Economic Development & UW-Extension Committee — Agenda Packet

1 Sawyer County Economic Development & UW-Extension Committee Meeting Tuesday, September 8, 2026 @ 8:30 AM Sawyer County Board Room AGENDA 1. ZOOM LINK a. To view or participate in the virtual meeting from a computer, iPad, or Android device please go to https://zoom.us/j/97642007840. You can also use the dial in at 1-312-626-6799 with the Webinar ID: 976 4200 7840. Use *9 to Raise/lower hand and *6 to Unmute/mute. If you are on a computer, click the "Raise Hand" button and wait to be recognized. If you are on a telephone, dial *9 and wait to be recognized. If additional assistance is needed please contact the County Clerk's Office at 715- 634-4866 prior to the meeting. This meeting will be recorded and will be available on our website at: https://sawyercountygov.org. 2. CALL TO ORDER 3. ROLL CALL 4. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE 5. CERTIFICATION OF COMPLIANCE WITH THE OPEN MEETINGS LAW 6. MEETING AGENDA 7. PUBLIC COMMENTS At this time, members of the public will be given the opportunity to address the Board. Please adhere to the following when addressing the Board: • Comments will be limited to 3 minutes or less per individual. • Comments should be directed to the Board as a whole and not directed to individual Board members. • The Board cannot respond to your comments during this time. • Please sign in and fill out a public comment sheet if you wish to speak and hand it to the County Clerk (please respect the signs and do not approach Board members at the table). 8. CONSIDER APPROVAL OF MINUTES FROM PREVIOUS MEETING a. Econ/UWEX Draft Minutes 8.10.26 9. LIBRARY UPDATES (JAN, APR, JUL, OCT) Page 1 of 11 2 10. UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-EXTENSION REPORT (FEB, MAY, AUG, NOV) 11. HAYWARD LAKES VISITORS & CONVENTION BUREAU REPORT a. FY 2025-26 Annual Review of the Hayward Lakes VCB 12. NORTHWEST REGIONAL PLANNING COMMISSION REPORT a. NWRPC Report 13. SAWYER COUNTY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION REPORT a. EDC REPORT 14. TRAIL REPORTS- MOTORIZED AND NON-MOTORIZED a. Motorized b. Non-motorized 15. BOARD APPOINTED COMMITTEE UPDATES 16. CORRESPONDENCE, REPORTS FROM CONFERENCES AND MEETINGS 17. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS 18. FINALIZATION OF BUSINESS 19. NEXT MEETING DATE /TIME: MONDAY, OCTOBER 5 AT 8:30AM 20. ADJOURNMENT DISCLAIMER: A quorum of the County Board of Supervisors or of any of its committees may be present at this meeting to listen and observe. Neither the Board nor any of the committees have established attendance at this meeting as an official function of the Board or committee(s) or otherwise made a determination that attendance at the meeting is necessary to carry out the Board or committee’s function. The only purpose for other supervisors attending the meeting is to listen to the information presented. Neither the Board nor any committee (other than the committee providing this notice and agenda) will take any official action with respect to this noticed meeting. Copy sent via email to: Committee Members, Associated Staff and News Media. Note: Any person wishing to attend whom, because of a disability, requires accommodation should call the Sawyer County Clerk’s Office (715.634.4866) at least 24 hours before the scheduled meeting so appropriate arrangements can be made. Page 2 of 11 3 Mission Statement: The Sawyer County Board of Supervisors will strive to provide excellent services and responsible leadership to protect and enhance Sawyer County citizens, businesses, and resources, while preserving our unique heritage. Page 3 of 11 Minutes of the August 10 , 2026 Meeting of the Sawyer County Economic Development and UW-Extension Committee of the Sawyer County Board of Supervisors Board Room; Sawyer County Voting Committee Members Present: Others Present: John Righeimer Mike Markgren Lori Baltrusis Stacey Hessel Laura Bruce Ariga Grigoryan Jim Miller - Rhandi Ehn Steve Longtine Brian Priester Randy Neumann Chris Treland Call to Order – Mr. Righeimer called the meeting to order at 8:30 am. Certification of Compliance with the open meeting law was met. Roll Call was taken. Quorum was met. Meeting Agenda -- Set Public Comments – Linda Zillmer Minutes from the previous meeting dated: July 6, 2026 Motion to approve made by: Mr. Neumann Second by: Mr. Longtine Motion carried without negative vote. UW Extension Report – Ms. Baltrusis reported that their offices have moved out onto Highway 63. She played a short video on why Counties should invest in Extension, and spoke about a rural health grant they are looking into. As this is Sawyer County Fair week, she asked all to attend and show support. Ms. Grigoryan reported on the upcoming Clean Sweep happening on September 23rd at the fairgrounds. Hayward Lakes Visitors & Convention Bureau Report—No report. SC Economic Development Corporation Report— Mr. Priester reported on the Census Tracts, upcoming launch of the new website, the Thrive Grant, and two upcoming small business grants. Trail Reports-- Motorized— Ms. Treland reported that local clubs are doing trail maintenance and guided trail rides. She stated that this has been a very successful summer for businesses and updated the committee on the trail counters. Non-Motorized trails— None. Board Appointed Committee Updates – No reports Correspondence, Reports from Conferences— None Future Agenda Items – None Adjournment – 8:57 am Page 4 of 11 Meeting Date/Time – The next meeting of the Economic Development and UW-Extension Committee will be Tuesday, September 8, 2026 at 8:30 am in the Board Room. Minutes recorded by Laura Bruce, Elected Official Deputy Clerk Page 5 of 11 Hayward Lakes Visitors and Convention Bureau FY2025–2026 Marketing Report Page 1 HAYWARD LAKES VISITORS AND CONVENTION BUREAU Annual Marketing Performance Report Fiscal Year 2025–2026 July 1, 2025 – June 30, 2026 Executive Summary This report summarizes the marketing performance of the Hayward Lakes Visitors and Convention Bureau for the 2025–2026 fiscal year. Our strategy centered on reaching key visitor audiences through the publications, broadcasts, and digital channels they already trust, and delivering valuable, destination-focused content through those channels. This included a mix of print and digital advertising across regional and Midwest outlets, seasonal YouTube video campaigns, organic social media growth, and continued investment in HaywardLakes.com. Overall, the fiscal year delivered strong, measurable growth in website traffic and continued expansion of our digital audience. Fiscal Year Highlights 31% increase in total website users year-over-year 32.2% increase in total website sessions year-over-year 34% increase in engaged sessions year-over-year 15% growth in Facebook followers year-over-year (1,287 new followers) 1. Paid Advertising & Media Placements The HLVCB placed targeted advertising with regional and national outlets, each selected to reach a specific geographic market or interest-based audience (for example, anglers, snowmobilers, or families). The table below summarizes a portion of this fiscal year's larger placements. Outlet Format Target Audience Star Tribune Social media marketing Twin Cities market Milwaukee Magazine Print ad & travel content Milwaukee travelers State Point Media Regional news website content Statewide Wisconsin Midwest Rider Print & digital UTV/ATV and snowmobile riders Iowa Sportsman Print & travel content Iowa travelers Fox 6 Milwaukee TV segments & social media Milwaukee travelers WGN Radio Radio Chicagoland travelers WTMJ Radio Radio Milwaukee & southeast WI travelers Midwest Outdoors Print, digital & podcast Midwest fishing audience Minnesota Parent Print & digital Twin Cities families Page 6 of 11 Hayward Lakes Visitors and Convention Bureau FY2025–2026 Marketing Report Page 2 Outlet Format Target Audience Minneapolis St. Paul Magazine Digital Twin Cities travelers On Wisconsin Outdoors Print & digital Outdoor enthusiasts statewide Bartusek Media YouTube campaign Spring fishing audience Backroads with Ron Schara Television ad MN, SD, ND travelers Mad Dog & Merrill's Midwest Grillin' TV sponsorship/ad/episode Upper Midwest / nationwide Discover WI TV & digital media partnership Uniquely WI, with Sawyer County & Sawyer County EDC 2. Digital Video (YouTube) Campaigns The HLVCB ran four seasonal YouTube campaigns this fiscal year, each promoting a signature activity: fall colors, winter snowmobiling and ice fishing, spring fishing, and general summer Hayward content. Each campaign combined two ad types, described below. Video Views ads build awareness by maximizing how many people watch the video. Demand Gen ("demand generation") ads are designed to drive action — most importantly, clicks through to HaywardLakes.com — from viewers who are already further along in planning a trip. Impressions = the number of times an ad was displayed. Views/Engagements = the number of times someone actually watched or interacted with the ad. Clicks = the number of times someone clicked through to our website. Fall 2025 — Fall Colors Ad Type Metric Result Video Views Impressions 163,483 Video Views Views 123,847 Video Views Clicks 40 Demand Gen Impressions 76,720 Demand Gen Engagements (views) 10,008 Demand Gen Clicks 10,769 Winter 2025–26 — Snowmobiling & Ice Fishing Ad Type Metric Result Video Views Impressions 812,300 Video Views Views 559,210 Video Views Clicks 48 Demand Gen Impressions 1,738,000 Page 7 of 11 Hayward Lakes Visitors and Convention Bureau FY2025–2026 Marketing Report Page 3 Ad Type Metric Result Demand Gen Engagements (views) 45,271 Demand Gen Clicks 42,221 Spring 2026 — Spring Fishing Ad Type Metric Result Video Views Impressions 1,115,643 Video Views Views 719,010 Demand Gen Impressions 1,334,034 Demand Gen Engagements (views) 52,300 Demand Gen Clicks 48,166 Summer 2026 — General Hayward Campaign launched to promote general Hayward-area summer tourism; results were not yet finalized at the time of this report. Across all four seasonal campaigns, video view ads generated broad awareness (millions of combined impressions), while demand gen ads consistently drove the strongest click-through activity to the website — reflecting their role in reaching travelers closer to booking a trip. 3. Organic Social Media Facebook remained a core channel for organic (unpaid) audience growth this fiscal year. ● 1,287 new Facebook followers gained during the fiscal year — a 15% increase over the previous fiscal year. ● Content regularly highlighted the four room-tax contributing townships within the Hayward Lakes area, spotlighting local points of interest across the region. 4. HaywardLakes.com Website Performance HaywardLakes.com saw significant growth across every core traffic metric this fiscal year compared to 2024–25. Users = unique visitors to the site. Sessions = total visits (a user can have more than one session). Engaged Sessions = sessions in which a visitor took a meaningful action, such as viewing more than one page or staying for a meaningful length of time. Views = total number of pages viewed across all visits. Metric FY 2025–26 Total Change vs. FY 2024–25 Total Users 183,800 +31% Total Sessions 277,171 +32.2% Engaged Sessions 232,577 +34% Total Views 786,749 +26.8% Page 8 of 11 Hayward Lakes Visitors and Convention Bureau FY2025–2026 Marketing Report Page 4 Top States Visiting the Website Ranked by total visits, reflecting where interest in the Hayward Lakes region is concentrated, both regionally and beyond. Rank State 1 Wisconsin 2 Illinois 3 Minnesota 4 Iowa 5 Texas 6 Missouri 7 Indiana 8 Florida 9 Kansas 10 Oklahoma Top Website Pages Visited The most-visited pages show strong visitor interest in real-time trip planning tools and outdoor recreation content. Rank Page 1 Web Cams 2 Snowmobile Itinerary 3 Activities 4 Fishing 5 Fishing Trip Giveaway 6 Outdoor Reports 7 ATV/UTV Trails 8 Snowmobile Trail Conditions 9 Stay 10 Fall/Winter Activities Page 9 of 11 Hayward Lakes Visitors and Convention Bureau FY2025–2026 Marketing Report Page 5 Looking Ahead: How This Marketing Is Driving Visitation Taken together, this fiscal year's results show a clear connection between the HLVCB's marketing investment and growing visitor interest in the Hayward Lakes area. The paid media placements were built to put the region in front of the right travelers at the right time while the seasonal YouTube campaigns kept that momentum going year-round, pairing broad awareness with ads specifically designed to send interested travelers straight to HaywardLakes.com. That strategy shows up directly in the website numbers. A 31% increase in total users and a 32.2% increase in sessions point to more travelers actively researching a trip to the area, while a 34% jump in engaged sessions suggests those visitors are finding the site genuinely useful, not just passing through. The top-visited pages reinforce this: web cams, snowmobile itineraries, fishing information, and trail conditions are exactly the kind of practical, trip-planning content that turns online interest into an actual visit. Growth in Facebook followers also points to a strengthening, more locally engaged digital audience. One that is likely to return season after season and share the destination with others. Combined with the geographic reach shown in our top visiting states, the fiscal year's marketing efforts have both widened the funnel of potential visitors and given existing fans more reasons to come back. Looking to next fiscal year, the HLVCB will continue building on the channels and content that performed best, while keeping an eye toward finalizing and expanding the Summer 2026 campaign to close out the seasonal content cycle. The consistent, double-digit growth across nearly every metric this year gives us a strong foundation to build on. The single largest new initiative for 2026–27 is a new three-year media partnership with Discover Mediaworks. This multi-year commitment allows the HLVCB to move from single-season media buys to a sustained, coordinated media presence, building brand recognition for the Hayward Lakes area over a longer horizon rather than resetting placements each year. Why It Matters ● Locks in consistent Hayward Lakes visibility across TV and digital channels over a three-year term, rather than negotiating placements annually. ● Builds on the existing relationship with Discover WI media, which was already part of the FY 2025–26 media mix. ● Supports a coordinated content pipeline over the course of 2027, 2028, and 2029 Page 10 of 11 P O B o x 3 4 1 , H a y w a r d , W I 5 4 8 4 3 w w w . s a w y e r c o u n t y e d c . c o m 7 1 5 - 2 7 4 - 9 5 4 1 b r i a n @ s a w y e r c o u n t y e d c . c o m August Sawyer County EDC Report EDC 101 September 22. In partnership with Barron & Rusk. 3-6pm. Cameron SBTA Grant webinar SBDG Grant webinar Built survey to assist with grant applications Completed Official Name Change paperwork with DFI Website is live and I will continue to add to it Meetings with business & community leaders continue Page 11 of 11