County: Employees Can Now Live Across the River
By Reid Magney, La Crosse Tribune, Wis.
Jan. 19–La Crosse County employees cheered Thursday night as the county board voted 25-7 to eliminate most state residency requirements.
One of those cheering loudest was newlywed Trula Vix, who works in the Family Care program.
“I fell in love with someone from Minnesota,” said Vix, for whom staying in Wisconsin wasn’t an option. “He’s running the family farm in Caledonia.”
“We got married in October in hopes that this would pass,” Vix said. “Otherwise, I would’ve had to quit my job.”
Also overjoyed was Jenny Schroeder, a child protective services worker who married her high school sweetheart from Caledonia five years ago. They live in La Crosse, but husband Brent wants to farm and run a business back home.
In 2004, the county ended state residency requirements for nurses because of a nursing shortage, and Supervisor Tara Johnson said it was time to be fair to other employees.
With La Crosse County on the Minnesota border, it didn’t make sense that an employee could live in Tomah or Black River Falls in neighboring Wisconsin counties but not in La Crescent, Minn., just across the Mississippi River, she said.
Supervisor Ann Fisher said county officials talk about regionalism but when it comes to finding the best employees, “we can’t cross the Cass Street Bridge.”
Some supervisors, including Ralph Geary and Jaci Gamroth, argued residency should be negotiated with the county’s unions.
Despite Thursday’s vote, sheriff’s deputies and other sworn law officers still will have to live in Wisconsin due to state law.
At the suggestion of Supervisor Andrea Richmond, the board decided to continue to require state residency of the two deputy county administrators, Gerald Huber and Gary Ingvalson. Under his employment contract, County Administrator Steve O’Malley must live in La Crosse County.
Also Thursday, the board briefly discussed but took no action on an ordinance that would require a three-quarters vote of board members present to raise taxes for new bond issues. A vote is scheduled for Feb. 15.
Supervisor Ray Ebert, who originally proposed requiring a vote of three-quarters of the entire 35-member board, praised changes made to his ordinance in committee.
Supervisor John Medinger said he may offer an amendment for a three-fifths vote instead of three-quarters, saying that’s enough for the U.S. Senate.
In other business Thursday, the board voted:
n To sell small parcels of county land on the Lake Neshonoc shoreline to approximately 20 adjoining property owners. An odd land survey in the 1940s left the owners without lake access, and they face Department of Natural Resources orders to remove their piers because they don’t own water rights.
n To move forward with the next phase of a study of the jail and criminal justice system by The Carey Group for $82,988. The consultant is helping county officials decide how to expand and remodel the overcrowded and troubled main jail. The expansion will include facilities for female inmates and for rehabilitative programming.
Reid Magney can be reached at (608) 791-8211 or rmagney@lacrossetribune.com.
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Copyright (c) 2007, La Crosse Tribune, Wis.
Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Business News.
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