Portage County capsules SEPTEMBER 11 FUND ESTABLISHED: The Community Foundation of Portage County announces the establishment of The September 11th Fund to mobilize financial resources to respond to the pressing needs of the victims and their families and all those affected by the tragedy in any community within the United States. This fund is a single, common relief fund coordinated by United Way of America, the New York Community Trust, United Way of New York City and the Council on Foundations. The September 11th Fund was created to receive tax-deductible donations from any location. The New York Community Trust and the United Way of New York City will administer the fund and will form a distribution committee to ensure that resources are deployed effectively in New York and other cities affected by these terrible events. Donors may specify the community where they would like their contributions to be used. The fund will provide immediate support to establish emergency assistance agencies, such as the American Red Cross. It also will bring together the resources of other nonprofit health and human service agencies. Anyone wishing to contribute to The September 11th Fund may send donations in care of United Way of New York City, 2 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10016. Contributions are also being accepted on United Way of New York City's Web site at www.uwnyc.org. For further information, contact the Community Foundation of Portage County, 342-4454. * * * UNITED WAY CONTRIBUTED TO RELIEF FUND: United Way of Portage County joins United Ways nationwide in establishing the "September 11th Fund" to provide support to the agencies and programs that are responding to the tragedies that occurred in New York City, Washington D.C. and Pennsylvania. The United Way of Portage County Board of Directors on Wednesday, Sept. 19, approved making a $5,000 donation to the Sept. 11th Fund from its reserves. The September 11th Fund is a collective national response to mobilize financial resources to meet the most pressing needs of individuals and families throughout the nation who have been affected by the tragedy. Locally, United Way of Portage County allocates more than $80,000 to the American Red Cross, Portage County Chapter. In addition to providing services here, this support helps position the Red Cross to be able to assist other parts of the nation that are in crisis, such as New York City or Washington D.C., by sending volunteer teams, blood and other supplies. One of the primary recipients of assistance from the September 11th Fund is likely to be the national American Red Cross. Contributions may also be sent to the American Red Cross to address immediate national relief efforts. Those interested in contributing may send checks or money orders to "United Way of Portage County September 11th Fund" in care of United Way of Portage County, 1100 CenterPoint Drive, Suite 301, Stevens Point, WI 54481 by Oct. 15. Contributions also may be sent to other local collection points, including M & I Bank and Associated Bank or directly to the Sept. 11th Fund, c/o United Way, 2 Park Ave., New York, NY 10016. Please call United Way of Portage County at 341-6740 with questions. * * * DISASTER RELIEF EFFORT: CenterPoint MarketPlace will be the site of a two-day fund-raising event to benefit the disaster relief effort for last week's tragedy in New York City and Washington D.C. Working in support of the local chapter of the American Red Cross, area organizations and groups are encouraged to participate in this event on Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 22 and 23. Those interested in participating in this effort should contact Julie at the Red Cross office at 344-4052 with details concerning the fund-raising idea. Proceeds will benefit the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund. * * * LANDFILL AGREEMENT REJECTED: The Portage County Board of Supervisors has rejected a siting agreement between the county's Solid Waste Management Board and the town of Stockton for the existing county landfill. On a vote of 24 to 1 Tuesday night, the County Board rejected the proposed agreement reached by the town's negotiating committee and the county Solid Waste Management Board in April. The tentative agreement called for the county to compensate the town and its residents $985,000 for having the landfill. Surrounding landowners were to receive payments totaling $125,000 - $10,000 for residences "right next door" to the landfill and $5,000 for those a "little further out." The town was to receive $770,000 in compensation, plus another $90,000 as payment for water sampling, negotiating expenses, monitoring committee expense and screening. County Board Supervisor and Solid Waste Management Board Chairman James Krems, who had voted for the agreement in April, recommended Tuesday the county reject the agreement. The agreement had been on hold for the last five months, as the town granted the county an extension while the Solid Waste Management Board waits for key municipalities to decide whether they will continue to use the landfill, he said. Tonnage at the landfill is less than was projected in April. Krems wants the county to renegotiate with the town. If a negotiated settlement can't be reached, binding arbitration could add at least another $20,000 to the county's costs, he said. Tonnage at the county landfill has gone down as private waste haulers have been purchased by larger waste management firms operating their own landfills. At the same time, the county is opening up another module at the landfill to extend its service life to 2006 as the county looks at future options for handling waste. Landfill tipping fees also subsidize recycling operations at the county's Material Recycling Facility in the village of Plover. "We really need to consider getting out of the landfill business as soon as we can," said Supervisor Philip Idsvoog. "The sooner we can, the better." The county landfill went into operation in 1982, just before state statutes allowed host towns to negotiate a siting agreement with landfill builders. The landfill was licensed for 15 years. In May 2000, the State Waste Siting Board determined the town of Stockton could negotiate for the present landfill since it did not close in December 1997. The attorney representing the town, Thomas Harnisch of Neillsville, said one reason the Solid Waste Management Board and County Board are troubled by the agreement is they have no experience with similar agreements. Other communities have gone through two or three negotiating cycles, he said. Town of Stockton Chairman Ronald Borski said the town of Ringle in Marathon County gets compensated $1.25 ton. "Best we can calculate the average tonnage from 1982 to 2006 is estimated at 30,000 ton per year, which will give the town of Stockton approximately $1 per ton for the garbage put in the landfill over that 25-year period," Borski said. Some host towns also receive free waste disposal, which Stockton didn't pursue in negotiations. Borski is also a county supervisor. He abstained from voting on the agreement Tuesday. "If you table (the siting agreement) or disapprove it, what then? You still have a hole to fill out in the landfill," Borski said. * * * LINCOLN CENTER PROJECT: The County Board approved the final expansion plans for the Lincoln Center expansion project. The board set a guaranteed maximum price of $3,189,000, with the county's share being no more than $1,594,500. The county and city of Stevens Point have a 50-50 cost share. The Lincoln Center Building Committee is utilizing a construction manager approach for the project instead of hiring a general contractor, which will result in numerous bid packages being let throughout the construction and requiring the construction manager to submit a guaranteed maximum price for the project. The construction manager, Oscar J. Boldt Construction of Schofield, set a price breakdown of $152,000 for land acquisition and demolition costs, $2,042,000 for the building addition, $281,000 to remodel the existing building, $201,000 to correct the current building deficiencies, $180,000 for architect and engineer fees, a 6 percent construction manager fee of $183,000 and a contingency fund of $150,000. * * * LAKE HELEN DISTRICT GROWS: The County Board approved a petition filed by the Lake Helen Protection and Rehabilitation District to add three adjacent properties to the district by a vote of 23 to 2. The district had voted 53-1 at its May 26 meeting to add the properties, which were agricultural lands when the district was formed but since have either been developed or are no longer being farmed. The parcels are southwest of the lake and are not waterfront property. The only access to the properties is through Lake Helen Drive and they are in the surface and ground water watersheds of the lake. Properties in a lake district are subject to special assessments for lake improvement projects. * * * HARBORING RUNAWAYS: The County Board unanimously adopted an ordinance making it illegal to harbor runaways. The fine is up to $200, plus court costs and assessments, or 30 days in jail. * * * CONTRACT APPROVED: The County Board approved a collective bargaining agreement with the Portage County Corrections Officers Association for the period of Jan.1, 2001, through Dec. 31, 2003. The total package cost to the county is an increase of 4.1 percent, Personnel Director Therese Freiberg said. Employee contributions to health insurance premiums will increase from 5 percent to 10 percent by the end of the agreement. * * * MOBILIZATION BRIEFING: County Corporation Counsel Michael McKenna, who is a staff judge advocate in the Wisconsin Army National Guard, briefed supervisors on what would happen if local reservists and National Guardsmen were mobilized following the recent terrorist attacks or for any other reasons. After any county employees return from military service, the county must take them back with no loss of seniority. The county does not track how many employees have military commitments, Freiberg said. * * * DOG CLAIM: The County Board also approved a dog claim by Scott Peterson, 5888 Mjelde Road, town of Lanark. Peterson was compensated $750 for a seven-day old stud colt destroyed by a dog. * * * STRONGS AVENUE CLOSED: Strongs Avenue in Stevens Point between Main Street and Arlington Place has been closed for street reconstruction. Work began Tuesday, Sept. 18, and the project is expected to take three to five weeks to complete. * * * CLARK STREET PAVING COMPLETED: Concrete paving on Clark Street from Michigan to Minnesota avenues was completed on Saturday, Sept. 15. Crews continue to work on installing sidewalks, driveway approaches, curbs and gutters, with the project expected to be completed in October. * * * ENROLLMENT RISES AT MID-STATE TECHNICAL COLLEGE: Enrollment at Mid-State Technical College should surpass last year, the Board of Directors were told Monday, Sept. 17, at its monthly meeting in Wisconsin Rapids. Connie Willfahrt, vice president of student affairs, said enrollment is up at all MSTC campuses. "We're off to a pretty good start and looking forward to continuing that growth as the year progresses." Specific figures were unavailable. Brian Oehler, college president, said enrollment in MSTC programs has increased nearly 5 percent from the previous academic year. In other business, the board toured the new Urban Forestry Technician lab. Over 100 people participated in the unveiling of the state-of-the art-facility. Activities included demonstrations in the indoor and outdoor labs for MSTC students and instructors, University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point forestry students and instructors, forestry employers, as well as the MSTC Board. The next board meeting will be held on Monday, Oct. 15, at the Adams Center. Committee meetings begin at 5 p.m., and the board meeting at 6 p.m. * * * OBEY REPRESENTATIVE HOLDS OFFICE HOURS: Amy Sue Vruwink, district representative for U.S. Rep. Dave Obey, D-Wausau, will be in Portage County on Friday, Sept. 21, from 3 to 4 p.m. in conference room 1 of the Portage County Courthouse Annex in Stevens Point.