Groups seek funds for projects

It may have been St. Patrick’s day, but the members of the Taylor County Finance Committee were keeping a close eye on the county’s pot of gold when reviewing grant requests for power line impact fee funds on March 17.

Committee members supported giving at least a portion of what was requested for four of the five groups requesting support. The power line impact fee fund is generated from ongoing payments from the Arrowhead to Weston transmission line. The county receives annual payments from the company that owns the line which the county board then awards as grants for area civic, recreational and community improvements. The finance committee reviews requests every spring and fall with the full county board voting on those requests at the April and October meetings. By county rule, it takes a two-thirds majority to spend any money from the fund.

The groups requesting funds this round included: Gilman Community Betterment Association (CBA) for a park shelter expansion.

K Bar R Arena for support in putting on the annual Horns and Hooves rodeo event.

Miller Dam Lake Association for parking lot improvements by their park pavilion.

Taylor County Humane Society for upgrades to the dog kennel areas. Taylor County Supportive Housing to help with parking lot repairs at the Taylor House homeless shelter.

The CBA requested $15,000 to pay for the expansion of a park shelter in Gilman. According to village president Jane DeStaercke, the CBA is heading up the project and the village has not committed any funds for it yet. In addition to the materials cost, the project is expected to have about $9,400 in labor expenses. Committee member Scott Mildbrand, noting the county typically does not fund the entire cost of projects, asked if the group would be OK with only partial funding.

“We will take what we can get,” DeStaercke said. Committee members voted to recommend giving $10,000 to the pavilion expansion.

K Bar R requested $10,000 from the fund to help with the expense of putting on the annual Horns and Hooves Challenge. Organizers noted the rodeo style event costs about $40,000 a year to put on with the proceeds going back into the community.

“It is a worthwhile thing,” said county board chairman Jim Metz of the event which draws large crowds to the county each summer. Committee members agreed and endorsed giving the requested amount.

Miller Dam Lake Association requested $15,800 to pave the parking areas near the lake association’s pavilion. The association has a 24 by 24 foot shelter on the parcel with a dock, grills and picnic area that is open for community use. Butch Podolak of the lake association said the group is working on putting in a permanent wheelchair accessible restroom and improving lake access for anglers. “Everything we do is for the lake,” Podolak said.

“Recreationally speaking I think Miller Dam is the jewel of Taylor County for outdoor activity,” Mildbrand said, praising the group for all they do. Committee members supported giving the requested amount.

The Taylor County Humane Society requested $24,377 with shelter director Scott Schultz saying they needed the funds to replace the dog kennels which he described as being “rusted and unsafe.”

He noted one area was with the pipe running under the door frame creating a tripping hazard for both humans and animals using the door.

Mildbrand questioned how much the county already supported the shelter. County clerk Andria Farrand reported the county pays the shelter $3,800 per month to operate the shelter which comes to $45,000 per year. Schultz explained that is used to cover wages and utilities and other operating costs.

Committee members voted to support giving $10,000 to the project.

Jessica Mudgett of Taylor County Supportive Housing asked for funds to help with the replacement of the parking lot at the former Deerview Meadows assisted living building which was purchased for use as the shelter.

Committee chairman Chuck Zenner announced that if it were brought to a vote, he would vote against the request. “”We have done our share of this,” Zenner said of the homeless shelter project, noting the county’s support to this point.

With no motion to give funds, the request was denied.

In other business, committee members:

_ Approved a resolution asking for the state to return to splitting the recording fees evenly with counties. The state changed how much they take in 1981 and with the state seeing large surpluses counties are asking for their share back. County Register of Deeds Jaymi Kohn said this averages to be about $71,000 a year and over the past five year would have totaled $357,000 in revenue that would have stayed in the county.

“I think it has absolutely no chance of passing, but I will vote yes,” Mildbrand said.

_ Approved a seasonal employee wage schedule which included increases for the Wintersports Area workers to bring them more in line with wages paid at similar facilities in the region. It has already been approved at the personnel committee and needed finance approval to go into effect. With the approval, it will be retroactive to January 2.