County Board a “rubber stamp” for $95M?

Tonight the Personnel and Finance Committee will meet to discuss several items but among them is spending FEMA emergency funds and $95M in CARES funding, but the decisions have already been made and the funding is already being spent.

WHAT’S ON THE AGENDA?

The Personnel and Finance Committee has several items on their agenda that we have read about in the paper, but this is the first time a county board committee is meeting to discuss them and actually authorize the spending.  After the public has been promised the funding, leaving no choice for the county board supervisors but to approve.  What if they didn’t approve these things?  And what if they are aware of other priorities that might not be getting addressed.  How would they get a portion of that $95M for priorities they see in the community?  How would the public let their concerns be known?

5:30 PM Personnel & Finance Committee Remote Meeting: Call 1-877-309-2073; Access Code 461-516-349

• APPROVING AN ADDENDUM TO A CONTRACT FOR AN EMERGENCY SMALL BUSINESS ASSISTANCE GRANT PROGRAM

  • Dane County launches grant program to support local businesses – Badger Herald

• AWARDING CONTRACT TO S AND J HOME CARE, LLC DCDHS – HAA DIVISION

• AMENDING CONTRACT TO FOCUS COUNSELING INC. DCDHS – HAA DIVISION

• AUTHORIZING CONTRACTS TO PER MAR SECURITY AND RESEARCH CORP. AND STAR PROTECTION AND PATROL LLC DCDHS HAA DIVISION

• INCREASING STAFF FOR PUBLIC HEALTH MADISON AND DANE COUNTY DUE TO THE COVID-19 HEALTH EMERGENCY

• APPROVING A SECOND ADDENDUM TO A CONTRACT FOR AN EMERGENCY SMALL BUSINESS ASSISTANCE GRANT PROGRAM

• ESTABLISHING A COVID-19 FOOD PROGRAM AND APPROVING A CONTRACT WITH SECOND HARVEST FOOD BANK TO PURCHASE AND DISTRIBUTE FOOD TO DANE COUNTY FOOD PANTRIES

Mostly these are things that the county board would have no choice but to support.  However, if the County is getting $95M in CARES funding, shouldn’t the county board meet, discuss where the funding should go, state some priorities, have a minimal process to determine which businesses/agencies get the funding and at least appear to take public input.  This isn’t a $10,000 here and a $100,000 there.  This is more than $95 million dollars!!

WHAT ARE THEY APPROVING?

More than $10M for small businesses

• APPROVING AN ADDENDUM TO A CONTRACT FOR AN EMERGENCY SMALL BUSINESS ASSISTANCE GRANT PROGRAM
  • This was increasing the contract with Dane Buy Local from $250,000 to $800,000.  I can’t tell from the fiscal note where the money is coming from, but the resolution says that “account CDCOMRLF 2145326  “Loan Expenditures” be decreased by $550,000”. What account is that?
  • There were articles on this before, but they were older and I didn’t find them.
• APPROVING A SECOND ADDENDUM TO A CONTRACT FOR AN EMERGENCY SMALL BUSINESS ASSISTANCE GRANT PROGRAM
  • The initial funding above didn’t get approved and already there is a second resolution  to that contract for $10 million more in addition to the first half a million dollars.  This time the fiscal note is clear it is coming from the CARES ACT which is the $95M that the county is getting.
  • Here’s all the articles from yesterday announcing the program

    • Dane County to increase funding for small businesses pandemic support program – DeForest Times-Tribune

    • Dane Co. adds $10 million to small business COVID-19 support program – WMTV
    • Funding for Dane County small business support program to increase by $10 million – State Journal
    • Dane County increases funding for small business grants by $10 million – Channel3000.com
    • Dane County adds $10 million to small business support program – WKOW
    • Dane Co. leaders announce additional $10M for small business support program – Channel3000.com

$3M for food

• ESTABLISHING A COVID-19 FOOD PROGRAM AND APPROVING A CONTRACT WITH SECOND HARVEST FOOD BANK TO PURCHASE AND DISTRIBUTE FOOD TO DANE COUNTY FOOD PANTRIES
  • This resolution is for $1M/month to provide food for May, June and July.  The fiscal note says “This resolution authorizes the execution of a contract in the amount of $3 million with Second Harvest Food Bank for the purchase of food and distribution of that food to local food pantries. This expenditure is supported with Federal CARES Act revenue”
  • Articles from last Thursday about this
    • Dane Co. to provide $3 million in funding for Second Harvest – WMTV
    • Dane County provides $3 million to support foodbank operations – Waunakee Times
    • Dane County directs $3 million to Second Harvest food bank– Cap Times
    • A ‘win-win’: Dane County giving $3 million to stock pantries with food from local farmers – State Journal
    • $3 million from Dane County to bolster food pantries – WKOW
    • Dane County Giving $3 Million to Bolster Second Harvest Foodbank Operations During COVID-19 Pandemic

Public Health Staff

• INCREASING STAFF FOR PUBLIC HEALTH MADISON AND DANE COUNTY DUE TO THE COVID-19 HEALTH EMERGENCY
  • This funding is for the following:
    • 1.0 FTE Public Health Communications Coordinator P10 $62,388
    • 1.0 FTE Health Education Coordinator P10 $62,388
    • 2.0 FTE Public Health Nurses G18 $123,008
    • 4.0 FTE Disease Intervention Specialists G14 $196,284
    • The department has also identified a need for discretionary funding of $250,000 to assist with persons who are required to quarantine due to a positive COVID-19 test.
  • The resolution says “Funding for the additional staff and quarantine funds for fiscal year 2020 can be provided from the COVID Relief funds received by Dane County.”  To me its unclear if this is FEMA or CARES Act funding.  The fiscal note isn’t clear.
  • Here’s the articles announcing what is happening, mostly from last Wednesday
    • Dane County plans to hire 8 people for public health department with federal dollars – Channel3000.com
    • Dane County, City of Madison to Amend 2020 Budgets to Increase Public Health COVID-19 Response – Dane County
    • Dane County puts federal money toward public health – Channel3000.com
    • Madison, Dane County partner to expand public health budgets – WKOW

Homeless Shelter Services

• AWARDING CONTRACT TO S AND J HOME CARE, LLC DCDHS – HAA DIVISION – This resolution is $250,000 for April and May for 2 Bright Star nurses (7am – 7pm 7 days a week) for the medical hotel for people without homes.  What happens in June?  The fiscal note does not say where the funding is coming from but is says “no budget effect”, I’m presuming this is FEMA funds, but I could be wrong?  I also understood that FEMA funds pay 75%, and I’m guessing the other 25% is coming from the CARES Act?  Totally guessing, can’t tell from the info.  The contract wasn’t available when the Health and Human Needs committee discussed this item.

• AMENDING CONTRACT TO FOCUS COUNSELING INC. DCDHS – HAA DIVISION – This resolution is staffing of the 5 (or 6? or 7?) hotels for people without homes (families, over 65 or underlying conditions or having symptoms). This also ends on June 1, so what happens on June 2?  the contract is increasing the $411,054 contract by $134,000 to $545,054 for the months of April and May.  This is costs $272,527 per month. Again, the fiscal note does not indicate where the money is coming from just that they are “one time funds” and there is “no budget effect.”  See note above about my guesses of where the money is coming from.  And again, the contract wasn’t available when the Health and Human Needs committee discussed this item.

• These 7 contracts were not put out for competitive bid.  For the first two I’m not concerned, the last 5 are a concern.  We don’t need security for people without homes when we don’t have COVID-19, why do we need it now?  Why security, why not services (case managers, social workers, etc)?
• Here’s some of the articles on homeless funding:
  • • :County invests in support for homeless – Waunakee Tribune
    • Dane County has invested more than $1.8 million in homelessness services since start of coronavirus pandemic – Madison 365
    • Dane County Has Invested Over $1.8 Million in Homelessness Services Since Start of COVID-19 Pandemic – Dane County
    • Dane County donates over $1.8 M to homelessness services since beginning of COVID-19 – Channel3000.com
    • Dane Co. has invested more than $1.8 million in homeless services since start of COVID-19 – WKOW

OTHER ITEMS

Filing Briefs

Executive Committee and the County Board have this on their agendas for Thursday

• Dane County attorneys to file briefs in support of Evers’ Safer at Home order – Badger Herald
• County to file legal briefs to support Safer at Home order – Waunkee Tribune
• County Executive Parisi’s Statement on Amicus Brief Supporting Wisconsin’s Safer at Home Orders – Dane County

County “adopts” Climate Change Plan?

See blog post ^ on this subject.

• Dane County’s Office of Energy & Climate Change releases first county-wide Climate Action Plan – Badger Herald
• Parisi announces climate plan for Dane County – WKOW
• Dane County adopts first community-wide climate action plan – Channel3000.com
• Dane County Adopts First Community-Wide Climate Action Plan – Dane County
• Dane County climate plan lays out path to cutting some — not all — greenhouse gas emissions – State Journal
• Dane County plan outlines strategy to confront climate change – Cap Times

Artist’s Fund

Haven’t seen anything official on this yet.

• Dane County announces COVID-19 grant program to support local artists – Cambridge News and Deerfield Independent
• Newly created DANG! program provides $15,000 grant for working artists in Dane County – Channel3000.com
• Dane County Announces Grant Program to Support Local Artists During COVID-19   Pandemic – Dane County

WHY THESE PRIORITIES

Here’s a few things that haven’t gotten the same attention as those above.

JAIL

• ‘It’s very stressful’: Inmate’s family concerned as Dane County Jail works to contain COVID-19 spread – Channel3000.com
• Dane County Sheriff to test all deputies, staff for COVID-19 after jail outbreak – Cap Times
• 16 more inmates in Dane County Jail test positive for COVID-19, many asymptomatic – State Journal
• Dane County Sheriff’s Office to begin agency-wide testing for coronavirus; 16 additional inmates test positive. – Channel3000.com
• All inmates, essential staff at Dane County Jail to get COVID-19 tests – WKOW

PFAS/F-35s

• Environmental group finds ‘significantly elevated’ levels of PFAS in creek sediments – Channel3000.com
• Pass County Board Resolution 548 OPPOSING F-35s – Safe Skies Clean Waters

RACIAL EQUITY

• Hmmmmm, haven’t seen anything on this?

WHAT IS THE RIGHT AMOUNT TO SPEND?

So, what amount should be spent on small businesses?  Will the $10M be enough?  What about $3M for food, does $1M cover the needs for food in our community?  What other needs might we have and who is balancing the needs and funding available to determine what should be spent where?

WHAT NEXT?

It looks like the county will be spending at least $13M of the $95M the county is getting, where will the other $82M go?  Will we just wait for a press release to tell us what is decided?  Will the county board have a meaningful discussion and public input process on this?  Who will decide?