Door County meeting summaries, agendas, and minutes

Door County Board to review $33.3M 2027 budget; recent meetings set agendas

No final decisions have been made in Door County over the past two weeks; all recent committee meetings were agenda sessions, and minutes have not yet been published. The most consequential item ahead is the County Board's Aug. 25 budget workshop, which will review a proposed 2027 tax levy of $33,315,137, a 1.24% increase from 2026.

Budget and Finance

The Aug. 25 County Board workshop is informational. It will cover the levy limit calculation (maximum allowed levy of $27,224,770, excluding ambulance, bridge aid, and debt service), department budgets, wages, positions, insurance, the 2027-2031 Capital Improvement Plan, and a 2028 forecast. Proposed new positions include a Peer Support Specialist in Health & Human Services funded by opioid settlement funds with no levy impact, plus reclassifications in Register of Deeds, ADRC, and Highway. Pay rate increases are proposed for on-call and on-duty EMTs and paramedics.

The Finance Committee will also review the 2027 budget on Aug. 25 at 11 a.m. in Sturgeon Bay, covering the Register of Deeds, Real Property/LIO, Treasurer's, and Finance departments.

At an Aug. 18 joint Administrative and Finance Committee meeting, members discussed 2026 health, dental, and vision utilization and possible 2027 plan adjustments, stop loss insurance renewal, and projected wage aging. The agenda included part-time pay rate increases for EMT, seasonal, and reserve deputy positions, totaling $135,844 in changes with a $92,808 tax levy impact.

Public Safety and Communications

On Aug. 11, the Judiciary & Public Safety Committee and Communications Advisory Technical Subcommittee met jointly to discuss the Towers/Communications Plan, receive a vendor recommendation for the Public Safety Radio System upgrade, and get a project update. The agenda also included monthly reports from Emergency Services and Communications and consideration of applying for a FY27 PSAP grant.

Health and Human Services

The Health & Human Services Board on Aug. 10 reviewed a request for $200,000 in Special Project Funds to support ADRC operations over three years, addressing a projected $90,000 shortfall by 2028. The board also discussed a proposal to use $758,554 in special needs funds and $468,944 in opioid settlement funds for a four-tiered substance use treatment program, including a sober living facility for women. A $1,450 donation from the FFA 2026 Dairy Breakfast was on the agenda.

Highway and Facilities

On Aug. 12, the Highway & Facilities Committee considered awarding a bid for milling and hot mix on County Road C (CHI Project #19628), outsourcing crushing and related equipment, a 2027 County Conservation Aid Grant resolution, park facility rental and deposit fees, and culvert aid for Town of Sturgeon Bay - Lake Lane.

Library

The Library Board on Aug. 17 reviewed proposed 2027 closed and close-early dates, moving the Circulation Assistant position into the compensation structure, vouchers, and acceptance of gifts, grants, or donations. Reports were scheduled from the Miller Art Museum, Museum/Archives, Library Director, and School Library.

Administrative

The Administrative Committee on Aug. 18 reviewed a resolution to accept a $104,254 WisDOT grant for a Door County Connect bus replacement (total project cost $130,318, local match $26,064 from Transportation 85.21 Trust Fund), an HR Director recruitment update, and the monthly personnel transaction report.

Resource Planning

On Aug. 20, the Resource Planning Committee discussed possible amendments to the Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance, including allowing shipping containers as accessory structures and revising temporary use regulations. The agenda included correspondence from Linda D. Wait opposing the shipping container amendment and from Julie Schmelzer proposing temporary use amendments.

Coming up

• **Aug. 25 – County Board budget workshop (informational) and regular meeting.** The regular meeting will consider resolutions authorizing grant applications for dock refurbishment at Lily Bay County Park (Resolution 2026-54) and a WI DOT Public Transit Assistance Program Capital Grant for bus replacement (Resolution 2026-55), a zoning map amendment for Baileys Harbor (Ordinance 2026-03), and an update on the public safety radio system vendor selection.
• **Aug. 25 – County Board voucher list.** The board will review accounts payable for July 22–Aug. 19, 2026, including August settlements to school districts: Gibraltar Area ($4,401,988.02), Southern Door ($4,776,242.45), Sturgeon Bay Public ($3,619,248.02), Sevastopol ($3,562,903.61), Washington Island ($538,290.00), and NWTC Green Bay ($2,212,096.95). Settlements to towns and villages include City of Sturgeon Bay ($3,279,674.41), Village of Sister Bay ($1,137,417.06), Village of Egg Harbor ($839,969.74), Town of Gibraltar ($875,989.77), Town of Liberty Grove ($705,632.56), Town of Washington ($652,206.00), and Town of Baileys Harbor ($561,501.28). Also listed: July court fines to the State of Wisconsin ($89,379.77), technology purchases from CDW Government ($57,675.56), Bay Electronics ($15,295.00), Connecting Point ($17,853.24), and Heartland Business Systems ($11,823.36), and a Veteran's Service heating and cooling repair ($10,975.00).
• **Aug. 25 – Finance Committee budget review** at 11 a.m. in Sturgeon Bay.

Door County Board Set to Consider $3.3 Million Museum Project, Highway Commissioner Appointment

Door County officials were scheduled to weigh a $3.3 million budget update for the Door County Museum & Archives project and appoint a new Highway Commissioner during recent meetings. Because minutes for all recent meetings have not yet been published, final outcomes are not yet available.

Museum & Archives Project and County Board Actions

The July 28 County Board of Supervisors agenda included Resolution 2026-52 to authorize funding, contract awards, and construction for Phase III of the Door County Museum & Archives project. The Highway & Facilities and Finance Committees met jointly on July 22 to review a construction bid totaling $2,926,480 and a proposed updated total project budget of $3,300,000. The resolution would use up to $2,685,000 from the Capital Improvement Program (CIP) Project Fund, with a tentative construction start date of August 24, 2026.

The County Board agenda also included the appointment of a Door County Highway Commissioner (Resolution 2026-50), transfers of non-budgeted funds for Cherryland Airport Runway Project cost overages (Resolution 2026-53) and Landfill Leachate Pump emergency repairs (Resolution 2026-51), and approval of grants for invasive species control on Plum Island and Detroit Island (Resolution 2026-48).

The board was also scheduled to approve a voucher list totaling over $174,000 from June 18 to July 21, 2026. This included $6,127.58 to New Life Press for August primary ballots, $25,618.24 to Omnicom Consulting Group for 2nd quarter consulting hours, and $53,835.68 in court fines remitted to the State of Wisconsin.

Finance and Airport Overruns

The Finance Committee agenda for July 22 included a review of airport project cost overruns and a first review of the proposed 2027-2031 Capital Improvements Program. The committee was also scheduled to consider a resolution for emergency repairs to a landfill leachate pump and a 3-year land records life cycle extension contract with Fidlar Technologies.

Zoning and Land Use

The Zoning Board of Adjustment was scheduled to hold a public hearing on July 28 for Betty Wall's request to build a sauna 63 feet from the ordinary high-water mark at 4120 Glidden Dr. in Sevastopol, where 75 feet is required. The agenda also included final decisions on variances for Andy Gill at 8288 County Highway Q in Baileys Harbor and Karen Zimmer at 1136 Garrett Bay Rd.

Other Committees

• The Administrative Committee was scheduled to meet July 21 for a closed session performance evaluation of County Administrator Ken Pabich, along with a July tabletop election exercise and HR Director recruitment update.
• The Library Board agenda for July 20 included a request to serve alcohol at designated Miller Art Museum events and acceptance of grants approved by the Door County Library Foundation on June 30, 2026.
• The Aging & Disability Resource Center Advisory Board was scheduled to review an application for National Family Caregiving Support Program funding on July 20.
• The Fair Officers & Fair Association agenda included a reported total cash on hand of $347,000 and discussions on 15 pending vendors and 16-18 craft fair vendors for the 2026 fair.

Coming Up

• **Aug. 4:** Criminal Justice Collaborating Council will review Treatment Court updates and a potential contract with Oxford House for a sober living facility.
• **Aug. 5:** Comprehensive Community Services (CCS) / Coordinated Services Team (CST) Coordinating Committee will welcome new member Damien Warwick and review enrollment status reports for CCOP (104), CCS (56), and CST (1).
• **Aug. 6:** Highway Safety Commission will review intersection and ferry dock safety, including 2nd Quarter 2026 crash spot maps showing 68 total crashes and 86 car/deer crashes.
• **Aug. 6:** Resource Planning Committee will hold a public hearing on three zoning cases, including a rezone of 12.62 acres from Countryside to Mixed-use Commercial near CTH A and CTH E in Baileys Harbor.