County's Strong Financial Position

La Crosse County ended 2025 in a strong financial position, with a $24.8 million general fund balance and a 12% reduction in debt (from $59.1 million to $51.8 million).

The $24.8 million reserve equals about half of the County’s annual general fund spending. County policy requires minimum reserves of between 25% and 50% of annual general fund expenditures to ensure a healthy rainy‑day fund. The reserve is also used to fund capital and other non-recurring expenditures.

County debt, which comes from major infrastructure projects like buildings and highways, has dropped by about one‑third since 2020. At the same time, the County invested $30.7 million in capital projects last year, including $12.5 million for highways and $12.7 million in renovations at Hillview.

Director of Finance Lanae Nickelotti shared these updates with the County Board’s Executive Committee earlier this month. She also reported that department budgets are on track for 2026, while noting rising gasoline prices (up 35–50% since April) and increasing employee health care costs as areas to watch.

Celebrating CNAs

Lakeview celebrated CNA Week 2026 with an ice cream treat to recognize its Certified Nursing Assistants. La Crosse County employs many CNAs at Lakeview in West Salem and Hillview in La Crosse, both of which provide long-term care for older adults and people with disabilities in our community. Please join in thanking our CNAs for the important work they do every day with compassion and professionalism.

A total of 1,095 La Crosse County residents participated in a survey of county services conducted earlier this year by the University of Wisconsin–La Crosse Department of Political Science and Public Administration. The survey measured awareness and satisfaction across 10 county services. As the first baseline assessment, it will help guide the development of an annual survey in the years ahead in support of the County's Strategic Plan. Read the full survey report here.

Highway Construction Hits the Gas

La Crosse County Highway Commissioner Joe Langeberg recently provided an update on current highway projects, with construction season in full swing.

• The OT roundabout project in the Town of Onalaska is underway and approximately 30% complete.
• The County Highway NN project, spanning 3.4 miles in the Towns of Washington and Greenfield, is 35% complete.
• The County Highway JB project, covering 2.9 miles in the Town of Washington, has reached 80% completion.
• The County Highway XX project, a carryover project in the Town of Holland, is expected to be finished within the next one to two weeks.

Looking ahead, work on the four mile County Highway YY project, from YY to M, is scheduled to begin in August. In July, 20 miles of county highways will be chip sealed as part of ongoing preventive maintenance.

In total, the county is investing $13.9 million in highway improvements in 2026 to pave 11 miles of roadway and further enhance road quality. Since 2021, strong investments have reduced the number of county highway miles rated “poor” by 68%, from 53 miles to just 17.

Snapped: River Valley Raptors at Goose Island

Big and small raptors were on display during the visit of River Valley Raptors at our Goose Island Campground last Saturday with about 150 people in attendance. Thanks to Jason Schmitz, Campground Supervisor, for capturing this picture.

Perfect FoodShare Score

La Crosse County Economic Support staff posted a 0% error rate for FoodShare payments from October through December 2025.

The perfect score keeps our FoodShare error rate far below the 6% threshold set by the federal government. Starting in 2028, states with error rates higher than 6% will be at risk of losing federal funding.

La Crosse County leads the Western Region for Economic Assistance, which serves an average of 55,064 people across eight counties (Buffalo, Clark, Jackson, La Crosse, Monroe, Pepin, Trempealeau, and Vernon). The consortium helps individuals and families access healthcare, food assistance, childcare support, and energy assistance.

Staff are also performing strongly in other areas. From January through March 2026, Economic Support staff answered calls in an average of 7.9 minutes, beating the state benchmark of under 10 minutes. Timely processing also remained high, with 98.4% of applications and 98.2% of renewals completed on time, both above the state’s 95% benchmark.

Youth Art Winners

Ava Beach (left) and Brynlee Ammerman (right) took first and second spot in the youth category of our 175th Anniversary Art Contest. They joined our awards ceremony last week. Watch our social media for more pictures from the event. You can also check out News 8's story here.

Mattress Diversion Returns; New Paint Recycling

Our Solid Waste Department is launching two new programs.

First, a latex paint recycling program through Amazon Paint. The Household Hazardous Materials Facility receives over 100,000 pounds of paint each year, and much of it previously had to be disposed of. Now, reusable paint will be recycled and sold through the program. Please drop off any latex paint you can’t use at the facility at the landfill (3200 Berlin Drive, La Crosse). Post-processed paints can be found at Habitat for Humanity on Highway 16.

Secondly, Solid Waste is restarting the mattress diversion program. After a pause in 2024, Solid Waste has partnered with Green Circle Recycling to accept mattresses for diversion at the landfill. The fee is $10 plus 6 cents per pound (a lower cost than landfilling).

Learn more about our Solid Waste Department in their 2025 Impact Report here.

132 Donors Have Joined Homes for 100

A total of 132 people have now donated to Homes for 100, our campaign to house 100 homeless people in La Crosse. Funds raised go to the Pathways Held Lease and Rent Support Fund at La Crosse Area Community Foundation. We now have a total of $120,000 available for the program, which includes donations from employees, members of the public, and local organizations.

It can cost up to $15,000 to house one person for a year, putting our overall campaign goal at $1.5 million. Participants will be paired with effective support services and will contribute 30% of their income toward rent.

Watch for more updates and please considering joining the effort by donating a minimum of $10 here.

Business Grants Awarded

La Crosse County’s Economic Development Advisory Committee recently awarded two Innovation and Diversification grants.

• A $10,000 grant was awarded to Acton Midwest, an early childhood education center in Onalaska, to support an expansion that will double its enrollment capacity from six to twelve children.
• Three Brothers Bat Co., a wood baseball bat manufacturer in West Salem, received a $5,000 grant to purchase a new engraving machine, build out a paint booth, and acquire a radar machine.

Acquisition and Demolition grants, which support housing projects, are also available. The next application deadline is June 30. Grants of up to $50,000 are available for single‑family projects and up to $100,000 for multifamily projects. Learn more here.

Meet Local Critters and Slithery Friends

The Critter Mobile, a traveling environmental education program suitable for all ages, will visit Goose Island at 1 p.m., Saturday, June 27. The event is free and open to all and will take place at the Goose Island Campground Pavilion (behind the Campground Store). Come to learn about our local fauna.

Meanwhile, Bluff Country Snakes will be at Veterans Memorial Park in West Salem at 2 p.m. on Saturday, June 27, at Shelter Number 2 in the campground. This is an opportunity to meet some native snakes and learn about their role in our ecosystem. Free with no registration required and open to all.