Dane County Lakes and Watershed Commission to hold Public Hearing on its 2018 Budget Recommendations

August 11, 2017
Contact: Rebecca Power (608-234-2433), Sue Jones (608-224-3764)
Land & Water Resources

DANE COUNTY LAKES AND WATERSHED COMMISSION TO HOLD PUBLIC HEARING ON ITS 2018 BUDGET RECOMMENDATIONS

Hearing set for August 16, 2017, 5:00 p.m. in City-County Building

(Madison, WI) The Dane County Lakes and Watershed Commission will hold a public hearing on its draft 2018 budget recommendations on Wednesday, August 16, 2017, in Room 354 of the City County Building, 210 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd in downtown Madison.

Each year, the Dane County Lakes and Watershed Commission reviews county departments’ water-resource-related budgets. The budget review process was designed to give the Commission and public a chance to advocate for water resource-related budget initiatives.

The Commission’s draft recommendations can be viewed at https://olw-lwrd.countyofdane.com/. Besides commenting at the public hearing, citizens may also submit written comments to the Lakes and Watershed Commission by sending a message to lakes@countyofdane.com. The deadline for electronic comments is noon on Wednesday, August 16.

Commission chair Rebecca Power said, "These draft recommendations call attention to the valuable work Dane County and our partners do to keep our waters safe and healthy for everyone. So many of us are out there swimming, fishing, boating, and making a living that depends upon our lakes, streams, and wetlands. If you care about water in Dane County, we want to hear from you.”

The Commission’s 2018 budget recommendations focus on initiatives to reduce phosphorus and chloride pollution, manage water volume, and protect public health in ways that engage the public and prioritize equity and inclusion.

After the public hearing, the Commission will refine its recommendations and forward them to County Executive Joe Parisi by September 1 for consideration in his budget. Commission recommendations are also provided to the County Board for their use in budget deliberations. The County Executive’s budget is delivered to the County Board on or before October 1. The County Board and County Executive hold public hearings on the budget during September and October (final dates to be determined). The County Board acts on the budget after receiving the County Executive’s budget, typically adopting a final budget before Thanksgiving.

The Dane County Lakes and Watershed Commission is a coordinating and advisory agency within Dane County government, established by the County Board in 1988. The Commission is charged with protecting and improving water quality, as well as the scenic, economic, recreational, and environmental value of Dane County's water resources. The Commission works with many local, regional, and state partners to complete its objectives.  Learn more about the Commission at https://olw-lwrd.countyofdane.com/Get-Involved/Attend-a-Lakes-and-Watershed-Commission-Meeting .

 

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