"Strong Finances, Solid Economic Base"

What happened: Moody’s Investor Services has affirmed La Crosse County’s Aa1 bond rating, a reflection of the county’s financial strength. The rating demonstrates La Crosse County’s “strong finances, solid economic base and modest leverage,” Moody’s noted.

What we're hearing: “We’ve worked hard to control spending and manage our budget carefully to keep La Crosse County in excellent fiscal health,” said County Board Chair Monica Kruse. “Our solid bond rating shows that work has paid off, which is good news for taxpayers."

Why it matters: The county is expected to borrow up to $8 million for the project to renovate Hillview Health Care Center this year. The Aa1 bond rating will help secure a low interest rate on that debt, which will be paid off using revenue generated by Hillview and not through the county’s tax levy. 

Background: Since 2020, the county’s debt has fallen by 23%, from $76.9 million to an expected $59.1 million in 2024, even with the addition of the new Hillview debt. Moody’s said its updated bond rating reflects “the expectation that the county's consistently strong financial profile and solid economic base will continue supporting strong credit fundamentals.”

Civilian Review Board Pilot Approved

The La Crosse County Board last week approved the creation of a two-year pilot Civilian Review Board (CRB) to advocate and act as a liaison for members of the public with concerns or complaints about law enforcement. The pilot follows a recommendation to the board from the Study Committee on Policing (SCOP) based on extensive research and discussion. The SCOP was made up of a wide range of local people with experience in the legal, advocacy, and law enforcement sectors. Read the resolution passed by the board here. Data on the CRB's work will be collected and shared during the pilot.

Employee Spotlight: Anthony Las

Anthony Las has worked as a Registered Nurse at Lakeview Health Center in West Salem for a little over a year. “I really like working with the residents here and making them laugh,” Anthony says. “Both of my parents have dementia, so I’m very familiar with it, and that’s what a lot of the residents here are experiencing. I enjoy being able to bring a little bit of joy into their lives whenever I can.” Anthony encouraged more people to consider long-term care nursing as a career. “With the aging population, we are going to see a lot more people with dementia and will need more people to work in this field, which is very rewarding,” he said. 

Sharing Community Health Priorities

The La Crosse County Health Department is working with Great Rivers United Way and other local partners to host conversations about ways we can improve the health of our community. Three community conversations are planned in March:

• Wednesday, March 13, 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Nature Place, La Crosse
• Tuesday, March 19, virtual option, 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. RSVP to attend here.
• Thursday, March 21, 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m., West Salem Library

The conversations are part of a project called the CHA, or Community Health Assessment. Please attend to learn about our community's health, help to set health priorities, and share your ideas for solutions Contact Rachel King at rking@lacrossecounty.org with questions.

Kruse, Reynolds on Homelessness Plan

County Board Chair Monica Kruse and La Crosse Mayor Mitch Reynolds penned a joint editorial for Saturday's La Crosse Tribune on the city-county plan to end long-term homelessness. "The good news is that we now have a coordinated and well-conceived plan that has broad support from many of our community partners. It will take time, but we are moving in the right direction," the pair wrote. Read the piece in the Tribune here or find it on the county website here.

The Aging & Disability Resource Center (ADRC) of La Crosse County is looking for input to improve programs for residents of La Crosse County as they age. Take the quick survey by clicking here. Your answers will help the ADRC develop a three-year plan. To request a paper copy, please call the ADRC at 608-785-5700 or pick one up from the ADRC office at 300 4th St. N., La Crosse.

Crisis Responders Honored

La Crosse County Crisis Responders were part of a team that was recently honored by the Wisconsin Law Enforcement Accreditation Group (WLEAG). The 2023 Deer Creek Innovative Program Award by WLEAG went to the La Crosse Police Department's Community Resource Unit (CRU)/Co-Responder Program. The program pairs county crisis responders with police officers on calls that may involve someone experiencing a mental health crisis. The unit was recently expanded from one co-responder team to two with funding from a federal Connect and Protect Grant. Pictured receiving the WLEAG award recently were La Crosse County Crisis Responders Hans Wagner and Ryan Slosser with members of the La Crosse Police Department.

"Trempealeau" Author, Free Cheese at Onalaska Library

Trempealeau, an apocalyptic mystery inspired by the area we live in, is the debut novel from author John T. Umhoefer, a lifelong writer, former journalist, current leader of the Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association, and food industry columnist. Umhoefer will be at the Onalaska Public Library on Saturday, March 16, at 10 a.m. to talk about the novel, which has received excellent reviews, and his writing process. The program will also feature samples of cheese from the recent World Championship Cheese Contest. Register at this link.

The Children's Museum of La Crosse joined with our Family and Children's Section to organize an appreciation night recently for foster and adoptive parents. About 70 members of local foster families showed up and lots of good connections were made while the children explored the museum! Pictured are members of the hardworking La Crosse County Family and Children's Section at the event.

Powerful Tools for Caregivers is an educational program designed to help family caregivers take care of themselves while caring for a relative or friend. Participants will learn to:

• Reduce stress
• Improve self-confidence
• Better communicate feelings
• Increase their ability to make tough decisions
• Locate helpful resources

The class meets for 90 minutes once a week for six weeks. Dates are from April 10 to May 15 from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the Holmen Area Community Center. There’s no charge, but there is a suggested donation of $20 to cover the cost of The Caregiver Helpbook. You do not need to be a La Crosse County resident to attend this class. To register contact the ADRC of La Crosse County at 608-785-5700.

La Crosse County Conservation Specialist Sue Sheehan helped host a Nutrient Management Workshop at Hamilton Town Hall earlier this month. This was an opportunity for producers like John Jones, pictured with Sue, to plan their crops for the year and calculate the nutrient needs for their particular soils. Each crop field has been soil sampled and the Land Conservation team review the recommendations to optimize the soil for plant growth. Plans that cover over 10,000 acres have been received by Land Conservation for 2024, with more expected.

Supporting United Way

Tim Medinger (pictured with County Administrator Jane Klekamp) of Great Rivers United Way stopped by last week to thank La Crosse County employees for supporting the 2024 United Way Campaign. A total of 121 employees donated just under $14,500 to support many great programs in our county. This was a nice bump from the 95 donors we had last year who contributed $12,600. Thank you to our donors and to Great Rivers United Way!