WHEREAS, bicycling is a healthy recreational activity that is important to Wisconsin's quality of life and economy;
NOW, THEREFORE, I, JIM DOYLE,
Governor of the State of Wisconsin by the authority vested in me by the Constitution and Laws of this State, and specifically by Wis. Stat. s. 14.019, do hereby:
1.
Re-create the governor's Bicycle Coordinating Council;
2.
Provide that the Council consists of not more that seventeen (17) members as follows:
a. The Secretaries of the Departments of Tourism, Natural Resources, Transportation, Public Instruction, Health and family Services, or their designees;
b. Director of the Department of Transportation, Bureau of Transportation Safety, or his or her designee;
c. Four legislative members, consisting of one member from each of the two most populous parties in both the Senate and Assembly, selected in the same manner as members are appointed to standing committees of those houses; and
d. Seven citizen members appointed by the Governor to serve at his pleasure with at least one elected or non-elected local official representing a county or community government;
3.
Provide that the Chairperson of the Council shall be designated by the Governor from among the Council's membership. At the initial meeting of the Council, such other officers as the Council may decide shall be elected;
4.
Direct the Council to consider all matters related to:
a. Unifying the efforts of state agencies in encouraging use of the bicycle as a form of transportation and recreation;:
b. Promoting bicycle safety, education and regulation;
c. Promoting bicycling as a tourist and recreational activity;
d. Creating safe and pleasant bicycling environments;
e. Promoting bicycling as a life-long activity - from childhood to adulthood;
f. Developing strategies to encourage bicycling use by children, especially for home-to-school trips and vice-versa;
g. Advocating for the development and maintenance of trails and bikeways;
h. Disseminating information to counties and municipalities about available state and federal funding for bicycle related activities and facilities; and
i. Reviewing the bicycle related programs of state agencies and making recommendations to assure a coordinated state bicycle program;
5.
Direct the Council to report annually to the Governor and the legislature with a review of state bicycle programs and to make recommendations on relevant legislation as needed;
6.
Provide that the Council may hold hearings and conduct studies necessary to evaluate and improve bicycle programs and may prepare reports to inform the public of its work;
7.
Direct the Department of Transportation to provide basic staff support to the Council, and all state agencies to provide information and assistance to the Council at its request; and
8.
Provide that the Council shall meet at least quarterly, and may meet more frequently at the call of the chair.
IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Great Seal of the State of Wisconsin to be affixed. Done at the Capitol in the City of Madison this seventeenth day of June, in the year two thousand four.
JIM DOYLE
Governor
By the governor:
DOUGLAS LA FOLLETTE
Secretary of State
Department of Regulation and Licensing
June 18, 2004
The Honorable, The Legislature:
Pursuant to Wisconsin Statutes s.
440.979, the Wisconsin Department of Regulation and Licensing submits its fifth annual report concerning the regulation of Home Inspectors in Wisconsin.
I am happy to answer any questions you may have concerning the contents.
Please contact me if additional information is needed.
Sincerely,
Donsia Strong Hill
Secretary
State of Wisconsin
Legislative Audit Bureau
June 22, 2004
The Honorable, The Legislature:
We are required by s.
13.94(1)(dm), Wis. Stats., to conduct an annual financial audit of State Fair Park. In 2003 (report 03-11), we were unable to render an audit opinion because State Fair Park could not provide complete and accurate financial statements for fiscal year (FY) 2001-02. State Fair Park later contracted with a private accounting firm to compile its financial statements for both FY 2001-02 and FY 2002-03. We have issued unqualified audit opinions for each year, and FY 2002-03 statements are included in this report. We also followed up on our 2003 recommendations regarding improvements to State Fair Park's financial operations.
In our 2003 report, we found that State Fair Park's financial condition continued to deteriorate through FY 2002-03, when total expenses, including a required $2.4 million lapse to the State's General Fund, exceeded revenues by $4.5 million. Our 2003 report also noted that poor business planning and overly optimistic financial projections for three fairgrounds activities or entities-the Milwaukee Mile, the new Wisconsin Exposition Center and the Pettit National Ice Center - contributed to State Fair Park's FY 2002-03 deficit. As we recommended, all three entities subsequently prepared business plans for 2004.
Considering these business plans, State Fair Park projects that in FY 2003-04, overall revenues will exceed expenses by nearly $195,000. However, through May 2004, total expenses exceeded revenues by $2.1 million. State Fair Park anticipates that additional revenue related to the August 2004 State Fair and two major racing events will be received in the last month of FY 2003-04. Its financial projections for FY 2003-04 also rely on a strong performance by the Milwaukee Mile, reduced losses from non-fair events, and significant revenues from sponsorships and naming rights. As State Fair Park moves forward, we believe initial 2004 business plans will need to be refined and modified to ensure financial projections are reasonable and that staffing issues for all entities are efficiently addressed.
We appreciate the courtesy and cooperation extended to us by the staff of State Fair Park. A response from State Fair Park's chief executive officer follows the appendix.
Sincerely,
Janice Mueller
State Auditor
State of Wisconsin
Ethics Board
June 22, 2004
The Honorable, The Senate:
The following lobbyists have been authorized to act on behalf of the organizations set opposite their names.
For more detailed information about these lobbyists and organizations and a complete list of organizations and people authorized to lobby the 2003 session of the legislature, visit the Ethics Board's web site at
http://ethics.state.wi.us
Havens, Ferron Wisconsin Agribusiness Council
Also available from the Wisconsin Ethics Board are reports identifying the amount and value of time state agencies have spent to affect legislative action and reports of expenditures for lobbying activities filed by organizations that employ lobbyists.
Sincerely,
R. Roth Judd
Director
__________________
State of Wisconsin
Office of the Governor
June 16, 2004
The Honorable, The Senate:
I am pleased to nominate and with the advice and consent of the Senate, do appoint Adelman, Elizabeth,
of Mukwonago, as a member of the State Historical Society Board of Curators, to serve for the term ending July 1, 2007.
Sincerely,
JIM DOYLE
Governor
Read and referred to committee on Higher Education and Tourism.
State of Wisconsin
Office of the Governor
June 18, 2004
The Honorable, The Senate:
I am pleased to nominate and with the advice and consent of the Senate, do appoint Foster
, Gregory,
of Neillsville, as a member of the Optometry Examining Board, to serve for the term ending July 1, 2007.
Sincerely,
JIM DOYLE
Governor
Read and referred to committee on Health, Children, Families, Aging and Long Term Care.
State of Wisconsin
Office of the Governor
June 16, 2004
The Honorable, The Senate:
I am pleased to nominate and with the advice and consent of the Senate, do appoint Gary
, George,
of Milwaukee, as a member of the Savings Institution Review Board, to serve for the term ending May 1, 2009.
Sincerely,
JIM DOYLE
Governor
