Sincerely,
Linda Rowley
Chairperson
State of Wisconsin
Governor's Blue-Ribbon Commission on State-Local Partnerships for the 21st Century
January 2001
The Honorable, The Legislature:
The report of the Governor's Blue-Ribbon Commission on State-Local Partnerships for the 21st Century is enclosed.
Sincerely,
Richard Lorang
Policy Director
State of Wisconsin
Legislative Audit Bureau
January 12, 2000
The Honorable, The Legislature:
We have completed an evaluation of the State's recycling activities, as directed by the Joint Legislative Audit Committee. State expenditures from the segregated Recycling Fund for fiscal year (FY) 1999-2000 were $28.9 million, used primarily for grants to municipalities for the operation of recycling programs, The Department of Natural Resources (DNR) administers these grants and has primary responsibility for the State's recycling efforts.
The best data available indicate Wisconsin recycled 36 percent of its municipal solid waste in 1995, and the national average was 26 percent in that year. Wisconsin is one of few states nationally that provides substantial financial support to local programs; Wisconsin's grant payments in calendar year 2000 were $24.4 million, Minnesota is the only other midwestern state that provides substantial state support to local recycling programs. Minnesota budgeted $14.0 million for local grants in FY 2000-01 and achieved residential per capita recycling rates similar to Wisconsin's.
Wisconsin grants to municipalities support an average of 30.4 percent of local recycling costs and are used for a broad array of local costs, including salaries, equipment, and administration. However, our review found little relationship between the percentage of local costs covered by a municipality's grant and the municipality's recycling rate.
Although DNR is authorized 19.0 full-time equivalent (FTE) recycling positions, only 15.4 FTE reported working on recycling activities. In addition, DNR has not met a statutory requirement to audit at least 5.0 percent of grants provided to municipalities each year. We include a recommendation that DNR devote its 0.5 FTE recycling auditor position exclusively to audits of municipal recycling grants and suggest DNR report to the Legislature on the relationship of its authorized positions to local recycling efforts.
We appreciate the courtesy and cooperation extended to us by DNR, municipal recycling managers, and staff with recycling-related responsibilities in the Department of Commerce and the University of Wisconsin-Extension.
Sincerely,
Janice Mueller
State Auditor
__________________
State of Wisconsin
Office of the Governor
January 12, 2001
The Honorable, The Senate:
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I am pleased to nominate and with the advice and consent of the Senate, do appoint
Hutchison, David E.,
of Luxemburg, as a member of the Educational Communications Board, to serve for the term ending at the pleasure of the Governor.
Sincerely,
TOMMY G. THOMPSON
Governor
Read and referred to committee on Universities, Housing, and Government Operations.
State of Wisconsin
Office of the Governor
January 12, 2001
The Honorable, The Senate:
I am pleased to nominate and with the advice and consent of the Senate, do appoint Poulson, Howard "Dan",
of Palmyra, as a member of the Natural Resources Board, to serve for the term ending May 1, 2007.
Sincerely,
TOMMY G. THOMPSON
Governor
Read and referred to committee on Environmental Resources.
State of Wisconsin
Office of the Governor
January 12, 2001
The Honorable, The Senate:
I am pleased to nominate and with the advice and consent of the Senate, do appoint Behnke
, Herbert F.,
of Shawano, as a member of the Natural Resources Board, to serve for the term ending May 1, 2007.
Sincerely,
TOMMY G. THOMPSON
Governor
Read and referred to committee on Environmental Resources.
__________________
Relating to the recreation boating facilities program.
Submitted by Department of Natural Resources.
Report received from Agency, January 16, 2001.
Referred to committee on Environmental Resources, January 17, 2001.
