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Sheboygan County Administrator Adam Payne shares the importance of collaboration when looking at how to use ARPA funds
Sheboygan County’s impressive track record of public-private collaboration laid the groundwork for a rapid mobilization of people, ideas and action to address COVID 19 challenges and opportunities.
Sheboygan County Website: https://www.sheboygancounty.com/
Excerpt from Sheboygan County Website regarding ARPA Collaboration Taskforces:
American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA)
The American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) was enacted on March 11, 2021. ARPA provides $1.9 trillion nationally in funding. Of the $1.9 trillion, the State of Wisconsin is eligible for $2.5 billion and Sheboygan County is eligible for $22.4 million. Counties have until December 31, 2024 to obligate the ARPA funding.
The use of these ARPA funds must be well thought out and we want to make wise, impactful investments. To establish a process that will facilitate community input and help us leverage resources to more effectively problem-solve, six ARPA Taskforces have been formed to assess and develop recommendations to help address key local concerns and opportunities.
The following are the ARPA Taskforces that were established on August 17, 2021, and below is a brief description of each:
The ARPA Taskforces will meet over the coming months to explore opportunities, make recommendations, and identify funding sources to leverage for optimal community impact. In addition to the County allocation, nearly every day a new grant announcement is being made from a state or federal agency. The County Administrator's office is maintaining a comprehensive list of grants, and recently formed a grant oversight committee.
The ARPA Taskforces will provide a written report summarizing their recommendations to the SCEDC Board of Directors, City of Sheboygan Common Council, Heads of Local Government, and Sheboygan County Board by January 31, 2022. The County has established a timeline to make decisions regarding both internal County department recommendations and external ARPA Taskforce recommendations.
MadREP's President & CEO Jason Fields joins us for this episode of Competitive Wisconsin's Heads Up Podcast to discuss an innovative program MadREP is offering to its regional partner communities to address both access to, and cost associated with, broadband in their communities.
Mr. Jason Fields, newly appointed President & CEO of the Madison Region Economic Partnership (MadREP), joins us to discuss key opportunities facing the eight county region and his vision for post-pandemic growth and prosperity in both the urban and rural areas of MadREP.
Wisconsin Dairy Business Association President Amy Penterman and Director of Government Affairs John Holevoet talked about the critical role dairy businesses plays in Wisconsin economic wellbeing. They see positive things happening and identify some exciting potential opportunities, but they also offer a hard-headed assessment of the challenges rural employers and businesses are facing when it coms to workforce shortages and access to broadband.
Wisconsin’s longest serving Governor, Tommy G. Thompson (Governor 1987-2001) returned to public life from a successful career in the private sector last Summer to become Interim President of the University of Wisconsin System (UWS). Within 60 days on the job, he was already talking about the need for a more robust commitment to the Wisconsin Idea and offering specific ideas on a broader, even more collaborative role for the UWS. This HeadsUp! Podcast showcases the Governor's vision for online learning and the impact it can make for Wisconsin.
Wisconsin’s longest serving Governor, Tommy G. Thompson (Governor 1987-2001) returned to public life from a successful career in the private sector last Summer to become Interim President of the University of Wisconsin System (UWS). Within 60 days on the job, he was already talking about the need for a more robust commitment to the Wisconsin Idea and offering specific ideas on a broader, even more collaborative role for the UWS. This HeadsUp! Podcast showcases both some of the Governor’s bold ideas and his commitment to getting things done.
At the end of November 2019, CWI hosted a day-long Action Accelerator for more than 100 business executives and workforce, economic and community development experts from across the state at Carroll College in Waukesha, Wisconsin. As a part of the Accelerator we asked more than 30 individuals to share their assessment of how their field of expertise, place of business and/or community was being affected by workforce shortages. Please find below, excerpts from some of their interviews.
Workforce Housing
Dr. Kurt Paulsen
Professor of Urban and Regional Planning, UW-Madison
K-12 Education
Mr. Jim Rickabaugh
Sr. Advisor, Institute for Personalized Learning
Health Care
Mr. Tim Size
President and CEO, Rural Wisconsin Health Cooperative
Local Government
Mr. Chris Holman
County Executive, Portage County
Agri-Business
Mr. Dan Smith
President & CEO, Cooperative Network
Manufacturing
Mr. Tim Sullivan
former President & CEO, REV Group
Mr. Austin Ramirez
President & CEO, HUSCO International
Workforce Development
Ms. Laura Catherman
WOW Workforce Development Board
Technical Education
Ms. Patti Balacek
Regional Director, Workforce Development, Western Technical College
CWI’s HeadsUp! Podcast for this edition takes us to the front lines of Wisconsin’s current unemployment and workforce challenges for a conversation with Anthony Snyder, CEO, Fox Valley Workforce Development Board and Chair of the Executive Committee, Wisconsin Workforce Development Board Association.
EXPERTISE, EXPERIENCE AND LOCAL WISDOM MUST INFORM THE PROCESS
Based on the decision to, “…compile a county-based assessment of needs, challenges, resources and opportunities,” Mark O’Connell identified a list of counties for the group’s consideration. (See Figure 1) Dale Knapp, Director of Forward Analytics at the Wisconsin Counties Association (WCA), then developed a key data sheet for each of the nine counties identified. (See Example in Figure 2)
Figure 1
Figure 2
The group then used the WCA Forward Analytics data to identify areas where we need more information and to develop possible questions for discussions with local officials and other community leaders. (See Figure 3)
Figure 3
In early November, the Wisconsin Counties Association facilitated the convening of two independent virtual meetings with elected leaders and economic development professionals from Dodge and Portage to talk about the work CWI and others were doing; to hear what leaders in Dodge and Portage were doing; and to explore whether or not opportunities existed that might warrant further discussion.
Dodge County Zoom Participants
Portage County Zoom Participants
From CWI’s point of view, all of the conversations were cordial, informational and helpful. In keeping with the groups original intent, the conversations touched on three main informational areas.
Local elected officials and economic/ community development professionals shared their thoughts about immediate and short-term needs, challenges and opportunities.
Mr. O’Connell and Mr. Wood commented on the importance of attracting people, jobs and capital to rural areas and about emerging opportunities and possibilities that might be relevant to the current challenges and opportunities.
Mr. Scharfman and Professor White provided specific examples of how rural areas might attract private equity capital.
Broadband internet has become a lifeline between our seniors and the care they need; our children and the education they must have; our workforce and the paychecks they depend upon; and our farmers and the information they need to grow the food we and the world depends upon. And while the discussions of late have been focused on the need for broadband in rural Wisconsin, there are still gaps in urban areas that need to be addressed if Wisconsin's economy is going to thrive in the future. The Wisconsin REALTORS Association (WRA) is launching an aggressive informational and legislative initiative to make sure Wisconsinites have the broadband access they need. Learn more as Tom Larson, Executive Vice President for WRA talks with Mark O’Connell, Executive Director of the Wisconsin Counties Association and WCA Forward Analytics Director Dale Knapp about this timely focus on an urgent Wisconsin need.
