County Executive Falk Sets Date to Announce Decisions on Spending Freeze

July 26, 2002
Sharyn Wisniewski (608) 267-8823
County Executive

Following is a copy of a letter County Executive Kathleen Falk delivered today to County Board Chair Kevin Kesterson, County Board Supervisors, and elected officials and department heads. Following Governor McCallum’s announcement of his veto message today, Falk has set Tuesday, August 6, as the date on which she will make decisions regarding the county’s spending freeze. # # # DATE: July 26, 2002 TO: Kevin Kesterson, Chair Dane County Board of Supervisors Dane County Board of Supervisors Elected Officials and Department Heads FROM: Kathleen M. Falk Dane County Executive RE: State Budget Legislation and the County Spending Freeze In anticipation of Governor McCallum’s partial veto and approval of the budget repair bill this afternoon (7/26/02), I have set Tuesday, August 6th, as the date on which I will make decisions regarding the spending freeze. Our Lobbyist reports that the Legislative Fiscal Bureau’s analysis of the budget repair bill will not be available until early next week. The intervening week should give county staff, especially in the Departments of Administration and Human Services, enough time to know precisely what the effects of the legislation are, especially the Governor’s partial vetoes. This year, several County Board Supervisors have quite rightly called all of our attention to the ordinance which requires that the Personnel & Finance Committee and the County Executive must approve filling any position that has been vacant six or more months. I have directed DOA to work with the Chair of Personnel & Finance to set up a process to insure that this review occurs in a timely, fair, and efficient manner. Thank you for your continued hard work, cooperation, and patience as we near the end of this period of fiscal uncertainty caused by the state’s budget problems.