Summer Webinar Series
Local Government Education – Summer Webinar Series
Extension Waukesha County is hosting a summer webinar series for local government officials and concerned citizens. The webinars will be held via Zoom from 11 am to noon.
Introduction to Strategic Planning – June 11
Nate Winkler, Waukesha County Outreach Associate and Prasanta Anumolu Milwaukee County Community Development Educator, will introduce participants to research-informed strategic planning concepts commonly used in public and nonprofit organizations and explore how they apply to small municipalities with limited capacity.
Participants will explore what strategic planning is—and what it is not; why strategic planning matters for small towns and villages; conditions where strategic planning adds value; situations where communities should delay planning and focus on stabilization; and how strategic planning supports proactive, transparent governance.
Target Audience: Elected officials, finance staff, administrators, planners, and economic development professionals in Wisconsin cities, villages, towns, and counties.This session will introduce participants to research-informed strategic planning concepts commonly used in public and nonprofit organizations and explore how they apply to small municipalities with limited capacity.
Contact Nate Winkler at npwinkler@wisc.edu for more information.
Growing Within the Cap: Analyzing Your Municipal Tax Base Under Wisconsin’s Levy Limits – July 14
Wisconsin’s levy limits mean long‑term municipal budgeting capacity rises or falls with tax base growth. In this focused webinar, Karl Green, Local Government Education Program Manager with UW–Madison Extension, explains how levy limits connect to net new construction, and how to review development patterns that impact your community’s growth potential. Participants will learn where to find local net new construction, tax base trends, and how to assess these trends for potential residential and non‑residential growth.
Learning Objectives:
Explain how Wisconsin’s levy limit formula ties growth to future fiscal capacity. Identify key tax base metrics that signal long‑term sustainability. Evaluate development potential and if land‑use choices affect local development.
- Explain how Wisconsin’s levy limit formula ties growth to future fiscal capacity.
- Identify key tax base metrics that signal long‑term sustainability.
- Evaluate development potential and if land‑use choices affect local development.
Target Audience: Elected officials, finance staff, administrators, planners, and economic development professionals in Wisconsin cities, villages, towns, and counties.
Contact Nate Winkler at npwinkler@wisc.edu for more information.
PFAS & Emerging Contaminants: Community Education, Engagement, and Response – August 20
Communities across Wisconsin are increasingly encountering PFAS (“forever chemicals”) and other emerging contaminants in drinking water and the environment. These issues raise complex questions about health, testing, communication, and community response—particularly for local officials, educators, and residents seeking clear, trustworthy information.
Join Anya Jeninga‑Nehls, Emerging Contaminants Outreach Specialist with the UW–Madison Division of Extension, Natural Resources Institute, for a 45–60 minute webinar grounded in research and outreach resources. Created in response to growing public concern, the Emerging Contaminants Outreach program helps communities understand PFAS and related contaminants and navigate available information using science‑based, accessible tools.
Designed for local leaders, educators, environmental health professionals, and community members seeking a clearer understanding of PFAS and risk communication, this webinar will introduce key concepts around PFAS and emerging contaminants in Wisconsin’s drinking water, highlight Extension’s role in community education and engagement, and share how Extension supports local governments, private well owners, and community partners facilitating PFAS outreach. Emphasis will be placed on clear communication, collaborative response, and practical application, not regulation or enforcement.
Contact Nate Winkler at npwinkler@wisc.edu for more information.
Resources
- Waukesha County: https://go.wisc.edu/89gn75
- Milwaukee County: https://go.wisc.edu/r472m9
- UW-Madison Extension Community Development: https://go.wisc.edu/8464t1
- UW-Madison Extension Local Government Education: https://go.wisc.edu/64b17u
- Why Counties Invest in Extension (YouTube): https://go.wisc.edu/8f0x3j
- UW-Madison Extension Natural Resources Institute: go.wisc.edu/zty8e9
Contact Nate Winkler at npwinkler@wisc.edu for more information.
Extension Waukesha County * University of Wisconsin-Madison
515 W Moreland Boulevard * Administration Center Room G22 * Waukesha, WI 53188
Office Hours: 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM, Monday through Friday * Phone: (262) 548-7770
Extension Waukesha County is located in the Administration Center of the Waukesha County Courthouse Complex. Enter through the main Courthouse doors. After going through security, take the corridor on the left to the the Administration Center. Take the elevators or stairs to the ground floor and go to room G22.