There was a motion to amend the agenda to revisit or ‘take from the table’ resolution 64-2024, Supporting Compliance with the Refugee Act of 1980 and Recommending an Immediate Pause on Refugee Resettlement Under the Refugee Act of 1980 Within the State of Wisconsin. It passed by a vote of 16 to 10. Since the agenda was modified, this allowed public comments on this issue. Two people spoke in support of the issue. One stated, “We don’t want Sauk County to be like Springfield Ohio.” It is expected to be on the agenda for the October board meeting.
The Board went into closed session to conduct active shooter training.
The Board unanimously passed a resolution that requests the state provide General Purpose Revenue funding to cover the full non-federal share of Medical Assistance Community Support Programs and Crisis Services. We did this because Sauk County is concerned that the public health system in Wisconsin needs additional resources to respond appropriately to the needs of individuals with persistent mental illness and those experiencing a mental health crisis.
State law designates counties with the responsibility for the well-being, treatment, and care of individuals with mental illness, and serving those without private insurance coverage. The Medical Assistance program covers an array of mental health services, ranging from office-based therapy to inpatient hospitalization, and many of these services are delivered by counties. Community Support Programs offer intensive community-based care for adults whose mental illness and functional limitations might otherwise require them to need institutionalized care. Counties use these services to keep people out of extended hospitalizations and support people in the community following emergency detentions. Counties are required to provide crisis intervention services including an emergency mental health services program to serve persons in crisis situations; at a minimum, 24-hour crisis telephone service and 24-hour in-person response on an on-call basis.
While the state pays the full cost of most Medical Assistance services, when it comes to county-based Community Support Programs and Crisis mental health services, the county finances the cost of the services up front and receives Medical Assistance reimbursement for only the federal share for that service. Community Aids funding has not kept pace over the years with increased county costs for services, resulting in counties bearing a disproportionate share of Community Support Programs and Crisis service costs from county tax levy. Counties are limited in their capacity to use tax levy revenue due to state levy limits, so the lack of Community Aids increases combines with strict property tax controls makes it difficult for counties to maintain Crisis and Community Support Program services. In addition to the costs to county human service departments, counties and municipalities also incur law enforcement costs to transport and provide security for persons in a crisis. Stagnant state funding results in variations in the extent of services available across counties, wait lists for services, and eligible people receiving limited services. The limited state funding for Crisis services makes it difficult for counties to implement new evidence-based services, such as mobile crisis workers that could meet law enforcement officers in the field for crisis calls, that would reduce the need for law enforcement involvement and provide a more trauma-informed response to crisis situations. Wisconsin’s counties continue to cover the costs of mental health services for individuals who are not Medicaid eligible.
The Board unanimously passed a resolution to accept funding from the State of Wisconsin Department of Health Services to fund a public health pending machine. These vending machines promote the health and safety of people in Sauk county who use drugs. Many people do not seek assistance or services for their drug use due to fear of being judged and arrested. The public health vending machine acts as a highly accessible, safe option for people to obtain free lifesaving help, including fentanyl test strips and Narcan/naloxone, the opioid overdose reversal medication.
The board unanimously authorized the creation of one full time nurse supervisor for the Nurse Family Partnership program. The Nurse-Family Partnership program started in Sauk County in 2015 with one nurse and has since expanded to four full-time nurse home visitors and one nurse who carries a smaller caseload and provides oversight of the program. The nurse who provides oversight has her position paid with 50 percent coming from tax levy and 50 percent from grants. She will assume the position of Nurse Supervisor, and her previous position will not be filled. This results in no fiscal impact.
The board unanimously authorized participation in the County Conservation Aids grant program. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources has grant funding available through the County Conservation Aids program, specifically for the improvement of fish and wildlife resources.
The board unanimously authorized an amendment to a contract with Ayer Associates for engineering services for the Delton dam. During an inspection of the dam, it was noticed that there was concrete spalling and repairs were necessary. The additional authorized amount of funds is in the amount of $42,400.
The board unanimously awarded a contract for professional land surveyors services to EG Surveying and Mapping LLC for a not to exceed amount of $66,690. In 2023 the Sauk County Board of Supervisors adopted a resolution to eliminate the elected surveyor and to have the duties assigned to a county employee or contracted service.
The board unanimously authorized the purchase of a replacement squad car due to a recent incident. In the incident a squad car was heavily damaged by gun fire. The insurance adjusters declared the vehicle a total loss. The cost of the new vehicle is $40.500. Sauk County will receive an insurance payment of $32,078 for the squad car with the additional amount coming from the self-insurance fund for the deductible.
The board unanimously authorized the purchase of patrol/rescue boat, prisoner transport van, and a fingerprint machine for the Sheriff’s Department. The total cost is $64,413 and will be funded by the ARPA grant program.
The board approved county aid for bridge construction as required under state statute. Municipalities are authorized to petition the county for bridge and culvert project costs that meet certain statutory requirements. The Highway Commissioner received the petitions and petitions met the statutory requirements.
The board unanimously approved the hiring of Lisa Wilson as the next County Administrator. Lisa is currently the Director of the Sauk County Land Resources and Environment Department.
Any opinions expressed here are my opinions and do not represent the Sauk County Board. This is not an official blog of Sauk County.