Hearings Set For 2017 Dane County Budget Requests

September 01, 2016
Karin Peterson Thurlow: 266-4533
County Board

 

Two public hearings in September will allow the public to weigh in on departmental requests for funding in Dane County’s 2017 budget.

 

The first, at 6 pm on Wednesday, September 7 in room 201 at the City County Building, will address all departments except the Department of Human Services.

 

The second, at 6 pm on Thursday, September 15 at the Alliant Energy Center, will address the Department of Human Services budget request.

 

The departmental budget request hearing is being held by the Dane County Board of Supervisors, while the hearing on the Department of Human Services budget request is held jointly by Dane County Executive Joe Parisi and the Dane County Board of Supervisors, with the county Long Term Support Committee, the county Human Services Board, and the Area Agency on Aging Board of Directors also in attendance.

 

Each department will provide the County Board with a summary of their requested budget for the coming year.  Additionally, departments have been asked to address two key questions which reflect over-arching priorities of the County Board – sustainability and equity:

 

1)Which of the department’s budget requests (capital or operational) relate to achieving/advancing the goals, objectives, and strategies of the Dane County Government Sustainable Operations Plan?

 

2) Discuss your efforts in the past year to address inequities, both internally and as part of your department’s work for Dane County.  Indicate any specific approaches or initiatives in your 2017 budget request to promote an equitable and just county. 

 

The hearings are also an opportunity for the public to voice their views on the budget requests. “Public participation is especially important as we craft the County budget,” said Supervisor Sharon Corrigan, Chair of the Dane County Board of Supervisors.  “These hearings are an important opportunity for individuals to weigh in on our 2017 priorities.”

 

The hearings begin promptly at 6:00 p.m.   The meetings will begin with an overview of departmental budget requests, presented by department staff.  Then testimony from the public will be taken.

 

Persons whose disability or child care responsibilities prevent them from testifying later in the hearings may present their comments immediately following the department overview.  Each person testifying at the hearing will be limited to three minutes of remarks.

 

Individuals who have questions regarding the hearings are encouraged to contact the County Board Office at 266-5758 or Human Services Department at 242-6469.