The Sawyer County Public Safety Committee on its November agenda approved three items that will affect county operations and budgets.

A resolution to increase juror per diems passed by voice vote. Marge, the clerk of courts, asked the committee to raise the juror per diem from $25 to $50 per day and to raise the half-day rate from $12.50 to $25, noting the last pay increase occurred in 1993. The committee also agreed to tie juror mileage to the county reimbursement rate rather than a fixed cent amount so the rate can adjust with the county’s annual policy. The chair noted the measure must go to the full county board for final approval.

The committee also approved a cooperative law-enforcement grant agreement with Lac Courte Oreilles (LCO). Staff described the award as roughly $50,000 that flows to LCO but offsets county costs; committee members confirmed the current agreement does not permit using the funds for county radio-tower work.

Finally, the committee passed a resolution to pursue a FY2026 radio grant that would fund radio-system upgrades. Staff cautioned that accepting the grant would commit the county to provide matching funds as part of the application.

All three measures passed by voice vote with no recorded nay votes in the meeting transcript. Other procedural items — including approval of prior meeting minutes — were also approved by voice vote.

Votes-at-a-glance
- Approval of minutes from previous meeting: motion by Mark Helwig; second by Jim Evans; outcome: approved by voice vote (no recorded opposition).
- Juror stipend and mileage resolution: motion and second recorded on the floor; outcome: approved by voice vote; note: forwarded to county board for final action.
- Tribal cooperative law-enforcement grant (Lac Courte Oreilles): motion by staff; second by committee member; outcome: approved by voice vote.
- FY2026 radio grant resolution (requires matching funds): motion by staff; second by committee member; outcome: approved by voice vote.

The committee recorded these approvals on the consent/regular agenda and did not provide roll-call tallies in the minutes transmitted in the meeting packet. Further fiscal commitments (matching funds and county-board approval) will be handled in follow-up steps.