[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-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",[32,75,87,99],{"_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",6177699,"mediaKeyId","5334981-5cee109640131a36fed231092b21fd4a","parentId",5334981,"title","County libraries report rising digital use and tight budgets as maintenance needs mount","audioSeconds",687,"startMs",2913000,"endMs",3600000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5334981-5cee109640131a36fed231092b21fd4a&start=2913&end=3600","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5334981-5cee109640131a36fed231092b21fd4a/thumbnail_2913000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6177699/Sawyer-County/Wisconsin/County-libraries-report-rising-digital-use-and-tight-budgets-as-maintenance-needs-mount","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6177699-5f73c7b67d257b00c6fd70d16b352c70/orig.mp4?Expires=1773079180&Signature=FIPmD-Qfj3iSR1dHw-2zCveNjUyN~-rZB~RqIwHoxxDuhv-ONG5VeLMpWcXNq8Tgnkxwd9apSBo2JVzOMn5fuPubs8PIe7Nu9yOVgkEPXeE7M-YEIydOm9LaAfuQD0MPUJf9KBU61yPEljOYDyVaUuKA2YcmKxldpbaccb~o8mRxRPLkw9yRFcEQChCzptxu4CdzCtru2XwzDjmU9ZxjQrDfUWVuJy9JZup2LSbow31OBDMhuBJ~ks50pDf5f8Qh3EbQY9XlDFZw4sC-WiqAItr3EjgQ~jE9cCXe3R3PykshZKu6NdAqT3pxKbOpIxVPk-nt7bmKEDcxyGFFTt1iYg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Sawyer County, WI","date","2025-07-09T08:13:59.693Z","article","Directors from two county libraries reported steady summer programming and rising digital circulation but said flat budgets, deferred maintenance and staffing gaps are constraining services.

Library services are central to residents and visitors for education, internet access and community events; changes in circulation and operating costs affect how libraries serve youth, seniors and seasonal visitors.

Donna Naki, director of the Winter Public Library, described summer programs for preschoolers and tweens, a slate of fundraising activities tied to local events and a reliance on a mix of municipal and fundraising dollars to close budget gaps. She said her library is seeing higher digital circulation through Libby even while in‑branch circulation of physical items is lower. Naki said the library is planning to hold its budget request with no increase but will use creative line-item adjustments and fundraising to meet costs.

Anne Larson, director of the Sherman and Ruth Weiss Community Library, said the library’s summer reading registration rose to more than 305 this year from 247 last year and that the library raised roughly $4,000 from a one-day “Celebrate Your Library” event the board was shown. Larson said the library has purchased three new and 10 refurbished public computers to replace aging machines, expects installation of a new air-conditioning unit at a cost just under $7,000 and faces an estimated $11,000 maintenance bill for pier and bridge repairs. She said the library is pursuing grants and town-level conversations to secure more stable funding and noted that some municipal services (accounting, insurance) are provided in‑kind by the city of Hayward.

Both directors described partnerships with local organizations for programming, use of library space by visitors during rainy weekends, and efforts to keep programming accessible to all ages. Neither director requested new county appropriations at the meeting.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Economic Development and UW Extension 2025 07 07","oneSentenceSummary","Directors of the Winter Public Library and the Sherman and Ruth Weiss Community Library told the board that in-person circulation is down while digital checkouts are up, fundraising helps cover maintenance and programming, and capital and operating pressures remain a challenge.","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},6177704,"EDC director urges action on vacant QuikTrip lot, outlines incubator budget and HUBZone benefit",494,2202000,2696000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5334981-5cee109640131a36fed231092b21fd4a&start=2202&end=2696","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5334981-5cee109640131a36fed231092b21fd4a/thumbnail_2202000.jpg","/articles/6177704/Sawyer-County/Wisconsin/EDC-director-urges-action-on-vacant-QuikTrip-lot-outlines-incubator-budget-and-HUBZone-benefit","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6177704-bcb546823663767cf3df1120d82a338f/orig.mp4?Expires=1773079180&Signature=IF9ZMnaJCz17afB6qQHx3aj7n1pbpzLLT8-mkb-BMlbM470fsYvw1CXMorct5b46kSYSQv0BUtUs1DivXB9H1CaszrBCtzullRKHuHZxtdaVV4lzDw-IHL2zSbc0LCtkWrWRn2iyCfPcFW4~4Cc2Ey3iXIWOEIM7cpHGl~5A1C5x9jn4OH-WQK2p6v~mJt6sWwUIHnF-rqnIz20eCBUpw84VzvvB3iKwV0MfTSgp2lAkNgYgjuogV~25-XqKbuX-AAqdepjSi-cHroJJ8ss0FosD8lwQG0SbhO2Ig5bvcVYK2tS6JD~3tdHbR4XpMM0MiLHl2PPndrZ5HutL83ObOw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Sawyer County LCO Economic Development Corporation reported active efforts to attract investment to an underused commercial parcel in Hayward, expand a business incubator that served more than 30 entrepreneurs last year and use federal HUBZone certification to boost local firms’ access to contracting opportunities.

Those actions matter to local economic development because reusing vacant commercial property, bolstering entrepreneurs and qualifying businesses for federal HUBZone preferences can affect jobs, housing demand and the county’s capacity to attract and retain workers.

Adam O’Mory, executive director of the Sawyer County LCO Economic Development Corporation, told the board he has contacted the property owner of the long-vacant QuikTrip site at the intersection of state highways and learned the listing price is $1.2 million. He said the corporate real-estate team appears willing to negotiate before their fiscal year ends in September and that he has offered local assistance to market the site to potential buyers.

O’Mory also summarized the county business incubator’s recent work. He said the incubator operated on a $25,000 budget last year and provided technical assistance to more than 30 entrepreneurs. For the coming year he described an allocation plan: $12,000 for technical assistance, $10,000 for grant-writing support, $2,000 for marketing and $1,000 for accounting. He said the incubator plans to establish a more permanent location where clients can meet with advisors.

On federal contracting, O’Mory reported that the county is covered under the federal HUBZone program, which can give qualifying businesses preferential access to certain federal contracts; he said he confirmed that the designation can be applied countywide. He also said the EDC plans outreach such as promotional videos and a cybersecurity seminar and that staff are pursuing grant-writing to expand services.

O’Mory framed housing as a continuing hurdle for attracting workers and said he is working with a contractor proposing single-family development in Hayward; contractual details are still under negotiation. He did not request county funding during the report.","Adam O’Mory, executive director of the Sawyer County LCO Economic Development Corporation, reported outreach on a long-vacant QuikTrip property, said last year’s incubator delivered technical help to about 30 entrepreneurs and described a restructured $25,000 incubator budget; he also said the county qualifies as a federal HUBZone.",{"_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},6177709,"Sawyer County approves nonbinding resolution backing Apostle Islands national park designation",228,2012000,2240000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5334981-5cee109640131a36fed231092b21fd4a&start=2012&end=2240","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5334981-5cee109640131a36fed231092b21fd4a/thumbnail_2012000.jpg","/articles/6177709/Sawyer-County/Wisconsin/Sawyer-County-approves-nonbinding-resolution-backing-Apostle-Islands-national-park-designation","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6177709-4be0bbe7c3d1c1625e1c643ec94b928b/orig.mp4?Expires=1773079180&Signature=jmpnh6qf6F1flxpo~U3zfL0j5hftZa~QrBO3~Oqke9nsUCvbnsIferHwEpBI3-m5imEXqJECZdwWqqDCkIU2sJsQ0Wd9d6hpI8VDxyFJWtxNksMMhTdyeyqC5W-AhLUUm3kstEm~H0NxzUDbwmwlq9pL2WF9XemlZ62NxC7nhURnXzobIHkyLhsqVbSafQJTKnx0TGCVIjdZ6wJ0qZn7U3zQJ6eAZ9WpkDYOXWuBPFindxh0VIt6fzuqCmoYdE5iq0sgTHCBDiuCiJIbNgboLQbiOkXZDBk6llHmGB5putH6pNqIekcLstXWckPe8GUpndJ0oEp9S~Vjzk395XjGZg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Sawyer County Board of Supervisors voted to approve a nonbinding resolution urging designation of the Apostle Islands as a national park and to forward the board’s opinion to state and federal elected officials.

The measure matters regionally because national-park designation proponents and opponents expect visitor spillover that would affect roads, services and regional economic ties across county lines.

The board considered a resolution that expresses the county’s support for national-park designation and agreed to send that opinion to legislators and the governor’s office and to federal representatives. Supervisor Tom Duffy moved approval and Supervisor Steve Carianan seconded. The motion passed on a voice vote; the record shows the resolution was advisory and nonbinding.

During discussion supervisors noted that Bayfield County had passed a resolution not supporting designation, citing concerns about whether local infrastructure could handle an influx of visitors. A presenter at a regional planning meeting was cited for a study showing regional impacts from park-scale attractions, and board members said they view the designation as likely to increase visitation to the larger northwest region, including Sawyer County.

The resolution does not change land-use rules or require county action; it represents the board’s formal opinion to be transmitted to state and federal officials.","The Sawyer County Board approved a nonbinding resolution expressing support for designation of the Apostle Islands as a national park and said it will forward the resolution to state and federal officials; Bayfield County had earlier passed a resolution opposing the change.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6177714,"Sawyer County records fourth straight tourism high as regional study flags need for destination management",1581,77000,1658000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5334981-5cee109640131a36fed231092b21fd4a&start=77&end=1658","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5334981-5cee109640131a36fed231092b21fd4a/thumbnail_77000.jpg","/articles/6177714/Sawyer-County/Wisconsin/Sawyer-County-records-fourth-straight-tourism-high-as-regional-study-flags-need-for-destination-management","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6177714-de536bcf13cc0ea6670a23fcb4e05171/orig.mp4?Expires=1773079180&Signature=KxhVNH5fT3K28rHmeLzZLyo0lJwYWqPZ60Pf66oAc2MI2sPJO40BoT36sYpTIqIHMWzpjXr5NPLmTJZA7dwOcOd0BRh6fGMvHgu3XOobfn6ROsBhbWyT-I5B3Y3o0ooqb-bVdHjxSDz8wQ7K0zCqeCiZJOJkRf7N59JDoU9ea368ZyxF8GYHAu~LYgI~sv~y9tsHywL0ljFzrY1o5ky2nj7uLR9pT200TeGyHCAbtKLN~gGNgXUr1xgR4maQjrPoC4oz0qYjooNwdqLfZlbn~yhIotJkeeV~gZvXnYYLgFuJX4zWSme3AN2HymRXCFx3mNHVQJwFaSDZJ1gkq4a1og__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Sawyer County reported a fourth consecutive record year for tourism in 2024, producing $151 million in total economic impact locally and supporting about 960 jobs, county tourism officials told the Sawyer County Board of Supervisors.

County tourism matters locally because rising visitor numbers strain roads, parking, cell and emergency services and present planning and housing challenges that affect residents, businesses and public safety.

Mindy Simons of the Hayward Lakes Visitor and Convention Bureau told supervisors the state’s 2024 tourism economic-impact report, released June 10, showed Sawyer County’s record $151,000,000 figure, up from about $150,000,000 the prior year. She said tourism in Wisconsin as a whole generated roughly $25.8 billion in economic impact in 2024 and that tourism produced about $10.5 million in state and local tax revenue for Sawyer County. Simons also reported strong digital engagement for the bureau: Google pay-per-click campaigns drove interest in fishing and camping, Facebook interactions rose roughly 30% month-over-month, and Instagram views jumped about 59%.

A separate, federally funded regional tourism and outdoor-recreation study presented to the board reinforced those metrics and recommended a more coordinated approach to managing visitors. Jim Miller, who presented the Northwest Regional Planning Commission summary, said the study — funded by the U.S. Economic Development Administration — used aggregated cell-device movement data and event tracking to identify feeder markets and travel patterns. Miller said the study shows large visitor contingents from the Twin Cities and Chicago areas, and notable day-trip traffic from Eau Claire, Duluth and other secondary markets.

\"We can see where people originate and where they go during the day,\" Miller said, describing the anonymized device-movement analysis the study used. He urged local governments to plan for growth in traffic, parking, sanitation and public-safety demands and to consider infrastructure changes such as roundabouts and improved wayfinding to ease summer congestion.

Jason, the study’s author who joined the meeting remotely, urged a destination-management approach to reduce fragmentation among chambers, municipalities and private partners. \"Tourism management in the region is very disconnected,\" he said. \"A more holistic approach can help communities adapt to emerging issues and better coordinate marketing and services.\"

Board members and presenters flagged several specific local concerns that the study highlights: peak-weekend vehicle congestion on Highway 63 through Hayward, limited downtown parking, intermittent cell coverage that hampers visitor communications and first-responder coordination, strains on emergency medical services and sanitation systems, and housing shortages aggravated by a rise in short-term rentals. Miller and others said microtargeted marketing to secondary feeder markets such as Eau Claire and Duluth could be more cost-effective than broad campaigns in Chicago or Minneapolis.

Jason offered to produce a concise, county-level one-page summary of study metrics for Sawyer County; the commission asked him to provide that local file for practical planning use.

The presentations did not propose county policy changes; they were informational and recommended further local discussion and partnerships with state and federal agencies to address infrastructure, housing and destination-management needs.","County tourism generated a record $151 million in 2024 and regional planners say a new EDA-funded study shows rising visitation from Twin Cities, Chicago and secondary markets — prompting local calls to address traffic, parking, cell service, housing and emergency services.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

County libraries report rising digital use and tight budgets as maintenance needs mount

EDC director urges action on vacant QuikTrip lot, outlines incubator budget and HUBZone benefit

Sawyer County approves nonbinding resolution backing Apostle Islands national park designation

Sawyer County records fourth straight tourism high as regional study flags need for destination management