The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources announced today that State Park passes may now be purchased online. Most of the State Park System is now open with restrictions. Previously passes needed to be ordered by telephone, but a new system has been developed to purchase passes online for the first time in state history. Passes may not be purchased at the state parks due to the pandemic crisis.

We will be attempting to cover more of the city and county government meetings by reporting briefly on them and making recordings when possible of the new online meetings. This is a recording of the 5/4/2020 Menomonie CIty Council Meeting, which was held as a Zoom conference. 

#000000; font-size: medium;">5A – proposed temporary trailer storage extensions for Stepping Stones – this is a temporary extension of 90 days. Passed by voice vote.

This morning Governor Evers declared a state of emergency due to wildfires in the state. 

“Our first priority is protecting the people of Wisconsin and this executive order helps us control existing wildfires and use all available state assets to prevent new ones from starting,” Gov. Evers said. “With the Wisconsin National Guard, we'll have the resources we need to appropriately assist in potential wildfire response and recovery efforts.”

#000000; font-size: medium;">The hours at the Boyceville, Colfax and Elk Mound Area Collection Stations will be temporarily extended due to the COVID-19 pandemic effective Wednesday, April 8, 2020. The extended hours are being provided at the request of residents, and to encourage safe social distancing practices at the collection sites.

Items of particular interest on tonight's agenda:

Public Comments:

Registered speaker speaks against approving the WASB Resolution on the Retirement of Native American Mascots, asking board members to abstain.

Roberts Rules of Order for Considering Resolutions:

The monthly Special Board Meeting was held on Monday, 11/26/2018 at 5:30 PM. This meeting discussed budget plans, and also included a discussion on board leadership, and an election of new board officers, as suggested at the last meeting.  The board agenda and board policy on leadership are attached. Notes on the meeting are below, and the video of the meeting will be added some time Tuesday afternoon.

Meeting Notes - 

School referendums around Wisconsin have been steadily increasing in the 2010s, particularly years when a general election is held. In 2017, the state Legislature enacted Act 59, a biennial budget bill that limits a school board from approving no more than two resolutions in one year authorizing school funding increases. But it has not slowed the number of school districts that have chosen to go to referendum in 2018.

The Menomonie School District will conduct strategic listening sessions at different times and places in the next few weeks: