Jefferson County Board approves public-safety grants, parks trail funding, pay changes and multiple highway contracts

The Jefferson County Board of Supervisors on a single April meeting voted to accept federal- and state-related grant funding for the county public safety answering point (PSAP), authorize consultant and software contracts for emergency medical services and compensation management, approve the low bid and budget adjustments for Phase 3 of the Interurban multiuse trail, and adopt a personnel ordinance increasing shift differentials for communications operators.

The actions bundle included multiple highway procurement approvals (asphalt, hot-mix purchases, milling and pulverizing quotes), adoption of the county hazard mitigation plan for 2025–2029, and continued support for the county’s Clean Sweep solid-waste and drug take-back programs. Several appointments were confirmed and one Supervisor was sworn in to fill a vacant seat.

Why it matters: the PSAP grant and related budget amendment and the personnel ordinance change affect the sheriff’s dispatch operations and county payroll spending; the Interurban Trail bid commits county funds and grant match that will impact the 2025 capital budget; the highway procurements set vendor relationships and project execution for local road improvements.

Votes at a glance

- Resolution (PSAP grant / sheriff's office budget amendment) — Resolution number: (as listed in packet) PSAP grant award $141,374 with an additional pending grant application of $36,804; finance director authorized to increase 2025 budget revenue and expenses by $127,237 now and by $33,124 should the second award be made. Motion to approve moved by Supervisor Jones, second by Supervisor Morris. Vote: 26 yes, 0 no, 4 absent. Outcome: approved. Fiscal note: matching funds will be covered through sheriff’s office budget adjustments; vote threshold required 20 of 30 due to budget amendment.

- Resolution (EMS work group consultant) — Resolution number 2025-2 (as listed): Authorizes county administrator to contract with UniverCity Alliance (listed as UniverCity Alliance/University Alliance in packet) to provide EMS work-group consulting services for a contract amount cited as $41,140; funding included in previously approved carry-forward budget of $50,000. Motion moved by Supervisor Weneke; second by Supervisor Kennard. Vote: approved (voice vote recorded as aye; no recorded no votes). Outcome: approved.

- Ordinance (personnel HR0360: communications operators shift differentials) — Ordinance number 2025-1: Amends Jefferson County personnel ordinance HR0360 to increase shift differential for communications operators to $2/hour (second shift), $3/hour (third shift) and $2/hour (field training officer). Fiscal impact estimated in packet as approximately $37,250 annually and $22,850 for remainder of 2025; funding mechanism described in packet uses revenue from housing additional state inmates at $60/day (noted as $27,000) and other budget adjustments; this ordinance requires 20 of 30 votes as a budget amendment. Motion moved by Supervisor Brogner; second by Supervisor Callan. Vote: 26 yes, 0 no, 4 absent. Outcome: approved.

- Resolution (GovInvest compensation-management software) — Resolution number 2025-8: Authorizes a contract through Carahsoft Technology Corp. for GovInvest compensation analysis software: one-time configuration/training fee $8,375 and annual subscription $26,550 (three-year total $88,025). Initial year funding ($34,925) to come from savings in a vacant risk manager/safety position; future years to be funded by eliminating outside compensation studies. Motion moved by Supervisor Brogner; second by Supervisor Zarling. Vote: approved (voice vote recorded). Outcome: approved.

- Resolution (Parks: Interurban Bike Trail Phase 3 construction bid and budget amendment) — Resolution number 2025-9: Accepts low bid from Karchner Brothers LLC for $1,473,585.29 to construct 10.96 miles of multiuse trail (approximately 10 miles in Jefferson County) including a 10-foot asphalt surface with 2-foot aggregate shoulders; a Wisconsin DOT Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) grant is anticipated to cover 80% of eligible construction costs. Fiscal plan in packet lists the grant share and multiple county funding sources, including carryover funds ($121,474.47), funds originally set aside for land purchase ($100,000), project contingency, and proceeds from a pending land sale; as a budget amendment this required 20 of 30 votes. Motion moved by Supervisor Christiansen; second by Supervisor Morris. Vote: 24 yes, 2 no, 4 absent. Outcome: approved.

- Resolutions (Highway Department procurements) — Multiple resolutions and authorizations approved to award asphalt purchases and to accept seasonal quotes or bids for hot-mix asphalt, milling, pulverizing, and related products for 2025 local road improvement projects. Notable vendor named for several projects: Payne & Dolan (low responsible bidder for several local road improvement asphalt purchases). Highway committee recommended forwarding. Motions moved by Supervisor Jackel and others; votes: approved (voice votes recorded aye; no recorded no votes). Outcome: approved.

- Ordinance (Official zoning map amendments via Planning & Zoning Committee) — Ordinance number 2025-2: The Planning and Zoning Committee recommended a set of map amendments after public hearings held March 27, 2025; the county board adopted the ordinance. One abstention was recorded (Supervisor Kennard) for potential conflict of interest. Outcome: approved.

- Resolution (Hazard Mitigation Plan 2025–2029) — Resolution number 2025-10: Adopts the Jefferson County multi-jurisdictional hazard mitigation plan required under the Federal Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000, covering 2025–2029. Motion moved by Supervisor Morris; second by Supervisor Roberts. Vote: approved (voice vote recorded). Outcome: approved.

- Resolution (Solid Waste / Clean Sweep support) — Resolution number 2025-11: Expresses continued board support for the county’s Clean Sweep hazardous-waste, e-waste, tire recycling and drug take-back programs; supports pursuing DATCP and DNR grant funding. Motion moved by Supervisor Callan; second by Supervisor Goldston. Vote: approved (voice vote recorded). Outcome: approved.

- Appointments and oath of office — The board confirmed multiple appointments (library boards, health board, Traffic Safety Commission representative) as presented by the county administrator; Phil Rizzo was appointed by the county board chair and sworn in as Supervisor for District 17 (oath administered by a judge). Motions to confirm were moved and seconded; votes: approved (voice votes recorded). Outcome: confirmed.

Discussion highlights and clarifications

- PSAP grants and matching funds: packet language says the county’s sheriff’s office was previously awarded $141,374 for emergency medical dispatch equipment and has applied for an additional $36,804; the resolution authorizes immediate budget increases of $127,237 for the already-awarded grant and a further $33,124 if the second grant is awarded. The sheriff’s office will adjust its budget to provide the required matches. (source: presentation to board and resolution text cited by Supervisor Jones and packet material)

- Interurban Trail funding: packet shows a TAP grant anticipated to cover approximately 80% of costs; the cited bid award is $1,473,585.29 and the packet lays out specific county funding sources including carryover funds and the planned transfer of proceeds from a named land sale upon closing. Board members voted to authorize the bid acceptance and the budget amendments required. (source: presentation by Supervisor Christiansen and fiscal note in packet)

- Shift-differential payroll change: packet shows the new pay differentials for communications operators and provides an estimated fiscal impact (annual and prorated for remainder of 2025). The packet and presenters identified the intended funding mechanism (revenue from housing state inmates at $60/day and other adjustments) and the finance director was authorized to make necessary budget adjustments.

What the board did not do

- The board did not delay the PSAP acceptance or the Interurban Trail award for further study; both were taken up and voted at this meeting. Several highway vendor-authorizations were approved by voice vote without recorded roll-call tallies in the minutes.

Next steps / follow-up

- The finance director was authorized where applicable to make immediate budget adjustments to implement awarded grants, accepted bids, and ordinance changes that required budget amendments. Where grants or subsequent awards are contingent (for example, the additional PSAP grant), the finance director is authorized to implement changes if and when those funds are received.

(See provenance below for transcript locations of each listed item.)