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Price County Forestry & Parks / Buildings & Grounds Committee Minutes Date: March 10, 2026 Time: 9:00 a.m. Place: Courthouse County Board Room 101; 126 Cherry St; Phillips, WI 54555 Call to Order: Meeting called to order at 9:00 a.m. by Jeff Hallstrand, Committee Chair. Roll Call Members Present: Michelle Drobnik, Jeff Hallstrand, Jason Hastings, Jordan Spacek (Remote), Patricia Stephan Also Present: Alan Barkstrom, County Supervisor (Remote); Brian Ernst, County Chair; Joe Grapa, Forestry Administrator; Josh Isaacson, Buildings and Grounds Superintendent; Nick Trimner, County Administrator Items For Discussion and Possible Action 1. Public Comment: None. Communications: Discussion on the 250th patriotic year and hanging patriotic banners at the park pavilion. Calls and questions to the Forestry and Parks Administrator on selling county land. Potential proposal from an interested party for purchasing land in the southern part of Price County. 2. Minutes from December 2, 2025, Meeting: Motion Drobnik/Hastings to approve the December 2, 2025, meeting minutes. Motion carried. 3. Set Next Meeting Date: April 7, 2026 Buildings & Grounds 4. Project Updates: Since the last meeting in November 2025, the Buildings and Grounds Department has completed the normal quarterly P.M.’s; maintained equipment and repaired the grasser/sweeper. Considering the purchase of snow removal equipment specifically for that purpose, separate from the grasser. In the Courthouse, a computer system was updated to monitor the Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) system in all the county buildings. Began dismantling the decommissioned third boiler. A water heater was repaired, and a new pump was ordered. The hallways will be painted and waxed. In the Normal Building, minor repairs and maintenance; plumbing; lighting; and installed furniture in the Women, Infant, Child (WIC) office, which was funded by grant money. At the Sheriff’s Department, major plumbing repairs were made throughout the evidence room and basement. Finished the drop ceiling and lighting. Working on the climate control humidifier in the server room. In the Jail, minor plumbing repair was done. The motor in the dryer was replaced, and a security door mechanism was replaced. At the Highway Department, repairs were made to the office heating system. Radiant heat unit repairs will be made in the garage, and soon the sign shed will be reroofed. Repairs were made to a vent at the airport. At the Veteran’s Office and in the conference room, panic buttons were rewired. 5. Department Update and Financial Report: Since the last meeting in November 2025, snow removal was covered as well as cleaning at the Sheriff’s Department. One employee was injured in December 2025 and was out through January 2026. The Highway Department was also short one custodian. The Buildings and Grounds Department has not worked on large-scale projects during that time. 6. Concrete Park Heating Alternatives for 2027: The County pays for six months of the heating bills through the winter at the Concrete Park, at an average of $350 monthly Friends of Fred Smith covers all heating costs at the studio from November through April at an average of $350 monthly. The studio building uses both electric thermal and baseboard heating technologies. There are three efficient and economical ceramic bricks that are heated at night so they can be used during the day. It was discovered that one of the heating units wasn’t working and it was repaired. Discussion on the cost of completely converting the studio to a natural gas heating system versus repairing the electric thermal system. The house structure on the property utilizes natural gas heating, but there are no gas lines running to the studio. 7. Courthouse Electrical Panel – Request For Proposal (RFP) Update: An RFP is in the works for the County Courthouse Electrical Panel. Work would need to be conducted during weekends and evenings to account for county business hours. The RFP could take up to two months to complete, then the project can be considered at the Executive Committee, which previously recommended up to $180,000 for the project. Estimated 18-36 months to receive the panel itself. Forestry & Parks 8. Timm’s Hill Weather Station Request: Request from Open AWS, a non-profit network of automated weather stations, to install a weather station at the top of Timm’s Hill. Goals include installing them at the highest elevations of each U.S. state to study the climate and provide visitors with weather updates. Motion Drobnik/Stephan to approve the Timm’s Hill Weather Station Request under the Forestry and Parks Administrator’s jurisdiction. Motion carried. 9. Timm’s Hill Timber Sale: Approximately 130 acres of hardwood will be thinned at Timm’s Hill. Ash will be the main target to remove before emerald ash borer moves through the area. Discussion held about mulching or chipping the leftover treetops. There was a timber sale in the park around 2010, and trees were removed around the tower in 2015. 10. Steve Creek Dam update: Plans have been submitted. The new design uses part of Wolf Creek Lane as a part of the dike. Town of Kennan signed a road easement allowing the County to maintain a higher elevation of the road surface in that area. Some data analysis taken by the DNR needs to be redone at pool level. The project can’t be bid out until the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) approves the plans. Discussion on the timeline of the grant for the Dam. 11. Cranberry Creek Dam: Engineering has been completely redone and submitted to the DNR, and the next step is for the DNR to review it. The planned structure will be similar to what is currently there. The cost of everything has increased since 2018, and the Cranberry Creek Dam grant is 5 years old. 12. Smith Lake ATV Trail: Last year, a grant was submitted to replace the decking on the Smith Lake ATV Trail, and it has been closed for over one year. The ORV council did not approve the grant. The damaged 2”x6” decking was removed and another grant request will be put in during April 2026 for 3” decking. 13. Carbon Credit Update: Paperwork has been signed and is ready to go. Credits are selling at an increased rate compared to when the County signed the contract, and it’s currently between $20- $26 per credit. The project was audited and completed and has been put up for sale. Nearby sales have been reported. 14. Department Update and Financial Report: Presented bid results from the following: Blueberry Block Gravel Project, awarded to Haas Sons Inc. at $6.01 per yard; Old 13 to Hicks Landing Gravel Project, awarded to Haas Sons Inc. at $6.30 per yard; Pit Toilets at Big Falls, awarded to Huffcut at $85,410.00; and Solberg Expansion Concrete Bid awarded to Ruby Ridge Trucking & Excavation at $21,377.00. A timber sale has been completed at Big Falls. Working with an electrician to get some options for a night light as a part of the grant work. Westboro Fish and Wildlife Club Inc. contributed $10,000 for the shooting range at Steve Creek. This coming spring, Internet will be installed at Solberg Lake Park, and new playground equipment is scheduled to be installed within the next month. The pickleball courts will be put together; final inspections and electrical inspections will be finished up. A second layer of blacktop needs to go on. A small pavilion is planned to be built by the playground. A few reservations have been made at Solberg. The ATV trail is almost ready to go, signs are ordered, and the ATV club will help add signs there. Discussion on touring active timber sales as a committee in the future. Miscellaneous 15. Vouchers: Motion Drobnik/Stephan to approve the Forestry and Parks vouchers in the amounts of $32,069.99 in December 2025; $86,522.40 in January 2026; and $35,393.09 in February 2026; and the Buildings and Grounds vouchers in the amounts of $8,194.00 in December 2025; $23,647.13 in January 2026; and $7,424.05 in February 2026. Motion carried. 16. Adjourn: Meeting adjourned at 10:04 a.m. by Jeff Hallstrand, Committee Chair. Respectfully Submitted by Meredith Hueckman, County Clerk