By Heather Graves
Correspondent
BROWN COUNTY – The county board put their unanimous support behind the southern De Pere bridge plan, which is once again gaining momentum.
At their meeting Wednesday, Oct. 16, supervisors voted to reallocate $600,000 from the Highway ZZ account to fund half of the environmental impact study for the southern bridge – the first step needed to advance the project.
Affected communities De Pere and Ledgeview have already pledged their financial support for the study.
The Town of Lawrence is expected to voted on the issue later this month.
Public Works Director Paul Fontecchio said the work on Highway ZZ for 2019 is essentially complete, except for some paving that will be done next year after the road settles some.
“We have $2.3 million left for that project,” Fontecchio said. “We’re not going to come close to needing $2.3 million to finish that project.”
In a letter County Executive Troy Streckenbach received earlier this month from the state Department of Transportation, it confirmed the state will design and build the interchange if the county completes the environmental impact study for the project and receives confirmation of the Record of Decision that identifies the preferred location for the bridge and interchange by October 2020.
“This is a game changer, a major milestone regarding our progress on the southern bridge,” Streckenbach said.
Lobbyist registration ordinance approved
Lobbyists are now required to register with the county before engaging in any lobbying of Brown County elected officials, committees, boards or staff.
The ordinance would require lobbyists to complete a Lobbyist Registration Form and pay a registration fee of $20.
Prior to the vote, District 9 Supervisor Patrick Evans proposed an amendment to the ordinance to include all county staff, which received majority support.
“Lobbyists that want to get things done go after the bureaucrats or the employees,” Evans said. “There is a lot to be said about identifying them.”
Under the new ordinance, lobbyists will be required to identify themselves as such and who they represent before addressing any employee of the county.
Anyone in violation would be required to pay a fine of $100, per violation.
The Brown County Corporation Counsel office is in charge of enforcing the ordinance.
The ordinance passed in a 21 to 2 vote, with Supervisors Patrick Buckley and Dave Landwehr voting no.
Supervisors Andy Nicholson, Bernie Erickson and Dave Kaster were absent.