Local News Briefs Monday 10/26/15

FDL School Board Preview

The Fond du Lac School Board tonight will consider approving the 2015-16 budget. That will require a tax levy of $34.3 million. The tax rate will be lower than first proposed. During the recent public hearing on the proposed budget the mill rate was $10.01 per thousand dollars of value on a property, but with revised figures it will be $9.88. The board will also consider approving revisions to the high school graduation policy. The board will meet at the District Administration Center Board Room at 5 p.m.

Clock Ticking On Raze Or Repair Order For Former Holy Nativity Convent

Fond du Lac Community Development Director Dyann Benson says all the appropriate parties have been notified about a raze or repair order issued for the former Holy Nativity Convent on East Division Street.  In June a fire severely damage the building. Benson says the owner has been notified of the order and so has the Wisconsin State Historical Society. She says the building is on the State and National Register of Historic Places. She says the owner has 90 days to do something about the building. She says the state historical society got back to them that they received notice and now a demolition permit can be issued if it comes to that. She says the City will be able to demolish the structure if the owner doesn’t do something about the building when the 90 days are up in mid-December.

Representative Thiesfeldt On Dismantling GAB

State Representative Jeremy Thiesfeldt is one of the state legislators, which would like to see the Government Accountability Board dismantled. The lawmaker from Fond du Lac says the GAB has had its proponents during its eight year existence, but he feels it’s a failed experiment. He favors two boards, one to address ethics issues and the other for elections. He also feels using retired judges for the GAB may have seemed like a way of being impartial, but it wasn’t. He says everyone brings their biases to the table and judges are no different. He says under the Assembly proposal the major political parties would pick appointees and there would be some retired county clerks on them as well. The State Senate now takes up the proposal where there is some opposition to it.

No Call Only Requires One Call Now

Wisconsin residents who want to be placed on a do not call list for solicitors and scammers no longer have to renew their requests every two years. Frank Frassetto is the Division Administrator for the State’s Consumer Protection Department. He says Wisconsin is part of a do not call registry. He says they work with a federal list and its updated daily. He says once your phone is on the registry it stays there. He says you do have to call with the phone you want on the registry to be placed on it. To get your phone place on the registry list call 1-888-382-1222. He says if you would like to place more than one phone on the list, you need to do that on the internet. He says you can find the link on the Department of Agriculture Trade and Consumer Protection website.

Childcare Program One Of The Things United Way Funds

One of the 28 programs the Fond du Lac Area United Way is funding this year is the childcare program at the YMCA. Shelli Dekker is the Childcare Director for the YMCA. She says they have 106 children from ages 6 weeks to 4K enrolled in their program. She says the kids who are 2 years or older even have the opportunity to learn how to swim. She says the United Way grant allows them to serve families who aren’t eligible for quality childcare programs that are based on income like Wisconsin Shares. She says sometimes families face circumstances where being income-eligible is the least of their problems. She says they may have big medical or legal bills, or their vehicles aren’t running. Dekker says the United Way grant helps them serve people who might otherwise fall through the cracks when it comes to childcare.

Winter Coat Collection Deadline A Week From Today

The time to donate new or gently used winter coats for kids in the area is quickly coming to a close. Fond du Lac Salvation Army Captain Steve Wilson says the boxes you’ve seen around town for the collection will be picked up a week from today. Captain Telinda Wilson says their biggest need right now is boys coats, sizes 4 and up. She says if you drop them off at Georgetown Cleaners and Model Cleaners and the coats will be cleaned for free. In addition to the drop boxes around town you can also drop them off at the Salvation Army offices.