Lincoln County meeting summaries, agendas, and minutes

Lincoln County declares emergency for Highway M bridge repair

The Lincoln County Board declared an emergency for the County Highway M bridge on Aug. 18, allowing the Highway Commissioner to bypass competitive bidding and solicit bids from three contractors for repairs estimated at $325,000. The board also approved planning for new highway facilities at existing sites in Merrill and Tomahawk, with up to $175,000 allocated for planning.

County Board

The board approved the following items by voice vote:

• Enrollment of tax parcel #02634071319999 into County Forest Law
• Application for a Sustainable Forestry Grant for forest road improvements
• Conveyance of six parcels of real estate
• Acceptance of $33,955.79 in FY2025 Emergency Management Performance Grant reimbursement
• Acceptance of $7,982.12 in FY2025 EPCRA Planning Grant reimbursement
• Acceptance of $350.22 in additional CHREG grant funding, bringing the total to $5,570.58
• Approval of $35,315 from the Bierman Family Foundation for the K-9 program

Forestry, Land and Parks Committee

At its Aug. 10 meeting, the committee awarded tax-delinquent Property #6 to high bidder Josh Muenchow (all ayes). It kept the minimum bid at $119,600 for unsold Property #3, with bids due Sept. 11. It approved a $13,662 quote for 66,000 red pine seedlings, accepted a $43,604 bid from J&J Lee Construction for concrete slab work, and authorized new timber contracts with Twin Forest Products at existing rates. The committee also approved an access permit for the Russell family across County Forest land and amended a resolution to apply for a grant for an ADA-accessible fishing pier at Larson Lake only. All votes were unanimous.

Public Safety Committee

The committee postponed a resolution to reduce lieutenant positions in the Sheriff's Office to five until September, after amending it to include creating a civilian dispatch supervisor position on the wage scale. It approved several grant reimbursements, a $5,000 purchasing card for Emergency Management, a K-9 donation from the Bierman Family Foundation, and $11,916.44 in EMS write-offs. A resolution for ambulance cameras was tabled pending discussions. All votes were unanimous.

Land Services Committee

The committee approved the Hatchet Ridge Estates final plat, a rezone of tax parcel #02634072649995 from Forestry to Rural Lands-4, the 2027 WDACP budget, and the 2027 Deer Donation Program Agreement. It also supported a grant application for the Larson Lake fishing pier. All motions passed by voice vote with no opposition recorded.

Other meetings

The Social Services Board meeting scheduled for Aug. 10 was cancelled. The Opioid Task Force meeting scheduled for Aug. 12 was also cancelled.

The Traffic Safety Commission met Aug. 18 and reviewed crash data from the Merrill Police Department and Lincoln County Sheriff's Office, along with highway and state reports. No formal decisions were made; the next meeting is Nov. 17.

The Public Property Committee approved July minutes and placed vouchers, a year-to-date budget report, and the superintendent's monthly report on file. Its next meeting is Sept. 15.

The Board of Health approved July minutes and placed the director's report and financials on file. Presentations were given on rabies investigations and the Human Health Hazards Ordinance, with discussion on abating health hazards in unfit homes. No formal decisions were made; the next meeting is Sept. 9.

The Youth Justice Collaborative Committee met Aug. 21 to continue discussions on its goals, including ART County Training and Advent E-Learning. No votes or decisions were listed; the next meeting is Oct. 16.

The County Board of Canvass is scheduled to meet to certify the Aug. 11 primary election results; minutes have not yet been published.

Coming up

The Solid Waste Committee will meet Aug. 27 to review waste tonnage and leachate reports, financial reports, a manager's report, and consider an equipment purchase via a capital improvement request. The agenda is largely routine.

Lincoln County committees meet, but no decisions recorded; upcoming agendas include land sales, budget talks

Lincoln County committees held four meetings over the past week, but none produced recorded decisions: minutes have not yet been published for any of them. The most consequential items on upcoming agendas include a $13,662 seedling purchase, a rezoning request, and a potential reduction in sheriff's lieutenant positions.

Recent meetings (agenda only, minutes not yet published)

Administrative & Legislative Committee — Aug. 5

The committee discussed a compensation study, a letter from the Economic Development Corporation, and a resolution to create an ad hoc committee on emerging land uses. No action was recorded.

Highway Committee — Aug. 6

Items included approval of an emergency cost-share for Somo Dam Road in the Town of Wilson, discussion of a 160-acre Swamp Road land parcel, review of financial reports and vouchers from June 30 to July 28, and a possible resolution discussion with the Public Property Committee. Public comment was allowed on agenda items.

Live Well Lincoln Leadership Team — Aug. 7

The team reviewed Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP) strategies, conducted the annual CHIP review, and discussed recent or upcoming happenings and partner updates.

Finance & Insurance Committee — Aug. 7

The committee discussed possible funding for emergency bridge repair on Highway M, the 2026 budget and Capital Improvement Plan, the 2025 final audit, and planning for the 2027 budget, including a compensation study update. It also considered requests from the Economic Development Corporation and T.B. Scott Library.

Upcoming meetings

Forestry, Land, and Parks Committee — Aug. 10

The committee will open and award bids for tax-delinquent land, set new minimum bids and a sale date for unsold properties, and review a $13,662.00 quote for 66,000 red pine seedlings. It will also consider a resolution to apply for Lumberjack RC&D grants for ADA-accessible fishing piers at Larson Lake and Ament Lake, and will discuss a cell tower lease with TowerNorth Development, LLC in closed session.

Social Services Board — Aug. 10 (cancelled)

The meeting scheduled for 4:00 PM has been cancelled. No business will occur.

Opioid Task Force — Aug. 12 (cancelled)

The regular meeting has been cancelled. No items will be discussed.

Public Safety Committee — Aug. 12

The committee will review budget and activity reports from Emergency Management, Coroner, Judicial, Sheriff's Office, and EMS. It will consider resolutions to accept FY25 Emergency Management Planning Grant (EMPG) reimbursement, FY25 EPCRA grant reimbursement, and FY25 Computer and HAZMAT Response Equipment Grant (CHREG) redistribution funding from Wisconsin Emergency Management. It will also discuss reducing lieutenant positions in the Sheriff's Office to 5 when a vacancy occurs, accept a Bierman Family Foundation donation for the K-9 program, and consider a purchasing card and ambulance camera installation. The 2027 EMS budget proposal will also be reviewed.

Land Services Committee — Aug. 13

The committee will hold a public hearing on a rezoning request by Loka and Sons Excavating LLC for tax parcel 02634072649995 from Forestry (F) to Rural Lands-4 (RL-4). It will review the final plat for Hatchet Ridge Estates (Durkee Builders LLC) and consider Lumberjack RC&D grant applications for fishing piers at Ament and Larson Lakes. Updates on the 2027 WDACP budget and the APHIS Deer Donation Program Agreement are also scheduled.

Coming up

• Forestry, Land, and Parks Committee — Aug. 10
• Public Safety Committee — Aug. 12
• Land Services Committee — Aug. 13

All meetings are open to the public unless noted otherwise. Agendas and minutes are available on the county website.

Lincoln County roundup: Maintenance reorganization approved, County Surveyor offer extended

The most consequential decisions this week came from the Public Property Committee, which approved a reorganization of the county maintenance department and took over responsibility for the Highway building project, while the Land Services Committee extended an employment offer for a new County Surveyor.

Public Property Committee

On July 21, the Public Property Committee approved two resolutions. The first, a reorganization of the maintenance department, passed with all ayes. The second, a resolution for Public Property to assume responsibility for the Hwy. building project and develop replacement plans for Hwy. and Forestry facilities, passed 4-1. The committee also approved its June 16, 2026 meeting minutes with all ayes.

Land Services Committee

On July 23, the Land Services Committee met in closed session to discuss recruitment and wages for the County Surveyor/Assistant Real Property Lister position. The motion to enter closed session passed 5-0, and the motion to reconvene into open session also passed 5-0. Following the closed session, the committee approved an employment offer for the County Surveyor/Assistant Real Property Lister role by voice vote.

County Board

The Lincoln County Board of Supervisors met July 21, but minutes have not yet been published. The agenda included Ord 2026-07-808, a zoning ordinance amendment for a property in the Town of Wilson (Karrie and Jennifer Strahota), and three resolutions: Res 2026-07-37, a policy prohibiting photography and video recording in buildings providing confidential services; Res 2026-07-38, reorganization of the Maintenance Department; and Res 2026-07-39, acceptance of three Pack 'n Plays for the Social Services Department. The board also listed discussion on 2026–2028 County Board Strategic Goals. Outcomes are not yet available.

Veterans Service Commission

The Veterans Service Commission held an emergency meeting July 21 at 4:30 PM. The agenda included reviewing and signing a voucher schedule, a possible closed session under Wis. Stat. § 19.85(1)(f) to review veteran assistance applications, and setting the next meeting date. Minutes have not yet been published.

Solid Waste Committee

The Solid Waste Committee met July 23 to review manager's mileage, waste tonnage, leachate, and financial reports, along with the manager's report and approval of previous meeting minutes. Minutes have not yet been published.

Broadband Commission

The Broadband Commission meeting scheduled for July 23 was cancelled. No items were decided or discussed.

Coming up

• **Aug. 5 — Administrative & Legislative Committee:** Continued discussion and possible action on a compensation study, a letter from the Economic Development Corporation, and a resolution to create an ad hoc committee on emerging land uses.
• **Aug. 6 — Highway Committee:** Approval of an emergency cost-share for Town of Wilson – Somo Dam Road, discussion of a 160-acre Swamp Road land parcel, review of financial reports and vouchers (6.30–7.28), and a public comment period on agenda items.
• **Aug. 7 — Live Well Lincoln Leadership Team:** Community Health Improvement Plan strategies discussion, annual CHIP review, and partner updates.
• **Aug. 10 — Social Services Board:** Meeting cancelled.

Lincoln County committees approve $25,000 land down payment, defer EMS budget as 34% cost increase looms

Lincoln County's Forestry, Land, and Parks Committee approved a $25,000 down payment toward a land acquisition this week, while the Public Safety Committee deferred the 2027 EMS budget proposal amid a projected 34% cost increase. Several other county bodies met or were scheduled to meet between July 8 and July 17, with two committees cancelling outright.

Forestry, Land, and Parks Committee — July 13

The committee approved a $25,000 down payment for a land acquisition, with additional stumpage revenue to be paid after the timber harvest, pending attorney review. The vote was all ayes.

Members also set a new tax-delinquent land sale date for August 10, with bids due August 7 (all ayes), and reduced the minimum bid on Property 6-26 to $20,000 (all ayes). Additional all-ayes votes approved a resolution to apply for a sustainable forestry grant, a resolution to enroll parcel #02634071319999 into County Forest Law, a request for Roland Machinery to host a Komatsu equipment demo, solicitation of bids for 75-acre pine release spraying in fall 2026, and closing of three timber sales with refunding of bonds.

Public Safety Committee — July 8

The committee approved $16,321.12 in EMS medical write-offs and placed annual reports from Emergency Management, the Coroner, the Judicial office, and the Sheriff's office on file. It also approved June 15 meeting minutes with a typo correction under the EMS section.

The committee deferred the 2027 EMS budget proposal to evaluate excluding four proposed employee positions from a projected 34% cost increase. Members requested a detailed breakdown separating baseline costs from new staffing needs before voting. The Tomahawk ambulance camera and GPS resolution was deferred to the next meeting. A closed session on Merrill Fire Department contract negotiations yielded no action.

Board of Health — July 15

The Board of Health elected Supervisor Laurie Thiel as secretary by voice vote. By voice vote, the board also approved the June 17, 2026 meeting minutes, the expense voucher for Department Head Shelley Cohrs, and Public Health Nurse Deanna Engel as the designee for human health hazard investigations.

Opioid Task Force — July 8

The task force approved May meeting minutes and reviewed a final draft of the strategic plan developed by ICPG and Social Services. Members expressed concerns about the size of the Treatment Court project, which will be discussed again next month. The Jail MAT Program update was deferred to the July meeting.

Meetings with agendas only (minutes not yet published)

• **Local Emergency Planning Committee (July 8):** Scheduled to approve previous minutes and review seven spill reports — WI SPILL #23008, #23308, #23516, #23625, #23667, #23750, and #23849. A public comment period was included.
• **Land Services Committee (July 9):** Scheduled to consider a resolution creating an ad hoc committee for emerging energy land uses and hold a public hearing on Kent and Mary Heaverlo's petition to create one lot not meeting the 30-foot public road frontage requirement.
• **Social Services Board (July 13):** Scheduled to review 2026 year-to-date financials and the 2025 Annual Report, consider a capital improvement request for an additional fleet vehicle, and act on a resolution to accept a donation of three Pack 'n Plays. A SNAP Error Rate presentation was also listed.
• **Finance & Insurance Committee (July 17):** May consider a motion to enter closed session under Wis. Stat §19.85(1)(c) to review employment, promotion, compensation, or performance evaluation data related to recruiting a finance director.

Cancelled meetings

The Finance & Insurance Committee meeting scheduled for July 10 was cancelled; its next regular meeting is set for August 7, 2026. The Death Review Team meeting scheduled for July 13 was also cancelled.

Coming up

• **July 21 — Veterans Service Commission:** Emergency meeting at 4:30 PM to review and sign a voucher schedule, with a possible closed session under Wis. Stat. §19.85(1)(f) to consider veteran assistance applications.
• **July 21 — Public Property Committee:** Will review a maintenance department reorganizational chart and a resolution on the Highway building project, plus vouchers and year-to-date budget report.
• **July 21 — County Board:** Will consider a zoning ordinance amendment for a Town of Wilson property (Karrie and Jennifer Strahota), resolutions on recording policy in confidential-service buildings, Maintenance Department reorganization, and acceptance of three Pack 'n Plays, plus discussion of 2026–2028 Strategic Goals.
• **July 23 — Solid Waste Committee:** Will review manager's mileage, waste tonnage, leachate, and financial reports.
• **July 23 — Broadband Commission:** Meeting cancelled.