In Wisconsin, the state Legislature works on crafting a budget every two years. Governor Walker introduced his initial budget proposal in February, which includes some budget requests from all of the state agencies. As the process moves forward, the proposal will be reviewed and vetted by both the Joint Finance Committee (JFC) and the state Legislature before returning to the Governor’s desk this summer. Last week, the Joint Finance Committee (JFC) kicked off the budget process by discussing different aspects of the Governor’s proposal with each of the state agencies.
State Agencies that Briefed the JFC Department of Administration, Department of Employee Trust Funds, Elections Commission, Supreme Court, Department of Corrections, Department of Safety and Professional Services, Department of Justice, Department of Veterans Affairs, Department of Health Services, Department of Children and Families, Department of Revenue, Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation, Department of Transportation, Public Service Commission, Department of Natural Resources, Wisconsin Technical College System, University of Wisconsin System, Department of Public Instruction, Historical Society, Department of Workforce Development and Labor and Industry Review Commission.
If you would like to watch the agency briefings, you can go to the WisconsinEye website by clicking the picture below.
Click on the image above to access the JFC agency briefings
Now that the agency briefings have been completed, the Joint Finance Committee (JFC) will go on the road to hold public hearings throughout the state over the next few weeks. Six regional locations have been chosen to hold these hearings with the goal of maximizing the level of public input. The public is invited to testify in favor of or against provisions in the Governor's budget recommendations.
A schedule of the remaining public hearings is as follows:
Friday, April 7 (10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.) Berlin High School (Auditorium) 222 Memorial Drive Berlin, WI 54923
Tuesday, April 18 (10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.) Spooner high School (Auditorium) 801 County Highway A Spooner, WI 54801
Wednesday, April 19 (10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.) Ellsworth High School (Gymnasium) 323 West Hillcrest Street Ellsworth, WI 54011
Friday, April 21 (10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.) Marinette High School (Auditorium) 2135 Pierce Avenue Marinette, WI 54143
Assembly Floor Session Update
We have had some busy days at the Capitol this week with floor sessions in the Assembly this morning and Tuesday. The Assembly continued with its initiative to combat the heroin and opioid epidemic facing Wisconsin. Through a special legislative session, the Assembly passed seven additional bills that are a part of the H.O.P.E. (Heroin, Opioid Prevention and Education) agenda.
The legislation aims to address treatment and diversion alternatives, creates a school for those recovering from addiction, enhances training for new addiction specialists, creates regional treatment centers, provides addiction consultation, allows agents to investigate drug trafficking, and creates a program to provide training to schools on mental health issues.
I am happy to be a co-sponsor of these bills and was proud to support them on the Assembly floor this week. Spearheaded by Representative John Nygren, the H.O.P.E. Agenda has already seen 17 bills signed into law during previous legislative sessions.
Rep. Swearingen filling in for the Speaker Pro Tempore during the Assembly Rules Committee meeting prior to the Assembly Floor Session. The Rules Committee finalizes the calendar and decides which bills will be on the floor for a vote.
Assembly Committee on State Affairs Update
The Assembly Committee on State Affairs met last week to review administrative rules through the Red Tape Review and discuss legislation relating to Veterans Day. As I highlighted in my previous e-update, the Red Tape Review is an important initiative that seeks to remove unnecessary, burdensome, and outdated regulations from our statutes. The committee will continue its efforts reviewing administrative rules during the course of the 2017-2018 legislative session.
Additionally, the committee held a public hearing on Assembly Bill 163, which would establish November 11 as a day on which the offices of the agencies of state government are closed for Veterans Day. During the public hearing, the committee had the privilege of listening to testimony from three veterans who expressed their full support for this bill. Currently, Wisconsin is the only state in the country that does not recognize Veterans Day as a state holiday.
I would like to thank the three veterans, Mike Furgal, Paul Fisk and Daniel Seehafer, for their service and for taking the time to testify in front of the State Affairs Committee.
Veterans Mike Furgal, Paul Fisk and Daniel Seehafer Testifying on Assembly Bill 163
SPS 140: relating to authority, purpose and definitions for music, art and dance therapy
SPS 141: relating to application for music, art and dance therapy
SPS 142: relating to scope of practice for music, art and dance therapy
Public Hearing
Assembly Bill 163: relating to: the establishment of November 11 as a day on which the offices of the agencies of state government are closed.
Legislative Days at the Capitol
Last week was Doctor Day at the Capitol. I had a chance to meet with Doctor Bill Raduege of Woodruff. We discussed the importance of the H.O.P.E. agenda, which, as I mentioned above, is an ongoing legislative initiative to combat the heroin and opioid epidemic facing our state. I would like to thank Bill for sharing his perspective on this important issue.
Rep. Swearingen and Doctor Bill Raduege
I also had the opportunity to meet with Collette Sorgel of Grow North and Brian Doudna, the executive director of the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation, during the Wisconsin Economic Development Association legislative day. Grow North is a regional economic development corporation that serves Oneida, Vilas, Florence, Forest, Langlade, Lincoln, Marinette, and Oconto counties. The topics that we discussed were pro-growth tax policies, tax incremental financing legislation, rural broadband expansion and legislation for a career and technical education incentive grant program. Thanks for making the trip to Madison!
Rep. Swearingen, Collette Sorgel, and Brian Doudna
Phelps Maple Syrup Fest
This past weekend I was asked to partake in the Phelps Maple Syrup Fest as a judge. This year marked the 6th annual celebration of the festival and clearly highlights Phelps as the Maple Syrup Capital of Wisconsin! As a judge, I tasted almost 30 syrups. It was great to be able to participate in what has become such a well-known and fun event.
Contest Judges: Geoff Weller of WJFW Channel 12 News, Ann O'Leary who is serving as the 69th Alice in Dairyland, and Rep. Swearingen
Fun Facts about Maple Syrup
Maple syrup was one of Wisconsin’s first agricultural products
It takes 10 whole gallons of sap to make 1 quart of syrup!
Maple syrup is actually good for your health – it increases red blood cell growth and is proven to treat digestive disorders.
Humans aren’t the only ones that take advantage of maple trees – squirrels tap the trees with their 2 front teeth and drink the sap straight from the tree!
Not all maple syrup is the same; flavor can be affected by the tree tapped, weather and climate, and different production methods. Don’t just buy one bottle – try out different maple syrup products for a variety of sweet tastes!
Wisconsin produces an average of 74,000 gallons of maple syrup a year!
Multi-County Veterans Benefits Expo
Three Lakes School District Receives National Magna Award
Three Lakes, Wisconsin — Three Lakes School District is pleased to announce it has received an Honorable Mention 2017 Magna Award. The awards, which are sponsored by the National School Boards Association magazine, American School Board Journal, recognize school districts and their leaders for taking bold and innovative steps to improve the lives of students and their communities.
This year’s three grand-prize, 15 first-place and 15 honorable-mention winners were selected by an independent panel of school board members, administrators and other educators from more than 200 submissions in three enrollment categories: under 5,000 students, 5,000 to 20,000 students, and over 20,000 students
According to the NSBA, only two other Wisconsin districts — La Crosse (2010) and Elk Mound (2014) — have received the award.
The Three Lakes School District received honorable mention in the “under 5,000 students” category for its district-wide Cultural Change Initiative. The initiative began in 2005 as a result of Administrator Dr. George Karling’s work with staff at UW-Madison on student engagement and retention.
“I am very pleased that we have been recognized for this outstanding program,” Karling said, “and we have to give credit to the board of education and the entire staff of the Three Lakes School District for the final development and continuing implementation of this initiative.”
Under the cultural change, the district made the junior high partially self-contained to provide a smooth transition from elementary to high school. The district also added an at-risk coordinator, a community service requirement, a career mapping program and honors study halls, among other things. Almost immediately, the district experienced positive results.
Discipline referrals dropped dramatically. By 2012, detentions had decreased by more than 90 percent. The district also recorded significant academic improvement. Within five years, the district saw a 1 percent increase in its composite ACT score. Since that time, average composite ACT scores have increased over a five-year period from 21.6 to 23.2.
“This places the district among the leaders throughout the state,” Karling said. “The entire initiative resulted in delivering personal education to our students and their families.”
The 2017 Magna winners are highlighted in the April issue of ASBJ and will be formally recognized on Saturday, March 25, in Denver, Colorado, at the NSBA’s Annual Conference. Three Lakes Board Member and WASB President Capt. Terri McCloskey will accept the award on behalf of the district.
DNR Outdoor Report
Ice is quickly thinning on those northern lakes that still have ice with dangerous conditions on most lakes. The Wisconsin River is now open even in its northern stretches, but ice chucks can be seen melting along the river's edge. The lower Wisconsin River has finally dropped to near normal levels.
Some walleye and brown trout are being caught on the Menominee River both trolling and angling from shore. Low water and cool water temperatures slowed the walleye run so far on the Oconto River. Anglers along the Wolf River have been starting to catch walleyes. A few sturgeon have been seen along the Wolf River, but warmer temperatures are needed for the sturgeon to start their annual spring spawning run. Walleye and sauger action on the Wisconsin River and Lake Wisconsin is slowly picking up.
Spring steelhead fishing opened last Saturday for the lower stretch of the Brule River and there were lots of fishermen and fisherwomen on the river many who had a successful opener.
There are still some ice chunks, shoves and iced in areas along the west shore of Green Bay. Some of the launches are still mostly iced in but more have opened up and the main channel is open with some small patches of ice remaining.
Anglers fishing the shore of the Fox River are concentrating their efforts along the shore at Voyager Park. Despite the rain last weekend many anglers lined the wall and waded off the island in hopes of landing a nice sized walleye. The boat launches were lined with trucks and trailers and anglers who fished long hours reported some great catches.
All ramps on the northern Door County side of the Bay are still iced up, but Sunset Park ramp in Sturgeon Bay is now open. Sawyer Park ramp is also open but there is a lot of ice in the canal. All ramps on the Lake Michigan side of Door County are open but there have been very few fishermen to report any action.
Steelhead action in Door County creeks Lake Michigan tributaries has been slow but rising water levels from recent rain should bring in more fish. The Kewaunee, Ahnapee, East and West Twin, Manitowoc, Sheboygan, Milwaukee and Menomonee rivers rose and a small push of steelhead made for good action.
Strong winds resulting in very turbulent water prevented many anglers from getting out into main Lake Michigan over the past week.
Anglers need to be aware that their licenses will expire on March 31 and a new license is required beginning April 1. Visit the Go Wild website or head to your favorite license vendor to make your purchase.
Turkey groups have displaying toms, woodcock's flight song can be heard as the sky darkens, and tundra swans are heard migrating in the middle of the night. Common loons and rafts of coots have been stopping on the Madison chain of lakes.
Maple sap season is winding down with temps at night only hovering near freezing. Trees are starting to bud. Round lobed hepatica was already in bloom on south facing slopes in Walworth County.
Some frogs have started calling when it warms up, mostly spring peepers and chorus frogs, whose calls may be heard up to one-half mile away. The call is a very distinct and similar in sound to running a fingernail over the teeth of a plastic hair comb.
Woodruff DNR Service Center area
Northern Highland-American Legion State Forest - Winter is slowly reducing its grip on the forest. A few robins have been seen and the chipmunks have come out of their slumber this week! There are still snow banks and snow in some parts of the woods, and still ice on area lakes, but the rivers are high and open and the waterfowl is starting to show up! Even the goldfinch is starting to show a couple of bright yellow feathers in anticipation of the rite of spring. This is the time of year to walk and explore without the "green wall" of leaves to hide things from the inquisitive! - Rosalie Richter, visitor services associate.
Community Events
Please click the following links for upcoming community events!
