Minutes of RFAreaREA Meeting on February 18, 2015

Submitted by Laura Zlogar

The meeting was called to order at 11:07 a.m. at the West Wind. (Temperature was 0 degrees.)

In attendance were Glenn Potts, Jeanette Potts, Ruth Wood, Evelyn Johnson, Vicki Cobian (new member), Karen Brohaugh, Bernie Brohaugh, Ethel Johnson, Margarita Hendrickson, Cheryl Maplethorpe.

Business

1.    Minutes, published in the February newsletter, were approved.

2.    The treasurer's report, published in the newsletter, was accepted and will be forwarded for audit.

3.  Legislative Report (Laura Zlogar, substitute for Jane Harred) focused upon some of the key elements of the governor's budget proposal:

Public Schools

• Support to Wisconsin public schools will be reduced by $98 million over two years.  This amount is on top of other cuts schools have already experienced:  15% less per student from 2008 to 2014 or $1,014 less per student during that period.
• Since the budget will not allow any increase in property tax, it will result in $150 per student in 2015-16.
• River Falls School District will lose $500,000 in this budget.
• Expansion of the voucher program will mean less money available to the public schools.  The governor proposes an increase of $17.2 million to support school vouchers, an amount lost to support public education.
• $12.9 million of new money is designated for charter schools.
• Requirements for teacher licensing will be loosened:  anyone with a bachelor's degree, "relevant experience," and "demonstrated proficiency in a subject" could apply for a 6-12th grade level teaching license.
• $4.5 is requested to rework the accountability assessments according to the governor's and legislature's new standards.
• $5 million is required to implement the new ACT standards to replace the Common Core currently being used.
• The Common Core requirements would be replaced.

Agriculture, Environment, DNR

• The governor's budget calls for all citizen boards governing these areas would be reduced to advisory boards with no absolute authority.
• The budget calls for the firing of 46 scientists at the DNR responsible for research on wildlife, water quality, forestry, wetlands, mining, public health, and other areas.
• State park fees would be raised, though the increases would go to the state's general fund, not to the parks directly.

Higher Education

• The governor is calling for $300 million dollars to be cut from the UW System budget.  UWRF would lose $4.2 million over two years.  These drastic cuts are 13% less than current support and will necessitate layoffs of faculty and staff on every campus, academic programs to be cut, research to be eliminated, extension services to end.
• The budget also calls for a tuition freeze over the next two years.  At the end of that period, tuition is expected to skyrocket.
• The budget calls for an end to regulation and oversight over for-profit schools like the University of Phoenix or Globe University.

Health

• $15 million would be cut to SeniorCare, a state program that helps 85,000 low-income seniors in this state to purchase prescription medication.  This would result in seniors having to buy medications through Medicare Part D, which will cost $90 million more than through SeniorCare.  The program would also lose $66 million in matching funds from the federal government
• The governor is also proposing $2,000 incentive for state employees to opt out of state health insurance coverage (presumably to be covered by a spouse's insurance provided by private business, thereby increasing business costs in the state).
• The governor is continuing to refuse federal Medicaid expansion, which has cost the state taxpayers more than $66 million dollars in lost revenue over three years.

Transportation

• The governor's budget calls for borrowing $1.3 billion dollars for new roads and bridges rather than raise the gas tax.  The legislature already approved the governor's request two years ago for $2 billion in bonds for building and transportation.  The new bonds would be in addition to the debt already incurred.

Communication with legislators on these issues is important.  Contact information is in the Directory and listed below:

State Senator Sheila Harsdorf (District 10), N6627 Cty Rd. EE, River Falls, WI 54022, Phone:  715-232-1390.  Room 18 South Capital, Madison, WI 53707-7882, Phone:  608-266-7745;800-862-1092; FAX 608-267-0369.  Email:   sen.harsdorf@legis.wisconsin.gov

State Assemblyman Dean Knudson (District 30), 1753 Laurel Ave., Hudson, WI 54016,  220 North Capitol, P.O. Box 8953, Madison, WI 53708, Ph:608-266-1526; Toll-free:  888-529-0030, fax: 608-282-3630.  Email:  Rep.Knudson@legis.wisconsin.gov

4.  Programming chair Ruth Wood reminded members of the following upcoming meetings:

• March 4 at 10:30 RFAreaREA will be hosting a book discussion at the River Falls Public Library in the meeting room off the lobby as part of the River Falls Reads program.  We will be discussing Ben Logan's memoir of life on a southwest Wisconsin farm, The Land Remembers. The public is also invited.  Please attend, even if you don't have a chance to the read the book.
• March 11 at 4:30 in the River Falls Public High School library, Roger Byers will be leading a meeting for area teachers ready to retire.  RFAreaREA has traditionally been the host.  Bernie and Laura will be there.  Contact Bernie if you are able to help also (with refreshments, distributing materials, etc.)
• March 18 at 11:00 at the West Wind--Kathy Otto, Archivist at UWRF Library will do a presentation on tracing one's genealogy.  Kathy has much experience in this area, including exploring documents not written in English.  UWRF also has an extensive collection of documents from western Wisconsin and Pierce County that will interest members native to this area.  The Board will meet at 10:00 on the 18th also prior to the membership meeting.  Anyone can attend board meetings.
• Ruth also distributed materials on areas of interest for future programming and exploring a silent auction.  We may need to hold that at a time and location with more people (RFHS craft show, Moose Lodge pancake breakfast?)

5.  By-laws Chair Bernie Brohaugh distributed proposed changes to RFAreaREA's by-laws for a first reading.  These changes are also available in the February newsletter.  They will be voted upon at the next business meeting, to be held on April 1 at 11:00.

6.  Scholarships:  Naomi Brandt has distributed materials to area schools for scholarship applications.  Support from Royal Neighbors for this year will be reduced to $500 matched to what we are raise at our bake sale on April 2nd.  We may need to consider ways to raise more money to support our scholarships.

7.  Volunteer opportunities are something that we have discussed in the past.  Members are urged to contact Bernie Brohaugh with ideas in that regard.

Meeting adjourned at 11:50 a.m., followed by lunch and a program discussing lessons we loved to teach.  Glenn Potts, Ethel Johnson, Vicki Cobian, and Margarita Hendrickson shared some of their favorite books and lessons.