[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6202672,"mediaKeyId","3785812-f908079f453aba924838d450feeab144","parentId",3785812,"title","Sawyer County Veterans Service Office reports steady workload, says no local cuts to benefits observed","audioSeconds",913,"startMs",1526000,"endMs",2439000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3785812-f908079f453aba924838d450feeab144&start=1526&end=2439","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3785812-f908079f453aba924838d450feeab144/thumbnail_1526000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6202672/Sawyer-County/Wisconsin/Sawyer-County-Veterans-Service-Office-reports-steady-workload-says-no-local-cuts-to-benefits-observed","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6202672-b75e75529f9003184ffa77fce5677eaa/orig.mp4?Expires=1775133719&Signature=a~tEQuMiuby8lnZLi9hlybvbXeZrC9TmldUYB-vnlsmyR6bKGym3-d34w6C4~r7XI62P8FqOJ0aSBEqLJk4rdlwWY-F-sBB~xPK53IjrwxvFb3cPTy~nGcp0Et9FnHB2L-B~jhhrCqO3bmIvhXTGG7L7xWid7MgbDsdmLDQToTHrdK1XeuphqyEKplb030Sdf63d79qyllfcPsQ1UuD2zaci7OBhpLt9dlBorrnHSEfOnsVj2fZJMPRDI61PfPeMKhRBV97wAvZJyxeYTK1UUq6gzQ19Anb8N9SPLMZGNo7ifSHPbHoFbsjEXb-P8jJHwdkM2m0yrAPMfWrq15dC6A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Sawyer County, WI","date","2025-06-12T17:27:10.797Z","article","The Sawyer County Veterans Service Office reported continued high demand and a recent uptick in outreach during May, including hundreds of calls and office visits and retroactive payments to veterans after claim decisions.

Gary (last name not specified), the county Veterans Service Officer, told the Administration Committee that in May his office handled 498 phone calls, roughly 772 letters/emails/faxes and 242 office visits. He said the office processed 72 disability compensation claims that resulted in more than $187,505.99 in retroactive initial payments for veterans whose claims were decided in their favor.

Gary compared May’s activity with figures he cited for 2024 and said the office’s performance was similar despite missed workdays for training. When members at the meeting asked about reports of federal cuts to veterans’ benefits, Gary said he had not seen veterans in Sawyer County lose benefits or experience delays attributable to recent federal-level changes. He told the committee, \"I've not seen 1 veteran suffer in Sawyer County for a delay or, or denial of benefits because of... how they process and do their programs.\" The committee heard that staff attend trainings and coordinate with state and federal offices to manage claims and outreach.

Committee members thanked the Veterans Service Office for advocacy and asked that the county be notified if there are cases where intergovernmental coordination could use board support. Gary said he will bring issues to the committee when warranted but prefers to resolve routine matters through established administrative channels.

The committee did not take formal action on the report; members discussed ways to better communicate the office’s non-public work and suggested staff and administrators consider a format for sharing sensitive examples without violating privacy.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Administration 2025 06 12","oneSentenceSummary","The county veterans service officer reported steady caseloads, retroactive benefit payments for veterans, and told the committee he had not observed benefit cuts locally tied to federal changes.","taxTitle","Sawyer County, Wisconsin","taxId",73055,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6202678,"County clerk flags problems with new public-records system; sheriff's department requests cause heavy workload",120,520000,640000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3785812-f908079f453aba924838d450feeab144&start=520&end=640","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3785812-f908079f453aba924838d450feeab144/thumbnail_520000.jpg","/articles/6202678/Sawyer-County/Wisconsin/County-clerk-flags-problems-with-new-public-records-system-sheriffs-department-requests-cause-heavy-workload","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6202678-5e852d1ba264745634cb17287fbd1cf2/orig.mp4?Expires=1775133719&Signature=nmbO98d3P3v0D79DT1kCFK8t564o6KRzMWFYNGX~c4mwzG-MIOVDQZVtjKnVDzBgWbMgDurRcykPcWJq4R2DdqKs-NLBHlNIguuBycqXTeM~R~OJA8NXGhsmvarC88FuGtlVX5-boYX9deUohUIkjrx9eZTTgwSEdE65rR5SoGnJxUxaIBI~579HfTdJ1jUrFgU0smNccudYNiLdZI814PKtesareyY59-Ff2lHoeFRCjRbVfIUleuHWplEs5kOeAcpZg~BYBc9ZvKL4XWCzTJPW4QAiU7vmdjCyux85uPcHnX2AkgC6dO94hFiEGHN-yQvA3yj5hVd-U7dCTi0EjA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Liz Klein, Sawyer County clerk, told the Administration Committee that a new third-party public-records request platform has increased staff workload and introduced technical problems that are creating extra steps for departments and delaying responses.

Klein said the new system funnels requests through the clerk’s office and requires uploading documents and managing invoices; she said the program is “doubling” the work for the staff member who handles most requests. Klein told the committee the county should review the system before renewing the contract in December and consider a department-head discussion to evaluate whether the platform’s tracking benefits outweigh the extra staff time.

Klein described specific operational burdens: many of the county’s record requests concern the sheriff’s department, and those requests often require redaction of video and other sensitive information — work that is time-consuming for sheriff’s staff. She said the platform's technical issues sometimes prevent document retrieval and force employees to revert to email workflows.

Klein also told the committee that the county had complied with a statewide service that provides automated standing records requests (referred to in committee discussion as the “Sunlight Report”), and legal staff advised including the service on the county’s mailing list to avoid repeated daily record requests. Klein said the county now appends the Sunlight Report address to committee mailings so the group receives full agenda packets rather than prompting repeated requests.

Committee members asked for staff training refreshers and suggested a department-head meeting focused on how best to use the platform. Klein recommended tracking which departments receive the most requests so the county can measure staff time and costs. Committee members expressed sympathy for the sheriff’s workload and agreed to consider a review before contract renewal.

Direct quote from the clerk: \"Talking to Desiree, who does.. mostly 99% of these, she is not liking this program. It's doubling her work.\" Klein also summarized legal advice about the automated requests: \"it's not worth arguing with them about that because it's basically that's an open standing records request.\"","Sawyer County clerk Liz Klein told the administration committee the county's new public-records request platform is doubling staff work, creating glitches and added redaction burden for the Sheriff's Department; she recommended a year-end review before contract renewal.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6202684,"Sawyer County confirms Mike Markran as county administrator; approves dual finance role for six months",3418,388000,3806000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3785812-f908079f453aba924838d450feeab144&start=388&end=3806","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3785812-f908079f453aba924838d450feeab144/thumbnail_388000.jpg","/articles/6202684/Sawyer-County/Wisconsin/Sawyer-County-confirms-Mike-Markran-as-county-administrator-approves-dual-finance-role-for-six-months","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6202684-0ce44909363763c098f9b53459f24fba/orig.mp4?Expires=1775133719&Signature=CFbkIesLoa8uiPZMBzRdIgIfV3swXYKViofjyDUirgOF84~y60KztwizEi0n27yt-t1VS8Devl6SzZFkhSvKF9SXMmQLm0O1LU~8-XK6mRHFfDyGJ85HlPU5IGtQfGWFFpYAo3NWLkd~b6e3EaHYK1wfmw8dm4DltyYz9q2laV3b~~ZNfAb7lkFB6QsAVkZWuIIA9RIb70tip~HKFa2jtdU6sU2Ps71nOsAcnqQvWZY3JVQZoOvdTaWnte7CnjtMcqtWUOK6S5KSVT4l6DDekaLiOzgyM1OljoMc41Iwxk4VHV4ZyVd9HgZCgC0mkPBV-7rHIcJUPUh5qZsBzI24ig__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Sawyer County Administration Committee confirmed Mike Markran as county administrator and voted to allow him to continue serving as the county’s finance director for a six-month trial period, with a committee review scheduled in December.

The committee voted to appoint Markran during its administrative meeting after a brief nomination and acceptance; the committee then discussed whether he should retain finance responsibilities in addition to the administrator role. Members agreed to a six-month review and recorded that Markran would receive the county administrator pay while holding both duties.

Committee members discussed past examples and the potential workload. Committee Chair (name not specified in the record) opened the item by reminding members that the administrator appointment still required full-board approval. A motion to confirm Mike Markran as county administrator was made and seconded; the committee approved the confirmation by voice vote.

When the committee discussed whether Markran should continue as finance director, members referenced historical practice in which a single person held both roles before duties were delegated. Several committee members supported a trial period to monitor workload and effects on departmental operations. One member said a three-month check might be too short; the committee settled on a six-month trial with a December review.

Markran spoke directly about his willingness and the limits of the arrangement. He told the committee, “I am willing to take on the role of administrator, continue the role of finance director at the pay negotiated for the administrator role.” That statement was included as part of the record the committee used when it moved to formalize the dual assignment.

The motion formalizing the dual role — that Markran would serve as county administrator and continue as finance director, paid at the administrator rate, with a six-month committee review — passed by voice vote with no recorded opposition.

The committee noted administrative next steps: the full County Board will consider the appointment at its next meeting, and committee members asked Markran and staff to raise any workload problems earlier than the six-month checkpoint if they arise.

The committee also approved appointing Markran as Sawyer County’s representative to the Northwest Regional Economic Development Fund Administrative Committee; he accepted the appointment.","The Sawyer County Administration Committee confirmed Mike Markran as county administrator and voted to allow him to retain the finance director duties for six months, with a committee review in December.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Sawyer County Veterans Service Office reports steady workload, says no local cuts to benefits observed

County clerk flags problems with new public-records system; sheriff's department requests cause heavy workload

Sawyer County confirms Mike Markran as county administrator; approves dual finance role for six months