(Beaver Dam) Wisconsin’s next biennial budget will most likely include support for state prosecutors and public defenders. It is an issue that garnered state-wide attention when former Dodge County district attorney Kurt Klomberg announced his resignation. He noted that current staffing challenges are a result of the state’s failure to keep up with the appropriate compensation levels to attract new prosecution talent. Representative Mark Born of Beaver Dam says it is fairly likely it will be addressed in the next state budget. The governor also indicated that he will provide funding in his budget proposal.
(Juneau) Dodge County Sheriff Dale Schmidt says his agency is at about three-percent vacancies. He says a year ago, they were struggling to fill open jobs but now they are doing very well. Schmidt says the communications center is completely staffed while there is currently one vacancy in patrol and three at the jail, out of a possible 72 jobs. He says recent promotions will create a few other vacancies.
(Columbus) Columbus Schools superintendent Jacob Flood gave an update on the referendum passed in 2020. Voters approved the $30-million-dollar question that focused on elementary capacity, aging infrastructure, upgrades to the high school, and the acquisition of land for future development. Flood says about $18.5-million was put into the elementary school, $9.5-million into the high school, and $1-million for updates in the middle school. He says next steps for the $1-million-dollar land purchase will be discussed heavily between the city and school so that everyone involved is satisfied with the outcome.
(Beaver Dam) The Beaver Dam Area Community Foundation recently announced that over $23-thousand-dollars in grants will be disbursed to 18 Dodge County non-profits. Those organizations are New Beginnings Homeless Shelter; Beaver Dam Community Theatre; Beaver Dam Do Dads; Beaver Dam Lake Improvement Association; Beaverland Must-Skis; Bo William Hartwig Foundation; Church Health Services; Dodge County Conservation KAMO; Dodge County Home and Community Education; Friends of Clausen Park in Fox Lake; Living Hope Food Pantry; Red Line Club of Beaver Dam; Saint Katherine Drexel School Band Guild; The Arc of Dodge County; The Gathering Source; Waupun Fine Arts; Waupun Historical Society; and YMCA of Dodge County
(Green Lake County) Green Lake County Chief Deputy Matt Vande Kolk says the ice on area bodies of water is not safe. A Princeton man died after falling through the ice on the Fox River last Thursday. Vande Kolk says the man was likely looking for his dog. The chief deputy says what ice is on the river is very thin and there has not been much ice on Big Green or other area lakes. He recommends calling a sports shop or fishing club to check on ice conditions before you go out or check out the Lake-Link-dot-com website.
