LA CROSSE COUNTY W-2 COMMUNITY STEERING COMMITTEE 

Tuesday, May 20, 2008

La Crosse County Human Services

7:45 a.m.

 

MEMBERS PRESENT:  Raphie Freismuth, Beverly Mach, Tom Miller, Janet Holter for Mary Ellen Prinsen, Ed Ryan, Vicki Truscott, Nancy Wagner             

 

MEMBERS EXCUSED:  Paula Egge, Jackie Helgeson, Jerry Huber

 

MEMBERS ABSENT:  Tina Heyer, Richard Sage, Peter Thao, Jodi Widuch               

 

OTHERS PRESENT:    Nancy Gardner, Christa Harder (Family & Children Intern)

 

CALL TO ORDER

Vicki Truscott, Chairperson, called the meeting to order at 7:50 a.m.

 

INTRODUCTIONS

Introductions were made.   Raphie Freismuth from Kelly Services is new to the W-2 Community Steering Committee. 

 

APPROVAL OF MINUTES

A correction to the February 26, 2008 minutes was made in the “Continuation of Discussion to Educate Community and Businesses of W-2 Committee’s Role”…..Nancy Meyers suggested contacting Autumn Grooms as a possible contact/resource at the Tribune…..not Nancy Wagner.

 

Motion to approve the February 26, 2008 minutes with the above correction.  Motion passed.

 

PUBLIC INPUT

Bev Mach announced to the committee that she is now on the La Crosse County Poverty Task Force Committee.  This task force will be working with the Vision 20/20 Campaign with the hopes of creating awareness of child poverty in the area and reducing or eliminating child poverty.   The committee’s first project was to gather statistics and data regarding poverty in the county and city.   There is a 20 minute video available regarding poverty that was shown at the Poverty Task Force Committee meeting.   Tom Miller will follow up with Renee Weston to obtain the video for the August 26, 2008 meeting.  It is hoped that Bev can be a liaison between the La Crosse County Poverty Task Force Committee and the W-2 Community Steering Committee and that the two committees can work together.  

 

CHAIRPERSON’S REPORT

Vicki Truscott informed the committee that the goal of the W-2 Community Steering Committee would be to keep the status of the W-2 program and the needs of the community in the forefront. 

 

CONTINUATION OF DISCUSSION TO EDUCATE COMMUNITY AND BUSINESSES OF W2 COMMITTEE’S ROLE - ALL

The 10^th anniversary was last year and there was no advertising or success story(s) advertised.  Tom Miller will check with Diane Parduhn at the state level for ideas or suggestions on how to educate the community and promote the W-2 program.

 

OTHER BUSINESS

None

 

ECONOMIC OUTLOOK REPORT

Ed Ryan distributed handouts reflecting March 2008 unemployment rates and employment statistics.   The County of La Crosse has the 4^th lowest county unemployment rate out of the 72 counties in Wisconsin.  The City of La Crosse has the 8^th lowest unemployment rate out of the 30 largest cities in Wisconsin.  The La Crosse metropolitan statistical area’s (including La Crosse County, WI and Houston County, MN) 4.7% March unemployment rate has shown minimal change from the unemployment rates of February 2008 and last March.

 

Ed mentioned that the La Crosse Job Service will not be writing up job orders from employers in the near future.  Employers will be placing all job orders through a 1-800 Job Service Call Center. 

 

April unemployment rates for the State dropped from 5.6% to 4.4%.  Considering the economic situation, this is a good sign, but could soon change.    

 

BADGERCARE PLUS UPDATE

Tom Miller explained that BadgerCare Plus combines all family medicaid programs (Badger Care, Healthy Start, etc.) under one program.  The new program increases eligibility specifically for children without health care coverage.   However, if the family has a high income level, there are premiums.   Tom explained that once the new BadgerCare Plus system is corrected (State checking whether applicants are eligible for insurance through their employment etc., checking the percent that the employer pays and the number of hours worked) that many of the people that were initially eligible will not be eligible.   With the new BadgerCare Plus Program, all income has to be verified.  

 

AGENDA FOR NEXT MEETING

Video from the La Crosse County Poverty Task Force

Replacement for Lisa Hahn/Festival or Quillin’s Representative

Economic Outlook Report

 

 ADJOURNMENT

There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 9:05 a.m.

 

The next meeting will be held on Tuesday, August 26, 2008 at 7:45 a.m. at La Crosse County Human Services, Administrative Conference Room.

 

The above minutes may be approved, amended, or corrected at the next Committee meeting.

  

Nancy Gardner, Recorder