Oconto County Robbery, Charges Sought By Brown County

From Dictionary.com
Main Entry: robbery  [rob-uh-ree]
Part of Speech: noun
Definition: stealing
Synonyms: break-in, burglary, caper, embezzlement, felony, heist, hit, holdup, job, larceny, looting, mortal sin, mugging, purse-snatching, stickup, theft, thievery, unlawful act, wrongdoing

We find this interesting article at the OC Times Herald which is leading to highway robbery for the residents of Oconto County. We seen this story developing on Oct. 11, 2012.

10/23/2012
Brown County library charges prompt action
Oconto County sends message: Use our libraries
By Joan Koehne
Managing editor

Oconto County residents are on a course to pay Brown County almost $126,000 for materials loaned from the Brown County Library in 2011, prompting local officials to spread the message: check out materials from libraries within our borders.

Oconto County also plans to supply library clerks at Brown County branches with hand-outs to give to Oconto County patrons who borrow materials. These hand-outs will explain that Brown County is entitled to a fee from Oconto County — almost $2.95 per loan in 2011 — for the items checked out.

The Oconto County Board will consider the library charges at its budget meeting Oct. 25. If the charges are approved, county residents will see the charges on their property tax bill, issued in December.

County and library officials met with state legislators Oct. 8 in Oconto County and requested they revamp the law.

“We’re trying to find out a better way to fund libraries, whether it’s a change in the law or forming library districts so they can tax themselves,” Hamann said.

He said Oconto County will not follow the lead of Outagamie County, which may ban Brown County residents from checking out materials at Outagamie County libraries.

Read more at The Oconto County Times Herald.

We have to ask if any Brown County residents are using Oconto County libraries. If so, will Oconto County charge Brown County for that use? Why would Oconto County even consider paying for this? It’s a Brown County problem.

If the residents of Gillett, Lena, Oconto Falls, Oconto, Lakewood, Bagley, Breed, How, Maple Valley and Suring are exempt from these library charges, why will their taxes go up because of it? Brown County is holding up Oconto County and the county is saying, no problem, here’s the $126,000! Let Brown County charge non residents $2.95 for materials checked out.

Here’s a story from the Green Bay Press Gazette about the Outagamie, Appleton and Kewaunee County libraries.

“It is fundamentally unreasonable to expect that Outagamie County should reimburse Brown County for use when Brown County will not do the same in return,” the Board President Jean Detjen wrote. “The Trustees regret the unfortunate impact your action will have on the citizens of Brown County.”

Appleton’s Library Board sent a letter last week saying it would cease service to Brown County residents beginning Jan. 1, 2013, unless the Brown County Library withdraws its $33,281 bill to Outagamie County

Brown County issued bills to counties ranging from $1,597 to almost $126,000, and response has varied. Kewaunee County plans to pass its costs on to its towns and villages, and is encouraging residents to use libraries within the county.

One, good to see Outagamie holding their ground. Two, how does Appleton get a $33,000 bill and Oconto County gets a bill of $126.000? Is Brown County taking the people of Oconto County for a bunch of saps? Something is not right here. Three, looks like the good people of Kewaunee have been robbed by their county board already.

The meeting was in Oconto and we think the decision was made on Thursday, Oct 25. We are trying to find out more information but hope Oconto County did not cave to the whims of the Brown County library. Brown County cannot live with in it’s budget and are robbing the surrounding counties to make up for it’s losses, mistakes and ineptness.

The taxpayers of Oconto County should not pay any fee to Brown County.

If anyone has any news links on the action taken by Oconto County, please let us know. We will follow up with calls to Oconto County on Monday.