[{"_1":2,"_122":-5,"_123":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,74,86,98,110],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},"mediaId",6278009,"mediaKeyId","2643175-72551ca490d87834e6e591027045489a","parentId",2643175,"title","Resident questions process for Rock County nonmetallic mining reclamation ordinance during public hearing","audioSeconds",295,"startMs",1049000,"endMs",1344000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2643175-72551ca490d87834e6e591027045489a&start=1049&end=1344","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2643175-72551ca490d87834e6e591027045489a/thumbnail_1049000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6278009/Rock-County/Wisconsin/Resident-questions-process-for-Rock-County-nonmetallic-mining-reclamation-ordinance-during-public-hearing","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6278009-2ccd018e93fa1a4da407a60a01748f3f/orig.mp4?Expires=1773754064&Signature=Umx-nJbJuFjAvN5kv2nDcimd~P9rgjktCjz37kiQLxfTwB5vzralNhGtTU2OX~yoTlud1eR5aOG75ca3dpFcfO3qmoQn5MQ7uLE3blact9vSoENyhpiX2a3~5JzI4CGTKFqaKuUDY2c5IKcu7kIA~URlk4iGFJbbIaoDWcllWXXXXZj9BDwnEM5Wd0een1xFGg3~ab-GAkUbN3ariy4noi6cHbW2qFmm-xTq8B~i6ulO5z6UHcea8HcBAPTMDEtZjwcyh3dwu8xQf2pRoz0xlTH~4h2pPYDmb5zjCPssAu6D9dHjFbovxvVMYbyvt~nMeJ4w7olh5tyDiD64lgP-dQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","","date","2025-03-14T11:15:27Z","article","A public hearing on proposed amendments to Rock County's land-use code addressing nonmetallic-mining reclamation drew one public speaker who said county officials and the public lacked sufficient opportunity to review the ordinance before it reached the board.

Sheila Williams of Janesville asked the board who initiated the resolution and which county department drafted it. Williams said the package circulated to supervisors did not make clear when the ordinance was submitted or what committees had reviewed it. She asked why the item had not gone through the usual committee process and said that supervisors and the public were not given time to \"kick the tires\" before the hearing.

Chair and staff reminded Williams that the public hearing was the official forum to receive comment; the chair closed the hearing after the three calls for speakers and moved the agenda forward. No other members of the public spoke on the ordinance at the hearing.

The hearing record contains no formal vote or action on the ordinance at this meeting; the county will proceed according to normal ordinance-adoption steps after receiving public comment and staff reports.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Rock County Board Meeting - 3/13/2025","oneSentenceSummary","At a public hearing on proposed amendments to Rock County's nonmetallic-mining reclamation code, a Janesville resident raised concerns about how the ordinance reached the board and whether supervisors and the public had adequate opportunity for prior review.","taxTitle","Rock County, Wisconsin","taxId",4653,"location","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":75,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":76,"_41":77,"_43":78,"_45":79,"_47":80,"_49":81,"_51":82,"_53":83,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":84,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":85,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},6278014,"Rock County approves $50,000 to hire consultant for comprehensive and farmland-preservation plan updates",313,5124000,5437000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2643175-72551ca490d87834e6e591027045489a&start=5124&end=5437","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2643175-72551ca490d87834e6e591027045489a/thumbnail_5124000.jpg","/articles/6278014/Rock-County/Wisconsin/Rock-County-approves-50000-to-hire-consultant-for-comprehensive-and-farmland-preservation-plan-updates","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6278014-776aa3ead43a823c83ec7cc1dad6253d/orig.mp4?Expires=1773754064&Signature=XW8dOD97OH8HdYFY5Z0sn4PcBIY-dPizcWFxMZomETtSG8SQ3aLq73UYqHlKuD2f7BX2a9OYejyLiomVV2gfOI1wfrxs0QO97GsUpvTYsZzsGt9uPJm1ee1ARQOx9Xwqe0qbmJabbMzaCrPApxqLKtpz7dh~MEGNPMEdJNsG8ezf3uR~Kx2Z0a3KvnkbivsWEVS0jIOYhuMtudARZEPqoVswOLr3YzEla-sgi3qN9h9OImTl~ECjuoY5sKihhAOFEoGiAXM6kMgMn-cJFnaLyubGruHmcJHN9DayBbu3OQetL~PVa6KeywwBRHvlL5q76GzRSWTCumX-p7Mc92qQ7w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Rock County supervisors approved a $50,000 allocation from access sales tax funds on March 13 to hire a consultant for public engagement and outreach as part of the county comprehensive plan update and the farmland preservation plan element.

Andrew Baker, director of Planning and Development, told the board that the county's comprehensive plan has not been fully updated since 2009 and that statutory and program deadlines, plus limited in-house staffing, make targeted consultant assistance necessary. \"We could do it ourselves,\" Baker said, \"but it would take much longer and would draw staff away from other responsibilities.\"

Baker said the requested $50,000 would primarily fund community engagement work and survey efforts and help coordinate with the county's 20 townships as they adopt updated farmland-preservation zoning ordinances. He noted the county must update the farmland preservation plan component by the end of 2026 to allow landowners to retain certain tax credits tied to farmland-preservation zoning.

Supervisor concerns focused on procurement and vendor selection. Baker said the planning agency has worked with a firm familiar with Rock County and that, for professional services, the county procurement rules permit direct selection where appropriate; the county will still complete the contract review process. The firm referenced in discussion was the Capital Area Regional Planning Commission, chosen in part due to recent local work. The planning director said the comp-plan project will be a rolling, modernized process so updates will not necessarily require a full repetition of the 10-year effort in the same format.

Supervisors approved the budget amendment and consultant allocation by voice vote.","The county board authorized use of access sales tax funds to contract a consultant for public engagement and outreach tied to a required update of the county comprehensive plan and a farmland preservation plan element; staff said limited in-house planning capacity and statutory timelines justify the contract.",{"_33":87,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":88,"_41":89,"_43":90,"_45":91,"_47":92,"_49":93,"_51":94,"_53":95,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":96,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":97,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},6278019,"Pistons and Props organizers describe growth, veterans and STEAM education goals for July event",1326,4458000,5784000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2643175-72551ca490d87834e6e591027045489a&start=4458&end=5784","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2643175-72551ca490d87834e6e591027045489a/thumbnail_4458000.jpg","/articles/6278019/Rock-County/Wisconsin/Pistons-and-Props-organizers-describe-growth-veterans-and-STEAM-education-goals-for-July-event","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6278019-d1943b62acef2d3b36506ed73fd1e9c5/orig.mp4?Expires=1773754064&Signature=az3cmKh8VGOXnOD-UoOlDmYWBSa~GPBW2L3fxdL9XTyskZRuBJeFkE3tKVBgE-5m1sECm4H2g0rGoPL-jEvlPe4ek-b5xSxQZPRMvJ5uE8SKIrgIM024d9VJO7GGbkdYacodBZ4It79QzE4yu~Q3qB7IlyO7PjiTqtncTfGeJKXE8ucB76PGxFI~Fub5ILaP0-wCnVFHu80yOYcLJF4pGgjO4LjzOsdYlbGIXiOD~cuXrxYC6gsd0wa607dspx2uwVJu~GqoBWVEb4yBI08Ymz4PhTE2-SXJLNURLGks~8WNfKTgNpSGHPIlRbAFqnM2HlP3AJeG9hFOcd7jrO7N2g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Organizers of the Pistons and Props event presented to the Rock County Board on March 13, reporting attendance figures from the 2024 launch and describing plans for expansion in 2025 and future air-show ambitions for 2026.

Joshua Gowey, president of nonprofit Propel Forward and event director, told supervisors the 2024 Pistons and Props drew about 2,500 people, 500 children through the educational area, about 230 cars in a car show, more than 100 volunteers and an estimated local economic impact of roughly $250,000. He said the event provided some free or sponsored rides for veterans and partnered with local nonprofits, including ECHO of Janesville.

For 2025, Gowey said organizers plan a \"Salute to Our Vets\" night (Friday, July 18) with discounted and sponsored rides on a B-29 Superfortress for local veterans, tethered hot-air-balloon experiences, live music, a motorcycle group and fireworks. Saturday, July 19 will expand the family and STEAM-focused day, with an educational area scaled to handle about 1,000 children and additional partners including local schools and Blackhawk Technical College.

Gowey said organizers plan a STEAM/career-day trial on April 29 to engage middle-school students and local employers, with an eye toward scaling in 2026 and 2027. He described ongoing collaboration with the Southern Wisconsin Regional Airport and the airport board and said the nonprofit is seeking county support as the event scales. Organizers are pursuing marketing outside Rock County: Gowey said the event area includes nearly one million people within a 45-minute drive and that organizers were planning more than 1 million marketing impressions in 2025.

Supervisors praised the event's community and veteran engagement and noted the value of such events to local tourism and quality of life. The presentation did not result in a formal county appropriation on the meeting record; organizers asked for general county support going forward and said details would be shared as plans firmed up.","Organizers of the Pistons and Props air-and-community festival briefed the county board on event outcomes from 2024 and plans for expansion in 2025 and 2026, including veterans'rides, a larger STEAM/career day for students, hot-air balloons and the 2026 air-show planning timeline.",{"_33":99,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":100,"_41":101,"_43":102,"_45":103,"_47":104,"_49":105,"_51":106,"_53":107,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":108,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":109,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},6278023,"Rock County board urges legislature to renew Knowles-Nelson stewardship program; amends resolution to drop dollar figure",5998,1329000,7327000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2643175-72551ca490d87834e6e591027045489a&start=1329&end=7327","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2643175-72551ca490d87834e6e591027045489a/thumbnail_1329000.jpg","/articles/6278023/Rock-County/Wisconsin/Rock-County-board-urges-legislature-to-renew-Knowles-Nelson-stewardship-program-amends-resolution-to-drop-dollar-figure","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6278023-68162e36476cba056d848bc0a4f4a1a8/orig.mp4?Expires=1773754064&Signature=KYHIFkzNkXMDLYnH2plCGf-3LeoO8ijvjL2bTkhHjbwdddI5M-oHVh~pEIXvppNwL~SQCAAR1eQhpR7kJvQGdd6PNWjC3IvIIFQf6MmzBPfWsRvzZegiPk6rufMgke24KUcI9QtMUkZ~iWyBDF7G50wAfLdR1mETYPZhFwlzVVDZAaqpx8jMPG6gu3lehVz6WlCU7yF07omkHvqHUz2qrHXkyk46WB9RRSZmo2hN3URFT861ObUJ~XA5JS3VMCozAykHZyAOR3cpfr4WpWYArhcT~qH9OjiSl4IBSgjOeXSl5Df6h1tkN1y82r12IkwxOdnbFL4lOH8ieG8QUIDaug__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Rock County supervisors on March 13 voted to urge Governor Tony Evers and the Wisconsin Legislature to renew the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program, after amending the resolution to remove a stated dollar-amount target and instead request ongoing funding for worthy projects.

The resolution drew public comment from local volunteers who said Knowles-Nelson grants have funded projects in Rock County, including trail paving and watershed protection. Dean Painter of the Rock Trail Coalition and Neil Dupree of the Green Rock Audubon Society described past grants that helped finish the Peace Trail and protect a trout stream.

Supervisor Bill Wilson proposed an amendment to strike the specific dollar figure in the drafted resolution and replace it with language requesting that \"sufficient funding annually be allocated to support worthy projects.\" Wilson said the change would keep the resolution nonpartisan and focused on preserving the program's benefits rather than on a single budget line. \"This is a nonpartisan effort,\" Wilson said, noting the program's bipartisan history.

The board took a roll-call vote on the amendment. The amendment passed with 23 votes in favor and 6 opposed. Following the amendment's adoption, the amended resolution was approved in a subsequent roll-call vote (29 yes, 0 no recorded) and will be sent to the governor and state legislators representing Rock County.

Supporters described local examples of Knowles-Nelson grants: Painter said the county has received projects that total almost $11 million statewide support historically and cited a $90,000 Knowles-Nelson contribution to a $450,000 project that finished paving the Peace Trail between Janesville and Beloit. Dupree said the Green Rock Audubon Society used Knowles-Nelson funds to protect the East Branch Raccoon Creek watershed.

Opponents or cautious supervisors questioned attaching a specific dollar figure to a county resolution because state budgets contain many competing line items; that concern motivated Wilson's amendment and drew both supporting and opposing comments during the board's debate. Supervisor Gorman argued that asking for a specific appropriation can be a stronger advocacy tactic; Supervisor Woodman and others said removing the dollar figure made the resolution less political and more appropriate for the county board to adopt.

The board's action formally expresses Rock County's support for reauthorization of the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program and asks the governor and Legislature to continue funding conservation and stewardship projects statewide. A copy of the amended resolution will be forwarded to Governor Evers and to the county's state legislative delegation.","Supervisors endorsed renewal of the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program and approved an amended resolution that removes a specific dollar amount and instead asks the governor and legislature to reauthorize funding and support worthy projects. The board heard public support from local conservation volunteers.",{"_33":111,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":112,"_41":113,"_43":114,"_45":115,"_47":116,"_49":117,"_51":118,"_53":119,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":120,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":121,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},6278028,"Rock County moves EBDM work under Criminal Justice Coordinating Council after multi-year reform effort",1932,1887000,3819000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2643175-72551ca490d87834e6e591027045489a&start=1887&end=3819","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2643175-72551ca490d87834e6e591027045489a/thumbnail_1887000.jpg","/articles/6278028/Rock-County/Wisconsin/Rock-County-moves-EBDM-work-under-Criminal-Justice-Coordinating-Council-after-multi-year-reform-effort","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6278028-05cb0e65c22f7ddd95110361b59a4539/orig.mp4?Expires=1773754064&Signature=WHlSioCkYIllq7kExAL2rvbFszDBanPDtZ5K0bkBPi~NtjJfAgqtXt-tGtBovLMJ5C8EC6tknWs1UYRTR4gQRwitDLkuP8tGlcyUo~Lee9dwvXfdn8FHBDrrRCf65QDNYBpZnZmvEw6jNYAyUJGmlk6cKbE6B-VynmgNWxFvkRYozEFwp90HDmREnmOMVgeGFfM7ZajGuXybsfEKUSSaNZBn46Wdbuoy2xKzWcsEx6O-DFY-BtA-e45HGHwViIjcXbUvbQ65uXBVe2NVqOYoCqbNi-YZIbO3~si6yPRq~6ZfRU65S1aT9rgOvzDDMvnCgIJ3JgP8T~Ni5X-Y7jxbMg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Rock County supervisors voted to dissolve the county's Evidence Based Decision Making (EBDM) policy team on March 13 after a presentation on the initiative's work to expand pretrial services, diversion and information-sharing between behavioral-health providers and law enforcement.

The county's Justice System Strategist, Elizabeth Pullman McQuillan, told the board the EBDM program began with technical assistance from the National Institute of Corrections and moved from planning into implementation, producing six change targets including pretrial assessment, diversion and behavioral information sharing.

The initiative matters because it reshapes how the local justice system handles people before trial and redirects some decisions from cash bail to risk-based assessment and supervised release. \"Decisions are enhanced when informed by evidence-based knowledge,\" Pullman McQuillan said, describing the program's guiding principles.

Judge Carl Hansen, who chairs the pretrial work group, detailed the pretrial program Rock County adopted: a nationally tested actuarial risk-assessment tool used by commissioners and judges and a locally funded pretrial supervision contract with JusticePoint. Hansen described the program's goals as reducing short-term harms of pretrial incarceration while ensuring court appearance and public safety. He cited an appearance rate near 90 percent for individuals on pretrial supervision and a safety rate around 84 percent, and said electronic monitoring slots (GPS and SCRAM alcohol monitoring) have been expanded to provide targeted supervision.

Heather Korth, program supervisor for the Deferred Prosecution Office, reviewed diversion and enhanced deferred-prosecution programs. She said diversion is a one-time education session for low-risk individuals that can result in dismissal of charges, while the deferred prosecution program serves low-to-medium risk defendants with individualized case plans lasting six to 12 months. Korth reported steady growth in screening: an average of 25 individuals per quarter in 2022, 78 in 2023 and 109 in 2024, with 955 people screened through Sept. 30, 2024.

Kate Lester, Rock County Human Services director, described the Behavioral Health Information Sharing work group's two primary products: a voluntary \"mental health flag\" uploaded to law-enforcement records (Spillman) to give officers a heads-up that a person has a history of mental illness, and a client-consent Individual Crisis Strategy (CSIS) that includes crisis contacts and suggested responses. She said those tools, plus co-responder crisis-worker positions embedded with Janesville Police Department and expanded to Beloit Police and the Sheriff's Office, aim to improve outcomes for people with mental health needs and reduce unnecessary jail stays or hospitalizations.

Pullman McQuillan told the board the EBDM policy team has completed its formal duties and the work groups will continue under the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council (CJCC). \"We don't need two committees,\" she said; the CJCC will continue regular oversight and reporting.

Supervisors asked for follow-up data on recidivism for diversion participants and on violent offenses committed by individuals on pretrial supervision; presenters said deeper recidivism analysis is part of the next steps and that judges must balance limited predictive certainty with available data when setting conditions. Hansen said the risk tool is actuarial and objective, and that adding supervision and monitoring aims to reduce costly pretrial jail days while maintaining public safety.

The board then approved a resolution formally dissolving the EBDM policy team and moving ongoing work to the CJCC. The motion to dissolve was moved by Supervisor Woodman and seconded by Supervisor Wilson; the board approved the dissolution without recorded opposition.

The presentation and vote mark a formal shift in governance of Rock County's justice-reform efforts while keeping the reforms and programs in place under an existing, standing criminal-justice advisory body.","County board heard a multi-agency report on the Evidence Based Decision Making initiative — covering pretrial screening, deferred prosecution, behavioral health information sharing and co-responder teams — and voted to dissolve the EBDM policy team and continue the work under the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Resident questions process for Rock County nonmetallic mining reclamation ordinance during public hearing

Rock County approves $50,000 to hire consultant for comprehensive and farmland-preservation plan updates

Pistons and Props organizers describe growth, veterans and STEAM education goals for July event

Rock County board urges legislature to renew Knowles-Nelson stewardship program; amends resolution to drop dollar figure

Rock County moves EBDM work under Criminal Justice Coordinating Council after multi-year reform effort