County approves police contract that guarantees double pay for festival shifts amid debate over festival costs and large-assembly rules

The Chippewa County Board of Supervisors on March 11 approved the 07/01/2025–12/31/2027 collective bargaining agreement between Chippewa County and the Wisconsin Professional Police Association that guarantees enhanced overtime pay for covered deputies working large public events.

The vote ratified pay provisions the union sought during negotiations, including a provision that pays certain covered employees double time for hours worked at mass-gathering events. The decision prompted extended public comment from festival organizers and a lengthy board discussion about staffing, public-safety needs and whether county ordinance changes or transitional funding should lessen the effect on event promoters.

Why it matters: the change increases wages for covered employees who staff summer festivals but shifts immediate additional costs to event promoters billed for law-enforcement staffing under the county—ode. Promoters warned the new language could add thousands of dollars per event and asked the board to delay or exempt festivals while the county rewrites its large-assembly ordinance.

Festival organizers speaking during public comment said the increase threatens festival budgets. "Last year for ... just 2 festivals, we paid a hundred and $80,000 to the sheriff's department," said Wade Asher, general manager of Chippewa Valley Music Festivals. Asher urged the board to "pull out the double time piece or table it or if you must pass it, I ask that you carve the festivals out so we stay at the same rate we're…