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Price County Executive Committee Meeting Minutes Date: February 12, 2026 Time: 9:00 a.m. Place: Courthouse County Board Room 101; 126 Cherry St; Phillips, WI 54555 Meeting Called to Order: Meeting called to order at 9:00 a.m. by Brian Ernst, Committee Chairperson. Roll Call: Members: Alan Barkstrom, Doug Erickson, Brian Ernst, Jeff Hallstrand, Larry Palecek Also Present: Carrie Kyle, County Finance Director; Renee Leinfelder, County Treasurer Sylvia Kerner, County Register of Deeds; Nick Trimner, County Administrator Items For Discussion and Possible Action 1. Public Comment: None. Communications: County Coroner, Jim Dalbesio, passed Monday evening, and he held the office of Coroner since 1993. The Governor’s office will appoint, and any updates will be given on 02/17/2026. The Chairman received a letter from the Wounded Warriors in Action expressing appreciation to the Executive Committee for their support. 2. Meeting Minutes January 15, 2026: Motion Erickson/Hallstrand to approve the January 15, 2026, meeting minutes. Motion carried. 3. Treasurer Report a. Monthly reports: The monthly Price County Treasurer’s Reports were presented and are on file including Revenues and Disbursements; and Financial Report for Month Ending January 2026, Investment Accounts, Checking Accounts, and Loans and Debt Service. Shoutout to Marina Miller, County Deputy Treasurer for a strong tax season as the office collected $130,000 more than last year. Work flow is good and things are reportedly going very well. b. Delinquent Taxes and In Rem – 2022 Start: Regarding finalization of taxes as settlements are being finalized, there are $34.9 mill gross taxes, and $25.7 mil have been paid in full at present. Delinquency notices are scheduled for end of March, 2026. There were 73 of in rem properties at the start of the 2022 cycle and that is down to 58. Next month there will be an updated, full list of remaining in rem properties. The office reported six different phone calls from taxpayers who received their tax payments returned in the mail with yellow stickers indicating the courthouse address was unlocatable. The address was indeed correct, and those taxpayers were not charged penalty or interest when they mailed their payments a second time and included the returned envelope. It was reported to have happened in the Town of Elk. c. Land Sale for In Rem Parcels – 2019-2021 Auction: The last land sale for in rem parcels for 2019-2021 ended during the meeting at $7,075. d. Current In Rem Court Updates: The Supreme Court will be hearing a case out of Michigan asking the County to pay property owners market price for In Rem Land at the time the county takes it instead of at the time it’s sold. 4. Register of Deeds Office a. Updates: The 2025 Register of Deeds (ROD) annual report was distributed to all 13 supervisors in their mailboxes. January ROD recorded 253 documents, conveyed $7.6 mill in strait sales, processed 46 vital record applications, and issued 190 vital records certificates. On January 12th the Department of Revenue (DOR) updated their real estate transfer return system and it is up and running and working well. In June, the State Vital Records Office is looking to redo their entire state vital records system. With the closing of North entrance of the Courthouse, ROD is seeing an increase in public stopping into the office. Today, the Wisconsin Senate will meet and ROD anticipates they will update State Statute 59.43, which governs how work is done and will bring it forward regarding recording documents in the electronic age. The Managed Forest Land (MFL) process was discussed, and it an application through the Department of Natural Resources (DNR). ROD records the document from the DNR that states an applicant has applied and entered the program, and that document is forwarded to the Real Property Lister (RPL). 5. Office of Administration a. 2026 Monthly Financial Reports: Presented the December 2025 Monthly Financial Reports for the General Fund, Health and Human Services, and Other Funds, and they are on file. Also presented the January 2026 Monthly Financial Reports for the General Fund, Health and Human Services, Other Funds, Price County Cash, Price County Sales Tax, Price County Stumpage Sales 2019-2025, High Cost Placement – Children and Youth, and High Cost Placement – AODA. All reports are on file. b. Legislative Exchange Update: Ernst, Houdek and Trimner attended the Wisconsin Counties Association Legislative Exchange and discussed potential updates to State Statutes affecting the ROD and Sheriff’s Office involving the chain of command if something were to happen to the Sheriff. Discussing the end of the year for state legislature is in about one week. Also discussed the possibility of Wisconsin as a purple state politically and the need for both parties to work together. Discussed the importance of contacting representatives about community issues. c. Request For Proposal (RFP) for 2026-2028 Audit: Baker Till has been Price County’s auditor for the past eight years with no complaints or issues, but it is considered good practice to put in Requests for Proposals (RFPs) for audit companies every few years. Motion Erickson/Barkstrom to put in a Request For Proposal (RFP) for the 2026-2028 Audit. Motion carried. d. Updates: The Administrator will be busy attending multiple conferences, as it is that time of year. Positive things have been seen with our health insurance regarding the new program called World RX, and Can RX is beneficial but not many individuals have utilized it. Health 360 began in January 2026 and has already saved over $26.000 in medical costs. 6. Clerk’s Office a. Updates: 2026 Committee Meeting Calendar Updates include: there is no scheduled March County Board meeting; there are 2 April County Board meetings scheduled: April 21 is the organizational meeting, April 28th is a regular business meeting; and the Law Enforcement meeting was changed from April 2nd to April 9th. Election updates: Price County and all municipalities do not have a Spring Primary. The office has been busy proofing the April 7th Election Ballots for the printer and sent proofs to all of the municipalities and school districts to give their approval. 7. Amend Resolution 34-24: 2025 Price County Highway Department Road Construction Projects (Executive): Motion Erickson/Barkstrom to amend Resolution 34-24: 2025 Price County Highway Department Road Construction Projects with the amount to be determined in discussion, and as follows: WHEREAS, the Executive Committee has identified the need for financing a portion of the 2025 Highway Department road construction projects to the potential extent of $3,100,000; $2,610,000; $3,020,000; and NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Price County Board of Supervisors authorizes the Executive Committee to proceed with the implementation of financing 2025 Highway Department road construction projects in an amount not to exceed $3,100,000; $2,610,000; $3,020,000; to be financed through the issuance of short-term debt and to include such debt payment in the 2026 Price County budget; Fiscal Impact: $3,100,000; $2,640,994; $3,020,000; (2026 budget). Motion carried. 8. Amend Resolution 28-25: 2026 Price County Capital Projects, Capital Purchases, and Court Ordered High-Cost Placements to be Financed with Short-Term Debt (Executive): Motion Erickson/Hallstrand to amend Resolution 28-25: 2026 Price County Capital Projects, Capital Purchases, and Court Ordered High-Cost Placements to be Financed with Short-Term Debt (Executive) to the following: Highway Department – Yellow Equipment $ 490,000 $ 80,000; WHEREAS, the project components and estimated costs are approximately $2,980,100 $2,660,100; and NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Price County Board of Supervisors authorizes the Executive Committee to proceed with the implementation of 2026 Capital Projects and Highway Department Road Construction in an amount not to exceed $2,980,100 $2,660,100 to be financed with short-term debt and to include such debt payment to begin with the 2026 Price County budget. Motion carried. 9. Northwest Wisconsin Concentrated Employment Program, Inc. (NWCEP) Loan Paid: The NWCEP loan for $5,000 was paid in full by check. 10. Bug Tussel Tower Project Update: Bug Tussel has not drawn any Price County funds for the Tower Project to date. Minimal work has been done but it has not cost the County money yet. There is currently a $15 million account being held. When work is to be done, Bug Tussel sends Price County a bill requiring the County Administrator’s signature for authorization before any funds are withdrawn. Bug Tussel recently sent a bill for $7,000 for engineering costs and project review in 2024. Meetings with Bug Tussel in November, 2025 indicated there was no work on the project scheduled. Administration will sign off on the $7,000 bill. There is a meeting in the works with the Bug Tussel CEO and representatives to update the County on the project. Discussion on whether or not to move forward with the project with Bug Tussel. Additional discussion on the need for additional radio towers in Price County and how they impact the Sheriff’s department, fire system, emergency management, and various infrastructures serving public needs. Discussion on addressing this topic at the 02/17/2026 County Board meeting. 11. Monthly Vouchers: Motion Palecek/Hallstrand to approve the January 2026 vouchers in the amount of $1,352,312.46. Motion carried. 12. Date of Next Meeting: March 12, 2026 13. Adjourn: Meeting adjourned at 10:51 a.m. by Brian Ernst, Committee Chairperson. Respectfully Submitted by Meredith Hueckman, County Clerk