Ninety-Ninth Regular Session
The Chief Clerk makes the following entries under the above date:
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Communications
State of Wisconsin
Legislative Reference Bureau
Madison
DATE: December 1, 2010
TO: Patrick E. Fuller
Assembly Chief Clerk
Robert Marchant
Senate Chief Clerk
FROM: Bruce J. Hoesly
Code Editor
SUBJECT: Rules published in the November 30, 2010
Wisconsin Administrative
Register, No. 659.
The following rules have been published:
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Referral of Agency Reports
State of Wisconsin
Department of Natural Resources
Madison
November 12, 2010
To the Honorable, the Legislature:
Pursuant to
2009 Act 40 and s.
23.39, Stats., and in compliance with s.
13.172 (2), Stats., the Department of Natural Resources respectfully submits a report regarding authorities to protect wildlife and the environment from any adverse impacts of wind energy development in the State.
If you require additional information and explanation regarding these conclusions, please contact Mr. David Siebert, Director of the DNR Office of Energy and Environmental Analysis, at 264-6048.
Sincerely,
Matt Frank
Secretary
Referred to committee on Natural Resources.
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State of Wisconsin
Department of Natural Resources
Madison
November 15, 2010
To the Honorable, the Legislature:
The DNR is required to submit the attached Report to the Legislature per s.
23.0916 (6), Wis. Stats. This report is to be shared with the Joint Committee on Finance (16 copies), Senate Committee on the Environment and Natural Resources (5 copies), and Assembly Committee on Natural Resources (14 copies).
Please contact Mary Rose Teves, Directory, Bureau of Community Financial Assistance, at 267-7683 if you should have any questions about this document.
Sincerely,
Matt Frank
Secretary
Referred to committee on Natural Resources.
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State of Wisconsin
Gathering Waters Conservancy
Madison
November 15, 2010
To the Honorable, the Legislature:
It is my pleasure to share with you the enclosed report of Gathering Waters Conservancy's activities and accomplishments for Fiscal Year 2010. This report is being submitted in accordance with the statutory requirements of s.
23.0955 (2)(b)5. Gathering Waters Conservancy and Wisconsin's land trust community can report that the pace and quality of lasting land conservation in the state is increasing. That success is due in part to the ongoing support of the state legislature and the Department of Natural Resources.
Gathering Waters Conservancy works on the leading edge of a truly influential conservation movement. Wisconsin land trusts have permanently protected over 220,000 acres in communities across Wisconsin. They claim a combined membership of close to 50,000 individuals and thousands of local volunteers; they have raised millions of private dollars to protect critical lands that benefit the public; and they work with private landowners every day to promote voluntary stewardship and protection of our natural resources.
We look forward to continuing to work with the State to achieve meaningful land conservation that will benefit generations of Wisconsin citizens to come. Please do not hesitate to contact me for additional information. I have also enclosed Gathering Waters Conservancy's audited financial reports for FY 2010 for your review.
Sincerely,
Michael Strigel
Executive Director
Referred to committee on Natural Resources.
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State of Wisconsin
Department of Administration
Madison
November 30, 2010
To the Honorable, the Legislature:
This report is transmitted as required by s.
20.002 (11)(f), Wisconsin Statutes, (for distribution to the appropriate standing committees under s.
13.172 (3), Wisconsin Statutes) and confirms that the Department of Administration has found it necessary to exercise the "temporary reallocation of balances" authority provided by this section in order to meet payment responsibilities and cover resulting negative cash balances during the month of October 2010.
On October 1, 2010, the Medical Assistance Trust Fund cash balance closed at a negative $1.8 million (its intra-month low). This negative balance continued through October 4, 2010, when the fund's cash balance closed at a positive $3.4 million. The negative balance was due to the difference in the timing of revenues and expenditures.
On October 1, 2010, the Environmental Fund cash balance closed at a negative $16.6 million (its intra-month low). This negative balance continued through October 4, 2010, when the fund's cash balance closed at a positive $7.9 million. The negative balance was due to the difference in the timing of revenues and expenditures.
On October 4, 2010, the Worker's Compensation Fund cash balance closed at a negative $650 thousand. This negative balance continued through October 31, 2010, when the fund's cash balance closed at a negative $685 thousand (its intra-month low). The negative balance was due to the difference in the timing of revenues and expenditures.
On October 4, 2010, the Mediation Fund cash balance closed at a negative $12 thousand. This negative balance continued through October 31, 2010, when the fund's cash balance closed at a negative $35 thousand (its intra-month low). The negative balance was due to the difference in the timing of revenues and expenditures.
On October 4, 2010, the Dry Cleaner Environmental Response Fund cash balance closed at a negative $35 thousand (its intra-month low). This negative balance continued through October 6, 2010, when the fund's cash balance closed at a positive $244 thousand. The negative balance was due to the difference in the timing of revenues and expenditures.
The Medical Assistance Trust Fund, Environmental Fund, Worker's Compensation Fund, Mediation Fund and Dry Cleaner Environmental Response Fund shortfalls were not in excess of the statutory interfund borrowing limitations and did not exceed the balances of the funds available for interfund borrowing.
The distribution of interest earnings to investment pool participants is based on the average daily balance in the pool and each fund's share. Therefore, the monthly calculation by the State Controller's Office will automatically reflect the use of these temporary reallocations of balance authority, and as a result, the funds requiring the use of the authority will effectively bear the interest cost.
Sincerely,
Daniel J. Schooff
Secretary
Referred to committee on Ways and Means and joint committee on Finance.
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Agency Reports
State of Wisconsin
Legislative Audit Bureau
Madison
November 16, 2010
To the Honorable, the Assembly:
A1021
We have completed our calendar year 2009 financial audit of the Department of Employee Trust Funds, as requested by the Department and to fulfill our audit requirements under s.
13.94 (1)(dd), Wis. Stats. The Department's financial statements report on the financial position and activity of various benefit programs available to state and local public employees, including the Wisconsin Retirement System (WRS) and health and life insurance programs for active and retired employees of the state and participating local governments. The statements and our unqualified opinion on them are included in the Department's 2009 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (CAFR), which can be found on its Web site.
The largest program administered by the Department is the WRS, which reported net assets of $70.0 billion at the end of 2009 and provided benefits totaling $3.8 billion during 2009. After experiencing significant investment losses and a decrease in net retirement assets of $25.2 billion during 2008, the WRS reported positive investment returns and a net increase in retirement assets of $10.6 billion during 2009. At the end of 2009, the WRS was 88.2 percent funded based on the fair value of its assets and 99.8 percent funded based on standard actuarial measures, which smooth investment returns over a five-year period. As required by s.
13.94 (1)(dc), Wis. Stats, the Audit Bureau is currently contracting with an independent actuary to perform an audit of the WRS's consulting actuary.
