KFIZ News Monday 12/12/16

FDL School District Administrators Pay Hike May Be Reconsidered

The Fond du Lac School Board tonight will discuss whether to reconsider pay hikes for 28 administrators. Last month the board voted 4 to 3 against giving those administrators a 1 percent increase in pay. Linda Uselmann, one of the board members who voted against the increase, has asked for the discussion. If the board approves the reconsideration they will discuss it further in an executive session after the regular meeting. The meeting starts at 5 p.m. in the District Administration Center Board Room.

Decision About New Lakeside Park Pavilion Important

Fond du Lac City Manager Joe Moore says a meeting the City Council held on the Lakeside Park Master Plan late last month helped further define the scope of the plan. He says in particular the Council’s consensus to build a new pavilion on the site of the old one was important. He says that will be done sometime in the summer of 2018 after Walleye Weekend or the 4th of July. The pavilion would have a capacity no bigger than 200 people. A smaller shelter near the playground area or at Lakeside Park West is also possible. Moore says there is no interest at this time for a full service restaurant in the pavilion, but an expanded concession area. The new pavilion project costs will be included in the 2018 Capital Improvement Plan.

Grothman Familiar With Some Trump Cabinet Choices

Congressman Glenn Grothman says he knows some of those named to President-elect Donald Trump’s cabinet will make him a more effective Congressman. Grothman says Trump’s administration should help accomplish goals he set when he was first elected to Congress. He says that includes welfare reform, balancing the Federal Budget, repealing Obamacare, and doing something about illegal immigrants. Grothman says he knows at least two of Trump’s cabinet choices personally. He says that includes Tom Price the new Health Secretary and Chief of Staff Reince Priebus he’s known for 15 years. He says knowing people in the administration and the bureaucratic ranks will make him a more effective Congressman.

Holding The Line On Transit Budget

Fond du Lac Area Transit Manager Lynn Gilles says she’s tried to be frugal with her department’s budget over the years. She says she prides herself on running the department extremely efficiently. She says the local share of costs went down again this year and there have been years when they were able to give money to the general fund to make up for gaps in the regular funding structure of the City. She says the wrap-around advertising they do with Agnesian HealthCare on five buses also helps bring in revenue.

Food For Families Closing In On Thirty Years

The North Fond du Lac Police Department and Police Benevolent Association is holding its annual ‘Food for Families’ program. Each year the Benevolent Association adopts a number of families for the holidays. Village Police Chief Darren Pautsch says there are people who due to their circumstances have a tough time making Christmas bright for their families. He says the program used to be more of a food drive, but that has changed over the years.  He says people can drop off grocery store gift cards or cash at the police department. This year the department has adopted 11 families who will receive their gifts early the week of Christmas.

Fun And Incentives Help United Way Effort

Having fun raising money for the Fond du Lac Area United Way may not be one of their goals, but it helps the campaign effort. Marcia Snyder of Hometown Bank is a campaign chair for the United Way. She has been involved in the United Way effort for more than 20 years. She says not every one can come up with a big donation, but lots of donations do add up. She says coming up with interesting ways to get employees involved in the fundraising effort differs from company to company. Snyder says some companies offer preferred parking and employees bid on that, others may offer a day of vacation as an incentive.  She says one small company came up with the idea of giving employees their birthday off if everyone donated to the United Way this year.

Mercury Named A Green Master Level Company

The Wisconsin Sustainable Business Council recently announced the 2016 Green Master level companies, which includes some local companies. Those companies are Masters Gallery Foods in Plymouth, Mercury Marine in Fond du Lac, and Oshkosh Corporation in Oshkosh.  Fewer than 200 Wisconsin businesses currently participate in the Green Masters program, but only 35 companies were recognized with Green Master status.