Executive Committee - Regular Meeting — Agenda Packet

Chippewa County Executive Committee Regular Meeting September 1, 2026 Chippewa County Courthouse, Room 302 4:30 PM District 7, Chair Jason Bergeron District 9, Vice-Chair Joel Seidlitz District 21 Kari Ives District 13 Joseph Roshell District 11 Karen Lotts Page 1 of 80 Chippewa County Executive Committee Regular Meeting September 1, 2026 Chippewa County Courthouse, Room 302 4:30 PM 1. Call to Order 2. Roll Call 3. Members of the Public Wishing to Be Heard (Comments will be limited to 5 minutes per speaker.) 4. Consent Agenda (Unless separation of an item is requested, all items will be adopted under one motion.) 1. Approve the Agenda 2. Approve the Minutes - August 18, 2026 3. Schedule Next Meeting Date - September 15, 2026 5. Reports 1. Finance Update - 2nd Quarter - Leah Simington 6. Business Items 1. Resolution to Appoint Melissa Grill as Successor County Treasurer - Andy Albarado 2. Resolution to Accept the Ad Hoc EMS Study Committee Final Report and Direct the County Administrator to Develop an Implementation Plan - Andy Albarado 3. Human Resources Policy Manual – General Revisions 4. Human Resources Policy Manual – Revisions Related to Implementation of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) 7. Updates, Announcements, and Correspondence 1. County Board Chair Report 2. County Administrator Operation Report 8. Agenda Items for Future Consideration 9. Adjourn Page 2 of 80 Chippewa County Executive Committee Regular Meeting September 1, 2026 Chippewa County Courthouse, Room 302 4:30 PM Chippewa County shall attempt to provide reasonable special accommodations to the public for access to its public meetings, provided reasonable notice of special need is given. If special accommodations for a meeting are desired, contact the County Clerk’s Office at 715-726- 7980. Members of the Chippewa County Board of Supervisors who are not members of this committee are entitled to attend this meeting. It is possible that the attendance of one or more such nonmember Supervisors may create a quorum of some other county board committee, board or commission. Such a quorum is unintended and the nonmember Supervisors are not meeting for the purpose of exercising the responsibility, authority, power, or duties of any other committee, board or commission. Published: August 25, 2026 Page 3 of 80 Chippewa County Executive Committee Regular Meeting August 18, 2026 Chippewa County Courthouse, Room 302 4:30 PM 1. Call to Order The Chair called the meeting to order at 04:00 PM 2. Roll Call Members Present: Jason Bergeron, Joel Seidlitz, Kari Ives, Joseph Roshell, Karen Lotts Members Absent: Others Present: Others Present: Andy Albarado, Traci Bremness, Jessica McDonald, Leah Simington, Dennis Bachman, Andy Bauer, Deb Blevins, Todd Pauls 3. Members of the Public Wishing to Be Heard (Comments will be limited to 5 minutes per speaker.) 4. Consent Agenda (Unless separation of an item is requested, all items will be adopted under one motion.) Motion: Approved Result: Passed (5 - 0) Mover: Karen Lotts Seconder: Joel Seidlitz Ayes: Jason Bergeron, Joel Seidlitz, Kari Ives, Joseph Roshell, Karen Lotts Nayes: None Absent: 1. Approve the Agenda 2. Approve the Minutes * August 4, 2026 * August 10, 2026 3. Schedule Next Meeting Date - September 1, 2026 5. Reports 6. Updates, Announcements, and Correspondence 1. County Board Chair Report 2. County Administrator Operation Report 7. Business Items 1. Resolution to Disallow Claim of Debbie Patzoldt - Deb Blevins Page 4 of 80 Blevins reviewed the claim and explained it is the recommendation of WIMMIC, our liability insurance carrier, to disallow the claim. Motion: Approved Result: Passed (5 - 0) Mover: Joel Seidlitz Seconder: Joseph Roshell Ayes: Jason Bergeron, Joel Seidlitz, Kari Ives, Joseph Roshell, Karen Lotts Nayes: None Absent: 2. Resolution to Disallow Claim of Siera Bauch - Deb Blevins Blevins reviewed the claim and explained it is the recommendation of WIMMIC, our liability insurance carrier, to disallow the claim. Motion: Approved Result: Passed (5 - 0) Mover: Joseph Roshell Seconder: Karen Lotts Ayes: Jason Bergeron, Joel Seidlitz, Kari Ives, Joseph Roshell, Karen Lotts Nayes: None Absent: 3. Resolution to Disallow Claim of Mike Denesen - Deb Blevins Blevins reviewed the claim and explained it is the recommendation of WIMMIC, our liability insurance carrier, to disallow the claim. Motion: Approved Result: Passed (5 - 0) Mover: Joel Seidlitz Seconder: Kari Ives Ayes: Jason Bergeron, Joel Seidlitz, Kari Ives, Joseph Roshell, Karen Lotts Nayes: None Absent: 4. The Executive Committee will convene in closed session pursuant to Wisconsin State Statute 19.85 (1)(c) – “Considering employment, promotion, compensation or performance evaluation data of any public employee over which the governmental body has jurisdiction or exercises responsibility” (Discuss reference checks and select finalist for the County Treasurer position). Closed session to include: Andy Albarado, Traci Bremness, Jessica McDonald, Leah Simington, all Committee Members, Other County Board Supervisors. The committee convened in closed session at 4:37 p.m. Motion: Approved Result: Passed (5 - 0) Mover: Karen Lotts Seconder: Kari Ives Ayes: Jason Bergeron, Joel Seidlitz, Kari Ives, Joseph Roshell, Karen Lotts Nayes: None Page 5 of 80 Absent: 5. The Executive Committee will reconvene to open session The committee reconvened to open session at 4:45 p.m. Motion: Approved Result: Passed (5 - 0) Mover: Joseph Roshell Seconder: Karen Lotts Ayes: Jason Bergeron, Joel Seidlitz, Kari Ives, Joseph Roshell, Karen Lotts Nayes: None Absent: 8. Agenda Items for Future Consideration 9. Adjourn The meeting adjourned at: 04:45 PM Result: Passed (5 - 0) Mover: Joel Seidlitz Seconder: Karen Lotts Ayes: Jason Bergeron, Joel Seidlitz, Kari Ives, Joseph Roshell, Karen Lotts Absent: Page 6 of 80 8/19/2026 1 Finance UpdateJanuary-June 2026 (Pre-Audited)Leah Simington, Finance DirectorExecutive Committee – September 1, 2026County Board – September 8, 2026 DefinitionsFund – A fiscal entity that is segregated for the purpose of accounting and budget reporting with a complete set of self balancing accounts to include assets, liabilities, equity/fund balance and revenues and expenditures/expenses•General – to account for all financial resources used to fund general government operations not accounted for in another fund•Special Revenue/Purpose – are used to account for the proceeds of a specific revenue sources that are restricted or committed to specified purposes•Debt Service – to account for the accumulation of resources for, and the payment of, general long-term debt principal and interest•Capital Projects – to account for financial resources to be used for the acquisition or construction of major capital facilities or equipment•Proprietary – the category of funds used to account for ongoing activities similar to those also found in the private sector . Uses the accrual basis of accounting•Enterprise – to account for operations that are financed and operated similar to private business with the intention that the cost of providing goods or services to the general public is to be financed or recovered primarily through user charges•Internal Service – to account for the cost of providing goods or services by one department or agency to another department or agency on a cost-reimbursement basis•Fiduciary Funds – funds used to report assets held in a trust agency 1 2 Page 7 of 80 8/19/2026 2 Definitions (cont.)Fund Balance/Net Assets – The difference between assets and liabilities•If at the end of the year actual revenues exceed actual expenditures fund balance increases – it decreases if actual expenditures exceed actual revenues•When budgeting fund balance – you are anticipating that expenditures will exceed revenue by the amount budgeted and the budget plan is to reduce the amount of fund balance available•Non-spendable fund balance – amounts that are not in spendable form, such as inventory and prepaid expense. •Restricted fund balance – amounts that can be spent only for specific purposes by external providers, such as grant or bondholders as well as through legislation•Committed fund balance – amounts that are intended for specific purpose, as expressed by the governing body or authorized official•Unassigned fund balance – all amounts not contained in other categories Definitions (cont.)Lapsing Fund – The difference between revenues and expenditures is closed out to the fund balance and not carried forward to be used for a specific purposeNon-Lapsing Fund – The difference between revenues and expenditures is carried forward to be used for a specific purposeContingency Fund – A line item in the budget that is for unplanned expenditures3 4 Page 8 of 80 8/19/2026 3 January – June 2026 (Pre-Audited) Financial Results2026 Pre-Audited Financial Results January – June 2026 (Pre-Audited) Financial Results:General FundActualsFund Description Budget Actual% CollectedBudget Actual% SpentNet Gain/(Loss)02 County Board 184,835.00$ 184,835.00$ 100.0%184,835.00$ 66,056.24$ 35.7%118,778.76$ 03 General County 407,260.00$ (3,164,425.12)$ -777.0%407,260.00$ 225,081.39$ 55.3%(3,389,506.51)$ 04 Department of Administration 10,170,019.17$ 7,016,416.32$ 69.0%10,170,019.17$ 3,330,702.02$ 32.8%3,685,714.30$ 05 Insurances 563,518.00$ 475,830.44$ 84.4%563,518.00$ 145,290.15$ 25.8%330,540.29$ 06 County Clerk 1,460,373.00$ 1,394,041.05$ 95.5%1,460,373.00$ 1,273,048.14$ 87.2%120,992.91$ 10 County Treasurer 492,544.00$ 861,945.41$ 175.0%492,544.00$ 258,718.47$ 52.5%603,226.94$ 11 Register of Deeds 470,595.00$ 233,635.43$ 49.6%470,595.00$ 254,768.69$ 54.1%(21,133.26)$ 12 District Attorney 975,045.00$ 896,117.85$ 91.9%975,045.00$ 489,571.82$ 50.2%406,546.03$ 14 Clerk of Courts 1,902,168.00$ 1,358,711.00$ 71.4%1,902,168.00$ 859,310.40$ 45.2%499,400.60$ 18 Register in Probate 272,945.00$ 243,657.44$ 89.3%272,945.00$ 134,983.74$ 49.5%108,673.70$ 20 Child Support 994,415.00$ 297,046.54$ 29.9%994,415.00$ 487,748.99$ 49.0%(190,702.45)$ 24 Sheriff 12,421,149.16$ 10,960,701.29$ 88.2%12,421,149.16$ 5,723,122.49$ 46.1%5,237,578.80$ 27 Coroner 166,615.00$ 130,640.00$ 78.4%166,615.00$ 68,491.21$ 41.1%62,148.79$ 42 Housing Authority 1,150.00$ 1,150.00$ 100.0%1,150.00$ -$ 0.0%1,150.00$ 48 UW - Extension 255,609.00$ 261,168.12$ 102.2%255,609.00$ 21,053.99$ 8.2%240,114.13$ 50/52 Land Conservation & Forest Mgmt 3,749,423.00$ 1,335,082.29$ 35.6%3,749,423.00$ 909,922.19$ 24.3%425,160.10$ 53/54 Planning & Zoning 1,422,966.00$ 899,835.49$ 63.2%1,422,966.00$ 575,270.38$ 40.4%324,565.11$ 60 Veterans 240,662.00$ 240,658.00$ 100.0%240,662.00$ 112,835.85$ 46.9%127,822.15$ 68 Public Health 603,055.00$ 521,604.79$ 86.5%603,055.00$ 277,359.18$ 46.0%244,245.61$ 100 General Fund 36,754,346.33$ 24,148,651.34$ 65.7%36,754,346.33$ 15,213,335.34$ 41.4%8,935,316.00$ RevenueExpense5 6 Page 9 of 80 8/19/2026 4 January – June 2026 (Pre-Audited)Financial Summary:General Fund (cont.)Highlights Include:•County Board•Annual contracts paid at beginning of year•General County•State Shared Revenues arrive in 4thQuarter (2026 Budgeted = $3,358,378)•County Clerk•The expenses show 87% utilized which is attributed to the annual Libraries allocation (2026 = $1,043,432)•County Treasurer•Interest rates with State Investment Pool are at 3.67%•Schwab Investments (See table in the right corner .)•Child Support•State Aid reimbursement revenues received quarterlyRevenues -You will notice that some departments show revenues at 100% because the tax levy allocation for their department is given at the beginning of the year for the whole year. Other revenues are below the 25% which is usually normal because they have other sources of revenue that may be seasonal besides tax levy to fund their departments.Schwab Investments Market Review06/30/202601/01/2026$16,196,342.86$16,015,046.68Cost Value(278,660.00)(218,970.55)Market Adjustment$ (26,108.31)Net Change in Market Adjustment January – June 2026 (Pre-Audited) Financial Results:Special Revenue FundsActualsFund Description Budget Actual% CollectedBudget Actual% SpentNet Gain/(Loss)204 Public Health 2,512,221.00$ 1,427,891.88$ 56.8%2,512,221.00$ 1,224,749.49$ 48.8%203,142.39$ 205 ADRC & Aging 2,224,931.00$ 954,335.29$ 42.9%2,224,931.00$ 965,505.12$ 43.4%(11,169.83)$ 208 Human Services 7,916,595.00$ 4,769,759.63$ 60.3%7,916,595.00$ 4,150,365.41$ 52.4%619,394.22$ 84 DHS-RWC 3,414,726.00$ 1,256,407.60$ 36.8%3,414,726.00$ 1,573,435.91$ 46.1%(317,028.31)$ 85 RWC-Comprehensive Comm Serv 27,672,770.00$ 9,020,801.21$ 32.6%27,672,770.00$ 8,870,360.28$ 32.1%150,440.93$ 209 Recovery & Wellness Consortium 31,087,496.00$ 10,277,208.81$ 33.1%31,087,496.00$ 10,443,796.19$ 33.6%(166,587.38)$ 212 Crime Prevention Fund 4,000.00$ (4,031.38)$ -100.8%4,000.00$ -$ 0.0%(4,031.38)$ 213 Housing CDBG Revolving Loans 1,556,150.00$ 1,465,473.91$ 94.2%1,556,150.00$ 1,698,139.98$ 109.1%(232,666.07)$ 215 Jail Assessment 51,750.00$ 15,616.10$ 30.2%51,750.00$ 12,556.15$ 24.3%3,059.95$ 220 Land Records 146,330.00$ 86,280.00$ 59.0%146,330.00$ -$ 0.0%86,280.00$ 250 NMM Reclamation -$ 67,440.51$ -$ -$ 67,440.51$ RevenueExpense7 8 Page 10 of 80 8/19/2026 5 January – June 2026 (Pre-Audited) Financial Results:Special Revenue Funds (cont.)Highlights Include:Public HealthGEARS payments received with a 1 month delayRecovery Wellness ConsortiumMedicaid revenue reported with a 2-3 month delay$5,000,000 advance received for Medicaid reconciliationJail AssessmentQuarterly fees collected on fines below budgetedLand RecordsRevenues low due to economy RWC Working Capital PoolBuffalo83,567.46$ Burnett155,275.38 Dunn127,189.00 Pepin109,957.00 Pierce113,225.00 Polk283,462.03 Rusk131,637.46 Washburn187,059.03 6/30/20261,191,372.36$ January – June 2026 (Pre-Audited) Financial Results:Special Revenue Funds - Sales Tax Review2026 Sales Tax ReviewYTD Interest $63,020.31ActualsFund Description Budget Actual% CollectedBudget Actual% SpentNet Gain/(Loss)230 Sales Tax Property Tax Relief 10,448,562.00$ 2,977,830.58$ 28.5%10,448,562.00$ 10,448,562.00$ 100.0%(7,470,731.42)$ RevenueExpense 9 10 Page 11 of 80 8/19/2026 6 January – June 2026 (Pre-Audited) Financial Results:Special Revenue Funds –Opioid Abatement AccountActualsFund Description Budget Actual% CollectedBudget Actual% SpentNet Gain/(Loss)233 Opioid Abatement Account 137,432.00$ 57,076.43$ 41.5%137,432.00$ 53,669.38$ 39.1%3,407.05$ RevenueExpense January – June 2026 (Pre-Audited) Financial Results:Debt Service Funds ActualsFund Description Budget Actual% CollectedBudget Actual% SpentNet Gain/(Loss)306 Debt Service-Unfunded Liability -$ 18,515.84$ -$ -$ 18,515.84$ 315 2019 CIP Bonds 944,700.00$ 944,700.00$ 100.0%944,700.00$ 908,400.00$ 96.2%36,300.00$ 316 2020 CIP Bonds 250,875.00$ 250,875.00$ 100.0%250,875.00$ 244,700.00$ 97.5%6,175.00$ 317 2022 CIP Bonds 422,700.00$ 422,700.00$ 100%422,700.00$ 392,400.00$ 92.8%30,300.00$ 318 2024 CIP Bonds 573,625.00$ 486,903.00$ 84.9%573,625.00$ 509,750.00$ 88.9%(22,847.00)$ RevenueExpenseYear-EndPayment Year Principal Interest Total Outstanding Principal2026 1,880,000$ 311,900$ 2,191,900$ 6,630,000$ 2027 1,545,000$ 243,125$ 1,788,125$ 5,085,000$ 2028 1,425,000$ 187,700$ 1,612,700$ 3,660,000$ 2029 1,310,000$ 137,275$ 1,447,275$ 2,350,000$ 2030 1,115,000$ 86,925$ 1,201,925$ 1,235,000$ 2031 600,000$ 46,750$ 646,750$ 635,000$ 2032 635,000$ 15,875$ 650,875$ -$ Total 13,880,000$ 2,210,834$ 16,090,834$ Total Debt Service11 12 Page 12 of 80 8/19/2026 7 January – June 2026 (Pre-Audited) Financial Results:Capital Project FundsThis is for the bond issuance in September 2024. These funds will be used in 2025 and 2026 budget.ActualsFund Description Budget Actual% CollectedBudget Actual% SpentNet Gain/(Loss)418 2025 CIP for Bonding 1,750,000.00$ 35,736.42$ 2.0%1,750,000.00$ -$ 0.0%35,736.42$ RevenueExpense January – June 2026 (Pre-Audited) Financial Results:Internal Service FundsHighlights Include:•Self-Funded Health Insurance•Revenues are on track but the expenses for claims are high•Self-funded Liability Insurance•Annual Insurance Allocation charges to departments will be processed in October/November•Paid annual WMMIC premiums $238,519 for Liability and Cyber Liability PremiumsActualsFund Description Budget Actual% CollectedBudget Actual% SpentNet Gain/(Loss)701 Highway 22,052,875.00$ 11,702,511.14$ 53.1%22,052,875.00$ 8,947,348.11$ 40.6%2,755,163.03$ 702Self-Funded Worker's Comp Insurance1,046,822.00$ 596,810.98$ 57.0%1,046,822.00$ 325,388.02$ 31.1%271,422.96$ 703 Self-Funded Health Insurance 9,264,088.00$ 5,196,439.03$ 56.1%9,264,088.00$ 5,344,687.70$ 57.7%(148,248.67)$ 704 Self-Funded Liability Insurance 415,650.00$ 51,333.83$ 12.4%415,650.00$ 322,240.68$ 77.5%(270,906.85)$ 705 Section 125 Payroll Deduction 326,000.00$ 196,081.04$ 60.1%326,000.00$ 127,713.80$ 39.2%68,367.24$ RevenueExpense13 14 Page 13 of 80 8/19/2026 8 January – June 2026 (Pre-Audited) Financial Results:Enterprise and Trust Agency FundsHighlights Include:•Land Development•No sales of property•Expenses related to consulting fees for new possible business park and CCEDCActualsFund Description Budget Actual% CollectedBudget Actual% SpentNet Gain/(Loss)602 Land Development 280,000.00$ -$ 0.0%280,000.00$ 18,232.44$ 6.5%(18,232.44)$ 804 Dog License Fund 56,300.00$ 627.10$ 1.1%56,300.00$ 102.91$ 0.2%524.19$ RevenueExpense Questions, Comments, or ConcernsJanuary – June 2026 (Pre-Audited) Financial Results 15 16 Page 14 of 80 Statement of Explanation Resolution to Appoint Melissa Grill as Successor County Treasurer - Andy Albarado 1 Due to the impending retirement of the current County Treasurer on October 9, 2026, it 2 is necessary to appoint an individual to serve as County Treasurer for the remainder of the 3 unexpired term of office. Pursuant to § 17.21(3), Wis. Stats., the County Board is responsible 4 for appointing a successor county treasurer when there is a vacancy in the office and there is no 5 special election held. Pursuant to Resolution 24-26, the County Board delegated to the 6 Executive Committee the responsibility for recruiting and recommending the individual for 7 appointment by the County Board. Having completed the recruitment and interview process, 8 the Executive Committee is recommending that Melissa Grill be appointed Chippewa County 9 Treasurer effective October 12, 2026 to serve the remainder of the unexpired term of office. 10 Melissa Grill will receive the prorated salary and benefits for the County Treasurer as 11 established by Resolution No. 08-24. 12 13 In order to provide for a successful transition, the County Administrator is recommending 14 that Melissa Grill be allowed to begin employment on September 28, 2026 in a temporary 15 position as Chief Deputy Treasurer to allow her to train with the current County Treasurer prior 16 to her departure. Page 15 of 80 Resolution No. Resolution to Appoint Melissa Grill as Successor County Treasurer - Andy Albarado 17 WHEREAS, County Treasurer Patty Schimmel will be retiring as County Treasurer effective 18 October 9, 2026; and 19 20 WHEREAS, pursuant to § 17.21(3), Wis. Stats., the County Board is responsible for 21 appointing a successor county treasurer when there is a vacancy in the office and there is no 22 special election held; and 23 24 WHEREAS, pursuant to Resolution 24-26, the County Board delegated to the Executive 25 Committee the responsibility to recruit and interview interested candidates and recommend 26 the individual to be appointed by the County Board as successor County Treasurer; and 27 28 WHEREAS, having completed the process of recruiting and interviewing selected 29 candidates, the Executive Committee recommends that Melissa Grill be appointed Chippewa 30 County Treasurer, effective October 12, 2026 to serve the remainder of the unexpired term of 31 office; and 32 33 WHEREAS, pursuant to § 59.22, Wis. Stats., which requires the County Board to establish 34 the total compensation to be paid to elected officials for their term of office and once 35 established, that compensation may not be increased or diminished, Melissa Grill will receive 36 the prorated salary and fringe benefits established by Resolution No. 08-24, which set the 37 compensation to be paid to the County Treasurer, including the Treasurer’s required 38 contribution to the health insurance costs, for the 2025 through 2028 term; and 39 40 WHEREAS, to provide for a successful transition, the County Administrator recommends 41 the County Board of Supervisors grant permission for Melissa Grill to begin employment on 42 September 28, 2026 in a temporary position as Chief Deputy Treasurer to allow her to train 43 with the current County Treasurer prior to her departure; and 44 45 WHEREAS, the compensation for the Chief Deputy Treasurer position shall be $40.09 per 46 hour, plus fringe benefits; 47 48 NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that in order to train with the current County 49 Treasurer, Melissa Grill will begin employment on September 28, 2026 in a temporary position 50 as Chief Deputy Treasurer, and will serve in said position through October 11, 2026; and 51 52 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that Melissa Grill shall receive compensation at the rate of 53 $40.09 per hour plus fringe benefits while serving in a temporary position as Chief Deputy 54 Treasurer; and 55 56 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Chippewa County Board of Supervisors hereby 57 appoints Melissa Grill to serve as County Treasurer for the remainder of the unexpired term of 58 office, effective October 12, 2026; and 59 Page 16 of 80 Resolution No. Resolution to Appoint Melissa Grill as Successor County Treasurer - Andy Albarado 60 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that Melissa Grill shall receive the County Treasurer’s 61 compensation as established by Resolution 08-24, on a prorated basis. 62 63 Forwarded to the County Board by the Executive Committee. 64 65 Financial Impact 66 67 All funds for the position of County Treasurer are budgeted in the 2026 budget for salary and 68 fringes. 69 70 Compensation for the temporary position of Chief Deputy Treasurer is $40.09/hour plus fringe 71 benefits, excluding PTO accrual. The additional fiscal impact from 09/28/2026 – 10/11/2026 is 72 approximately $3,795.72 73 74 Signatures 75 Approved as to Form: 76 County Administrator Finance Director Corporation Counsel 77 Page 17 of 80 711 N. Bridge Street Traci Bremness Ph: (715) 726-4597 Chippewa Falls, WI 54729 Assistant to the County Administrator Fx: (715) 726-4599 Chippewa County Board Jason Bergeron, County Board Chair jbergeron@chippewacountywi.gov August 20, 2026 TO: County Board of Supervisors FR: Jason Bergeron, County Board Chair RE: County Treasurer Recruitment I am writing this Memo to provide you with an update on the steps taken by the Executive Committee to recruit a successor County Treasurer for appointment by the full County Board. The Chippewa County Executive Committee met in closed session on August 4, 2026 to review all applications submitted for the Chippewa County Treasurer vacancy due to the resignation of County Treasurer, Patty Schimmel, effective October 9, 2026. In total, Chippewa County received nine (9) applications for the County Treasurer position. Of those, two (2) were not eligible for consideration because they did not live in Chippewa County. The Executive Committee reviewed each of the seven (7) remaining eligible applications and agreed to invite three (3) applicants for a face to face interview. Interviews with the Executive Committee occurred during a closed sessions on August 10, 2026. The Executive Committee selected Melissa Grill as the finalist to be given serious consideration for the Chippewa County Treasurer vacancy and directed the Human Resources Director to conduct reference checks. On August 18, 2026, the Executive Committee reviewed all reference check data during a closed session and unanimously agreed to offer the position to Melissa Grill. The Committee therefore directed the Human Resources Director to make an offer of employment to Melissa Grill, contingent on County Board approval. Melissa has accepted the offer with a tentative start date of October 12, 2026 as County Treasurer. During the September 1, 2026 Executive Committee meeting, the committee will review a resolution to recommend Melissa Grill be appointed as the new Chippewa County Treasurer to serve the remainder of the unexpired term of office from October 12, 2026 through December 31, 2028. The Committee will then take a vote to forward the resolution to the County Board for approval and confirmation at the September 8, 2026 meeting. The resolution will also recommend that Melissa Grill be allowed to begin employment on September 28, 2026 through October 11, 2026 in a temporary position as Chief Deputy Treasurer in order to train with the current County Treasurer prior to her departure. Regards, Jason Bergeron County Board Chair Page 18 of 80 711 N. Bridge Street Traci Bremness Ph: (715) 726-4597 Chippewa Falls, WI 54729 Assistant to the County Administrator Fx: (715) 726-4599 Chippewa County Board Jason Bergeron, County Board Chair jbergeron@chippewacountywi.gov August 26, 2026 New County Treasurer I am pleased to announce Melissa Grill as the new Chippewa County Treasurer starting on October 12, 2026. Melissa brings 25 years of finance and accounting leadership experience across the banking, retail, and healthcare industries. She holds an Associate's degree in Accounting from Chippewa Valley Technical College and a Bachelor of Arts in Accounting and Business Administration from Lakeland University. Melissa has a passion for leadership and helping others, which has shaped every stage of her career. She spent six years as Chief Financial Officer at Northwestern Bank, where she led the finance department through growth from $384 million to over $700 million in assets, successfully navigating the regulatory changes that came with crossing the $500 million threshold. In that role, she oversaw all financial operations - including budgeting, forecasting, financial and regulatory reporting, and strategic analysis - while regularly presenting financial statements and policy updates to the Board and working closely with internal and external auditors. Earlier in her career, Melissa served as Director of Finance at Diversified Management Group and as Controller at Community Health Partnership, where she directed the financial operations in the Accounting department, built strong relationships with banks and auditors, prepared financial and regulatory reports, led annual audits, and oversaw employees in multiple departments. Across every role, Melissa has built a reputation for maintaining accurate, audit-ready financial records, streamlining processes, and mentoring the teams around her. She embraces continuous learning and improvement, and approaches challenges by getting to the root of an issue rather than settling for a surface-level fix. She leads with a servant leadership philosophy, prioritizing the growth and success of the people she works with alongside the accuracy of the numbers. She brings both analytical precision and a genuine investment in the people she works with - a combination she believes is essential to good public stewardship. Melissa has primarily lived in the Chippewa Falls area her entire life. In her free time, she loves spending time with her family, traveling, reading, and getting out into nature - she's an avid photographer who enjoys capturing the region's natural beauty. Please join me in congratulating Melissa and welcoming her to our leadership team. Jason Bergeron County Board Chair Page 19 of 80 Statement of Explanation Resolution to Accept the Ad Hoc EMS Study Committee Final Report and Direct the County Administrator to Develop an Implementation Plan - Andy Albarado 1 On December 16, 2025, the County Board of Supervisors adopted Resolution 39-25 and 2 created an Ad Hoc EMS Study Committee to evaluate Chippewa County’s EMS services and 3 propose recommendations for long-term sustainability. The Committee was directed to 4 provide a report to the Executive Committee and County Board by the fall of 2026. 5 6 The Ad Hoc EMS Study Committee has met regularly since January 2026 and reviewed 7 data and information from state and national reports, direct input from EMS providers and 8 directors and the EMS Association, as well as from an expert EMS consultant from the 9 Wisconsin Office of Rural Health. 10 11 After reviewing all the information, the Ad Hoc EMS Study Committee recommends 12 utilizing a county-wide EMS levy to establish a full-time County EMS Coordinator position. The 13 EMS Coordinator would serve as a convener and coordinator amongst the current services, 14 areas, and providers, while continuing to explore additional options for sustainability. Creation 15 of this position would require approval of a separate resolution in the future by the County 16 Board. 17 18 Approval of this resolution will acknowledge receipt of the final report from the Ad Hoc 19 Study Committee as directed per Resolution 39-25. Page 20 of 80 Resolution No. Resolution to Accept the Ad Hoc EMS Study Committee Final Report and Direct the County Administrator to Develop an Implementation Plan - Andy Albarado 20 WHEREAS, Emergency Medical Services (EMS) are essential to the health and safety of 21 Chippewa County residents; and 22 23 WHEREAS, while the county benefits from a strong network of dedicated and committed 24 EMS services and providers, the current system faces significant pressure from changing 25 demographics, financial constraints, the recent closures of HSHS Sacred Heart and St. Joseph’s 26 hospitals, as well as rising service demands; and 27 28 WHEREAS, the Chippewa County Board of Supervisors approved Resolution 39-25 to 29 create an Ad Hoc EMS Study Committee to examine existing EMS operations, address gaps in 30 service, and to help ensure a high level of emergency medical care into the future; and 31 32 WHEREAS, the Ad Hoc EMS Study Committee is comprised of thirteen appointed 33 stakeholder members representing municipalities, county governance, towns and frontline EMS 34 and providers; and 35 36 WHEREAS, the Ad Hoc EMS Study Committee was tasked with providing a final report and 37 recommendations to the Executive Committee and County Board of Supervisor by the fall of 38 2026; and 39 40 WHEREAS, the Ad Hoc EMS Study Committee met regularly since January 29, 2026 to 41 review data and information from state and national reports, direct input from EMS providers 42 and directors and the EMS Association, as well as from an expert EMS consultant from the 43 Wisconsin Office of Rural Health; and 44 45 WHEREAS, after reviewing all the information, the Ad Hoc EMS Study Committee 46 recommends creating a full-time County EMS Coordinator position; and 47 48 WHEREAS, the EMS Coordinator position would serve as a convener and coordinator 49 amongst the current services, areas, and providers, while continuing to explore additional 50 options for sustainability; and 51 52 WHEREAS, the necessary funding for the EMS Coordinator position would come from 53 utilizing a county-wide EMS levy, therefore allowing the County Board to inject vital resources 54 exactly where they are needed most without placing an undue burden on local municipal caps; 55 and 56 57 WHEREAS, establishment of an EMS Coordinator position provides the dedicated 58 leadership and coordination needed to heal our frontline workforce, support our local chiefs, 59 and guide Chippewa County toward a united, sustainable, and completely reliable emergency 60 medical system; and 61 Page 21 of 80 Resolution No. Resolution to Accept the Ad Hoc EMS Study Committee Final Report and Direct the County Administrator to Develop an Implementation Plan - Andy Albarado 62 WHEREAS, the creation of a county EMS Coordinator position shall require approval of the 63 County Board of Supervisors via a separate resolution in the future as part of the budget 64 process; 65 66 NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the County Board of Supervisors does hereby 67 accept the Ad Hoc EMS Study Committee’s final report as authorized and directed by 68 Resolution 39-25; and 69 70 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the County Board of Supervisor recognizes and 71 appreciates the service and dedication of our committed EMS services and professionals; and 72 73 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the County Board of Supervisors directs the County 74 Administrator to develop an implementation plan to address the findings and 75 recommendations from the Ad Hoc EMS Study Committee final report; and 76 77 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, the County Board of Supervisors directs the County 78 Administrator to bring the implementation plan back to the Executive Committee and County 79 Board for consideration and further direction. 80 81 Forwarded to the County Board by the Executive Committee. 82 83 Financial Impact 84 By passage of this resolution, there is no fiscal impact to Chippewa County. 85 86 Signatures 87 Approved as to Form: 88 County Administrator Finance Director Corporation Counsel 89 Page 22 of 80 Chippewa County 711 N. Bridge Street, Chippewa Falls, WI 54729 August 17, 2026 TO: County Board of Supervisors Ad Hoc EMS Study Committee City and Town Officials RE: Ad Hoc EMS Study Committee Final Report to the County Board Emergency Medical Services (EMS) are critically important to protect the health and safety of Chippewa County residents. However, despite dedicated personnel and a strong network of committed EMS services and professionals, we are all facing growing challenges due to changes in populations, financial constraints, and increasing demands for emergency services. Therefore, on December 16, 2025, the County Board passed Resolution 39-25 to create an Ad Hoc EMS Study Committee comprised of thirteen appointed stakeholder members to study EMS services within Chippewa County. The committee members represent ed municipalities, county governance, towns, and frontline EMS and providers. Members were charged with reviewing EMS services as a countywide system and to develop practical recommendations to support long -term stability and quality EMS services across Chippewa County. The committee met regularly since January 29, 2026. The committee received data and information from state and national reports, as well as received direct input from front line EMS providers and directors and the EMS Association. Information was gathered from meetings and surveys, and by having direct access to an expert EMS consultant from the Wisconsin Office of Rural Heath. As a result of the Ad Hoc EMS Study Committee’s work, the committee is pleased to share the final report, which includes conclusions and recommendations for the next steps. As noted, this report is about the EMS system and the importance for all Chippewa County residents to have access to emergency services when they are in need, regardless of where and what time an emergency response is needed. EMS providers and directors have and continue to hold this fragile system up as a result of their significant dedication and caring for our communities. Based on the information reviewed, the committee concluded that creating a county EMS Coordinator position is a critical next step in strengthening Chippewa C ounty’s EMS system. The position would serve as a convener and a coordinator amongst the current services, areas, and providers , while continuing to explore additional options for sustainability. Our service providers are there for us, and in turn we have a responsibility to create and design a system for EMS services that provides enhanced coordination, cooperation, and investment in the areas that the data suggests. This report will be presented to Chippewa County’s Executive Committee on September 1, 2026, with the intent to then forward it to the County Board for their consideration. There will also be a resolution to accompany the final report when it is presented. The resolution will request guidance and direction for the County Administrator on implementation of the recommendations. It has been a genuine pleasure to work alongside all of the Ad Hoc EMS Study Committee members, the staff who have supported the work, and the dedicated EMS personnel through this initial process. Chippewa County is fortunate to have dedicated people who prioritized the importance and need to address this issue from a data and information perspective, while also recognizing that the EMS system must be addressed so that all of us, and our loved ones, can obtain EMS services when needed. Appreciatively, Pamela L. Guthman Chippewa County Supervisor #2 Chair, Ad Hoc Study Committee Attachments Page 23 of 80 Thank you to all Ad Hoc EMS Study Committee members Pam Guthman, County Board Supervisor, Chair Peter Gehring, County Board Supervisor, Vice-Chair Sandi Frion, Bloomer City Administrator Dale Isaacs, Boyd Village Board Eric Weiland, Cadott Village Board Deb Semanko, Cornell City Council Dan Dixon, Chippewa Falls City Council Dave Staber, Town of Lafayette Chair Corey LaNou, Town of Arthur Chair Pauline Spiegel, Town of Eagle Point Supervisor Ron Patten, EMS Association Chair Adam Dewitt, Anson EMS Director Gene Gutch, Wheaton Town Chair & Wheaton Fire & Rescue and First Responder Justus Busse, Chippewa Falls Fire & EMS Battalion Chief Conclusion Immediate Primary Recommendation – Fund a New Full-Time County EMS Coordinator Position The data compiled by the Ad Hoc EMS Study Committee confirms that the traditional "EMS 1.0" volunteer model in Chippewa County can no longer protect public safety on its own. The eastern third of our county is facing a quiet, dangerous crisis—sustained only by a tiny group of exhausted responders and an unstable cross- district subsidization network that strains our entire system. Fortunately, Wisconsin law provides a clear, sustainable way forward. By using a countywide EMS tax levy, the County Board can inject vital resources exactly where they are needed most without placing an undue burden on local municipal caps. The establishment of a County EMS Coordinator position represents a balanced, highly strategic first step. This approach avoids creating an immediate, rigid county bureaucracy, choosing instead to protect and strengthen our existing local services. It provides the dedicated leadership and coordination needed to heal our frontline workforce, support our local chiefs, and guide Chippewa County toward a unified, sustainable, and completely reliable emergency medical system. Page 24 of 80 FINAL REPORT AD HOC EMS STUDY COMMITTEE Comprehensive Operational Analysis, Policy Context, Framework Evaluation, and Strategic System Recommendations for Emergency Medical Services (EMS) in Chippewa County Prepared by: Community Development Educator University of Wisconsin-Madison Division of Extension Reviewed and Approved by the Ad Hoc EMS Study Committee August 6, 2026 1 TO THE CHIPPEWA COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS Page 25 of 80 SECTION I: EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Chippewa County’s Emergency Medical Services (EMS) are at a breaking point. The system we built decades ago can no longer handle today's reality: an aging population, a severe shortage of emergency workers, and widespread burnout. This report is the result of a thorough, data-driven study by the Ad Hoc EMS Study Committee. By analyzing map data from thousands of 911 calls in 2024 and 2025, auditing local ambulance rosters, and meeting directly with frontline crews, the committee has identified deep cracks in our county’s safety net. Key Findings: A System on Life Support The Eastern Crisis: The eastern third of our county is in danger. In this region, local ambulance services simply do not have the manpower to guarantee a crew will answer the call 24/7/365. Extreme Burnout: In some areas, the system is being held together by a thread. We found cases where just three volunteers are covering 87% of all on-call hours. This is completely unsustainable. The Domino Effect: When a local crew can't respond, an ambulance from a neighboring district has to cover for them. This "mutual aid" is supposed to be for rare emergencies, but it has become a daily band-aid. It strips fully-staffed districts of their own protection, leaving their residents vulnerable. The Recommendation: Protect Our Residents Ambulance service is not a luxury—it is an essential part of public safety, just like the Sheriff's Department. Local towns and villages can no longer fix this on their own. We need county-level action. The committee strongly recommends using county tax levy funds to immediately hire a County EMS Coordinator. This professional will act as a lifeline for our local departments by focusing on: Immediate Relief: Assisting local chiefs with scheduling, cross-training, and workforce mental health to stop the bleeding. Long-Term Security: Leading the multi-year effort to transition Chippewa County away from a broken, piecemeal system and toward a unified, sustainable emergency response network. Our residents expect that when they dial 911, an ambulance will show up. To guarantee that promise, the County Board must act now. 2 Page 26 of 80 SECTION II: HISTORICAL BACKGROUND AND GROUNDWORK 1. The Macro-Evolution: From "EMS 1.0" to Systemic Crisis To understand the current emergency medical infrastructure of Chippewa County, it is necessary to examine the historical baseline from which American rural EMS developed. Modern emergency medical response grew out of a fundamentally reactive, civic-volunteer mindset commonly referred to as "EMS 1.0." Before the late 1960s and early 1970s, localized medical transport was frequently an offshoot of regional funeral homes, utilizing hearses as the only available vehicles capable of transporting supine patients. Following federal directives and the maturation of formal training curriculum standards, community-led, all-volunteer squads emerged across Wisconsin. These organizations relied on a social compact: community members, local farmers, business owners, and tradespeople volunteered their personal time to be on call, stepping away from their primary jobs or families at the sound of a civic siren or pager to staff the community ambulance. For several decades, this "EMS 1.0" model functioned as an incredibly cost-effective and socially cohesive system. However, the foundational socioeconomic variables that supported it have fundamentally disintegrated: The Training Burden: Initial certification for basic Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) has risen dramatically in complexity and hour requirements given the rise of multifaceted and complicated of patient care, requiring hundreds of hours of advanced clinical instruction, continuing education units (CEUs), and rigid computer-based testing. This presents a high barrier to entry for the casual civic volunteer. Economic Shifting and Commuting: Rural economies have shifted; a substantial segment of the rural workforce no longer works within the immediate municipal boundaries where they reside. Commuting to urban centers prevents volunteers from being physically available for daytime emergency calls in their home districts. Societal Changes: Modern families balance multiple career and extracurricular commitments, reducing the pool of individuals willing to sacrifice night and weekend hours for minimal or non-existent stipends. Consequently, the "all-volunteer" model has run its course. Systems nation-wide have shifted into a protracted crisis of reliability, transforming volunteerism from a sustainable civic asset into an unstable structural risk. 3 2. Local Synthesis: The Mobilization of Chippewa County The local trajectory mirrors these national and state-level fractures, but accelerated sharply due to acute regional healthcare crises. On January 22, 2024, the Hospital Sisters Health System (HSHS) announced the sudden closure of HSHS Sacred Heart Hospital in Eau Claire and HSHS St. Joseph's Hospital in Chippewa Falls, alongside several highly utilized Prevea Health clinical facilities. The sudden removal of these critical regional healthcare anchors caused immediate, profound downstream effects on local EMS operations. Transport distances increased as ambulances were forced to bypass local emergency rooms to transport patients to remaining regional centers. This severely lengthened "turnaround times" and kept precious rigs out of service for hours at a time, straining the financial resources of agencies and negatively impacting an already fragile system. Page 27 of 80 SECTION II: HISTORICAL BACKGROUND (CONTINUED) Recognizing the accelerating unsustainability of the local framework, the Chippewa County EMS Association—a body representing the collaborative leadership of local transporting and non-transporting rescue entities—sounded an institutional alarm. The Association approached the Chippewa County Administrator to explicitly signal that the current system was on the verge of operational failure. In response to these concerns, the County Board authorized the creation of the Ad Hoc Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Study Committee. To ensure that solutions were not dictated in a top-down manner, a deliberate engagement strategy was constructed. The local University of Wisconsin-Madison Division of Extension Community Development Educator was embedded as a primary neutral facilitator and structural designer. The Extension Educator worked to build a collaborative process that bridged county administration with frontline stakeholders. This process brought together the localized, practical expertise of frontline EMTs, paramedics, and first responders, the administrative oversight of municipal town boards, and the policy-level focus of county government officials. This set the stage for an objective, data- driven, and participatory evaluation of the entire system. 4 Page 28 of 80 5 Governance and Authority Structure On December 16, 2025, the Chippewa County Board of Supervisors approved Resolution 39-25 and created the Ad-Hoc EMS Study Committee (the committee). The committee is a temporary, specialized body established to investigate, analyze, and provide strategic recommendations regarding the county's emergency medical services. The county charged the committee to be a facilitating body, bringing relevant stakeholders together to discuss the opportunities and challenges regarding EMS within the county. The committee’s authority and reporting path flow as follows: Chippewa County Board of Supervisors (Ultimate Authority): Holds final legislative and financial authority over any proposed changes, budgetary allocations, or strategic overhauls regarding county- wide EMS operations. Executive Committee (Oversight & Liaison): Serves as the direct governing body overseeing the Ad Hoc EMS Study Committee. To ensure proper administrative vetting, the Ad Hoc EMS Study Committee must present its findings and recommendations to the Executive Committee approximately two weeks prior to any full County Board action. Ad Hoc EMS Committee (Working Body): The 13-member appointed body tasked with gathering data, collaborating with local stakeholders, and drafting the final strategic recommendations due by August 11th. Committee Composition To ensure a balanced, equitable, and comprehensive approach to county-wide EMS planning, the Ad Hoc EMS Study Committee is comprised of 13 appointed members. The composition intentionally balances county governance, specific municipal interests, rural town representations, and frontline EMS professionals. The 13 seats are distributed across the following stakeholder groups: County Governance (2 Seats) County Supervisors (2): Provide direct alignment with county-wide legislative priorities, fiscal policy, and board expectations. Municipal Representation (6 Seats) Local Municipalities (6): Dedicated seats representing a diverse mix of cities, villages, and established fire/EMS districts within the county. This includes representation from: Towns Association (2): Ensures that the unique geographic, financial, and logistical needs of the county's rural townships are strongly voiced and protected. Frontline EMS & Provider Representation (3 Seats) EMS Agency Representatives (2): Comprising one (1) Rural Representative and one (1) Urban Representative to address the distinct operational challenges faced by different service areas. EMS Association Chair (1): Serves as the vital structural bridge between the Ad Hoc EMS Study Committee and the broader Chippewa County EMS Association. This seat ensures that provider-level survey data, SOAR analyses, and field-level feedback directly inform the committee's final recommendations. SECTION III: COMMITTEE BACKGROUND AND PRACTITIONER ENGAGEMENT Page 29 of 80 While the Ad Hoc EMS Study Committee was holding regular monthly meetings (Jan, March, April, May), two massive touchpoints bridged the Committee and the Association together: The EMS Association Chair: Sits permanently on the Ad Hoc EMS Study Committee as one of the 13 members. The June 4, 2026, Combined Meeting: This was the peak collaborative event. Agency Directors and two representatives from each agency were invited to sit down with the Ad Hoc EMS Study Committee to review all the survey data collected in April 2026 and map out initial strategies/recommendations. 6 The relationship between the Ad Hoc EMS Study Committee and the Chippewa County EMS Association is all about data gathering and a major mid-point collaboration. Here is how the workflow unfolded chronologically leading up to the final deadline: SECTION III: COMMITTEE BACKGROUND (CONTINUED) The Work & Collaboration (Timeline) January 2026: The EMS Association conducts a SOAR Analysis (Strengths, Opportunities, Aspirations, Results) with providers to figure out the current landscape. March 2026: The EMS Association gathers feedback on a proposed survey tool. April 2026: Two separate surveys are administered—one to all individual EMS providers and one to each EMS Director/Agency. June 25, 2026: The Ad Hoc EMS Study Committee met and refined the data collected from the joint meeting on June 4, 2026. August 6, 2026: The final report is presented to the Ad Hoc EMS Study Committee to review. August 11, 2026: The anticipated deadline to hand over the final recommendations for review by the Executive Committee in September and County Board in October 2026. Phase 1: Groundwork & Data Gathering (Early 2026) Phase 2: The Collaboration Touchpoints Phase 3: The Finish Line Page 30 of 80 County Board EMS Ad Hoc Study Committee (13 appointed members) County Supervisors – 2 Municipalities - 6 (Bloomer, Boyd, Cadott, Cornell, Chippewa Falls, LaFayette/Wheaton-CF Fire District) Towns Association - 2 EMS Agency Rep – Rural -1 and Urban -1 EMS Association Chair -1 2026 Meetings: Jan 29, March 5, April 2, May 7, June 4 (combined), June 25, August 6 Goal: Submit report with recommendations by August 11, 2026 Executive Committee Review in September 2026 and County Board in October 2026. Executive Committee 7 January 2026 Meeting - (SOAR Analysis with Providers) March 2026 - ( Survey tool feed back ) April 2026 - Surveys administered (1 – survey to all EMS providers individually) and (1- survey to each EMS Director/Agency) Chippewa County EMS Association June 4th Meeting Agency Directors + 2 representatives invited to June meeting with Ad hoc Study Committee Members for review of data and initial strategy / recommendations Figure 1. Summary of Committee- EMS Association Engagement Page 31 of 80 1. Statutory Municipal Obligations & Availability Mandates Under the Wisconsin State Statutes, the legal mandate to provide emergency medical and ambulance transport services rests firmly at the municipal level, rather than with county government: Towns: Wis. Stat. § 60.565 dictates that a town board shall contract for, operate, or maintain ambulance services for the township unless such services are explicitly provided by another public or private entity. Cities and Villages: Wis. Stat. § 61.64 and parallel chapters state that villages and common councils may purchase, equip, operate, and maintain ambulances or contract for such coverage. Crucially, the operational mandate tied to these statutory obligations is uncompromising. Any licensed EMS agency designated as a primary transporting provider is legally guaranteeing to the state and its constituents that they will maintain operational availability 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year (Wisconsin Administrative Code DHS 110.34(5)). SECTION IV: THE LEGISLATIVE AND POLICY CONTEXT Any structural or financial recommendation made by this committee must be firmly grounded within the statutory guardrails established by the State of Wisconsin. The policy landscape governing EMS is highly distinct from other public safety pillars like law enforcement or fire protection. It features explicit municipal obligations, operational mandates, and highly specific tax levy exceptions. 8 The only mechanism to deviate from this absolute baseline is if an agency formally petitions and receives an explicit waiver from the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) to operate at a less frequent, restricted rate. To secure such an exemption, the requesting agency must present formal, binding structural agreements with neighboring agencies that explicitly agree to cover the unstaffed hours. These formalized coverage agreements must be entirely distinct from standard, back-up mutual aid protocols. Notably, Emergency Medical Responder (EMR) services are exempt from these requirements; while their hands-on care is valuable, they are not statutorily required. An ambulance is legally mandated to exist and respond, whereas an EMR group is not a statutorily required system. "Assure response to 9-1-1 emergency response requests 24 hours-a- day, 7 days-a-week, in its primary service area unless it is not licensed to do so. Wisconsin Administrative Code DHS 110.34(5). Emergency medical responder services are exempt from this requirement [24/7 coverage] but should assure every effort is made to respond to 9-1-1 requests." Wisconsin Administrative Code DHS 110.34(5). Page 32 of 80 SECTION V: LEGISLATIVE AND POLICY CONTEXT (CONTINUED) 2. Tax Levy Limits and Financial Exceptions Wisconsin strictly limits the amount of property tax revenue that political subdivisions can levy from year to year. However, the legislature has recognized the severe structural headwinds facing emergency medical infrastructure and has provided two distinct statutory exceptions to bypass these levy limits: The County-Level Pathway (Wis. Stat. § 66.0602(3)(e)6): This statutory provision creates an explicit exception to a county’s structural levy limit for the exact amount that a county board levies in a given fiscal year to fund a countywide emergency medical system (though it does not require the county to own and operate EMS services). This mechanism is highly efficient. It requires only a majority vote of the established County Board of Supervisors to enact, providing a stable, unified, and countywide funding source to strengthen the regional emergency safety net without impacting existing municipal caps. The Municipal Joint District Pathway (2025 Wisconsin Act 212 / Wis. Stat. § 66.0602(3)(o)): Enacted by the most recent state legislature, Act 212 allows local municipalities (towns, villages, and cities) to exceed their local levy limits to fund the eligible costs of a “qualified joint EMS district” or joint fire department. However, this municipal pathway is constrained by strict statutory limitations: Financial Cap: The levy increase is strictly capped at the rate of the Consumer Price Index (CPI) plus two percent for the relevant fiscal year. Referendum Mandate: The exception cannot be enacted by a simple board vote; it requires formal approval via a public referendum across every participating municipality within the district’s territory. Sunset Provision: The referendum approval is not permanent; it features a strict sunset clause requiring public re-voting and re-approval every five years. This policy context shows that while municipal districts are an option, they carry a high administrative burden, structural caps, and long-term instability due to recurring referendums. Conversely, the countywide EMS levy offers a clear, flexible, and sustainable mechanism to build long-term operational resilience. 9 Figure 2. Wisconsin Statutory Pathways Towns, Cities, Villages Counties Wis. Stat. § 60.565 & Wis. Stat. § 61.64 Wis. Stat. § 66.0602(3)(e)6 Municipal Joint EMS District Capped at CPI +2% Requires municipal referendum per town Must be reapproved every 5 years Countywide EMS Tax Levy No levy Cap Require County Board Approval No expiration Page 33 of 80 SECTION VI: METHODOLOGY AND DATA COLLECTION PROCESS 1. Review of Primary and Secondary Literature and Existing Research The committee began its research by conducting a deep-dive review of extensive state-level and regional macroeconomic assessments. This baseline analysis included: The Wisconsin Office of Rural Health (ORH) Reports: Reviewing the landmark Reliability of Wisconsin’s 911 Ambulance Response studies, which detailed the statewide decline in rural staffing capacity. Wisconsin Policy Forum Analyses: Reviewing structural studies outlining the mounting operational deficits within municipal fire and EMS divisions across the state. UW-Madison La Follette School of Public Affairs Capstone Project: Evaluating advanced academic modeling and structural strategies aimed at stabilizing rural EMS delivery through collaborative, regional models. Historical Baseline Review: Analyzing the preliminary data collected internally during the fall of 2024, which provided the first clear warnings of local system fragility. Table 1: Committee Data Methodology Primary and Secondary Literature Office of Rural Health, Policy Forum, La Follette Capstone, Previous Chippewa County Reports GIS Call Analysis Geocoding and mapping of 2024 and 2025 calls to trace call response locations Roster and Hours Audit Cross-Matching logbooks to check actual vs. “ghost” staffing lists Qualitative Engagement Surveying frontline crew, SOAR strategic alignment sessions, joint meeting with EMS Association, panel presentation from other Wisconsin Counties To build a defensible foundation for its eventual recommendations, the Ad Hoc EMS Study Committee rejected anecdotal claims and executed a rigorous, multi-tiered data gathering and analytical framework. 10 2. Comprehensive GIS Geographic-Call Mapping (2024–2025) To move from abstract state trends to local realities, the committee instructed county administrative and dispatch staff to conduct Geographic Information Systems (GIS) spatial analysis. This project mapped all emergency EMS dispatches activated across Chippewa County throughout the calendar years 2024 and 2025. The analytical parameters mandated: The precise geocoding of every emergency call location. Tracking and documenting the exact responding agency for every incident. Overlaying response onto established municipal boundary maps. Evaluating the frequency and spatial layout of cross-district dispatches (instances where an agency was forced to respond to an emergency completely outside its designated home zone). Identifying regional “hot zones” or clusters experiencing prolonged response times or high densities of dropped calls. Page 34 of 80 SECTION VI: METHODOLOGY (CONTINUED) 3. Detailed Roster and Availability Audits Simultaneously, the committee executed an internal operational audit of individual agency data. This required collecting and cross-matching anonymized personnel rosters against the actual, verified on-call hours logged by individual emergency responders. This process was designed to separate “paper rosters” (the total number of licensed individuals technically listed on an agency’s roster) from “operational rosters” (the individuals actually covering hours on the active weekly schedule). 4. Primary Stakeholder Surveys To evaluate the human element driving these systems, two distinct survey instruments were deployed in the spring of 2026: Frontline Provider Survey: Target-sampling EMTs (Emergency Medical Technicians), Advanced EMTs, Paramedics, and Emergency Medical Responders (EMRs). This survey evaluated personal well-being metrics, systemic burnout levels, baseline motivations for entering and remaining in the field, identified local operational assets, and perceived structural vulnerabilities. Agency Director Survey: Querying regional service chiefs and directors regarding scheduling software access, budget constraints, capital replacement schedules, and localized operational challenges. 5. Participatory Stakeholder Workshops The quantitative data was balanced by qualitative stakeholder workshops designed to foster transparent communication: January 2026 SOAR Analysis: Facilitated by Committee Chair and County Board Supervisor Pam Guthman, alongside the local Division of Extension Educator, Department of Emergency Management, and the Department of Public Health. Representatives from throughout the Chippewa County EMS Association mapped the system’s Strengths, Opportunities, Aspirations, and Results. June 4, 2026, Joint Ad Hoc Summit: A collaborative, facilitated workshop that brought together the members of the Ad Hoc EMS Study Committee, municipal leaders, and a wide array of frontline providers and agency chiefs to review data, resolve long-standing debates, and establish shared operational priorities. 6. Learning from Other Counties The committee held a virtual panel with representatives from Bayfield, Lafayette, and Portage Counties to understand how and why their counties involved themselves in EMS. Panelists shared advice and recommendations on how Chippewa County might proceed moving forward. 11 Page 35 of 80 Agency Municipalities Covered Total 2025 Verified Hours % of 24/7 Mandate Systemic Status Bloomer Ambulance Towns: Sampson, Auburn, Bloomer, Cooks Valley, Woodmohr; Cities of Bloomer, Village of New Auburn; Parts of Tilden, Eagle Point, Cleveland 22,344.0 128.0% Exceeded Minimum (Stable) Boyd- Edson- Delmar (Boyd) Towns of Delmar, Edson, Village of Boyd, City of Stanley; Part of Colburn 17,859.0 101.9% Met Minimum (Fragile Balance) Cornell Area Rescue Squad City of Cornell, Towns of Estella, Lake Holcombe, Birch Creek; Parts of Arthur, Cleveland, Colburn, Eagle Point, and Ruby 15,565.0 88.8% -1,955 Hour Coverage Deficit Cadott Community Ambulance Towns of Goetz & Sigel, Village of Cadott; Part of Arthur 12,238.0 69.9% -5,282 Hour Coverage Deficit SECTION VII: CORE FINDINGS AND CURRENT SYSTEM DIAGNOSIS The integration of these diverse data streams produced a clear, stark diagnosis of the county's current emergency medical infrastructure. The data shows that the county is operating a fractured system that survives only on the extreme, unsustainable efforts of a very small number of people. 1. Annual Coverage vs. Operational Minimums To guarantee a reliable 24/7/365 ambulance response with a minimum two-person crew, an individual agency must log a baseline minimum of 17,520 on-call hours annually (8,760 hours/year × 2 crew positions). The comprehensive 2025 cross-sectional operational audit exposed a profound geographic divide in meeting this safety minimum: The data proves that while Bloomer is structurally sound for a first-due Ambulance and Boyd mathematically maintains a narrow baseline, Cadott faces a severe 30.1% coverage gap, and Cornell experiences an 11.2% operational deficit. For substantial portions of the year, these eastern districts do not have an active, staffed crew available to respond to emergencies in their home territories. 12 Table 2. Agency Coverage Results Page 36 of 80 SECTION VII: CORE FINDINGS AND CURRENT SYSTEM DIAGNOSIS 2. Extreme Labor Concentration and "Heavy Hitter" Reliance A deeper analysis of active schedules shows that even agencies that mathematically meet or approach their annual hour requirements are standing on the brink of structural failure. Roster numbers are highly misleading, as a very small group of individual responders shoulders almost the entire operational burden: Boyd-Edson-Delmar: Just 3 individuals provide 83.7% of the agency's total hours. Responder #16 alone logged 7,974.75 hours—nearly 45% of the agency's entire hours. Cadott Community Ambulance: The top 5 individuals provide 85.2% of the agency's coverage (10,424.5 of 12,238). Cornell Area Rescue Squad: The top 7 individuals provide 81.3% of total hours (12,654 of 15,565). Responder 1 provided 18% of all hours in 2025. Responders 7, 8, and 18 provide 20% of hours yet are only seasonal crew members 3. The "Ghost Roster" Phenomenon The audit exposed that large roster numbers frequently mask acute operational fragility. A substantial portion of the personnel listed on paper are entirely inactive or minimally active, a dynamic defined as the "Ghost Roster". The chart below indicates the number of individuals on the agencies roster in 2025 who went who were schedule for at least one hour in 2025 compared to those who were on-call for zero hours (our ghosts). Active Ghost Bloomer Boyd Cadott Cornell 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 Cadott Community Ambulance: Features a 55.6% Ghost Roster, with 15 out of 27 listed members logging exactly 0 on-call hours. Boyd-Edson-Delmar: Features a 50.0% Ghost Roster, with 16 out of 32 listed members logging 0 on-call hours. Cornell Area Rescue Squad: Features a 36.7% Ghost Roster, with 11 out of 30 listed members logging 0 on-call hours. Bloomer Ambulance: By contrast, Bloomer exhibits a 0% Ghost Roster (0 out of 30 members logged 0 hours), heavily driven by their implementation of a flat-rate on-call pay model that effectively incentivizes active scheduling. 13 Crucially, the data reveals a high reliance on "pager-only" response from inactive on-call members. In Cadott, the 15 individuals who logged 0 scheduled on-call hours still responded from home to handle 259 emergency incidents. In Boyd, 10 of the zero-hour responders collectively answered 55 calls, and in Cornell, only three responders operated this way. While this un-scheduled response shows incredible personal dedication, it creates a severe operational risk. It means the community's emergency safety net is completely dependent on un- scheduled individuals happening to be in town, near the station, and available when a call goes out. This completely fails the statutory requirement to guarantee a 24/7/365 structured response. Figure 3 Active vs Ghost Roster Page 37 of 80 SECTION VII: CORE FINDINGS (CONTINUED) 4. The Cascade Effect and the Distortion of "Mutual Aid" When an eastern agency cannot staff a rig for a dispatched call due to these deep scheduling gaps, it triggers a severe "cascade effect" across the county's geography: 14 The GIS mapping from 2024 and 2025 shows that fully-staffed core agencies are consistently drawn out of their primary districts to cover recurring gaps in unstaffed zones. Consequently, this creates secondary coverage gaps within the core zones. If a simultaneous emergency occurs within the core district, dispatch is forced to call in ambulances from entirely separate, neighboring counties to cross borders into Chippewa County. Defenders of the status quo often label this dynamic as standard "mutual aid." However, the committee's findings firmly reject this characterization. True mutual aid is built on strict reciprocity—a mutual agreement where Agency A covers Agency B during a rare, overwhelming emergency, and Agency B returns the favor under similar circumstances. What is occurring in Chippewa County is a structural subsidization. One set of taxpayers and staffed agencies is continuously absorbing the daily operational deficits of communities that fail to provide adequate personnel for their own first-due responses. A lack of regular schedule staffing is an ongoing operational failure, not an unpredictable emergency. 5684Total Calls 5540Total Calls 20252024 Figure 4: Maps Representing Calls By Agency in Districts Page 38 of 80 SECTION VII: CORE FINDINGS (CONTINUED) 15 In-Zone Calls Responded To Out of Zone Calls Responded to Chippewa Falls Fire District Bloomer Boyd Cornell Cadott0 500 1,000 1,500 2,000 2,500 3,000 5. The Distortion of "Mutual Aid" When a localized, municipal EMS service suffers a systemic staffing deficit, the operational impact is rarely contained within that single municipality's borders. Instead, it triggers an ongoing "cascade effect" that degrades response times, introduces profound geographic risks, and strains the resources of neighboring communities across Chippewa County. The Outbound Strain: Who is Absorbing the Burden? The first half of this phenomenon is documented below, showing the total volume of emergency calls answered by primary agencies completely outside of their home response zones (in yellow). As the data illustrates, agencies with structurally secure or hybridized staffing models are consistently drawn away from their primary jurisdictions. This is not a case of an occasional long-distance transport; it is a structural necessity driven by baseline coverage gaps elsewhere. 0 20 40 60 80 100 120 Fire District Boyd Bloomer Chippewa Falls Cornell CadottWhen a well-staffed agency routinely leaves its district to cover a neighboring vacancy, it creates an immediate, temporary coverage vacuum in its own backyard. If a high-acuity emergency occurs within the core zone while that rig is away, dispatch is forced to call an even more distant unit—or a crew from an entirely different county—to cross borders and fill the secondary gap. The Inbound Subsidization: Who is Relying on "Backfill"? The second half of the equation maps exactly where these outside resources are being deployed to plug operational holes. Figure 6 represents the zones where agencies delivered “mutual aid.” This visualization pinpoints the key sites of the crisis, concentrated heavily across the county's eastern and northeastern corridors. Because these areas experience prolonged scheduling gaps where no "first-due" crew can be fielded, they require continuous, structural stabilization from external units just to maintain basic 911 coverage. For example, Cadott (which had a -5,282 Hour Coverage Deficit) did 0 mutual aid calls in 2025 (see Figure 6). However, inside their response district, outside agencies completed 118 calls (see Figure 7). Figure 6: Outside Agency Arrivals by Service Zone Figure 5: In-District vs. Out-of-District Responses Page 39 of 80 Strongly Disagree Disagree Neutral Agree Strongly Agree Psychological Safety: I can approach a supervisor without fear to discuss concerns. 10.34% 5.17% 8.62% 37.93% 37.93% Staffing Guilt: I feel personal guilt if we do not have sufficient staffing. 3.45% 12.07% 18.97% 37.93% 27.59% Well-being: I often feel "on edge" or have difficulty sleeping. 10.34% 36.21% 31.03% 13.79% 8.62% Clinical Confidence: I am confident in my skills when I respond to a call. 0.00% 1.72% 8.62% 51.72% 37.93% 16 6. Frontline Provider Burnout and Moral Injury The frontline survey findings paint a distressing picture of the psychological toll this structural subsidization exacts on personnel. The data reveals critical rates of chronic burnout, exhaustion, and structural isolation among both frontline staff and agency chiefs. In Table 3, respondents indicate both guilt for not having sufficient staff. While explicit agreement regarding hypervigilance and sleep disruption sat at 21%, nearly a third of respondents (31%) remained neutral. In total, over half of the surveyed workforce (52%) could not definitively state that they sleep well or feel at ease. Crucially, responders highlight a sense of institutional guilt and moral injury. Because they know the system is fragile, individual EMTs and volunteers describe feeling trapped into working unsustainable, consecutive shifts. They know that if they log off the scheduling system to rest, their neighbors' emergency calls may go completely unanswered, or a neighboring crew will be forced to drive 20 miles across the county to handle the call. This environment creates a toxic cycle: structural staffing deficits drive extreme overwork, which accelerates acute burnout, ultimately driving the remaining "heavy hitters" out of the service entirely. SECTION VII: CORE FINDINGS (CONTINUED) Redefining the Illusion of "Mutual Aid" Defenders of the uncoordinated status quo frequently categorize these cross-district movements as standard, healthy "mutual aid." However, the committee's findings firmly reject this label. True Mutual Aid is built on strict reciprocity. It is a mutual agreement where Agency A occasionally covers Agency B during a rare, overwhelming emergency (such as a multi- vehicle mass casualty incident), and Agency B reliably returns the favor under similar circumstances. Structural Subsidization occurs when one group of municipal taxpayers funds a staffed, reliable service, only to have that service continuously absorbed by a neighboring district that fails to provide or fund its own adequate personnel. A routine, predictable scheduling vacancy is an operational failure, not an unpredictable emergency. Using a neighboring town's ambulance as a default primary responder stretches our county's emergency safety net to a dangerous breaking point—leaving both districts vulnerable and accelerating the burnout of the remaining crews. Table 3. Front Line Responses on Wellbeing Page 40 of 80 SECTION VIII: RECOMMENDATIONS AND THE PROPOSED STABILIZATION PATHWAY The Ad Hoc EMS Study Committee has arrived at a firm consensus: Chippewa County must make a strategic investment in its emergency medical services utilizing county-level tax levy mechanisms. The current model of uncoordinated municipal isolation is clinically, operationally, and ethically unsustainable. However, the committee also firmly establishes a secondary principle: It is not the role of this ad hoc body to unilaterally dictate, impose, or construct a rigid, top-down county-operated EMS model. EMS architecture is highly complex, and the underlying statutory authority remains distributed across local municipal lines. Therefore, the committee recommends a phased stabilization pathway that uses county funds to strengthen the local system from within, rather than replacing it with an expensive, top-down bureaucracy. 1. Immediate Primary Recommendation: Fund a New Full-Time County EMS Coordinator Position The centerpiece recommendation of this report is the immediate allocation of initial county tax levy funds—leveraging the clear exception provided under Wis. Stat. § 66.0602(3)(e)6—to establish and fund a County EMS Coordinator position. This position will be housed administratively within county staff and will serve as the central coordinating hub for regional stabilization. The recommendation is this position would report directly to the County Administrator with advisory guidance by an EMS Advisory Committee. The EMS Coordinator's immediate, short-term focus will be to relieve the operational pressures crushing frontline providers and agency chiefs: Intergovernmental Trust-Building and System Collaboration: Cultivating trusted, collaborative relationships across individual EMS agencies, municipal and town leadership, local higher education institutions, and county government. Chief Leadership Development: Creating structured, professional development and technical training pipelines for regional agency chiefs. This will provide them with modern tools to handle budgeting, human resources, state compliance, and operational management. Administrative and Scheduling Optimization: Deploying county-supported electronic scheduling platforms and administrative assistance to standardize and streamline schedule management. This will ease the reporting burdens that take local chiefs away from direct operational oversight. Provider Well-Being and Mental Health Support: Designing, funding, and deploying structured peer-support networks, professional psychological service pipelines, and workplace wellness initiatives to address the high rates of provider burnout and moral injury. 17 Page 41 of 80 SECTION VIII: RECOMMENDATIONS (CONTINUED) 2. Long-Term Mandate: Navigating the Structural Evolution Beyond immediate operational stabilization, the County EMS Coordinator will be charged with a long-term strategic mandate. Because emergency medical services are highly complex and legally tied to municipal governments, navigating a permanent structural solution requires a dedicated professional. They must have the time and expertise to lead detailed multi-year negotiations across town, village, city, and county lines. Moving forward, the EMS Coordinator will evaluate the strategic use of county levy funds, analyzing which structural models best fit Chippewa County's distinct regions. This analysis will guide the system through three potential long-term structural options: Option A: The Sustained Volunteer/Hybrid Model Optimization: Evaluating whether county levy funds should be distributed directly to support and stabilize existing local agencies. This approach would help them transition toward highly effective, modernized paid-on-call or hybrid models—patterned after resilient local services like the Bloomer or Colfax ambulance structures. Option B: Structural Regionalization and District Integration: Leading the legal, financial, and physical negotiation required to merge the infrastructure of vulnerable municipal services into unified, multi-jurisdictional ambulance districts. This could include contracting and collaborating with existing professionally staffed agencies (e.g., Chippewa Fire or Chippewa Falls) along with consolidation of existing agencies. Option C: Targeted Professionalization and Core Extension: Evaluating whether the county should systematically shift toward a highly professionalized, full-time staffing matrix. This model could involve funding existing full-time professional agencies to absorb vulnerable physical plants and directly extend their full-time coverage into the county's eastern gaps. 18 ROLES OF THE NEW COUNTY EMS COORDINATOR Phase I: Immediate Stabilization - System Collaboration: Building trusted relationships to facilitate improvements - Chief Leadership Development: Providing technical & operational tools - Administrative Support: Standardizing countywide scheduling systems - Provider Well-being: Deploying formal mental health & wellness assets Phase II: Strategic Structural Transformation - Evaluate Levy Allocation Models (e.g., Bloomer/Colfax models) - Negotiate Municipal Collaborations & Shared Districts - Manage Long-Term Transition: Vol. Hybrid -> Professional -> Full-Time Page 42 of 80 SECTION IX: CONCLUSION The data compiled by the Ad Hoc EMS Study Committee confirms that the traditional "EMS 1.0" volunteer model in Chippewa County can no longer protect public safety on its own. The eastern third of our county is facing a quiet, dangerous crisis—sustained only by a tiny group of exhausted responders and an unstable cross-district subsidization network that strains our entire system. Fortunately, Wisconsin law provides a clear, sustainable way forward. By using a countywide EMS tax levy, the County Board can inject vital resources exactly where they are needed most without placing an undue burden on local municipal caps. The establishment of a County EMS Coordinator position represents a balanced, highly strategic first step. This approach avoids creating an immediate, rigid county bureaucracy, choosing instead to protect and strengthen our existing local services. It provides the dedicated leadership and coordination needed to heal our frontline workforce, support our local chiefs, and guide Chippewa County toward a unified, sustainable, and completely reliable emergency medical system. 19 Thank Yous Committee Members: Pam Guthman, County Board Supervisor, Chair Peter Gehring, County Board Supervisor, Vice-Chair Sandi Frion, Bloomer City Administrator Dale Isaacs, Boyd Village Board Eric Weiland, Cadott Village Board Deb Semanko, Cornell City Council Dan Dixon, Chippewa Falls City Council Dave Staber, Town of Lafayette Chair Corey LaNou, Town of Arthur Chairman Pauline Spiegel, Town of Eagle Point Supervisor Ron Patten, EMS Association Chair Adam Dewitt, Anson EMS Director Gene Gutch, Wheaton Town Chair and Wheaton Fire & Rescue and First Responder Justus Busse, Chippewa Falls Fire and EMS Battalion Chief Chippewa County Technical Advisement and Institutional Support Jason Moses, Emergency Management Director Tamee Thom, 911 Emergency Communications Center Director John Ferguson, Geographic Information Systems 911 Coordinator Marci Trubshaw, Emergency Management Program Assistant Chippewa County Administrative and Logistical Support Amber Gilles, Operations Associate, UW Madison Extension Traci Bremmes, Assistant to the County Administrator Jaclyn Sadler, Chippewa County Clerk Outside Support James Small, Office of Rural Health Kathy Shear, Chippewa County EMS Association Secretary Andrea Krantz (Portage County) Shawn Phillips (Lafayette County) Bryan Zeeman (Bayfield County) Survey Participants Chippewa County EMS Agency Chiefs Facilitators Brittnay Fortuna, Allie Isaacson, Jenny Lenbom, Chippewa County Public Health Deanna Wiersgalla, Margo Dieck, Emma Friesth, UW- Madison Extension Page 43 of 80 20 Amedoadzi, F., Carreno, A., Rothman, S., Severini, L., & Traore, G. (2025). Inadequate EMS in rural Wisconsin: Strategies to improve reliability. Robert M. La Follette School of Public Affairs, University of Wisconsin–Madison. Prepared for the Wisconsin Office of Rural Health. Joint Task Force on EMS Response Staffing Configurations. (2025, February 10). Rethinking emergency medical services: Applying evidence and data to redesign response models for a resilient and sustainable future [White paper]. McCarthy, S. (2026, April 15). 2025 Wisconsin Act 212: Levy limit exception for qualified district EMS costs (Act Memo). Wisconsin Legislative Council. Potter, S. (2023, April 13). Wisconsin's EMS agencies describe a system in crisis. PBS Wisconsin: Here & Now. Wisconsin Legislature. (2026). 2025 Wisconsin Act 212. https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/2025/related/acts/212. Wisconsin Office of Rural Health. (2023, March). The reliability of Wisconsin’s 911 ambulance response. https://worh.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/EMS-Reliability- Report_March2023.pdf. Wisconsin Policy Forum. (2025, December 12). Answering the call: A look at the challenges facing our fire and EMS responders [Video]. YouTube. REFERENCES Page 44 of 80 APPENDIX: PROPOSED OPERATIONAL TIMELINE FOR THE EMS COORDINATOR Quarter 1: Foundation and Relationship Mapping (Listening & Validation) Conduct a "Trust-Building Tour": Host individual listening sessions with the boards and staff of the primary agencies Establish Higher Education Alliances: Initiate meetings with institutions like CVTC and local school districts to outline the "Tuition-for-Service Pipeline" and high school EMT training models. Vet Leadership Content Experts: Instead of delivering content directly, the Coordinator will identify external specialists to develop the programs to address identified management concerns. Quarter 2: Collaborative Piloting and Soft Interventions (Early Wins) The Consensus Summit & Contract Blueprint: Convene all municipal and agency leaders to vet distinct policy pathways for the county levy and reach a formal agreement on the specific model to move forward. Execute a Fiscal Impact Study: Work with County Finance to model the countywide EMS levy exception (Wis. Stat. § 66.0602(3)(e)6), comparing the cost of investment vs. the liability of system collapse. Launch the "Neighbor Burden" Education Campaign: Begin a communication plan to inform the public and elected officials about the cascading calls to normalize future levy discussions. Town Board Education: Launch a brief “Roadshow” to educate individual town boards and county committees on the challenges of EMS and the potential models to strengthen the system. Quarter 3: Model Refinement and Fiscal Stress Testing (Designing the Levy) Formal Advocacy & Budget Integration: Present the selected consensus model directly to County Committees and Town Boards to secure necessary local resolutions and ensure the intervention is built into the upcoming municipal and county budgets Pilot a County-Wide Joint Training: Organize a low-stakes clinical training session to build professional camaraderie and test the feasibility of Unified Medical Protocols. Implement Responder Wellness Pilots: Introduce a "Peer Support" or "Personal Leadership Check-in" framework EMS burnout, fatigue, and likely PTSD. Quarter 4: Consensus Building and Implementation Roadmap Secure Final Policy Pathways: Present the choice between a County EMS Levy or Act 212 EMS Districts to the Board, supported by the year-long record of committee consensus. Formal Resolutions & Implementation Training: Secure final local resolutions from Town Boards to authorize the new Reliability Contracts, while simultaneously launching pilot modules for responder wellness and leadership development to stabilize the existing "Heavy Hitters" 21 Page 45 of 80 711 N. Bridge Street, Room 106 aalbarado@chippewacountywi.gov Ph: (715) 726-4597 Chippewa Falls, WI 54729 Fx: (715) 726-4599 Department of Administration Andy Albarado, County Administrator August 26, 2026 TO: County Board of Supervisors FR: Andy Albarado RE: Ad Hoc EMS Study Committee Final Report and Continued County-wide EMS Planning On December 16, 2025, the County Board approved Resolution 39-25 and created an Ad Hoc EMS Committee to study EMS services in Chippewa County. The Chippewa County Ad Hoc EMS Study Committee has completed their work and submitted a final report as directed, along with a cover letter from Ad Hoc Committee Chair Guthman. Both documents are attached to a resolution for consideration by the Executive Committee and County Board in September 2026. The final report summarizes the issues currently facing emergency medical services (EMS) in Chippewa County, including deficiencies that are creating significant challenges for the County’s EMS system. Among its recommendations, the Ad Hoc EMS Study Committee recommends that Chippewa County create an EMS Coordinator position to provide greater countywide coordination and support for EMS services. The report identifies an EMS levy as a potential funding mechanism for the position. Such a levy would need to be established by the county and incorporated into the county budget. An EMS levy is allowable by statute and would be outside of the operating levy and it’s restrictions. For an EMS levy to be established it would have to be for a countywide EMS program, and there are a variety of ways for this to be achieved. While a 911 EMS service is the responsibility of the local municipality, per Statute, there are more counties becoming involved with providing local 911 EMS programs. The increased involvement by counties is because of the difficulties faced by smaller services (especially in rural areas), and the domino effect it has on other communities. This is evidenced in the Ad Hoc EMS Study Committee’s report. The ability of the County to adopt an EMS levy – outside of the levy restrictions – is another common reason for counties to become involved in EMS. There are three common approaches to what counties claim is a countywide EMS for the purpose of the levy limit exemption: (1) a consolidation approach (e.g., Sawyer County), (2) a supplemental approach (e.g., Waushara County), and (3) a distributed approach (e.g., Portage County). In all three approaches, the EMS directly administered by the county differ: (a) either the county directly operates all governmental EMS in the county, (b) the county provides supplemental services, or (c) the county only provides administrative and financial services. Consistent across all approaches is that the services the county itself provides are provided across the entire county. The Ad Hoc EMS Study Committee’s proposal is similar to a distributed approach, where the County would provide central services to support the local EMS providers. At this time, I am not proposing that Chippewa County move forward with creating an EMS Coordinator position or establishing an EMS levy. Rather, I am requesting that, as part of the County Board accepting the Ad Hoc EMS Study Committee’s final report, the County Board also provide direction to continue working toward a comprehensive, countywide EMS solution. I do not foresee a position or the EMS levy being included as part of our 2027 budget proposal. However, it could potentially be addressed mid- year and/or incorporated into the 2028 budget. Page 46 of 80 711 N. Bridge Street, Room 106 aalbarado@chippewacountywi.gov Ph: (715) 726-4597 Chippewa Falls, WI 54729 Fx: (715) 726-4599 Page 2 I believe additional work is necessary to evaluate the recommendations contained in the Ad Hoc EMS Study Committee’s report, along with other potential approaches to addressing the county’s EMS needs. It is going to take some time for the Ad Hoc EMS Study Committee’s work to be absorbed and considered by the municipalities and EMS services. A countywide solution will likely include components of the recommendations made by the Ad Hoc EMS Study Committee, but additional discussion and evaluation will be necessary before specific actions are brought forward for consideration. I believe it is important to continue the conversation at the local level and engage the existing providers to gain support for the recommendations in the Ad Hoc report, or an alternative. Requested Direction That the Chippewa County Board of Supervisors accept the final report of the Ad Hoc EMS Study Committee and direct the County Administrator to work with staff to develop a comprehensive countywide EMS solution, including further evaluation of the recommendations contained in the final report. At this time, acceptance of the report and direction to continue working on this should not be construed as approval of an EMS Coordinator position, an EMS levy, or any other specific funding or organizational change. Those items will all require a separate resolution and approval by the County Board in the future. However, based on the report, now is the time for the County Board to start considering what level of involvement Chippewa County wants with regards to delivering EMS services in the County. Sincerely, Andy Albarado County Administrator Page 47 of 80 Summary of Proposed HR Policy Manual Revisions – General Revisions Page 1 of 1 Department of Administration Augustg 4, 2026 TO: County Board RE: HR Policy Manual Updates – General Policy Revisions Minor revisions to the policies listed below are proposed in an effort to provide clearer interpretation of the policies and to better reflect current practices and protocol. A brief summary of the recommended changes is included as well. Also in your agenda packet, you will see a second agenda item with additional revisions to the HR Policy Manual. All of those changes are being proposed in order to implement the new One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) and to comply with the new reporting requirements that will go into effect 01/01/2027. To help avoid confusion, the policy revisions are being split into two separate agenda items so it’s easier to understand what is being proposed. Holidays • LTEs will no longer receive Holiday Pay when they work on the holiday, instead they will receive double time and record it as such in the payroll system. This results in no financial change for LTEs. • Current language was confusing regarding holidays. We clarified the difference between the actual holiday and observed holiday when employees work on a holiday or holidays fall on a weekend. Compensatory Time • There have been instances when employees have recorded the use of compensatory time prior to earning the compensatory time. These revisions will help clarify that employees cannot earn new comp time and take it in the same pay period. Additional Compensation • To assist with recruitment and retention, revisions are proposed for the Sheriff’s Department Shift Differential policy. Added that nonexempt employees working a non-scheduled shift will receive $1.00 per hour for hours worked between 6:00 pm and 6:00 am. Also clarified the language for those that start on or after 5:45 pm. Direct Deposit • Chippewa County requires direct deposit of payroll checks. Additional language was added to clarify that payment could be delayed if an updated Direct Deposit Authorization Form is not submitted on time. Artificial Intelligence • Update to require training prior to use. Page 48 of 80 Chippewa County Department of Administration Human Resources Division Human Resources Policy Manual County Board Action/History Adopted by the County Board 11/13/2012 and effective 1/1/2013 Revised and amended by the County Board on the following dates: 05/14/2013; 08/13/2013; 12/10/2013; 03/11/2014; 05/12/2014; 12/09/2014; 12/08/2015; 03/14/2017; 04/11/2017; 03/13/2018; 11/06/2018; 12/11/2018; 01/08/2019; 07/09/2019; 09/10/2019; 10/08/2019; 11/11/2019; 11/10/2020; 09/13/2022; 11/08/2022; 12/13/2022; 09/12/2023; 06/11/2024; 01/14/2025; 09/09/2025; 11/11/2025 ** PROPOSED REVISIONS ** These general policy revisions are not related the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) This document will be reviewed first with the County Board 3. Holidays (include language on 24/7, observed, LTE) 18. Overtime and Compensatory Time (can’t accrue and use in the same pay period) 19. Additional Compensation (shift differential) 27. Direct Deposit 90. Artificial Intelligence (AI) Page 49 of 80 Human Resources Policy Manual Page 2 of 12 Adopted: 11/13/2012 * GO BACK TO TOP OF DOCUMENT * Amended: 11/12/2025 CHAPTER 2 – TIME AT WORK AND TIME AWAY FROM WORK 3. Holidays a. Purpose To identify observed employee County holidays and to establish a consistent procedure for scheduling and payment. b. Eligibility All regular full-time or part-time employees are eligible to receive compensation for the paid holiday benefit. In order to receive holiday pay, employees shall work the full scheduled day before and the full scheduled day after each observed holiday unless the employee substitutes PTO (scheduled or unscheduled). Part-time employees shall be compensated on a prorated basis. Employees receiving Workers’ Compensation benefits are not eligible for compensation for holidays that fall during their period of disability. Employees on any type of unpaid leave of absence on the observed holiday are not eligible for compensation for the holiday. All limited term (annual or seasonal) status employees (LTEs) are eligible to receive compensation for the paid holiday benefit only if they actually work the day of the holiday or observed holiday. c. County Holidays Observed The following holidays shall be paid holiday for eligible employees: New Year’s Day Labor Day Spring Holiday (Friday before Easter) Thanksgiving Day Memorial Day Day after Thanksgiving Independence Day December 24 th Day after Independence Day December 25 th d. Compensation Holiday pay is calculated at the straight time hourly rate of pay of the employee on that day. 1. Full-time employees shall be compensated for eight (8) hours of holiday pay on the observed holidays regardless of the scheduled shifttheir normally scheduled shift duration (4-, 5-, 6-, 7-, 8-, 9-, 10-, 11-, or 12-hour day). 2. Part-time employees shall receive four (4) hours of holiday pay on the observed holidays. 3. LTEs shall receive holiday pay for the exact hours worked on the day of the holiday or observed holiday in addition to their actual hours worked. If the employee does not work on the day of the holiday or observed holiday, they are not eligible for holiday pay. e. Work on Holiday In cases where a full-time or part-time employee is required to work on a holiday due to unforeseeable circumstances, or required to work on a holiday as part of their normal work schedule, the employee shall receive holiday pay for the holiday in addition to the actual hours worked. Page 50 of 80 Human Resources Policy Manual Page 3 of 12 Adopted: 11/13/2012 * GO BACK TO TOP OF DOCUMENT * Amended: 11/12/2025 In cases where a Limited Term Employee (LTE) is required to work on the actual holiday, the LTE shall receive double time pay (twice the regular hourly wage) for the number of hours worked. This does not apply when working on an “observed” holiday. Holiday pay is considered time worked for the purposes of overtime. f. Holidays During Leave Holidays falling within any unpaid period of absence for any reason shall be without pay. For employees on paid FMLA over an observed holiday, the holiday shall be counted as FMLA leave. Employees are permitted to use scheduled or unscheduled PTO during an approved FMLA or County medical leave before and after the Holiday to be eligible for Holiday pay, even if the employee doesn’t have enough PTO or Compensatory time for the entire leave period. g. Holidays Falling on a Weekend Whenever a ny of the observed holidays falls on a Saturday, the preceding Friday shall be observed as the holiday, and when it fallsing on a Sunday, the succeeding Monday shall be observed as the holiday. In situations when the holiday falls on Friday and Saturday When December 24th falls on Friday and December 25th on Saturday, the preceding Thursday and Friday shall be observed as the holidays. When the holiday December 24th falls on Sunday and December 25th on Monday, the succeeding Monday and Tuesday shall be observed as the holiday. h. Holidays Falling on a Scheduled Day That is Not 8 Hours for a Full-Time Employee Whenever an observed holiday falls on a day that an employee is scheduled to work more than eight (8) hours, the employee shall be paid for eight (8) hours of holiday pay. The employee shall use PTO, Compensatory time or work a flexible schedule to make up the additional hours within the same work week. Whenever an observed holiday falls on a day that an employee is scheduled to work less than eight (8) hours, the employee shall flex their schedule during the week to work less hours on other days, so not to earn overtime or compensatory time without Department Head approval. Flexible schedules during the week of a holiday shall be established and approved by the Department Head to best meet the needs of the department for efficient operations, to reduce overtime or compensatory time and to remain open during established business hours. i. Sheriff’s Department TelecommunicatorsDispatcher and Jailer Exceptions Due to the nature of the scheduling within the Sheriff’s Department, full time and part time telecommunicators the dispatchers and jailers who are eligible for holidays and required to work on an observed holiday shall receive the holiday pay for that day in addition to hours worked. j. Exceptions Due to the nature of work required from the Highway Department and Facilities & Parks Division for unforeseen emergency circumstances, in cases when a regular status non-exempt employee of the Highway Department or Facilities & Parks Division is required to work on an observed Page 51 of 80 Human Resources Policy Manual Page 4 of 12 Adopted: 11/13/2012 * GO BACK TO TOP OF DOCUMENT * Amended: 11/12/2025 holiday, the non-exempt employee shall receive overtime pay at a rate of time and one-half for those actual hours worked by the non-exempt employee in addition to receiving holiday pay for the holiday. Overtime hours worked on an observed holiday are considered premium overtime pay and shall not be calculated in the regular rate of pay for the purposes of calculating FLSA overtime (29 C.F.R §778.201). (Section 3 amended by the County Board 05/14/13; 12/10/13; 12/09/14; 12/08/15, 03/13/18; 11/6/18; 09/13/2022; 12/13/2022) CHAPTER 3 – WAGES AND OTHER FORMS OF COMPENSATION 18. Overtime and Compensatory Time a. Purpose To provide a consistent system for distributing overtime in compliance with the overtime-pay provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). b. Definitions Each position is designated as either “Non-exempt” or “Exempt” from the federal Fair Labor Standards Act and state wage and hour laws. Employees should contact the Human Resources Division if they are unsure of their position’s designation. 1. Non-Exempt positions that are paid on an hourly basis and are entitled to overtime pay for hours worked in excess of 40 hours per week, excluding premium overtime pay (29 C.F.R. §778.201). 2. Exempt positions that are generally paid on a salary basis and are excluded from specific provisions of federal and state wage and hour laws and are not eligible for overtime pay. c. Overtime Non-exempt employees may receive pay for overtime hours. This shall be paid at time and one half the hourly rate of pay for any hours worked in excess of 40 hours per workweek. 1. Facilities and Parks Division Exception Non-exempt Facilities and Parks employees shall receive overtime at a rate of time and one-half their regular hourly rate for all hours worked for winter maintenance between the hours of 6:00 p.m. – 6:00 a.m., unless normally scheduled, and for hours worked for winter maintenance on Saturdays and Sundays. Non-exempt Facilities and Parks employees shall receive overtime pay at time and one- half their regular hourly rate for time worked outside of their normal work schedule/shift for emergency situations. A minimum of two (2) hours shall be paid except for those hours that are part of the normal work schedule/shift. Management shall have the discretion to determine the workday thereafter. Emergency situation examples include weather-related damage, facility damage, and flooding, but excludes snow/ice removal and construction projects. Page 52 of 80 Human Resources Policy Manual Page 5 of 12 Adopted: 11/13/2012 * GO BACK TO TOP OF DOCUMENT * Amended: 11/12/2025 Overtime hours worked under this section is considered premium overtime pay and shall not be calculated in the regular rate of pay for the purposes of calculating FLSA overtime (29 C.F.R §778.203 and §778.204 or as amended). 2. Sheriff’s Department Management Exception Sheriff’s Department Management who are exempt may be paid overtime receive additional pay at their straight hourly rate for hours in excess of forty (40) in any one (1) workweek for special events in which all operating costs, salaries, and fringes are billed back to the event organizer for reimbursement. Such events do not include normal duties and responsibilities of the job (i.e. reporting to the scene of an accident after normal work hours). Events covered include large assembly events and music events. 3. Sheriff’s Department Exception Chippewa County has established an alternate work period for Jailers, Jail Sergeants and Patrol Sergeants working 12 hour shifts. If the Jailer, Jail Sergeant or Patrol Sergeant is assigned the alternate work period, the following exception applies. As allowed under Section 7(k) of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), the alternate work periods for Jailers, Jail Sergeants and Patrol Sergeants rotates on a 14-day work period basis. The work period for Jailers, Jail Sergeants and Patrol Sergeants shall consist of fourteen (14) consecutive calendar days starting at 12:00 a.m. on Sunday and ending at 11:59 p.m. on Saturday 14 days later. The overtime threshold within this work period shall be 84.0 hours for purposes of hours worked. Calculation of overtime and/or compensatory time shall be based on hours of work in excess of 84.0 hours per 14-day work period for the purposes of this Policy. In instances when a Jailer, Jail Sergeant or Patrol Sergeant uses PTO or Compensatory Time during one week of the 14-day work period, the employee shall earn OT after the scheduled hours for that week (36 hours or 48 hours) only in the week in which the PTO or Compensatory Time were not used, as long as there are no unpaid normally schedule hours during the 14-day work period. 4. Highway Department Exception Non-exempt Highway employees shall receive overtime at a rate of time and one-half their regular hourly rate for hours worked outside of their normal workday/shift. All hours worked in excess of, or outside of, the normal workday/shift shall be approved by the Highway Commissioner or designee. A minimum of two (2) hours shall be paid if an employee is called into work, except for those hours that are part of the normal workday/shift that precede or immediately follow the shift. Overtime hours worked under this section ismay be considered premium overtime pay and shall may not be calculated in the regular rate of pay for the purposes of calculating FLSA overtime (29 C.F.R §778.203 and §778.204 or as amended). d. Compensatory Time 1. Exempt It is understood that Department Heads, Managers, and other exempt positions (as classified by your job description) are paid a salary for their overall responsibility and accountability and may work in excess of the normal work week in order to complete necessary job tasks. At the discretion of the Department Head, (and County Page 53 of 80 Human Resources Policy Manual Page 6 of 12 Adopted: 11/13/2012 * GO BACK TO TOP OF DOCUMENT * Amended: 11/12/2025 Administrator in cases of Department Heads) exempt employees who work in excess of 40 hours in a workweek (including Holiday pay) may qualify for compensatory time. Compensatory time shall be earned prior to use, is earned at straight time (hour for hour), and shall be tracked accordingly on the timesheet. Compensatory time balances for exempt non-management positions in the Criminal Justice Services, Public Health and Human Services Departments shall not exceed 40.0 hours. All other exempt employees shall not exceed 80.0 hours. Compensatory Time is a discretionary benefit for exempt employees and does not alter the exempt status or salary basis under FLSA. Time records for exempt employees are used for compensatory time calculation and scheduling purposes; they do not affect salary or exempt status. 2. Non-Exempt Non-exempt employees may receive overtime in the form of compensatory time (earned at time and one half) or paid time at one and one-half times their rate of pay for hours worked in excess of 40 in a workweek (excludes hours paid, such as workers’ compensation, PTO, jury duty and/or compensatory time taken) at the employer’s discretion. “Non-exempt” status is determined by the employer on a job-by-job basis. Compensatory time shall be tracked on the timesheet. Compensatory time balances shall not exceed 40.0 hours for all non-exempt positions (80.0 hours for non-exempt management positions). Once the maximum accrual amount has been met, employees shall be paid for any time worked in excess of 40 in a work week at a rate of time and one-half. a). Section 7(O) of the FLSA allows public sector employers to provide certain non- exempt employees with an option of whether to receive cash overtime or compensatory time earned at time and one-half. Department heads shall determine employee eligibility for earning compensatory time. b). Non-exempt highway employees are not eligible for compensatory time and shall receive overtime in the form of pay only. 3. Increments of TimeCompensatory Time Use a). Employees shall use Compensatory Time in increments of fifteen (15) minutes. b). Eligible employees may request to use Compensatory Time only in a pay period following the pay period in which Compensatory Time was earned. e. Compensatory Time Payout All accrued and unused compensatory time shall be paid out for the following reasons: 1. If an employee changes positions that results in an exempt or non-exempt status change; or 2. If an employee transfers to another department; or 3. If an employee becomes an elected official for the County; or Page 54 of 80 Human Resources Policy Manual Page 7 of 12 Adopted: 11/13/2012 * GO BACK TO TOP OF DOCUMENT * Amended: 11/12/2025 4. If a non-exempt employee transfers to a new non-exempt position and there is also a pay change, the employee’s Compensatory Time shall be paid out at the time of transfer at the rate of pay prior to the transfer; or 5. When an employee separates employment from Chippewa County. A separation is defined as follows: a). resignation or retirement from employment with Chippewa County b). permanent layoff from employment c). discharge from employment with Chippewa County Compensatory time payout due to a change in position that results in an exempt or non-exempt status change, transfer to another department, or when an employee becomes an elected official shall be added to the payroll on the last day worked in the former position, paid at the regular rate of pay, to be paid in cash via the employee paycheck. The compensatory time paid shall not be considered time worked. Compensatory time payout due to separation of employment shall be paid in accordance with Chippewa County’s Separation from Employment Policy. f. Approval All overtime/compensatory time earned shall be approved in advance by the Department Head. If advanced approval is not obtained, the employee is not authorized to work the overtime. The Department Head has the sole right to approve or deny overtime and compensatory time requests. Failure to obtain prior approval may result in disciplinary action, up to and including discharge. Requests to trade shifts cannot result in creating overtime/compensatory time for either party. g. Compensatory Time Off Use of compensatory time shall be requested by the employee as far in advance as reasonably possible, and shall be approved in advance by the Department Head. Employees shall follow written departmental procedures for requesting to take compensatory time. Requests to use compensatory time may be denied based on the needs and workload of the department or if other employees are already scheduled for time off. The Department Head has full authority to approve or deny said request. h. Department Scheduling Procedures Each department shall establish written procedures to ensure that compensatory time off requests are processed in a fair and equitable manner, with first consideration to be given to the efficient operation of the department. All departments shall file a copy of their updated written time off procedures with the Human Resources Division. i. Accrual Employees are not able to earn compensatory time or paid overtime (earned at straight time or time and one half) as a result of the use of paid leaves. No paid leave time shall be counted as hours worked for overtime purposes, including PTO, workers’ compensation, jury duty, and compensatory time taken. Page 55 of 80 Human Resources Policy Manual Page 8 of 12 Adopted: 11/13/2012 * GO BACK TO TOP OF DOCUMENT * Amended: 11/12/2025 j. Non-Exempt Employee Annual Payout of Compensatory Time Non-exempt employees shall be paid-out, at straight time, any unused Compensatory Time earned each calendar year on the last paycheck of the year it was earned. All non-exempt employees shall start every new year with a zero balance in their Compensatory Time accrual bank. k. Safe Harbor It is the policy of Chippewa County to comply with the salary basis requirements of the FLSA. Therefore, improper deductions from the salaries of exempt employees are prohibited. If it is felt that an improper deduction has been made to your salary, you should immediately report this to the Human Resources Director. Reports of improper deductions shall be promptly investigated and reimbursements provided if it is determined improper deductions occurred. 29 C.F.R 541.710 outlines the principles of public accountability in which public agencies and elected officials are held to a higher level of responsibility under the public trust which demands effective and efficient use of public funds in order to serve the public interest including the view that public employees should not be paid for time they do not work excluding the use of paid time as outlined in Chippewa County policy. (Section 18 amended by the County Board 05/14/13; 12/09/14; 12/08/15, 03/13/18, 11/6/18; 11/10/2020; 09/13/2022; 11/08/2022) 19. Additional Compensation a. Sheriff ’s Department - Field Training 1. Purpose To provide an incentive to dispatch employees working 24/7 operations for providing an extensive hands-on training program for new hires into dispatcher and jailer positions. 2. Compensation Dispatchers and Jailers assigned to and designated as Field Training Officers shall receive an additional 50 cents ($.50) per hour for each hour worked training new hires. b. Sheriff’s Department – Shift Differential 1. Purpose To provide extra compensation to nonexempt employees who are scheduled on a regular, rotating or sporadic basis to work during an evening or night shifts. Employees working during day shift hours are excluded from receiving shift differential. 2. Compensation a) Nonexempt employees who work between the hours of a shift starting on or after 5:456:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. shall receive an additional dollar ($1.00) per hour for those hours worked. Shift Differential pay shall end no later than 6:00 a.m. It shall only be paid when recording regular or overtime hours and no other pay codes. This excludes shifts that start at 5:45 a.m. Page 56 of 80 Human Resources Policy Manual Page 9 of 12 Adopted: 11/13/2012 * GO BACK TO TOP OF DOCUMENT * Amended: 11/12/2025 b) Nonexempt employees working a non-scheduled shift shall receive an additional dollar ($1.00) per hour for those hours worked between 6:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. It shall only be paid when recording regular or overtime hours and no other pay codes c. Clerk of Courts – Jury Bailiffs 1. Purpose To provide compensation to Jury Bailiffs scheduled for a jury trial when the trial is cancelled due to settlement, rescheduling or other reasons as determined by the County. 2. Compensation Except as provided in sub-section 3 below, in the event a Jury Bailiff is scheduled to work for a jury trial that is canceled prior to the Jury Bailiff reporting to work, the Jury Bailiff shall be paid two (2) hours at his or her regular rate of pay. In the event a Jury Bailiff is scheduled and reports to work for a jury trial that is canceled subsequent to the Jury Bailiff reporting to work but before the Jury Bailiff has worked two (2) hours, the Jury Bailiff shall be paid two (2) hours at his or her regular rate of pay. In the event a jury trial is canceled after the Jury Bailiff has worked at least two (2) hours, the Jury Bailiff shall be paid for those hours worked. 3. Waiver An employee may voluntarily elect to waive the Clerk of Courts-Jury Bailiffs additional compensation provided in sub-section 2 above. If an employee elects to waive the additional compensation, the employee shall provide written documentation of the waiver to the Human Resources Division to be placed in the employee’s personnel file. A voluntary election to waive additional compensation may be withdrawn by the employee by providing a written notice of the change to the Human Resources Division to be placed in the employee’s personnel file. (Section 19 revised and approved by the County Board 08/13/13, 05/12/14, 11/6/18; 09/13/2022; 09/12/2023; 01/14/2025) 27. Direct Deposit a. Purpose To provide Chippewa County Employees information regarding the Direct Deposit of payroll checks. b. Overview All Chippewa County employees and elected officials shall have payroll wage payments and reimbursements disbursed through direct deposit to one financial institution of the employee’s choice. This convenience provides the employee with funds available in their bank account each payday. Employees have electronic access on the Chippewa County Website under ESS (Employee Self Service) to their Payroll Earnings Statements on payday that details the pay and deduction information. Page 57 of 80 Human Resources Policy Manual Page 10 of 12 Adopted: 11/13/2012 * GO BACK TO TOP OF DOCUMENT * Amended: 11/12/2025 c. Procedures All Chippewa County employees shall adhere to the following: 1. Each employee shall complete a Direct Deposit Authorization Agreement with a voided check attached upon hire and submit to the Human Resources Division by timeframes specified by the Human Resources Division. 2. It is the employee’s responsibility to immediately notify the Human Resources Division if the employee’s bank account changes by completing and submitting the new Direct Deposit Authorization Agreement available on the Employee Portal. Failure to provide an updated Direct Deposit Authorization Form will delay payment until the first check following the updated form being provided to the Human Resources Division. 3. For new employees who fail to complete and submit the Direct Deposit Authorization Agreement within the timeframe communicated to them, the pay shall be added to the following payroll. 4. Any direct deposit file rejected due to closed accounts, mergers, orand any other reason shall be re-processed in accounts payable (AP). This check shall be processed on the next possible AP check run and available in the Treasurer’s Office and disbursed upon receipt of a completed reissued via payroll process no later than the pay period following submission of an updated Direct Deposit Authorization Agreement available on the Employee Portal. 5. Any overpayments, underpayments or failure to timely submit timesheets shall be adjusted on the following payroll. d. Disclaimer Each bank shall post deposits at different times. Chippewa County cannot take the responsibility for your bank’s policies. Please contact your bank if you have any questions on the policies. (Section 27 was adopted 12/05/07 and amended: 06/17/18, 09/18/12; 12/08/15, 03/13/18; 09/13/2022) CHAPTER 8 – WORKPLACE POLICIES 90. Artificial Intelligence (AI) a. Purpose To ensure compliance, promote ethical generative AI use and ensure confidentiality of protected or confidential County information. With the increasing popularity of generative AI chatbots such as ChatGPT and Microsoft Copilot, it has become necessary to outline the proper use of such tools while working at the County. While we know that adopting new technologies assists the County in efficient operations, we also understand the risks and limitations of generative AI chatbots and want to ensure responsible use. Our goal is to protect employees, clients, customers, consumers, contractors, and the County from harm. Page 58 of 80 Human Resources Policy Manual Page 11 of 12 Adopted: 11/13/2012 * GO BACK TO TOP OF DOCUMENT * Amended: 11/12/2025 b. Overview While AI chatbots can be used to perform a variety of functions, this policy addresses only the use of a web-based interface to ask or "prompt" the chatbot in a conversational manner to find answers to questions or to create or edit written content. Some examples of what could be created using an AI chatbot include: 1. Emails and letters 2. Social media posts, reports and other publications 3. Policies and job descriptions 4. Spreadsheet calculations 5. Foreign language translations 6. Coding development or debugging 7. Document or information sorting 8. Outlines or summaries of internal or external information There are, however, risks in using this technology, including uncertainty about who owns the AI- created content and security/privacy concerns with inputting proprietary company information or sensitive information about an employee, client, customer, consumer, etc., when interacting with the chatbot. Additionally, the accuracy of the content created by these technologies cannot be relied upon, as the information may be incomplete, incorrect, outdated, plagiarized, misleading or—in some cases—fabricated. AI output should be closely reviewed and verified by the employee. Any inaccuracies or errors in the information will be the sole responsibility of the employee presenting or publishing it, not the AI platform that generated it. c. Required Training Prior to UseAuthorization and Recordkeeping Employees wishing to use generative AI chatbots shall notify their Department Head or designee prior to use. Employees shall notify them of what platform will be used and the purpose for the use. complete County-approved Artificial Intelligence (AI) training prior to using any AI platform for work-related purposes. Training content shall be approved prior to attending/viewing the material by the Information Technology Director or designee. The required training shall cover, at a minimum: 1. An overview of generative AI technology and its limitations 2. Data privacy, confidentiality, and information security requirements 3. Risks related to bias, discrimination, misinformation, and hallucinations 4. Importance of reviewing, verifying, and validating AI-generated content Employees may not use any AI platform for County business until training has been completed and documented. Documentation of the training shall be submitted to the County Administrator, Department Head and the Human Resources Division prior to use. Page 59 of 80 Human Resources Policy Manual Page 12 of 12 Adopted: 11/13/2012 * GO BACK TO TOP OF DOCUMENT * Amended: 11/12/2025 Refresher training may be required periodically or when material changes occur in AI technology, applicable laws, or County policy. Employees authorized to use an AI platform shall log the date or date ranges of such use, the purpose of the use, the AI platform used and brief description of the results of such used. d. Requirements Due to the risks associated with generative AI chatbots, limited use may be allowed while performing work for the County. All AI-generated content must be reviewed for accuracy before relying on it for work purposes. If a reliable source cannot be found to verify factual information generated by the chatbot, that information cannot be used for work purposes. County email addresses, credentials or phone numbers can be used to create an account with these technologies only after gaining prior approval from your Department Head or designee, completing required AI training and submitting it to the Department Head and the Human Resources Division . e. Acceptable uses of AI 1. Asking general-knowledge questions meant to enhance your understanding of a work-related topic 2. Brainstorming ideas related to projects you are working on 3. Creating formulas for Excel spreadsheets or similar programs 4. Developing or debugging code, to be verified before deployment 5. Drafting content for an email or letter 6. Entering employment-related decisions, including disciplinary actions, hiring, firing or promotions (as long as no identifying information is entered) f. Prohibited Uses of AI 1. Automated screening or profiling of employees, candidates or resumes 2. Use that results in harm, bias, discrimination, insensitive, or fraudulent or deceptive acts or communications 3. Use that violates applicable law or exposes the County to legal liability 4. Use that violates any of the County’s other HIPAPA, Human Resources or Information Technology policies 5. Entering or inputting all of the following information into an AI platform, no matter the purpose for the following: a). Confidential client, customer, consumer or company information b). Private Health Information (PHI) c). Names of customers, clients, consumers. c.) Names of Chippewa County employees or unpaid individuals such as volunteers, interns, contractors, etc. d.) Personal information that may be used to identify any individual (Including, for example, names, contact information, personal identifiers, employment history or personal characteristics such as age, race, religion, health, sex, sexuality or personal financial information. (Section 90 adopted by the County Board 01/14/2025) Page 60 of 80 Summary of Proposed HR Policy Manual Revisions – One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) Page 1 of 1 Department of Administration August 6, 2026 TO: County Board RE: HR Policy Manual Revisions – Related to Implementation of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) In 2025, new overtime laws went into place as part of the new One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA). Specifically, there is a new federal tax deduction effective from 2025 to 2028 that allows eligible employees to exclude qualified overtime compensation from their taxable income. The key word is “qualified overtime”. Chippewa County (along with many other organizations and Counties) pay employees overtime rates for work that is above and beyond and not “qualified overtime” under FLSA. The Finance and HR Divisions have been working together to address this new law and assist us with proper year-end reporting for employees to use when they complete their annual income taxes. Many of the proposed policy changes are a result of this law. We will also be updating several procedures regarding payroll processing along with updating pay codes in 2026 prior to approval of the HR Policy Manual revisions. Below is a summary of all of the proposed recommendations: Holidays • No longer consider holiday pay as time worked for the purpose of overtime or compensatory time calculations. This change will allow us to utilize the automation in our payroll software and reporting to comply with the new overtime law. This is also a standard practice in most organizations when processing holiday and overtime pay. This change will result in a reduction in overtime pay for a small number of non-exempt employees who might work more than 24 or 32 hours in a holiday work week. PTO • Update the PTO Conversion section, upon employee termination, to require lower PTO balances to go to the 401(a) qualified deferred compensation plan. Overtime • Overtime language was added to clarify that overtime is calculated lawfully when there is a shift differential or other related pay requiring recalculation. This will result in a slight increase in pay for employees who receive shift differential and overtime. • Several exceptions to the overtime policy have been moved to the “Additional Compensation” section of the policy and redefined as premium pay and not overtime pay. This recommendation, if approved, will require a new pay code in our payroll software and assist with proper reporting of “qualified overtime”. This results in no financial change for employees. Additional Compensation • The recommendation is to remove the Facilities & Parks and Highway overtime sections and move them to premium pay. This policy change will allow for proper reporting of “qualified overtime”. This results in no financial change for employees. Payroll and Timekeeping • The recommendation is to update the corrections section of this policy to allow corrections, regardless of when it is submitted to the Department Head and Finance Division. Page 61 of 80 Chippewa County Department of Administration Human Resources Division   Human Resources Policy Manual   County Board Action/History  Adopted by the County Board 11/13/2012 and effective 1/1/2013  Revised and amended by the County Board on the following dates:  05/14/2013; 08/13/2013; 12/10/2013; 03/11/2014; 05/12/2014; 12/09/2014; 12/08/2015; 03/14/2017; 04/11/2017; 03/13/2018; 11/06/2018;  12/11/2018; 01/08/2019; 07/09/2019; 09/10/2019; 10/08/2019; 11/11/2019; 11/10/2020; 09/13/2022; 11/08/2022; 12/13/2022; 09/12/2023;  06/11/2024; 01/14/2025; 09/09/2025; 11/11/2025      ** PROPOSED REVISIONS **  These policy revisions are related the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA)   and need to be adopted before 01/01/2027    3.  Holidays – (if the CB does not approve this, then the other policy changes are not needed)  4.  Paid Time Off  18.  Overtime and Compensatory Time (exceptions moved to new premium pay  and comp changed from 40 to 80 hours)  19.  Additional Compensation (premium pay)  26.  Payroll and Timekeeping     Page 62 of 80 Human Resources Policy Manual  Page 2 of 19  Adopted: 11/13/2012    * GO BACK TO TOP OF DOCUMENT *  Amended: 11/12/2025  CHAPTER 2 – TIME AT WORK AND TIME AWAY FROM WORK 3. Holidays   a.  Purpose      To identify observed employee holidays and to establish a consistent procedure for scheduling  and payment.      b.  Eligibility        All regular full‐time or part‐time employees are eligible to receive compensation for the paid holiday  benefit. In order to receive holiday pay, employees shall work the full scheduled day before and the  full scheduled day after each observed holiday unless the employee substitutes PTO (scheduled or  unscheduled). Part‐time employees shall be compensated on a prorated basis. Employees receiving  Workers’ Compensation benefits are not eligible for compensation for holidays that fall during their  period of disability.  Employees on any type of unpaid leave of absence on the observed holiday are  not eligible for compensation for the holiday.    All limited term (annual or seasonal) status employees (LTEs) are eligible to receive compensation  for the paid holiday benefit only if they actually work the day of the holiday or observed holiday.      c.  Holidays Observed         The following holidays shall be paid holiday for eligible employees:      New Year’s Day   Labor Day    Spring Holiday (Friday before Easter)  Thanksgiving Day    Memorial Day  Day after Thanksgiving    Independence Day  December 24th    Day after Independence Day  December 25th         d.  Compensation      Holiday pay is calculated at the straight time hourly rate of pay of the employee on that day.   Holiday pay is not considered time worked for the purposes of overtime or compensatory time  calculation.      1.  Full‐time employees shall be compensated for eight (8) hours of holiday pay on the  observed holidays regardless of the scheduled shift (4‐, 5‐, 6‐, 7‐, 8‐, 9‐, 10‐, 11‐, or 12‐ hour day).        2.  Part‐time employees shall receive four (4) hours of holiday pay on the observed holidays.      3.  LTEs shall receive holiday pay for the exact hours worked on the day of the holiday or  observed holiday in addition to their actual hours worked.  If the employee does not  work on the day of the holiday or observed holiday, they are not eligible for holiday pay.      e.  Work on Holiday        In cases where a full‐time or part‐time employee is required to work on a holiday due to  unforeseeable circumstances, or required to work on a holiday as part of their normal work  schedule, the employee shall receive holiday pay for the holiday in addition to the actual hours  worked.   Page 63 of 80 Human Resources Policy Manual  Page 3 of 19  Adopted: 11/13/2012    * GO BACK TO TOP OF DOCUMENT *  Amended: 11/12/2025       Holiday pay is considered time worked for the purposes of overtime.      f.  Holidays During Leave         Holidays falling within any unpaid period of absence for any reason shall be without pay.     For employees on paid FMLA over an observed holiday, the holiday shall be counted as FMLA  leave.      Employees are permitted to use scheduled or unscheduled PTO during an approved FMLA or  County medical leave before and after the Holiday to be eligible for Holiday pay, even if the  employee doesn’t have enough PTO or Compensatory time for the entire leave period.      g.  Holidays Falling on a Weekend      Whenever any of the observed holidays falls on a Saturday, the preceding Friday shall be  observed as the holiday, and when falling on a Sunday, the succeeding Monday shall be observed  as the holiday. When December 24th falls on Friday and December 25th on Saturday, the  preceding Thursday and Friday shall be observed as the holidays. When December 24th falls on  Sunday and December 25th on Monday, the succeeding Monday and Tuesday shall be observed  as the holiday.      h.  Holidays Falling on a Scheduled Day That is Not 8 Hours for a Full‐Time Employee     Whenever an observed holiday falls on a day that an employee is scheduled to work more than  eight (8) hours, the employee shall be paid for eight (8) hours of holiday pay.  The employee shall  use PTO, Compensatory time or work a flexible schedule to make up the additional hours within  the same work week.      Whenever an observed holiday falls on a day that an employee is scheduled to work less than  eight (8) hours, the employee shall flex their schedule during the week to work less hours on  other days, so not to earn overtime or compensatory time without Department Head approval.      Flexible schedules during the week of a holiday shall be established and approved by the  Department Head to best meet the needs of the department for efficient operations, to reduce  overtime or compensatory time and to remain open during established business hours.    i.  Sheriff’s Department Dispatcher and  Jailer Exceptions      Due to the nature of the scheduling within the Sheriff’s Department, the dispatchers and jailers  who are eligible for holidays and required to work on an observed holiday shall receive the  holiday pay for that day in addition to hours worked.     j.  Exceptions      Due to the nature of work required from the Highway Department and Facilities & Parks Division  for unforeseen emergency circumstances, in cases when a regular status full time non‐exempt  employee of the Highway Department or Facilities & Parks Division is required to work on an  observed holiday, the non‐exempt employee shall receive premiumovertime pay at a rate of time  and one‐half for those actual hours worked by the non‐exempt employee in addition to receiving  holiday pay for the holiday.  Overtime hHours worked on an observed holiday are considered  Page 64 of 80 Human Resources Policy Manual  Page 4 of 19  Adopted: 11/13/2012    * GO BACK TO TOP OF DOCUMENT *  Amended: 11/12/2025  premium overtime pay and shall not be calculated in the regular rate of pay for the purposes of  calculating FLSA overtime (29 C.F.R §778.201).        Premium pay is additional pay that is not required under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).    (Section 3 amended by the County Board 05/14/13; 12/10/13; 12/09/14; 12/08/15, 03/13/18; 11/6/18; 09/13/2022; 12/13/2022)    4. Paid Time Off (PTO)     a.  Purpose      The purpose of the Paid Time Off (PTO) plan is to provide regular full time and regular part‐time  employees a flexible means to carefully plan their time away from work and maximize time spent  on the job. It is the County’s belief that employees empowered to control their time at work and  away  from  work  do  so  responsibly.  PTO  can  be  utilized  for  any  purpose,  subject  to  necessary  request  and  approval  procedures  consistent  with  County  policies  and  written  departmental  procedures.      b.  Calculation      Employees earn PTO for each pay period based upon the number of hours that an employee is paid  during the pay period, up to 80 hours. The payroll hours are tied to a multiplier, based upon years  of service, and a new accrual amount is added to an employee’s balance each pay period. The  following are the multipliers to be used:    Multiplier  Level  Years of Continuous Service  Hour for Hour  Multiplier Used  Per Pay Period  Multiplier   (Full Time  Employee)  Approximate  Annual  Accrual  Level 1  Less than 5  .0886  7.09  184  Level 2  5‐less than 10  .0983  7.86  204  Level 3  10‐less than 15  .1079  8.63  224  Level 4  15‐less than 20  .1271  10.17  264   Level 5  20 and greater  .1464  11.71  304    Movement to Higher Multiplier    When the employee’s length of service reaches the next higher rate of accrual, accrual at the  new rate shall begin on the first day of the pay period that the employee’s Full Time or Part Time  anniversary date is within.      c.  Accrual Limits (Maximum and Minimum)      An employee’s total accrued PTO shall not exceed four hundred eighty (480) hours at any given  time for full time and three hundred‐sixty (360) hours for part‐time. Upon reaching the maximum  hours, the employee shall no longer continue to accrue hours until PTO hours are used; except as  otherwise provided in this policy, employees may not have a negative PTO balance.      Employees are not authorized to carry a negative PTO balance (except as provided below under  Newly Hired Employees). There is no minimum requirement per policy, however PTO shall be  used for both planned time off (typically a vacation) and unplanned time off (sick time or other  emergencies).  So it is recommended to maintain a healthy minimum PTO balance for unplanned  events.        Page 65 of 80 Human Resources Policy Manual  Page 5 of 19  Adopted: 11/13/2012    * GO BACK TO TOP OF DOCUMENT *  Amended: 11/12/2025    d.  Timeframe for Available Use      Employees may request to use PTO only in a pay period following the pay period in which the  PTO was accrued.      e.  Newly‐Hired Employees      PTO is earned on a pay period basis and can only be used in a pay period following the pay period  in which the PTO was accrued. Consequently, newly‐hired employees may submit a request to  the Human Resources Division that their PTO bank be authorized to carry a negative balance  within the first seven (7) pay periods from the newly‐hired employee’s date of hire for  emergency situations or pre‐approved absences only.  Requests for authorization of a negative  PTO balance shall be made in writing to the Human Resources Division by the Department Head  or designee.  The Human Resources Division shall consult with the Department Head and render  a determination.  The determination of the Human Resources Director or designee shall be final  and binding.  Any authorized negative balance shall not exceed forty (40.0) hours.  Authorized  negative balances shall be restored through accrual to a positive balance before any further PTO  may be taken by the employee. Employees who separate employment and have a negative PTO  bank balance at the time of separation shall have their final paycheck adjusted from regular  hours worked to restore the PTO bank to a zero (0) balance.      f.  PTO Service Credit at Hire      The Department Head may submit a request to the Human Resources Director that a prospective  applicant be granted a one‐time beginning balance credit of PTO or be given credit for length of  service for employment experience that is directly related to the position. The request shall be in  writing before the applicant is hired and shall be based on the Department Head’s assessment of  the candidate’s qualifications beyond the minimum requirements, recruitment considerations, or  service accrual provided by the previous employer. No additional length of service credit shall be  granted after initial appointment with the County. The Human Resources Director shall make all  determinations for length of service credit, and the determination of the Human Resources  Director shall be final and binding.        g.  Rate of Pay for PTO Bank Hours      PTO hours shall be paid at regular straight time pay for the workday the PTO is taken.  Shift  differentials are excluded from the rate of pay.        h.  PTO Departmental Scheduling Procedures      Each department shall establish written procedures to ensure that paid time off requests are  processed in a fair and equitable manner, with first consideration to be given to the efficient  operation of the department. All procedures shall include the following components: notice  requirements for scheduled vs. unscheduled absences, process for requesting PTO, reminder that  the employee is responsible for monitoring PTO and Compensatory Time balances, hours that the  department shall be staffed and open to the public, how the department shall handle employees  reporting to work sick and compensatory time or flex time requirements if relevant. All  departments shall file a copy of their updated written time off procedures with the Human  Resources Division.       i.  PTO Scheduling Authority    The department head or designee has final authority in authorizing accrued and available PTO.       Page 66 of 80 Human Resources Policy Manual  Page 6 of 19  Adopted: 11/13/2012    * GO BACK TO TOP OF DOCUMENT *  Amended: 11/12/2025    j.  Scheduled Absences      PTO shall be requested by the employee as far in advance as reasonably possible and shall be  approved in advance by the Department Head or designee.  Individual departments shall define  advanced notice for Scheduled Absences and list the definition in the departments PTO  scheduling procedure.  Employees shall follow written departmental procedures for requesting  PTO.  Requests for PTO may be denied based on the needs and workload of the department or if  other employees are already scheduled for time off.         k.  Unscheduled Absences      Employee PTO usage for unscheduled, unforeseen circumstances shall be made according to  written departmental procedures. The employee may be requested to provide a physician’s  verification statement for absences spanning more than three (3) consecutive work days.      l.  Coordination with FMLA      The County reserves the right to require substitution of paid leave, subject to applicable state  and federal law. Therefore, an employee shall use PTO for any federal FMLA qualifying leave  including, but not limited to, intermittent leaves.        m.  Coordination with Workers’ Compensation   The employee may use accrued PTO to compensate for time lost that is not reimbursed by  workers’ compensation.         n.  Unpaid Time      With the exception of qualified Wisconsin and Federal FMLA leave, an employee may not take  unpaid leave until such time that the employee’s PTO bank has been exhausted. At no time shall  an employee be authorized to carry a negative PTO balance (except as provided above under  Newly Hired Employees). In the event an employee has an insufficient PTO balance to cover an  absence for any reason, the employee shall immediately revert to unpaid time. In the event an  employee is reverted to unpaid time without prior authorization by the Department Head and  the Human Resources Director, the employee may be subject to disciplinary action.      Employees on unpaid status, for any reason other than as outline in Chapter 2, under Leave‐ Military, shall not accrue PTO on the unpaid time.        1.  Unpaid Time for Exempt Employees    Unpaid time or partial‐day deductions for exempt employees are permitted in the case of  a public employee who is in a position that earns PTO or Compensatory Time and is  absent for a partial day or full day due to personal reasons, illness or injury under the  following circumstances:        a).   PTO or Compensatory Time has not been requested or has been denied;        b).   Accrued PTO or Compensatory Time is exhausted; or    c).   The employee is qualified under Wisconsin FMLA leave and specifically chooses  to take time off unpaid.  Page 67 of 80 Human Resources Policy Manual  Page 7 of 19  Adopted: 11/13/2012    * GO BACK TO TOP OF DOCUMENT *  Amended: 11/12/2025    The employee will not accrue PTO on the unpaid time. This policy is established pursuant  to principles of public accountability and complies with the requirements of 29 C.F.R.  541.710      o.  Part‐Time Employee Utilization of PTO      The number of hours that a part‐time employee may record when taking a “day off” from work is  what they would normally have been scheduled to work.  Part‐time employees may only take  PTO on days that they would have normally been scheduled to work.      p.  Increments of Time     Employees shall use PTO in increments of fifteen (15) minutes. Nonexempt employees shall  record PTO to bring their total hours paid for the week to 40 hours unless the employee is on a  qualified Wisconsin and Federal FMLA leave and chooses unpaid time. Exempt employees shall  record PTO to bring the total hours paid for the biweekly work period to 80 hours unless the  employee is on a qualified Wisconsin and Federal FMLA leave and chooses unpaid time.      q.  Presenteeism      PTO is designed to provide for effective planning of work hours and time away from work and  encourages employees to maximize time spent on the job. If an employee has any communicable  disease, the employee shall report it to his or her Department Head or designee.  The  Department Head or designee may require a return‐to‐work form from the employee’s physician.   The Department Head or designee has the right to send an employee home if the employee is  unfit or unable to perform the functions of his/her position or if the Department Head or  designee determines the ill employee poses a threat to the health or safety of customers or other  employees in the department.  The employee shall use PTO or compensatory time, if available to  the employee, for their remaining work day.       r.  Restrictions      1.  An employee shall not be paid for time at work and receive PTO pay for the same time.      2.  An employee may not donate PTO to a third party.      3.  An employee may not use PTO beyond the employee’s last day actually worked.      s.  Department Transfers    PTO balances shall transfer with the employee when an employee transfers from one  department to another.       t.  Optional Annual PTO Payout    Full time employees that have 150 hours of PTO on the books as of the first paycheck in  November each year, shall have the option to elect 24 hours of PTO paid out on the second  paycheck in November that year at the employee’s regular rate of pay or waive a payout.      Part time employees that have 75 hours of PTO on the book as of the first paycheck in November  each year, shall have the option to elect 12 hours of PTO paid out on the second paycheck in  November that year at the employee’s regular rate of pay or waive a payout.  Page 68 of 80 Human Resources Policy Manual  Page 8 of 19  Adopted: 11/13/2012    * GO BACK TO TOP OF DOCUMENT *  Amended: 11/12/2025    Payout is optional at the election of the employee and the Human Resources Division shall collect  employee election and authorization to payout PTO annually by October 15.  If the employee  does not authorize to pay out PTO by October 15, no payout shall occur.      u.  PTO as a Reward or  Prize    The County Administrator may approve providing PTO as a reward or prize to a PTO eligible  employee.  Offering PTO as a prize or a reward is a creative way to acknowledge or reward  employees for taking an action they normally may not take, without an incentive.      The amount of the  PTO reward shall be determined by the County Administrator and shall be no  more than twenty (24) hours total per year and a maximum of eight (8) hours per employee per  year. Upon approval, the Human Resources Director shall communicate the reward details and  amount to the employee(s) via email to ensure employee(s) are aware of the PTO reward and/or  why they earned it or how to earn it.      The Human Resources Division shall notify the Finance Division of the final reward amount and  date to be added to the employee’s accrual total. A letter or form shall be placed in the  employee’s personnel file detailing the date, hours of PTO received and reason for the PTO  reward or prize.  PTO as a reward is not transferable to a third party.      v.  Separation      1.  Definitions        a).  A Qualified Separation is defined as follows:        1.  resignation or retirement from employment with Chippewa County with  advanced written notice as defined in Chapter 3, Separation of  Employment Section.         2.  permanent layoff from employment       3.  discharge from employment when the employee has 3 or more years of  continuous years of service with the County based on most recent date  of hire unless the employee is discharged for misconduct.  Misconduct is  defined as intentional and substantial disregard of or intentional and  unreasonable interference with the employer’s interests.        4.  County employee who becomes an elected official for the County.      b).  Discharge: Discharge is defined as dismissal from employment for involuntary  reasons.       2.  PTO Conversion      The accumulated PTO of those employees leaving Chippewa County employment due to  a qualified separation shall be converted into the County’s Conversion Plan, (herein  referred to as the “Plan”).  The conversion of PTO is mandatory upon a qualified  separation and all separating employees with unused PTO on the date of their separation  shall participate in the Plan.  The employee shall have all PTO converted to a dollar value  Page 69 of 80 Human Resources Policy Manual  Page 9 of 19  Adopted: 11/13/2012    * GO BACK TO TOP OF DOCUMENT *  Amended: 11/12/2025  calculated by taking the number of total PTO hours multiplied by the regular straight  time hourly rate of pay at the time of separation (hereinafter “Benefit”).        Within thirty (30) days of receiving written notice of an employee’s qualified  separationAs part of the benefit exit meeting completed with an employee on or around  their last day worked, the County shall elect the form in which the separating employee  shall receive the Benefit. If the employee’s Benefit is less than $1,000, it shall be  converted to the 401(a) qualified deferred compensation plan.  If the employee’s Benefit  is $1,000 or more tThe Benefit paid to the separating employee (as selected by the  County in its sole discretion) shall be limited to one of the following forms:      a).  The County shall make a contribution to a Medical Expense Trust for the benefit  of the separating employee to be applied toward health insurance premiums and  un‐reimbursed medical expenses specified under IRS Code Section 213.  This  benefit shall continue until fully exhausted by the separating employee or their  qualified dependent beneficiaries, or.      b).  The County shall make a contribution to a 401(a) qualified deferred  compensation plan (as selected by the County in its sole discretion) in the  amount of the Benefit, which shall be paid to the separating employee according  to the terms of the selected plan.      1.  An employee whose separation is non‐qualified shall not be eligible for the PTO  payout.      2.  An employee who is discharged with less than 3 years of continuous service with  the County based on most recent date of hire shall not be eligible for the PTO  payout.      3.  An employee may not use PTO beyond his/her last day actually worked.      w.  Death      Upon the death of an employee, the County shall pay to the estate of the deceased employee all  accumulated and unused PTO for which the deceased employee may have otherwise been  eligible to use at the time of his/her death.      x.  Elected Officials      Elected Officials are not eligible for PTO.  Elected officials who were county employees  immediately prior to their election shall mandatorily convert their PTO as described in the PTO  conversion upon taking Office.      (Section 4 amended by the County Board 12/10/13; 12/08/15; 03/13/18; 11/9/18; 11/12/19; 09/13/2022; 01/14/2025)    CHAPTER 3 – WAGES AND OTHER FORMS OF COMPENSATION   18. Overtime and Compensatory Time     a.  Purpose     Page 70 of 80 Human Resources Policy Manual  Page 10 of 19  Adopted: 11/13/2012    * GO BACK TO TOP OF DOCUMENT *  Amended: 11/12/2025    To provide a consistent system for distributing overtime in compliance with the overtime‐pay  provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).      b.  Definitions      Each position is designated as either “Non‐exempt” or “Exempt” from the federal Fair Labor  Standards Act and state wage and hour laws. Employees should contact the Human Resources  Division if they are unsure of their position’s designation.      1.  Non‐Exempt positions that are paid on an hourly basis  and are entitled to overtime pay  for hours worked in excess of 40 hours per week, excluding premium overtime pay (29  C.F.R. §778.201).      2.  Exempt positions that are generally paid on a salary basis and are excluded from specific  provisions of federal and state wage and hour laws and are not eligible for overtime pay.    c.  Overtime      Non‐exempt employees may receive pay for overtime hours. This shall be paid at time and one  half the hourly rate of pay for any hours worked in excess of 40 hours per workweek. Overtime  pay will be calculated in accordance with FLSA rules governing the regular rate of pay, including  applicable differentials or incentives as required by law.      1.  Facilities and Parks Division Exception      Non‐exempt Facilities and Parks employees shall receive overtime at a rate of time and  one‐half their regular hourly rate for all hours worked for winter maintenance between  the hours of 6:00 p.m. – 6:00 a.m., unless normally scheduled, and for hours worked for  winter maintenance on Saturdays and Sundays.         Non‐exempt Facilities and Parks employees shall receive overtime pay at time and one‐ half their regular hourly rate for time worked outside of their normal work schedule/shift  for emergency situations.  A minimum of two (2) hours shall be paid except for those  hours that are part of the normal work schedule/shift.  Management shall have the  discretion to determine the workday thereafter.  Emergency situation examples include  weather‐related damage, facility damage, and flooding, but excludes snow/ice removal  and construction projects.      Overtime hours worked under this section is considered premium overtime pay and shall  not be calculated in the regular rate of pay for the purposes of calculating FLSA overtime  (29 C.F.R §778.203 and §778.204 or as amended).        2.  Sheriff’s Department Management Exception       Sheriff’s Department Management who are exempt may be paid overtime at their  straight hourly rate for hours in excess of forty (40) in any one (1) workweek for special  events in which all operating costs, salaries, and fringes are billed back to the event  organizer for reimbursement.  Such events do not include normal duties and  responsibilities of the job (i.e. reporting to the scene of an accident after normal work  hours).  Events covered include large assembly events and music events.      3.   Sheriff’s Department Exception  Page 71 of 80 Human Resources Policy Manual  Page 11 of 19  Adopted: 11/13/2012    * GO BACK TO TOP OF DOCUMENT *  Amended: 11/12/2025    Chippewa County has established an alternate work period for Jailers, Jail Sergeants and  Patrol Sergeants working 12 hour shifts.  If the Jailer, Jail Sergeant or Patrol Sergeant is  assigned the alternate work period, the following exception applies.  As allowed under  Section 7(k) of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), the alternate work periods for Jailers,  Jail Sergeants and Patrol Sergeants rotates on a 14‐day work period basis.  The work  period for Jailers, Jail Sergeants and Patrol Sergeants shall consist of fourteen (14)  consecutive calendar days starting at 12:00 a.m. on Sunday and ending at 11:59 p.m. on  Saturday 14 days later. The overtime threshold within this work period for Chippewa  County shall be 84.0 hours for purposes of hours worked.   Calculation of overtime  and/or compensatory time shall be based on hours of work in excess of 846.0 hours per  14‐day work period for the purposes of this Policy.  In instances when a Jailer, Jail  Sergeant or Patrol Sergeant uses PTO or Compensatory Time during one week of the 14‐ day work period, the employee shall earn OT after the scheduled hours for that week (36  hours or 48 hours) only in the week in which the PTO or Compensatory Time were not  used, as long as there are no unpaid normally schedule hours during the 14‐day work  period.      4.  Highway Department Exception    Non‐exempt Highway employees shall receive overtime at a rate of time and one‐half  their regular hourly rate for hours worked outside of their normal work day/shift.  All  hours worked in excess of, or outside of, the normal work day/shift shall be approved by  the Highway Commissioner or designee.  A minimum of two (2) hours shall be paid if an  employee is called into work, except for those hours that are part of the normal work  day/shift that precede or immediately follow the shift.    Overtime hours worked under this section is considered premium overtime pay and shall  not be calculated in the regular rate of pay for the purposes of calculating FLSA overtime  (29 C.F.R §778.203 and §778.204 or as amended).        d.  Compensatory Time       1.  Exempt        It is understood that Department Heads, Managers, and other exempt positions (as  classified by your job description) are paid a salary for their overall responsibility and  accountability and may work in excess of the normal work week in order to complete  necessary job tasks. At the discretion of the Department Head, (and County  Administrator in cases of Department Heads) exempt employees who work in excess of  840 hours in a workweek biweekly pay period (not including Holiday pay) may qualify for  compensatory time. Compensatory time shall be earned prior to use, is earned at straight  time (hour for hour), and shall be tracked accordingly on the timesheet. Compensatory  time balances for exempt non‐management positions in the Criminal Justice Services,  Public Health and Human Services Departments shall not exceed 40.0 hours. All other  exempt employees shall not exceed 80.0 hours.           2.  Non‐Exempt       Non‐exempt employees may receive overtime in the form of compensatory time (earned  at time and one half) or paid time at one and one‐half times their rate of pay for hours  worked in excess of 40 in a workweek (excludes hours paid, such as workers’  Page 72 of 80 Human Resources Policy Manual  Page 12 of 19  Adopted: 11/13/2012    * GO BACK TO TOP OF DOCUMENT *  Amended: 11/12/2025  compensation, PTO, jury duty and/or compensatory time taken) at the employer’s  discretion. “Non‐exempt” status is determined by the employer on a job‐by‐job basis.  Compensatory time shall be tracked on the timesheet. Compensatory time balances shall  not exceed 40.0 hours for all non‐exempt positions (80.0 hours for non‐exempt  management positions). Once the maximum accrual amount has been met, employees  shall be paid for any time worked in excess of 40 in a work week at a rate of time and  one‐half.      a).  Section 7(O) of the FLSA allows public sector employers to provide certain non‐ exempt employees with an option of whether to receive cash overtime or  compensatory time earned at time and one‐half. Department heads shall  determine employee eligibility for earning compensatory time.       b).  Non‐exempt highway employees are not eligible for compensatory time and shall  receive overtime in the form of pay only.       3.  Increments of Time    Employees shall use Compensatory Time in increments of fifteen (15) minutes.    e.  Compensatory Time Payout        All accrued and unused compensatory time shall be paid out for the following reasons:       1.  If an employee changes positions that results in an exempt or non‐exempt status change;  or      2.  If an employee transfers to another department; or      3.  If an employee becomes an elected official  for the County; or       4.  If a non‐exempt employee transfers to a new non‐exempt position and there is also a pay  change, the employee’s Compensatory Time shall be paid out at the time of transfer at  the rate of pay prior to the transfer; or      5.  When  an employee separates employment from Chippewa County.  A separation is  defined as follows:       a).  resignation or retirement from employment with Chippewa County      b).  permanent layoff from employment      c).  discharge from employment with Chippewa County      Compensatory time payout due to a change in position that results in an exempt or non‐exempt  status change, transfer to another department, or when an employee becomes an elected official  shall be added to the payroll on the last day worked in  the former position, paid at the regular  rate of pay, to be paid in cash via the employee paycheck.  The compensatory time paid shall not  be considered time worked.        Compensatory time payout due to separation of employment shall be paid in accordance with  Chippewa County’s Separation from Employment Policy.    Page 73 of 80 Human Resources Policy Manual  Page 13 of 19  Adopted: 11/13/2012    * GO BACK TO TOP OF DOCUMENT *  Amended: 11/12/2025  f.  Approval        All overtime/compensatory time earned shall be approved in advance by the Department Head.  If advanced approval is not obtained, the employee is not authorized to work the overtime. The  Department Head has the sole right to approve or deny overtime and compensatory time  requests.  Failure to obtain prior approval may result in disciplinary action, up to and including  discharge.       Requests to trade shifts cannot result in creating overtime/compensatory time for either party.      g.   Compensatory Time Off      Use of compensatory time shall be requested by the employee as far in advance as reasonably  possible, and shall be approved in advance by the Department Head. Employees shall follow  written departmental procedures for requesting to take compensatory time.  Requests to use  compensatory time may be denied based on the needs and workload of the department or if  other employees are already scheduled for time off.  The Department Head has full authority to  approve or deny said request.    h.  Department Scheduling Procedures       Each department shall establish written procedures to ensure that compensatory time off  requests are processed in a fair and equitable manner, with first consideration to be given to the  efficient operation of the department.  All departments shall file a copy of their updated written  time off procedures with the Human Resources Division.        i.  Accrual      Employees are not able to earn compensatory time or paid overtime (earned at straight time or  time and one half) as a result of the use of paid leaves.  No paid leave time shall be counted as  hours worked for overtime purposes, including PTO, workers’ compensation, jury duty, and  compensatory time taken.    j.  Non‐Exempt Employee Annual Payout of Compensatory Time      Non‐exempt employees shall be paid‐out, at straight time, any unused Compensatory Time  earned each calendar year on the last paycheck of the year it was earned.  All non‐exempt  employees shall start every new year with a zero balance in their Compensatory Time accrual  bank.      k.   Safe Harbor      It is the policy of Chippewa County to comply with the salary basis requirements of the FLSA.  Therefore, improper deductions from the salaries of exempt employees are prohibited. If it is felt  that an improper deduction has been made to your salary, you should immediately report this to  the Human Resources Director. Reports of improper deductions shall be promptly investigated  and reimbursements provided if it is determined improper deductions occurred.         29 C.F.R 541.710 outlines the principles of public accountability in which public agencies and  elected officials are held to a higher level of responsibility under the public trust which demands  effective and efficient use of public funds in order to serve the public interest including the view  that public employees should not be paid for time they do not work excluding the use of paid  time as outlined in Chippewa County policy.     Page 74 of 80 Human Resources Policy Manual  Page 14 of 19  Adopted: 11/13/2012    * GO BACK TO TOP OF DOCUMENT *  Amended: 11/12/2025  (Section 18 amended by the County Board 05/14/13; 12/09/14; 12/08/15, 03/13/18, 11/6/18; 11/10/2020; 09/13/2022; 11/08/2022)    19. Additional Compensation   a.  Sheriff’s Department ‐ Field Training      1.  Purpose      To provide an incentive to dispatch employees working 24/7 operations for providing an  extensive hands‐on training program for new hires into dispatcher and jailer positions.       2.  Compensation      Dispatchers and Jailers assigned to and designated as Field Training Officers shall receive an  additional 50 cents ($.50) per hour for  each hour worked training new hires.        b.  Sheriff’s Department – Shift Differential       1.  Purpose        To provide extra compensation to nonexempt employees who are scheduled on a regular,  rotating or sporadic basis to work during evening or night shifts.       2.  Compensation    Nonexempt employees who work between the hours of 6:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. shall  receive an additional dollar ($1.00) per  hour for those hours worked. It shall only be paid  when recording regular or overtime hours and no other pay codes.     c.  Clerk of Courts – Jury Bailiffs      1.  Purpose      To provide compensation to Jury Bailiffs scheduled for a jury trial when the trial is cancelled  due to settlement, rescheduling or other reasons as determined by the County.        2.  Compensation      Except as provided in sub‐section 3 below, in the event a Jury Bailiff is scheduled to work  for  a jury trial that is canceled prior to the Jury Bailiff reporting to work, the Jury Bailiff  shall be paid two (2) hours at his or her regular rate of pay. In the event a Jury Bailiff is  scheduled and reports to work for a jury trial that is canceled subsequent to the Jury  Bailiff reporting to work but before the Jury Bailiff has worked two (2) hours, the Jury  Bailiff shall be paid two (2) hours at his or her regular rate of pay.  In the event a jury trial  is canceled after the Jury Bailiff has worked at least two (2) hours, the Jury Bailiff shall be  paid for those hours worked.    3.  Waiver    An employee may voluntarily elect to waive the Clerk of Courts‐Jury Bailiffs additional  compensation provided in sub‐section 2 above.  If an employee elects to waive the  additional compensation, the employee shall provide written documentation of the  Page 75 of 80 Human Resources Policy Manual  Page 15 of 19  Adopted: 11/13/2012    * GO BACK TO TOP OF DOCUMENT *  Amended: 11/12/2025  waiver to the Human Resources Division to be placed in the employee’s personnel file.  A  voluntary election to waive additional compensation may be withdrawn by the employee  by providing a written notice of the change to the Human Resources Division to be placed  in the employee’s personnel file.        d.  Premium Pay    1.  Facilities & Parks Division      When non‐exempt Facilities & Parks Division employees have not worked 40 hours in a  week and are called in, they shall receive premium pay equal to a rate of time and one‐ half their regular hourly rate for all hours worked for winter maintenance between the  hours of 6:00 p.m. – 6:00 a.m., unless normally scheduled, and for hours worked for  winter maintenance on Saturdays and Sundays.         When non‐exempt Facilities &Parks Division employees have not worked 40 hours in a  week and are called in, they shall receive premium pay at time and one‐half their regular  hourly rate for time worked outside of their normal work schedule/shift for emergency  situations.  A minimum of two (2) hours shall be paid except for those hours that are part  of the normal work schedule/shift.  Management shall have the discretion to determine  the workday thereafter.  Emergency situation examples include weather‐related damage,  facility damage, and flooding, but excludes snow/ice removal and construction projects.      Hours worked under this section are considered premium pay and shall not be calculated  in the regular rate of pay for the purposes of calculating FLSA overtime (29 C.F.R  §778.203 and §778.204 or as amended).        Premium pay is additional pay that is not required under the Fair Labor Standards Act  (FLSA).       2.  Sheriff’s Department Management    Sheriff’s Department Management who are exempt may be paid at their straight hourly  rate for hours in excess of eighty (80) in a pay period for special events in which all  operating costs, salaries, and fringes are billed back to the event organizer for  reimbursement.  Such events do not include normal duties and responsibilities of the job  (i.e. reporting to the scene of an accident after normal work hours).  Events covered  include large assembly events and music events.    3.  Highway Department    When non‐exempt Highway employees have not worked 40 hours in a week, they shall  receive premium pay at a rate of time and one‐half their regular hourly rate for hours  worked outside of their normal workday/shift.  All hours worked in excess of, or outside  of, the normal workday/shift shall be approved by the Highway Commissioner or  designee.  A minimum of two (2) hours of premium pay shall be paid if an employee is  called into work, except for those hours that are part of the normal workday/shift that  precede or immediately follow the shift.    Hours worked under this section are considered premium pay and shall not be calculated  in the regular rate of pay for the purposes of calculating FLSA overtime (29 C.F.R  §778.203 and §778.204 or as amended).    Page 76 of 80 Human Resources Policy Manual  Page 16 of 19  Adopted: 11/13/2012    * GO BACK TO TOP OF DOCUMENT *  Amended: 11/12/2025    Premium pay is additional pay that is not required under the Fair Labor Standards Act  (FLSA).    (Section 19 revised and approved by the County Board 08/13/13, 05/12/14, 11/6/18; 09/13/2022; 09/12/2023; 01/14/2025)  26. Payroll and Timekeeping   a.  Purpose       To provide standardization of time and provide each department the information needed to  accurately record and submit their timesheets in accordance with applicable State and Federal  guidelines. Accurately reporting time worked is the responsibility of each employee.    b.  Workweek      The workweek covers seven consecutive days for the purpose of compliance with the Fair Labor  Standards Act, and shall consist of seven (7) consecutive calendar days starting at 12:00 a.m. on  Sunday and ending at 11:59 p.m. on the following Saturday of each calendar week for all  departments.      c.  Pay Periods       A pay period shall be the two (2) consecutive workweeks, on the conclusion of which payroll is  completed.    d.  Pay Schedule      Paychecks are generally directly deposited biweekly on Fridays. See payroll schedule on the  Employee Portal for any variances due to the Federal Reserve holiday schedule.      e.  General Information      1.  Time Worked      Time worked includes time that an employee is required and authorized to do work and  should be recorded to the nearest quarter of an hour. The following provisions count as  time worked:      a).  Work Away From Premises or at Home. Employees shall receive advanced  approval from their Department Head for any work performed outside the  County workplace. Employees approved for work outside the County workplace  shall document and submit their hours, including but not limited to any and all  time spent accessing work‐related emails and other programs and files,  according to the payroll policies.       b).  Break Periods. Authorized break periods of 15 minutes or less are counted as  time worked.      c).  Travel/Training Time. Travel and training time is to be considered and included in  actual time worked in accordance with the Travel Time Policy and the  Training/Development Policy.    Page 77 of 80 Human Resources Policy Manual  Page 17 of 19  Adopted: 11/13/2012    * GO BACK TO TOP OF DOCUMENT *  Amended: 11/12/2025    d).  Holidays.  Observed Holidays as defined in the Holiday Policy are to be  considered time worked.       2.  Time Not Worked      The following provisions do not count as time worked:      a).  Paid Leave.  PTO, other substituted leaves of absence, workers’ compensation,  jury duty, and Compensatory Time taken are not counted as time worked and  should be recorded to the nearest 15 minutes.      b).  Meal Periods. Uninterrupted time off for lunch or dinner of at least 30 minutes is  not counted as time worked and shall be unpaid.    f.  Payroll Reporting Procedures      In accordance with Wisconsin and Federal Labor Standards, all employees shall accurately record  the following on a daily basis:       1.  Time beginning/ending work each day;      2.  Time beginning/ending of each meal period;      3.  Absence from work with appropriate pay codes; AND      4.  Total number of hours per day and week.       It is the employee’s responsibility to sign his/her timesheet to verify accuracy and provide to  his/her manager. The manager shall review and sign the timesheet and submit to payroll for  processing. In the event of an error in reporting time, the employee should immediately report  the problem to their Department Head and Finance Division.    g.  Responsibilities      1.  Employee Responsibilities       All employees, when completing their timesheets, shall adhere to the following  procedures:      a).  Record correct pay codes and benefit codes on a daily basis.       b).  Maintain an honest and accurate daily record of hours worked and the correct time  codes recorded on the time sheet. All absences from work schedules should be  appropriately recorded and coded. Entries should be made daily.       c).  Entries for absences from work shall be used in fifteen (15) minute increments.     Hours worked shall be used in fifteen (15) minute increments.      d).  Obtain prior approval for any overtime or compensatory time earned in the pay  period.       e).  Clearly mark approved overtime and compensatory time on your timesheets.      f).  Sign and submit the completed time sheet to the Department Head in the time  period required for approval.     Page 78 of 80 Human Resources Policy Manual  Page 18 of 19  Adopted: 11/13/2012    * GO BACK TO TOP OF DOCUMENT *  Amended: 11/12/2025  h.  Department Head/Manager Responsibilities       Each Department Head is responsible for the following procedures:      1.  Ensuring that employees reporting to him/her have the correct codes.       2.  Ensuring employees are accurately recording their payroll on a daily basis.      3.  Ensuring that all employees maintain accurate timesheets.       4.  Providing clear and timely approval for  overtime or compensatory time.       5.  Approval and submission of payroll by the dates specified in this policy.    i.  Payroll Submission Deadlines      Department payrolls shall be submitted electronically on the Monday following the end of the  pay period. Departments shall be required to follow all payroll submission procedures provided  by the Finance Division.        Employees failing to submit timesheets timely will not be guaranteed receipt of their payroll  check on the established  payroll date as the County does not process separate payroll checks as a  result of untimely timesheet submission. It is the responsibility of each department to establish  written departmental procedures to allow ample time for management review prior to the  submission deadline and to make arrangements if scheduled to be off work and as a result shall  miss the established deadline.       j.  Corrections      If a payroll error occurs, it is the employee’s responsibility to immediately notify his/her  Department Head and the Finance Division. Corrections shall be submitted to the Finance  Division for adjustment as soon as reasonably possible, without delay.  on the next payroll within  fourteen (14) calendar days from the pay date.  Exceptions to the fourteen (14) calendar day  requirement would occur if the error was due to the Department of Administration error or when  the correction is required by law or regulation.    k.  Penalties      Altering, falsifying the time record, tampering with time records, recording time on another  employee’s time record (authorized personnel excluded) or any other infraction of this policy  may result in disciplinary action, up to and including discharge.    l.  Deductions      It is the Employer’s policy to comply with applicable wage and hour laws and regulations. If you  have any questions or concerns about your status or you believe that any deduction has been  made from your pay that is inconsistent with your status, you should immediately raise the  matter with the Human Resources Division who can assist you in understanding the information  that is required in order to investigate the matter. Chippewa County is committed to  investigating and resolving all complaints as promptly, but also as accurately, as possible.  Consistent with the U.S. Department of Labor’s policy, any complaint shall be resolved within a  reasonable time given all the facts and circumstances. If an investigation reveals that you were  Page 79 of 80 Human Resources Policy Manual  Page 19 of 19  Adopted: 11/13/2012    * GO BACK TO TOP OF DOCUMENT *  Amended: 11/12/2025  subjected to an improper deduction from pay, you shall be reimbursed and the County shall take  whatever action it deems necessary to ensure compliance in the future.    (Section 26 amended by the County Board 05/14/13 and 03/11/14; 12/09/14, 03/13/18, 11/6/18; 09/13/2022)  Page 80 of 80