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Finance staff report hires, audit prep, Medicaid cost‑report engagement and debt planning
Summary
At the May 12 meeting Portage County finance staff reported a recent administrative assistant resignation and a new hire starting May 22, audit preparation ahead of external auditors, a Medicaid cost‑report engagement for the county healthcare center estimated at $20,000–$25,000, and ongoing debt‑sale planning for highway projects in August.
Portage County finance staff provided departmental updates at the May 12 Finance Committee meeting that covered staffing changes, audit preparation, Medicaid‑related audit work for the county healthcare center, sales tax trends and debt sale planning.
Staff reported an administrative assistant resigned effective May 2 and that interviews were completed quickly; a replacement is scheduled to start May 22. Finance staff also reported the recent resignation of a financial associate effective April 30 and that recruiting for that role will begin. "We got the interviewing process going right away and the new person starting May 22," a finance staff summary said.
Auditors are scheduled to arrive the week following the meeting and staff said they have been preparing documentation. Staff also updated the committee on guidance from the Wisconsin Department of Health Services that clarified Medicaid cost‑reporting requirements: if Medicaid cost reporting is solely for the healthcare center, county‑wide requirements may not apply. Auditors proposed an engagement to complete work related to the Medicaid cost report; staff reported an estimated cost for that engagement of between $20,000 and $25,000.
Additional finance updates included strong sales tax receipts through the first four months of 2025 and vehicle registration revenue trending above the prior year. Staff reported that two grants for 2025 had funding reductions (each cut roughly in half), and that other federal funding matters remain subject to legal proceedings. Debt service planning is ongoing with the county's financial advisor; staff said the timeline targets a debt sale in August for highway projects, including work at Gale Creek where contingency items were purposely excluded from an initial borrowing amount.
Nut graf: Finance staff told the committee the department is dealing with short‑term staffing turnover while preparing for an external audit and managing several significant finance actions, including a Medicaid cost‑report engagement estimate and planning a highway project bond sale for August.
The committee also approved accounts receivable write‑offs as presented: staff said most uncollectible amounts came back from state debt collection and that the over‑$5,000 write‑offs on the agenda were for the healthcare center and the sheriff's office. The committee approved the write‑offs by motion.
