District 5 seat open due to Supervisor being elected to Waukesha County Treasurer. Apply by December 3.
County Board Seeks Applicants for Vacant Seat
The Waukesha County Board office is seeking applicants to fill the District 5 County Board seat. The district is currently represented by Supervisor Jennifer Grant who is leaving the board following her successful election to Waukesha County Treasurer. District 5 includes portions of the Village of Menomonee Falls and the Village of Lannon. A map of the district is available here:
County Board Supervisors play a vital role in representing their district and shaping county policies. They serve on committees, participate in budget discussions, and vote on important issues affecting Waukesha County residents. We are looking for a passionate and engaged individual with a strong desire to serve their community. Those interested in applying for the appointment should submit a letter of interest by December 3, along with background information and experience to:
Sarah Spaeth, Chief of Staff Waukesha County Board Office 515 W. Moreland Boulevard Room AC130 Waukesha, WI 53188
Candidates will be interviewed on the morning of December 9th by the County Board’s Executive Committee. The selected candidate will serve on two committees and fill the remainder of the term which expires in April of 2026. For further information please contact:
Budget reduces tax rate while bolstering investments in public safety, infrastructure, and sustaining high-quality service standards.
County Executive Signs 2025 County Budget
On Thursday, November 14, 2024, Waukesha County Executive Paul Farrow was joined by County Supervisors as he put pen to paper and signed the 2025 Waukesha County Budget. The Waukesha County Board of Supervisors unanimously passed the nearly $400 million dollar budget during their November 12th meeting with two minor amendments.
This marks the 5th consecutive year the Board has passed the County budget unanimously.
The 2025 County Budget also reflects a decrease of $2.9 million from the prior year.
“Residents expect a secure community, one marked by low crime rates and high-quality services. They count on us to meet this standard. We are managing, but only through significant cuts to the non-state mandated portion of our budget,” County Executive Paul Farrow said.
In the 2025 County Budget, 44% or $51 million will fund state mandated programs, a burden that takes critical funding away from the county’s priorities
Some highlights of this year’s budget include:
Taxes: Waukesha County remains a low-tax leader
The budget will cut the County tax rate for the 11th consecutive year, including every year County Executive Farrow has been in office. The 2025 budget drops the tax rate from $1.39 per thousand dollars of home value to $1.35, a 3% decrease and the lowest tax rate in more than three decades. That means Waukesha County will likely continue to have the second lowest effective tax rate among the 72 counties statewide.
The latest data available is for the 2023 budget because we obtain it from the DOR, which requires all the budgets to have been approved. That doesn't happen until later, of course. I say "likely" because it's not guaranteed, but very probable. Tax rates across the state are dropping because levy limits combined with rapidly expanding tax bases. It's also possible that some counties that receive more proportional shared revenue could lower their rate more than normal. I suspect we'll maintain our position, or maybe move to third-lowest at worst, so this is still a good stat to point out.
Justice and Law Enforcement Program:
The 2025 Executive Budget allocates its greatest portion of new County tax levy, of $3.5 million, and Shared Revenue, of $2.1 million, to support law enforcement.
Sheriff’s Department, $2.8 million in new tax levy and $1.5 million in Shared Revenue to support operations, provide relief for jail inmate capacity, and cover an increase of over $1 million in jail medical services to inmates.
Emergency Preparedness, which includes emergency dispatch operations for the Sheriff’s Department and 34 municipalities, receives $450,000 of additional levy to covers personnel cost increases and the loss of grant dollars.
Circuit Courts and the District Attorney’s Office, $200,000.
The Medical Examiner’s Office, $65,000 to support rising costs of operations.
“In our 2025 budget, we were forced to cut two sheriff deputy positions and make additional reductions that will impact the level of service our county provides. Despite already having the lowest per capita spending of any county in Wisconsin, we cannot continue to cut our way out of this fiscal situation without putting public safety at serious risk. We’re urging state lawmakers to address the shortfall of funding to local governments,” Farrow added.
Health and Human Services:
The County would invest $97,000 in HHS. The County’s largest department delivers essential services to our community by providing mental health services, protecting at-risk children and adults, ensuring veterans receive the benefits they’re entitled to, combating the opioid crisis, and serving clients in many other essential areas.
Infrastructure:
The 2025 Capital Budget totals $43.7 million, a $9.2 million decrease from the 2024 budget.
$5 million toward the rehabilitation of CTH O (Moorland Road), between CTH ES (National Avenue) and CTH D (Cleveland Avenue) in the City of New Berlin as part of a multi-year effort to improve multiple segments along one of the County’s busiest highways.
$1.5 million to replace a salt dome which collapsed earlier this year.
$20.4 million for the Courthouse Project Step II, which will renovate the 1959 Courthouse to enhance security, refurbish the East/West wing on the 2nd floor and the existing County Board space.
The County continues to evaluate the future sale of two key County-owned properties, Huber Facility on Northview and UW-Waukesha Campus closer to being on the tax rolls.
For updates about County programs and events, follow Waukesha County Executive Paul Farrow on Facebook at @CountyExecutivePaulFarrow and on Twitter at @WaukeshaCoExec.
Federally funded grants allow Waukesha County ability to partner with private and non-profit sectors to address community needs.
Community Development Block Grant Celebrates 50th Anniversary
November 13, 2024, marked a momentous occasion as the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) celebrates the 50th anniversary of the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program. These federally funded grants allow communities like Waukesha County the ability to partner with private and non-profit sectors to address community needs.
"Investing in nonprofit organizations is a commitment to strengthening the fabric of our community. These organizations provide critical services and resources for residents when they need them most in life, ” Parks & Land Use Director Dale Shaver said.
About 30 local non-profits across the county use these funds annually to address critical and unmet community needs including those for housing rehabilitation, neighborhood revitalization, public facilities, infrastructure, job creation, public services, and more.
For the past 50 years, community partners have worked together with HUD to deliver impactful change, especially for low- and moderate-income communities through CDBG. Each year, over 1,200 state, local, and territorial jurisdictions receive CDBG funds to revitalize and strengthen their communities.
“Empowering nonprofit organizations amplifies their impact. By directing resources through these channels, we fuel missions that drive transformative change, ensuring essential support reaches every corner of our communities,” Community Development Manager, Kristin Silva said.
Waukesha County has created a short video to highlight four of our partner non-profit organizations; The Women’s Center, Lake Area Free Clinic, Habitat for Humanity, and The Hope Center. These nonprofit organizations, and many others, work hand in hand with Waukesha County’s Community Development Division to use CDBG to make a difference in our community.
The 2024 General Election is on Tuesday, November 5th. Polls are open from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Election Day.
2024 General Election Results
The 2024 General Election is on Tuesday, November 5th. Polls are open from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Election Day. View the 2024 General Election Results
County Board was set to vote on the measure at the October 22 meeting.
County Executive Withdraws Sales Tax Ordinance
On Tuesday, October 22, 2024, Waukesha County Executive Paul Farrow withdrew from consideration an ordinance to implement a 0.5% county sales tax. Under the proposal the sales tax was scheduled to take effect July 1, 2025.
County Executive Paul Farrow released this statement following his decision to withdraw the ordinance from consideration.
“My decision to withdraw the sales tax ordinance from consideration is democracy in action. Postponing the measure will allow for more public input and provide for an opportunity to educate residents on the county’s financial challenges. I will work with the County Board to examine possible legislative remedies, including the potential to levy less than the 0.5% county sales tax currently allowed under state law,” Paul Farrow said.
