[{"_1":2,"_97":-5,"_98":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_25":26},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5},"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","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_27":28,"_29":30},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[31,74,85],{"_32":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":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},"mediaId",6555078,"mediaKeyId","3847906-191576c5cba0c54c3428b169f39a9675","parentId",3847906,"title","Westcap reports services to Barron County, outlines funding mix and warns of federal funding volatility","audioSeconds",1243,"startMs",2354000,"endMs",3597000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3847906-191576c5cba0c54c3428b169f39a9675&start=2354&end=3597","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3847906-191576c5cba0c54c3428b169f39a9675/thumbnail_2354000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6555078/Barron-County/Wisconsin/Westcap-reports-services-to-Barron-County-outlines-funding-mix-and-warns-of-federal-funding-volatility","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6555078-98ac744b936fe2b23df6fc690e982b8b/orig.mp4?Expires=1770116990&Signature=XctFxItVIjHWkNhQ6gVee~7sAESvXG1AdcjFqs~93etVWyV6wMzQskYL~bVzVX418Fua37XqB~YtpQAt9o5DmZGLM~-McmwZrCqu~DlX1ZLvG6ejQW~c0ZzYjgjjN1Sj8kkrMt4Yh8i4iabQs5IhpMlty4rf5LzKu3IIP89jBkugVHzFF5RUb7bN1R7srIsPd9eg4gzGheCnlzQpVkz0-9YQevwgtEZQ8mruB7AjRvcBdlQ9dpIHp8EsPVT1yn9PC7bkKED0KwdPt3gVsl9iw7jqOoqxW1uiFsm2d~ozdIprxiUvqPk4hNwIu7Ey9n-oyYaz6LmLaGeIWd6oMWPihw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Barron County, WI","date","2025-06-17T10:51:28Z","article","Tim Mather, executive director of Westcap (West Central Wisconsin Community Action Agency), gave the board an overview of the agency’s programs and its work in Barron County.

Mather said Westcap serves seven counties and that, in 2024, it assisted 2,845 households in Barron County. He reported that Westcap’s Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) funding is about $400,000 annually, of which roughly $60,000 was used to support Barron County programs in 2024. In addition to CSBG, Mather said Westcap administers federal, state and private funds; across its service area the agency manages roughly $27 million in program dollars.

Program highlights Mather provided for Barron County in 2024 included:
- Food access: Westcap helped more than 2,000 individual residents; Mather estimated the value of food and staff time at about $251,000. Westcap runs USDA-funded programs including the Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP), the Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP) and the Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program.
- Housing: Westcap served 153 households and cited roughly $773,000 in related value; the agency also owns or developed affordable housing in the county (Mather cited two properties north of Barron totaling 48 units and an additional 21 units in Rice Lake).
- Energy assistance: Westcap served more than 1,600 households in Barron County with energy-assistance payments averaging about $550 per household, representing roughly $1 million paid directly to local utilities.
- Weatherization and emergency responses: Westcap conducted energy audits or weatherization work on 102 homes in Barron County and responded to 54 “no heat” emergency calls, with an estimated $600,000 in direct value from weatherization and related services.

Mather described CSBG as an operational backbone rather than the primary funding source for program delivery; he emphasized that the agency combines federal, state, local and private funding to run its programs. When asked how Westcap’s budget breaks down, he said the $400,000 in CSBG supports operations while program dollars total roughly $27 million across the agency’s service area.

Board members asked about coordination with county agencies. Mather said Westcap coordinates with county ADRCs and human services offices on programs such as the Senior Farmers Market voucher program and energy-assistance referrals. He also confirmed that Barron County had previously administered energy assistance in-house but that Westcap took over a few years ago.

During questions, Mather warned that abrupt federal funding actions can expose the agency to financial risk. He described a recent incident in which HUD funding was shut off abruptly, which could have left the agency exposed to about $1.5 million in unreimbursed payments to landlords; he said those interruptions have led Westcap to operate more conservatively in recent months.

Supervisors who spoke during the presentation included Supervisor Patty Anderson, Supervisor Cook, Supervisor Fall, Supervisor Turcotte and Supervisor Banks. Supervisor Fall, who serves on Westcap’s board, praised the agency’s work and asked Mather for success stories; Mather described client outcomes including education and housing stability programs that, he said, help people increase income and retain housing.

Mather closed by saying Westcap seeks to expand affordable housing where feasible and that the agency uses private developers and low-income housing tax credits for many projects.

Notes: Program counts and dollar figures were provided by the presenter; the transcript includes some numeration artifacts and pauses. Figures are reported as stated by Westcap’s executive director during the presentation.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","County Board 2025/06/16","oneSentenceSummary","Tim Mather, executive director of Westcap, told the Barron County Board Westcap served 2,845 households in the county in 2024 and delivered roughly $3.25 million in local support; he described program details, funding sources and the agency’s exposure to sudden federal funding disruptions.","taxTitle","Barron County, Wisconsin","taxId",72846,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_32":75,"_34":35,"_36":37,"_38":76,"_40":77,"_42":78,"_44":43,"_46":79,"_48":80,"_50":81,"_52":82,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":83,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":84,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},6555083,"Staples Lake district seeks to add 19 Polk County riparian parcels; public hearing set for June 18",561,1793000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3847906-191576c5cba0c54c3428b169f39a9675&start=1793&end=2354","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3847906-191576c5cba0c54c3428b169f39a9675/thumbnail_1793000.jpg","/articles/6555083/Barron-County/Wisconsin/Staples-Lake-district-seeks-to-add-19-Polk-County-riparian-parcels-public-hearing-set-for-June-18","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6555083-d641f0b1566f282bcbb94d158107067d/orig.mp4?Expires=1770116990&Signature=IPtS48c3GMefLahUTFE0~qNIC9p7ZrM05pc4YQLOCj3Eo2gOg3wuxrbNVmoVG1B0~26u6URq~j8jnmYdY9DztnieyrDokNxTpJ0ugls7b6PVJnHjhSxfctGpy2wRyp9iVaTcJ7LHH5rFegd-MH6JWe39Mnt6gg~v3ch8cFLbmyuUvxFgieXNy5mfeIvcTMhHTowFGZ9c5OIg9S1TjLKqk8wR0bjtViRkpkE2IrCMLDl4SAbOrfX~w85EYrpqhhL~pG06JF-XRKuKTIzTlCl-4lH1LuOsIxstH7AMyAgknrZ8qe~oYMmiU8C90lRdP1drvPwQNC3VqfgPRFfAsecDEw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Pat Brown, lakeshore technician with the Barron County Soil and Water Conservation Department, briefed the board on a proposal to expand the Staples Lake Protection and Rehab District to include 19 riparian parcels that lie in Polk County.

Brown said the Staples Lake district was formed in 1976 and historically included only the Barron County portion of the lake. The Lake District has initiated a legal process to attach the 19 Polk County riparian parcels to the district so that all riparian owners around the lake would be in a single political subdivision for lake management and grant eligibility.

Brown told supervisors that the Lake District sent registered-mail notifications to the 19 affected property owners; as of his report, 16 of 19 return receipts had been received. A Lake District meeting held about two weeks earlier drew four of the affected property owners, and those attendees indicated they were in favor of inclusion. Brown said the Polk County administrator sent a letter stating no objection to the expansion. The Lake District has published notice for a public hearing scheduled for Wednesday, June 18, at 6 p.m. in the county auditorium.

County staff and supervisors clarified the procedural reasons Barron County is holding the hearing: under the governing statutory process the county with the larger equalized value hosts the hearing and makes the initial determination. If the Lake District committee determines inclusion is necessary and beneficial, that committee will forward a resolution to the county board, which may vote on the matter (the committee and board process can extend up to statutory time limits, including a period of up to six months in which actions may be taken).

Brown explained the Staples Lake district currently collects a flat fee (reported at $150 annually per property) rather than a mill rate on assessed value; he said inclusion of the Polk County parcels would not change the county’s tax levy and that Polk County would collect the $150 fee for parcels in its jurisdiction and forward it to the Staples Lake district. Brown said the expansion is intended to unify lake management across the full riparian community, improve eligibility for some grants and projects, and address ecological and community issues that cross the county line.

Supervisors in the discussion included Supervisor Rogers, Supervisor Heller, Supervisor Bob Anderson and Supervisor Gore, who asked about the process, tax impact and eligibility to serve on the Lake District’s governing board. Brown confirmed that once included the Polk County property owners would be eligible to serve as Lake District commissioners.

No formal county board action was taken at the briefing; the item was listed for discussion and a future public hearing.

Notes: The transcript references review by county corporation counsel and correspondence from the Polk County administrator; those documents were described in the briefing but were not read into the record in full.","Barron County staff briefed the board on a proposed expansion of the Staples Lake Protection and Rehab District to include 19 riparian parcels located in Polk County. The Lake District plans a public hearing on June 18 at 6 p.m.; most notified owners returned receipts and Polk County raised no objection.",{"_32":86,"_34":35,"_36":37,"_38":87,"_40":88,"_42":89,"_44":90,"_46":91,"_48":92,"_50":93,"_52":94,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":95,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":96,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},6555087,"Barron County board approves agenda, minutes, appointments and 2026 budget guidelines; appoints acting interim sheriff",2349,1624000,3973000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3847906-191576c5cba0c54c3428b169f39a9675&start=1624&end=3973","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3847906-191576c5cba0c54c3428b169f39a9675/thumbnail_1624000.jpg","/articles/6555087/Barron-County/Wisconsin/Barron-County-board-approves-agenda-minutes-appointments-and-2026-budget-guidelines-appoints-acting-interim-sheriff","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6555087-0be6c69aab1535d27dc376aa908bcbc3/orig.mp4?Expires=1770116990&Signature=Q~~SDHAsKIUKTrTFdHkaVcAQvEGAaNNR2QTaOB85kSKMagSsxjHQ9UhRoFBpvuupSBqYs0~Ljl4rc4QZgIn6qLsK8Kww3vDb6EwrhJXZqOu1b5sRuOVKiVG9KCNbPPE4XitZPs-puie44C-odefnlIL1Bj4dsM~q0lspc2qh69Ia0sgtbLNvePCz07ACTqjoMZ~eUAPV-R82Gu59rBTJV1eObjvMuBy0ipfFRqTZzMO0D~xMg1qxSWlzbXuciS5HGGh3KewCdUQMHp2o5fhZWFgOvKe4yqBjtIUwJbSHcBozaYuiHt~buvGS3ojNGimgre-oQhMEmxyrSFK56o7Pug__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Barron County Board of Supervisors approved a set of routine items during its meeting, including the consent agenda and minutes, a slate of committee appointments, and the resolution establishing the 2026 county budget preparation guidelines. The board also voted to appoint Jason Hagen as the county’s acting interim sheriff, effective June 1.

Board members first approved the meeting agenda and the minutes of the May 19, 2025 meeting. A later vote approved the resolution that establishes the 2026 budget preparation timeline and guidelines. The board also approved multiple appointments listed on the agenda as a single motion. All votes recorded in the meeting packet passed by a majority with a tally reported as 28 yes and 1 absent.

On the appointment of Jason Hagen as acting interim sheriff, the chair announced a certificate of appointment had been received from the state. A motion to approve Jason Hagen as acting interim sheriff was made by Supervisor Gooslick and seconded by Supervisor Turcotte; the motion passed with the same 28-yes, 1-absent tally.

Votes at a glance:
- Approval of meeting agenda: Motion by Supervisor Nelson; outcome: approved, 28 yes, 1 absent.
- Approval of May 19, 2025 minutes: Motion by Supervisor Heller; outcome: approved, 28 yes, 1 absent.
- Appointment of Jason Hagen as acting interim sheriff (effective June 1): Motion by Supervisor Gooslick; seconded by Supervisor Turcotte; outcome: approved, 28 yes, 1 absent.
- Resolution establishing 2026 budget preparation guidelines and timeline: Motion by Supervisor Cook; outcome: approved, 28 yes, 1 absent.
- Appointments (item 15 A–D, including Staples Lake LLC extension committee assignment): Motion by Supervisor Banks; seconded by Supervisor Heller; outcome: approved, 28 yes, 1 absent.

Meeting attendees recorded an absence by Ben (Ben Hansen) for the votes listed above. The board did not take additional substantive policy actions on the items listed beyond the approvals described.

Notes: Where individual vote-by-name records were not read into the transcript, the board recorded the overall tallies as reported above. The motions and tallies above are drawn from the meeting transcript and the board’s roll-call statements.","The Barron County Board of Supervisors approved routine agenda and minutes, confirmed several appointments, adopted 2026 budget preparation guidelines, and voted to appoint Jason Hagen as acting interim sheriff; votes were recorded as 28 yes, 1 absent.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Westcap reports services to Barron County, outlines funding mix and warns of federal funding volatility

Staples Lake district seeks to add 19 Polk County riparian parcels; public hearing set for June 18

Barron County board approves agenda, minutes, appointments and 2026 budget guidelines; appoints acting interim sheriff