OSHKOSH POLICE DEPARTMENT EARNS CALEA RE-ACCREDITATION

[We have received this from Chief Scott Greuel of the Oshkosh Police Department and are proud to publish it here.]

The Oshkosh Police Department has earned its 5th Accreditation award. We appeared before the members of the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Officers at the recent conference and were unanimously approved for re-accreditation. This is a coveted award among law enforcement agencies and shows that we are operating under the “Best Police Practices” and are in complete compliance with 460 standards for our size agency. Lt. Kevin Konrad, accreditation manager, did a great job of maintaining the standard proof files and coordinating the efforts of many people in the organization to get us on-site assessment ready. I am very proud of the professionalism of the personnel in our organization and once again we are an example for others to follow. There currently are only two police departments in the state that have earned CALEA Accreditation. Our goal is to build community trust in our abilities and that they have the confidence that we are adhering to professional and ethical standards of law enforcement.

Governor Doyle Announces $2.3 Billion in Tax Relief for Wisconsin Citizens

MADISON – Governor Jim Doyle announced Friday that Wisconsin taxpayers will benefit from $2.3 billion in tax relief over the next two years through the Making Work Pay Credit enacted as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The credit, which will average $506 for Wisconsin workers, will be primarily distributed through paychecks starting in April.

“President Obama knows our hardworking families are facing difficult times,” Governor Doyle said. “The Making Work Pay Credit cuts taxes for millions of workers in the state and will provide a much needed financial boost to Wisconsin families.”

Eligible workers will benefit from this credit without any action on their part. For people who receive a paycheck and are subject to withholding tax, the credit will typically be handled by their employers through automated withholding changes this spring. These changes will result in increased take home pay for most workers.

The credit is refundable, which makes it available even to those who have no tax liability, such as low income workers. It is worth up to $400 for individuals and $800 for married couples, and is phased out starting for incomes exceeding $75,000. The provision does not impact a taxpayer’s Wisconsin income tax liability.

The Making Work Pay Credit is part of a total $5.2 billion in tax savings for Wisconsin families and businesses over the next three years included in the federal recovery plan.

Governor and First Lady Doyle to Host 2009 Governor’s Earth Day Celebration

The Governor’s Executive Residence will be going green when nearly 1,500 visitors, including more than 450 kids age seven to ten, attend the 2009 Governor’s Earth Day Celebration for Wisconsin’s Children on April 25, 2009. Hosted by Governor Jim Doyle and First Lady Jessica Doyle, this event celebrates agriculture, conservation, and education for Wisconsin’s youth.

“Jessica and I are proud to again host this Earth Day Celebration at the Executive Residence,” Governor Doyle said. “We look forward to welcoming families and students to learn more about conservation and the resources we are blessed with here in Wisconsin.”

“We hope families have fun learning about Wisconsin and what every individual can do to make a difference in our state, country and planet,” First Lady Jessica Doyle said.

The theme of this year’s event is “Wisconsin…Planted in the past, growing toward the future.” Students will be able to participate in a nature walk, growing a tree of pledges, pop-can fishing, stamping and button making, and learning to grow a tree from a seedling. Each student will receive a tree seedling from the Department of Natural Resources Forestry Program. They will learn how to grow, nourish and care for this tree seedling, and the importance of replacing some of the world’s most valuable natural resources. The students will also receive a recyclable gift bag from the various participating sponsors.

Special guests such as Bucky Badger, Smokey the Bear, Alice in Dairyland Ashley Huibregtse, the Secretary of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection Rod Nilsestuen, and the Secretary of Natural Resources Matt Frank will also be on hand to celebrate.

The event will run from 1:00-3:00 p.m. and is open to students in 2nd through 4th grade. All participants in the 2009 Governor’s Earth Day Celebration for Wisconsin’s Children must be pre-registered. Registration brochures are available online at: http://www.datcp.state.wi.us/registration/earthday.jsp.

For more information about the Earth Day Celebration or a registration brochure, please contact Emily Phelps, Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection, at 608-224-5014, or Emily.Phelps@Wisconsin.Gov.

Satire on deer culling in Oshkosh

[Eye on Oshkosh co-host, Dan Rylance, recently submitted a letter to the editor of the Oshkosh Northwestern for publication on the recent deer culling in Oshkosh. It was published earlier this week, but had been edited, as letters to the editor often are. So that you can truly appreciate the entire letter, we are pleased to publish it in its entirety here.]

Deer Celebrate Culling Closure:

Most residents of Oshkosh busied themselves last Sunday evening blowing or shoveling snow. The weekend was a nasty reminder that March had roared in like a lion. All shovelers hoped that March would leave like a lamb.

The deer in Vulcan Quarry could have cared less. They hosted a party to celebrate life because the city, after much debate, had placed a hold on the program to cull some of the herd.

The exact number of deer present was unclear. One doe admitted that animal supporters always low balled the number to stop the culling while those who supported it always exaggerated the numbers.

Roger Reindeer, a native of Finland, and a direct descendant of Rudolph, was the main speaker. He had flown a long way to award the Deer Amnesty International Award to Councilman Tony Palmeri. Roger Reindeer noted that all the animals in his country especially appreciated Palmeri's lengthy crusade to save the Vulcan Quarry deer.

Palmeri was visibly shaken with emotion as he filed by all his deer supporters to accept the award. He accepted it with grace but declined to speak. Not one word! His silence surprised every deer.

Roger also complimented, Amy Haberkorn, for her homemade brew. He noted that it was becoming a very popular drink in his country while the sales of Russian vodka plummeted.

A spokesperson for "Mother's to Save the Easter Bunny" also addressed the deer. With tears in her eyes, she told the herd how proud she was of them for hiding during the culling nights. She did, however, express concern about what she called the illegal trapping of rabbits especially in the Bismarck and Adams neighborhoods.

Bob Poeschl, a would be candidate for the Common Council and a life-long supporter of Palmeri, handed out free carmel corn. He promised those present that, if elected, he would work overtime (if he had the time) to make sure that there would never be another deer shot in Oshkosh.

Fortunately, no media were present at the event. A spokesperson, however, for the NRA declined to comment.

Roger admonished the herd to lighten up on eating the shrubs as spring would bring more tasty delights.

Dan Rylance
Oshkosh

Effort to develop vision and brand for Oshkosh to begin

Oshkosh citizens are being invited to join and participate in an effort to develop the vision and brand for the Oshkosh community. The development of the vision will be developed first with help from Tony Nelessen of A. Nelessen Associates, one of the nation’s finest urban designers. Those interested in becoming part of the Citizen Advisory Committee to help guide the study should plan to attend a meeting on Friday, March 27 at the Hilton Garden Inn. The meeting will begin at 9 a.m. and conclude by noon.

The Vision Oshkosh is a 4-month effort led by Nelessen. The study area includes the entire community, but may focus on certain neighborhoods and districts. At the March 27th meeting Nelessen will conduct a mini-workshop to begin defining what makes the City of Oshkosh unique and what challenges it faces in the future.

The Citizen Advisory Committee will help establish a vision that will enhance the appeal of Oshkosh in ways that would be consistent with the heritage of the community, the character of commercial interests and neighbors, and the future that we all want to make as promising as possible. That is why participation from throughout the community is being sought on this key committee.

In addition to the Citizen’s Advisory Committee meeting, Nelessen’s technique requires intense public participation, including two additional visioning sessions that it is hoped an estimated 500 persons will attend. These meetings will be enhanced by guidance from those participating at the March 27th session.

If you are interested please rsvp via phone 920.303.9200 or via email jodi@visitoshkosh.com.

The Visioning Steering Committee includes The City of Oshkosh, The Oshkosh Area Community Foundation, The Oshkosh Chamber of Commerce, The Oshkosh Convention & Visitors Bureau, The Oshkosh Northwestern, The University Wisconsin Oshkosh, Lutheran Homes of Oshkosh, and Mercy Health Foundation who are funding the effort.

For more information:
Wendy K. Hielsberg
Executive Director
Oshkosh Convention & Visitors Bureau
920.303.9200
2401 W. Waukau Ave.
Oshkosh, WI 54904
www.visitoshkosh.com
www.oshkoshevents.com

Vote YES on the upcoming school referendum

[We have received the following information from the Vote Yes for Oshkosh Schools committee and are pleased to publish it on their behalf.]

VOTE on Tuesday, April 7

Question #1 YES Replace School

Question #2 YES Repair Schools

Question #3 YES for Safe Schools

Thanks for taking the time to read this message. Its purpose is to strongly encourage you to vote YES on Tuesday, April 7 in support of all three referendum questions benefitting our Oshkosh Area School District. This message will provide you with essential information for each of the questions; along with links for additional information should you want it.

Also included near the end is a link to a simple but useful chart which summarizes the very modest and temporary increase in property taxes for each of the three referendum questions. A special note: the success of all three questions on April 7 will amount to only $1.00 a week for the owner of a $100,000 house. And that will only last for two short years, after which we’ll drop back to current school tax levels (more on this later in this note…). My fellow citizens, this is something we can do. This is something we must do for the good of our district and for the school buildings into which we send our kids every day.

Please remember to vote YES on April 7! Please forward this email in its entirety to at least ten of your friends and neighbors. We need to get the message out and we need to get YES voters to the polls on Tuesday, April 7.

And, as always, the latest detailed information regarding the referendum is posted on the district’s website. We have also set up a Facebook site with even more useful information. You can get to it by clicking here (you do not need to be a Facebook member).

Question #1: A New North-Side Replacement School

Building a new school is a big decision. For years the district has prudently done its best to maintain the buildings it already operates, but it’s clear that some of the buildings are simply too old and in too bad a state of disrepair to justify any new maintenance dollars. Oaklawn Elementary is one of those buildings.

It needs to be replaced to eliminate several chronic safety concerns with the existing Oaklawn site, which is grossly undersized and has no dedicated bus lanes, almost nonexistent parent parking, and tiny outdoor play areas. The new replacement site is approximately 38 acres in size and is located just one mile west of the old Sunset location, which is no further west than the existing Traeger and Oakwood buildings. The parcel’s generous size and location will fully address the current Oaklawn site issues and will allow for future expansion should additional needs arise in the district over time.

The new replacement school building itself will eliminate the shared, inefficient, and unproductive use of Oaklawn’s existing gymnasium, which today serves as the school’s art, physical education, and lunch room. From a facilities perspective, that’s a very difficult situation for the school’s staff to manage and is unfair to the kids. The new north-side replacement building will have dedicated space for each of these important activities as well as purpose-built space for music and science, which today exist on a rusty, roving grocery cart at Oaklawn.

The new replacement school will have space to accommodate students from the former Sunset attendance area and do so in much closer proximity to where the families live. The original Sunset building was closed several years ago – and never replaced -- due to irreparable mold conditions.

Even if you’re not a member of the Oaklawn or Sunset attendance areas, supporting the replacement of this school is the right thing to do. Someday, perhaps many years from now, your local school will need major renovation or possibly replacement. At that point, you’ll need the community’s broad support. Right now, the Oaklawn community needs our support.

Finally, and importantly, both the Oaklawn and soon thereafter the Lincoln buildings will close as a result of the new construction. So, essentially, the district is building one new building to replace three: Oaklawn, Lincoln, and Sunset, which was never replaced.

Question #2: Basic But Essential Maintenance Needs

Some of our schools are literally falling apart! Did you know many of the buildings operated by the district today weren’t built by the district? And weren’t built to any set of standards? It’s true; many of the buildings were transferred from other towns and districts over the past several decades. And many are very old and in desperate need of repairs.

Question #2 will generate an extra $1,300,000 per year only for the next five years solely to address the most pressing maintenance issues which have been deferred over the past 10 to 15 years due to other pressures on the district’s annual budget. There is nothing fancy or frivolous on the list of targeted improvements for these additional funds, just the essentials. Examples include roof replacements/upgrades, boiler replacements/upgrades, window replacements, electrical and lighting improvements, etc. For a detailed, very specific list of how these additional funds will be used each year over the next five years, click here (then go to page 8 in linked the document).

Some people believe the district can accommodate these needs with more careful and frugal budgeting. But that is unrealistic. For many years now, Oshkosh has been and remains among the lowest spending districts in the state (see chart here). The reality is, the district needs new investment and it needs the permission of the voters (you!) to raise and invest the funds to address these maintenance problems.

Question #3: Safety and Security

In recent parent surveys conducted by the district, the safety/security of our school buildings rated highest on a list of parents’ largest concerns and priorities. Question #3 will generate an extra $500,000 per year only for the next five years specifically to improve security at all buildings throughout the district. Five schools – the ones with the most severe entrance/security issues – will have their existing offices relocated to the front of the building to provide a clear, secure entrance to the school. These schools are:

Read Elementary
Oshkosh West High School
Franklin Elementary
Webster Stanley Elementary
Perry Tipler Middle School

While only the five schools above will receive brick and mortar reconstruction projects, all remaining schools in the district will benefit from new or upgraded video surveillance and remote-entrance (“buzzer”) systems, exterior door replacements, and signage.

Summary: What Will It Cost?

The district is fully aware of the challenging economic times in which we live, and the size and scope of these referendum questions have been scaled down significantly in light of those challenges. There are plenty of other, additional maintenance and re-construction needs across the district, but the three questions on the April 7 referendum narrowly support only the most desperately needed investments.

As citizens, we’re the only people who can make it happen. We should all expect sound and frugal management from our elected school board members, but the large scale of the facilities challenges faced by the district cannot be addressed by squeezing even more out of an annual budget which is already under too much pressure year after year.

The good news? The success of all three questions on the April 7 referendum will result in only a $1.00 increase per week in property taxes for the owner of a $100,000 house (or $52 a year). That’s the cost of one cup of coffee a week! And most of that increased cost (69% of it) ends after five years when the temporary boost for questions #2 and #3 end. Click here to see a chart which outlines the costs for each individual question and the totals.

The really good news? Given the very fiscally conservative way the district has managed its finances over the past few decades, the $1/week increase in school taxes mentioned above will be offset in 2011 by a full $1.00 per week (again, on a $100,000 house) and reduced again by another $0.71 in 2014. The reductions can be attributed to the retirement of debt related to Traeger (1996 construction) and Jefferson Elementary (1998 reconstruction). So, the net effect of all three of the referendum questions passing on April 7 will be felt, essentially, only from 2009 through 2011. After which, tax levels will return to 2009 levels, assuming all other factors remain constant (which is all we can plan for at this point.)

Please remember to vote YES on April 7! Please forward this email in its entirety to at least ten of your friends and neighbors. We need to get the message out and we need to get YES voters to the polls.

Authorized and paid for by Vote YES for Oshkosh Schools. Kevin Harvot, Treasurer.

District to "conduct" tour of Oaklawn

OAKLAWN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL OPEN HOUSE
112 VIOLA AVE, OSHKOSH, WI 54901
MONDAY, MARCH 23, 2009; 5:30-7:30 P.M. &
THURSDAY, MARCH 26, 2009; 5:30-7:30 P.M.

COMPLIANCE WITH OPEN MEETING LAW NOTIFICATION [§19.84(2) Wis. Stats.]

Community members are encouraged to tour Oaklawn Elementary school to gain first hand knowledge on the condition of the facility. Administration and Board of Education members will be available to answer questions about all three April 7, 2009 referendum questions. More than one Board of Education member may attend thereby establishing a quorum of the board. There will be no Oshkosh Area School District Board of Education action taken on any item at this meeting.

Beach water monitoring program sought for Oshkosh's Menominee Park beach

[We have received the following from Oshkosh resident an environmental activist Justin Mitchell and are pleased to publish it on his behalf.]

I have asked the Oshkosh Health Dept to implement a permanent beach water quality monitoring program at Menominee Park Beach. Below are the main points to the request, as well as actions you can take to help support this effort.

At current, the water at Menominee Park Beach is not tested. No City of Oshkosh departments, including the City of Oshkosh Health Department or the City of Oshkosh Parks department, test the water on this public beach. No City of Oshkosh department is responsible for posting hazard notices if the beach or beach water becomes a public hazard, such as following the flooding of 2008.

Current Lake Winnebago Water Testing Programs
The Winnebago County Health Department currently conducts water quality testing along the Winnebago water system, with the nearest locations to Oshkosh being Asylum Bay to the north and Black Wolf boat landing to the south. Winnebago County Health Director Doug Gieryn indicated that the county conducts tests every two weeks during the Spring and Summer at 10 sites. Testing of the waters includes testing the levels of multiple forms of E. Coli levels and levels of Blue-Green Algae. Winnebago County Parks also conducts regular water quality sampling at its public beach in Winnebago County Park north of Oshkosh.

Fond du Lac County conducts regular water tests at each of its county owned and operated public swimming beaches. According to the Fond du Lac County website (http://www.fdlco.wi.gov/Index.aspx?page=853), “Wolf Lake swimming area is tested weekly during the swimming season for E.coli levels. Beach closure signs are posted whenever water sample results exceed 235 cfu per 100 mL. Beach closure signs will be removed when water sample results of two consecutive days of sampling are below 235 cfu per 100 mL. Elevated E. coli readings increase swimmers risk of developing gastrointestinal symptoms including nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.”

The DNR, State Hygeine Lab, and Wisconsin Dept of Health (DHFS) all recommend water testing at beach sites. DHFS has issued the “Recreational Bathing Beach Water Quality Testing & Surveillance Recommendations for Wisconsin’s Inland Lakes”, providing background information, testing directions, and actions for local health departments to take following testing. The publication recommends that beaches be closed whenever E. Coli levels approach or exceed the EPA standard, whenever a human health hazard exists, after a major pollution incident such as a sewage leak, or following significant rainfall that is determined to impact the beach area.

There are many potential health hazards for individuals who come in contact with contaminated or unsanitary water, whether through swimming, inhalation, or swallowing. The primary concerns (and the indicators tested for) are E. Coli and Blue-Green Algae. Testing done by the Winnebago Health Department following the 2008 flooding found at least one site in which E.Coli levels exceeded the EPA standards for safe water.

E. Coli health risk – The main purpose for testing E Coli levels is that they are an indicator of the presence of other bacteria and viruses that can be transferred from human or animal to human, including Salmonella, Hepatitis, Listeria, Typhoid, Cholera, and others. High levels of E Coli present in the water indicates a high chance of fecal matter being present in the water.

Blue Green Algae health risk – Blue Green Algae naturally produce toxic chemicals that can pose a serious health risk to individuals who come in contact, whether through swimming or ingestion. According to the United States Center for Disease Control, external exposure symptoms include skin rash, hives, throat and eye irritation. Ingestion can produce nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, headache, muscle / joint pain, seizures, convulsions, paralysis, cardiac failure, and respiratory failure.

According to the Wisconsin DNR, these toxic chemicals are not produced all of the time, and “the only way to be sure if the toxins are present is to have water samples analyzed in a laboratory.” www.dnr.state.wi.us/lakes/bluegreenalgae/

The city of Oshkosh currently has language in multiple areas that indicates a support for water quality monitoring at its public beach. The city Dept of Public Health states that “Recreational facilities are monitored to ensure that a safe and healthy recreational environment is provided to all residents and tourists.” Public Health also indicates that it is “the official health agency of the City of Oshkosh and is responsible for prevention of disease, promotion of wellness, and provision of a healthful and safe environment.”

Environmental Health Services Division states that it identifies “hazards, which may contribute to the spread of disease or present unacceptable risk to the community. These hazards are controlled through inspection, education, technical assistance, referral, and enforcement.”

According to the City of Oshkosh Comprehensive Plan, page 172, “In the community survey conducted as part of the preparation of this Plan, respondents identified our water resources as the most important asset to the city. Protection of both the quantity and quality of water is critical for health, business, and recreational opportunities.

A city of Oshkosh Comprehensive plan goal for the city is to participate in a local water quality initative (pg 182). As part of the Comprehensive Plan Nautral Resources Goals, Objectives, and Actions, the following is indicated as a Municipal Action under Goal D, “Monitor beach water and the quality of the lake and implement recommendations to improve the quality of the water.” (pg 183)

A city of Oshkosh survey of city Park users indicates that 30% of residents who use the city’s park system utilize Menominee Park Beach, making it the 4th most utilized park resource for the entire city. (City of Oshkosh Comprehensive Park and Open Space Plan pg 61 “Park Activity Participation within the Last Year”)

UW Oshkosh Microbiologist Greg Kleinheinz indicated that UW Oshkosh is willing to conduct the testing and lab work at no cost to the city. Testing would be completed 3-5 times per week during the swimming season.

So what is being requested:
1. A permanant beach water monitoring program as part of the annual responsibilities of the Health Dept.
2. Water quality reports available on the city website for general public viewing.
3. Posting of notification signs at the beach when contamination levels exceed EPA standards for safe water
4. A process is implemented to identify sources of contamination and create sustainable solutions to the problem.

How can you help?
1. Please send a letter or email to the following stating your support of a beach water quality monitoring program at Menominee Park. You can borrow any wording or ideas from my letter above, or add your own reasons, or just say you support beach water testing at Menominee Park.

If you have questions, let me know (justin_mitchell1@yahoo.com).

Please send to your message to:

1. City Manager Mark Rohloff: mrohloff@ci.oshkosh.wi.us

2. Mayor Frank Tower: ftower@ci.oshkosh.wi.us

3. Health Director Paul Speigel: pspiegel@ci.oshkosh.wi.us

4. Comm Development Director Jackson Kinney: jkinney@ci.oshkosh.wi.us

5. Health Advisory Board (indicate in the header: Please forward to all Health Advisory board members): sue@oshkoshunitedway.org

6. Common Council:

btower@ci.oshkosh.wi.us
dmchugh@ci.oshkosh.wi.us
bbain@ci.oshkosh.wi.us
jking@ci.oshkosh.wi.us
tpalmeri@ci.oshkosh.wi.us
pesslinger@ci.oshkosh.wi.us

Or, if you send a letter by mail, address it to: "Name", 215 Church Ave, PO Box 1130, Oshkosh, WI 54903

City's sustainable website now up and running

[We have received the following information about a sustainable section now part of the city's website and are pleased to publish it here. In addition, in keeping with the "green" theme, here are 10 easy tips parents can use to raise "green"-inspired and motivated kids.]

I'm pleased to announce the launch of the Sustainable Oshkosh website, part of the city's effort to help promote Sustainability in the Oshkosh area. Please take a look and spread the link widely.

http://www.ci.oshkosh.wi.us/SustainableOshkosh/index.htm

We're in the process of adding additional sustainable resources and community program information, so check back often.

As always, additional ideas and feedback is always welcome, so let me know.

Thanks much!

Justin Mitchell
920.410.6180

Daylight Saving Time

It’s that time of year again, when we spring forward into Daylight Saving Time. This seems to come earlier every year and the few people I’ve mentioned it to this week have also said, ‘Really, it’s that time already.” While I personally think the whole clock-changing thing is a ridiculous concept and waste of time setting and resetting clocks, watches and other things that keep time every six months, we are like most places in the country – save for the states of Arizona and Hawaii (anyone know of anywhere else in the U.S. that doesn’t observe DST?). So before you go to bed Saturday night, remember to set your clocks ahead one hour, as Daylight Saving Time officially begins at 2 a.m. Sunday morning, March 8. And for those dismayed that they’ll lose an hour’s sleep this weekend, take comfort in knowing you can always gain it back in another short six months.

Best wishes, Alex Hummel

Longtime Oshkosh Northwestern employee, Alex Hummel, has left the newspaper, effective Feb. 19. While some people may be aware of his departure, many still are not. Still more have expressed surprise in speaking to me about it. I don’t recall the Northwestern publishing anything about his departure online, and those I’ve spoken with about this don’t recall anything being printed in the hard copy version either. Perhaps it will come later, or it might be for some reason nothing will be published about it. But I felt it appropriate to say a few words here.

I first met Alex in the days we were both working in local media – him at the Northwestern, me in local radio – and we’d see each other from time to time at different news events. Later on, as I ran for political office, our professional relationship expanded. In recent years, Alex – along with the newspaper’s executive editor Stew Rieckman – had graced the set of “Eye on Oshkosh” several times, giving his perspective on local news and politics and sharing new online endeavors the newspaper was undertaking. He was always a joy to work with, in any capacity, and I always felt Alex demonstrated a sense of professionalism and fair play, despite how some people feel about the Oshkosh Northwestern or journalists in general.

While we look forward to having Stew and someone else from the paper on the show in the future, Dan and I will miss Alex being a part of it and sharing his perspective. And we wish him the very best in the future, with whatever new ventures he’s pursuing. Good luck, Alex, and, as they say, thanks for the memories.

WISCONSIN JOBS NOW Task Force Launched

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

MARCH 3, 2009

CONTACT: Sen. Randy Hopper, Senate Small Business Ranking Member, (608) 266-5300

Rep. Rich Zipperer, Assembly Small Business Ranking Member, (608) 266-5120

WISCONSIN JOBS NOW Task Force Launched;

First Roundtable Announced

Joint task force will combine government and business leaders to develop positive solutions for economic recovery

[Madison, Wisc…] Sen. Randy Hopper (R-Fond du Lac) and Rep. Rich Zipperer (R-Pewaukee) today announced the launch of the WISCONSIN JOBS NOW Task Force. The task force will conduct roundtable discussions with job creators across Wisconsin on the best ways to improve the economy and get people back to work.

“If we’re going to talk seriously about creating jobs, then we better start getting input from actual job creators,” Hopper said. “The JOBS NOW Task Force is a great first step towards developing positive solutions for our economic recovery.”

“Entrepreneurs and small businesses throughout Wisconsin know what is needed to grow and improve our state’s economy. They can provide the leadership necessary to create jobs, and it is vital that policymakers seek out their ideas,” said Zipperer. “The JOBS NOW Task Force will be an opportunity for these job creators to bring to light the changes that are necessary to position Wisconsin ’s economy to survive the current recession, and thrive afterwards.”

The WISCONSIN JOBS NOW Task Force will be moderated by Hopper and Zipperer. Additional legislators from around the state will serve as contributing members to the Task Force. Serving as employer representatives to the Task Force will be Mike Savignac, President of PDQ Manufacturing in De Pere; John Radke, President of BioResearch, Inc. in Brown Deer; and Ed Schafer, President and CEO of Silver Spring Gardens, Inc. in Eau Claire. Representatives from the non-partisan Legislative Fiscal Bureau will also attend all roundtable discussions to advise the Task Force on budgetary issues.

The Task Force seeks input from job creators on the best measures for improving the economy with potential topics to include tax reform, regulatory reform, health care reform, and the impacts of recently passed tax and spending measures on Wisconsin ’s job climate. Job providers are asked to attend the nearest roundtable discussion. If they cannot attend, they are asked to submit testimony via the WISCONSIN JOBS NOW website .

Hopper and Zipperer announced the details of the Task Force’s first roundtable discussion to be held in Green Bay .

Tuesday, March 10, 11:00am – 1:00pm
Rock Garden Banquet and Conference Center
1951 Bond Street
Green Bay, WI 54303

The Task Force will hold additional roundtable discussions in Milwaukee on March 23 and Eau Claire on March 30. For further information, please visit www.wisconsinjobsnow.info.