Trempealeau County board ratifies $6.455 million bond sale, approves government-center remodeling funding and other measures

The Trempealeau County Board of Supervisors on April 15 ratified a prior bond sale, approved additional funding for a government-center remodeling project and passed several other resolutions and an ordinance during a regularly scheduled meeting in the county boardroom.

The board voted to ratify resolution 2025-3-10, which awards the sale of a $6,455,000 general obligation promissory note, series 2025A, to confirm the adoption at a properly noticed meeting after questions about compliance with open-meeting law. The resolution recording states it was "Adopted, approved, and recorded 04/15/2025."

The board also approved a motion to designate additional bonded funds to complete the Trempealeau County Government Center remodeling project, shifting $800,000 from highway projects and applying $700,000 from existing building renovation funds to cover asbestos abatement, flooring and hallway rehabilitation, lighting upgrades and a $250,000 contingency. An amendment that any unspent monies at project completion be returned to the highway projects fund passed on a roll call of 13–4 before the board approved the remodeled funding package as amended.

The board increased county meal reimbursement maximums to up to $15 for breakfast, $20 for lunch and $30 for dinner; the final resolution requires receipts for reimbursements and bars tips and alcoholic beverages. That measure was approved unanimously by roll call as amended.

On land-use business, the board adopted an ordinance rezoning roughly 1.5 acres in the Town of Trempealeau at the request of landowners David G. and Patricia Zwiftka, changing the parcel from Transitional Agricultural (TA) to Residential 20 (R-20) to allow a division of the parcel; the Environment and Land Use committee and the town supported the request, and the board approved the ordinance 17–0 following a department presentation.

Other routine actions included allowance of audit committee claims and instructions to the clerk to pay mileage and per diem for certain court-related meetings; the audit claims were approved by roll call.

Why it matters: The ratification clears the county’s bond issuance for the series 2025A borrowing. The transfer of highway-designated bond proceeds to the government-center renovation raises short-term budget and project-timing questions for highway work; the board approved a provision to return unspent funds to highway projects. The rezoning allows a private property division that county staff and the town recommended.

Board comments, staff updates and next steps

Susan, the county attorney, told the board the county will schedule training from the Wisconsin Counties Association and the county’s insurer on ethics, roles and responsibilities and risk and liability for supervisors; she said the sessions are timed to support an effort to improve the county’s ethics ordinance. "The single best way to provide you with... protection and the tools that you need to serve in your role is education," Susan said.

Virge Gamrath of the Department of Land Management described the rezoning request: "The Zwifkas would like to sell some land to their son... the rezone is in line with the town land use plan," he told the board, and he reported no public objections were received.

Andrea Ripley Schleiss, Trempealeau County 4‑H program educator, invited supervisors to participate in an upcoming Youth in Government Day for local students and asked supervisors to attend lunch and speak with youth about local government.

Votes at a glance

- Resolution ratifying adoption of resolution awarding sale of $6,455,000 general obligation promissory note series 2025A (resolution 2025-3-10): Motion by Supervisor Kevin Adams; seconded by Supervisor Ron Johnson; roll-call result recorded as 15 yes, 2 no. Outcome: approved and recorded 04/15/2025.

- Resolution increasing county meal reimbursement maximums to up to $15 (breakfast), $20 (lunch), $30 (dinner) and requiring receipts: Motion by Supervisor David Larson; seconded by Supervisor Jeanie Nutter; an amendment to add "up to" before amounts passed by voice vote; final roll-call result recorded as 17 yes, 0 no. Outcome: approved as amended.

- Ordinance rezoning a parcel owned by David G. and Patricia Zwiftka in the Town of Trempealeau from Transitional Agricultural (TA) to Residential 20 (R‑20) (pursuant to Wis. Stat. §59.669(5)): Motion by Supervisor Andy Todd; seconded by Supervisor Galson; roll-call result recorded as 17 yes, 0 no. Outcome: ordinance adopted.

- Trempealeau County Government Center remodeling project funding: Motion to approve funding package introduced by the Executive Finance Committee; amendment moved by Supervisor Miller to require any unspent monies be transferred back to the highway projects fund (amendment passed on roll call 13 yes, 4 no); the board then approved the remodel funding as amended. Key amounts: $800,000 shifted from highway projects; $700,000 from existing building renovation funds; added $250,000 contingency. Outcome: approved as amended.

- Audit committee claims allowed (per‑diem and expenses listed in clerk’s report): Motion by Supervisor Don Waldera; seconded by Supervisor Bridget Turner; roll-call result recorded as 17 yes, 0 no. Outcome: approved (total per diem and expenses $4,984.80 as reported).

- Instruction to clerk to pay mileage and per diem for specified court meetings: Recorded as approved by roll call during the meeting; transcript does not specify a final tally. Outcome: approved (tally not specified in transcript).

What the transcript does not specify

Where the transcript did not list a specific vote tally for an action, the article marks that tally as not specified. Where staff or speakers referenced future steps (for example, the planned ethics training and an intent to pursue funding for a childcare project), those were reported as board or staff plans rather than final actions.

Ending

The board set its next regular evening meeting for May 19 at 7 p.m. and adjourned the April 15 session. Supervisors and staff said they will move forward with the remodel project under the amended funding plan and follow up on the training schedule described by the county attorney.