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Polk County committee backs resolution urging larger state base funding for county conservation staff
Summary
Land and Water Department staff asked the Polk County Land and Water Committee to send a resolution to state leaders supporting a proposal to raise base staffing funding; committee voted to move the measure to the county board consent agenda.
Polk County Land and Water Department staff asked the committee to approve a resolution urging the state to increase base funding for county conservation staff and to forward it to the county board.
The resolution, presented by Eric, Land and Water Department staff, outlines a statewide proposal to raise base staffing funds; Eric said, “the proposal is to increase base funding to 2,000,000,” and explained the current statewide base funding and recent one‑time increases. He said the baseline funding figure now is 8,900,000 and that a 2025 one‑time increase raised the total to 11,200,000; advocates estimate a staffing need that totals about 20,200,000. Eric told the committee Polk County’s share under the proposed increase would be roughly $312,307, based on staffing formulas in the packet.
Committee members asked how the increased base funding would interact with existing grants and whether it would replace grant funding. Eric responded that counties would continue to apply for grants and that the change would primarily reduce pressure on the county levy, noting, “We would always still apply for this grant. We would also still apply for grants through E and R and other DATCP funding sources. What this would do would take pressure off the levy.”
After discussion, a committee member moved to forward the resolution with recommendations to the county board consent agenda; the motion was seconded and approved by voice vote.
Why it matters: County conservation staff (land and water resource staff) administer programs used by farmers, lake districts and other local entities. The resolution would add Polk County to a group of counties and the Wisconsin Land and Water Association backing a statewide push for higher recurring base funding.
Funding and next steps: The resolution will be transmitted to state legislators, the governor, the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) and the Department of Natural Resources (DNR), Wisconsin Counties Association and the towns association, per Eric. Committee members signed the packet before forwarding it to the county board.
