To make sure you receive future emails, please add info@wisclerks.org to your address book or safe list. March 2024 WMCA E-Newsletter Issue 03 - 2024 In This Issue: President's Message 2024 Board of Review 2024 Conference WCEF Upcoming District Meetings UW-GB Institute IIMC News 2024 Blood Drive Links: Career Ads WMCA Mission: To be the premier source for the personal empowerment of municipal clerks in Wisconsin through education, professional development, and the promotion of excellence. President's Message Well, March came in like a lamb, will it go out like a lamb or a lion? With the beautiful weather we have had lately it’s hard to believe that it’s still winter. My flowers are already peeking out of the ground. With the warmer weather coming, communities will starting seeing requests for solicitor/transient merchant permits. A WMCA Clerk just told me about Malinda’s Law which pertains to solicitors in Wisconsin. Wisconsin Statute § 103.34 “Malinda’s Law” took effect in 2010 to protect consumers, homeowners and employees of traveling sales companies. This Law requires businesses to register with the Department of Workforce Development and communities can require solicitor/transient merchant applicants to show a Certificate of Registration from the state. For more information on Malinda’s law go to https://dwd.wisconsin.gov/er/laborstandards/workpermit/travelsales.htm.  Another thing happening this spring is Board of Review. Earlier in March the Department of Revenue held Train the Trainer sessions around the state. So watch for upcoming in-person Board of Review training sessions in your area. If you aren’t able to attend an in-person session, materials will again be available from the Department of Revenue for purchase.  The two videos, “How to Conduct a BOR First Meeting” and “How to Conduct a BOR Hearing” are the same as last year, so if you have those videos you can use them for 2024 training. There are four new short videos available: Examining the Assessment Roll; BOR Chair Duties; The Assessor – Hiring/retaining, Working With and Evaluating a Municipal Assessor; BOR Meeting and Notice Requirements. Also, the exam is new for 2024.  A big change for 2024 is the elimination of Personal Property taxes. The Department of Revenue website (revenue.wi.gov) has helpful information. There are also common questions and answers. Check it out.  Speaking of Department of Revenue, there have been recent changes in alcohol, tobacco and vapor product licenses. Make sure to check the DOR website and watch for emails. Forms are also being revised. There will also be sessions at the conference in August regarding the changes with licensing. Congratulations to our Clerks Week t-shirt design contest winners, Ashley Beffa, Julia Fitzgerald and Peggy Fischer. Thank you to everyone that submitted a design. We have some very talented members in our organization. The designs received were excellent. I know everyone is busy preparing for the Spring Election and Presidential Preference on Tuesday, April 2, 2024. I have been receiving many inquiries from the news media about clerks preparing for the upcoming Elections. Andrew Arenge from NBC News-Election Unit is asking for Wisconsin Clerks help again this year.  This is Andrew’s request: The NBC News Elections Unit needs your help! NBC News is working on a project related to voter turnout in Wisconsin and is looking to collect real-time voter turnout information for the April 2nd election. Please fill out the simple form at (https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSc7yHOfyK3KXs05baL6grlwRvet-2OAEBnSO0ENWimD4EwgqQ/viewform) throughout the day and night as you have updated turnout results for your municipality. The goal is to use your turnout report in coordination with reports from across the state to create an overall picture of what turnout looks like statewide prior to polls being closed. The team values every individual report, no matter the size of the jurisdiction. NBC knows that you and your teams are very busy on Election Day and are extremely grateful for any real-time insight you can provide about turnout in your municipality. If you have any questions about this form or this data collection effort, please reach out to the NBC News Elections Unit by emailing election.outreach@nbcuni.com. Thank you in advance for your time and assistance with this effort. If you have the time on Election Day to send information to Andrew, please help him out.  The mailings are going out again, so be prepared for people calling or coming into your office because they received a voter registration application or an absentee ballot form. I received notification from the Voter Participation Center that they sent out their voter registration mailing and it should reach residents soon. They are also going to be sending out a second mailing in May to people who are turning 18 and newly eligible voters. I hope that everyone has a safe and uneventful Election Day. “Nobody will ever deprive the American people of the right to vote except the American people themselves and the only way they could do this is by not voting.” Franklin D. Roosevelt Enjoy your day, Cindi Gamb WMCA President 2024 Board of Review (BOR) Training Wisconsin law requires that in 2024, before the First Two-hour Meeting, at least one member of the BOR must attend a training session approved by the Wisconsin Department of Revenue within one year of the BOR’s first meeting, see Wis. Stats. §§ 70.46(4) and 73.03(55). 2024 Wisconsin Department of Revenue (DOR) Approved Training WMCA will be holding in-person training sessions around Wisconsin. Watch your email for meeting notices. If you aren’t able to attend an in-person session, the DOR has approved watching the following video programs along with completing the NEW 2024 BOR Exam to meet the 2024 BOR training. To complete the 2024 BOR training you can view: a) The 2022, or 2023 “How to Conduct a BOR First Meeting” OR b) The 2021, 2022 & 2023 “How to Conduct a BOR Hearing” video OR c) View ALL the NEW 2024 Board of Review Short Videos 1. Examining the Assessment roll, AND 2. BOR Chair Duties, AND 3. Hiring the Assessor, AND 4. BOR Meeting and Notice Requirements How to Purchase the BOR Training Videos You can purchase these videos through the DOR, https://localgovernment.extension.wisc.edu/board-of-review-training/. IMPORTANT NOTE: If you already purchased the 2022, or 2023 “How to Conduct a BOR First Meeting” and/or the 2021, 2022 & 2023 “How to Conduct a BOR Hearing” video. YOU DO NOT NEED TO PURCHASE A NEW VIDEO FOR THE 2024 BOR Training. While Watching the Videos When viewing the BOR First Meeting video, use the Sample First Meeting Agenda on page 35 to follow the fictional Village of Grewyair First Meeting actions. For a BOR Hearing, use the “Findings of Fact, Determinations and Decision Form” on pages 53-58. The new BOR Short Videos are designed to aid a Chair and Clerk with specific BOR duties. 2024 BOR Handbook – UPDATED for 2024 DOR revamped the 2024 BOR Handbook to follow the typical BOR schedule for notices, starting with the Assessor’s Open Book, BOR First Meeting then, if needed, through a BOR Hearing. 2024 Board of Review Handbook includes a sample BOR agenda; BOR Checklist The Basics; 2023 Forms and Scripts; Findings of Fact and Decision form; scripts for running both the BOR Two Hour First Meeting and BOR Hearing; DOR and other forms; BOR Meeting notices; Sample Revaluation Notice; BOR Sample Ordinances and Policies; Taxpayer Assessment Questions and Policies; DOE resources and publications information and BOR Wisconsin statutes. 2024 BOR Exam – NEW for 2024 There is a NEW 2024 BOR Exam, which must be completed to complete your 2024 BOR Training. You do not have to achieve a certain score to receive certification as having completed your training. The exam’s main purpose is to guide you in preparing for your board of review. These materials are designed to assist you in your BOR member role with the BOR forms, outlines, and a link to DOR online resources. You can get the 2024 NEW BOR Exam using the New Revamped 2024 Handbook. Or download it for free (see below). Free Downloadable 2024 Board of Review Training Handbook Exam & Answers, Forms and Notices These materials are provided to assist municipalities in utilizing the printed forms contained in the 2024 Board of Review Training Handbook. The materials are a WORD file and can be adapted to fit your municipality. To download the WORD file go to the DOR website, https://localgovernment.extension.wisc.edu/board-of-review-training/. For any questions, please contact Bill Oemichen at woemichen@wisc.edu or Daniel Foth at daniel.foth@wisc.edu 2024 Annual Conference 2024 WMCA Annual Conference Madison Marriott West – Middleton The WMCA announced at the 2023 Annual Conference that the 2024 Annual Conference will be in Middleton at the Madison Marriot West. While it is too early to announce the line-up of classes, you can get your hotel room reserved now.  The 2024 WMCA Conference will be the shorter 2-day conference with a pre-conference day on Wednesday, August 28, 2024. Conference will be August 29-30, 2024. Sleeping Room Reservation   Wisconsin Clerks Education Fund is for YOU! The Wisconsin Clerks Education Fund or WCEF is a WMCA committee that was established to promote the training and education of Wisconsin’s Municipal Clerks. This is accomplished by providing scholarships to clerks to attend the WMCA Annual Conference and the Spring Northern Training. In 2023, the WCEF helped 7 clerks by granting a partial or full scholarship to attend the conference. This year we hope to help even more! We are funded by generous donations from our vendors, from raffles held before and during the annual conference, and those that shop using iGive As a WMCA member you are eligible to apply for a scholarship. Please watch our page on the WMCA website https://www.wisclerks.org/wcef; the 2024 application will be out soon! Upcoming District Meetings April 18, 2024 - District IV (4) - Ripon Senior Activity Center April 26, 2024 - District VI (6) - Waunakee Village Center Click here for more information UW-Green Bay Clerks and Treasurers Institute July 14-19, 2024 | Fully Online - $499 The UW-Green Bay Virtual Institute is a series of interactive, live online sessions via Zoom. Participants select and register for their track, and UW-Green Bay provides links so that participants can join the cohort live. The session length depends on the content. Click the button below for more information and registration! UW-GB Institute Info   Scholarship Applications Now Available for UW-Green Bay Institute Deadline is April 12, 2024 This Institute is truly the premiere place to learn the skills you need to be the best Professional Clerk you can be.  WMCA has scholarships available for any Clerk planning to attend the Clerks Institute. Applications must be postmarked by April 12. All members are encouraged to apply for a scholarship no matter which year of the institute you are in – Year  1, 2 or 3 or Clerks Completion.  Click the button below to fill out the online application! Deadline is April 12, 2024. UW-GB Scholarship Application   IIMC News Scholarship to IIMC 2024 Conference The International Institute of Municipal Clerks (IIMC) has some great educational opportunities for municipal Clerks, too. They will be holding their annual conference in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, from May 19 - 22, 2024. Click here to view the conference website for more information. If you are considering attending, you should consider filling out the IIMC/WMCA Scholarship application for a chance at a full scholarship! The online application form must be filled out and submitted by March 22, 2024. Click the button below for the online application. IIMC Scholarship Application   Blood Drive Thank you to those who have donated! ASSOCIATE MEMBER ADS Click on the ad for a direct link to their website. www.wisclerks.org Copyright © WMCA, All rights reserved. Our mailing address is: Wisconsin Municipal Clerks Association 262 W. Main Street Wales, WI 53183 info@wisclerks.org If you no longer want to receive emails from 2024 WMCA E-Newsletters, please Opt-Out.