2009. You are all invited!

• Let’s work together to avoid problems during Homecoming 2009 so we can keep our young people physically and emotionally safe—both at school and in the community. Thank you for your assistance and positive support.

BREAKING NEWS - Tentative Agreement Reached with Boca Grande, City of Ripon

2009-09-21T21:09:00.001-05:00

The Ripon Common Council, by a unanimous vote, agreed tonight (Monday) to a tentative framework for a developer's agreement with the investment firm of Boca Grande, LLC. The firm has proposed a $30 million re-development in downtown Ripon, including a Republican President's Museum, several restaurants and a $12-14 million inn and spa.

"As I have said right up until Friday morning, there was no agreement in place between the City of Ripon and Boca Grande, LLC. We were literally negotiating right up to that evening," said Mayor Aaron Kramer. "It has been a very delicate balancing act to insure the safety of the public's money and the viability of the developer's investment. Several new pieces to the puzzle were added after we heard concerns from the public at the two informational meetings we held in August. I would stress that the negotiations have been and remain cordial and not adversarial, as we continue to work toward a project we believe is in the best interest of the downtown, the city, the developers and, yes, even the region."

The Council also approved a proposal to hold an informational meeting this Thursday evening at City Hall, beginning at 6 PM, to discuss the tentative framework of the agreement, and answer questions from the public. Officials from the City and Boca Grande are expected to be in attendance for the meeting.

"We will be bringing together financial numbers and projections, as well as a summary of the components of the financing package, so the public can ask questions," said Kramer. "The financing, the developer's agreement, the Tax Increment District being created for this project are all complicated and complex. I, along with the Council and Boca Grande, want as many residents as possible to understand the nuts and bolts of what we are doing."

The City Council is scheduled to vote on a final Developer's Agreement, which is being drafted, in closed session at its September 28th meeting.

The impact of an Ohio school district's decision to cut sports

2009-09-21T13:26:00.001-05:00

This is an interesting piece from Sports Illustrated on the impact on one town when it eliminated high school sports:

GROVE CITY, Ohio -- That first Friday at Grove City High was so quiet. Any other school year, the school's nationally acclaimed band would have ended the day by marching through the halls blasting the fight song. Any other school year, more than 11,000 would have gathered later that evening at the stadium behind the school to watch the Greyhounds -- better known as the Dawgs -- open their season. Any other school year, Friday would have meant something.

On Aug. 28, football players didn't come to school in their jerseys. Cheerleaders didn't wear their uniforms. The band didn't march, and the team didn't play. Exactly one hour after the final bell rang, the doors were locked. "Every day feels like a Tuesday," said Mike Mayers, the senior who thought he would start at quarterback this season. "Fridays are the days that everybody realizes things aren't the same."

Read more: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/writers/andy_staples/09/16/nosports/index.html?eref=shareDigg#ixzz0Rlas7gGN

THE CARNEGIE BUILDING

2009-09-21T09:53:00.002-05:00

A poster asked about the ownership of the Carnegie Library building (now the office of the Ripon College president). This comes directly from the Ripon Main Street site:

Ripon College Carnegie Building
401 Watson Street - Downtown Ripon
In early 1902, Richard Hughes, the president and chief fundraiser for Ripon College, traveled East to ask philanthropist Andrew Carnegie for his support for the development of a library. To his dismay, he returned to Ripon empty-handed. That very April, however, as a result of his visit, Carnegie offered the City of Ripon $10,000 to help build the community facility.

The City of Ripon accepted the gift and chose the old Robert Lyle Livery Barn lot as the site for the new Ripon Public Library. Construction began in September 1904 with the agreement that the move-in date would be the following fall. The library operated in this location until 1973. After that, the building housed Pearl's House of Fashion, a women's clothing store, and later Accurate Controls, an integrated security and communications business.

In 2005, a generous donor acquired the building for Ripon College. A gift from college alumni Don and Marilyn Anderson made it possible to further renovate the building. The President, Vice President and Dean of Faculty were relocated into the building in spring 2006, creating a physical link between downtown Ripon and the College.
PHOTO Courtesy of Ripon Main Street, Inc.

RIPON COLLEGE - Parking problem result of miscount, Velorution still rolling strong in second year with 76% FY participation

2009-09-21T09:50:00.000-05:00

SOURCE: Ripon College Days
By: Paul Meuer
Posted: 9/16/09
For many students the start of the new school year began smoothly, but for so many others, it began with frustration caused by an issue that is not new to campus.

By Sept. 2 students were required by law to remove their vehicles from the streets and to park within their assigned lots. There was a problem that arose because students had been told that all remaining lots had been filled up.

This is only the second year that students have not been able to park on the streets of Ripon between 3-6 a.m.

Ripon College President David Joyce noted that the biggest complaint he heard, "was parking."

However, according to Plant Director Brian Skamra, the parking problem was not an issue of availability; it was an issue of accounting.

Skamra said that when he was looking over parking and registration, he "returned to update the registration book and found an accounting error."

The Storzer storage lot, which has 178 spaces, listed 110. The upper campus lots were filled but there actually were 68 spaces available at Storzer.

The accounting error threw off the listed number of available parking spaces, but the error has been resolved and "we have put internal controls in effect to insure this accounting problem will not happen again," said Skamra.

Students who received parking tickets because they parked in Storzer lots prior to Sept. 11, will be granted a grace period and have their tickets discarded, stated Skamra.

Despite the concerns and the rumors, there was in fact no issue with parking availability this year, and measures are being put into action to prevent any such hassles in the future.

Some of the rumors in the midst of the parking space issue stated that the "Velorution Project" was failing.

"The Velorution is not failing," said President Joyce. "76% of first year students took bikes, and only 24% brought cars. Earlier studies showed that would make plenty of space available."

This is the second year for the Velorution Project, headed by Director of Publications & Institutional Image Ric Damm.

By keeping the number of students with vehicles down, the Velorution Project has helped the school avoid an actual space issue.

"It didn't make any logical reasoning to me," commented Joyce upon receiving the news.

Even though the "Velorution Project" has kept the school safe for now, plans for new parking areas are already underway.

Plans are being developed that will "create more parking spaces on campus by building asphalt lots in areas that will minimize the impact on campus green space and maximize availability to campus facilities," said Skamra. "I can assure you no one at the college wants this to ever happen again and we will work together to insure parking availability."

IN THE RIPON TIME MACHINE

2009-09-21T09:48:00.002-05:00

The 100 and 200 blocks of Watson St., Ripon, Wisconsin on Maxwell Street Days 1962:

After the success of Septemberfest this past weekend, let's take a little trip to the past.

When does it end?

2009-09-21T09:44:00.001-05:00

SOURCE: Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel
Posted: Sept. 18, 2009
That's a question for the Fond du Lac County Board to answer, after it approved a new sales tax without a sunset clause. The board should take another crack at this one.

The Fond du Lac County Board gave Mercury Marine Inc. a big vote of confidence when it approved a $50 million government-financed loan, one of a basket of incentives the company received when it threatened to move operations and hundreds of jobs to Oklahoma.

The board was right to approve the loan, which was a key reason jobs are staying in Fond du Lac. But board members also need to ensure that a new sales tax backing the loan won't be levied in perpetuity and that any additional money raised by the tax will be spent wisely.

The board approved a 0.5% sales tax on county residents to pay the debt service on the year loan. The board decided not to attach a sunset clause to the ordinance after the county's corporation counsel warned that doing so might run contrary to state statute.

William Bendt, the corporation counsel, is expected to seek an opinion from state Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen on whether the ordinance can be amended to add a sunset provision. We favor such a provision. Taxpayers should not have to pay any more than is necessary. At the very least, the board should signal its wishes to future boards in a resolution.

The new Fond du Lac County tax is expected to raise twice as much money as is needed to service the loan, but because state law gives counties only one option - 0.5% - a smaller tax bite wasn't possible, said Fond du Lac County Executive Allen J. Buechel. Counties that want to exceed 0.5% must have state legislative approval.

Buechel said he would recommend that some of the excess tax dollars be used to replenish the county's revolving loan fund for economic development. That's fine with us. But we think that most of the rest of the leftovers should be fed to property owners in the form of tax relief.

New sales tax: Transfer of wealth through coercion

2009-09-21T09:40:00.001-05:00

SOURCE: Fond du Lac Reporter
By Michael Fredrich

We were scammed.

Now that all of the key players have posed for their holy pictures and the backslapping has subsided, it is time to take an unemotional look at two questions that should have been — but were not — addressed before 16 people on the Fond du Lac County Board voted to encumber the county with a new tax:

æ 1. Was Mercury Marine really going to move production to Stillwater?

æ 2. Should taxpayers be forced to subsidize a private sector business?

The answer to both of these questions is an unqualified “no.”

Mercury is owned by Brunswick Corp. — a publicly traded company. Financial statements are easily accessible.

Brunswick’s earnings have deteriorated the last three years. In 2008 it lost $788 million. Through the first six months of 2009, Brunswick lost an additional $347 million. That is more than $1 billion in losses in 18 months.

The company has been scrambling to raise cash and refinance its debt. On Aug. 11, the company completed an offering of $350 million on 11.25 percent senior secured notes due in 2016. The money will be used to repay notes that are coming due in 2011 and 2013.

On July 4, 2009, Brunswick had cash on hand of $461 million. That seems like a lot of cash, but the company has been losing cash at the rate of nearly $50 million per month for the last 18 months. An amount of $461 million does not last long at that rate.

I can only imagine being a fly on the wall when Brunswick was meeting with its banks and its other lenders. Brunswick undoubtedly was told that it needed to reduce its labor costs and approach the communities in which it operates for below-market loans or grants.

Closing the Fond du Lac facility was never a credible option for one simple reason: The company could not afford it. Its financial position is so poor that it could never raise the capital to fund such a move.

Fond du Lac and Stillwater were bidding against each other, but Fond du Lac was always going to win. Why do you think the machinists union was allowed to vote twice?

If I had the option of operating a union plant in Wisconsin or a non-union plant in Oklahoma, it would take a nanosecond to make a decision.

The second question of using taxpayer money to fund a private sector business is more esoteric, but the answer is always no. The political class and people directly affected always provide plenty of creditable arguments for the transfer of money.

On the surface it may look good, but there are two sides to every transfer of wealth. The great 19th century French economist Fredrick Bastiat said it best in his book “Essays on Political Economy.” He proffered that every transaction should be viewed through the prism of “that which is seen, and that which is not seen.”

What is seen in the Mercury sales tax is the money raised, at least part of it, will be used to save an important business and related jobs. What is not seen is the taking of $6 million (the estimated annual revenue from the county sales tax) from the citizens of Fond du Lac County. This is nothing more than the transfer of wealth through government coercion.

Before the vote was taken, I pleaded with my representatives to delay the vote so there could be public hearings. I also thought a decision such as this should be decided by a referendum.

You know the result. To the two supervisors who voted “no” — thank you. To the 16 who voted “yes”— shame on you.

Michael J. Fredrich of Fond du Lac serves as president of MCM Composites in Manitowoc. He points out that he spent 15 years in commercial banking in Milwaukee and five years as chief financial officer of Star Cablevision.

SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING ON MONDAY EVENING

2009-09-19T11:42:00.002-05:00

Conference room, City Hall - Monday, September 21, 2009 - 7:00 p.m.

I. Call to order/roll call
II. 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 (the new Downtown TIF)
III. Adjourn

For the record, this closed session deals with the Boca Grande development.

Boca Grande prepares to move forward on 30 million dollar revitalization project

2009-09-18T21:59:00.002-05:00

SOURCE: RIPON COLLEGE DAYS
Less then two years removed from concocting Chinese food, the Republican House prepares to get Americanized, as it readies itself to be the home of the National Republican Presidents Museum. This transition is only a small part of a mass revitalization attempt of the Ripon economy headed by the Boca Grande Capital group.

After intense discussions among the citizens of Ripon, Ripon College Trustee Jim Connelly and Frank Cumberbatch, co-owners of the Boca Grande group, have been granted the financial approval to move forward on an over 30 million dollar project that aims toward a July 2012 completion. Boca Grande expects to renovate more than 25 buildings throughout Ripon.

"The redevelopment of our downtown is a major investment, the likes of which we have not seen in many generations," says Mayor of Ripon Aaron Kramer.

One of the signature projects being spearheaded by Boca Grande is the transforming of the Republican House to a presidential museum. The location is ideal, as it is directly to the left of the Little White Schoolhouse, which is the birthplace of the Republican Party.

"The National Republican Presidents Museum would be a great place for history students or any students for that matter to study about our past Republican presidents and understanding our political structure and history as well," says Cumberbatch.

Tentatively the museum would contain artifacts, audio, visual, and will be in collaboration with presidents' libraries to get documents on loan. While it will be a great place for history students to learn, it has potential to reach a much larger market.

"The museum has a potential to draw people from all over the United States and the world," says Kramer. "If it is done right and if it is done in a manner which attracts not just one segment of the population but the entire segment of the population [it would be a major draw for Ripon]."

The museum is only one of the more than 25 buildings that will see renovation. With so many changes to come, the legitimate concern is raised about the potential loss of cultural history in Ripon.

"We have no intention of changing this community, we don't want it to be something it's not," says Cumberbatch. "When you look at the outside of this building (former Mansion on Main) it looks no different than it did back then. This city has great culture and tradition in these buildings and we are going to try our best at maintaining that."

These renovations will come with minimal loss of cultural history as all but one building will remain intact. The only building that will be demolished in the revitalization of Ripon is the Mapes Apartment building on the corner of Blossom and Watson St.

The building was deemed unsafe due to structural reasons. Going to be built in its place is the other marquee project and that is the luxurious Ripon Inn and Spa, a project which will cost approximately 15 million dollars.

"The Ripon Inn and Spa would be really good for students' parents and alumni to stay as it is very close to the college," says Cumberbatch.

As the plans are drawn up right now, the construction of the inn and spa will also mark the end of a segment of Blossom Street. The area of Blossom St. which will likely be removed is between Ransom and Watson St. Ripon is not new to the discussion of removing roads, as just one year ago there was intense debate on whether to take out the road running through the campus.

"In terms of a transitional area between the college and the downtown, if it is done right and all indications are that it will be done right, it becomes sort of a gateway, a conduit from the campus to the downtown," says Kramer. "It will be done with aesthetic improvements. [The removal of the road] will be something that people will just have to get used to."

Boca Grande also has numerous other projects planned for the City of Ripon. One such project is a themed restaurant called Norman's. This restaurant is an enterprise with a Norman Rockwell theme and will employ a place for parents to send their kids off to following ordering. The youngsters who are sent away from their parents will be watched by students of Ripon College.

"In that restaurant there will be a direct positive impact on college students as we are going to hire them to supervise young children, while their parents or guardians are having quiet conversations as they await their food," says Cumberbatch.

Other notable projects include doubling the size of Roadhouse Pizza, a larger kitchen for Dos Gringos, and a steakhouse named McGuires, which would serve made-in-house brews.

Overall, Cumberbatch believes that construction will require over 400 workers, while the new businesses in Ripon will require the employment of an additional 100 full time workers.

Despite the advantages, not all citizens of Ripon have expressed a desire to move forward.

Recent listening sessions indicate that at least a small percentage of Ripon residents question the value of the projects and Ripon's substantial investment.

Of the 30 million dollars, over 8 million will come from the city of Ripon in the form of grants and loans.

However, it is clear that many in the business community wish to see the projects move forward to revitalize a downtown that has seen limited recent investment.

"These improvements will generate more activity and interest, making people want to come to downtown Ripon," says Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Paula Price. "In small communities downtowns are kind of like the focal point of activity and if the downtown area is vital it spreads out to the rest of the community. It is important to have good active, strong businesses in the area."

Making change. The transformation of the Republican House to a presidential museum is one of the numerous projects that will be headed up by Boca Grande, LLC.

Media Credit: Jonathan Bailey
Adios. The building on the corner of Watson and Blossom, as well as the street leading up to Todd Wehr, will likely be demolished in the coming years. An inn and spa will liven up the area.

RECENT WRPN PODCASTS

2009-09-18T11:30:00.002-05:00

September 18th - I was on to discuss the sales tax for Fond du Lac County, Boca Grande, and the lifting of the parking restrictions in downtown Ripon

September 17 - Brenda Hicks-Sorenson from the Fond du Lac County Economic Development Corporation discussed the Fond du Lac County sales tax

Former National Security Adviser Allen to speak at Ripon College Sept. 23

2009-09-17T23:37:00.000-05:00

SOURCE: RIPON COLLEGE
RIPON, Wis. – Richard V. Allen, former national security adviser to Ronald Reagan, will give a special presentation at 4:15 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 23 in the Great Hall of Ripon College’s Harwood Union. The title of Mr. Allen’s speech is “National Security and National Interest: Steering a Realistic Course.” Ripon College welcomes and encourages all members of our community and its surrounding areas to attend this spellbinding and timely event at no charge.

In addition to serving as national security adviser under the Reagan administration from 1981-82, Allen was also a senior staff member of President Nixon's National Security Council in 1968 and served various Republican administrations in the intervening years.

“9/11 awakened the entire electorate to the importance of national security. It is a topic that is a concern to all Americans, regardless of their political leanings or party,” said Lamont Colucci, assistant professor of politics and government, and national security studies coordinator at Ripon College. “We have a rare and unique opportunity to host as our guest a former national security adviser to the President of the United States. I welcome the Ripon College community and guests to this extraordinary event.”

Mr. Allen currently is a senior fellow at the Hoover Institution and a member of the Heritage Foundation's Asian Studies Center Advisory Council, the Council on Foreign Relations, the United States Defense Policy Board, the American Alternative Foundation, and the United States National Security Advisory Group. He also serves on the advisory council of the Nixon Center and oversees the Richard V. Allen Company, a Washington-based consulting services firm.

H1N1 Novel Influenza Information - Ripon College

2009-09-17T23:36:00.000-05:00

SOURCE: RIPON COLLEGE - September 17, 2009

To the Ripon College Community,
This memorandum is to update you on the campus’s interventions regarding the H1N1 flu virus (also known as swine flu).

Ripon College has had emergency plans in place to address wide-ranging campus issues and health concerns for many years. These preparedness efforts have been extended in order to respond to the H1N1 influenza. The following information has been provided to our campus thus far:

The H1N1 influenza has continued to cause illness in Fond du Lac County over the summer months, which is highly unusual. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) anticipates that novel H1N1 influenza and seasonal influenza will be circulating this fall and is anticipating an upsurge in people with influenza-like illness. It is unpredictable how severe H1N1 or seasonal influenza will be. Fortunately, the majority of cases are mild and, at this point, the H1N1 virus appears no more virulent or severe than most seasonal flu. This strain does seem to be more frequent in children and young adults. High risk groups include pregnant women and people between the ages of 6 months and 24 years. Most college students are at risk for infection.

Classes and Activities
Classes and other activities will continue as scheduled this semester. Our campus Emergency Operations Team will monitor developments, working with the Fond du Lac County Public Health team, and make recommendations regarding changes in campus activities on the basis of any flu outbreak. The Dean of Faculty, after consulting appropriate parties, will make decisions regarding the cancellation or suspension of classes. Any decisions will be communicated broadly to faculty, students and staff through email and other communications.

Public Health Precautions
It is strongly recommended that all faculty, staff, and students take the following flu/respiratory disease precautions:

•Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when coughing or sneezing. Throw the tissue away after single use.
•If tissues are unavailable cough or sneeze into a sleeve or elbow.
•Wash hands often with soap and water or alcohol-based hand cleaners.
•Avoid touching eyes, nose or mouth as germs spread this way.
•Frequently touched surfaces should be cleaned on a regular basis.
•Practice social distancing; avoid people with influenza-like illness.
•Do not share food, drink, or utensils.
•Get the seasonal influenza vaccine.
•Get the H1N1 influenza vaccine when it is recommended.
Treatment and Response
The symptoms of H1N1 influenza are similar to the regular seasonal influenza and include fever (over 100 degrees) and cough and sore throat and can also include headache, chills, fatigue and body aches. The majority of individuals who contract a flu virus will not need to seek a doctor’s treatment. Faculty, staff, and students who are ill with an influenza like illness should remain at home (or in their room) for 24 hours after they are fever-free (and without medication that would lower temperature). A mild, lingering cough may occur. Barring any other flu symptoms, this cough should not prevent students from returning to class.

It is important that the spread of disease is limited as much as possible. Students who exhibit symptoms of a flu like illness that live within 250 miles of campus are expected to leave campus and return home until they are free of fever for 24 hours without the use of fever reducing medications. Accommodations will be made available to students from further away. The Dean of Students office will be working closely with faculty, housing and dining staff to meet the needs of students if they become ill.

If you have been in contact with someone who has the flu, onset of the virus can take up to three days. If you experience any flu symptoms within this time period, please stay home to limit the spread of the virus. If you are pregnant or if you have a chronic medical condition such as diabetes, cancer, asthma, heart or lung problems, or a weakened immune system, you should consult with your physician or campus health services to see if an antiviral medication is needed.

Medication and Vaccinations
Generally, Tamiflu, an antiviral medication, is prescribed for individuals with flu who are either hospitalized, have a chronic medical condition (as listed above, under Treatment and Response), or have a suppressed immune system. Tamiflu for influenza is not a cure—and only reduces symptoms and decreases length of recovery time by about 24 hours.

Both the seasonal influenza and the H1N1 vaccines are recommended for ALL students.

•Seasonal Flu Vaccine: This vaccine is currently available at Health Services on campus. The cost is $25.00 and students can pay with cash, check or charge this to their student account.
•Novel H1N1 Vaccine: Recent recommendations from the CDC have placed individuals under age 24 in the top priority group for receiving the H1N1 vaccine. More information will be available in the coming weeks regarding how and when this vaccine will be given.
Additional Information
More information on the H1N1 flu is available on the following websites:

www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/qa.htm
www.pandemic.wisconsin.gov

All members of the Ripon College community are strongly encouraged to take the standard precautions adopted during the flu season and to play an active role in our public health prevention efforts. Although the spread of this virus can’t be eliminated, our collective efforts can significantly minimize its reach and overall impact.

EDITORIAL - Velorution doesn't fix parking isssues

2009-09-17T23:33:00.000-05:00

SOURCE: Ripon College Days

The first weekend of school brings the same activities held year after year at Ripon. Students flock to the quad or Merriman in hopes of having a fun night of socializing, first year students are attempting to find their niche on campus while not losing who they are, and cars find their ways into made up parking spots within the lots from students placing their precious automobiles into safe storage.

This weekend was much the same, yet there were still streets full of cars, and students anxiously awaiting an answer from physical plant as to whether or not their car will find a happy home on the college's pavement. This year, despite the Velorution project, cars are strewn around campus with no great scheme for storage.

The change in parking registration is the first culprit for the problem. Expecting students busy with finals, not to mention those abroad, to figure out where they would want to park their vehicle months in advance poses a huge challenge. There were no problems or complaints from upperclassmen setting their alarms earlier than the sun rose to go to plant for registration in the fall, so the shift in timing seemed to occur without real necessity. Although it was changed so that payment was not needed at the time, it was difficult for students to determine which higher-cost lot they wanted to park in with the tumultuous economy. A student who registered for a more expensive lot may have only been able to afford a storage lot stall, creating even more problems with the system.

Another problem with the lack of parking comes from the laissez-faire approach to enforcement. While parking tickets are given out like candy on Halloween, other portions of policy are not strict enough. A parking pass for the Kemper lot could warrant a student to park either in the upper area, closer to the tennis courts, in the lower area, directly by Kemper, or even in the storage lot if there are no open spots within the lot. It causes too many options for students. Instead of receiving parking lots, students should reserve a parking stall. It would help make parking violations easier to identify. In addition, it would be convenient to know exactly how far you need to carry your groceries to the front door of your residence.

If nothing else, it would provide a sense of ownership for students. Knowing there is something on campus, aside from our rooms and mailboxes, that is strictly ours would help students all over campus take pride in something we've now had to pay more for, despite problems still occurring within the system.

The last issue comes with the changing in parking throughout the college's recent past. The large TriDorms/Johnson Hall lot had been removed to build the Campus Apartments, but not enough parking was created for students to make up for those missing spots. Last year, parking seemed efficient; however about a hundred students opted not to bring a car in lieu of receiving a free bicycle. Those students who pledged not to bring a car for a year now have the ability to have two modes of transportation on campus, instead of one compact choice last year.

The campus is urged to make a change. Although the campus has plenty of lush, green grass and other sources of nature all around, to help students store their cars, trucks and SUVs, it might just take some changes that make for helpful solutions.

PUBLIC HEARING ON 2010 FIRE DISTRICT BUDGET

2009-09-17T23:31:00.001-05:00

The Ripon Area Fire District Board will conduct a public hearing on its proposed 2010 budget on Tuesday, October 6th at 7:00 p.m. in the conference room of the fire station at 515 Aspen Street. If you wish to comment, but cannot attend the meeting, please write to: City of Ripon, Steve Barg, City Administrator, 100 Jackson St., Ripon, WI 54971, call 748-4914, or send an e-mail to sbarg@cityofripon.com. Your thoughts will be provided to the fire district board for its October 6th meeting.

AS it stands now, the budget is 8 percent higher than the 2009 budget. The Common Council is schedule to discuss the budget, and votes on its approval or rejection, at its September 28th meeting.

State computer project costs 7 times more than estimate - and counting

2009-09-17T23:29:00.001-05:00

SOURCE: Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel
Madison — An effort to consolidate state computer servers has cost $90.9 million so far - more than seven times the original $12.8 million estimate, according to a sweeping report Thursday by the Legislative Audit Bureau. And by the time the project is completed next summer, it will cost almost nine times as much.

The computer project is part of a broad effort to streamline state government launched by Gov. Jim Doyle in March 2005 that has been hampered by unexpected costs and delays.

Under one provision of the Accountability, Consolidation and Efficiency program, known as ACE, the state was to sell $40 million worth of land and buildings over four years but actually shed only $9.6 million in property.

Sadly, in today's world, this is not as shocking as it should be. For more of the gory details, click here

PARKING RESTRICTIONS LIFTED IN DOWNTOWN

2009-09-17T13:50:00.000-05:00

Due to the increased parking congestion on our downtown streets due to the Blackburn Street parking lot re-construction, I, Aaron Kramer, do hereby issue an executive order as mayor to suspend the 3-hour parking ban in the downtown area, effective immediately. This order will be be in effect until November 15, 2009, at which time the city's winter parking rules will go into effect. City staff is also directed to cover the 3-hour parking signs in downtown Ripon with a material that prevents them from being viewed.

EDITORIAL FROM COUNTY EXECUTIVE

2009-09-16T20:37:00.000-05:00

Editorial for the Ripon Commonwealth:

I feel I need to respond to Ripon Mayor Aaron Kramer’s letter in last week’s Ripon Commonwealth. He stated that I did not help when Ripon businesses were considering a move to another state. Although I was briefed by the FCEDC, I must also say that neither the mayor nor anyone else from Ripon asked for my assistance. Whereas the City Manager of Fond du Lac did ask whether I could help to keep Mercury Marine in Fond du Lac. I do not understand Mayor Kramer’s assertion that none of the sales tax to be used to capitalize the County Revolving Loan Fund would go to Ripon businesses, considering that the Revolving Loan Fund was first created to assist Alliance Laundry, Ripon’s largest business. Since that time the Fond du Lac County Economic Development Corporation has helped Ripon businesses receive over $6 million of assistance. In this economy county dollars are now needed to increase the amount of funds available for county businesses located in Fond du Lac, Ripon, or throughout the County.

Mercury Marine’s loss would have seriously damaged the economy of Fond du Lac County and the entire region. Fond du Lac County’s losses alone would have equaled $353 million in payroll from Mercury, as well as other businesses, restaurants and stores around the county. In addition, the 1,800 Mercury employees along with an estimated 4,000 other county workers would have lost their jobs. As County Executive I could not let that happen. If Mercury Marine were located in Ripon I would have been willing to support the same package. The only way to keep Mercury in Fond du Lac County was through a partnership between the State, the County and the City of Fond du Lac offering necessary financial incentives for them to stay if they received the contract concessions from their union employees. Mercury Marine will receive credits towards repayment of the loan for jobs retained and job growth in Fond du Lac. That could result in credits of $1 - $2.1 million annually over a period of ten years. Those credits must be funded either through property tax or a sales tax. I supported the sales tax. A sales tax would also provide the funds required to further increase the County Revolving Loan Fund. All funds are presently loaned out; therefore a business must wait for the dollars needed for expansion or business improvements.

Mercury Marine is thankfully staying in the county, therefore their employees will not be competing for limited available jobs. People will be called back to work as Stillwater jobs arrive here and other local workers take the retirement incentive package. As the economy improves, manufacturing jobs will be added for workers from all over, including Ripon. This is the first time a County has been this aggressive in keeping a business, but it is not uncommon for cities. I am impressed that Ripon City Council has supported the creation of a TID and is willing to borrow over $8 million to support the redevelopment of its downtown. I do wish Ripon much success in that endeavor so that one day that TID does not require property tax dollars. Mayor Kramer, if in the future the County’s help is needed please contact me and I will do what I can.

Allen Buechel
Fond du Lac County Executive
160 S. Macy Street
Fond du Lac WI 54935
920-929-3155

Mercury to return tax breaks to Oklahoma

2009-09-12T10:07:00.001-05:00

SOURCE: Marketplace Magazine
Following the Mercury Marine union vote in Fond du Lac last week, finalize its decision to remain headquartered in Fond du Lac and to shift work there over time from Stillwater, Okla., the company announced today it will return tax relief it had received in Oklahoma.

A bill signed into law June 1 was designed to help such companies as Mercury Marine deal with unprecedented market weakness.

“Depending on who you talk to, it’s either between $1.2 [million] and $1.6 million,” said Oklahoma Rep. Cory Williams (D–Stillwater), a co-sponsor of the tax break.

Mercury union employees voted Thursday and Friday to agree to labor contract modifications. As a result, Mercury is shifting manufacturing from its Stillwater, Okla., facility to Fond du Lac.

“With the decisions made last week around the consolidation of our under-utilized manufacturing capacity, it is unlikely that Mercury Marine will qualify for the criteria outlined by the spirit of the bill in terms of employment levels and the scale and scope of our operation in Stillwater,” said Mark Schwabero, president of Mercury Marine.

Mercury Marine is working with county and state officials in Oklahoma to make an immediate payment for any benefits it has received under this legislation.

Bill yanks records from public eye

2009-09-12T10:06:00.000-05:00

SOURCE: Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel
Madison — Information about property owned by Wisconsin judges and district attorneys would no longer be available for public inspection under a bill before the state Legislature.

The Assembly's Committee on Judiciary and Ethics approved the change as part of a bill intended to increase government transparency by allowing the state Government Accountability Board to post on the Internet the annual economic interest statements that roughly 2,100 public officials, including legislators, judges and members of state boards, are required to file each year.

But citing safety concerns, lawmakers added a provision that changes current law by preventing the board from releasing information about property owned by judges and district attorneys. Another provision would limit online posting of client and customer information reported by public officials who own businesses, but that information would still be available to those who request it.

The economic interest forms require officials to report such information as their stock and bond holdings, business partners and noncommercial real estate. They are not required to list the addresses of their principal residences, but that information is available in other places, such as campaign registration forms candidates file with the board.

Members of the public who want to view the statements of economic interest now must provide their names and addresses when requesting them. Bill author Rep. Spencer Black (D-Madison) called that an unnecessary barrier to public information.

But some lawmakers said there's potential for misuse if people have easy access.

Rep. Fred Kessler (D-Milwaukee), a former judge, backed the amendment to limit disclosure of information about property owned by judges and district attorneys, saying that judges are routinely harassed and threatened by people who have appeared before them.

Under the change, the public wouldn't be able to access that information, even if the name and address of a requester were provided.

While some information could be kept off the Internet, Black said it should be available to those who ask for it.

"It would totally exclude members of the press and public from seeing that information," Black said, adding he will try to change that provision in the bill when it reaches the Assembly floor.

Rep. Robin Vos (R-Caledonia), who owns a popcorn business and pushed for limited access to client information, said he's concerned about a competitor accessing his customer list online.

"It will dramatically impact me in a way I don't think is fair," Vos said.

Mike McCabe, executive director of the government watchdog group Wisconsin Democracy Campaign, said the policy of requiring residents to give their names and addresses has had a chilling effect.

"All those records should be accessible via the Internet to the greatest extent possible," McCabe said.

The Assembly's Committee on Judiciary and Ethics voted, 6-3, Wednesday to advance the bill to the full Assembly.

Lake Geneva's mayor suspends four on council

2009-09-12T10:05:00.000-05:00

SOURCE: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Lake Geneva's mayor has suspended four members of the Common Council, accusing them of neglecting their duties and violating open meetings laws.

Mayor William P. Chesen also accused the four - Penny Roehrer, Mary Jo Fesenmaier, Arleen Krohn and Thomas Spellman - of creating "inefficiencies for staff and the citizens," according to the suspension orders.

Chesen scheduled a "removal from office" hearing for Sept. 23.

The move came on the same day former Mayor Beatrice Dale and others launched a recall drive against Roehrer and Spellman, accusing them of not voting "according to the wishes" of their constituents.

Roehrer, Krohn and Spellman said the suspensions and recall drive are payback for their vote, along with Fesenmaier's, to appoint former Mayor Spyro Condos to a vacant council seat rather than schedule a special election.

Spellman said Condos' appointment gives development opponents a 5-3 majority on the council. That's something Chesen and development proponents won't stand for, Spellman said.

Condos also is the target of the recall effort.

"The underlying issue is the development community has been in control of the city council," Spellman said, noting that the mayor previously held a tie-breaking vote. "The council has always filled vacancies by appointment."

Chesen did not return a telephone call seeking comment Thursday evening.

Dale initiated a successful recall drive that ousted Condos from the mayor's office in 2001 amid accusations of unauthorized spending and other abuses that were disputed by the incumbent.

Answers to frequently asked questions regarding the Mercury Marine incentive package

2009-09-09T10:29:00.001-05:00

NOTE: I am posting this as an informational item, not as an endorsement of the sales tax. What do you think of the tax? Please vote in the poll (to the left) or share your ideas under the comments section.

At FCEDC, we've been fielding some questions from both the public and the media regarding the recently released local incentive package being offered to Mercury Marine. In light of this, we felt it would be helpful to share these questions and the answers with all of you.

How much land is being acquired and what will it be used for?

There are three parcels near the Hickory and Pioneer intersection – 1.57 acres, 10.10 acres, and 9.41 acres. The City will utilize a Tax Increment District (TID) to fund the acquisition with expectations that the three parcels may be developed as commercial opportunities at some point in time.

Is Mercury Marine being given $50 million as a grant or is this a loan?

The $50 million is being provided in the form of a low interest rate loan with the expectation of repayment over the 12-year term. We are anticipating that the company will not get the entire loan up front, but rather it will be disbursed over an 18-month period of time. The loan will be collateralized and is considered “performance-based.”

So if it’s a loan and it’s going to be repaid, why do we need the sales tax?

With the reduction in the interest rate (the loan is at 2% versus the County borrowing at market rate) and potential credits for job retention and creation, the company won’t be paying enough to cover the debt service from the borrowing. The sales tax is being recommended to cover that “gap."

How much sales tax could be needed to cover that “gap?”

The max “all in” annual amount – that is if the company earns every single credit available to them - is just over $3 million annually.

How does Mercury Marine earn the credits again? Is that what the “performance-based” statement means?

Mercury Marine can earn credits towards the repayment of the loan by retained jobs ($500 credit per retained job) and creating new jobs ($1000 per credit). The credits are based upon how well the company performs. We will be utilizing the same baseline measurement of employment as the Wisconsin Department of Commerce for the measurement. So, for example, if the company retains the baseline number of jobs and adds 300 new jobs, the credit towards the repayment would be $1,063,000.

Is there a limit on how much the company can earn as a credit?

Yes. The agreement caps the total number of jobs at 2,900. This would equate to a maximum annual credit of $2,137,000. This would be deducted from their repayment amount and provides us with the maximum annual gap of $3 million previously mentioned.

How much is that per job? It seems like a very large number.

If Mercury reaches all the credits possible and the sales tax is paying a gap of $3 million annually, it equates to approximately $12,400 per job at Mercury Marine in local incentives. A threshold of $20,000 per full-time job is typical for economic development loans.

So what if the company doesn’t perform? Some people think they are just going to move anyway.

This is a 12-year agreement so if the company doesn’t maintain its presence in Fond du Lac, the loan will immediately becomes due and payable in full. There is also a $500 penalty for each job not retained at the baseline level previously mentioned.

What happens if the company goes bankrupt?

The City of Fond du Lac and Fond du Lac County are guaranteeing the loan and a proportionate rate (28% City, 72% County). The sales tax would still be utilized to cover a portion of the debt service from the borrowing, but then the City and County would need to make up the difference to cover the balance of the debt service. Note though that we previously indicated that the loan will be collateralized. This means that the City and County will have property and/or equipment pledged from Mercury Marine. If something does happen, the City and County would sell that asset to attempt to cover the remaining debt rather than it coming from the taxpayers.

Other businesses, large and small, in Fond du Lac County are also struggling. Why are we only helping Mercury Marine?

While the magnitude of the impact that Mercury Marine has on our community justified the size of the incentive package, the tools being utilized, the programs tapped into and the expertise utilized to put the package together are similar and in some cases identical to those previously used for other Fond du Lac County businesses. Fond du Lac County’s revolving loan fund, for example, at the end of 2008 had a portfolio of $3.6 million. In 2008 alone, $1,592,500 was approved in loans to local businesses from this one fund alone. Existing business development services are available to any business in Fond du Lac County through Fond du Lac County Economic Development Corporation.

So how much will be collected for the sales tax and does Mercury Marine get all of it? If not, what happens to the rest of the money?

The $3 million represents less than half of the estimated annual sales tax revenue (projected at $6.5-$7 million in current economic climate) with the balance planned to be utilized for economic development, reduction of County debt, and property tax relief.

What happens to the .5% county sales tax once the 12-year loan is done? Do we still need to pay the tax or is there a sunset?

A sunset clause has been mentioned and briefly discussed. There will need to be further discussion on whether a sunset date is incorporated into the authorization of the sales tax. County Board action is needed to either extend the timeline, or eliminate the tax, and this can be done at any time with proper notice.

Is the .5% county sales tax the only option?

No. The gap could be placed on property taxes but that would equate to an approximate 10% increase on the County portion of the tax bill. The 2008 rate was $5.03/$1000 so a 10% increase would be $.50 per $1000. An owner of a home worth $125,000 would see an increase of $62.50 annually while an owner of a home worth $250,000 would experience an annual increase of $125. A wheel tax on motor vehicles registered in Fond du Lac County could also be implemented. This would add $100 per each vehicle registered.

The sales tax is consumer driven and many food items, medications and other medical-related items, and motor fuel are not subject to the .5% sales tax. Of the $6.5-$7 million collected annually, approximately 22% is paid by people not living in Fond du Lac County.

If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact us at (920) 929-2928 or info@fcedc.com.

Bill introduced to help troubled TIFs

2009-09-09T10:28:00.002-05:00

SOURCE: Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel
State legislation has been introduced to allow more time for financially troubled tax incremental financing districts to pay off their debts.

With a TIF district, a community typically borrows money to help fund a real estate development, perhaps by buildings roads and sewers to serve the new project. The project's property taxes are used to pay off that debt. Once the debt is paid, the taxes flow to the community, its school district and other local governments.

Lately, more TIFs are running into trouble, as I reported in July.

The main culprit is the recession, which has brought store closings, layoffs and a drop-off in travel. That affects the value of shopping malls, office buildings, hotels and other commercial properties.

Declining values result in lower property tax bills. So it takes longer for those property tax dollars to pay off city or village funds used to help finance commercial development.

A bill, introduced by Sen. Jim Sullivan (D-Wauwatosa) and Rep. Louis Molepske (D-Stevens Point), creates a process for TIFs created before Oct. 1, 2008, to be designated as "distressed."

That gives the district up to 40 years, from the date it was created, to pay off the debt. State law now limits districts to a maximum life of 27 years. The bill also allows a community to take revenue generated by a successful TIF to help pay off a distressed district's debt.

Supporters of the legislation say it will allow communities and their lenders more time to restructure debts.

For the record, NONE of the TIFs in Ripon are in distress.

REMINDER - COUNCIL MEETING TONIGHT

2009-09-08T16:16:00.002-05:00

A reminder that the City Council will meet tonight at 7 PM. Ripon residents are invited to share their comments, concerns or questions on the Boca Grande project during the meeting at City Hall.

The proposed half percent county sales tax: Facts for citizens of Fond du Lac County

2009-09-08T13:37:00.002-05:00

SOURCE: Fond du Lac Economic Development Corporation
A half percent sales tax is being proposed for Fond du Lac County to fund an aggressive package that will help assure economic stability in Fond du Lac County by retaining our largest employer - Mercury Marine. The following are a few illustrations of the economic impact Mercury Marine has on our community and the
impact of the proposed tax on individuals who live in Fond du Lac County.

Economic impact of Mercury Marine:
* A resident of the City of Fond du Lac would have to spend $8,800 on taxable items in a year’s time to equal the estimated $44 that water and sewer may have increased had Mercury Marine closed.
* A homeowner in Fond du Lac County would have to spend $4,000 on taxable items to equal the estimated short term increase in property tax (up to $20) had Mercury Marine vacated its facility.
* A homeowner would have to spend $1,330,000 on taxable items to equal the loss in property value, which might drop 5% or $6,665 on the average home. This is a very conservative estimate since Detroit home prices have dropped 23.6% in one year, and Janesville has experienced a 12.1% decrease in prices from one year ago.

Individual impact of the proposed sales tax:
* Dinner for two at a restaurant ($40) will cost an additional 20 cents.
* A tank of gas ($50) will cost an additional 25 cents.
* A new outfit ($100) will cost an additional 50 cents.
* A new car ($25,000) will cost an additional $125.
* Most grocery food items, prescriptions and other medical items are not taxable and would not be affected.

Additional information:
* Wisconsin State Statute (Chapter 77) sets the county tax rate at .5%.
* Fond du Lac County is one of only eleven counties out of 72 in the state that does not currently have a county sales tax.
* It is estimated that 22% of the sales tax collected would come from purchases made within the county by people who live outside of Fond du Lac County.

Mercury Marine Incentive Package

2009-09-08T13:34:00.001-05:00

A joint statement by Allen Buechel, Fond du Lac County Executive; Tom Herre, Fond du Lac City Manager; and Brenda Hicks-Sorensen, President, Fond du Lac County Economic Development Corporation

We are issuing this statement today not to repeat items previously discussed, such as the significant impact of Mercury Marine on the City of Fond du Lac, Fond du Lac County, and State of Wisconsin, but rather to introduce the local package that will be considered by the Fond du Lac County Board of Supervisors and Fond du Lac City Council later this week.

The local economic team has worked closely with Mercury Marine and the State of Wisconsin throughout this process. The level of partnership that has existed we believe to be unprecedented. Everyone came to the table with a determination to find an answer that would help keep Mercury Marine number one on the water and the City of Fond du Lac and Fond du Lac County a premier place to do business.

The package includes $3.0 Million from the City of Fond du Lac. These funds will be provided to purchase land owned by Mercury Marine and/or in the form of forgivable loans and grants from the City of Fond du Lac and its agencies.

Up to $50 Million will be available in the form of a low-interest, performance-based, collateralized loan from Fond du Lac County with guarantees provided by both the City of Fond du Lac and Fond du Lac County. The loan proceeds are to be used for new engine development; the relocation of some of the Stillwater Oklahoma manufacturing positions to Fond du Lac; and a retirement incentive payment to IAM workers.

As a performance-based loan, it includes a $500 credit per job retained and a $1,000 credit per job created. There is also a penalty to the company of $500 for each position not retained and if the company does not maintain their presence in the City of Fond du Lac and Fond du Lac County, the loan becomes due immediately and in full. It is, however, our expectation that Mercury Marine will not only retain the positions in Fond du Lac County but also create new jobs. When credits are earned toward the repayment, the County Executive is recommending that the gap be filled utilizing a portion of the half-percent county sales tax.

We want to again voice our support not only for Mercury Marine as a whole but for each individual employee of the company. It is now time for us as a community and as individuals to step up and to demonstrate that support by doing our part.

Developer plans $30 million investment in Ripon

2009-09-08T10:31:00.002-05:00

SOURCE: Fond du Lac Reporter
Project includes renovations, new construction

by heather stanek - The Reporter hstanek@fdlreporter.com

A developer has a $30 million plan for Ripon. If it succeeds, it promises to create a distinct, competitive downtown and hundreds of jobs.

Developer Boca Grande expects to renovate more than 25 buildings and construct a $15 million inn and spa, said Franklin Cumberbatch, the company's chief operations officer. He and Jim Connelly, Boca's chief executive officer, have already begun preliminary work and hope to finish by July 2012.

Plans include a National Republican Party Museum that would house historical documents and exhibits. Cumberbatch said the attraction would suit Ripon, the party's birthplace.

Diners would notice significant changes downtown. Boca Grande plans to double the size of Roadhouse Pizza and upgrade the kitchen at Los Gringos, he said. McGuire's, a new steakhouse, would serve brews produced in-house.

New restaurant Norman's, an enterprise with a Norman Rockwell theme, would cater to families by offering a special play area for children. After parents have ordered, they can send their kids to the "timeout room," where Ripon College students will entertain the youngsters. When the food arrives, the children return to the table.

Cumberbatch, a father himself, said it would give parents some quiet time to talk and enjoy a beverage.

Boca Grande also calls for upgrading the apartments above many downtown businesses. He said they would have high quality but meet a wide variety of price ranges.

He noted that Boca Grande will maintain each building's historical façade.

"We don't want to change the charm, the look," he said.

He predicts that construction alone would create about 400 jobs. Once complete, the businesses would likely need around 100 full-time workers.

Expense

Cumberbatch believes his company can secure money for the multi-million dollar endeavor. Boca Grande has applied for $8.6 million in Tax Incremental Financing (TIF) funds from the City of Ripon. Equity and debt financing would cover the remainder, he said.

He added that Boca Grande will build during the recession so the businesses are open by the time the economy turns around.

Cumberbatch said Ripon's character makes it an appealing investment. It has a college, four golf courses within 15 minutes, a lake only minutes away and beautiful natural resources that appeal to out-of-towners, he said.

"It's incredible what we have here," he said.

Reaction

Ripon Mayor Aaron Kramer has experienced a myriad of emotions since hearing about the project.

"You get the sticker shock. I thought, 'Whoa, this is unfathomable for a city our size,'" he said. "It's overwhelming at first glance. It's complicated and visionary."

That surprise has morphed into flattery. Kramer suspected that even the largest communities would be honored to receive such an extensive collection of restaurants, apartments and tourist attractions.

He added that the process so far has given him hope. Kramer, who's served as mayor since June 2003, said Boca Grande has been one of the most "accountable, transparent" companies he's encountered. He said Cumberbatch and Connelly have answered questions, held meetings with city officials and the public and developed a hot line for anyone with questions, (920) 896-1082.

But Kramer acknowledged that he doesn't expect a smooth ride. With the country in a recession, the worst can happen to any construction plan.

"I've never gone into a project feeling 100 percent sure it's going to work, except my marriage," he said with a laugh.

The prospect of additional jobs is a pleasant tune for Paula Price, executive director of the Ripon Area Chamber of Commerce. She said she harbors no concern, only elation.

"We're hopeful that it's going to be a successful venture," she said. "It's going to help energize our downtown."

Kramer and Price said they haven't heard any complaints from constituents.

"We wish them well," said Price. "We (the Chamber of Commerce) will support Boca Grande in any way that we can."
Additional Facts
INFORMATIONAL MEETING

Ripon residents and business owners may comment on the Boca Grande project during the Ripon City Council meeting at 7 p.m. today at City Hall, 100 Jackson St. For more information on the $30 million plan, call (920) 896-1082.

PICTURE: Jim Connelly, left, and Frank Cumberbatch of Boca Grande development are shown near one of their properties in Ripon. They have a $30 million plan for Ripon that includes renovating more than 25 buildings and constructing an inn and a spa. (THE REPORTER PHOTO BY PATRICK FLOOD)

TO be accurate, I have received complaints/concerns from constituents, and I hope we have been able to answer many of the questions, and I welcome more.

MEDIA ALERT - Mercury Marine Press Conference

2009-09-04T14:57:00.000-05:00

Please be advised that Fond du Lac County Executive Allen Buechel, Fond du Lac City Manager Tom Herre, and Fond du Lac County Economic Development Corporation President Brenda Hicks-Sorensen, will be providing a joint statement in response to the IAM union vote on the proposed contract presented by Mercury Marine this evening at the Government Center, 160 S. Macy Street, Rooms FGH, at 8:00 p.m. There will be an opportunity for questions following the statement. Thank you.

RIPON SCHOOLS SAY NO TO OBAMA SPEECH

2009-09-04T14:55:00.001-05:00

President Obama’s Speech to Students Not Aired
The District is using its standard practice of reviewing material prior to use with students for President Obama’s speech being given on September 8. Teachers will review the content and decide on its future appropriateness for using all or clips of the speech with students as part of the Board-approved Social Studies curriculum. A complete description of the District’s plan for using this speech—and other material—with students is posted on the District’s web site.

Enrollment Edges Up
The 2009-10 school year began on September 1 with approximately two dozen more students enrolled in Ripon schools than last year. The official count day for state funding is September 18, and changes are frequent during the month as students move in and out of the District. Because of broad enrollment ranges used within the state funding formula, no financial impact is anticipated for this school year.

Ripon Scores Highest ACT Scores in Conference
The Ripon Class of 2009 had an average 23.4 composite score on the ACT college admissions test compared to the Wisconsin public school average of 22.2. Ripon ranked #1 among public schools in the Eastern Valley Conference. The 2009 score also maintained Ripon’s Top 10% ranking in Wisconsin for the ten-year average which is used to analyze long-term trends of high performing, quality schools.

A’viands Assumes Food Service Management
As a result of a bidding process for Food Service management contracts, Sodexo has been replaced by A’viands for the 2009-10 school year. A’viands is a Minneapolis-based company that prides itself on personalized service and local, healthy foods for students. All menus must meet or exceed state and federal standards for student lunches. The District will save over $40,000 per year from the A’viands contract.

Six New Teachers Begin in Ripon
Ripon students will see six new faces in Ripon schools this year. The new hires include Special Education teachers for grades 1, 7, and 8. Joining them are a Grade 5 teacher, a K-5 Gifted/Talented teacher, and a RMS Connections program teacher. A photo with names of the new teachers is posted on the District’s web site. Several teachers also transferred to new positions that became vacant because of retirements and leaves. Meanwhile, three part-time teaching positions are still on layoff due to budget cuts. Remaining on layoff are a half-time RHS Art position, a half-time RMS World Language position, and a third-time RHS Science position. The Board is continuing to meet with the Ripon Education Association’s bargaining team to discuss options for calling back the laid off teachers.

CITY RELEASES CLOSED MINUTES OF GRANITE BROADBAND DISCUSSION

2009-09-03T10:11:00.002-05:00

After meeting with our city attorney and city administrator, I have authorized the release of the following closed minutes:

SPECIAL COMMON COUNCIL MEETING - July 16, 2009
Present: Brockman, Luskey, Miller, Pape, Schraeder, Schueler, Stoeberl
Absent: Peabody
Others: City Administrator Barg

Miller called the special meeting to order at 7:05 a.m.
Pape moved and Luskey seconded a motion to 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: Request for TIF funds (various districts): high-speed wireless Internet

Motion carried 7-0. Kramer declared the meeting to be in closed session. Request for TIF funds (various districts): high-speed wireless Internet

Frank Cumberbatch addressed the Mayor and City Council, highlighting a proposal from Granite Broadband, LLC to install wireless Interest throughout the City, and addressed questions and concerns from Council members. He advised that Granite is looking for a total of $750,000 in funds from the City, 50% as a grant, and 50% as a loan to be repaid.

After Cumberbatch was dismissed, Council members discussed the proposal, and gave consensus approval to offer City assistance through TID #4 and TID #6. However, they asked Barg to advise Cumberbatch that any funds would be provided as a loan only (no grant monies), that the loan would be tied to those jobs created and maintained, and that the City would seek a first position on tangible assets as part of the collateral requested.

With no further business before the Council, Brockman moved and Luskey seconded a motion to adjourn. Motion carried 7-0. Miller adjourned the meeting at 7:58 a.m.

Respectfully submitted,
Steve Barg, City Administrator

SPECIAL COMMON COUNCIL MEETING - August 3, 2009
Present: Brockman, Kramer, Luskey, Miller, Pape, Peabody, Schraeder, Schueler, Stoeberl
Absent: None
Others: City Administrator Barg (arrived at 7:35 p.m.)

Kramer called the special meeting to order at 7:15 a.m.

Brockman moved and Luskey seconded a motion to 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: Request for TIF funds (various districts): high-speed wireless Internet

Motion carried 8-0. Kramer declared the meeting to be in closed session.

Request for TIF funds (various districts): high-speed wireless Internet
Frank Cumberbatch addressed the Mayor and City Council, highlighting a proposal from Granite Broadband, LLC to install wireless Interest throughout the City, and including a request for a $750,000 loan at zero-interest, to be paid out over 3 installments between now and January 1, 2010. After he was dismissed, considerable Council discussion took place, and issues of new employment, interest rates, etc. were reviewed. Brockman moved and Pape seconded a motion to approve Granite’s proposal, subject to the following conditions:
1. Applicant must meet and maintain stated minimum job numbers throughout the loan period, and the loan will be callable by the City if this number is ever missed.
2. Granite’s primary business headquarters must stay in Ripon throughout the life of the loan.
3. The City will hold first position on all hardware and equipment related to business operations.
4. A 1% interest rate shall be assessed to cover the City’s administrative expenses.

Motion carried 8-0.

With no more business before Council, Pape moved and Brockman seconded a motion to adjourn. Motion carried 8-0. Kramer adjourned the meeting at 7:51 a.m.

Respectfully submitted,
Steve Barg, City Administrator

TIF QUESTION - Why is TIF #5 sharing revenue with TIF #1?

2009-09-02T23:49:00.002-05:00

During the public information meeting on Monday night regarding the Boca Grande project, there was some discussion, and perhaps some confusion, over the current situation involving TIF #5 (the Alliance Laundry warehouse district on Stanton Street) and TIF #1 (the original downtown TIF). Under state law, a TIF must be closed if no uses for the revenue can be found. A TIF can share its revenue with other districts if the council approves a resolution to do so.

On September 11, 2008, the Plan Commission unanimously approved the project plan and resolution to amend TIF District #5 to allow for sharing revenue with TIF District #1. On September 28th, the Council unanimously approved the resolution, and TIF #5 began sharing its revenue with TIF #1 in 2009.

In the 2009 budget, TIF #5 is projected to bring in $151,240 in increment. The district has no debt to pay off. TIF #1 is projected to bring in $189,780 this year, and spend about $11,200 for its audit and community promotion. The TIF is also paying off roughly $157,000 in debt. Under the current payment schedule, the downtown TIF will make its last debt payment in 2012.

By sharing the revenue from TIF #5 with the downtown TIF, we are able to fund the Blackburn Street Parking lot reconstruction AND close the TIF one year earlier (2011), putting millions of dollars of property values back on the general tax roll. Please note, when a city closes a TIF, it does not mean it can spend additional money above and beyond the state-imposed levy limits. It does mean that additional money will go to the school district, county, state and technical colleges. It will also increase the total property base of the city, which, in theory, means, IF the city keeps its mill rate level, a homeowner would see a slight decrease in their tax bill.

The council made the decision to share the district's revenue, because it felt the benefit of doing the parking lot and closing the downtown TIF early outweighed closing TIF #5. This is the same concept which is being used in the proposal to share TIF #5 revenue, after 2011, with the new proposed downtown TIF #11.

If you have more questions on this issue, which is a bit convoluted, but I am trying my best to explain it, please email or contact me, or post a question on the blog.

COMMUNITY GARDEN....YES OR NO?

2009-09-02T23:23:00.002-05:00

Earlier this year, a constituent emailed me about the possibility of Ripon creating a community garden. They pointed out Fond du Lac has one (I believe on the frontage road along Highway 41 near their Chamber of Commerce). The arguments for the garden were several:
* More and more people are choosing to grow their own food out of environmental or economic concerns
* There is no garden similar to the one in Fond du Lac here in Ripon
* The costs to the city would be minimal, other than preparing the land in the spring, and parceling plots

What do you think? Should this be a city goal in 2010? If so, where? I have driven around the city, and think there is land near Hillside Cemetery, where the city stores some public works vehicles and has a building. Share your ideas, and thoughts, on this possible project.

BURN ORDINANCE DISCUSSION DELAYED

2009-09-02T23:12:00.002-05:00

Earlier this week, I met with various members of the city staff, directed that amy firther discussion on changes to the city's Burning Ordinance be placed on hold until a presentation is made by staff (fire chief - NFPA regulations that we adopted a year ago; police chief - report on burning-related complaints received during the past year), so we have a better understanding of where we stand before considering any changes. We are going to try and get someone from the State to address the Council as well on the state's regulations on burning.

This will not occur until the September 28th Council at the earliest, and more likely will be delayed into October or November due to the other issues we are dealing with at City Hall (Boca Grande, budget, etc.). We appreciate everyone's patience as we work to pass the best possible ordinance if changes are warranted.

GREAT - WINTER COULD BE BRUTAL

2009-09-02T21:01:00.001-05:00

(CNN) -- Get out the coats, boots, and shovels; people in some parts of the country are in for it this winter, according to the Farmer's Almanac.

Break out your winter gear -- the Farmers' Almanac is predicting a rough winter for large parts of the U.S. The longtime periodical, published since 1818 and famous for its long-range weather predictions, is out with its annual winter forecast, which says Old Man Winter is really going to hammer folks in the Midwest and upper Great Lakes region with very cold and very snowy conditions.

The almanac puts it this way:

"A large area of numbingly cold temperatures will predominate from roughly east of the Continental Divide to west of the Appalachians. The coldest temperatures will be over the northern Great Lakes and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.

"But acting almost like the bread of a sandwich, to this swath of unseasonable cold will be two regions with temperatures that will average closer to normal -- the West Coast and the East Coast."

But don't let your guard down if you live along the East or West coasts.

Farmer's Almanac managing editor Sandi Duncan says no one will be immune to the rough weather this winter.

"Even the areas that we say are going to be like the bread of the ice-cold sandwich are going to have bouts of stormy conditions. There's no way it's going to be that mild of a winter," she says.

Nasty weather is also in the forecast for late in the season as winter moves toward spring.

"We're actually predicting a possible blizzard in the northeast to the mid-Atlantic states sometime in February," Duncan says. "And it does look like the cool temperatures to the cold temperatures are going to hang on. And spring does look kind of rainy."

The Farmers' Almanac gets pretty specific about that late-season blizzard forecast.

According to Duncan, "February 12th-15th looks very stormy with blizzard conditions possible especially in New England but also going down to the mid-Atlantic coast."

The periodical says, "While three-quarters of the country is predicted to see near- or below-average precipitation this winter, that doesn't mean there won't be any winter storms! On the contrary, significant snowfalls are forecast for parts of every zone."

MERCURY MARINE - Q & A

2009-09-02T17:08:00.003-05:00

FOR UPDATES AND MORE INFO ON THE MERCURY MARINE SITUATION:

http://northamerica.mercurymarine.com/newsandevents/charting_our_course.php

Q: Will new communication be provided to the union members to help with their decision?
A: There will be no new information provided - the company's Best and Final Proposal is unchanged, so it should not be necessary to add any further explanation.

Q: On the blogs many union members feel that this 3rd vote shows that Mercury won’t leave and they should vote no to push for a better deal.
A: There will be no "better deal." Mercury employees are voting on the unchanged Best and Final Proposal. Mercury will base its manufacturing facility decisions on the competitiveness of our manufacturing plants after the vote.

Be positive! Be united! Keep Merc!

2009-09-02T12:39:00.002-05:00

SOURCE: Fond du Lac County Economic Development Corporation

With the recent positive developments between Mercury Marine and the IAM Union and their recent statement indicating a joint agreement to allow a new vote to be carried out, we join the community in hopefulness that the best possible outcome for Fond du Lac County and the City of Fond du Lac may still be possible.

As citizens, organizations and businesses ask what they can do to help, our only response at this point is to please put the differences and opinions voiced to this point aside as we continue to work together to keep Mercury Marine in Fond du Lac County. To have all parties work together for this second chance has been an incredible opportunity that highlights the true spirit of our community. Let us all now mirror this cooperation and show what is truly special about the people of Fond du Lac as we move forward with a positive unified voice in favor of what is good for our communities, our region and our state.

Knowing the Mercury Marine employees have a chance to vote again means that a lot of things have gone right and many entities have worked together to get the process to this point. Now, we are all working together to find a solution to the long-term viability of a very important element in the success of Fond du Lac County.

We encourage all Mercury Marine employees to let your voice be heard and know that we support you. As we said previously, this is not a time to be divided by opinion, but to be united as we all work together for the future of the City of Fond du Lac and Fond du Lac County.

TODAY'S HEADLINES

2009-09-02T11:03:00.000-05:00

Source: WRPN-AM

MOTIONS HEARING NEXT IN RIPON AREA SCHOOL DISTRICT LAWSUIT
The next step for a lawsuit between a Ripon woman and the Ripon Area School District is a motions hearing. The hearing is scheduled for Friday morning September 11th in Fond du Lac County Circuit Court. In the suit, filed in early July, Diane Cole, named School Superintendent Richard Zimman, Business Manager Rick Ketter, District Legal Counsel Steve Sorenson and the Board of Education in a Petition for Writ of Mandamus. Under the Writ, which is a legal request that a judge order an person or entity to take a specific action, Cole says she is looking for certain documents that she claims were not presented to her on different occasions throughout the past year. These include performance evaluations for Melanie Oppor, the current Director of Curriculum Development, Assessment and Instruction, the job description for that position, and invoices and various documents related to the installation of field turf at Ingalls Field. Earlier this month, Zimman said they have been assured by legal counsel that they have been cooperating with State Law at all times with Miss Cole. The most recent actions involving the suit include a motion from Sorenson to be dismissed from the suit, and the judge granting the district additional time past the legally mandated 45-day time limit to respond to the initial suit. In addition to her previously-mentioned demands, Cole is demanding that the district, including the School Board, be formally reprimanded by the court, she be reimbursed for the cost of filing the writ, including lost wages and mileage, and the district formally apologize to her.

ONE LAST VOTE FOR LABOR CONTRACT WITH MERCURY MARINE
"Hundreds of employees expressed a desire to voice their true feelings and that's something we cannot ignore." Those are the words of Mercury Marine President, Mark Schwabero, in announcing that the union and Mercury Marine have agreed to let union members vote again on a proposed labor contract. Mercury's deadline for union acceptance of the company's best and final proposal was originally set for midnight last Saturday. However, Merc officials say due to questions surrounding the voting process, another vote will be allowed. Union members will be able to vote Thursday and Friday on the same contract proposal that was rejected by the union August 23rd. Union members can vote from 6:00 a.m. to 6 p.m. either day at the Fond du Lac Labor Temple.

THE NEW TAX THAT MAY HAVE SNUCK UP ON YOU

2009-09-02T10:37:00.004-05:00

A considerable amount of media attention was focused on the increase of the state tobacco tax on Tuesday. A pack of cigarettes will now carry a $2.52 state tax, after the 75 cent increase took effect September 1st. Of course, since this tax is imposed on nasty smokers, it can be wrapped up in the cloak of "public health" and "low-income health care funding". The one you may have NOT noticed is the "Police & Fire Protection Fund", which also took effect on Tuesday.

First, a little history may help you understand the mechanics of this new tax. Six years ago, the State Legislature passed a "temporary" cell phone tax to upgrade 911 service around Wisconsin. I put temporary in quotation marks because whenever you see that, grab your wallet and run for the hills. I don't think anyone, though, would argue that an upgrade of the 911 service, which would allow for better response times and better tracking of where the calls come from, was a bad thing. But, remember, this was a "temporary" tax.

When state officials announced the upgrade was finished, they also discovered they had collected $20 million in taxes above and beyond their costs. The plan was to send this surplus back to the cell phone users as a credit on their bills. $20 million spread over that many people is not much, but there was the argument the tax was "temporary" and the additional revenue was not needed.

As you can imagine, you did not see any credit on your cell phone bills. The surplus was sucked into the most recent budget to cover the shortfalls and deficits, as the Wisconsin tradition of raiding funds continued unabated. 99 percent of the people would not even notice, right? Well, I hope that 99 percent of the people notice that the new budget not only extended and raised the the cell phone tax by 75 cents. It applied it to all landlines as well.

Now, of course, if the money is for police and fire protection, I think the support will likely be there from the public. BUT the projected $107 million in taxes is not going for any new police and fire programs or personnel. It is being used to offset the reduction in state aid to cities and counties that was also passed in the state budget.

I love the idea of the Maciver Institute. Rather than call the tax the "Police and Fire Protection Fund", which you will see on this month's bill, how about a little truth in taxation:
* "The New Tax We Slipped in to Take More of What You Have and We Hope You Don't Notice," or
* "Hey, in a Budget that Spends Billions More than the State Taxpayers Can Afford We Had to Get Creative as to How to Milk You for More Money Fee."

And to keep this in perspective, I am reprinting the list of new fees and service charges (remember the Governor said we did not pass the budget with significan "tax" increases), compiled by State Representative Mike Huebsch:

* New Income Tax Bracket (Individuals earning $150,000 and couples earning $300,000 or more)
* Capital Gains Tax Increase
* Delay Deduction for Health Insurance Premiums
* Delay Deduction for Child Care Expenses
* Eliminate Tax Deduction for Domestic Production
* Increase Corporate Income Tax (Throwback Sales)
* Increase Cigarette Tax
* Increase Tobacco Products Tax
* Increase Hospital Tax
* Apply the Hospital Tax to Ambulatory Surgery Centers
* Increase Nursing Home Bed Tax
* Delay Tax Credit for Conversion to Electronic Medical Records
* Delay Tax Credit for Community Rehabilitation Program
* Delay Biodiesel Fuel Production Tax Credit
* Reduce Film Tax Credit
* Increase Sales Tax on Businesses (Sales Tax Treatment of Disregarded Entities)
* Delay Sales Tax Exemption for Alternative Energy Resources
* Reduce Farmland Tax Credit
* Create deceptively titled ‘Police and Fire Protection Fee’ assessed on all phone lines
* Increase Low-Income Assistance Fee (assessed on all utility bills.)
* Increase Work Permit Fee for Teenagers
* Increase Child Care Licensing Fees
* Increase Birth, Death and Marriage Certificate Fees
* Increase Boat Registration Fee
* Increase Handgun Record Check Fee
* Increase Securities Trading Fees
* Increase Increased Assisted Living Facilities Licensing Fees
* Increase Insurance Agent Appointment Fees
* Increase Bobcat Hunting Permit Fee
* Increase Elk Hunting Permit Fee (Wisconsin does not have an elk hunting season.)
* Increase Solid Waste Tipping (Garbage) Fee

HYDRANT FLUSHING

2009-09-02T10:33:00.003-05:00

This year the Ripon Water Department will begin a new hydrant flushing program. This unidirectional flushing program will involve shutting down valves to achieve maximum scouring velocities through open hydrants. This will more effectively remove sediments, such as iron and manganese, from the distribution system. This flushing will be starting Wednesday, August 26 during the hours of 8AM to 3PM, and continuing through the end of October.

Any flushing program can potentially cause some discolored water. If you do experience this situation, run cold water only until water is clear. Please contact the Water Dept. at 748-4900 if water does not clear up.

The City of Ripon wants to provide the best water and thanks its customers for their patience during this project.

SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THE FUTURE OF RIPON MEDICAL

2009-09-02T10:11:00.000-05:00

Let Ripon Medical Center know what you think. Complete the survey about the replacement facility. Hard copies of the survey are distributed at area libraries, senior centers, drug stores and other high traffic locations. Or go online to www.riponmedicalcenter.com and click on the link to the survey. The link is near the top of the page in the center column. Your opinion matters. Share it today. www.riponmedicalcenter.com

A MERCURY MARINE SALES TAX? No thank you...

2009-09-01T16:05:00.004-05:00

First of all, I like Allen Buechel. Prior to mayor, when I reporting the news, I found him to be open and straightforward. Since being mayor, I have found him to be receptive and open to the issues and ideas of Ripon. I think he has provided valuable leadership and continuity to Fond du Lac County. That is why it pains me to see him proposing a half-cent sales tax to fund economic development, with the main recipient likely being Mercury Marine if they decide to keep their corporate offices in Fond du Lac.

This sales tax would be county-wide, but I believe it would further cement the perception, whether it is true or not, that the borders of Fond du Lac County only extend to the city limits of Fond du Lac. Other communities in this county have faced the potential loss of jobs which would have been similar to or even exceeded the impact of Mercury Marine in Fond du Lac. Not too long ago, Alliance Laundry Systems flirted with the idea of moving their operations to Mexico. Not once, as mayor, did I hear a proposal from Fond du Lac County to implement a sales tax and add the revenue to the incentive and retention packages we were discussing with the decision makers at Alliance. Once again, when Bremner Foods was considering a move of their operations from Ripon to northern Illinois, no discussion of a sales tax was brought forward. To compare the loss of Bremner, and especially Alliance, would have any less impact on Ripon and western Fond du Lac County's economy than Mercury Marine's decision to leave Fond du Lac is a debate that could go on forever, but all three scenarios would be devasating in their own horrific way.

According to the media reports, "the half percent additional sales tax could generate more than $6 million annually and allow county officials to implement an aggressive economic development strategy to maintain and draw jobs into the county. If Mercury Marine accepts local government's incentive package to keep its headquarters in Fond du Lac, the sales tax would likely become a reality." Unfortunately, as the mayor of the largest city west of Fond du Lac, I have a tendency to believe the vast majority of the funds raised for an agressive economic development plan would go to the city of Fond du Lac to remedy the ills resulting from the loss of the manufacturing base and to keep the Mercury Marine white collar jobs in Fond du Lac.

Do I want to see Mercury Marine leave Fond du Lac? Of course not. To even suggest that would be counter to every shred of economic development progress we have made in Ripon and the surrounding area. But with that said, Buechel has estimated that 22 percent of the sales tax is paid by people from outside the county. That means 78 percent of us will pay a tax, which has been targeted for one company, under the veil of "county-wide" economic development. To me, I don't feel like paying more in taxes because the management and union of a business could not come together to resolve their differences. I am not going to get into an argument over what led to this point in the Mercury Marine meltdown, but the answer is not raising taxes.

Fond du Lac County Board supervisors would need to approve the sales tax and could state their intent to "sunset" the sales tax after the set incentive period, according to the news article in the Fond du Lac Reporter. I have covered government, criticized government and been in government. Sunset taxes look good on paper, but after seeing our governor raid funds and use money from funds that were supposed to sunsetted (see the cell phone 911 surcharge fund), I would have ZERO level of trust in anyone to propose a tax with a sunset date unless the legislation includes potential incarceration for anyone who violates that sunset requirement without voter approval.

I hope the Mercury Marine situation resolves it, but if the sales tax proposal is an idea rising from the ashes, then a bad situation has become even worse for Fond du Lac County.

SPEECH AT TODAY'S COLLEGE MATRICULATION

2009-09-01T15:57:00.002-05:00

Ripon College held its annual matriculation ceremony this noon welcoming the roughly 250 new students to the campus. I was honored to be asked to participate and had the following comments:

Good morning, Ripon College students, faculty, friends and staff. Today marks a historic day, a watershed day in the world of education. Today is the first day of school for my daughter…in four-year old kindergarten. She, like you, is about to embark on a large chapter of her life. And, she is probably as nervous as you are on these first few days of this adventure.

So today, I speak to you not only as a mayor, but also as a parent. A proud parent, just as yours are of your reaching the position you are in today. Your journey still has a few more steps to take. Kylie’s has just begun, but, for all of you, the doors to new worlds, new ideas, new concepts. As I have encouraged my daughter to do, wrap your arms around all of those ideas, and keep those close and growing which make you a better person tomorrow than you were yesterday. I am also a proud mayor, proud of welcoming you as residents of the city of Ripon.

The residents of Ripon College make up roughly 14 percent of the city’s population, and I work for you, as well as the remaining 86 percent. Some may view you as less than full citizens, because of such facetious arguments as you do not pay taxes. If that were true, I would recommend you tell the clerk at K-Mart you aren’t going to pay the sales tax or convince Kwik Trip you don’t pay gasoline tax. You are residents, and you will be treated equal to the other individuals who call Ripon home.

With residency comes responsibility. As mayor, I would ask that you become involved in the community, through volunteering, employment, or some other means. If you see a wrong, ask it to be righted. If you see an area we can improve, make the recommendation. The worst thing you could do as a resident, even if your stay is for only four years, is to leave with issues about the city and no involvement in trying to rectify the issues.

In closing, I leave with some advice. You are surrounded by a faculty which will do what it can to nurture your intellectual growth. At times, you may think they can’t comprehend your problems and concerns, but, trust me, they do. We have walked the same road, albeit with different street signs, that you are starting to take your first steps on. Capture their experience and squeeze them for every drop of educational juice they can provide. Maximize the investment you have made in your brain, heart and soul, and leave here with nothing short of a mind full of ideas and plans to conquer the world. Somewhere, possibly, in this room, is the person who will solve the AIDS mystery, or fine-tune the rockets which take us to Mars and beyond, or the artist who will paint the next masterpiece, or the author who will be known as the John Steinbeck of the 21st century, or the artist who will capture an armful of awards from the Screen Actor’s Guild. The sky is the limit, they say, but I encourage you blow past those limitations and reach for the stars.

Ripon Redevelopment: Too Good to be True or Too Good to Pass Up?

2009-09-01T00:43:00.000-05:00

SOURCE: WBAY-TV
You know how they say if it's too good to be true then it probably is? That's exactly what Ripon mayor Aaron Kramer thought when developer Jim Connelly came to town.

"Only in the fiction section of the library would you find this story," Kramer said.

The Milwaukee-based developer has big plans to bring new jobs and major renovations to downtown Ripon. In fact, he's ready to commit millions of dollars himself to ensure the $30 million downtown facelift is completed.

"Could this be stopped? Yes. Is it likely? Probably not at this point," Mayor Kramer said.

About $8.6 million would come from the city through a new TIF district. The rest -- more than $20 million -- would come from Connelly himself, CEO of the Boca Grande development firm.

Connelly acknowledged, "Every real estate project I've undertaken in my entire career has carried with it some degree of risk, and this one certainly does as well."

The project includes restaurants, stores, and apartments, as well as a museum dedicated to the Republican Party since Ripon takes claim to its birth. But the largest part of the project is a roughly $15 million hotel and spa.

And Connelly says it's all keeping the style of Ripon's distinctive downtown.

All together the developer says 140 to 180 construction jobs will be created, then when the hotel, museum, and other businesses open it should create up to 100 full-time, permanent jobs.

"Does everyone support this project? No. Did I expect everyone to support this project? That would be even more fictional than the original plan itself," Mayor Kramer said.

But the opportunity, the mayor says, is too good to pass up.

The Basics of TIF

2009-08-31T21:04:00.003-05:00

The Basics of TIF
What Is TIF? - Tax Incremental Financing (TIF) is a state program that allows cities to provide direct financial assistance for community-enhancing development projects, and to have that assistance repaid over time from the increased property taxes generated by the project.

What is a TID? - A Tax Incremental District (TID) is the actual area designated for the development projects.

The TIF Process

* A city establishes a TID by (1) deciding what properties to include in the TID and creating a boundary around them, (2) adopting a Project Plan to determine the intended scope and costs of the projects to be undertaken within the TID boundaries, and (3) determining that “but for” creation of the TID, the expected development would not occur.
* A Joint Review Board consisting of representatives from the city, the county, the local school district, any local technical college, and a member of the community then review and approve the TID and the Project Plan. The Joint Review Board’s job is to look out for the interests of all of the taxpayers affected by creation of the TID.
* After a TID is approved and created, the “base value” of the TID is determined, which is the value of the taxable property within the TID at the time the District is created.
* Taxes generated on this “base value” continue to be shared by all of the taxing jurisdictions (county, school districts, city) to fund provision of normal community services.
* The city borrows money (usually by issuing bonds) to help fund costs associated with the development project(s) that are to receive TIF assistance. The TIF assistance, along with funds from the developer, is invested in new real estate improvements within the TID.
* The new improvements increase the value of the real estate within the TID, resulting in an increase in the property tax revenues generated by that real estate.
* This increase in tax revenues generated within the TID (i.e., above the “base” level taxes), which is referred to as the “increment,” is used by the city to repay the funds borrowed to provide the TIF assistance.
* Repayment of the TIF assistance, and thus the city’s repayment of the borrowed funds, occurs over the life of the TID (typically 27 years), at the end of which the borrowed funds have been repaid in full and the TID is closed.
* Following closure of the TID, the taxes generated by the properties will be shared by all taxing jurisdictions.

A Visual Example

Graph Courtesy of WI Department of Revenue

When a TID is created, the current value of all the taxable property within the designated area is established. This total is the “base value” of the TID (the “base value” in the graph above is made up of the four stripes along the bottom). The taxes collected on this portion of the property value are shared by all the taxing jurisdictions (the county, the school district, etc). Over the life of the TID, all of the taxing jurisdictions collect taxes from the “base value” of the property in the TID. Meanwhile, new construction and investment increases the value of the property in the designated district. All of the taxes collected on the growth in value of the property (the “value increment”) go directly to the municipality as “tax increment” revenue. The city uses this revenue stream to pay for the investments made in the district. At the end of the designated TIF – or as soon as tax increments are collected to cover the approved amount of the district – the TID is closed. When this happens, the entire value of the property that was in the TID is returned to the tax rolls of all the taxing jurisdictions. In the graph above, this is shown with the band on the right side – the wider segments represent the higher dollar amounts being collected through increased property values.

Answers to Common Questions about Boca Grande’s TIF Project

2009-08-31T21:00:00.003-05:00

SOURCE: Boca Grande Capital, LLC

 Why does the Boca Grande project need the support of a TIF?

* The State of Wisconsin’s TIF law requires that the City and the other relevant taxing authorities determine that the proposed development would not occur “but for” the TIF. In other words, if city financial assistance is not provided, the developer will not pursue the redevelopment project.
* It would be highly unusual for a developer like Boca Grande to undertake and finance a project like this without some form of city assistance. Cities routinely provide assistance to development projects in order to make them financially viable, recognizing that the successful development will provide long-term benefits to the city. Without TIF in this instance (which will result in lower interest rates and more flexible repayment periods), the anticipated income stream from this development would not justify the costs of undertaking the development. More specifically, this TIF assistance will bridge the gap between the cost of the project and the amount available from Boca Grande’s investment funds and conventional bank loans.

 What will happen if Boca Grande does not receive the TIF assistance?

* Unfortunately, if the TID or the development assistance is not approved, Boca Grande will not be in a position to move ahead with its plans. It is likely that no significant new development or redevelopment would be undertaken in the downtown area for the foreseeable future.

 Why can’t TIF be used to fix the potholes?

* As noted above, the effectiveness of TIF depends upon an increase in property values and the amount of taxes generated by the property. That increase will come about as a direct result of the development activities receiving TIF assistance.
* Despite the importance of, and value inherent in, fixing potholes and having well-maintained roads, sidewalks, and other public improvements, simple maintenance and repair of those existing facilities does not cause property values to increase. As a result, those activities also do not generate additional property tax revenues. Conversely, development or redevelopment of new building projects cause properties to be more valuable and, as previously noted, generate increased tax revenues. Those activities are necessary in order to justify the City borrowing money that will be paid back by increased tax revenue. Simply put, without development or redevelopment, there is no increase in tax revenue to pay back the City’s investment.
* As noted above, however, only the increase in tax revenues is applied to repayment of the financial assistance. The original, pre-development base tax associated with the property remains continuously available to pay for municipal services, including fixing potholes.

 What this TIF is NOT.

* This TIF assistance is not a handout. The City will not write Jim Connelly a check. Rather, City funds will be deposited into an escrow account, and the developer will submit invoices and similar evidence that specific work has been completed on the project, at which point funds will be disbursed to pay for that work. In short, invoices will be submitted to the City and paid from the escrow if the City is comfortable the payment is justified and in keeping with the agreements between the City and the developer.
* Use of TIF also is not a tax break. The property owner/developer will pay full taxes on all of its properties included in the tax increment district. As noted above, all parties anticipate a significant increase in the taxes on the properties being redeveloped. The only difference from the normal taxing process is that a portion of the developer’s property taxes (i.e., the amount of the increase in taxes) will be applied to pay back the assistance provided by the City.
* TIF is NOT a tax increase; it is a method of allocating taxes in order to enable cities to provide development incentives that will, over the life of the TID, be repaid through increased tax revenues stemming from property development. The only way a property owner’s taxes will increase is if the value of that owner’s property actually increases.

 What happens if this project is not successful or completely fails?

* Jim Connelly has agreed to personally guaranty (a) completion of construction of each redevelopment project that the developer starts, and (b) payment of taxes reflecting a significant and agreed upon increase in the assessed value of the redevelopment properties for a period of 5 years after opening of the project. City representatives have reviewed and approved Mr. Connelly’s personal financial statement in order to verify his ability to satisfy these guaranty obligations.

 Where will the people come from to fill the Ripon Inn and Spa?

* Some guests will be from nearby locations, and others will be out-of-town visitors from up to 250 miles away drawn to the attractive and historic development in Ripon. The Ripon Inn and Spa is being designed to feature a level of quality and service similar to the American Club in Kohler, which draws repeatedly from a similar 250-mile regional radius. However, the Inn and Spa in Ripon will feature more modest room rates, making it more affordable, and therefore more attractive, for a broader spectrum of people.

 We have no water or golf course; can the Ripon Inn and Spa really work?

* Many different shopping, activity and eating alternatives attract people to a community. The developer and its hospitality consultants believe strongly that a renewed sense of vibrancy and a sense of history stemming from restoration of the historic downtown district and the Republican President’s Museum will attract families, empty nesters, and businesses to the community, both as visitors and as new residents. As a part of the development efforts, the infrastructure of Ripon will be brought to the leading edge of technology through a community-wide wireless broadband to create a uniquely attractive environment for businesses seeking to relocate their operations and/or headquarters to a community that provides an unparalleled quality of life for its employees.

 When will this project start? When will it be finished?

* Boca Grande plans to begin construction in the Spring of 2010, with an anticipated opening of the Ripon Inn and Spa and most of its other projects by the Summer of 2012.

 How many jobs will be created?

* The development efforts are expected to create 60 to 80 full-time construction jobs for an approximately two-year period. In addition, the new businesses are expected to require 75 to 100 new employees. The developers have pledged to hire local contractors for construction whenever feasible. In keeping with past practices, they will make it a priority to try to hire local employees in connection with each of the businesses included in the project after construction is completed.

 What is being done to address parking?

* Boca Grande will be retaining a traffic consultant to fully analyze downtown traffic patterns, traffic flow, and parking needs, including how they will be affected by future development. Based upon the results of that evaluation, the developer will work with the City to address any additional parking or traffic flow needs, and it will undertake all of its construction projects with a view toward minimizing to the extent feasible impacts on parking and traffic flow.

 What if I have more questions?

* Boca Grande has established an Information Hotline that you can call if you have additional questions. The Hotline can be called any time, 24/7, and your questions will be responded to within twenty-four hours. The Hotline can be reached at (920) 896-1082.

Mercury and Union’s Midwest Territory Will Meet and Talk

2009-08-31T20:32:00.000-05:00

RELEASED AT 738 PM tonight:
FOND du LAC, Wis. (Aug. 31, 2009) – In light of the uncertainty surrounding the voting by Mercury employees on the company’s “best and final” offer made earlier to the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, Mercury and the IAM Midwest Territory have agreed to meet to bring clarity to the communications regarding the unchanged “best and final” proposal.