Board of Supervisors Meeting — Agenda Packet

1 Sawyer County County Board of Supervisors Meeting Thursday, May 21, 2026 @ 6:30 PM Sawyer County Board Room AGENDA 1. ZOOM LINK a. To view or participate in the virtual meeting from a computer, iPad, or Android device please go to https://zoom.us/j/95015680309 You can also use the dial in at 1-312-626-6799with the Webinar ID: 950 1568 0309. Use *9 to Raise/lower hand and *6 to Unmute/mute. If you are on a computer, click the "Raise Hand" button and wait to be recognized. If you are on a telephone, dial *9 and wait to be recognized. If additional assistance is needed please contact the County Clerk's Office at 715- 634-4866 prior to the meeting. This meeting will be recorded and will be available on our website at: https://sawyercountygov.org. 2. CALL TO ORDER 3. ROLL CALL 4. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE 5. CERTIFICATION OF COMPLIANCE WITH THE OPEN MEETINGS LAW 6. MEETING AGENDA 7. PUBLIC COMMENTS At this time, members of the public will be given the opportunity to address the Board. Please adhere to the following when addressing the Board: • Comments will be limited to 3 minutes or less per individual. • Comments should be directed to the Board as a whole and not directed to individual Board members. • The Board cannot respond to your comments during this time. • Please sign in and fill out a public comment sheet if you wish to speak on an item. 8. CONSIDER APPROVAL OF MINUTES FROM PREVIOUS MEETING a. April 21, 2026 Draft Minutes b. April 30, 2026 Draft Minutes 9. APPROVE COMMITTEE APPOINTMENT CHANGES (DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION) Page 1 of 86 2 a. Committee Appointee Amendments 10. CHANGE MEETING TIME (DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION) 11. ZONING COMMITTEE a. Zoning Committee Chair Report b. Zone District Map Amendment for RZN #26-007. Russel & Laurie Key and Stephen Atherton - Request to rezone approximately 5.28 acres across two separate lots of A-1 to RR-2. Zoning Committee and Town of Couderay recommend approval. (Discussion/Action) (Resolution attached) c. Amendment to the Sawyer County Code of Ordinances-Appendix D-Section 2.0 (7) Definitions & Section 17.6(B) Commercial-One Zone District - uses authorized by Conditional Use Permit. The amendment is in reference to changes to "apartments" within a C-1 zone district. (Discussion/Action) d. Amendment to the Sawyer County Code of Ordinances—Appendix D—Section 2.0 (23) Definitions & Section 17.7(B) industrial-One Zone District — uses authorized by Conditional Use Permit. The amendment is in reference to changes to "data centers" within an I-1 zone district. (Discussion/Action) e. Amendment to Sawyer County Code of Ordinances — Solar Moratorium Extension Ordinance (Discussion/Possible Action) f. Sawyer County Solar Energy System Ordinance (Discussion/Possible Action for adoption of new ordinance) 12. PUBLIC WORKS COMMITTEE a. Public Works Committee Report b. Annual Approval of Existing Sawyer County ATV/UTV Routes (Discussion and Possible Action) c. Approve New ATV/UTV Routes approved by Tribal Members and Ad-hoc Committee (Discussion and Possible Action) 13. PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE a. Public Safety Committee Report b. Resolution 2026-____Meadowbrook Radio Tower (Discussion and Possible Action) 14. LAND, WATER, AND FOREST RESOURCES COMMITTEE a. LWFRC Committee Report Page 2 of 86 3 15. FINANCE COMMITTEE a. Finance Committee Report 16. HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES BOARD a. HHS Board Report 17. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT & UW EXTENSION COMMITTEE a. Economic Development & UW Ex Committee Report 18. SAWYER COUNTY ADMINISTRATION a. Administration Committee Report b. Resolution 2026-____for Local Control c. County Administrator's Report d. CJCC Committee Report 19. BOARD APPOINTED COMMITTEE UPDATES 20. CORRESPONDENCE, REPORTS FROM CONFERENCES AND MEETINGS 21. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS 22. NEXT MEETING DATE /TIME: JUNE 18, 2026 AT (TBD) 23. ADJOURNMENT DISCLAIMER: Copy sent via email to: County Board and News Media. Note: Any person wishing to attend whom, because of a disability, requires accommodation should call the Sawyer County Clerk’s Office (715.634.4866) at least 24 hours before the scheduled meeting so appropriate arrangements can be made. Mission Statement: The Sawyer County Board of Supervisors will strive to provide excellent services and responsible leadership to protect and enhance Sawyer County citizens, businesses, and resources, while preserving our unique heritage. Page 3 of 86 Minutes of the April 21, 2026 Meeting of the Sawyer County Board of Supervisors Sawyer County Courthouse/Virtual Voting Committee Members Present (X) Roll Call Dis tric t Wards Steve Kariainen 01 T Lenroot W-1, T Hayward W-7, C Hayward W-5 Kay Wilson 02 T Lenroot W-2, T Round Lake W-1 Steve Longtine 03 T Hayward W-1 & 2 Stacey Hessel 04 T Hayward W-3 & 4 Randy Neumann 05 T Hayward W-5 & 6 Marc D. Helwig 06 C Hayward W-1 & 2 Jim Miller 07 C Hayward W-3 & 4 Marshal Savitski 08 T Bass Lake W-1 & 2 Jim Evans 09 T Bass Lake W-3 & 4 Chuck Van Etten 10 T Sand Lake, T Edgewater W-1 Jeff Hoehne 11 T Edgewater W-2, T Bass Lake W-5, T Meteor, T Couderay, V Couderay John Righeimer 12 T Spider Lake, T Round Lake W-2, T Winter W-1 Ron Kinsley 13 T Hunter, T Radisson W-1, T-Ojibwa W-1, V Radisson Ron Buckholtz 14 T Radisson W-2, T Ojibwa W-2, T Weirgor, V Exeland, T Meadowbrook John Minto 15 T Winter W-2, T Draper, V Winter Also present: Jay Kozlowski, Greg Peterson, Doug Mrotek, Bryan Deyo, Rachel Thompson, Mike Markgren-virtual Call to Order/Pledge of Allegiance– County Clerk Klein serving as Chair pro tempore called the meeting to order at 6:30 pm. Roll call was taken; quorum was met. Certification of Compliance with the open meeting law was met. Oath of Office—County Clerk Klein performed the swearing in ceremony for the fifteen County Board Supervisors. Election of County Board Chair— Mr. Righeimer nominated Mr. Kinsley for Chair, second by Ms. Hessel. Ms. Wilson nominated Mr. Buckholtz; Mr. Buckholtz declined the nomination. With no further nominations or discussion, the election by secret ballot was made. The ballots were collected and counted by Clerk Klein and Deputy Clerk Bruce; Mr. Kinsley was elected by unanimous vote. Election of County Board Vice Chair-- Mr. Buckholtz nominated himself for Vice Chair, second by Mr. Helwig. Mr. Neumann nominated Mr. Righeimer. Mr. Buckholtz spoke stating his qualifications for the position. Mr. Righeimer spoke and acknowledged Mr. Buckholtz is well qualified but stated he would also be honored to hold the position. With no further nominations or discussion, the election by secret ballot was made. The ballots were collected and counted by Clerk Klein and Deputy Clerk Bruce; Mr. Buckholtz was elected by a majority vote. Chair Kinsley took over for the remainder of the meeting. Meeting Agenda – Set Page 4 of 86 Public Comments – None Minutes from the previous meeting dated: March 19, 2026 Motion to approve by: Mr. Neumann Second by: Mr. Buckholtz Motion carried without negative vote. Motion to set a Special Meeting of the Board of Supervisors for committee appointments and orientation for Thursday, April 30, 2026 at 6:30pm by: Mr. Kariainen Second by: Ms. Wilson Motion carried without negative vote. There will be a WCA District meeting on Wednesday, June 17, 2026 at Sevenwinds Casino; Mr. Kinsley encouraged board members to attend. Zoning Committee – Mr. Buckholtz gave the Zoning Committee report: the committee heard 3 Conditional Use Permit cases and 1 rezone. Mr. Kozlowski updated the board on the Solar Ordinance that was approved by the Zoning Committee and sent out to the towns with a 50% approval response. The Ordinance will come before the board for consideration at the May 21 meeting. Zone District Map Amendment RZN #26-006 for James Sokuip & Sydney Ringheim to rezone 3.49 acres in the Town of Bass Lake from A-1 to RR-1 was approved on a motion by: Mr. Buckholtz Second by: Mr. Savitski Motion carried without negative vote. Public Works Committee— Mr. Neumann updated the Board on April department reports for Maintenance, Airport, and Highway. Motion to approve a utility easement at the Airport by: Mr. Neumann Second by: Mr. Evans Motion carried without negative vote. Mr. Kinsley reported that the Ad-hoc Committee has had productive meetings with Tribal members and lines of communication are open to discuss mutually beneficial issues. The next meeting is scheduled for April 27 and topics will be the tower, funding for the Sheriff’s Department, and the Economic Development Corporation. Public Safety Committee — Mr. Buckholtz reviewed the April Clerk of Courts, Sheriff’s Department, Jail, Emergency Management, Dispatch, Child Support, Code Enforcement and Emergency Services reports for the board. Land, Water and Forest Resources Committee— Mr. Kariainen reviewed the Register of Deeds, Land Records, Surveyor, Forestry, Zoning Conservation and Trails reports. Mr. Peterson presented background on the following three resolutions: Resolution 2026-____Removing Certain County Quit Claim Deed Guarantee From Ramy Seed Company Properties was considered again after being tabled in March. The resolution was approved on a motion by: Mr. Neumann Second by: Mr. Buckholtz Motion carried without negative vote. Resolution 2026-____Minocqua Grading, LLC Claim was approved on a motion by: Mr. Kariainen Second by: Mr. Neumann Motion carried without negative vote. Page 5 of 86 Resolution 2026-____Outdoor Recreational Trail Aids was approved on a motion by: Mr. Evans Second by: Mr. Neumann Motion carried without negative vote. Finance Report - Mr. Righeimer provided an update on county finances and department budgets. Resolution 2026-____ to Designate and Transfer General Fund Balance was approved on a motion by: Mr. Buckholtz Second by: Mr. Kariainen Motion carried without negative vote. HHS Report— Ms. Wilson reported on the April 6 meeting of the HHS Board and shared reports from LCO, HHS, ADRC and Adult Protective Services, Community Support and Mobile Crisis, Child Protective Services, Youth Justice, Economic Support and Public Health. Of concern is a report that the drug xylazine is becoming a problem at nearby Lac du Flambeau. Economic Development and UW Extension Committee— Mr. Righeimer gave the April Economic Development and UW Extension Committee report. Administration Report— Mr. Kinsley reported that the Administration Committee met and heard reports from the County Clerk, Veterans, IT, and HR departments, and the County Administrator. Appointments to LEPC—The Admin committee recommended a list of the following appointments to the LEPC (Local Emergency Planning Committee): Group 1: Chief Deputy Bryan Deyo – Sawyer County Sheriff’s Office Group 2: • Warden Nicholas Al-Moghrabi – Wisconsin DNR • Forester/Ranger Brody Fischer –Wisconsin DNR • Chief Susie Taylor – LCO Police Department • Scott Johnson – LCO Public Health • Jay Kozlowski – Sawyer County Zoning Group 3: • Celia Horns – Sawyer County Record • Mark Lundeen – WHSM Radio Group 4: • Gary Hilgendorf – Faith/Spider Lake Church • Aaron Jenneman – GenComm/Radio Group 5: • Cory Sulley – LP Zac Deikonski – Enbridge The appointees were approved and confirmed by the County Board on a motion by: Mr. Buckholtz Second by: Ms. Hessel Motion carried without negative vote. Page 6 of 86 County Administrator’s Report— Mr. Markgren updated the committee on staff recognition for National Telecommunicators’ Week and Administrative Professionals’ Day, a new Executive Director and LCO requesting removal of their name from the EDC, the upcoming 60th Annual Governor’s Fishing Opener in Sawyer County on Nelson Lake, Finance updates, an AI Forum, a Public Safety radio tower potential build needed in Meadowbrook, the county’s carbon credits entering the market, and his attendance at an Airport conference in Stevens Point. The Veterans Tribute site was razed in two days with excellent work done by JR Construction; two proposed designs will be bid out. CJCC—the Executive Committee is working on updating the bylaws and Justice Point had a recent TAD site visit that went very well. Board Appointed Committee Updates— None Correspondence, Reports from Conferences and Meetings- None Future Agenda Items- County Board Special Meeting Thursday, April 30 at 6:30pm for committee assignments and orientation Meeting Adjourned at 7:26 pm Next meeting: Thursday, April 30, 2026 Time: 6:30pm Location: Board Room Minutes recorded by Liz Klein, County Clerk and Laura Bruce, Deputy County Clerk Page 7 of 86 Minutes of the April 30, 2026 Meeting of the Sawyer County Board of Supervisors Sawyer County Courthouse/Virtual Voting Committee Members Present (X) Roll Call Dis tric t Wards Steve Kariainen 01 T Lenroot W-1, T Hayward W-7, C Hayward W-5 Kay Wilson 02 T Lenroot W-2, T Round Lake W-1 Steve Longtine 03 T Hayward W-1 & 2 Stacey Hessel 04 T Hayward W-3 & 4 Randy Neumann- Excused 05 T Hayward W-5 & 6 Marc D. Helwig 06 C Hayward W-1 & 2 Jim Miller 07 C Hayward W-3 & 4 Marshal Savitski- Excused 08 T Bass Lake W-1 & 2 Jim Evans 09 T Bass Lake W-3 & 4 Chuck Van Etten 10 T Sand Lake, T Edgewater W-1 Jeff Hoehne 11 T Edgewater W-2, T Bass Lake W-5, T Meteor, T Couderay, V Couderay John Righeimer 12 T Spider Lake, T Round Lake W-2, T Winter W-1 Ron Kinsley 13 T Hunter, T Radisson W-1, T-Ojibwa W-1, V Radisson Ron Buckholtz 14 T Radisson W-2, T Ojibwa W-2, T Weirgor, V Exeland, T Meadowbrook John Minto- Absent 15 T Winter W-2, T Draper, V Winter Also present: Mike Markgren, Liz Klein, Atty. Steve Sorenson Call to Order/Pledge of Allegiance– Chair Kinsley called the meeting to order at 6:30 pm. Roll call was taken; quorum was met. Certification of Compliance with the open meeting law was met. Meeting Agenda – Set Public Comments – Linda Zillmer County Government Presentation— Atty. Steve Sorenson gave a presentation on county government history, duties and powers. He reviewed open meetings, quorums, public records, and ethics and answered questions. Self-Organized County Ordinance— The Ordinance requires the board to adopt the Board Policy every two years; this will be reviewed in the Administration Committee and brought to the full board at the May 21 meeting. Committee Appointments— The board members received and reviewed their committee appointments. Motion to approve the committee appointments by: Mr. Buckholtz Second by: Mr. Van Etten Motion carried without negative vote. Page 8 of 86 Future Agenda Items- Board Rules resolution Meeting Adjourned at 8:13 pm Next meeting: Thursday, May 21, 2026 Time: 6:30pm Location: Board Room Minutes recorded by Liz Klein, County Clerk Page 9 of 86 May 21, 2026 Amended April Committee Appointments NWWIB Steve Kariainen Travel NW WI John Righeimer Weiss Library- Remove Steve Kariainen, add Kay Wilson SC LCO Transit Commission- Remove Steve Longtine, add Marshal Savitski Senior Resource Center- Remove Steve Longtine, add Marshal Savitski Sawyer County Fair- Remove Steve Longtine, add Marshal Savitski Page 10 of 86 Page 11 of 86 Page 12 of 86 Page 13 of 86 Page 14 of 86 Page 15 of 86 Page 16 of 86 Page 17 of 86 Page 18 of 86 Page 19 of 86 Page 20 of 86 Page 21 of 86 Page 22 of 86 Page 23 of 86 Page 24 of 86 Page 25 of 86 Page 26 of 86 Page 27 of 86 Page 28 of 86 Page 29 of 86 Page 30 of 86 Page 31 of 86 Page 32 of 86 Page 33 of 86 Page 34 of 86 Page 35 of 86 Page 36 of 86 Page 37 of 86 Page 38 of 86 Page 39 of 86 Page 40 of 86 Page 41 of 86 Page 42 of 86 Page 43 of 86 Page 44 of 86 Page 45 of 86 Page 46 of 86 Page 47 of 86 Page 48 of 86 Page 49 of 86 Page 50 of 86 Page 51 of 86 Page 52 of 86 Page 53 of 86 Page 54 of 86 Minutes of the May 13, 2026 Meeting of the Sawyer County Public Works Committee of the Sawyer County Board of Supervisors Board Room; Sawyer County Voting Committee Members Present: Others Present: Ron Kinsley Mike Markgren Marc Helwig Liz Klein Tim Davison Jayne Schroeder Randy Neumann Derek Leslie Sheriff Mrotek Chuck Van Etten John Pinnow Bryan Deyo Jim Evans Bill Kern Call to Order – Clerk Klein called the meeting to order at 6:30 pm. Certification of Compliance with the open meeting law was met. Roll Call was taken; quorum was met. Election of Committee Chair & Vice Chair— Mr. Helwig nominated Mr. Kinsley for Chair. Mr. Kinsley thanked the committee. No other nominations being received, voting proceeded by secret ballot. Ballots were collected by Deputy Clerk Bruce, tallied by Clerks Klein and Bruce, and Mr. Kinsley was unanimously elected Chair of the Public Works Committee. Mr. Evans nominated Mr. Helwig for Vice Chair. Mr. Helwig accepted the nomination. No other nominations being received, voting proceeded by secret ballot. Ballots were collected by Deputy Clerk Bruce, tallied by Clerks Klein and Bruce, and Mr. Helwig was elected Vice Chair of the Public Works Committee. The meeting was turned over to Chairman Kinsley. Meeting Agenda – Set Public Comments- None Minutes from the previous meeting dated: April 8, 2026 Motion to approve by: Mr. Neumann Second by: Mr. Evans Motion carried without negative vote. Change Meeting Day and Time— Motion to change the Public Works Committee meeting time to 5:00 pm by: Mr. Van Etten Second by: Mr. Evans Motion carried without negative vote. Maintenance- Mr. Schmidt provided a written report on April County maintenance projects. Mr. Markgren added that Maintenance is currently remodeling the Clerk and ROD offices for privacy. Sawyer County Airport Report- Mr. Leslie provided the April Airport report. Sawyer County Airport won Project of the Year for its runway resurfacing project, announced at the BOA conference in April. Mr. Markgren attended the conference with Mr. Leslie. A 30 year hangar lease renewal will be coming up in June, as well as a potential transfer of a hangar lease. Mr. Leslie stated that the Airport Master Plan may be further delayed. Highway Department- Commissioner Pinnow updated the committee on April patching on State Road 70, clearing culverts due to high beaver activity, frost damage to roads, and right-of-way acquisition efforts for the CTH E North project. CTH D bridge work continues. Mr. Kern spoke to the committee with an update to the equipment management plan that is ongoing. The Highway Department is paring its fleet, increasing hours on equipment to generate revenue, improving operations and working Page 55 of 86 on moving away from DOT guaranteed cost reliance. If properly implemented, the plan is a 3-6 year process that will move the department from a backlog of aging equipment to a self-funding replacement schedule that generates revenue for the county. Progress is already evident in the first steps that have been taken this year. Annual Renewal of County ATV/UTV Routes— Mr. Pinnow presented a list of 82 county highway segments that were previously approved for ATV/UTV routes. Sheriff Mrotek gave the committee a report on complaints and crashes since the ATV/UTV routes have been in use. Before the approval, there were 101 ATV/UTV complaints, of which half were for illegal operation on the roads. This year there have been a total of 19 complaints. Accidents were mostly on trails, only four were on roads. Deputies stopped 83 ATV/UTV drivers for violations and continue to enforce regulations, stating that the combination of enforcement and education is yielding safe operations. Motion to approve the 2026-2027 ATV/UTV Routes by: Mr. Neumann Second by: Mr. Evans Motion carried without negative vote. The Ad-hoc committee worked with LCO Tribal Members to open new routes on county roads within the LCO Tribal boundary, approved by the Lac Courte Oreilles Tribal Governing Board. The proposed routes were presented to the committee with the following restrictions: 10pm-6am time of operation, and use between May 1-October 31. Motion to approve the new ATV/UTV routes with the restrictions by: Mr. Neumann Second by: Mr. Helwig Motion carried without negative vote. Mr. Kinsley thanked Ms. Schroeder and Mr. Davison for their work with the committee. Board Appointed Committee Updates-- None Correspondence, reports from conferences and meetings – The Ad-hoc committee meeting was rescheduled from May 11 to May 18 at LCO Conservation Office at 11:30am Future Agenda Items – Renewal of Hannah Bay Holdings Lease, Possible Transfer of Hangar Lease Meeting adjourned at 7:16 pm Next Meeting: June 10, 2026 Time: 5:00 pm Location: Board Room Minutes recorded by Liz Klein, Sawyer County Clerk Page 56 of 86 Page 57 of 86 Page 58 of 86 Page 59 of 86 Page 60 of 86 Page 61 of 86 Page 62 of 86 Page 63 of 86 Page 64 of 86 Minutes of the May 7, 2026 meeting of the Sawyer County Public Safety Committee of the Sawyer County Board of Supervisors Board Room; Sawyer County Voting Committee Members Present: Others Present: Ron Buckholtz Mike Markgren John Froemel Marc Helwig Liz Klein Chaz Ann Olson Jeff Hoehne Bryan Deyo Marge Kelsey Marshal Savitski (late) Sheriff Mrotek Sari Torstenson Jim Evans Nicole Ripczinski Greg Ripczinski Mike Woller Call to Order – Clerk Klein called the meeting to order at 9:00 am. Roll Call taken. Quorum was met. Certification of Compliance with the open meeting law was met. Election of Committee Chair & Vice Chair—Mr. Helwig nominated Mr. Buckholtz for Chair. Mr. Buckholtz thanked the committee. No other nominations being received, voting proceeded by secret ballot. Ballots were collected by Deputy Clerk Bruce, tallied by Clerks Klein and Bruce, and Mr. Buckholtz was unanimously elected Chair of the Public Safety Committee. Mr. Buckholtz nominated Mr. Helwig for Vice Chair. No other nominations being received, voting proceeded by secret ballot. Ballots were collected by Deputy Clerk Bruce, tallied by Clerks Klein and Bruce, and Mr. Helwig was unanimously elected Vice Chair of the Public Safety Committee. The meeting was turned over to Chairman Buckholtz. Meeting Agenda- Set Public Comment – None Minutes from the previous meeting dated: April 2, 2026 Motion to approve made by: Mr. Evans Second by: Mr. Hoehne Motion carried without negative vote. Clerk of Courts/Register in Probate Reports - A written report was provided. Ms. Kelsey updated the committee on filling the vacant Criminal Clerk position. Sheriff’s Department Report – Sheriff Mrotek informed the committee that next week is National Corrections Officers’ Week and the following week National Law Enforcement Officers’ Week will be observed. Patrol Report – Lt. Ripczinski reviewed the written report: there were 778 calls in April, 50 traffic citations issued and 84 crashes to date- 34 with injury, zero deaths. Jail Report – Lt. Woller reviewed a written jail report for March with arrest data by race and gender. There was an average of 62 inmates incarcerated with a 70% unemployment rate at the time of booking, 0 on electronic monitoring. Page 65 of 86 Dispatch and Emergency Management – Dispatch- Ms. Ripczinski summarized the written reports. A quarterly dispatch meeting was held, two dispatchers became Field Training Officers making a total of five on the department. A Peer Support Team is being assembled. The department would like to thank Maintenance for updating the breakroom and Back the Blue for the purchase of new furniture and a refrigerator for the breakroom. Emergency Management- A written report was provided. An annual update of the County Emergency Operations Plan is underway. LEPC met April 15 and is planning an open house in July. A Courthouse Emergency Operations Plan is being updated and radio project updates were provided at the Fire Association meeting. Code Enforcement- Ms. Olson reviewed her written report for the committee on dog licenses and admissions to the pound. No TRH violations were reported in April and four potential Human Health Hazard Complaints were investigated and closed with no finding of hazard. Child Support Department Report – A written report was provided. Emergency Services— Mr. Froemel reviewed his written report on EMS calls and run times. Mental Health calls are increasing, as well as calls for Adult and Child Protective Services Towers- Mr. Markgren updated the committee that the WOJB tower agreement is pending. The Bug Tussel tower in Meadowbrook has stalled and the county is looking to build a tower instead. Mr. Markgren reviewed the projected cost of $250,000 and recommended passing a resolution to fund the project at that amount with the idea that some funding will be available from other sources to cover part of the expense. Leasing space to a cellular phone company is a potential revenue source. A motion to approve Resolution 2026-____ Meadowbrook Public Safety Radio Tower Upgrade Project at $250,000 contingent upon approval by Zoning was made by: Mr. Helwig Second by: Mr. Savitski Motion carried without negative vote. Criminal Justice Coordinating Council Update – No update Board Appointed Committee Updates—None Correspondence, Reports from Conferences and Meetings— None Future Agenda Items – Towers, Invite GenComm to June 4 meeting Meeting Date/Time – The next meeting of the Public Safety Committee will be June 4, at 9:00 am in the Board Room. Meeting adjourned at 9:25 am Minutes recorded by Liz Klein, Sawyer County Clerk Page 66 of 86 RESOLUTION 26-_______ MEADOWBROOK RADIO TOWER FOR THE PUBLIC SAFETY RADIO TOWER SYSTEM UPGRADE WHEREAS, Sawyer County operates a Public Safety Radio System, and WHEREAS, the Public Safety Radio System provides a communication network for all emergency services within Sawyer County, including the Sheriff’s Department, Hayward Police, LCO Police, local fire departments, and County Ambulance Service, and WHEREAS, it has been deemed necessary to undertake improvements to the network to provide adequate and necessary radio coverage and reliability, and WHEREAS, these improvements include equipment upgrades and new tower locations, and WHEREAS, the improvements as outlined in the accompanying proposal from GenComm will achieve the desired 90% radio coverage of the County with 95% reliability. WHEREAS, an additional tower is need in Meadowbrook Township to replace what was to be a leased tower, and WHEREAS, the estimated cost of the additional radio system tower is $250,000. NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Sawyer County Board of Supervisors does hereby approve proceeding with the additional Public Safety Radio System tower, to be financed through Contingency Funds from the Public Safety Radio System Project and additionally by Resource Development Funds. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that County Administration enters into any contracts necessary to proceed with the project as proposed. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ This Resolution is recommended for adoption by the Sawyer County Board of Supervisors at its meeting on May 21, 2026, by this Sawyer County Public Safety meeting this 7th Day of May, 2026. _______________________________ ___________________________________ Ron Buckholtz, Member Jim Evans, Member _______________________________ ___________________________________ Marc Helwig, Member Jeff Hoehne, Member ________________________________ Marshal Savitski, Member Page 67 of 86 And by the Sawyer County Finance Committee meeting this 14th day of May, 2026 _______________________________ ___________________________________ John Righeimer, Member Marc Helwig, Member _______________________________ ___________________________________ Stacey Hessel, Member Jeff Hoehne, Member ________________________________ Steve Kariainen, Member __________________________________________________________________________________ This Resolution is hereby adopted by the Sawyer County Board of Supervisors this 21st day of May, 2026. _______________________________________ _____________________________________ Ron Kinsley, Chair, Sawyer County Board of Supervisors Liz Klein, County Clerk Page 68 of 86 Minutes of the May 13, 2026 Meeting of the Sawyer County Land, Water & Forest Resources Committee of the Sawyer County Board of Supervisors Board Room, Sawyer County Voting Committee Members (X) Present: Others Present: Steve Kariainen Mike Markgren Jayne Schroeder Randy Neumann Liz Klein Tim Davison Kay Wilson Jay Kozlowski Craig Morris Marshal Savitski Greg Peterson Kimberly Peterson- Virtual Steve Longtine Brian DeVries Rachel Thompson Allison Jonjak- Absent Brian Lehner Chris Gregory Tristan Wirkus- Virtual Call to Order – Clerk Klein called the meeting to order at 8:30 am. Certification of Compliance with the open meeting law was met. Roll Call was taken; a quorum was met; the agenda was set. Election of Chair & Vice Chair— Mr. Neumann nominated Mr. Kariainen for Chair. No other nominations being received, voting proceeded by secret ballot. Ballots were collected by Deputy Clerk Bruce, tallied by Clerks Klein and Bruce, and Mr. Kariainen was unanimously elected Chair of the LWFRC Committee. Mr. Kariainen nominated Mr. Neumann for Vice Chair. No other nominations being received, voting proceeded by secret ballot. Ballots were collected by Deputy Clerk Bruce, tallied by Clerks Klein and Bruce, and Mr. Neumann was unanimously elected Vice Chair of the LWFRC Committee. The meeting was handed over to Chair Kariainen. Public Comments – Linda Zillmer Minutes from the previous meeting dated: April 8, 2026 Motion to approve made by: Mr. Neumann Second by: Mr. Savitski Motion carried without negative vote. Events— No applications were received Register of Deeds Update-- A written report for April was provided. Ms. Thompson reviewed 2026 and 2025 numbers; the number of recorded documents has increased, collected fees have increased, and requests for vital records have increased since 2025. A candidate has been interviewed for the open deputy position. Land Records and County Surveyor Department Report – Land Records—A written RPL report was provided. Surveyor—A written surveyor report was provided. Forestry – County Forestry Report— Page 69 of 86 Mr. Peterson reported that four sales were active in April. There is approximately $4M in sold-uncut timber on file at the time of the report- that is now $5.3M with the addition of the Spring timber sale bids. The County is currently in oak wilt restriction through July 15. ATV/UTV and Snowmobile Trail Aids Grants were submitted. Mountain bike and ATV trails are open. Mr. Peterson presented the 2026 SCF Spring Timber Sale Bids to the committee for approval. The report shows aspen prices are up this year. Motion to accept the 2026 SCF Timber Sale Bids by: Mr. Neumann Second by: Mr. Savitski Motion carried without negative vote. Mr. Peterson presented a request for a Low Use Access Permit to grant access to a landlocked 40 acre parcel through county forest land to Todd Goold with a correction to the legal description- the access would be in the SWNE quadrant off existing woods road number 452, non-transferable, sixteen foot wide with no gate, for five years commencing January 1, 2026 for a fee of $25.00. Motion to grant the LUAP (Low Use Access Permit) by: Mr. Savitski Second by: Ms. Wilson Motion carried without negative vote. DNR Report—Mr. Morris reported on April DNR activity, including timber sale prep and prescribed burning. Fire danger is high and burning permits are suspended. USFS Report— No report Recreational Trails Report—Mr. Davison reported on efforts to consolidate trail opening dates between the county, DNR and USFS. Tuscobia Trail needs work: 90 culverts have been rated for prioritizing grant-funded replacement. The Alliance is also working on a downed/leaning tree removal grant. Treasurer tax deeded land sales- Wis. Statute 75.69 authorizes the LWFRC committee to accept bids below appraised value. The history of Parcel #36265 was discussed. Treasurer Lehner recommended accepting a $500 bid by the Fandrys to purchase the parcel. Motion to accept the Fandry bid of $500 for parcel #36265 by: Mr. Neumann Second by: Ms. Wilson Motion carried without negative vote. Wis. Statute 75.69 and Sawyer County Ordinance 2025-18 authorize the LWFRC to accept lower minimum bids on unsold tax deeded parcels previously advertised at appraised value. Treasurer Lehner made a request to list four unsold parcels with tax ID Numbers 43192, 27571, 27581, and 37131 at lower minimum bids. Motion to accept the lower minimum bids on remaining county tax deeded parcels by: Mr. Savitski Second by: Mr. Longtine Motion carried without negative vote. Zoning/Conservation Department – Mr. Kozlowski reported that on the tree sale, spring dam checks, bi-annual non-metallic mine inspections, Winter School Envirothon and a Land Conservation Committee training scheduled after the LWFRC meeting in June. Price Dam update- Neil Magnuson repaired a lower hinge mechanism that was seized and the gate now functions correctly, saving the county $38,000 on a crane rental and thousands more if the dam needed replacing due to the sidewalls pinching the gate. The factory sealed part may be replaced with one that has a Page 70 of 86 grease fitting to prevent recurring problems. The contracts were signed with the State Geological Survey for the groundwater mapping project. The project, concurrent with LCO groundwater mapping, is starting with well mapping and will take 18-24 months to complete. Mr. Kozlowski stated that municipalities and the county will be able to use the groundwater data to enact protective ordinances to safeguard municipal wellheads. Board Appointed Committee Updates – None Correspondence, Reports from Conferences and Meetings – None Future Agenda Items – None Adjournment – 9:17am Next Meeting: June 10, 2026 Time: 8:30am Location: Board Room Minutes recorded by Liz Klein, County Clerk Page 71 of 86 Minutes of the May 14, 2026 Meeting of the Sawyer County Finance Committee of the Sawyer County Board of Supervisors Board Room; Sawyer County Voting Committee Members (X) Present: Others Present: John Righeimer Mike Markgren Stacey Hessel Liz Klein Marc Helwig Ron Buckholtz Steve Kariainen Rhandi Ehn Jeff Hoehne Brian Lehner Call to Order –Clerk Klein called the meeting to order at 8:30 am. Certification of Compliance with the open meeting law was met. Roll Call taken and quorum was met. Election of Finance Chair & Vice Chair— Ms. Hessel nominated Mr. Righeimer for Chair. Mr. Righeimer accepted the nomination. No other nominations being received, voting proceeded by secret ballot. Ballots were collected by Deputy Clerk Bruce, tallied by Clerks Klein and Bruce, and Mr. Righeimer was unanimously elected Chair of the Finance Committee. Mr. Righeimer nominated Ms. Hessel for Vice Chair. Ms. Hessel thanked the committee for the consideration. No other nominations being received, voting proceeded by secret ballot. Ballots were collected by Deputy Clerk Bruce, tallied by Clerks Klein and Bruce, and Ms. Hessel was elected Vice Chair of the Finance Committee. The meeting was turned over to Chairman Righeimer. Meeting Agenda – Set Public Comments – None Minutes from the previous meeting dated: April 9, 2026 Motion to approve made by: Mr. Helwig Second by: Mr. Hoehne Motion carried without negative vote. Treasurer’s Report – Mr. Lehner provided a written report on tax collections and delinquent parcels. The In Rem “Notice of Commencement” on Delinquent 2021-2022 parcels was published April 27th , 2026. Fifty-one certified notification letters were sent out: the final redemption date is July 10, 2026. Tax deeded land sales- one bid was accepted by LWFRC, four unsold parcels will go back out for round two bidding at a lower minimum price approved by LWFRC. Finance Department Report - Ms. Ehn reviewed monthly sales tax revenues, Budget Performance Reports for April 2026, and April CIP purchases. Department Financial Updates-- Circuit Court Department---Ms. Ehn reviewed April 2026 financials for the Circuit Court Department. April numbers are on track for this department. Page 72 of 86 Criminal Justice Department—Ms. Ehn reviewed April 2026 Financials for the Criminal Justice Department. April numbers are track for this department. Family Court Department—Ms. Ehn reviewed April 2026 Financials for the Family Court Department. There is currently no Family Court Commissioner so revenues and expenses are at zero for this department. District Attorney Department—Ms. Ehn reviewed April 2026 Financials for the Criminal Justice Department. This department has Victim Witness Grant Revenue that comes in July for the first half of the year and January for the second half. Investments Review and Update— The March investment report was provided: interest rates are dropping; County CD investments are still holding above 4% and interest is $16,000 above April 2025 numbers. 2027 Budget Timeline- Ms. Ehn presented the timeline and parameters of the 2027 Budget work to the committee. Meadowbrook Radio Tower- Mr. Markgren updated the committee that the Bug Tussel tower in Meadowbrook has stalled and the county is looking to build a tower instead. Mr. Markgren reviewed the projected cost of $250,000 and recommended passing a resolution to fund the project at that amount with $167,000 from contingency funds leftover from the Radio project issue, and the remaining $83,000 can be drawn from Resource Development. Leasing space to a cellular phone company is a potential revenue source. Motion to approve Resolution 2026-____ Meadowbrook Public Safety Radio Tower Upgrade Project at $250,000 was made by: Ms. Hessel Second by: Mr. Hoehne Motion carried without negative vote. The Resolution is contingent upon approval by Zoning in June. Board Appointed Committee Updates— None Correspondence, Reports from Conferences and Meetings – Ms. Ehn attended the WGFOA spring conference in Oshkosh and was awarded a National GFOA scholarship to obtain CPFO certification for government finance officials. Future Agenda Items – None Adjournment – 9:06 am Next Meeting- June 11, 2026 Time: 8:30 am Location: Board Room Minutes recorded by Liz Klein, County Clerk Page 73 of 86 Minutes of the May 12, 2026 Meeting of the Sawyer County Health and Human Services Committee of the Sawyer County Board of Supervisors Board Room, Sawyer County Voting Committee Members Present: Others Present: Kay Wilson Liz Klein Jim Miller Julia Lyons John Minto- Absent Julie McCallum Chuck Van Etten- Virtual Hailey Sands Jeff Hoehne Alicia Carlson- Virtual Lorraine Gouge- Absent Carrie Mann- Virtual Dawn Petit- Virtual Shawna White- Virtual Pam Mueller Caitlan Myren- Virtual Dr. Sabrina Dunlap Sarah Inczauskis- Virtual Call to Order – Clerk Klein called the meeting to order at 6:30 pm. Certification of Compliance with the open meeting law was confirmed. Roll Call was taken; a quorum was met. Election of Chair & Vice Chair— Mr. Hoehne nominated Ms. Wilson for Chair. No other nominations being received, voting proceeded by secret ballot. Ballots were collected by Deputy Clerk Bruce, tallied by Clerks Klein and Bruce, and Ms. Wilson was unanimously elected Chair of the HHS Committee. Mr. Miller nominated Mr. Van Etten for Vice Chair. No other nominations being received, voting proceeded by secret ballot. Ballots were collected by Deputy Clerk Bruce, tallied by Clerks Klein and Bruce, and Mr. Van Etten was unanimously elected Vice Chair of the HHS Committee. The meeting was handed over to Chair Wilson. Meeting Agenda – Set Public Comments – None Minutes from the previous meeting dated: April 6, 2026 Motion to approve made by: Mr. Hoehne Second by: Mr. Miller Motion carried without negative vote. Change meeting day and time—After discussion, the HHS meeting was changed to the second Thursday before County Board at 5:00pm on a motion by: Mr. Van Etten Second by: Mr. Miller Motion carried without negative vote. HHS will now meet on the same Thursday as Public Safety, which is the second Thursday before County Board, at the new start time of 5:00pm. Outside Committee Reports- LCO Liaison— No report Senior Resource Center— A written report was provided by Director Johnson. There will be an open house cookout on Friday, May 15th from 5-7pm. Page 74 of 86 Administration— The HHS Acronym/Terms glossary and HHS organizational chart have been included as standing agenda items. Ms. Lyons reviewed the Org chart and discussed several staff changes due to retirements and resignations. The HHS Bylaws were included for information and will be reviewed and discussed in June. Ms. Lyons reviewed the HHS Strategic Plan and updated the committee on progress toward each goal. Aging and Disability Resource Center (ADRC)— Ms. Lyons presented informational flyers on ADRC services. Behavioral Health— A written report was provided and reviewed by Ms. Carlson. Mobile Crisis-Ms. Myren reviewed the Community Support and Mobile Crisis reports. Ms. Myren answers calls from Law Enforcement 24/7 and can consult by phone or make in-person assessments at the ER. Mental Health Expense reports were provided. Children, Youth & Family Services— Child Protective Services- Ms. Lyons reported that the program is working well and the case numbers reflect children going into permanent placement. Youth Justice- YJ had 3 referrals in March; there are 29 active clients. The program is fully staffed and the caseload is decreasing. Diversion staff are working with children and families to address truancy; 64% of enrolled students have 80% attendance or better. Eight students have 100% attendance to date. Children’s Support Services- Hailey Sands introduced herself to the committee and reviewed referral numbers and enrollment timelines for CLTS. Birth to 3 is planning a Wilderness Walk Playgroup to take place in July. Economic Support— Ms. White updated the committee on the Northern Income Maintenance Consortium written report data. In March there were 1,085 FoodShare recipients, 21 Child Care families served and 1,337 BadgerCare Plus clients served. The call center answered 6,917 calls with a 95.43% answer rate. The Consortium had the shortest wait time in the state and a good review showing a low/zero error rate in various areas that are audited. Staff attended an all-staff meeting in Medford, State funding for quality assurance came through and will create positions for five staff members. Public Health-- Ms. McCallum provided a written report for April, the 2025 Annual Report, and recognized the Medical Reserve Corps volunteers for their good work. Fiscal— Ms. Lyons provided the HHS fiscal reports and reviewed purchased services and state receipts. Board Appointed Committee Updates— None Correspondence, Reports from Conferences and Meetings— None Future Agenda Items— Review HHS Bylaws Meeting Date/Time – The next meeting of the Health and Human Services Board will be Thursday, June 4, 2026, at 5:00pm in the Board Room. Page 75 of 86 Meeting adjourned at 7: 42pm Minutes recorded by Liz Klein, County Clerk Page 76 of 86 Minutes of the May 11, 2026 Meeting of the Sawyer County Economic Development and UW-Extension Committee of the Sawyer County Board of Supervisors Board Room; Sawyer County Voting Committee Members Present: Others Present: John Righeimer Mike Markgren Brian Priester Stacey Hessel Laura Bruce Adam Lamoureaux Jim Miller Mindy Simons Sheldon Johnson Steve Longtine Lori Baltrusis Donna Knuckey Randy Neumann Tawonga Zakeyu Call to Order – Elected Official Deputy Clerk Laura Bruce called the meeting to order at 8:30 am. Certification of Compliance with the open meeting law was met. Roll Call was taken. Quorum was met. Election of Committee Chair & Vice Chair— Ms. Hessel nominated Mr. Righeimer for Chair, second by Mr. Longtine. No other nominations being received, voting proceeded by secret ballot. Ballots were collected by Clerk Klein, tallied by Clerks Klein and Bruce, and Mr. Righeimer was unanimously elected Chair of the Economic Development/UWEX Committee. Mr. Longtine nominated Ms. Hessel for Vice Chair, second by Mr. Righeimer. No other nominations being received, voting proceeded by secret ballot. Ballots were collected by Clerk Klein, tallied by Clerks Klein and Bruce, and Ms. Hessel was unanimously elected Vice Chair of the Economic Development/UWEX Committee. The meeting was handed over to Chairman Righeimer’ Meeting Agenda -- Set Public Comments – None. Minutes from the previous meeting dated: April 6, 2026 Motion to approve made by: Mr. Neumann Second by: Ms. Hessel Motion carried without negative vote. University of Wisconsin-Extension Report—Ms. Baltrusis welcomed the new board members and gave a brief introduction of what the department does. She spoke of the Strategic plan and introduced Ms. Zakeyu and Ms. Knuckey. Ms. Knuckey spoke of PYD (positive youth development) and the 4-H Beyond Ready Framework, and updated the board on upcoming events. Hayward Lakes Visitors & Convention Bureau Report— Ms. Simons reported on the Governor’s Fishing Opener, which included list of weekend activities and attendance. NWRPC Report— Mr. Johnson gave a brief introduction to the committee on what NWRPC does and an update on current projects. He discussed the CDBG program ending and a new program contracted with Douglas County beginning July first. The new program will be a zero percent interest, twenty-year loan for income qualified applicants. SC Economic Development Corporation Report— Mr. Lamoureaux said goodbye to the board and introduced Mr. Priester as his replacement. He reported as of the April meeting, the committee name will no longer include LCO . Mr. Priester introduced himself to the committee. Page 77 of 86 Trail Reports-- Motorized— Mr. Neumann stated there was no report as the trails do not open until May 15 th. Non-Motorized trails—Mr. Miller had nothing to report. Board Appointed Committee Updates – No reports Correspondence, Reports from Conferences— None Future Agenda Items – None Adjournment – 9:28 am Meeting Date/Time – The next meeting of the Economic Development and UW-Extension Committee will be Monday, June 8, 2026 at 8:30 am in the Board Room. Minutes recorded by Laura Bruce, Elected Official Deputy Clerk Page 78 of 86 Minutes of the Meeting of the May 14, 2026 Sawyer County Administration Committee of the Sawyer County Board of Supervisors Board Room; Sawyer County Voting Committee Members (X) Present: Others Present: Chair: Ron Kinsley Mike Markgren Vice Chair: Ron Buckholtz Liz Klein Mike Coleson Nicole Clapero- Virtual Marshal Savitski Gary Elliot Kay Wilson- Virtual John Righeimer Rose Lillyroot Carson Kipfer Stacey Hessel Call to Order –Chair Ron Kinsley called the meeting to order at 10:00 am. Certification of Compliance with the open meeting law was met. Roll Call taken; quorum was met. Meeting Agenda – Set Public Comments – Minutes from the previous meeting dated: April 9, 2026 Motion to approve by: Mr. Buckholtz Second by: Mr. Righeimer Motion carried without negative vote. County Clerk Report- Ms. Klein provided a written department report and updated the committee on April department revenues. Veterans Service Office Report - Mr. Elliot provided a written report of April department activity: 499 phone calls, 1,157 letters/emails/faxes sent and 232 office visits. 65 disability claims have been filed to date with $241,664.06 awarded in Veterans’ favor. The department is co-hosting counseling sessions at La Crosse Vet Center and Coffee & Conversation; the social media report was provided. Mr. Elliot and Ms. Clapero attended a spring conference. The workload for disability claims continues to increase. Veteran’s Tribute Update- Design/construction update- Quotes were received for flatwork and lighting. An issue arose with the site grade and an architect is needed to proceed. A nearby project was proposed to the public and local stakeholders by Carson Kipfer that could potentially impact the original tribute plan. Mr. Kipfer was invited to have a discussion with the Admin committee and explore the possibility of collaboration. Mr. Kipfer presented his idea for a pedestrian plaza that would restore a greenspace and historical gateway to Main St.; his plan involves keeping the fountain in its original location. Ms. Hessel objected to changing the design and the timeline on the county project because it has already been approved and is in progress. Mr. Kipfer concluded that the projects are two separate concepts and could proceed separately, and if the fountain is spoken for, the plaza can proceed without that element. Ms. Hessel raised objections to the Administrator’s role and stated the Supervisors voted to proceed with the first design. Page 79 of 86 Information Technology Department Report - Mr. Coleson provided a written IT report on ongoing IT projects and updated the committee on upgrading internet at satellite sites, email security, and TRH billing. Human Resources Report - A written report was provided on staffing and recruiting for open positions within the county. Ms. Lillyroot provided an update to the personnel policy manual regarding county staff use of AI platforms. A motion was made by Ms. Hessel to approve the policy, second by Marshal Savitski. Following brief discussion that included board policy, Clerk Klein asked for clarification on which policy was being approved because the next item was the Supervisors Policy and Procedure Manual. Discussion followed: proposed Board Policy and Procedure changes were discussed. Ms. Hessel rescinded her motion and amended to table the personnel policy updates until June, second by Mr. Buckholtz. Motion carried without negative vote. Clerk Klein stated that revisions should be made and reviewed prior to committee action on the Supervisors Policy and Procedures Manual. Ms. Hessel moved to table the Supervisors Policy and Procedures Manual until June, second by Marshal Savitski. Motion carried without negative vote. Resolution 2026-____Requesting Greater Local Control for Wisconsin Counties was approved on a motion by: Mr. Righeimer Second by: Mr. Savitski Motion carried without negative vote. County Administrator’s Report—Mr. Markgren updated the committee on planned leadership training for an upcoming Department Head meeting, economic development and marketing events, the upcoming audit and 2027 Budget preparation, collaborative efforts with LCO Tribal Members to open ATV/UTV routes on LCO land, attending a BOA airport conference where the county was awarded Project of the Year for the runway resurfacing project, a meeting with Anew on marketing carbon credits, the CJCC TAD grant application and shared that Judges Isham and Smith recognized Melinda Hoyos for great work on truancy and diversion efforts. Board Appointed Committee Updates – Proposed new ATV/UTV routes were approved at Public Works and will go to the County Board Correspondence, reports from conferences and meetings– Information requested on the fall WCA Conference Future Agenda Items- Personnel Policy Manual, Board Policy and Procedures Adjournment – 11:26 am Next Meeting: June 11, 2026 Time: 10:00 am Location: Board Room Minutes recorded by Liz Klein, County Clerk Page 80 of 86 Resolution No.: 26- RESOLUTION REQUESTING WISCONSIN COUNTIES ASSOCIATION LOBBY STATE LEGISLATURE AND GOVERNOR ON LEGISLATION FOR GREATER LOCAL CONTROL FOR WISCONSIN COUNTIES WHEREAS, local governments in Wisconsin are closest to the people they serve and are best positioned to understand and address the unique needs, priorities, and challenges of their communities; and, WHEREAS, public meetings and hearings held by local units of government allow for significantly more opportunity for public input than meetings and hearings held by the Public Service Commission in Madison; and, WHEREAS, preserving local control is essential to maintaining accountability, transparency, and public trust in government, as well as ensuring that decisions reflect local values and conditions; and, WHEREAS, statewide, one size fits all regulations do not always appropriately address the issues and needs of every Wisconsin community; and, WHEREAS, a series of mandates and other agency actions have continuously shifted powers from the local to the state level; and, WHEREAS, the geographic, environmental, and demographic diversity across Wisconsin counties necessitates localized approaches to governance that reflect each county's unique characteristics; and, WHEREAS, state legislators have been making attempts to return local control to cities, villages and towns over large-scale wind and solar projects in several bills; and WHEREAS, such attempts should also be applied to counties and county boards who are democratically elected bodies that directly represent the interests and values of their constituents; and, WHEREAS, significant negative impacts on environmental habitats, public health, road infrastructure, and property values and taxes due to large-scale wind and solar projects in those areas where they exist are well established and documented; and NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Sawyer County Board of Supervisors hereby requests the Wisconsin Counties Association consider this issue and/or adopt this resolution and lobby the Wisconsin State Legislature and Governor to support any and all efforts and legislation that would give local elected bodies greater control in regulating large scale wind and solar projects to in the best interest of their communities; and, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that a copy of this resolution be forwarded to the Wisconsin Towns Association, all local and state legislators who represent citizens across Sawyer County the Governor, and all county boards in Wisconsin for consideration, support, and action. Page 81 of 86 This Resolution is recommended for adoption by the Sawyer County Board of Supervisors at its meeting on May 21, 2026, by this Sawyer County Administrative Committee this 14th Day of May, 2026 _______________________________ ___________________________________ Ron Kinsley, Chair Stacey Hessel, Member _______________________________ ___________________________________ Ron Buckholtz, Vice Chair Marshal Savitski, Member ________________________________ John Righeimer, Member ______________________________________________________________________________ This Resolution is hereby adopted by the Sawyer County Board of Supervisors this 21st day of May, 2026. _________________________________ ____________________________________ Ron Kinsley, Chair, Liz Klein, County Clerk Sawyer County Board of Supervisors Page 82 of 86 1 County Administrator’s Report May 2026 Personnel We will be holding a Department Head Meeting on May 21st. Part of the focus is a presentation by our Employee Achievement Program provider REALiving. They will be presenting on the various leadership coaching sessions available to staff. Leadership is neither a title nor a destination; it is a journey of lifetime learning in which we never arrive. My hope is that all department heads take advantage of this opportunity to grow their leadership skills. Economic Development/Marketing The 60th Annual Governor’s Fishing Opener was a great success. I was able to attend the Friday night banquet and went over to the Lake Hayward beach on Saturday to participate in the activities there. I had a great, 90-minute meeting with the new Sawyer County Economic Development Executive Director Brian Priester. He is very passionate about his new role and helping Sawyer County existing and prospective business owners make the connections they need to accomplish their goals. Finance The audit will begin shortly. And hard to believe, but the preliminary 2027 budget process kicked off at Finance Committee. Connections The Sawyer County/LCO TGB had a productive meeting on April 27th. Decisions were made regarding UTV/ATV routes. I attended the Wisconsin Airports Seminar on April 22-23 along with Airport Manager Derek Leslie. I learned a lot, met a few key people, and had a meeting with our consultant and a representative from the State. The Sawyer County Airport runway project from last summer won state project of the year! Public Safety Radio Network Work is underway. We continue to meet bi-weekly. We are making progress on the WOJB tower lease. The TGB has expressed that public safety is their priority. I will be attending the Town of Meadowbrook’s meeting on May 20th to discuss the emergency services tower proposal. Carbon Credits Greg Peterson and I had to answer a few more questions for marketing purposes. We want these to be of the highest quality. Page 83 of 86 2 CJCC The Committee approved the TAD Grant Pre-Application of $100,000 for the Diversion program and $150,000 for Treatment Court program. Both Judge Isham and Judge Smith mentioned that Melinda Hoyos is doing a great job with the Youth Truancy and Diversion programs. The students and families are responding very well to her. Page 84 of 86 Minutes of the May 13, 2026 Meeting of the Sawyer County Criminal Justice Coordinating Committee of the Sawyer County Board of Supervisors Board Room; Sawyer County Voting Committee Members Present: Others Present: 1. Julia Lyons- Excused Liz Klein 2. Judge Elaine Smith Becky Barry- Virtual 3. Dave Dixon- Absent 4. Mike Markgren 5. Mike Woller 6. Lorraine Gouge- Late 7. Doug Mrotek 8. Bruce Poquette 9. Katie Belanger- Virtual 10. Judge John Yackel- Absent 11. Marc Helwig 12. Judge Monica Isham 13. Marshal Savitski 14. Kathy McCoy 15. Bill Trepanier- Absent 16. Amanda Lokker- Virtual Call to Order—Clerk Klein called the meeting to order at 12:00 pm. Certification of Compliance with the open meeting law was met. Roll Call was taken. Quorum was met. Election of CJCC Chair & Vice Chair— Judge Smith nominated Ms. Lyons for Chair. Ms. Lyons previously stated she would accept a nomination for Chair. No other nominations being received, voting proceeded by secret ballot. Ballots were collected by Deputy Clerk Bruce, tallied by Clerks Klein and Bruce, and Ms. Lyons was unanimously elected Chair of the CJCC Committee. Ms. McCoy nominated Judge Smith for Vice Chair. Judge Smith accepted and thanked the committee. No other nominations being received, voting proceeded by secret ballot. Ballots were collected by Deputy Clerk Bruce, tallied by Clerks Klein and Bruce, and Judge Smith was unanimously elected Vice Chair of the CJCC Committee. The meeting was handed over to Vice Chair Smith. Meeting Agenda – Set Public Comments – None Minutes from the previous meeting dated: April 8, 2026 Motion to approve made by: Mr. Savitski Second by: Mr. Helwig Motion carried with one abstaining. CJCC Executive Committee Report— The CJCC Bylaws were reviewed. Ms. McCoy asked Judge Isham if the Circuit Court judges could appoint designees to represent them when they cannot attend. It was agreed it would be the Judicial Assistants; once formally designated, they would be able to join the committee members at the table an be counted for quorum. Page 85 of 86 Judge Smith asked to schedule the next Executive Committee meeting when a possible date can be determined. Jail Report-- Lt. Woller reviewed a written jail report for March with arrest data by race and gender. There was an average of 62 inmates incarcerated with a 70% unemployment rate at the time of booking, 0 on electronic monitoring. Lt. Woller reviewed a written jail report for March with arrest data by race and gender. Ms. Barry answered a question raised about mental health programs in the jail; suggestions for applicants to run volunteer programs may be directed to Ms. Barry for screening. Justice Point— Ms. Barry updated the committee on Justice Point programs and statistics. There are 110 active pre-trial clients with 11 successful completions, 11 active Diversion clients, and 3 active Treatment Court clients in April. Deflection funding application to Reentry Navigator was made on March 31st was not awarded; the grant is highly competitive and only four programs were awarded funding in the state. The program will continue to offer donated outreach programming. TAD Recovery and Treatment Court- Ms. Barry presented the 2027 TAD Pre-application Form to the committee for discussion. This form is required to be approved by the CJCC as part of the grant application process. The requested grant amount for Deflection was changed from $150, 000 to $100,000. The 2027 Pre-Application Form to request $100,000 for Diversion and $150,000 for Treatment Court was approved on a motion by: Judge Isham Second by: Mr. Savitski Motion carried without negative vote. Jail Programs- Ms. Barry reviewed current jail programs. 18 inmates received GEDs in the 25-26 school year. HHS— The 2025 Adult Protective Services Report was reviewed. Youth Justice, Behavioral Health and Truancy & Diversion reports were reviewed. The statistics show Sawyer County Diversion efforts are working to reduce truancy; the judges confirmed the program is making a difference for children and families and stated Melinda Hoyos is very good at working with truancy cases. The Hayward School District zero tolerance policy was discussed. Community Services Updates- No report Outside Committee Reports – None Correspondence, reports from conferences and meetings –Some Sawyer County and LCO staff attended WATCP and some will attend AllRISE in July in Nashville. Future Agenda Items – Auralea Carrell from Northwood Tech will speak in June; representatives from Salvation Army and LCO programs may be invited to speak and these updates could fall under the Community Services Updates heading for flexibility on agendas Motion to adjourn at 12:53pm by Mr. Savitski Second by: Judge Isham Meeting adjourned. Next Meeting: June 10, 2026 Time: 12:00 pm Location: Board Room Minutes recorded by Liz Klein, County Clerk Page 86 of 86