Richland County Executive and Finance Standing Committee meeting held

RICHLAND CENTER, WIS (WRCO / WRCE) – The Richland County Executive & Finance Standing Committee met last night (Tuesday).

Among the items on the agenda was a presentation from Carol Wirth from Wisconsin Public Finance Professionals, LLC. The purpose of the presentation was to present a proposal for authorizing General Obligation Promissory Notes for Capital Improvements not to exceed $1,085,000. Levy limits restrict the County’s ability to generate additional revenue to pay expenses inside the operating budget to a “net new construction” amount determined by the Wisconsin Department of Revenue. Richland County’s 2025 net new construction in dollars is $5,278,300, or 0.27% as a percent.

Expenses within the operating budget = operational expenses and capital projects. Capital projects may be removed from the operating budget and provided for with short-term borrowing, or general obligation debt, that is not subject to levy limits. The capital improvements include: Clerk of Court/Register in Probate $25,000 for technology upgrades in the courtroom. The County Management Information System $80,000 for server refresh. The Highway Department $500,000 for equipment. The
Sheriff’s Department $209,000 for squad cars. And the Symons Recreation Complex  $250,000 for HVAC System Replacement.

The total of all of the improvements is $1,064,000. Adding in the issuance expense of $22,750 totals $1,085,000. The committee voted to move forward with this plan for short term borrowing to the full board on September 16. They also approved moving forward with Quarles & Brady LLP for issuance of the General Obligation Promissory Notes.

Also, the current Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) Agreement with Richland County Ambulance and the various municipalities is set to expire at the end of 2025.  If approved by the full board, a new MOU will be offered to Municipalities to provide ambulance services to their residents. One proposed update will be on the structure of the Joint Ambulance Committee making it an advisory only committee. Additionally, the rates will be based on the previous four years call volume and will be based on $225 per call, with a minimum amount of $2,500 per municipality.

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