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• Pierce County looks at 3.13 percent levy increase
• Three young adults charged with burglary

By Judy Wiff

ELLSWORTH -- In a way, preparation of Pierce County's 2010 budget was simpler than some years.

With a state-mandated levy limit, union raises already set, higher health insurance costs and an increase in the county's contribution to employee retirement accounts, there was little left to divvy up.

"How many nickels and dimes can you really argue about?" summarized County Board Chairman Paul Barkla Thursday. He said department heads and the county board members who serve on their parent committees got the message that times are tough and presented budgets accordingly.

The County Board is expected to adopt the 2010 budget during its Nov. 10 meeting.

The county property tax levy for operations will rise from $13.67 million to $14.1 million, an increase of 3.127 percent.

Because of negotiated contracts, the cost of employee wages will be about 2.75 percent more next year than this year, said Finance Director Julie Brickner.

Health insurance costs will increase 12 percent or about $640,000.

Following declines in investment returns, the Wisconsin Retirement System increased the contribution the county must make for each employee by one percent, an added cost of about $125,000 a year.

Pierce County's 2010 budget includes no funds for new positions, and two jobs that are in the budget, remain unfilled. Decisions on filling the jobs of assistant director in the Public Health Department and administrative coordinator are pending.

The 2010 budget contains $89,000 for salary and benefits for assistant public health and $140,000 is in the budget for administrative coordinator costs.

In a departure from other years, the County Board didn't give departments directives to either cut or hold budgets by a particular percentage.

Still, initial requests came in well, said Barkla.

"I think (department leaders) have really been very, very responsible," he said.

"They were very realistic," agreed Brickner.

These are the increases for the three largest departments: Sheriff's Department, 4.6 percent; Highway Department, 2.4 percent; and Human Services, 1.4 percent.

In June Bricker told County Board members they would need a property tax levy of $12.4 million just to maintain existing programs and personnel. That was before the full impact of health insurance and retirement contribution increases were known.

Also a multi-year average for annual capital equipment and improvements, special projects and contingency fund has been $1.8 million. The budget that will be presented to the County Board next week dips into those three accounts, leaving the total for all three at $1.4 million.

While taking $400,000 from those accounts this year is doable, it's a one-year fix, said Brickner.

"At some point something's got to give," she said, adding that the Finance and Personnel Committee will seriously look at all possibilities next year to make up that gap.

In January 2008, the county borrowed $3.9 million with the intention of using the money to tackle a list of about 40 maintenance projects, large and small. As committees got further into the planning and bidding process, estimates climbed.

At this point it appears the borrowed money will cover only seven or eight of the projects, said Barkla.

"We still have needs," said Brickner, predicting that remaining projects will have to be done through future budgets.

Library cuts

The county's library tax, an assessment on property owners in areas that don't have their own municipal library, will drop from $432,000 to $400,000.

Joanne Baier, the county's part-time librarian, is retiring. The county's Library Board is proposing not refilling that job. Plans are to transfer management of municipal library subsidies to the county clerk and to continue just the Books-By-Mail program.

The draft 2010 budget anticipates $1,525,000 in sales tax revenue, which is a little less than budgeted in 2009.

"We're being optimistic," admitted Brickner of the sales tax estimate, noting that actual receipts are falling short of projections this year.

But, said Brickner, when the state distributed an unexpected sales tax adjustment a few years ago, the county set that money aside. The county will dip into that account this year and can do that again in 2010.

No layoffs, no furloughs

While other levels of government have laid off employees or mandated unpaid furloughs, the county hopes to avoid that, said Barkla.

He said the best way to save on personnel costs is to evaluate jobs as they come open through retirement or people moving on.

For example, he said, an employee retired this year from the Highway Department and that job was not refilled.

By Jason Schulte, RiverTowns staff

Three people in their early 20's were charged last month in Pierce County Circuit Court with burglary and attempted burglary.

Valerie K. Vorwald, 21, Roberts, Justin D. Krizan, 20, Hammond, and Andrew J. Grisell, 20, Sarasota, Fla., are looking at a maximum $37,500 fine and nearly 19 years prison if convicted of both felonies.

The charges originate from an incident Oct. 28 in which the Pierce County Sheriff's Department was called to a burglary at W4709 710th Ave. in the Town of River Falls. Daniel Frigo reported in the criminal complaint a red Sears Craftsman riding lawnmower, a red Swisher brand trail mower, a camouflage hunting chair and three red five-gallon gas cans were missing. Sheriff's deputies also noted in their reports several doorknobs were taken and found in a burn barrel.

The following day, deputies were dispatched to that address again for an attempted burglary, as Frigo reported there was a truck at the house. The truck left as deputies were nearing the house, but they were able to stop it.

Vorwald and Krizan were the two individuals identified in the truck. Vorwald said she and Krizan were going to take a look at that house, as she and her father recently purchased it. She also stated she brought along the keys to see if they would work and, all of a sudden, she was being shot at.

For more please read the Nov. 11 print version of the Herald.