County Wins $1 million for Hillview

What happened: La Crosse County was awarded $1 million by the federal government for the project to transform Hillview Health Care Center. The funding was included in the 2024 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Appropriations Bill by U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin following a request by the county.

Why it matters: The funds will support the $19.6 million project to renovate Hillview. The plan will bring a 35-bed Community Based Residential Facility, a four-bed crisis stabilization unit, and 10 units of housing to Hillview. An Intergenerational Day Center (child care and respite care for older adults in one location) is also part of the plan.

What's next: The Hillview project should go out for bids in the summer with construction expected to start in August and estimated completion in September 2025.

Hmong Video Series Promotes Breastfeeding

Maomoua Vue is the driving force behind a new series of Hmong language breastfeeding videos she hopes will help mothers in La Crosse County and beyond. Maomoua, a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist for the WIC program at the Health Department, says the decision to breastfeed, especially once a mother returns to work, needs the support of the whole family. "In our Hmong families, I hope a mom will be able to show these videos to her mother or grandmother, who may not speak English, and they will see in their language the benefits of breastfeeding," Maomoua said. She hopes the videos will also help to reduce any stigma around breastfeeding and highlight the law that protects breastfeeding mothers at work. "We want to support our Hmong moms and their babies, wherever they are, and these videos are a way to do that," Maomoua added. The videos were produced by Kirk Arneson, Creative Services Producer at Gundersen Health System, and also feature traditional singing by the Health Department's Maichor Lee. Watch for more promotion of the videos, which you can view here, in the coming weeks.

April Blood Drive

We need donors for our next county blood drive, which is Wednesday, April 3, and Thursday, April 4, from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the La Crosse County Health and Human Services Building. The drive is open to the public and donations support our local hospitals. Please sign up for an appointment on April 3 here, or April 4, here. Walk-ins are also welcome.

Employee Spotlight: Kemesha Harper

Kemesha Harper helps people get back on their feet. When someone involved with the criminal justice system steps into her office at Justice Support Services (JSS) they are met by a warm smile and the offer of a snack from her cupboard. Kemesha can then start a conversation about helping the person with things like getting health insurance, food assistance, and connections to jobs and housing. She is an Economic Support Specialist for the county but what's different about her role is that on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, she works at JSS. "I get to interact with some of the most vulnerable people in our community and I love trying to help them," she says. "Listening is a big part of my job, making people feel comfortable, because there's so much stigma, and getting them connected to the resources they need." Kemesha's role as an Economic Support Specialist who works at JSS is relatively new but is producing good results. One of the goals is to help people recently released from jail access important benefits to give them a foundation for success.

Highway Construction Season Starts Early

The unusually mild weather means the highway construction season is starting early this year. Motorists should watch for flaggers and expect delays on County Highway JJ and County Highway P, mainly in the Town of Washington, where new projects are starting. The JJ project is about 2 miles in length and has a cost of $1.3 million. The project on P is 2.24 miles in length and is expected to cost $900,000. Both projects should be completed before July, if the weather cooperates, according to La Crosse County Highway Commissioner Joe Langeberg. Last year, the construction season began around the end of March. In the three years before that, construction season began in mid or late April. Backed by increased funding, the La Crosse County Highway Department has plans to complete 14.8 miles of construction projects this year.

March County Board Agenda

The La Crosse County Board meets at 6 p.m., Thursday, March 21, for its monthly meeting. Agenda highlights include:

• Approval of the sale of land at Lakeview Business Park to the Village of West Salem for $1.1 million.
• Approval of a $50,000 grant to the Lake Onalaska Lake District for a dredging project.
• Resolution on pay for elected officials for the 2025-2028 term (County Clerk, County Treasurer and Register of Deeds).
• Resolution supporting statewide efforts to stop puppy mills. 

View the full agenda, including a link to watch virtually, here.

Constitutional Officer of the Year

Our County Clerk Ginny Dankmeyer was recently named Wisconsin County Constitutional Officer of the Year. The award from the Wisconsin County Constitutional Officers Association (WCCO) demonstrates Ginny's commitment to exceptional public service. Lisa Freiberg, Fond du Lac County Clerk, was among those who praised Ginny for her award. "She is that 'go to person' who is very detailed and knowledgeable within our association,” Lisa said. Well done Ginny!

Strategic Plan Update

As you may be aware, La Crosse County is developing its first strategic plan. Here is where we stand and what comes next from our consultants at Stratalysts, who are helping develop the plan.

Interviews and Surveys: Individual, in-person interviews with the county board and department heads were held the week of March 11 and employees were asked to complete a survey. Interviews and survey comments from 565 respondents will provide vital insight into our vision and hopes for the community.

Orientations: On March 11, Shannon Flowers and Sondra Hathaway from Stratalysts delivered overviews of the strategic planning process to our department heads and the county board.

Planning Event: Shannon and Sondra will facilitate a three-day planning event in May. Day 1 will be public with the county board to discuss and agree on county priorities. Days 2 and 3 will be with administration and department heads to discuss goals and how to measure progress and success. We will continue to share updates as the plan progresses.

Community Health Survey

The La Crosse County Health Department wants to know what you think the health priorities for our county should be. Your input will support the Community Health Assessment currently being worked on by the Health Department and other local partners. Take a quick survey to provide your input at this link: bit.ly/LaCrosse2024.

County Career Connections

Mental Health Crisis Responder: This on-call position would suit an experienced mental health professional looking for flexible, part-time scheduling. While performing crisis work, the pay is $25.79 per hour. While on-call and not actively working crisis, the pay is $2 per hour. Learn more here.

Seasonal Opportunities: La Crosse County currently has a range of seasonal opportunities available in our parks and with our Highway Department. Please share these opportunities with anyone who may be interested. More information at this link.