Rock County could borrow from parks, conservation fund
If you go
What: Rock County Board meeting
When: 6 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 19
Where: The Rock County Courthouse, 51 S. Main St., Janesville
On the agenda: The county is considering pulling money out of a special parks and land conservation fund to cover projected 2010 budget shortfalls.
JANESVILLE — In February, people were calling it a "once in a lifetime" opportunity to set money aside for farmland preservation and park improvements in Rock County.
Six short months later, they're taking it back.
The Rock County Board Finance Committee last week approved a resolution to transfer $250,000 from a special parks and conservation fund to cover projected 2010 revenue shortages. The county board must also approve the resolution.
"As you look at the tax rate and the levy for this year, it was one way you could possibly lower the impact," said Mary Mawhinney, finance committee chairwoman.
The resolution directs the administration to use the money as needed in the 2010 budget because "Rock County faces unprecedented shortfalls in revenues in part due to state budget cuts, levy limits and tough economic conditions."
The resolution says the county should pay back the special account at a rate of at least 10 percent per year. The resolution does not specify where the county would get the money to reimburse the fund.
The resolution could be on the board's agenda Thursday, Sept. 10.
The board in February voted to create the fund using a one-time, $1.8 million payment from the American Transmission Co. for a power line that is being built across the county.
The money was equally split between the parks and land conservation departments.
The parks department intends to spend the money on capital projects, although no specific projects have been picked, Director Lori Williams said.
Land conservation intends to use about $740,000 to create a farmland preservation program in the county, said Alan Sweeney, a member of the county board and the conservation committee. An ad hoc committee has started meeting to create the program, he said.
The money to fund the program could come from grants, donations or public dollars.
The conservation department also planned to spend money on creating a permanent Clean Sweep program and restoring an oak savannah on the county campus on Janesville's north side, Sweeney said.
The $250,000 resolution that came out of last week's finance committee meeting was a compromise, said Sweeney, who attended the finance committee meeting along with other members of the land conservation committee.
The finance committee's first crack at the change was a resolution pulling $500,000 from the special parks and conservation fund. The original resolution made no mention of paying back the money to the special fund.
"In the spirit of cooperation, we agreed on this for now," Sweeney said. "Hopefully that will benefit us on the land conservation committee. There's a feeling that we'll help out the general fund and maybe general fund will help us out sometime."
Williams agreed that cooperation is in order. As the parks director, she obviously doesn't want money taken out of the fund.
But she can understand what the finance committee was trying to do as it looks to fund programs for the financially strapped community, Williams said.
"It's a difficult position," Williams said.
Aug 28, 2009 at 12:20 p.m.
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Sandman- how can you say the parks are an embarrasment? They are beautiful gems that showcase the natural beauty of our county. Every park system has problems, and that won't change no matter where you go. When was the last time you had a picnic in the park? My husband and I were recently married in our favorite county park, and it was beautiful. The staff cleaned the facilities, and mowed our wedding area, and everything was perfect. The staff works very hard with the budget they have, and they do a wonderful job.
The Sheriff's Department has nothing to do with the park money. Where is your comment directed? Is it directed towards the finance committee? It is clear they cannot balance a budget without robbing Peter to pay Paul, in my opinion.
Aug 28, 2009 at 1:30 a.m.
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I anyone ever believes that this county's administration will ever do what they say they're going to do with money, exp parks and conservation money, they will be sadly and sorely disappointed.
The county parks and trails program is an embarrassment, and another indication that this county could barely be termed "civilized." It has let miles of rail-to-trails land slip though its grasp, and it's decision history on quality of life issues such as these is dismal.
In good times there have been excuses, in bad times more, and yet the waste and lies in Rock County government goes unchecked. The Sheriff's Department alone has, with the rank of captain (or "lackey," as it might be better described), created yet another tier of unnecessary administrative command staff, along with attendant take-home vehicles (and their maintenance and fuel bills) and support staff duplication. A competent administrator could easily shave more than $250,000 off its budget almost immediately with the elimination of only few positions (you don't need 4-5 captains reporting to two commanders) and excess vehicles.
Check out the annual tab bill for the Spoden's Elite Republican Guard, er, the Honor Guard-- to supply it's uniforms, pay for its cleaning bills (black polyester gets mighty ripe in the sun), and to march around in parades and raise the flag at various ceremonies and grand openings. It's all on duty time and overtime (especially at holiday parade double-time -- PAY that is, not march cadence) Did you think it was volunteer? I'm sure many of the officers associated with it are sincere, but couldn't that duty time and overtime money better serve the public by delivering real law enforcement and jail services rather than ceremonial fluff? But in the end it's a self-aggrandizing, good-old-boy club, and I invoked the "C-word" regarding that administration's proven inabilities to manage OUR money -- "competent."
How much more of this goes on in the county? And yet they want to starve a little money from the parks system? Heck, they'd steal from our social security if they could get their hands on it!
Aug 27, 2009 at 3:23 p.m.
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janesvilledean; couldnt you find an older report? really, 2004! Lets find some new numbers to steer us not so far left. Do you really think those numbers hold any water after say the last year we've had? How long before those "interest" payments can't be made now that we're in the hole for - what is it today, 9 trillion dollars.
Aug 27, 2009 at 3:13 p.m.
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janesvillean--stop drinking the kool-aid and read a good book. The money is GONE.
http://www.thebiglie.net/
Aug 27, 2009 at 2:55 p.m.
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By "borrow" i think the mean take and never put back.
Aug 27, 2009 at 12:20 p.m.
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The whole county board must vote on this and when it came before them last year it ws defeated 22-9. I would hope they can't be swayed so drastically, as to completely change their position on this (stranger things have happened, though).
Show your disproval for this and contact your supervisors and urge them to vote no on the proposal. Robbing the conservation fund to fill in the gaps in a poorly balanced budget is not the answer.
Aug 27, 2009 at 12:13 p.m.
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woody, Social Security is solvent through 2053 without any changes whatsoever. We repay the trust fund with interest every year, so it's actually earning money the same way a bank does.
http://www.cepr.net/index.php/data-bytes...
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In principle the county could be just as responsible with this money and ultimately "earn" interest on its own fund for the long term. It's just as much about keeping taxes low as maintaining spending, so whether the taxpayers will allow the board to be this responsible is a good question.
Aug 27, 2009 at 11:17 a.m.
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That money will never be given back. The Rock County Board should say, "We are just going to take it." And then after that they could go beg for some more money from the Federal Government since they are just printing more and more of it.
Aug 27, 2009 at 10:58 a.m.
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It might suck but the county needs to find someway to fill the budget gaps so they can continue to provide services to residents. The governor says you can't have the money we promised, you can't raise taxes and you must provide these services.
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New projects at parks and preserving farmland would be great but right now there are more pressing needs.
Aug 27, 2009 at 9:10 a.m.
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Yeah...just like the feds promise the pay back our money they robbed from social security. Kiss the money goodbye.
Aug 26, 2009 at 9:38 p.m.
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I agree it will probably never be paid back but atleast do something good with it like fund the JDC instead of closing it as proposed.
Aug 26, 2009 at 7:28 p.m.
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This is what the governor did to the transportation fund for the state and look at the mess that caused.........good grief
I agree with runnoft.
Aug 26, 2009 at 5:51 p.m.
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How about they borrow the money from the fund, and pay it back with no interest? This is an opportunity for the money to help Rock County twice.
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