This month was all about the budget! Read on for the latest on the 2024 Dane County budget and learn about our work on the Personnel and Finance committee to make it the best budget it could be.

Thank you for reading,

Sarah

2024 Dane County Budget

Every fall, the county considers our budget for the following year. County Executive Parisi introduced his executive budget proposal on October 1 after which time supervisors reviewed his proposals, took public comment, and drafted amendments for items they would like to see included or changed in the final budget.

At the beginning of this budget cycle, I was appointed to temporarily serve on the Personnel and Finance Committee to lend my support to their important budget work. I have been proud to work alongside them over the past several weeks to consider each budget amendment one by one to produce the best budget for the county within our tax levy limit.

I authored one operating budget amendment to support a nonprofit in our district. Solace Friends is a hospice care facility for underserved and unhoused individuals. Their compassionate, critical work is important to our county. None of the county’s homeless shelters can accommodate terminally ill individuals and other medical care facilities can’t always accommodate unhoused individuals or those with more complex social support needs. I authored an operating budget amendment to add $50,000 in funding to further support Solace Friends as it begins serving its first residents next year. I’m glad to say that my colleagues supported my amendment and included the full amount in our final package of amendments. On Monday, October 30, we passed a package of 49 amendments to our operating budget and 16 amendments to our capital budget. This comprehensive package of amendments covers everything from public health nurses to the Alliant Energy Center.

• Supervisor Richelle Andrae authored an amendment for an initiative to address outstanding debts owed through Birth Cost Recovery, an antiquated practice where counties collect payments from non-custodial fathers after the birth of a child and pass them on to the state, not the family. Dane County ended this practice in 2020, but this amendment will help us more quickly expunge these old birth cost orders and help resolve some of the residual harm of this old practice.
• An amendment, authored by Supervisor Andrae, funds the development of a local food system action plan. The Dane County Food Council produced a Pandemic Food System study earlier this year which found that a holistic, proactive approach is needed to address food insecurity in the county. Having such a plan in place will help us identify opportunities for systemic, long-term change.
• Supervisor Holly Hatcher authored an amendment to add two public health nurse positions to eliminate the wait lists for Prenatal Care Coordination and Nurse Family Partnership Programs to improve birth outcomes.
• An amendment, authored by Supervisor Heidi Wegleitner, increases Public Health funding for contracts with the Violence Prevention Unit to support tenant capacity building. With these funds, community-based organizations serving vulnerable tenants will be able to support those tenants in addressing issues of safety and stability. Given recent tragedies our community has faced, this funding is critical to empower tenants and prevent future violence.
• Supervisor Wegleitner also authored an amendment to increase wages for Journey Mental Health workers involved in crisis response. Journal Mental Health workers step up to support our community members facing their worst day. These wage increases will help retain their hard-working staff and recruit new staff, so vacancies don’t impact service delivery.
• In his budget proposal, County Executive Parisi included funding to the Sheriff’s office for a body-worn camera pilot in the West precinct (Town of Middleton). Body-worn cameras raise concerns related to privacy rights and unwarranted surveillance, but the limited geographic scope, one-year timeframe, and additional transparency may mitigate some of those concerns. An amendment authored by Supervisor Andrae requests that the Sheriff’s office hold a minimum of two public information sessions in the West precinct, provide quarterly reports to the Public Protection and Judiciary committee, and make the policies and procedures for camera use available online for the public.
• Several amendments related to the Alliant Energy Center (AEC) were authored by Supervisor Chuck Erickson. One amendment includes creating a stormwater management plan for the Bram Street outlet of the AEC to address both water quality and flood management. The other amendments improve pedestrian and bike access at the AEC and improve the parking facilities.
• Supervisor Michele Ritt authored an amendment to fund accessibility improvements in Dane County Parks, waters, and lands for people of all abilities. In the past, these investments have included accessible playground and beach equipment.
• Supervisor Yogesh Chawla authored an amendment to ensure that fundraising expectations are met by the Henry Vilas Zoo before county funds are expended in the construction of the Heart of the Zoo giraffe exhibit. Eddie, the Zoo’s giraffe, is currently staying at a zoo in Green Bay while the new exhibit is being designed and constructed. This amendment is not intended to slow down the project as design work can continue while the Zoo works to raise the funds they have committed to before construction begins.

County Executive Parisi’s budget, as originally proposed, also includes some great environmental initiatives. The budget includes $10 million for the Dane County Conservation Fund and $1 million for the county’s Continuous Cover program which helps farmers reduce carbon emissions and mitigate flooding risk. His proposal also includes $1 million to continue the ongoing initiative to remove decades old sludge built-up on the bottom of the Yahara River. His budget proposal also includes $11.5 million to the Suck the Muck” project that helps better control algae blooms. Additionally, the new Dane County Public Safety Communications Center will be designed with climate-friendly features like geothermal heating and cooling.

The 2024 Dane County Budget promises to make great strides in supporting our most vulnerable neighbors while thoughtfully and responsibly expending county dollars to invest in county parks and facilities, improve the crisis continuum of care, support renters and expand affordable housing opportunities, invest in economic growth, and so much more.

There have been a lot of opportunities for the public to engage with us during this process, but last year we also added one more public hearing to the schedule so the public would have a chance to comment on the proposed budget amendments as approved by the Personnel and Finance Committee. Thursday, November 2 is the final public hearing on the budget amendments. The full County Board begins their deliberations November 6 and may consider passage of the budget that night.

New Elections Center

Democracy is facing unprecedented threats in our country- and right here in Dane County. The Dane County Election Security Review Committee recommended in 2022 that the Dane County Clerk functions related to election administrated needed a dedicated, secure facility. After reviewing the needs of such a facility and considering existing buildings that could be utilized, Dane County is moving forward with a purchase of the former Ale Asylum building near the airport. With renovations, this building will protect election equipment, materials, and ballots safe from external threats and hazards.

Image Source: NBC15

The proposed purchase of this building was approved by the Personnel and Finance Committee on October 30 and will be considered by the full County Board on November 2.