Chippewa County public meetings in 2024
13 substantive meetings from 2024, with official agendas or minutes and plain-English summaries.
Health & Human Services Board
The Chippewa County Health & Human Services Board approved placing a public health vending machine in the Chippewa County Jail lobby to provide 24/7 access to harm reduction supplies like Naloxone and fentanyl test strips. The board also approved updates to the wheelchair loan closet policy and the 2025 Public Health financial user fees, which include a new in-home administration fee and an increased transient water test fee. All decisions were approved unanimously, with one member recused from the fee vote.
- Approved placing Public Health vending machine in Chippewa County Jail (unanimous)
- Approved APH-Wheelchair Loan Closet policy update (unanimous)
- Approved 2025 Public Health financial user fees (6-0, Ericksen recused)
- Approved consent agenda including Nov 21 HHSB minutes and ADRC minutes (unanimous)
🗳️ How they voted (9 roll-call votes)
Highway Committee
The Highway Committee reviewed a resolution to pledge Chippewa County's funding share for the Highway T corridor expansion and unanimously referred it to the Executive Committee for further consideration. The committee also reviewed reports on highway funds, ARPA project updates, and a presentation on sustainable highway funding, which discussed a potential vehicle registration fee. No final decisions were made on funding or the vehicle registration fee.
- Consent agenda approved unanimously (agenda, minutes, next meeting date)
- Resolution to pledge funding for Highway T corridor expansion referred to Executive Committee (unanimous)
- Meeting adjourned at 11:30 AM (unanimous)
🗳️ How they voted (3 roll-call votes)
Planning & Zoning Committee
The committee approved a conditional use permit allowing Solhawk Dairy, Inc. to expand its livestock operation in the Town of Wheaton from 4,559 to 5,196 animal units. The vote was 4-1, with David Kelly voting against. The committee also approved three rezone petitions and one other conditional use permit, all unanimously.
- Approved Solhawk Dairy CUP expansion to 5,196 animal units (4-1)
- Approved Ryherd rezone petition, Town of Eagle Point (unanimous)
- Approved Inn on Lake Wissota LLC & Passint rezone petition, Town of Anson (unanimous)
- Approved Burton rezone petition, Town of Anson (unanimous)
- Approved Gougar in-home daycare CUP, Town of Lafayette (unanimous)
- Discussed Wissota Meadows First Addition preliminary plat; final plat to come
- Approved moving PZC meeting start time from 4:30pm to 5:00pm (unanimous)
Land Conservation & Forest Management Committee
The Land Conservation & Forest Management Committee approved the 2025 Powder Keg Race permit, granting exclusive use of the Hickory Edge Trailhead and certain forest trail segments for a ski, snowshoe, and mountain bike race. The committee also approved a reroute of the Ice Age Trail along the Deer Lake segment, the 2025 annual work plan for the Forest & Trails Division (forwarded to the County Board), a SWRM grant extension, and the 2026-2030 Capital Improvement Plan ranking. All votes were unanimous.
- Approved 2025 Powder Keg Race permit (unanimous)
- Approved Ice Age Trail reroute near Deer Lake (unanimous)
- Forwarded 2025 Forest & Trails work plan to County Board (unanimous)
- Approved SWRM 2024-2025 grant extension (unanimous)
- Approved 2026-2030 CIP project ranking (unanimous)
Executive Committee
The Executive Committee voted 4-1 to forward a resolution to the County Board that would add up to $2,628,217 to an existing state grant for Hope Village to convert a motel into 27 affordable housing units. The committee also unanimously approved a $1,950.70 insurance claim payment for damage caused by a county vehicle. Discussions were held on the County Administrator's 2024 performance goals and the recruitment process for a new administrator, including setting a salary range of $155,000-$170,000.
- Forwarded $2,628,217 affordable housing grant amendment to County Board (4-1)
- Approved $1,950.70 claim payment to Motorist Commercial Mutual Insurance Company (5-0)
- Approved consent agenda including minutes and next meeting date (5-0)
- Discussed County Administrator's 2024 performance goals
- Discussed County Administrator recruitment process and salary range
🗳️ How they voted (2 roll-call votes)
Land Information Council
The Chippewa County Land Information Council unanimously approved revisions to the 2025-2027 Land Records Modernization Plan, incorporating state comments. The council also approved the meeting agenda and minutes from the December 4, 2024 meeting. No other substantive business was conducted.
- Approved revised 2025-2027 Land Records Modernization Plan (unanimous)
- Approved meeting agenda (unanimous)
- Approved December 4, 2024 meeting minutes (unanimous)
Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC)
The Chippewa County LEPC approved the Countywide Hazardous Materials Strategic Plan, the 2025-2027 Integrated Preparedness Plan (IPP), and accepted 2024 spill reports. The committee also discussed EMS stakeholder meetings, local emergency operations plans, and grant closeouts. No public comments were heard.
- Approved consent agenda including minutes of October 28, 2024 (motion by Bowe, second by Flynn)
- Accepted 2024 hazardous materials spill reports (motion by Eckardt, second by Flynn)
- Approved Countywide Hazardous Materials Strategic Plan (motion by Clark, second by Bowe)
- Approved 2025-2027 Integrated Preparedness Plan (motion by Eckardt, second by Schroeder)
County Board of Supervisors
The Chippewa County Board of Supervisors approved a resolution authorizing the sale of the former Public Firearms Range property, which was permanently closed in 2022 after safety concerns and a settlement. The board also approved resolutions supporting three broadband grant applications, additional courthouse security measures, and a resolution to begin negotiations on a successor collective bargaining agreement with the WPPA union. All items were approved unanimously, with Supervisor Roshell absent.
- Approved sale of former firearms range property (unanimous)
- Approved resolution supporting Ntera, LLC's BEAD grant application (unanimous)
- Approved resolution supporting Mosaic Technologies' BEAD grant application (unanimous)
- Approved resolution supporting Charter Communication's BEAD grant application (unanimous)
- Approved further courthouse security measures (unanimous)
- Approved 2025-2027 ADRC Plan (unanimous)
- Approved resolution to support creation of inpatient psychiatric facility (unanimous)
- Approved as amended resolution to negotiate WPPA successor agreement (unanimous)
🗳️ How they voted — 1 divided vote
Agriculture & Extension Committee
The Agriculture & Extension Committee unanimously approved the consent agenda, which included the meeting agenda, the October 3, 2024 minutes, and scheduling the next meeting for February 6, 2025. The committee received reports from the Area Extension Director and various educators, covering topics like the signed partnership agreement, the new Regional Livestock Educator, and ongoing programs. No substantive business items were discussed or voted on.
- Approved consent agenda including agenda, Oct 3 minutes, and Feb 6 meeting date (unanimous)
- Heard Area Extension Director report on signed partnership agreement and new livestock educator
- Received educator reports on crops, community development, health, horticulture, and youth programs
🗳️ How they voted (2 roll-call votes)
Executive Committee
The Executive Committee unanimously approved forwarding Resolution 38-24 to the County Board, which authorizes the sale of $3,500,000 in General Obligation Promissory Notes to Robert W. Baird & Co. The notes, dated October 1, 2024, carry a true interest cost of 3.09%, which is 1.5% lower than originally planned and will save approximately $91,000. The proceeds will fund highway construction and improvement projects, with debt service funded entirely from sales tax proceeds, resulting in no estimated levy impact.
- Approved consent agenda including agenda and next meeting date (unanimous)
- Forwarded Resolution 38-24 awarding $3.5M GO promissory note sale to County Board (unanimous)
- Locked in interest rate at 3.09% for $3.5M in notes, saving ~$91,000 vs. June estimate
County Board of Supervisors
The Chippewa County Board approved the sale of $3.5 million in general obligation promissory notes for highway construction and improvement, locking in a 3.09% interest rate. The board also approved an additional $1.5 million in Community Development Block Grant funding for the Hope Village affordable housing conversion project. Five ordinance amendments were approved to align legal notice posting requirements with the county's new policy of posting notices on the courthouse board and website instead of the newspaper.
- Approved sale of $3.5M general obligation promissory notes for road projects (unanimous)
- Approved $1.5M additional CDBG funding for Hope Village affordable housing project (18-1)
- Approved ordinance amendments to remove newspaper publication requirements for legal notices (unanimous)
- Approved County Administrator appointment of Melissa Miller and Max Schroeder to Local Emergency Planning Committee (unanimous)
🗳️ How they voted — 2 divided votes
Executive Committee
The Executive Committee unanimously forwarded two resolutions to the County Board: one authorizing the sale of $3.5 million in general obligation promissory notes for highway construction, and another adding $1.5 million in Community Development Block Grant funding for Hope Village to convert a building into affordable housing. The committee also reviewed the second-quarter finance update and received reports on employee engagement surveys. The HR mission, vision, and values statement was postponed because the HR director could not attend.
- Forwarded $3.5M general obligation promissory note sale to County Board (unanimous)
- Forwarded $1.5M CDBG funding request for Hope Village affordable housing conversion to County Board (unanimous)
- Approved consent agenda including meeting minutes and next meeting dates (unanimous)
- Reviewed 2nd quarter finance update
- Reviewed HR employee engagement and stay survey update
- Postponed HR mission, vision, and values statement to a future meeting
Planning & Zoning Committee
The Chippewa County Planning & Zoning Committee approved a rezone for TBAMR Properties in the Town of Lafayette, recommended three ordinance amendments for County Board approval, approved two preliminary and final plats, and approved a contract for the comprehensive plan update. All votes were unanimous with one member excused.
- Approved rezone 2024-0008 for TBAMR Properties (unanimous)
- Recommended approval of Ord. 14-24 (floodplain amendments) (unanimous)
- Recommended approval of Ord. 15-24 (shoreland amendments) (unanimous)
- Recommended approval of Ord. 16-24 (zoning amendments) (unanimous)
- Approved Wheaton Wildflowers preliminary and final plat (unanimous)
- Approved Frazer III plat contingent on state acceptance of Outlot 1 (unanimous)
- Approved comprehensive plan update contract with WCWRPC (unanimous)