County optimistic Oneidas will pay for services By Ray Barrington News-Chronicle Brown County may not know by the time it passes its budget whether it will get money from the Oneida Nation for county services. But the two sides have been in contact, and outgoing administration director Jeff Landin told the county's Executive Committee on Wednesday the county's budget might get more money on the receipt side by January. The Oneidas had paid $500,000 in 2002 and 2003 to the county in lieu of property taxes for services the county provides, from snowplowing to library use. But there was no agreement or payment for 2004. Sup. Dan Haefs, who had sparked negotiations that led to the earlier payments, decided to push for a return. Landin said the Oneidas were interested in a longer-term deal and possibly an escalator clause to increase payments over the term of what could be a 10- or 20-year deal. "They believe they should provide some fees," he said, saying the longer term deal was desired by the Oneidas for stability and future planning. Sup. Patrick Evans asked if the negotiations could include a back payment to cover the lost 2004 revenue, and Landin said that was a possibility. Haefs said the Oneidas were "magnanimous - they dealt in good faith" in past talks. - The committee decided not to recommend the hiring of a grant writer for the County Board office. The committee had been looking at hiring a grant writer in an attempt to gain more outside funds. The issue, however, became entangled with whether the grant writer would have additional duties with the board, something some committee members disliked. County Executive Carol Kelso told the board the bulk of grant money available was for the human services area and law enforcement, with the county's Human Services Department able to provide its own grant writer and the Sheriff's Department handling its own grants. Only two other counties of 27 surveyed have specific grant-writing positions. Portage County has a full-time grant writer, but does not have a large human services operation. Racine County's grant writer works out of that county's human services department, and Kelso said she believed a writer in Brown County could handle other departments while working for Human Services.