La Crosse County Connection #3

Welcome to Issue #3 of La Crosse County Connection! This publication is brought to you by La Crosse County staff. Let us know if you have suggestions or questions in the comments or at countyconnection@lacrossecounty.org.

1. Sharing Knowledge to Preserve Healthy Farmland

On a beautiful summer's evening last Wednesday, members of our county board and Land Conservation team attended the June meeting of the Coon Creek Community Watershed Council. The meeting was held at the Ridge History Park off State Highway 33 and also included a tour of the adjacent Hundt Farms. The group is pictured above looking at cereal rye cover crop residue. County Land Conservation staff discussed managed grazing, the value of cover crops, and small dams during the event. Last year, La Crosse County cost-shared the planting of about 1,000 acres of cover crops, which help to reduce soil erosion, build soil organic matter and sequester soil carbon. The goal is to preserve the healthy farmland that is the lifeblood of rural La Crosse County. Thank you to the farmers who attended to share their knowledge at the meeting!

2. City, County Collaborate on Homelessness Plan

City and County staff are developing a new plan that will have a goal of "functional zero" homelessness in La Crosse County within the next five years. Functional zero homelessness means that any instances of homelessness would be both rare and brief. County Human Services Director Jason Witt joined with the city's Homelessness Coordinator Brian Sampson to outline the new direction at a packed City Hall on Tuesday. City and county staff are working to develop new plan by the end of this year for implementation in 2024. The effort will be led jointly by the city and county, will copy successful models from other communities, and be focused on long-term solutions. This is a big step forward to get people who are unsheltered into housing. Read more here: City, County Lead New Effort to Address Homelessness (lacrossecounty.org)

3. Workforce, Business Climate Survey Launched

A survey of our region’s businesses to assess their workforce needs is being launched by local economic development organizations. The goal is to gather data that can help drive training and marketing programs that help businesses attract and retain the workers they need to grow. La Crosse County, Western Technical College – Business & Industry Services, The 7 Rivers Alliance, the La Crosse Area Development Corporation (LADCO), the Upper Mississippi Manufacturing Alliance (TUMMA), the Mississippi River Regional Planning Commission (MRRPC), and the Western Wisconsin Workforce Development Board (WWWDB) have teamed up to create the survey. The survey takes about 10 minutes to complete and targets business owners. To view the survey, click here: Tri-State Workforce Survey Link.

4. County Social Worker Wins Citizen Award

Julie Fogel, who works as a social worker for our Human Services crisis team, was presented with the Citizen Award of Excellence in May by the La Crosse Police Department. “Julie Fogel’s dedication in helping the community and partnering with our police department to assist with crisis and ongoing mental health concerns has been instrumental when assisting consumers throughout the City of La Crosse ... She truly cares for community members,” a statement announcing the award said.” Julie was presented with the award by La Crosse Police Chief Shawn Kudron at a special ceremony last month. Well done Julie!

5. Landfill Life Expectancy Grows by 14 Years

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has approved an expansion plan that will allow the La Crosse County Landfill to operate for an additional 14 years. This is a big deal for La Crosse County and the surrounding counties that also use our landfill. The DNR approval extends the expected lifecycle of the landfill to 2048. Leadership at our Solid Waste Department began the detailed process of seeking permission for a vertical/horizontal expansion in 2019. The additional years of life for the landfill gives the county more time to plan for the future.  Key to the long-term success of our Solid Waste Department is the large volume of waste that is recycled or diverted to other uses. Last year, about 38% of all materials brought to Solid Waste for disposal were recycled or diverted from the landfill (an increase of 3% from 2021). Our Solid Waste Department, which runs the landfill, is self-sufficient, meaning it receives no funding from county property taxes.

6. Broadband Project Picking up Pace

The county is well-positioned to capitalize on new opportunities to bring high-speed internet to under-served parts of the county. In recent months, the county has been certified as a Broadband Forward Community by the Wisconsin Public Service Commission, and the county board has established the La Crosse County Broadband Committee. Meanwhile, county staff are working to bring in a broadband consultant to perform an analysis of connectivity issues countywide and develop a plan of action to solve those issues. The goal of all this work is for the county to be in the best position possible to receive broadband funding that's part of the federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Sam Bachmeier, La Crosse County Community Development Specialist, discussed our broadband efforts in greater detail on WIZM's La Crosse Talk recently. Listen by clicking this link and hitting the "play" button.

7. Safe Summer Swimming!

La Crosse County Health Department staff test water at eight local beaches from Memorial Day to Labor Day. So far, the beaches tested have been safe for swimming! Check out the results, which are refreshed weekly, and get more information on how the Health Department monitors beach water quality here: Beach Water Quality (lacrossecounty.org)

8. Supporting Community

The La Crosse County Board has made some big investments in community over the last few months. This includes $150,000 to Outdoor Recreation Alliance (ORA) to support their Community Trail Farm project; $2 million to support the Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater La Crosse skilled trades training program, and $90,000 in community event grant funding that will support over a dozen local festivals. ORA and the Boys and Girls Club sent us "thank you cards" recently, as did the La Crosse Storytelling Festival, recipient of one our community event grants. "We had expected the 2023 fest to be the last. But now, with this grant, we can advertise, provide hotels for our performers, pay them, visit libraries and schools to promote literacy through storytelling, and make this year's fest the best ever. And we know we will be able to provide the community and beyond with more great fests in the future," the note from the La Crosse Storytelling Festival Committee read. County Board Chair Monica Kruse read the note at this month's county board meeting, and said it was great to hear about the positive impact county funding is having in our community.

9. La Crosse County 2023 Enviromental Health Profile

A new report from the Wisconsin Department of Health Services shows how La Crosse County stacks up on a range of environmental health metrics compared to state averages. Check it out here: p00719-lacrosse.pdf (wisconsin.gov)

10. Finding Wisconsin's Lost State Line

Wisconsin's western boundary lies in the center of the main channel of the Mississippi and St. Croix rivers. Knowing exactly where that line is has importance for emergency response, investigations of boating accidents, and deciding how to distribute federal funding between the states for bridges. The problem is, since Wisconsin became a state in 1848, the rivers have undergone significant manmade and natural changes. La Crosse County Surveyor Bryan Meyer digs into the history of this issue, and what's being done to fix it, in the June issue of the Wisconsin Counties Association magazine. Read Bryan's fascinating article here: Wisconsin Counties Magazine June 2023 (adobe.com).