WCHA’s Dan Fedderly and Barron County Highway Commissioner Mark Servi are in Washington D.C. this week at the National Association of Counties Annual Legislative Exchange.

The NACo Legislative Conference, held annually in Washington, D.C., brings together over 2,000 elected and appointed county officials to focus on federal policy issues that impact counties and our residents. With a new administration, and newly elected members of Congress, the 2017 Legislative Conference is a can’t-miss opportunity to elevate the county voice at the national level. Attendees are participating in second-to-none educational sessions, interact with federal officials and also descend on Capitol Hill, delivering the message that federal policies matter to counties and counties matter to America.

The WCHA Winter Road School will be held January 16-18, 2017 in Wisconsin Dells.  Register today for another great event!

Our agenda is packed full and addresses the topics that are currently impacting county operations across the state.

Agenda for 2017 Winter Road School.

To register as a vendor or as an associate member for this highly visible three-day event, click here.

Be sure to check out the December 2016 issue of “The Informer,” the updated WCHA newsletter which includes highlights of activities and upcoming events.

See the December 2016 Issue of “The Informer” here.

The First Annual WCHA Professional Development and Leadership Conference was held December 6-7, 2016 in Wausau.

This all new conference, held at the Jefferson Street Inn, was for highway committee members, commissioners, engineers and superintendents that want to improve their professional development and leadership skills.

Conference topics included:

• Personality & Motivation
• Lobbying 101: The Insights of Transportation Lobbying
• How to Deal with the Media
• Current Legislative Issues
• Performance Management
• Legal Obligations
• What is Your WCHA?
• The WCA and WCHA Relationship

“We were happy with the high attendance and strong agenda,” said WCHA Executive Director Daniel J. Fedderly, PE, PLS.  “It shows that our county highway officials are constantly striving to seek out enrichment opportunities that ultimately will help them do their jobs better.”

WCHA Chairman Dave Ostness and WCHA Executive Director Dan Fedderly recently attended the FHWA EDC-4 Summit October 25-26 in Minneapolis.  They attended with WisDOT leadership.

WCHA, WisDOT and the Wisconsin Counties Association have been leaders in the
nation on implementation of many of the EDC (Every Day Counts) Initiatives
since the inception.  Learn more about it here.

Ostness, Fedderly and WisDOT group in Minneapolis.

The WCHA Conference Coordinating Committee will be hosting the 2017 State Winter Road School in Wisconsin Dells at the Chula Vista Resort on January 16-18, 2017. Our road school is anticipated to have over 500 in attendance, which will be comprised of Highway Commissioners/Public Works Directors/Highway Committee Officials/State Officials/Corporate Sponsors and Associate Members.

To help make the 2017 WCHA Road School a success, we are welcoming your corporate participation. The association is offering multiple areas for your participation in various conference activities. There are a number of options including indoor exhibit areas/booths, hospitality rooms, sponsorship of coffee/soda breaks, meal programs, etc.

You may review the participation choices on the attached form and see you in Wisconsin Dells in January!

The Wisconsin County Highway Association-Leadership Development Group (WCHA-LDG) Scholarship Program is to financially assist students in a Transportation related academic program.

This scholarship program will consist of up to $5,000 worth of scholarships awarded to eligible students attending an accredited university or 2 year technical college.

APPLICANT QUALIFICATION – Applicant shall be a Wisconsin County Highway department employee’s dependent, an intern, summer help or a part-time highway department employee. Applicant must be a college or technical student going into their second year level (or higher) and enrolled in a Transportation or closely related curriculum, such as, diesel mechanic, civil engineering or civil technology, public administration. Student must have a 2.75 GPA or higher. Consideration will be given to academic achievements, character, participation in professional organizations, and any previous work experience in the area of transportation. The decisions to award or not award by the WCHA will be final. The WCHA-LDG reserves the right to modify this program.  The WCHA-LDG may periodically review an applicant’s eligibility. Final recommendations must be approved by the WCHA Board of Directors.

Learn more and apply for the WCHA-LDG Scholarship here.

Over 350 county superintendents and foreman attended the WCHA-LDG Road School with technical sessions and an extensive equipment show, as well as exhibit area, at the Radisson Hotel & Convention Center in Green Bay.

The event was held September 20-22, 2016.

See pictures from the 2016 WCHA-LDG Road School here.

To view presentations, click here and login to members section.

If you are having issues getting in, please contact Michelle Thompson.

From the Wisconsin Counties Association, League of Wisconsin Municipalities and Wisconsin County Highway Association

“We appreciate Governor Walker and Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) Secretary Gottlieb for listening to the thousands of local government officials across Wisconsin who have stressed the importance of local roads and infrastructure.

Local governments have been struggling to maintain local infrastructure in the face of reduced revenues and rising costs. The budget proposed by Governor Walker’s Department of Transportation provides much needed increases in local transportation aids, placing counties and municipalities in a better position to maintain roads and bridges.

The DOT budget proposal is the first step in a budget process that will play out over the next year. Our associations are committed to working with the Governor and Legislature to find a long-term sustainable solution to our state’s infrastructure needs that guarantees Wisconsin’s entire transportation system—including local roads and bridges, mass transit systems and state highways—is maintained and where necessary, improved, well into the future.”

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Read the Joint 2016 WisDOT Budget Request Statement Here.

For additional comments, contact:

Mark D. O’Connell, Wisconsin Counties Association, 608.663.7188
Jerry Deschane, League of Wisconsin Municipalities, 608-267-2380
Daniel Fedderly, Wisconsin County Highway Association, 715.505.9242

The Wisconsin Counties Association (WCA) and the Wisconsin County Highway Association (WCHA) are leading an effort to conduct an interactive transportation town hall that includes all local officials at the county and municipal level. Partnering with WCA and WCHA are the Wisconsin Towns Association (WTA) and the League of Wisconsin Municipalities (LWM).

In this unprecedented event, county, city, town and village officials from all 72 counties in Wisconsin will gather to have their voices heard in a simultaneous meeting to bring attention to transportation. The meeting will focus on critical projects in your region and the need for the state to find a sustainable solution.

See the “Turnout for Transportation” flyer here.

For questions, please contact WCHA or WCA and stay tuned for more information including your county’s location.  Information can also be found on www.tdawisconsin/Just-FIx-It-Wisconsin.