My Day in Hayward

I spent the day in Hayward for another Around the 87th District Day. The meetings I have with constituents and local leaders are one of the best parts of my job. I am honored to serve the people of the 87th Assembly District, and I enjoy hearing their ideas and opinions on issues they face in their communities and in the state. 

I had so much to do that I had to split my District Day into two days. So, I actually began Wednesday night by meeting with some constituents from Hayward who contacted my office. I met with Doug & Cindy Hanus and Dave & Donna DiSera at their Hallmark card shop, Lori's Card & Gift in Hayward. We discussed issues that are important to them, and I also had the opportunity to congratulate Marlene Chipman on her retirement.

My first meeting on Thursday morning was with Hayward School Superintendent Craig Olson. I always enjoy my conversations with Craig. We had the opportunity to talk about how the WISCONSIN Budget will positively impact the Hayward Community School District. We also discussed other issues important to the Hayward School District, such as mental health, as well as the needs of the students and teachers within the school district. 

My next stop was a meeting with some of the leaders of Sawyer County. Our discussion involved the issues that are impacting the county, including the drug epidemic and the need for a second judge in the county. I look forward to continuing the conversation with these leaders, as well as my colleagues in the legislature, to find some solutions for these issues and more. 

After stopping by the Hayward Lakes Visitor & Convention Bureau and the Hayward Area Chamber of Commerce to drop off some state highway maps, I made a stop at the Wilderness Walk Zoo. I enjoyed my tour of the zoo and seeing all the animals, and as it is the zoo's 50th Anniversary this year, Sen. Petrowski and I were proud to present the owners, Dan and Diane Weber, with a legislative citation. Congratulations on your 50 years in business, and I wish you even more success in the future!

My staff and I enjoyed our district day in Hayward and are in the process of planning future days around the 87th District.  Do you have a suggestion of a place I should visit on a future district day?  If you do, please contact my office and share your suggestion.  It very well might be a stop on my next day Around the 87th.

Congressman Duffy's Resignation

As you may have heard, Congressman Sean Duffy has announced his resignation from Congress effective September 23, 2019. For the last eight and a half years, Congressman Duffy has been an outstanding voice for the 7th Congressional District in the House of Representatives. Regardless of where you stand with Congressman Duffy politically, we should be grateful for his dedicated service to the hardworking folks of the Northwoods of Wisconsin. I am proud to call Sean my friend, and I wish him and his family the best as they transition into this next phase in their lives.

Additional Revenues for the State

This week, we learned that Wisconsin's Budget Stabilization Fund, more commonly known as the Rainy Day Fund, will grow to a historic $649 million. According to the non-partisan Legislative Fiscal Bureau, general fund revenue collected for the 2018 - '19 fiscal year totaled $75.5 million more than initial projections. Common-sense fiscal reforms enacted by Republicans over the last eight years have once again delivered additional revenue for Wisconsin.     

Around the 87th

Taylor County Board of Supervisors Meeting

I was happy to attend the Taylor County Board of Supervisors meeting on Wednesday morning for an update on county matters and to recognize some retirees from county service. One retiree in particular, Lynn Balciar, has dedicated more than 20 years of service to the Taylor County Health and Human Services Department. Congratulations on your retirement, Lynn!

First Responder of the Year Award Reminder

I will continue to seek nominations for the First Responder of the Year in the 87th Assembly District through the end of next week. Nominations could include anyone who is a police officer, fire-fighter, or EMS personnel. The nomination can be based on a specific heroic action, a significant professional achievement, the person's body of work over time, something special they do for the community relating to their work, and/or their length of service. 

The winner of this award will be selected later in September and he or she will be invited to a Hometown Heroes recognition in the State Assembly this October. If you have someone in mind you would like to nominate, click here to print out the nomination form. You may also click here to use the online nomination form. If you have any questions about this award, feel free to contact my office.

Upcoming Events Around the 87th

Check out the following events happening around the district:

• Exeland Trout Fest - August 30th-September 1st
• Weyerhaeuser Booster Days - August 30th - September 1st
• Hawkins Harvest Festival - August 31st-September 2nd
• Youth Musky Hunt at Mystic Moose Resort - (Hayward) - September 19th-21st
• Superhero 5K Walk/Run - (Hayward) - September 21st
• Walk to End Alzheimer's - (Medford) - September 21st
• Leaf It To Rusk Fall Festival - (throughout Rusk County) - September 27th-29th

Do you know of any events in the district that I missed? Contact my office and let me know, so I can include it in a future e-update and try to attend myself. 

Stay Up to Date

One of the best ways to stay up to date with what is going on in Madison is to sign up for the legislature's notification tracking service. This service allows you to follow legislative activity in Madison. Once you create a free account you can sign up to receive notifications about specific bills or committees as well as legislative activity pertaining to a subject area (i.e. agriculture, veterans). You can sign up for this service at notify.legis.wisconsin.gov.