• The first year of implementation of the new groundwater legislation
2003 Wisconsin Act 310. The Groundwater Advisory Committee continued to meet regularly and made significant progress on groundwater management areas and other issues. DNR secured funding, hired staff and took several steps to implement the new law.
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• Key groundwater information and education publications were revised including
Groundwater: Wisconsin's Buried Treasure a Natural Resources Magazine insert, and the
Groundwater Study Guide, a popular DNR publication for teachers. Additionally, agency and UW staff supported teacher workshops, a groundwater festival for students, Farm Technology Days, county groundwater programs and other educational outreach opportunities.
• The UW Water Resources Library put online many UW and DNR monitoring and research final reports. The reports are included in the widely accessible UW Ecology and Natural Resources Digital Collection
http://digital.library.wisc.edu/ 1711.dl/EcoNatRes.Groundwater.
We hope you will find this report to be a useful reference in protecting Wisconsin's valuable groundwater resource.
Sincerely,
Todd Ambs
Chair
University of Wisconsin System
September 1, 2006
The Honorable, The Legislature:
Please find enclosed a corrected copy of the report required under s.
36.55, Wisconsin Statutes, for the period of July 1, 2004 to June 30, 2006, which was forwarded to you yesterday by UW System President Reilly. This corrected copy adds a notation in the first footnote relating to "notices of claim." The data presented in the table is unaffected. We apologize for any inconvenience.
Sincerely,
Christopher Ashley
Senior System Legal Counsel
State of Wisconsin
Department of Health and Family Services
September 1, 2006
The Honorable, The Senate:
Section
227.485(9) of the Wis. Stats. requires the Department to submit a report concerning decisions and resulting payments of attorney fees and related legal costs. Attorney fees and other legal costs are to be paid whenever the opposing party to an agency's Chapter
227 hearing prevails and it is determined the agency's position was not substantially justified. The attached report reflects payments made during SFY2006.
In addition, under 814.245(10) of the Wis. Stats., the Department is required to report any awards granted to the Department regarding frivolous motions brought against this Department. In SFY 2006, no motions of opposing parties were found to be frivolous. Consequently, the Department has no awards to report.
Sincerely,
Helene Nelson
Secretary
Referred to committee on Health, Children, Families, Aging and Long Term Care.
State of Wisconsin
Public Service Commission
September 8, 2006
The Honorable, The Senate:
Enclosed is a copy of the annual report the Public Service Commission (Commission) shall submit to the legislature as provided for in Wis. Stat. s.
1.11(2)(j). It reports on the number and type of proposed actions requiring the preparation of an environmental assessment or an environmental impact statement by the Commission between July 1, 2005 and June 30, 2006.
If you have any questions about this report, please contact our Environmental Analysis and Review Coordinator, Kathleen Zuelsdorff at (608) 266-2730.
Sincerely,
Daniel R. Ebert
Chairperson
State of Wisconsin
Ethics Board
September 12, 2006
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 2005-2006 session of the legislature, visit the Ethics Board's web site at
http://ethics.state.wi.us
Cohn, Todd National Association of Professional Employer Organizations
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
Executive Director
State of Wisconsin
Department of Natural Resources
September 13, 2006
The Honorable, The Senate:
As required by s.
292.25, Wis. Stats., the Department of Natural Resources is pleased to submit the attached report regarding the status of the Voluntary party Liability Exemption (VPLE) environmental cleanup process. As required by law, this report is being submitted to the Governor, the Department of Administration, and the Legislature. If you have any questions regarding this report, please contact Darsi Foss from my staff at (608) 267-6713.
Sincerely,
Scott Hassett
Secretary
State of Wisconsin
Legislative Audit Bureau
September 13, 2006
The Honorable, The Legislature:
We have completed financial audits of Mendota and Winnebago Mental Health Institutes for the period July 1, 2004, through June 30, 2005. The audits were requested by the Department of Health and Family Services to comply with requirements of the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations. We were able to express an unqualified opinion on each Institute's financial statements.
Mendota and Winnebago Mental Health Institutes are licensed and accredited hospitals that provide specialized diagnostic, evaluation, and treatment services for mentally ill children and adults. The Institutes also provide services to forensic patients referred to them through the criminal justice system. The Institutes are funded through a mix of general purpose revenue and program revenue.
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Each Institute reported a net loss for fiscal year 2004-05. Mendota reported a loss of $2.6 million, and Winnebago reported a loss of $1.7 million. In each case, operating revenues did not increase enough to offset increases in operating expenses, such as salary and fringe benefit costs. The Department increased daily patient rates effective October 1, 2005, and it anticipates another rate increase effective October 1, 2006.
As part of our audit, we reviewed the administration of approximately $405,000 in client funds by the Program of Assertive Community Treatment, an outpatient unit of Mendota. To assist clients in managing their own money, staff receive and disburse funds on their behalf. In accepting client funds, the State is responsible for ensuring proper controls are in place to reduce the risks of error or misappropriation. We identified internal control concerns related to client funds administered by the Program of Assertive Community Treatment, including a lack of separation of duties and inadequate documentation.
We appreciate the courtesy and cooperation extended to us by Department of Health and Family Services staff during our audit. A response from the Department follows our report.
Sincerely,
Janice Mueller
State Auditor
__________________
Motions Under Senate Rule 98 and Joint Rule 7
for the Month of August 2006
A certificate of congratulations by the Wisconsin Senate on the motion of Senator Fitzgerald, for Troy and Penny Ashburn, on the occasion of being the 2006 Gemuetlichkeit King and Queen.
A certificate of congratulations by the Wisconsin Senate on the motion of Senator Hansen, for Elna Baehr, on the occasion of celebrating her 102nd Birthday shared with family and friends.
A certificate of commendation by the Wisconsin Senate on the motion of Senator Lasee, for Matthew Bollom, on the occasion of earning and attaining the rank of the Eagle Scout Award.
A certificate of commendation by the Wisconsin Senate on the motion of Senator Ellis, for Quinn Bongers, on the occasion of earning and attaining the rank of the Eagle Scout Award.
A certificate of congratulations by the Wisconsin Legislature on the motion of Senator Harsdorf, for Erik Bowitz, on the occasion of earning and attaining the rank of the Eagle Scout Award.
A certificate of commendation by the Wisconsin Legislature on the motion of Senator Erpenbach, for the City of Brodhead, on the occasion of celebrating their Sesquicentennial anniversary.
A certificate of commendation by the Wisconsin Senate on the motion of Senator Lazich, for Jaymes Burns, on the occasion of earning and attaining the rank of the Eagle Scout Award.
A certificate of commendation by the Wisconsin Senate on the motion of Senator Risser, for James Campbell, on the occasion of earning and attaining the rank of the Eagle Scout Award.
A certificate of congratulations by the Wisconsin Senate on the motion of Senator Breske, for John Caskey, on the occasion of being presented with the National Weather Service 2006 John Campanius Holm Award.
A certificate of commendation by the Wisconsin Senate on the motion of Senator Lazich, for Matthew Craig, on the occasion of earning and attaining the rank of the Eagle Scout Award.
A certificate of commendation by the Wisconsin Senate on the motion of Senator Decker, for Irene E. Fallon, on the occasion of her many years of service as the Executive Director of Stepping Stone Inc., and thank her for her years of dedication.
A certificate of commendation by the Wisconsin Senate on the motion of Senator Lazich, for Andrew John Genz, on the occasion of earning and attaining the rank of the Eagle Scout Award.
A certificate of congratulations by the Wisconsin Senate on the motion of Senator Decker, for Nils Alan Hansen, on the occasion of earning and attaining the rank of the Eagle Scout Award.
A certificate of congratulations by the Wisconsin Senate on the motion of Senator Risser, for Shari Hervig, on the occasion of her retirement after 21 years of service to the State of Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction.
A certificate of congratulations by the Wisconsin Senate on the motion of Senator Risser, for Steve Hirsch, on the occasion of his retirement after 33 years of dedicated service with the State Department of Administration.
A certificate of commendation by the Wisconsin Senate on the motion of Senator Erpenbach, for Jacob Huffman, on the occasion of earning and attaining the rank of the Eagle Scout Award.
A certificate of congratulations by the Wisconsin Legislature on the motion of Senator Harsdorf, for Danny Hustad, on the occasion of earning and attaining the rank of the Eagle Scout Award.
A certificate of commendation by the Wisconsin Senate on the motion of Senator Lazich, for Matthew Joseph Jeske, on the occasion of earning and attaining the rank of the Eagle Scout Award.
A certificate of congratulations by the Wisconsin Senate on the motion of Senator Fitzgerald, for Jim's Cheese Pantry, Inc., on the occasion of its 50th anniversary.
A certificate of commendation by the Wisconsin Senate on the motion of Senator Lazich, for Michael Andrew Krueger, on the occasion of earning and attaining the rank of the Eagle Scout Award.
A certificate of congratulations by the Wisconsin Senate on the motion of Senator Breske, for Charles Longwitz, on the occasion of being presented with the National Weather Service 2006 Thomas Jefferson Award.
A certificate of congratulations by the Wisconsin Senate on the motion of Senator Erpenbach, for Leo and Dorothy Miller, on the occasion of celebrating their 50th anniversary.
