[{"_1":2,"_110":-5,"_111":-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",[32,75,86,98],{"_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",6189176,"mediaKeyId","5058436-11466c9758c52e0b85a7ee65b4267075","parentId",5058436,"title","EMS staff raise advocacy concerns; committee appoints county administrator as acting EMS director","audioSeconds",4537,"startMs",135000,"endMs",4672000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5058436-11466c9758c52e0b85a7ee65b4267075&start=135&end=4672","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5058436-11466c9758c52e0b85a7ee65b4267075/thumbnail_135000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6189176/Richland-County/Wisconsin/EMS-staff-raise-advocacy-concerns-committee-appoints-county-administrator-as-acting-EMS-director","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6189176-1ce7450f1e20612d5e53df6151435c64/orig.mp4?Expires=1775206493&Signature=ellvYGrXG19~04IWqyzmdcOR8l279X-5H8CIvSKsfxKnvezznEwQhJVJIbQ6ZEg1QaS5-Xuw-2eFerNv~29Kvm1exhTIwZ8IowZSEV1E1cC3T6~~F-Rmqcp6F76J2aT8YyVki-z0t~GKwVga6EWy6N1A3G7lD1P--Z5dOqfArFV~OM8McoiyEPBAJV4HUx93tGDMCUe3351H-f8vR9VH38t9sU-WDUcudn4T3oHcIXK6Jcb0VPMOLQjRnS39MtMaNVXcBJaI2jB~RSHXQ4wPnUiSJtcBeHS3L5TjJsvpOhfL88COeQTrI-~fPxWYvTuug5MyFIiJpTh1~-1-riR9pA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Richland County, WI","date","2025-06-24T20:37:02.247Z","article","An EMS employee spoke during public comment on June 23 to say department members felt a recent event resulted in “a loss of advocacy” and urged the committee to consult EMS personnel when making leadership appointments. The committee later moved into closed session for personnel matters related to the ambulance service and, on returning to open session, appointed the county administrator to serve as acting EMS director until a contracted provider is secured.

During public comment, Matthew O'Bourd identified himself as “a member of the EMS department,” said he had come “to just speak on behalf of some of our service partners in regards to events that occurred last Friday,” and described “a loss of advocacy that we feel for the service and for the community.” He asked that EMS service members be consulted when leadership appointments are made and that the committee “take that into consideration.”

Later in the agenda the committee entered a closed session under Wisconsin Statutes §19.85(1)(c) to review employment and performance matters relating to the ambulance department. After the closed discussion, the committee returned to open session and approved an appointment: the county administrator (Trish) will serve as acting EMS director until a contracted EMS provider is put in place. The motion was approved by voice vote.

Why it matters: committee members noted the need for immediate coverage of EMS leadership and for contact information to be available for 24‑hour reach. The appointment is temporary and the committee directed staff to proceed with securing a contracted provider. No disciplinary or personnel specifics from the closed session were disclosed in open session.

Next steps: committee members asked staff to provide contact information for the acting director and to continue work to secure a contracted EMS provider. The action was announced to take effect immediately.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Executive & Finance Standing Committee - 2025/06/23","oneSentenceSummary","An EMS member told the committee of a loss of advocacy after a recent event; after a closed session on EMS staffing and performance the committee appointed the county administrator, Trish, as acting EMS director until a contracted provider can be placed.","taxTitle","Richland County, Wisconsin","taxId",72898,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":79,"_47":80,"_49":81,"_51":82,"_53":83,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":84,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":85,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6189181,"County weighs in‑house corporation counsel vs. contracted firm for 2026 budget",0,3785000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5058436-11466c9758c52e0b85a7ee65b4267075&start=3785&end=3785","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5058436-11466c9758c52e0b85a7ee65b4267075/thumbnail_3785000.jpg","/articles/6189181/Richland-County/Wisconsin/County-weighs-inhouse-corporation-counsel-vs-contracted-firm-for-2026-budget","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6189181-d931c4ed4fb46b5868db42dded2b99bf/orig.mp4?Expires=1775206493&Signature=nmXwC2A3Ox6CI8wEyrvV~iK-2skt5CsvaCFv92MI8AwgD3B64o2QF-W7ULxclRwirJ9Z6pppJ2nRwY6tXuFxrJyibfVQdyRM1KKfMUFNM4ndH4bILDWbVOHzf3bJiMcksoHNY3Faa1~yeKBjmXBE4v1qkPSGp19Kcjp~aPCos5D0JHIaVyCx4m7Q2qjodD9nC6Eru6wbYfhc3UGUVEXdnQQDH937JY50lyrYHelwTppVKO3xrq7pO~2EMIPUzxcHcQWuK9kgYRKTh-oMSx7l0Lzz6bszShAG1356~JkA57-aiFJdeldSWFWsP92w9XUNxg4HmVz2oNCeJzvpbji~~g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Cleveland County Executive Finance Standing Committee discussed June 23 whether to restructure corporation counsel for the 2026 budget year, weighing an in‑house full‑time counsel against continued contracting with outside firms.

County staff reported that the current annual spending on outside counsel and the assistant corporation counsel role totals roughly $115,000; the approximate cost of a full‑time in‑house corporation counsel was estimated at about $150,000 plus benefits and potential support staff. Staff said contracting has the advantage of overhead borne by the firm and flexibility in hours, while proponents of in‑house counsel said a county attorney could provide more timely, proactive legal work on items such as committee bylaws, ethics policy drafts, and outstanding tax deed and eviction matters.

Jennifer Harper, who identified herself as an assistant district attorney and assistant corporation counsel, cautioned about the personnel impact of changing structures. “By cutting … the assistant corporation counsel assistant out of my office, you're functionally cutting 20% out of my office,” she said, explaining that the historical 80/20 structure allowed recruitment and retention of attorneys who split time between the county and the district attorney’s office.

Committee members discussed options including increasing contracted hours, bidding the contract with clearer hour requirements, or hiring a full‑time counsel plus a legal secretary (costs for a legal secretary with salary and benefits were estimated in discussion at roughly $55,000). Several supervisors said they wanted a clearer accounting of current hours and a specification of the level of service required before a budget decision is made.

Outcome and next steps: the committee asked the administrator to return with clearer hourly usage, a specification of the duties the county expects (so a bid can be structured accordingly), and cost comparisons for an in‑house attorney plus necessary support staff versus expanded contracted services. No final decision was taken at the meeting.","The committee discussed whether to convert contracted corporation counsel into an in‑house position for 2026; staff said going in‑house would increase annual cost, while the assistant district attorney warned a change could reduce her office’s 20% corporation‑counsel time and hinder retention.",{"_33":87,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":88,"_41":89,"_43":90,"_45":91,"_47":92,"_49":93,"_51":94,"_53":95,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":96,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":97,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6189186,"Committee approves HealthDirect as pharmacy provider for Pine Valley Community Village",380,573000,953000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5058436-11466c9758c52e0b85a7ee65b4267075&start=573&end=953","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5058436-11466c9758c52e0b85a7ee65b4267075/thumbnail_573000.jpg","/articles/6189186/Richland-County/Wisconsin/Committee-approves-HealthDirect-as-pharmacy-provider-for-Pine-Valley-Community-Village","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6189186-8b517cd10f363939732d348971259a73/orig.mp4?Expires=1775206493&Signature=PRx7rWDURsATWRoAJoq~KZZxEDQ1D57UsbKGZMY7BGX~K0AWDiVdqQwgJevBE2EFblEniWmA5cokg6BlzU5I~nSfQiTXSyMtbhOHWa2CnY8rU3r0tLuzl-Qa3HodrnbG0l4m95evyz~6mCJtY0PHPlloQK5VHCjCNXOsXWS9wbR14mMM5uz1NHAEcslX1dAlz8syRUY1ZM19i7PAOcZwLIPSx3VU2gQoFNhR6fo7fBmsoheJAoMiVdnQmQ~YBMJGWGHm1lPwJ2ZYb~nvgPYsv6eBk1lpyJHwMMpV1aRsBPA0twTYY~geDSIvNvqs5ILo8sb6113ASIEF79nS65Cfwg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Cleveland County Executive Finance Standing Committee on June 23 approved a staff recommendation to move forward with HealthDirect Pharmacy as the new pharmacy provider for Pine Valley Community Village, with implementation to begin within 60 days.

Britney, a Pine Valley staff member who led the procurement presentation, said multiple bids were reviewed and that HealthDirect was the lowest‑cost bidder that met the facility’s requirements, and that facility clinical leadership recommended the vendor. “There is 1 pharmacy that is cheaper, and provides everything that we need, and that would be Health Direct Pharmacy,” she said, adding that HealthDirect is affiliated with LeadingAge and that the facility supports the choice on cost and services.

Committee members asked for a short written report comparing bids to put in the full county‑board packet. Committee member Steve requested a written assessment and recommendation; Britney agreed to supply a concise report with cost breakdowns and references so the comparison is in the record for the county board. The motion to accept Britney’s recommendation was seconded by Gil and carried on an aye vote.

Why it matters: the county’s current pharmacy arrangement has inconsistent service, staff said, with a consult pharmacist sometimes not attending required reviews. The recommended vendor was described as offering consult pharmacist reviews billed per review rather than by the hour and additional staff training and IV certification that the current provider is not offering. Britney said the facility receives Medicare reimbursement for many pharmacy charges and that packaging costs apply regardless of vendor.

Next steps: Britney will provide the written vendor comparison and any supporting documentation requested by the committee so the full county board can review the recommendation.","The committee approved recommending HealthDirect Pharmacy (a LeadingAge‑affiliated provider) to become Pine Valley Community Village’s new pharmacy provider after staff review found lower cost and services the facility needs; committee asked for a written vendor comparison for the full county board record.",{"_33":99,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":100,"_41":101,"_43":102,"_45":103,"_47":104,"_49":105,"_51":106,"_53":107,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":108,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":109,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6189190,"County hears engineering options and grant paths for Pine Valley water system",852,973000,1825000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5058436-11466c9758c52e0b85a7ee65b4267075&start=973&end=1825","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5058436-11466c9758c52e0b85a7ee65b4267075/thumbnail_973000.jpg","/articles/6189190/Richland-County/Wisconsin/County-hears-engineering-options-and-grant-paths-for-Pine-Valley-water-system","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6189190-c4e056c8fe70b4d12201f38dfce921a7/orig.mp4?Expires=1775206493&Signature=l9Eq2L0qPTYZmVzb-FRehknvqIX7JgeqrhTV2vX~7N2RIA03QTDLfKHMvZG8JQQVE0vtNxUH9TADeXYPFZH5dhw-DRIRUt3zIOiCeN8mjmFe68ZHv6dcqh14fF~xjRe0iHFj-wbL7bgnygcQukAdnU~nulvYuVmZcqyUMBNvHMUpKKQ-3dj0HfD88N~-TcDIhTG~ALLbrUXt14X0q0UEQ1n2wqTt~cBZpIAHztYAwZDSD6gtCjvSsqJXiwF9M4JvINKd3d-24A98JF2L-AmclTrE0xbMYfm36f3rqurFaMk8kO0t63clYhnr17ycnoV6bK~R-eNGOYY15IEs0tEbuA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Engineers and county staff presented five preliminary options on June 23 for replacing or repairing the Pine Valley Community Village water system, which the consultant said currently uses a 75‑year‑old, 40,000‑gallon reservoir and a private well and mains that could be contributing to water‑quality issues.

The presentation by Bart Nice of Delta 3 Engineering summarized capital and operating cost estimates for: repairing the existing reservoir, replacing piping and electrical controls, connecting to Richland Center city water, replacing the tank on‑site (with option variations), or constructing a new concrete tank closer to the facility. Nice said the minimum storage needed to meet code and facility usage is roughly 70,000 gallons to provide the two‑hour fire flow requirement and one day’s typical consumption.

Nice told the committee the existing reservoir is “about 40,000 gallons” and “about 75 years old” and that the minimum capacity needed is “roughly 70,000 gallons.” He estimated that replacing the long private mains and adding required electrical controls would add about $735,000 to some rebuild options and that the capital cost to connect to the city was roughly $825,000 by his preliminary calculations, with a roughly $100,000 savings if a smaller main were used for part of the route.

Why it matters: committee members and staff said the private system has shown reliability and quality problems at the facility, which serves about 96 licensed beds. County officials need to pick a path that balances long‑term maintenance burdens, upfront capital, and eligibility for state and federal grant programs.

The engineering presentation described tradeoffs: keeping the private system preserves current pressure and local control but requires more ongoing maintenance and potential future well or pump replacement; connecting to city water would eliminate most maintenance of the distribution source but could lower static pressure by about 15–20 pounds per square inch, which still meets minimum code in the consultant’s analysis. Nice warned that moving a replacement tank farther from the current reservoir could reduce available pressure by as much as 20–30 psi depending on final siting and elevation.

Committee members asked for more detail on assumptions and calculations, including how projected city water rates and future construction price inflation were applied. Nice said his cost numbers reflect 2025 prices and that present‑value engineering economy calculations were not run for long‑range rate forecasts: “I know today, this is what they would be if you were connected today in 2025,” he said.

Grant pathways were discussed at length. Nice and county staff outlined three principal funding sources they would pursue if the committee selects an option to advance: the U.S. Department of Agriculture water loans/grants, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Safe Drinking Water funding (described as a low‑interest loan option with some grant portion), and the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program. Staff and the consultant warned that CDBG requires the county to be the applicant and can limit other county applications for a period after award; however, the program can provide large grant shares for eligible projects. Nice said the DNR loan currently quoted to the committee was about 2.2% interest locked for 20 years and that combined funding strategies sometimes reduce the county’s net out‑of‑pocket cost.

Questions and next steps: supervisors asked for more detailed backup on the consultant’s assumptions (pressure, pump and well condition, unit costs, and how electrical and pipe replacement costs were calculated). The committee also asked staff to contact Richland Center’s utility engineering for the city’s cost estimate and to provide specifics about regulatory consequences—especially periodic Legionella testing requirements that would apply if the facility connects to city mains. County staff said they will return with clarified cost assumptions, any additional requirements for hooking up to city water (including meter and backflow assembly space), and updated estimates for each option before the next county board meeting.

The committee did not choose a final option at the meeting but directed staff to return with the requested clarifications so the county can begin grant planning in 2025 if a preferred option is selected.","Engineers presented five preliminary options to update Pine Valley Community Village’s aging private water system, with costs ranging from patch repairs to more than $800,000 for city connection; staff recommended further analysis and grant applications before a final choice.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

EMS staff raise advocacy concerns; committee appoints county administrator as acting EMS director

County weighs in‑house corporation counsel vs. contracted firm for 2026 budget

Committee approves HealthDirect as pharmacy provider for Pine Valley Community Village

County hears engineering options and grant paths for Pine Valley water system