by Joseph Back

If roads are a major topic of local township government, they also form a major part of budget revenues. Contained in the proposed budget for Wilson this upcoming year is $92,847 in state highway aid, with total projected revenues of $219,469. Divide the former by the latter and state highway aids make up 42.3 percent of the Wilson town budget. Meanwhile the projected fund balance carryover into 2021 is calculated at $280,640.25. The full details are in the annual budget worksheet and the monthly treasurer’s report for November 2020.

Starting out the month of October, the checking account for Wilson at Marine Credit Union held $146,378.88 in total deposits. With $23,211.81 from the State of Wisconsin, several private park donations, a driveway permit, a vending permit, and “dump cash” revenue, the total deposit balance for the end of October was $170,133.18, with $22.89 for earned interest and $56,501.06 paid out, leaving and ending balance in checking of $113,655.01.

Shifting to the Wilson Money Market account, the starting balance for October was $79,109.28. With $16.80 in interest earned for the month, the ending balance on October 31 for the money market account came out to $79,126.08. For the Wire Program-Housing Revolving account, the starting balance for October was $21,063.16. With $2.68 earned in interest for the month of October, the Wire Program account closed out October 31 with $21,605.84. Shifting last to the two CD accounts, the total invested by the Town of Wilson in certificates of deposit was $82,888.64, with $20,483.88 in one CD account and $62,404.76 in the other. Combining the two CD accounts with the balances of the other three accounts results in a total for town finances of $311,944,75, while $31,304.50 MORE in projected expenditures than revenues for the last three months of the year ($63,131.50 in revenues and $94436 in expenditures) means that Wilson will greet the New Year with around $280,640.25 in the town’s official fund balance, before taxes or revenue.

Regarding the 2021 budget set at a total of $219,469, slightly over ten percent of this goes to the public works and transportation department payroll, set to total $25,000 in 2021. In addition $126,718 will be set aside for ‘roads and maintenance’ while $6,000 is being set aside for bridges and culverts. Fire protection is set to cost $1,295 as a township pay-in, while the ambulance subsidy from Wilson is relatively unchanged at $6,700. General Government (composed of the Board, Clerk, Elections, Treasurer, Assessor, Hall, Insurance/Roads, Insurance/other) is set for a projected total cost of $37,800 in 2021, down considerably from $44,435 in 2018 and $47,068 in 2019. Nothing is being set aside for the ‘equipment’ fund in public works and transportation, while for public works and sanitation there will be $2,306 in wages and $10,200 budgeted for expenditures on ‘recycling/ disposal.’Aflat $100 is budgeted for animal control expense, $3,000 is budgeted for the town park nothing for the wire program, with just $350 classed as ‘miscellaneous, resulting in a total Wilson town budget for 2021 of $219,469, over half of which goes to roads —and that makes a certain kind of sense in local terms. Without good roads, it’s hard to get around, after all.