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Dunn County Public Health awarded $99,000 Bridal Strategies grant; updates on measles, water lab and short‑term rental rules
Summary
Public Health reported measles activity is subsiding, the county was awarded a $99,000 Bridal Strategies grant for harm‑reduction work, the water testing lab is handling higher volume and the department flagged upcoming changes to ATCP 72 that will reclassify tourist rooming houses.
Katie, representing Dunn County Public Health, told the Health and Human Services Board that measles activity in the county is starting to subside and that the department is tracking credible public‑health sources for ongoing guidance.
Katie said the department will continue to refine fees and will return with formal fee updates; she called attention to ATCP 72, the Wisconsin regulation that governs hotels, motels and tourist rooming houses, which the department said will require new classifications and fee schedules. Katie and Supervisor Andrew Hagen discussed the proposed revised definition for “tourist rooming house” and the county’s intent to identify and monitor short‑term rentals (Airbnb/VRBO) to ensure safe overnight accommodations.
On laboratory capacity, Katie said the county’s public health water lab has seen a sustained increase in sample volume and the department is discussing long‑term sustainability and cost‑effectiveness with Land and Water Conservation. The lab is also courting neighboring counties to perform transient non‑community water system testing, which officials said would improve efficiency.
Katie announced that the county was awarded a Bridal Strategies grant of about $99,000 to support peer‑led, evidence‑based harm reduction strategies. The grant has a quick timeline (August to August); the department will record a budget adjustment next month to account for the grant and matching opioid settlement dollars and will incorporate the funds into the 2026 budget where applicable.
Katie said the department plans town halls and listening sessions to explain the new performance process as it relates to staff, and that the department will provide a more detailed 2026 budget in the county budget workshop. She also noted the department is monitoring reductions in some federal pass‑through funds (emergency preparedness, immunization) and will adjust travel, conferences and other line items accordingly.
The board was informed that the department will bring a sustainability analysis for the water lab in a future packet and that staff are working on outreach and ongoing communications to avoid surprising employees and the public as budget and program details are finalized.
Sources: Katie (public health staff), packet materials and grant notification.
