_02032026-1674

Price County Administration Committee Minutes Date: February 3, 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 Dennis Wartgow, Committee Chair. Roll Call: Members Present: Alan Barkstrom, Jeff Hallstrand, Paula Houdek, Jordan Spacek, Dennis Wartgow Also Present: Brian Ernst, County Chairman; Robert Hawn, Chief Sheriff Deputy; Sylvia Kerner, Register of Deeds; Jennifer Miller, County Human Resources Manager; Brian Schmidt, County Sheriff; Nick Trimner, County Administrator Items For Discussion and Possible Action 1. Public Comment and Communications: None. 2. Meeting Minutes from December 9, 2025: Motion Barkstrom/Houdek to approve the Meeting Minutes from December 9, 2025. Motion carried. 3. Employee Status Updates: New Hires, Promotions, & Reassignments  Alexis Timmers – Register in Probate  Beth Moore – Lead Economic Support Specialist  Dale Kurth – Highway Operator  Kali Schmidt – Judicial Assistant  Deanna Hertlein – Economic Support Specialist Terminations, Resignations, & Retirements  Chris Slade – Register in Probate  Greg Cooley – Highway Operator  Jenny Schuh – Lead Economic Support Specialist Recruitments  Deputy Sheriff - Ongoing  Part-time Deputy Sheriff – Ongoing  Part-time Corrections Officer/Dispatcher – Ongoing  Substitute Nutrition Site Managers – Ongoing 4. Resolution – Elected Officials Salaries for 2027-2030: Presented a wage/salary analysis of the County Sheriff, Clerk of Courts, and Coroner elected official positions, and they are on file. Data included salary information from all 72 counties in Wisconsin for the last term 2023-2026, a Contiguous County Comparison of wages, a County Comparison Based on Estimated Population, and a report on Price County Elected Officials Salaries. The presented resolution proposed setting four years of salaries for all three elected officials’ positions for 2027, 2028, 2029 and 2030. a. Sheriff: Discussion on amounts of proposed salary for the County Sheriff’s next term from 2027-2030. Utilized the wage/salary analysis information and comparisons noted above. Some comparisons were also made to the Sawyer County Sheriff’s salary as the only county reported to have set those wages for the next term. The Chief Deputy’s salary was also presented, as it has been taken into consideration in prior years when proposing the Sheriff’s salary for a new term. b. Clerk of Circuit Court: Discussion on amounts of proposed salary for the County Clerk of Courts’ next term from 2027-2030. Utilized the wage/salary analysis information and comparisons noted above. Some comparisons also made to the current salaries for the County Clerk, County Treasurer, and Register of Deeds, which have been taken into consideration in prior years when proposing the salary for a new term. c. Coroner: Discussion on proposed wages/salary for the County Coroner’s next term from 2027-2030. Utilized the wage/salary analysis information and comparisons noted above. Additional discussion on the Coroner’s base salary, fees per death and per cremation, mileage, and cumulative salary amount. 1. Motion Spacek/Barkstrom to propose that the Sheriff’s wages/salary will be set at $106,000 for 2027; $108,000 for 2028; $111,000 for 2029; and $114,000 for 2030; to propose that the Clerk of Courts’ wages/salary will be set at $71,000 for 2027; $72,000 for 2028; $74,000 for 2029; and $76,000 for 2030; to propose that the Coroner’s wages/salary will be set at $8,000 for 2027; $8,500 for 2028, $9,000 for 2029; and $9,500 for 2030; and to propose that the Coroner’s additional wage-fees will be set at $100 per Death; and $ 110 per Cremation. 2. Motion Houdek/Hallstrand to amend the motion to propose that the Sheriff’s wages/salary will be set at $108,000 for 2027; $110,000 for 2028; $113,000 for 2029; and $116,000 for 2030; and to propose that the Clerk of Courts’ wages will be set at $76,377 for 2027 and to propose the Clerk of Courts’ wages/salary for 2028, 2029 and 2030 in an upcoming motion. Roll call vote. Yes (3): Hallstrand, Houdek, Wartgow. No(2): Barkstrom, Spacek. Motion carried. 3. Motion Houdek/Hallstrand to propose the Clerk of Courts wages/salary will be set at $79,000 for 2028; $81,000 for 2029; and $83,000 for 2030. Roll call vote. Yes (3): Hallstrand, Houdek, Wartgow. No (2): Barkstrom, Spacek. Motion carried. 4. Motion Houdek/Hallstrand to accept Resolution for Elected Official Salaries for 2027 through 2030 as presented, noting all three motions and amended motions, to finally propose that the Sheriff’s wages/salary will be set at $108,000 for 2027; $110,000 for 2028; $113,000 for 2029; and $116,000 for 2030; to propose that the Clerk of Courts’ wages/salary will be set at $76,377 for 2027; $79,000 for 2028; $81,000 for 2029; and $83,000 for 2030; to propose that the Coroner’s wages/salary will be set at $8,000 for 2027; $8,500 for 2028, $9,000 for 2029; and $9,500 for 2030; to propose that the Coroner’s additional wage-fees will be set at $100 per Death and $ 110 per Cremation; and to forward the resolution to the full County Board of Supervisors for consideration. Roll call vote. Yes (3): Hallstrand, Houdek, Wartgow. No (2): Barkstrom, Spacek. Motion carried. 5. Discuss a Procedure for Setting Future Elected Wages: A Process for Establishing Salaries for Elected Officials was presented and is on file. Discussion on setting up a procedure like the one presented and practiced at the meeting for proposing future elected wages. 6. Next Meeting Date: March 10, 2026 7. Adjourn: Meeting adjourned at 10:35 by Dennis Wartgow, Committee Chair. Respectfully submitted by Meredith Hueckman, County Clerk