Wisconsin Board of Commissioners of Public Lands

The Wisconsin Board of Commissioners of Public Lands, otherwise known as BCPL, is a state agency responsible for investing Wisconsin's School Trust Funds in support of public education, for managing the state's remaining School Trust Lands, and for maintaining an extensive archive of land records. The agency was established in Article X, Section 7 of the Wisconsin Constitution, ratified in 1848.[2][3]

Wisconsin Board of Commissioners of Public Lands
Agency overview
FormedMay 29, 1848
JurisdictionWisconsin
Headquarters101 E. Wilson Street, 2nd Floor, Madison, Wisconsin 53703
Employees9.5
Annual budget$1,584,000
Agency executive
  • Tom German[1], Executive Secretary
Parent agencyDepartment of Administration
Websitehttp://bcpl.wisconsin.gov/

Trust funds and beneficiaries

Proceeds from the sale and management of the School Trust Lands constitute a significant portion of the principal incident to the four School Trust Funds managed by BCPL: the Common School Fund, Normal School Fund, University Fund, and Agricultural College Fund.[4]

Common School Fund

The Common School Fund was created from the sale of the 16th and 32nd sections in each of Wisconsin's townships; this amounted to almost 3,000,000 acres (12,000 km2). The U.S. Congress later added to the Common School Fund's principal by allocating an additional 500,000 acres (2,000 km2) of school lands. In addition to trust land revenues, the state constitution also guarantees to the Common School Fund all fines, fees, and forfeitures for violations of the criminal laws, alongside all unclaimed and escheated property that accrues to the state. Income from the Common School Fund is annually apportioned by the Superintendent of Public Instruction and remitted to the Department of Administration for distribution to every school district as school library aid.[5] These annual distributions are the only source of statewide aid for Wisconsin's public school libraries.[6]

Normal School Fund

The Normal School Fund was created in 1865 from the sale of half of the land grant Congress conveyed to Wisconsin in the Swamp Land Act of 1850, after the Wisconsin Legislature determined not all of the land was needed to encourage the drainage and conveyance of title of federally-owned wetlands then considered necessary for Western settlement. The Normal School Fund was originally intended to provide financial support to normal schools, or state teacher colleges. Following the merger of Wisconsin's state teacher colleges with the University of Wisconsin System in 1971, the Normal School Fund now primarily finances scholarships and environmental education programming at the University of Wisconsin System.[7]

University Fund

The University Fund was created from congressional grants in 1838 and 1854 of four townships to be sold to support a land-grant university. Neither Congress nor the Legislature provided for additional revenues to the University Fund following the sale of most of the university lands. Interest on the remaining trust fund principal is distributed annually from the University Fund to the University of Wisconsin–Madison.[8]

Agricultural College Fund

The Agriculture College Fund was created from the proceeds of the land grant allocated to the state by the Morrill Land-Grant Colleges Act. The state received 240,000 acres (970 km2) of land under this Act. Neither Congress nor the Legislature provided for additional revenues to the Agricultural College Fund following the rapid sale of the agricultural college lands. Interest on trust fund principal is distributed annually from the Agricultural College Fund to the University of Wisconsin–Madison, the state's land-grant university.[9]

Land portfolio

BCPL was organized upon statehood to oversee the sale and management of School Trust Lands, public lands allotted by Congress to finance primary, secondary and post-secondary public education at a time when the United States was a land rich but cash poor nation. Once encompassing over 10 million acres, a little less than 80,000 acres (320 km2) of the original trust lands granted to Wisconsin remain under BCPL's stewardship; these lands are largely forested and therefore harvested for sustainable timber, the proceeds of which are deposited to both the Common School Fund and to the Normal School Fund.[10] BCPL also engages in sales of School Trust Lands in exchange for more productive parcels.[11][12] Land sales are by private sale and either paid with cash or through mortgaged installments.[13][14] The remaining School Trust Lands are accessible to the public without charge for hunting, fishing, trapping, hiking, and other appropriate outdoor recreational activities. BCPL prioritizes managing the School Trust Lands efficiently and sustainably, with an eye towards increasing timber harvest productivity, protecting water quality, conserving biodiversity, and enhancing public access.[15]

Investment portfolio

BCPL invests School Trust Fund principal in a diversified portfolio of bonds, stock and securities to support public-school libraries and programs at the University of Wisconsin System.[16][17][18][19] As part of its diversified investments, BCPL furthers asset appreciation by issuing loans from the four School Trust Funds to Wisconsin municipalities and school districts. These "State Trust Fund Loans" are generally used to finance school repairs and maintenance, municipal infrastructure projects, and local economic development projects, among many other public purposes. Principal and interest on loans are payable annually at BCPL's office in downtown Madison, Wisconsin.[20][21]

Commissioners and staff

In accordance with Article X, Section 7 of the Wisconsin State Constitution, the three Commissioners of Public Lands are the Secretary of State, State Treasurer, and Attorney General.[22] The current commissioners are as follows:

Board of Commissioners of Public Lands
2019–2023 term
DistrictNameParty
State TreasurerSarah GodlewskiDemocratic, Chair[23]
Secretary of StateDoug La FolletteDemocratic
Attorney GeneralJosh KaulDemocratic

The three commissioners are supported by an Executive Secretary and a professional staff of 8.5 full-time employees to carry out the day-to-day operations of the agency.[24] Tia Nelson, daughter of late governor and U.S. Senator Gaylord Nelson, previously served as Executive Secretary of the BCPL from October 2004 to July 2015.[25] The current Executive Secretary is Tom German, who succeeded his predecessor Jonathan Barry following the latter's retirement on January 4, 2020.[26][27] BCPL is a member of the National Association of State Trust Lands, an organization that represents America's state land commissioners.[28]

References
  1. "Board of Commissioners of Public Lands - Staff Directory". bcpl.wisconsin.gov. Retrieved 2020-02-15.
  2. Wisconsin Constitution, art. X, secs. 7–8. Wisconsin Blue Book, 1853, at 29. Wisconsin Constitution, Dec. 2009.
  3. "Wisconsin Legislature: ARTICLE X".
  4. "School Trust Funds". Board of Commissioners of Public Lands. Retrieved December 10, 2021.
  5. Wisconsin's Common School Fund, Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction
  6. "Common School Fund". Board of Commissioners of Public Lands. Retrieved December 10, 2021.
  7. "Board of Commissioners of Public Lands - Normal School Fund". Bcpl.wisconsin.gov. Retrieved 2010-05-03.
  8. "Board of Commissioners of Public Lands - University Fund". Bcpl.wisconsin.gov. Retrieved 2010-05-03.
  9. "Board of Commissioners of Public Lands - Agricultural College Fund". Bcpl.wisconsin.gov. Retrieved 2010-05-03.
  10. "School Trust Lands". Board of Commissioners of Public Lands. Retrieved December 10, 2021.
  11. "Wisconsin Legislature: X,2".
  12. "Wisconsin Legislature: X,8".
  13. "Wisconsin Legislature: 24.11".
  14. "Wisconsin Legislature: 24.15".
  15. "School Trust Lands". Board of Commissioners of Public Lands. Retrieved December 10, 2021.
  16. "Board of Commissioners of Public Lands CommonSchoolFund".
  17. "Board of Commissioners of Public Lands NormalSchoolFund".
  18. "Board of Commissioners of Public Lands UniversityFund".
  19. "Board of Commissioners of Public Lands AgriculturalCollegeFund".
  20. "Board of Commissioners of Public Lands LoanProgramHomePage".
  21. "Wisconsin Legislature: X,8".
  22. https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/constitution/wi/000235/000008
  23. https://bcpl.wisconsin.gov/Shared%20Documents/Board%20Meeting%20Docs/2019/2019-04-02_BoardPacket.pdf
  24. "Board of Commissioners of Public Lands Contact".
  25. https://www.linkedin.com/in/tia-nelson-517a8131
  26. "Board of Commissioners of Public Lands Contact".
  27. https://bcpl.wisconsin.gov/Shared%20Documents/Board%20Meeting%20Docs/2019/2019-12-17-BoardMtgRecording.mp3
  28. https://www.statetrustland.org/
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