JUNEAU – Two Dodge County building projects that could have a combined price tag of nearly $65 million gained a little focus Tuesday afternoon. Goyer explained that statewide initiatives like Wisconsin Care don’t specialize in these conditions, and more than 20 counties have indicated they may be willing to contract services with Dodge County to care for out-of-county patients. That could secure more revenue for the county.
Supervisors approved allocating $750,000 to Enberg Anderson, an architectural firm from Milwaukee, to draft detailed plans for a new Clearview Long Term Care & Rehabilitation facility that would have a projected price tag of more than $44.5 million.
The measure passed with opposition from supervisors Paul Marose, Jeff Schmitt, MaryAnn Miller and Eugene Wurtz. Supervisor Dean Fuller abstained from the vote.
Architect Keith Anderson suggested constructing a new building on the south campus of Clearview’s current location at 199 Home Road in Juneau. He said remodeling the north campus would present numerous structural and logistical obstacles that could cost millions.
Philip Cossens, of Ehlers and Associates from Brookfield, explained ways for the county to secure funding for the proposed project; as well as funding for a proposed $5 million highway department shop in Juneau.
Cossens laid out a 20-year plan in which he projected the county could borrow nearly $65 million in total project costs without affecting the tax levy. The plan would tap sales tax revenue for more than $45.56 million in principal payments. Clearview and the highway department would then use internal revenue, $16.8 million and $2.52 million respectively, to cover interest.
The plan would also require two bond issues. The first would come in July 2010 with a $30 million taxable Building America Bond, made available through the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act of 2009. With a 35-percent IRS rebate, the loan would cost $41.56 million over 20 years. Then in July 2011, the county would borrow $15.56 million in a tax-exempt bond. Its total cost over 20 years would be $23.31 million.
"Money is cheap right now," Cossens told supervisors.
However, the total price tag of nearly $65 million scared off some supervisors.
Supervisor Paul Marose said the proposal was laudable, but called it "a scary proposition." He said it would account for sales tax proceeds for 20 years, and could handcuff the fund balance.
"If sales tax fails us, we’ll have to go the taxpayers," he said. "I’d like to wait just to next year so I’m not sitting here saying, ‘Gee whiz, I didn’t expect it to be like this."
Some supervisors said that the price tag was too much to spend on one segment of the population – the elderly.
However, Jane Goyer, administrator of Clearview, explained that the facility is neither a county home, nor a nursing home. Average patients, she said, are in their 40s.
The staff of 366 employees provides specialized care in brain injury rehabilitation, behavioral rehabilitation, chronic mental illness, general geriatric care and developmental disabilities.
The next step for the county will be to renew its bond rating and wait to review detailed schematic plans of the proposed new Clearview facility when architects from Enberg Anderson finish them.