$3 million Highway Funding Boost

Since 2021, La Crosse County has committed just under $8 million to projects that address homelessness. Some of that spending went to emergency programs, like providing motel rooms during the COVID-19 pandemic. But most of the funding has been invested in longer term solutions, such as the $3 million provided to Catholic Charities and Couleecap to house unsheltered families. A new city-county homelessness plan is also currently being developed that will have a goal of reaching "functional zero" homelessness in La Crosse County within five years. We'll share updates as that plan is rolled out. In the meantime, read a fact sheet on the county's efforts to reduce homelessness here.

Our Facilities team planted 800 tree seedlings at county parks this year but sadly a large number did not survive due to the drought. The drought came after floods earlier in the year, which also impacted plans. To increase the survival odds for trees scheduled for planting next year, Parks Supervisor Jamie Rupple and our hardworking grounds crew created a nursery (pictured) at Veterans Memorial Park. This will help protect and strengthen stock for planting in 2024. Jamie says the goal is to get to 40% canopy cover in our campgrounds at Veterans and Goose Island and provide pockets of shade in other high use areas. The trees being planted are Wisconsin natives, or cultivars of native species, and include some fruit trees, which will provide food for wildlife (and people!). Well done to Jamie and team for learning from this year's difficult conditions and continuing to support more tree planting.

Bob Gollnik has been appointed as the Executive Director of the La Crosse Area Planning Committee (LAPC). He takes over from Peter Fletcher, who is retiring at the end of this year. Bob has more than 20 years of experience working in private and public sector transportation and has a Master's Degree in Urban and Regional Planning from UW-Madison. The LAPC is the designated Metropolitan Planning Organization for the La Crosse, WI-La Crescent, Mn. Urbanized Area and provides a forum for local decision-making on various transportation issues. This means developing regional transportation plans and advocating for improvements in our region's transportation systems. Learn more about the LAPC here.

Free radon kits are being distributed at the Health Department (300 4th St. N., La Crosse) and all La Crosse County Library Branches (Onalaska, Holmen, Campbell, West Salem, Bangor) during November, which is Lung Cancer Awareness Month. We are encouraging anyone who comes to pick up a free kit to bring a non-perishable food item with them for donation to Hunger Task Force of La Crosse. The Health Department is open from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday to Friday. View county library opening hours and locations here.

As we get closer to final approval of the county's 2024 budget, here's a look at how our funding is divided up between different spending categories. As you can see in the chart, pay and benefits for county employees make up the largest chunk of county spending at just over 45%. The proposed budget includes a 3% raise for employees and no increase in health insurance premiums. Some ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act) funding is still included in the budget but will be gone in the coming years once we've spent all $22.9 million the county received through the 2021 federal bill. The final numbers in this chart may change a little ahead of the budget's final approval, which is scheduled for the Nov. 13 county board meeting.

$1.4 Million in Electricity Savings

Robin Kadrmas and her team at the La Crosse County Register of Deeds Office never stop cultivating good ideas. For Halloween this year they dressed up as spring, in the form of gardener Robin and her four flowers. It's the opposite of spooky, but we love it!

Blood Donors Needed

Our November blood drive is Thursday (Nov. 2) from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the Health and Human Services Building in downtown La Crosse. The drive is open to the public. Please consider signing up here. You'll get free snacks and more importantly your donation will help local people who need blood. Walk-ins are also welcome.

Last Thursday was the annual Safety Day at the La Crosse County Highway Department, which means a full day of training for staff on a range of topics. This included training on plow driving, CPR, and various work processes. Well done to the Highway team for prioritizing the safety of the public and each other!

Aging and Disability Resource Centers are celebrating their 25th anniversary in Wisconsin. La Crosse County was one of nine pilot counties for ADRCs when the program was launched in 1998. We are proud of the ADRC of La Crosse County's continued importance in helping our friends, neighbors and loved ones remain connected and engaged in their communities. Read the Wisconsin Department of Health Services news release on the 25th anniversary of ADRCs at this link.

La Crosse County Finance Director Lanae Nickelotti was recently named as one of the 2023 7 Rivers Alliance Rising Stars Under 40. Lanae was recognized during a special reception Oct. 19 at the La Crescent Event Center. Read more about Lanae's well-deserved award here.

The county's interactive mapping application run by our Zoning and Land Information Dept. surpassed 1 million views last week. The site gets an average of 500 views a day and map layers include municipalities, tax parcels, addresses, subdivisions, contours, rivers, roads and soils. Click here to check it out!

Veteran on How Writing Helps Mental Health

Vietnam veteran Doug Bradley will present “Writing their Way Home: Veteran Stories and Survival” at the Onalaska Library on Tuesday, Nov. 7 at 1 p.m. Doug, an author and founding member of The Deadly Writers Patrol magazine, will talk about how writing helps veterans return to themselves, their families, and their communities. This free program is sponsored by the 2023 Driftless Regional Read. Register for the event here.