Dunn County Board Meeting for 5/21/2025

 COUNTY OF DUNN
MENOMONIE, WISCONSIN
NOTICE OF PUBLIC MEETING

In accordance with the provisions of Section 19.84, Wisconsin Statutes, notice is hereby given that a public
meeting of the DUNN COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS will be held on Wednesday, May 21,
2025 at 7:00 pm. in Room 54 of the Dunn County Government Center, 3001 US Highway 12 East in
Menomonie, Wisconsin. The building entrance for public meetings is on the lower level of the Government
Center and will be open 30 minutes ahead of the meeting start time.
A video recording of the meeting will be available for subsequent viewing on the Dunn County YouTube
channel at the following link: https://www.youtube.com/@dunncounty1854. Persons wishing to provide
public comment may do so at the meeting or may submit written comments by sending an email beforehand
to [email protected]
Items of business to be discussed or acted upon at this meeting are listed below:

AGENDA – COUNTY BOARD MEETING

1. Call to Order

2. Call of the roll

3. Approval of the Minutes: April 16, 2025 Meeting

No speaking to the minutes happens and the minutes approve.

4. Presentations of Petitions, Memorials, and Other Communications:

   A. Retirements: Ruth Juliot (DHS Behavioral Health) 4/15/25; Jane Hansen (Admin Finance)

5/9/25

   B. Remembrance of Dept of Human Services employee Jennie Haviland’s passing on April 19,

2025

5. Public Comment

No member of the public comes forward for comment

6. Appointments

There were no new appointments for this month.

7. Report of County Manager

   A. Purchase Orders Over $40,000

No questions were asked on this item.

   B. 2026 Budget Calendar

Final board approval seems to be mostly a formality.

   C. Geothermal/Solar, HVAC and CIP Update – Dan Dunbar

A company was awarded a contract but the committee decided not to go through with the geothermal project. HVAC and CIP will be on the agenda for the facilities committee next week, but the county is aware the HVAC needs to be redone so there is no further discussion. There are no questions either.

   D. Latest version of Rules of the Board in county board packets for review.

8. Reports of Departments: County Clerk, Criminal Justice Collaborating Division, Child Support

The Dunn County clerk discusses projects, such as postcards of redrawn electoral boundaries, and hiring of new staff. He also discusses the issuing of proclamations for professional municipal clerks week thanking Dunn County’s municipal clerks for their service. He recaps a county clerks convention that he attended. A celebration of 150 years of library service was also conducted. Election integrity was also discussed at a league of women voters panel that the county clerk attended. He also mentions a school tour of the county government building, in which a vote of pizza versus chicken nuggets was conducted.

He then explains some election statistics. Dunn co had the biggest ever election this year. He talks about the unpredictability of Wisconsin voters- Dunn County for example shifted 16 points to the left since 2024 in the election. The clerk said he was invited to a national conference in florida to present on the uniqueness of wisconsin.

The criminal justice collaborating division representatives come forward to present. The CJCC is 22 agencies including county and state leaders, judges, police, human services, etc. It’s executive committee meets quarterly to decide what projects it will focus on. The mission of the CJCC is to improve the system for all residents, using evidence based decision making. They mention data that gives them better focus on what to help with in deterring crime. For example, they say that their data says law enforcement interactions in dunn co are mostly with low risk individuals. The county is better off with fewer interactions between law enforcement and low risk individuals, say the representatives.They also mention that the main offenses involve substance use in the county. Lots of people coming through the criminal justice system have substance use disorders or other mental health difficulties.

They also mention other risk factors like use of leisure time, pro-criminal attitudes, household difficulties, antisocial personality patterns, and school and work participation.

The representatives also mention their projects, such as Project Hope, which encourages police to practice deflection to keep people with substance use disorders or unhoused persons out of jail, in order to not create criminal situations.There is also the treatment opportunity program which allows reduction of charges in exchange for participation in treatment for substance use disorders. Finally they mention their ‘why,’ which is a desire to reduce recidivism for a safer community, and that punishment alone is not enough to achieve that end. They have received 4 million dollars in grant money.

The second representative speaks frankly and says sober people quit committing crimes, and that in their programs children have been given back to their parents after they get sober, and that it is better for society if children are raised by their own parents.

Supervisor Stori brings up the fact that the organization has had state recognition and thanks the representatives.

Supervisor Lauffer asks if the organization partners with local churches to give spiritual help for people with substance use. They say that they do, but they cannot mandate religious interaction but they have spiritual directors come in to offer help to the individuals they serve. The representatives mention the great importance of community engagement of any kind to sobriety. Get people connected- get people sober.

Supervisor Hagen mentions some anecdotes of people not being served well by the courts, and thanks the representatives but gives some suggestions to improve.

A representative from the child support department presents next, starting with a video description of the child support process. The representative explains the work the department does, the many jobs they find themselves in, and what enforcement means. It’s emphasized that individuals that owe child support are not bad people, and that the department considers building relationships with them as well as the receivers. She mentions the fact that as a case worker she always tried to congratulate individuals on improvement on meeting their obligations, and not just pop up when individuals were not meeting obligations. The representative mentions contacting other states on behalf of individuals within the child support system, such as obtaining a passport for a person who made his payment, or obtaining a 17,000 dollar refund for a man whose case had been hijacked by the state of Kansas based on a suspended order from California. Another emotional situation occurred when a man with a closed case who relapsed did not know who else to call but his child support case manager- the representative speaking. She says that these anecdotes serve to show the impact the child support department has on the community it serves. Several supervisors laud the representative.

9. Consideration of Reports, Resolutions, and Ordinances to the County Board from the Executive

10. Committee:

   A. Joint Development Agreement for Muddy Creek Solar Project (this portion occurs before item 8 in order to allow the representatives to leave the meeting when the item relevant to them was finished)

Supervisor Larry Bjork speaks on this item. He asks if there is a way to weigh the tonnage that will be carried over the roads and if there is hope for compensation for road wear and tear. Chair McCullough mentions that. Supervisor Morehouse says that the compensation is in the contract and that money will be given to the town affected. An attorney representing Muddy Creek Solar speaking from zoom says that the estimates will be slightly decreased, but for transparency he says that sums will be given to the town and the county. He says the estimates are calculated based on the design. He also says that section 2 of the agreement discusses road damages.

Supervisor Thomas mentions a report of a solar field destroyed by hail that caused ground contamination, and asks in such a case, would the developer be on the hook for that.

The Muddy Creek Solar representative comes forward and says that the contamination was not scientifically verified and not confirmed as true, and the solid state drives used would have to be dipped in acid for any chemicals of any kind to be released.

Supervisor Gary Bjork asks if any farm buildings would have to be destroyed for the project and if taxes would change, a concern which the representative addresses.

Supervisor Gilbert asks if this even needs board approval, and the chair says Muddy Creek Solar is doing this voluntarily.

The motion passes unanimously.

   B. 2025 Budget Amendments – Sheriff, DHS, & Health.

Roll call vote is taken for the first budget amendment, and it passes.

   C. Resolution to Add Opioid Defendants

This motion passes unanimously.

11. Consideration of Reports, Resolutions and Ordinances coming to the County Board from the

Standing Committees:

   A. Planning Resources & Development: Request for Rezone: PA to GA – Hellman

This motion also passes unanimously.

   B. Highway Committee: Resolution – Highway Traffic Safety Plan

Calls for debate are not answered and the motion passes unanimously.

12. Announcements: Next Meeting – June 18, 2025

13. Adjournment
Kelly McCullough, Chairperson
By: Kristin Korpela, County Manager
Upon reasonable notice, the County will make efforts to accommodate the needs of disabled individuals
through sign language, interpreters or other auxiliary aids. For additional information or to request the
service, contact the County Human Resources Manager at 715-232-2429 (Office), 715-232-1324 (FAX)
or 715-231-6406 (TDD) or by writing to the Human Resources Manager, Human Resources Department,
3001 US Hwy 12 E, Suite 225, Menomonie, Wisconsin 54751.