Hometown Broadcasting News Monday 9/28/20
28 September 2020 News
Ripon Common Council Meeting Preview
The Ripon Common Council tonight will consider a couple contracts with MSA Professional Services for the Vermont Street and Parkway Terrace improvement and reconstruction project. One is for administration of a grant and loan to help fund the project. The other is for the design and construction contract. The Council will also consider approving an ordinance for a 20-year comprehensive plan. One of the discussion items is for reconsideration of an ordinance for the ATV and UTV routes in the city. The Council meets at 7 pm at the City Council Chamber in the Ripon City Hall.
Ripon Schools Annual Meeting
The Ripon School Board will hold their annual meeting and budget hearing tonight at 7pm at the Ripon High School Media Room. The District Business Manager will give a presentation on the budget and resolution for a nearly $6.9 million tax levy will be considered. The tax levy is down 2.6 percent from the previous year and will help to fund a $25.9 million budget. The budget is just over 9 percent more than the previous year. School Board salaries and reimbursement for expenses and changing the annual meeting time to 6 pm will also be voted on.
Congressman Grothman Says Not Enough Time To Consider Spending Bill
Congressman Glenn Grothman says he voted against a bill that funds the federal government for another six weeks because he didn’t know enough about what was in the bill. The federal lawmaker says that was through no fault of his own. He says they were told they would be considering it over about a week’s time, but instead were forced to vote on it the same day they received a copy of the bill, which was 115 pages long. “I voted no. All five Republicans in Wisconsin voted no we were all among the 55 or 57 no votes there and it was just kind of in protest to the way we were treated by leadership.” The bill will fund the federal government from October 1st through December 11th.
Ripon School District Enrollment Up
Ripon Schools Superintendent Mary Whitrock says their business office recently gave them good news about the enrollment count the state has them take on the third Friday in September. She says they had just under 2,000 students. “We’re just under 2,000 at 1,984 in terms of the total number of students and just two years ago we were closer to 1,500 so some really nice growth.” She says a lot of that growth can be attributed to their Odyssey Academy of Virtual Learning. They have more than doubled their open enrollment numbers. Whitrock says their business office figures that enrollment number is at its highest point in at least 40 years.
Effectiveness Of Face Shields
Ripon Community COVID-19 Task Force member Jeff Puhlmann-Becker says he supports the World Health Organization’s position that the primary transmission of the virus is through saliva and respiratory droplets or mist. He says that’s not to say you couldn’t get it off a surface, but it is not as likely. Puhlmann-Becker also says face masks are more effective than a face shield and a combination of both would be even more effective. “It is really important that we think about covering your nose and mouth and then thinking about your eyes that you’re not scratching your eyes and a face shield keeps your eyes from getting a direct blast, it still comes around the edges, but it has value but not without a face mask.”
Oshkosh Schools Referendum Information Presentations
The Oshkosh Area School District will have three information sessions over the next two weeks about the spending referendum they’ve placed on the November 3rd ballot. Two of those sessions are this week; Tuesday at the Carl Traeger Middle School, and Thursday at the Webster Stanley Middle School. The third and final session is a virtual presentation Tuesday, October 6th on the district website. All three sessions will begin at 6 pm. Face coverings and social distancing will be required for those attending the in-person presentations.
Marquette County Drive Through Flu Vaccine Clinics
The Marquette County Health Department will be holding two drive-through flu vaccine clinics this week. The first is tomorrow afternoon from 1:30 to 3 pm in Montello at the County Highway Department and the second is Friday morning from 9:30 to 11 am at the Oxford Fire Department. Please bring your Medicare card and supplemental card or Forward card. Medicare Part B, Medicare supplement or Medical Assistance will also be accepted. Flu clinics are also planned in Neshkoro, Packwaukee, Endeavour, and Westfield. Those with questions about the clinics can call 608-297-3135.
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