The closing of the HSHS/Prevea health systems is the biggest issue. I serve on the CV Task Force to work on community solutions. If the 1,400 newly jobless can’t secure employment in the area, it will likely reduce the county property tax base, net new construction & sales tax revenue. ECC lost mental health/detox, Birth-3 & emergency response services. Mental health services at local hospitals invoice private insurance or Medicaid, not ECC. Services & transportation to Winnebago Mental Hospital cost $1,700/day, & will direct bill ECC. ECC is determining the HSHS/Prevea closures impact to involved departments. Then ECC will decide if we need to delay capital projects & filling staff vacancies to cover the shortfall. Unexpected events support the need for prudent fund balance management.

Another big challenge is the consequences of substance abuse & mental health issues. The County Sheriff & Human Services obtained a state grant to implement an evidence-based jail deflection program. Using a peer support model will reduce jail costs & improve outcomes. ECC Opioid Task Force works to curtail substance abuse with available Narcan units and fentanyl test strips, medication treatment maintenance while individuals are incarcerated, support of a public health specialist & substance abuse peer support training. These efforts are a start. We need to work upstream to curb drug abuse & mental health issues before we’re in crisis mode. Effective measures, like these programs, can significantly delay the high capital & operating costs to finishing the 4th jail pod.

Environmental sustainability & water quality are another big challenge. The Groundwater Advisory Committee, of which I was chair before becoming Board Chair in July, has submitted a proposal to the Army Corp of Engineers to develop a groundwater flow map that can be used to make sound development decisions. Using $94,000 of ECC American Recovery Plan funds, a UWEC professor & her students are randomly testing private residential wells throughout ECC. These tests should provide sufficient data to identify any pockets of a variety of contaminants, so they can be addressed. ECC is working to achieve 100% renewable energy by 2050. Toward this goal, a Community Climate Action & Resilience Plan is being developed. Community input is now being sought before finalizing the plan.

1. HSHS has ceased providing 28 adult & 5 youth inpatient psychiatric beds, which served 57 individuals in 2023. In 2024, the Dept. of Human Services estimates it will cost ECC nearly $1M additionally to cover the increased inpatient mental health costs. ECC may need to delay capital projects & filling staff vacancies to cover this shortfall until a more cost effective solution is determined. 2. HSHS/Prevea closures illustrate the importance of maintaining ECC’s fund balance to enable flexibility to handle emergency situations. Currently ECC has a strong fund balance, due to an increase in shared revenue and American Rescue Plan Act Funds. The ECC Board needs to pass an ordinance to maintain our fund balance to a minimum of 30% of the ensuing year’s budgeted general fund expenditures.

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