Board approves 2026 capital improvement funding and several sales-tax transfers; first reading held on zoning ordinance updates

The Chippewa County Board of Supervisors considered the proposed 2026–2030 capital improvement plan (CIP), heard departmental summaries, and approved a series of resolutions authorizing sales-tax transfers and fund uses for highway projects, facilities and parks, IT equipment, land conservation, the sheriff’s office and the Chippewa Valley Regional Airport as part of the 2026 budget.

County staff summarized the 2026 items in the CIP. Highlights included a proposed $500,000 Phase 2 replacement for the large parking lot north of the courthouse (facilities and parks), a Branch 3 jury box remodel, planning funds for a sheriff’s department remodel, highway and bridge projects totaling approximately $11.3 million in projected expenditures (funded by sales tax, borrowing, and grants), fleet and IT replacement programs, and land-conservation items including planned Hickory Ridge warming shelter and maintenance-shed work funded primarily by state grants and donations.

Supervisors raised questions about prioritizing projects paid from discretionary sales-tax revenues versus those funded by grants or restricted aids. One supervisor noted the parking lot had received a chip seal as an interim measure and suggested deferring full replacement if the patch is holding. County staff and several supervisors explained that some items are grant-specific (for example, snowmobile bridges and Hickory Ridge) and therefore cannot be shifted to other uses; sales-tax-funded items are more discretionary but shifting them could reduce leverage for state matching dollars on highway projects.

After discussion the board voted to approve the following resolutions (all forwarded by the executive committee and approved by the board):

Votes at a glance - Resolution 16-25: Authorize use of sales tax funds to pay 2018, 2020, 2022 and 2024 capital project debt service in the 2026 budget; total transfers described in resolution amount to $2,105,178 across listed bond series. Outcome: approved. - Resolution 17-25: Transfer $132,890 from the sales-tax property tax relief fund to the airport budget for Chippewa County’s 2026 contribution to the Chippewa Valley Regional Airport. Outcome: approved. - Resolution 18-25: Transfer $500,000 to fund Parking Lot A replacement Phase 2; $150,000 for Branch 3 jury-box remodel; and $50,000 for sheriff’s department remodel planning (phase 1). Outcome: approved. - Resolution 19-25: Transfer $2,800,000 from sales tax to fund highway road and bridge projects in 2026; authorize use of $1,100,000 fund balance for highway machinery purchases and $100,000 fund balance for highway facility improvements; transfer $300,000 for non-highway fleet replacement. Outcome: approved. - Resolution 20-25: Transfer $245,000 from sales tax for IT equipment replacement. Outcome: approved. - Resolution 21-25: Authorize $500,000 (approximately $250,000 grants / $250,000 donations) for Hickory Ridge warming shelter and shed, $120,000 from snowmobile state funds for snowmobile bridges (if grant funding is approved), $300,000 for county forest land acquisitions (approx. $150,000 grants / $150,000 fund balance), and $100,000 stewardship funds for stewardship projects. Outcome: approved. - Resolution 22-25: Transfer $195,000 for a field services mobile command trailer and $135,000 for a first phase taser refresh for patrol and jail divisions. Outcome: approved.

Board members pressed departments on the timing and funding sources for specific items: facilities staff said the parking lot had been chip-sealed as a gap measure but will require replacement eventually; land-conservation items are largely grant- or donation-funded and therefore would not be available to reassign to other uses; highway projects use sales tax and borrowing and leverage state road-aid grants. The board discussed minimizing duplicate short-term expenditures (for example, avoiding small fixes this year if a larger remodel is planned next year for the sheriff’s department).

The board also held a first reading of proposed amendments to the Chippewa County zoning ordinance (sections cited in the packet). Planning staff described 12–18 months of drafting and town-level review; changes address definitions (hotel/motel, front/rear/side yard), multifamily and mixed-use development handling, plan unit development process, storage of consumer fireworks with ATF permit, and lot-size/parking clarifications. The first reading drew several technical questions about definitions—particularly the term “adequate” used for service and infrastructure requirements—and the planner said he would check state statutes and follow up. The zoning amendments will return for subsequent hearings and town reviews before final action.

The board approved the consent agenda, the monthly claims that had been added after agenda posting, and a chair appointment to a local board. The chair said committee rosters will be revisited after the vice-chair election and recent resignations.