Sawyer County Board approves Callahan–Mud Lake district after carving out requested parcels

The Sawyer County Board of Supervisors voted 8–6 to create the Callahan and Mud Lake Lake District while removing parcels whose owners had requested exclusion and excluding certain Sawyer County parcels the board concluded would not be benefited by the district.

The decision followed more than an hour of public comment from residents who both supported and opposed the petition and legal guidance from corporation counsel on the statutory findings required under Wisconsin Statutes chapter 33. "Why is a group of private people trying to force me into a taxation district that could increase my property taxes by over 30% for a cause in which I do not benefit?" said Rhonda Isold, a resident who opposed inclusion of her property.

County staff reported an updated map showing parcels that had requested removal; staff told the board that 14 owners had asked to be excluded, and that the county must act within six months of the public hearing (the public hearing was reported as November 6) or the petition process times out. Corporation Counsel Rebecca Roker advised the board that to create a lake district the board must make specific written findings under Wis. Stat. § 33.26(3) that the petition meets statutory requirements and that properties included will be benefited.

Supervisor John Righeimer moved to approve the district while honoring removal requests and excluding Sawyer County parcels the board found not to be benefited. The motion—seconded by Supervisor Buckles—also directed that the board adopt findings of fact, conclusions of law and the decision and order modified to reflect the boundary changes, and that the board name an initial five‑member board of commissioners for the new district. The board appointed Lynn Amundsen, Ray Schnepp and Holly Robbins as the three initial property‑owner commissioners, designated Supervisor Kaye Wilson as the county representative, and asked the town of Round Lake to appoint the fifth commissioner.

The motion carried on a roll call vote: yes — Steve Cariannon; Stacy Hessel; Marshall Savitsky; Jim Evans; Jeff Haney; John Righeimer; Ron Kinsley; Ron Buchholz. No — Kaye Wilson; Tweed Schuman; Mark Hellwig; Tom Duffy; Chuck Van Etten; Dale Magnuson. (Randy Newman was recorded absent.)

Board members and counsel repeatedly discussed the legal standard of whether excluded parcels would be “benefited” by the district; counsel warned the board against drawing so‑called "keyhole" exclusions without written reasons showing those parcels would not be benefited. Several speakers urged alternative approaches: some supervisors suggested county purchase or ownership of the dam as another path to securing long‑term maintenance funding.

The board’s order requires county staff to finalize the findings and decision to match tonight’s action, to notify the town of Round Lake about appointment of the fifth commissioner, and to update the district paperwork to reflect the parcels removed. The board record shows the deadline to act on the petition was May 6 (six months after the reported public hearing), and that updated removal requests were recorded through the county clerk’s office.