[{"_1":2,"_96":-5,"_97":-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",[32,74,86],{"_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":56,"_68":69,"_70":56,"_71":72,"_73":72},"mediaId",6136561,"mediaKeyId","5667244-4870915169d5b2fdde2eb8f0b54271fa","parentId",5667244,"title","Dunn County facilities staff outline energy, security and park maintenance plans","audioSeconds",369,"startMs",391000,"endMs",760000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5667244-4870915169d5b2fdde2eb8f0b54271fa&start=391&end=760","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5667244-4870915169d5b2fdde2eb8f0b54271fa/thumbnail_391000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6136561/Dunn-County/Wisconsin/Dunn-County-facilities-staff-outline-energy-security-and-park-maintenance-plans","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6136561-27db9b3bc08259080805b4c7eaa4a483/orig.mp4?Expires=1770550978&Signature=am~pP~686z3FFU05Vyd8aMad3JdOkPI-Qs92S~P0JCwdCNLOdJRNBVLqHtnrbjam8GxVaWm30Nbh6gxmq-xwZACQLeG~CF9A6PDInUaS7VhmZsyJ42Q3uGJu4ISMcDTtnGxQE3V6Yfp~31J1csvSUvgDLeU89OJMNlzDVhngnFhUZ1D5BGQWne6Y2A2ectT5ZKhBNbNjVpHW67tqC3ivhQf6sUwwtP37lV1vXfk9K~zfS28MV8NAyM4axEf20Ixj3Q~xIc~K5iiBsITyGDlt5bGU34tbXgLc~kPOnEAizWx7X8v0WE-zJI9BLRxcB~HoEUPy926Z4TotCjNXRGVXAA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Dunn County, Wisconsin","date","2025-08-15T00:00:00Z","article","Dunn County facilities staff told the Facilities Committee on Aug. 13 that small operational changes and targeted investments could reduce costs and protect county assets, while crews continue repairs after vandalism at county parks.

Austin, the county's facilities and parks lead, said a recent procurement change on restroom air fresheners saved $936.48 and highlighted a broader initiative to review hundreds of thermostats across county buildings for after-hours setbacks. \"When you plug a $100,000 budget into calculating 10% savings, 8% savings, let's say, to $10,000,\" Austin said when describing potential savings from better scheduling.

Why this matters: operational savings reduce pressure on county budgets and can free funds for maintenance. Staff also flagged recurring vandalism and unsafe park use that increase repair costs and liability.

Operations and maintenance updates: staff reported quarterly chiller maintenance and improvements to hot-water availability at the Judicial Center after turnover in maintenance personnel. Austin said shadowing a specialized chiller contractor taught technicians balancing and pH control techniques that improve cooling efficiency.

Security and vandalism: staff described significant vandalism at historic structures in County Woodlawn (reported as broken century-old glass panes) and other park sites where graffiti and defecation occurred in restroom facilities. Austin said crews boarded broken windows and proposed installing cellular, solar-powered security cameras at roughly $125 each plus signage as a deterrent. He estimated one incident of damage at about $5,000 and said cameras and signage could reduce repeat incidents.

Parks maintenance and access concerns: staff visited Zealey Park, Russian Slough and other county parks to assess grass cutting, overgrowth, and potholes in access drives. They scheduled repairs and mowing to show presence and deter misuse. Committee members described gate-breach issues at the fairgrounds, where temporary snow fence was repeatedly torn down and allowed unpaid entries; staff and the fair coordinator discussed options including more permanent access control or wristbands.

Thermostats and building controls: Austin explained the Government Center's thermostats are monitored only and not centrally controlled; other buildings such as the Judicial Center have older systems with partial remote control. Staff plan a phased approach to lock down schedules where feasible without restricting legitimate after-hours use of conference rooms.

Next steps: staff will continue a building-by-building assessment of thermostats and controls, move forward with targeted maintenance and park repairs, pilot security cameras at vulnerable sites, and present cost estimates and program requests as needed in the autumn budget process.

Ending: committee members thanked operations staff for rapid repairs and asked staff to follow up with specific cost estimates for cameras and longer-term thermostat controls.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Dunn County Facilities Committee Meeting - 08/13/2025","oneSentenceSummary","Facilities staff told the committee they are pursuing small operational savings, planning thermostat scheduling work, addressing vandalism at historic park structures, and considering low-cost solar security cameras to curb recurring damage. Staff also described recent chiller maintenance and Judicial Center hot-water improvements.","taxTitle","taxId",53943,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":75,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":76,"_41":77,"_43":78,"_45":79,"_47":80,"_49":81,"_51":82,"_53":83,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":84,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":85,"_67":56,"_68":69,"_70":56,"_71":72,"_73":72},6136566,"Dunn County fair projects $45,000 shortfall; longtime coordinator warns role unpaid and unsustainable",1039,110000,1149000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5667244-4870915169d5b2fdde2eb8f0b54271fa&start=110&end=1149","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5667244-4870915169d5b2fdde2eb8f0b54271fa/thumbnail_110000.jpg","/articles/6136566/Dunn-County/Wisconsin/Dunn-County-fair-projects-45000-shortfall-longtime-coordinator-warns-role-unpaid-and-unsustainable","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6136566-e07d42818b96936b0f9c90f6a87b7296/orig.mp4?Expires=1770550978&Signature=ZS6KaZ2bizuGc1wdCVD6ksDxv2C7wOXMNYNKrnZYyZmY2fUNDvA4udxd2OqRsNSc3pPQE~MFzgRS4IE9QqvGxv-Q7HYst6n3HoIOq2hL7-JN-Cxqz3r5nUveOx79d~~V94pJCdiaow01uGYngcc0KckKmQjDdm7v56Pcb3Da7I2demPp-qSo4E8087qMC6F4M7vhxy-xvUZ64tESI~q9CKPs85PU2DihTSXKcHy~UKVpFE4qLMDeOUX~fSsWRGCRAARvS-Q-R3rlLY2gp1fTXrgHiSx4jT90iAK23BdLUn~VbZ~3VpV9KNUKnJxvo8H7iFBUX1RUIG2M381rOHfpyg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Dunn County Facilities Committee heard that the 2025 Dunn County Fair ran successfully but currently shows a projected shortfall of $45,004.50, and the fair's longtime coordinator said the operation depends on unpaid, year-round labor that may not be sustainable.

Deb, who leads fair operations and serves on the fair board, told the committee: \"The fair is over, except for all of the back end work that I'm still working on'part of it. We had a successful fair. Exhibits were up. We had more commercial vendors this year than last year.\" She reported the fair auction grossed $310,916 on 55 heads but said the cost center projection in the packet shows a $45,004.50 negative position for the year.

Why this matters: the fair is largely supported by a mix of fees, sponsorships, in-kind contributions and county fund balance. Committee members pressed staff for clarity about whether all revenues have been recorded and how much of any shortfall would be covered by the county.

Deb told the committee the fair position has been voluntary since 2021 and that she coordinates most fair activity year-round. \"I'm not gonna do this forever,\" she said in explaining concerns about succession. She warned that many other fairs in the state have paid managers or contracted coordinators; she provided a summary of how neighboring counties support fairs as part of the packet.

Committee finance discussion: A supervisor asked, \"So does the county make up the 45,000?\" County finance staff responded that, if projections hold, the shortfall would come from fund balance and that staff would compile a more detailed breakdown of revenues and outstanding bills for the next meeting. Finance staff said the current packet shows figures entered into the county financial system through July and that some bills and reconciliations remain pending.

Revenue details discussed: Deb said she had identified $951 missing from sponsorship receipts and noted about $12,000 in in-kind contributions that are not counted as cash revenue. Staff said public charges include carnival, commercial vendor fees, entry fees and donations; admission at the gate is $5 per person.

Operational challenges: committee members and staff described gate breaches where visitors entered without paying by moving or tearing down temporary snow fence; Deb and facilities staff said fencing was replaced daily during the event and that some attendees still circumvented paid entry. Committee members raised concerns about lost revenue and liability from unsanctioned park access.

Next steps: county finance staff agreed to perform a deeper review of fair finances and return a line-by-line report at the next committee meeting. Deb urged the committee to consider how the county might support fair coordination and succession planning if she reduces or stops providing unpaid oversight.

Ending: the committee asked staff to return financial detail and consider operational changes to reduce gate evasion and help sustain fair staffing going forward.","Fair coordinator Deb told the committee the fair was successful but projected a $45,004.50 deficit in 2025; she said the position is voluntary and the program relies heavily on her year-round work. Committee finance staff offered to supply a deeper revenue/expense breakdown at the next meeting.",{"_33":87,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":88,"_41":89,"_43":78,"_45":90,"_47":91,"_49":81,"_51":92,"_53":93,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":94,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":95,"_67":56,"_68":69,"_70":56,"_71":72,"_73":72},6136570,"Dunn County committee adopts 2026 facilities, parks and fair budgets",2454,2564000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5667244-4870915169d5b2fdde2eb8f0b54271fa&start=110&end=2564","/articles/6136570/Dunn-County/Wisconsin/Dunn-County-committee-adopts-2026-facilities-parks-and-fair-budgets","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6136570-6854f60182067c12c7540ab05f16aee3/orig.mp4?Expires=1770550978&Signature=hqYgUnsqVz8OPy39ZwmlVn5GDXbFgQzXbCo92BGbKdW7ob~G8PxnrdOM8I1qgb1MrSqd1I5p7E0Ri8vVAPA2k2hop4mzg47KY6mpoD3qhvsI13RS2T8diXr6d9dFDTyVLTsglFD2QgiZPWL6nVneJznDpHCIQcYCVfmZQRetcq7AqH28qaAUsmtkHWKDRU-xOp73taDu5kJKUdpk54DanrSg1CqkiyrX1zDXZ6nrnx09MEgI273UnWlVNu8ssAObVQHEynxmpmclUwKgvjmMEMgrpKBqYKHvZzn2NuyloFWlM7seBmM98h5XCspL74cRCD1-Ohd1n4~gE~HjpN8v-g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Dunn County's Facilities Committee voted to adopt the proposed 2026 facilities, parks and fair budgets at its meeting on Aug. 13, 2025, in Room 60 of the Government Center. The motion passed by voice vote and the committee moved the budgets forward to the county's budget workshop and executive review.

Committee members approved the operating budgets after staff outlined line-item adjustments and projected revenues. The package includes updated forecasts for heating and lighting, maintenance contracts and wage allocations, and a capital-improvement placeholder of $9,500,000 for a proposed geothermal project.

Why this matters: the adopted budgets set departmental spending limits that will be reviewed by county administration and the full board during the formal budget process. The large CIP placeholder for geothermal will require later approvals if the county pursues borrowing and a parameters resolution to authorize specific debt and interest terms.

Most important facts: Austin, facilities and parks lead, told the committee he increased certain 2026 line items to reflect actual 2025 spending trends, including higher projected utilities and maintenance costs at the Government Center and Judicial Center. He said central fleet and insurance lines show no change but that some allocations were moved to more appropriate cost centers.

The committee also reviewed the capital-improvement plan. A county finance representative said the $9.5 million geothermal figure is a planning number only: \"We budgeted 9.5, but there's no money until we actually borrow,\" the finance staff said, adding that bids and an eventual parameters resolution would set the borrowing amount and terms.

The committee discussed federal incentives. County finance staff said certain benefits from the Inflation Reduction Act remain available for projects; geothermal remains eligible for incentives for projects beyond 2026, while solar tax benefits are ramping down for some project timelines. \"Projects that are done in 2026 would still qualify for that,\" the finance staff said of solar incentives, and added that geothermal incentives do not have the same sunset.

Committee action: a supervisor moved to adopt the 2026 facilities, parks and fair budgets; another member seconded the motion. The committee approved the package by voice vote and sent it to the county budget workshop and executive review.

Implementation notes: staff said bids, borrowing parameters and final project scopes will return to the full board prior to any debt issuance or major capital commitment. Work on geothermal design and bid preparation is expected to proceed, but construction and borrowing will depend on subsequent approvals and final cost estimates.

Less-critical details: the packet presented to the committee also included program-level summaries and earlier-year comparisons intended to support priority-based budgeting discussions at upcoming workshops.","The Dunn County Facilities Committee voted to approve the proposed 2026 budgets for facilities, parks and the county fair and forwarded the proposal to the county budget workshop and executive review. The package includes a $9.5 million CIP placeholder for a geothermal project and line-item adjustments for utilities and maintenance.","actionData","errors"]

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Dunn County facilities staff outline energy, security and park maintenance plans

Dunn County fair projects $45,000 shortfall; longtime coordinator warns role unpaid and unsustainable

Dunn County committee adopts 2026 facilities, parks and fair budgets