Vernon County finance committee reviews 2022 budget requests, schedules follow-up hearings

The Vernon County Board of Supervisors Finance Committee met Sept. 10 and Sept. 13, 2021 in the Courthouse Annex (and on Zoom) to review departmental 2022 budget requests and to set a timetable for follow-up sessions. Chairman Rod Ofte called the Sept. 10 hearing to order at 9:01 a.m.; the committee reconvened on Sept. 13 at 9:03 a.m.

Committee members opened the hearings by identifying countywide budget pressures, including lost revenue at the county jail, an anticipated 10.9% increase in health insurance costs and potential impacts from a wage study. Those items framed questioning during department presentations and were cited as reasons for careful review of departmental requests.

Presentations during the two days included Human Services (Jill Bender), Veteran’s Services (Crystal Knoll), Clerk of Court (Sheila Olson), Highway (Phil), Land & Water Conservation (Ben Wojahn and Sarah McDowell), Health Department (Amy Kleiber) and the Sheriff’s Department (John Spears and Nate Campbell). The committee discussed each department’s request and possible use of ARPA funds in relation to Human Services.

The committee approved a motion to move Ho-Chunk and Vernon Manor earlier on the Sept. 10 agenda (motion by Mike Leis, seconded by Kevin Larson; unanimous voice vote). At the Sept. 10 session the committee also agreed to have Vernon Manor present at the next Finance meeting on Sept. 23, 2021 (motion by Roger Call, seconded by Kelli Mitchell; unanimous voice vote). The minutes were submitted by Vernon County Clerk Jody Audetat.

The hearings closed without final budget approvals. The committee set a follow-up Finance meeting for Sept. 23, 2021 (time noted in the minutes as 9:30 a.m.).