The 2019 Wisconsin Counties Association’s Annual Conference video premiered Monday, September 23 in Sauk County.
The video, “A Day in the Life of Counties,” features what a typical day is like for counties, from delivery of human services to the work of county highway departments.
The video features interviews with Eau Claire County Highway Commissioner Jon Johnson, with footage of his department in action chip sealing. Portage County Highway Commissioner Nathan Check is also interviewed, including his department doing debris clean up after a large storm.
Watch the 2019 WCA Annual Conference video, “A Day in the Life of Counties,” here.
The Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) has new requirements and registration for the required flagging training starting in 2020.
There will be five training sessions to choose from and WisDOT is limiting the attendance of two representatives for each county. If a session doesn’t fill up, WCHA will allow counties to send more than two people.
See the WisDOT flyer on the flagging training here.
Registration is $95 per person, with a maximum of two representatives per county. Lunch will be provided.
This is an Instructor Training Course, intended for a representative from a county to learn and prepare themselves to train and certify other county personnel according to the Wisconsin Flaggers Handbook. Note that Iowa County Highway Commissioner Craig Hardy will have more information regarding Work Zone Flagging Certification at his presentation at the WCHA-LDG Road School on September 17.
There are five sessions available, with each session running from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
October 10, 2019Iowa County Health and Human Services Building 303 West Chapel Street, Dodgeville, WI
October 16, 2019Polk County Highway Department 900 Pheasant Lane PO Box 248 Balsam Lake, WI
October 17, 2019Marathon County 1200 Lakeview Drive, Suite 100 Wausau, WI
October 23, 2019Waukesha County Public Works Department 1641 Woodburn Road Waukesha, WI
October 24, 2019Sheboygan County Highway Department W5741 CTH J Plymouth, WI
Please send registration by September 27 to:Gary Kennedy, WCHA Professional Development 1355 N. 16th Street Manitowoc, WI. 54220 Via email
As summer wraps up and fall is just around the corner, be sure to register for the 2019 WCHA Fall Commissioner Training, will be held October 7-8 in Minocqua.
The event will be held at:
Best Western Plus Concord Inn 320 Front Street Minocqua, WI 54548 715-356-1800
Please make your own room reservation by referencing the Wisconsin County Highway Association (the block code is “WCHA”). The block will be reserved until September 6. Single room rates are $82 and will be the responsibility of each county. The number for reservations is 715-356-1800.
Commissioners who are not able to attend are encouraged to send a representative. There is a fee of $95 for each attendee and must accompany your registration.
To register for the WCHA 2019 Fall Commissioner Training, click here.
To see the tentative agenda for the WCHA 2019 Fall Commissioner Training, click here.
For questions, contact Gary Kennedy via email or at 920-323-6500
Dane County and the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) are sharing the costs for a snow plow driver training with L3T a driver simulator.
This is a pilot program to explore the benefits and costs.
“WCHA will be looking at the possibilities of expanding this across the State,” said WCHA Executive Director Dan Fedderly. “Thank you Commissioner Mandli for your efforts in this important training opportunity.”
The L3T is on-site in Dane County through August 28, 2019.
The Wisconsin County Highway Association and the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) have launched a new pilot program, the Local Bridge Improvement Assistance Program, Low-Risk Delivery Pilot.
Listen to the On The Go podcast with TDA Wisconsin Executive Director Debby Jackson, featuring WCHA Executive Director Dan Fedderly here.
“We’re maximizing the return on taxpayers’ investment in our transportation infrastructure and found a way to overcome obstacles to push forward with a meaningful reform,” said Daniel J. Fedderly, executive director of the Wisconsin County Highway Association, which represents Wisconsin’s 72 county highway and public works departments.
WCHA has advocated for the removal of federal funds from local projects, a concept called Fed-Seg Swap. The idea is to transfer federal dollars out of some simple local projects and place those federal dollars on complicated projects that should have more significant reporting and regulatory requirements. These federal funds are replaced with state funds.
Fed-Seg Swap language was passed into law last 2017-19 legislative session. However, actual streamlining never occurred as a process was never put forward by WisDOT. Then, the legislature limited the ability to swap these funds in the lame duck extraordinary session last December.
This pilot program now provides state only funding on several bridges. The initial phase of the pilot includes 16 projects already approved for the WisDOT Local Bridge Improvement Program.
“Working with Secretary Thompson and the staff at WisDOT, we have made progress,” said Fedderly. “We know the ultimate goal is to streamline a much larger share of projects than 16 bridges, but this is significant, real-world progress we have been unable to realize until now.”
Fedderly says that when state and federal funds enter the mix so too does a myriad of rules, reporting requirements and regulations that unnecessarily drive up the cost of many simple, straight-forward projects.
“Highway commissioners consistently advocate to streamline project delivery process in order to achieve time and cost savings,” said Fedderly. “While this pilot won’t solve the overall transportation funding issue for local governments, it will help us ensure that every taxpayer dollar is used efficiently.”
The $5 million pilot is expected to run through the 2022 state fiscal year. Eligible bridges are limited to those with simpler needs, such as deck replacement or full replacement of a single-span structure with no piers. Qualifying bridges also must have no major concerns with environmental impacts, right of way, railroad or utility location. Projects can be removed from eligibility if such concerns become evident in the design process.
The Wisconsin County Highway Association-Leadership Development Group (WCHA-LDG) Conference Coordinating Committee will be hosting their 2019 Annual Road School September 17-19 at Radisson Hotel and Conference Center in Green Bay.
View the 2019 WCHA-LDG Annual Road School tentative agenda here.
2019 WCHA-LDG Annual Road School September 17-19, 2019 Radisson Hotel and Conference Center 2040 Airport Dr, Green Bay, WI 54313
There are room blocks available at the Radisson Hotel and Conference Center at 920-494-7300. The room block is listed under WCHA- LDG (Wisconsin County Highway Association-Leadership Group).
Every member, spouse/guest, or corporate representative attending the conference must complete the attached Registration form. Sharing of name badges is not permitted. Registration forms must be returned with payment by August 14, 2019.
Cancellation and 100% refunds (by written request) will be received until August 14, 2019. After this date, cancellations will not be refunded. All attendees and spouse/guests will be required to be registered to participate in any function of the conference.
Name badges will be issued and must be worn to attend all functions, including conference and social areas and events. Individuals not registered for the conference will not be admitted and/or asked to leave any event area. If you are not wearing your name badge, it will be assumed that you have not registered for the conference.
Non-Pre-registration/on-site registration will be $215.00 for county members & associate members, $325.00 for non-members, and $140.00 for spouse/guest. On site registration requires the payment by credit card, check and/or cash.
Those who have pre-registered may pick up their registration packets at the registration area, Tuesday, September 17, from 8:00 am – 5:00 pm, Wednesday, September 18, from 7:00 am. – 12:00 pm.
Register as a superintendent /foreman here.
Register as a vendor here.
Questions: Gary L. Kennedy WCHA Professional Development Director 1355 North 16th Street Manitowoc, WI 54220 Cell Phone (920) 323-6500 E-mail: hwygary@ameritech.net
WCHA Executive Director Daniel Fedderly participated in a press conference regarding the one-time supplemental transportation funding on Thursday, July 18, 2019 alongside Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) Secretary Craig Thompson.
The event, held in the Governor’s Conference Room, also included Mike Koles from the Wisconsin Towns Association and Curt Witynski from the League of Wisconsin Municipalities.
Please take a few minutes to watch the entire WisconsinEye video from the press conference as to how this funding will be programed and administered by WisDOT.
To see a clip of just WCHA’s Fedderly’s presentation at the press conference, click here.
The Wisconsin County Highway Association has released their video highlighting the incredibly dangerous working conditions for Wisconsin county highway workers.
Speeding drivers, distracted drivers, texting and speeding through work zones; this is a deadly combination here in Wisconsin. In 2015, three county highway employees lost their lives due to distracted drivers.
Watch and listen to county highway employees from Lincoln, Shawano and Marathon Counties as they discuss the loss of co-workers and the devastating impacts left behind.
Watch the WCHA Video: “Work Zone Distractions; Work Zone Deaths” here.
The Wisconsin County Highway Association (WCHA) held a successful 2019 Summer Highway Conference, which ran from June 3-5, 2019 at Chula Vista Resort, Wisconsin Dells.
See the 2019 Summer Road School photo album here.
For WCHA Members: To view handouts from presentations and see agendas for committees that will be meeting at the 2019 WCHA Summer Road School, please login to the member section and go to “WCHA Documents and Resources>2019 Summer Road School. If you are having issues logging in, please contact Michelle Gormican Thompson here.
For additional questions, contact:
Gary L. Kennedy, WCHA Professional Development Director 1355 North 16th Street Manitowoc, WI 54220 920-323-6500 hwygaryk@gmail.com
WCHA officials attend the National Association of County Enginners (NACE) 2019 Conference April 13-17, 2019 in Wichita, Kansas.
The event is the largest gathering of county infrastructure officials, with the theme of “Bridging the Gap: Innovation and Collaboration.”
Attendees included Daniel Fedderly and Gary Kennedy of WCHA, WCHA President and Barron County Highway Commissioner Mark Servi, Iowa County Highway Commissioner Craig Hardy and Marathon County Highway Commissioner James Griesbach, who presented on “Workzone Safety;” Dunn County Public Works Director John Sworski, Kevin Lang of the Marathon County Highway Department and Joe Langeberg of the La Crosse County Highway Department.
See Craig Hardy and James Griesbach’s presentation at the NACE Conference on “Workzone Safety” here.
View pictures from the 2019 NACE Annual Conference here.
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