Waupaca County board approves $35 million notes, 2% pay raise and new wetland mitigation fund

Waupaca County’s Board of Supervisors on Oct. 29 adopted a slate of resolutions that included authorizing the sale of $35,000,000 in General Obligation Promissory Notes to finance a courthouse renovation, approving a 2% wage increase for county employees effective Jan. 1, 2025, and creating a special revenue fund for a wetland mitigation bank.

The board voted to accept the sale terms for Series 2024A notes as recommended by Ehlers & Associates; the resolution ratified the Notice of Sale, accepted the winning proposal, and set terms including interest-payment dates, redemption provisions and the establishment of a segregated debt service fund. Todd Taves of Ehlers & Associates discussed the financing package during the meeting.

In personnel and budget items, the board approved Resolution No. 26 to increase the county wage/salary schedule by 2% effective Jan. 1, 2025, as recommended by the Finance and Human Resources Committees. The board also approved Resolution No. 27, which authorizes a set of staffing changes for 2025: additions such as a part-time (.5 FTE) Environmental Health Technician in Public Health, a Child Support Specialist (Child Support/Corporation Counsel), a Deputy Director for DHS, a B-3 Speech Therapist (.75 FTE) in DHS, and a part-time (.5 FTE) Legal Secretary in the District Attorney’s office; the resolution also lists the elimination of four corrections officer positions.

The board created a “Wetland Mitigation Bank Fund” via Resolution No. 25 to receive mitigation credits, grants, donations and other revenue for wetland restoration and conservation projects; the Highway Department was assigned administration of the fund and an advance from the General Fund was authorized as initial funding to be reimbursed as revenue is generated.

Other fiscal actions included Resolution No. 28, which amended the 2024 budget to add $85,000 to Courthouse Maintenance to replace a failed chiller motor, funded from the General Fund Unassigned balance (recorded in the meeting as $13,403,568). The board also accepted two donations to the Sheriff’s Office K9 Unit — $2,245 from Neighbors of Helgeson Road (Resolution No. 23) and $1,000 from Team Schierl Companies Charitable Giving Fund through the Community Foundation of Central Wisconsin (Resolution No. 24).

Contracts approved included ratification of the 2025–2027 Law Enforcement collective bargaining agreement and award of the Radio Tower Site Development contract (RFB 24-017-23) to Elexco Inc. for $217,404.00.

Votes at a glance: the board recorded unanimous (24-0) or near-unanimous votes to adopt Resolutions Nos. 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, and 28; Resolution No. 36 (the note sale) was adopted following presentation by Ehlers & Associates and recorded as passed (motion recorded in the minutes). Contract approvals recorded favorable votes (collective bargaining 23-0; radio tower contract 22-0 after member excusals).

The board also received a PowerPoint ECWRPC report from Melissa Kraemer Badtke and Craig Moser, heard monthly reports from Chair David Morack and Vice Chair DuWayne Nygaard, and approved two appointments: Rebecca Doyle to the Neuschafer Community Library Board to fill a vacancy (term to May 1, 2027) and the reappointment of Brain Kaminske to the Fox Valley Workforce Development Board (term to June 30, 2027). The meeting adjourned at 10:52 a.m.

What happens next: the notes are scheduled with an original issue date of Nov. 14, 2024 per the resolution; administrative implementation tasks (closing, final pricing exhibits and continuing disclosure filings) were authorized to be completed by county officers and Ehlers & Associates.