COUNCIL AGENDA - July 28

CITY OF RIPON
COMMON COUNCIL MEETING
Council Chambers, City Hall
Monday, July 28, 2008
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. Application for "Class A" intoxicating liquor license – Tango Uncorked, LLC, (trade name) Uncorked, 211 Watson St, Ripon, WI 54971, Lisa Diedrich, Agent, 944 S Grove St, Ripon, WI 54971.
2. Ordinance – vehicles in timed parking must be moved at least one block
3. Resolution – authorizing State Trust Fund Loan for Stoney Ridge Road
4. Request for street closures – Maxwell Street Day (August 1st)
5. Request for street closures & beer tent – Septemberfest (September 20th)

V. Other business
1. Request for changes in on-street parking restrictions – Ripon College
(Staff note: Ripon College wants a “loading zone” space at the northwest corner of Pickard Commons, but no parking is allowed on the south side of Congress Street. Staff supports a plan reversing parking restrictions, so parking is permitted along the south side of Congress, but prohibited on the north side. To gain more parking, the college wants some parking kept on the north side, west of the Merriman House driveway entrance.)

2. Request to close certain streets for 5K race on Sunday, September 14th

3. Mayor and Council input on goals and parameters for the 2009 budget
(Staff note: As in past years, City staff wants input from the Mayor and Council on the budget. Any goals and parameters - what new things you want to see done, what about the tax rate, etc. – will help as decisions are made on crafting the proposed 2009 budget for your consideration.)

4. Staff’s proposed 5-year financial plan (with financing) for 2009-2013
(Staff note: On July 8th, Council reviewed staff’s 5-year capital list, and no items were flagged. On Monday, a plan will be offered showing how these projects may be financed. Based on your response, staff will make any desired changes, and bring a final plan to you on August 12th.)

5. Review policy – prohibition against use of compost site by contractors
(Staff note: The City prohibits contractors from using its compost site, as these firms often collect yard waste from outside the City, and there’s no good way to track where the materials come from. It has been suggested that we review the policy, based on the idea that for yard waste collected in the City, it shouldn’t matter if a homeowner or a contractor brings this material to the compost site.)

6. 2008 Housing and Employee Attraction Program – Mayor Kramer
(Staff note: On July 8th, the Council reviewed a proposal from the Mayor to encourage employees of Ripon firms to live in the City. It would give TIF monies to companies when their employees establish residency in Ripon. The City Attorney reviewed the proposal, and the new version in the agenda packet reflects the minor changes made.)

7. “Class B” licensing requirements – Ripon City Code Chapter 6.36.050(I)
(Staff note: At our last meeting, and since then, concern has been raised about the length of time that a “Class B” license holder may not have the licensed premises open for business. As set forth in the attached code section, licensed premises must be open for 9 months of a licensing year. This raises the possibility that a business can be closed from April-June, get a license for the next calendar year, and remain closed through the end of September, without being in violation.)

8. Stormwater management warrant system; review of recent complaints
(Staff note: Due in large part to recent heavy rains, the City’s stormwater management approach is being called into question. The issue is: when should the City take an active role in complaints, and what is our role in addressing these issues. I’ve attached the warrant system adopted 3 years ago, along with a list of problem areas discussed at that time.)

VI. Mayor’s communications and appointments

VII. Agenda items for future Council meetings

VIII. 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: Possible purchase of land by the City for industrial purposes

STATE SUPREME COURT RELEASES IMPORTANT DECISIONS

This will be an interesting situation to follow in the middle of an election cycle, with a larger-than-normal number of contested races for Assembly and Senate:
* The state Supreme Court ruled today that state government illegally collected sales taxes on customized computer software - a decision that could cost state government $265 million in refunds and interest it doesn't have.The 4-3 decision upheld the state Tax Appeals Commission, which ruled that the Menasha Corporation was illegally charged the 5% state sales tax on specialized software it purchased. State tax collectors had argued what the company bought was prewritten computer software, which is subject to the sales tax.Writing for the court, Justice Annette Ziegler said the three-member Tax Appeals Commission was created as "the final authority for hearing and determination of all questions of law and fact" on taxation issues. The commission's decision in the Menasha case had been reversed by a Dane County judge.The Legislative Fiscal Bureau has warned that the decision could cost state government about $265 million, when claims expected to be filed from other companies for refunds and interest is figured.Gov. Jim Doyle could call lawmakers, who are busy campaigning for their re-election in November, into special session to deal with the problem. Doyle spokesman Lee Sensenbrenner said the governor would consider whether to call a special session of the Legislature to rebalance the budget as a result of the court decision, or whether the refunds could be handled as part of the 2009-'11 budget that must pass next year. If a special session is called, it would be the second budget fix needed since the current two-year budget was signed into law last October."We've managed bigger revenue challenges than this before," Sensenbrenner added.State Revenue Secretary Roger Ervin said in a statement the decision showed why Wisconsin should join other states that have passed the Streamlined Sales Tax Agreement, a proposed national standards for items subject to the sales tax and items that are exempt. "With this (ruling) now settled, it will be our goal to work with industry to consider any legislative or rule changes to bring more clarity to our sales tax statutes," Ervin added.In spite of Menasha's interpretation of the law, the state imposed a sales tax on the software, which Menasha paid and then appealed. The state Tax Appeals Commission ruled in favor of Menasha, but Dane County Circuit Judge Steven D. Ebert later ruled that the Wisconsin Department of Revenue was correct in assessing the sales tax. In 2007, the Court of Appeals in Madison reversed Ebert's ruling and said the tax should not have been assessed. The Wisconsin business community rallied around Menasha, with the Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce organization helping to finance the appeal to the Supreme Court, as well as filing a friend-of-the-court brief in the matter. WMC also spent about $2 million in support of the campaign of Ziegler, a situation that caused complaints from some in Madison when she declined to step aside when the case was argued last year.Ziegler ultimately wrote the opinion.The decision worsened the state's budget picture significantly, because future spending commitments exceed revenues by more than $800 million - before today's ruling, which could cost an additional $265 million.The case had been widely followed in the business community, with dozens of other companies having claims for sales tax refunds similar to Menasha's.The case was a test of the definition of customized software under Wisconsin law. Customized software is not subject to sales tax, whereas off-the-shelf programs, such as those sold in boxes at retail outlets, are.Exactly where to draw the line between the two categories long has been a point of contention between the state Department of Revenue and the Wisconsin business community.The case decided Friday was seen as a test to answer that question. Specifically, it involved a companywide, multi-million dollar software package installed by the Menasha in the 1990s. Menasha, based in Neenah, is a privately held company that has sales of more than $900 million annually making packaging at plants across the United States. It spent considerable time and money modifying the software, leading it to argue that the program had been customized and was therefore tax exempt.
For those involved in lawsuits with the government:
* The state Supreme Court said today that government bodies can't keep information from closed meetings from people involved in lawsuits.The Supreme Court reversed a state appeals court finding that former Whitnall School District gifted and talented supervisor Barbara Sands was not entitled to information about what school board members said during a closed meeting about not renewing her contract.The Supreme Court says people involved in lawsuits should be entitled to such information. The court says excluding the public from closed meetings doesn't automatically shield a government body from those requests.
The impact on economic development in Wisconsin will be interesting to follow as the court rules further determinations should be made on a "case-by-case basis":
* In a separate ruling, the court ruled that a Beaver Dam economic group is subject to Wisconsin's open meetings and records laws.The court said today an entity is a quasi-governmental body and subject to those laws if it closely resembles a government corporation, but that a determination should be made on a case-by-case basis.A citizens group has alleged the Beaver Dam Area Development Corporation negotiated secretly with Wal-Mart to bring a $55 million distribution center to the city.The Supreme Court says the corporation is financed exclusively by tax dollars, its office was located in the municipal building, it was listed on the city's Web site and the city gave the group clerical support and office supplies.

Another round of heavy rain????

Here we go again?????

FLASH FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT FROM TUESDAY EVENING THROUGH WEDNESDAY MORNING...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN MILWAUKEE/SULLIVAN HAS ISSUED A* FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR PORTIONS OF EAST CENTRAL WISCONSIN... SOUTH CENTRAL WISCONSIN AND SOUTHEAST WISCONSIN...INCLUDING THE FOLLOWING AREAS...IN EAST CENTRAL WISCONSIN...FOND DU LAC. IN SOUTH CENTRAL WISCONSIN...COLUMBIA...DANE...GREEN...GREEN LAKE...IOWA...LAFAYETTE...MARQUETTE AND SAUK. IN SOUTHEAST WISCONSIN...DODGE.

FROM TUESDAY EVENING THROUGH WEDNESDAY MORNING - AN APPROACHING COLD FRONT WILL INTERACT WITH A VERY MOIST AND UNSTABLE AIRMASS OVER SOUTHERN WISCONSIN TO GENERATE WIDESPREAD SHOWERS AND tHUNDERSTORMS TONIGHT. THE MOST INTENSE STORMS THAT WILL PRODUCE THE HEAVIEST RAIN AND SEVERE WEATHER ARE EXPECTED OVER SOUTH CENTRAL WISCONSIN. RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF 2 TO 4 INCHES AND POSSIBLY HIGHER AMOUNTS ARE EXPECTED OVER SOUTH CENTRAL WISCONSIN. LESSER AMOUNTS OF RAIN BUT STILL HEAVY AT TIMES ARE POSSIBLE OVER SOUTHEAST WISCONSIN.A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS ISSUED WHEN RAPID FLOODING OFCREEKS...STREAMS... RIVERS...AND URBAN AREAS IS POSSIBLE. FLASHFLOODING CAN BE A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. YOU SHOULD MONITORLATER FORECASTS AND BE PREPARED TO TAKE ACTION SHOULD FLASH FLOODWARNINGS BE ISSUED.

FAVRE COMING BACK?????

With his family "tugging" on him to play, Brett Favre has an "itch" to come out of retirement and report to training camp with the Green Bay Packers later this month, according to sources close to the team and player.
Favre has communicated his potential desire to coach Mike McCarthy but talks have not advanced to a substantive stage, a Packers source said.
The source said the Packers would be reluctant to open the door for Favre because "Brett retired for the right reasons, even though I know his family is tugging on him [to play]."
Another source conceded Favre was "getting the itch" to play football in 2008.
However, Favre's agent downplayed the likelihood that the quarterback could un-retire or that he was prepared to report to camp July 28.
"As far as I know, right now, Brett Favre is retired and until he tells me something different, that's what it is," James "Bus" Cook, Favre's agent, said.
Favre was unavailable for comment. A Packers spokesman said that McCarthy and general manager Ted Thompson were on vacation.
Favre has two years remaining on his contract at an average of about $12.5 million per season. His salary is not currently counting toward the salary cap because the Packers placed him on the reserve-retired list.
If Favre decides that he absolutely wants to play this season, the Packers could be confronted with a sensitive issue. The entire offseason has been spent preparing Aaron Rodgers to play quarterback to the point where "the offensive scheme has evolved" and, psychologically, closing the door on Favre's legendary 17-year career.
If the Packers resist a stronger push by Favre to return, sources speculate that the quarterback could press the team to release him from his contract so that he could seek a job with another team. A league official said that Favre could force a decision by asking the Packers, in writing, to reinstate him to active status. The team would have to comply or release him.
"That's speculation and I wouldn't go there," a team source said. "We value Brett's legacy, we think he values it, and we'd want to protect that. Brett's a high-quality person and he's not going to push it that far. He'll do the right thing [and stay retired]. This was almost predictable, the idea that Brett would get the itch to play as we get closer to the season."
In an interview done with ESPN around the time Favre retired in early March, McCarthy predicted Favre "will have an itch to come back. I saw Joe Montana go through it, even though I was a younger coach in Kansas City at the time."
McCarthy said it was Favre who convinced the coach that retirement was the "right thing to do."
"I tried to talk him out of retirement," McCarthy said back in March. "Tom Clements [Green Bay's quarterbacks coach] and I were trying to sell him on the concept that he could still play at a high level with 80-to-85 percent of the commitment he had last year. Brett thought that maybe he could do it but he reasoned that when you cut back the commitment, you open yourself up to injury, to not being on top of your game -- which was very important to Brett -- and letting the team down in the process.
"Really, what Brett did was very honorable because the stress and pressure he feels is a direct result of the standard he sets for himself."

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3471189

CITY OF RIPON PRESS RELEASE

Date: June 18, 2008
Re: Flooding

(RIPON, WI) – A closer inspection of the city’s Gothic Mill Pond along Scott Street has shown there is no significant damage to the structure. According to City Engineer Travis Drake, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources’ dam safety engineer also looked at the dam during the overtopping, which occurred on Friday and Saturday, and had no concerns. A voluntary evacuation of the areas downstream was ordered on Friday evening, over concerns about the dam’s stability. That order was lifted on Saturday afternoon.
In addition, the city has inspected our stream crossings and did not see any structural concerns. Fond du Lac County’s bridge inspector came to the same conclusion after doing a drive through this past weekend. While there has been some surface damage to a few streets, most of the work so far has dealt with cleaning sediment off the city streets.
The City’s Wastewater Treatment Plant has suffered the most damage. The basement was flooded for two days submerging motors, control panels, compressors and electrical systems. Crews have been working around the clock to pump water and re-establish treatment procedures. The extent of damage or the cost to repair is not yet known, though early estimates are in the range of $500,000.
“Damage estimates across the city are now approaching $2 million,” said Mayor Aaron Kramer. “We continue to take calls to our hotline (920-748-4916) regarding basement flooding and other water-related damages. We will continue to work with state and county officials in tabulating the damage totals in anticipation of possible assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).”
“As we continue to move forward from this historical flooding event, I think we also need to extend a large thank you to the staff and employees who have been working above and beyond their normal job descriptions the past several days,” noted Mayor Kramer. “From the police department to the public works employees, everyone has shown the team effort and diligence needed to return our city to the way it was prior to the night of June 12th. For that, I, as mayor, and speaking for our citizens, will be forever grateful.”

For more information:
Steve Barg, City Administrator (920-748-4914)
Aaron Kramer, Mayor (920-291-5250)

HISTORY IN RIPON

Needless to say, last night's flooding rains were a record event for the city of Ripon. We have one street with the pavement scoured, two bridges underwater, thousands of dollars in damage to homes and businesses. We will get through this, with your patience and help. If you have damage, please call the following number to report the information to City Hall:
748-4916

This should frighten you....

A Record Tax Hike - By INVESTOR'S BUSINESS DAILY
Fiscal Policy: The Senate's new $3 trillion budget for 2009 is big, but it fails to do something vital to the U.S. economy: extend President Bush's tax cuts. If this isn't fixed, we'll soon face the largest tax hike in our history.

The Senate's action on Wednesday to approve the spending plan came on a 48-45 vote over Republican objections. The House is also expected to pass the measure this week. Democrats sounded almost giddy. The budget "will strengthen the economy and create jobs," said Senate Budget Committee Chairman Kent Conrad, a North Dakota Democrat. "It will provide tax cuts for the middle class, and it will restore fiscal responsibility by balancing the books by 2012 and maintaining balance in 2013." Fine-sounding sentiments all. But parse those words for a moment. Virtually everything Conrad says is false, and in no small way.

If Bush's tax cuts expire in 2010, the middle class will in fact be hit with a massive tax increase. This in turn will weaken the economy and kill job growth. As for the deficit, slower growth also means lower revenues — and a bigger deficit. Make no mistake: This tax hike is gargantuan. Simply by not making Bush's cuts permanent, taxes will rise by a minimum of $2.8 trillion between now and 2018. On average, 116 million taxpayers will see a jump of $1,800 in their annual tax bill. Some 48 million married couples — the heart of the middle class that Democrats say they want to help — will be slapped with an average increase of $3,007. Even the elderly will take a hit — $2,181 on average. But surely, you say, the poor will be spared. Sorry. As the White House has pointed out, a single parent with two kids making just $30,000 a year will get $1,600 tacked on to his or her tax bill if the Bush tax cuts are allowed to sunset in 2010.

Ironically, top earners would fare much better under the Democrats. They now pay about 60% of the total federal income tax; if the Bush tax cuts expire, they'll pay about 57%. Good for them, but bad for those, like the family of four with an income of $50,000, who'll see their taxes rise a whopping 191%. This is a foretaste of future fiscal recklessness under a Barack Obama presidency (he voted for the bill). It's also a recipe for economic stagnation and misery. Worst of all, it leaves unaddressed long-term fiscal imbalances due to runaway Social Security and Medicare spending, while making wild spending promises that can't be kept.

The pretense of a "fiscally responsible" budget, by the way, is just that — a pretense. From 2001 to 2006, Democrats had a field day bashing Republicans for spending too much. Some of the criticism was deserved. They now tout what they call a "balanced" budget. But the fact is, the 2009 budget for the first time ever spends $1 trillion on discretionary (nondefense, non-entitlement) items. Over the next five years, spending would rise by a half-trillion dollars, $241 billion more than President Bush requested. Meanwhile, there's a fantasyland projection of $930 billion in added revenues — a number that will be lucky to be half as big once Democrats are done raising taxes. No, this budget will not be balanced, and anyone who believes that is delusional. Remember this the next time you hear someone criticize Bush on spending. Oh, and the Democrats will pay for it by raising taxes by $683 billion — the biggest such increase ever. Along with recent action on a pork-filled $300 billion farm bill and continued inaction on our looming entitlements crisis — with $52 trillion in unfunded spending over the next 50 years — you have the makings of the least fiscally responsible Congress in history. One of the reasons our economy has been able to stave off recession is the 2003 cuts in taxes on dividends and capital gains. With those slated to rise sharply in coming years, investors can expect sharply lower rates of return. That means fewer jobs, lower pay and declining standards of living. Quite a week's work for one Congress.

This is supply-side economics in reverse — creating massive disincentives to work, save and invest, and shrinking the pie. This is the economy that Obama and his friends in charge of Congress will bring. No doubt it represents change. But as John McCain keeps asking, is it the right kind of change?

http://www.ibdeditorials.com/IBDArticles.aspx?id=297471548302770

BUDGET SURPLUS EXPENDITURE PROPOSAL

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

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

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

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

Alliance Honored By City of Ripon

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

News Release

For Immediate Release
May 20, 2008

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

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


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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

BREAKING: RMC-City reach agreement on land sale

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

Ripon Guard unit to brief community/employers on upcoming mobilization

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

YES!!! BREWERS INK BRAUN TO HISTORIC DEAL

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

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

Shame, Shame, Shame

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

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

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

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

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


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

God bless this man

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

Sgt. Merlin German was 22.

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

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

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

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

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

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

http://merlinsmiracles.com/

Another contribution to society from an ILLEGAL immigrant

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Street Closure On Ripon College Campus to Begin July 1st

From Ripon College Days.com

Seward and Elm Streets are set to be removed July 1 in the section from Bartlett Hall on Woodside Street to the S.N. Pickard Commons on Congress Street this summer. The streets will be replaced by walking paths and green space."Safety, aesthetics and to further expand our 'greening' of the campus [were our main priorities]," says President David Joyce.Students will no longer have to look both ways before crossing from the residential part of campus to upper campus.Other benefits will be a greener campus, which will enhance the overall appearance of the college. Linley Lane will be extended from lower campus to the current Seward/Elm intersection in front of the Pub.The rest of the plans will depend on how much money the college can secure through donations. Joyce says that raising money is a major priority this semester.

Some observations on the health insurance situation

As someone who has recently been blessed with a new baby, the opportunity to think about the health care/insurance situation presented itself. Our baby was born at Saint Agnes Hospital in Fond du Lac, because that is where our insurance required us to have the delivery. My wife's insurance allowed her to stay up to 96 hours in the hospital. We actually stayed only 80 hours, since my wife is a quick healer, and she wanted to come home.
1 - There is NO incentive to come home earlier. My wife could have easily stayed another night, with the free meals and comfortable bed. How many people would come home earlier if there was a financial incentive, say, $100 from the insurance company, if there was no medical risk to doing so?
2 - Seeing two people man the valet station at the hospital entrance just had me scratching my head.
3 - There was a director of the maternity ward two rooms down from my wife's room. Why is this person not actually on the floor, providing nursing duties? A possible cost-savings one would think. Similar to the idea of a school district principal or administrator teaching in the classroom.
Just some random thoughts...

Happy Tax Freedom Day

Since this is the day we actually start to keep some of the wages we make, let's tip our hats to Steve Prestegard for his pointed op-ed piece on Tax Freedom Day in Wisconsin:
http://mpmmarketplaceofideas.blogspot.com/2008/04/happy-tax-freedom-day.html