Barron County board votes: appointments, zoning, loan and ordinances approved on Aug. 19

The Barron County Board of Supervisors adopted a series of motions and ordinances at its Aug. 19 meeting. Key outcomes included confirmation of an appointed supervisor, routine minutes approval, several regulatory votes and authorization to seek a State Trust Fund loan for equipment at the county’s Waste Energy operation. Listed below are the formal actions recorded in the transcript.

Votes at a glance

- Appointment of Jamie McCready (District 8): Motion by Supervisor Gooslick; seconded by Supervisor Turcotte. Outcome: passed. Vote recorded in the transcript as "25 yes and 3 absent." (motion and vote recorded at the appointment item.)

- Approval of the minutes (07/22/2024): Motion by Supervisor Cook; seconded by Supervisor Heller. Outcome: passed. Vote recorded as "27 yes, and 2 absent."

- Zoning ordinance amendments (rezoning): Motion by Supervisor Cook; seconded by Supervisor Rogers. Outcome: passed. Vote recorded as "27 yes, 2 absent."

- Resolution to define work-week period for communications officers: Motion by Supervisor Moen; seconded by Supervisor Bob Anderson. Outcome: passed. Vote recorded as "27 yes and 2 absent." (resolution recorded in packet and on desk.)

- Resolution authorizing application for a State Trust Fund loan for waste-energy shredder and material handler: Motion by Supervisor Hansen; seconded by Supervisor Banks. The board recorded that a three-quarters majority was required; outcome: passed by the required margin with "27 yes and 2 absent." The board discussed that the loan will be a general-obligation State Trust Fund loan and that the county expects the Waste Energy revenue stream to reimburse debt service beginning in the year after debt service payments are made.

- Ordinance authorizing the county treasurer to enter real estate property to determine the nature and extent of environmental pollution (Broton/Broton property tax-deed exploration and special inspection warrants): Motion by Supervisor Hansen; seconded by Supervisor Moen. Outcome: passed. Vote recorded as "26 yes, 1 abstention, and 2 absent." The ordinance allows the treasurer to authorize consultants and to seek a special inspection warrant so an environmental consultant can access the tax-deed candidate property prior to foreclosure and to pursue cleanup grants.

- Appointments (property/oversight committee scheduling and related committee appointments): Motion by supervisor (recorded as "supervisor Efforts" in transcript); seconded by Supervisor Bob Anderson. Outcome: passed. Vote recorded as "27 yes and 2 absent." The board scheduled oversight-committee meetings (virtual) and a tour to review the Salvation Army project and other capital items.

Other procedural votes (agenda adjustments, adjournment) were recorded in the meeting transcript; specific tallies for some procedural items were not given in the transcript or were recorded elsewhere in the record.

Context and notes

- Several votes recorded the board as "27 yes and 2 absent" or similar; the transcript includes one appointment vote recorded earlier as "25 yes and 3 absent," reflecting attendance/timing differences noted in the meeting. The transcript identifies the board chair (Chair Oakey) as presiding over the session and Jeff (county staff) as the administrator who provided memos and packet updates used during the meeting.

- On the State Trust Fund loan, county staff explained the request was for a general obligation loan rather than a revenue bond; staff said the Waste Energy operations are expected to generate revenues that will reimburse the county’s debt service levy beginning the year after payments are made.

- For the ordinance authorizing treasurer access to potentially contaminated tax-deed property, staff said the immediate purpose was to authorize Cooper Engineering to conduct environmental assessment work needed to apply for cleanup grants and to inform a foreclosure decision.

Why it matters: The board's approvals move forward capital and operational plans (waste-energy equipment), clarify internal classifications and work schedules, and enable environmental assessment work on a tax-deed candidate property. The loan authorization in particular creates short-term levy debt service that staff said should be reimbursed by the waste facility revenue stream the following year.