SURPRISING STUFF

Walworth County considers how to spend the state-shared revenue bump.
Gov. Tony Evers announced the Wisconsin Department of Revenue (DOR) has distributed the first round of increased payments to counties and municipalities. According to information released by the governor’s office, the distribution marks a “significant milestone as it includes the new supplemental county and municipal aid (CMA) established under 2023 Wisconsin Act 12, which is specifically allocated to support essential services such as law enforcement, fire protection, emergency medical services, emergency response communications, public works, courts, and transportation.” Act 12 increased the state’s shared revenue, specifically for law enforcement, fire protection, emergency medical services, emergency response communications, public works, courts, and transportation.

The City of Lake Geneva will see a 228% increase in funds totaling $315,030. At the Walworth County Sheriff’s Department, a communications operations manager, a communications training manager, and quality assurance manager, and a communications officer were created during the COVID-19 pandemic. American Rescue Plan Act dollars funded half of the communications officer position and the two other positions were funded in full from those pandemic-era relief funds. Walworth County Administrator Mark Luberda said the county was looking for ways to phase out ARPA funding; the increase in shared revenue came just in time.  This funding is being disbursed now because that was the plan when it was appropriated two years ago.  For Lake Geneva, it’s a real plus, as well as for all the small communities across Wisconsin.

Person of the Week

Janine Osborne, the wonderful president of the Business Improvement District.