Dunn County manager lays out 2026 budget hearing, $3M highway borrowing and $9.5M geothermal plan

Dunn County Manager Dan Dunbar opened the county’s required annual meeting on Nov. 12 and outlined a packed agenda centered on the proposed 2026 budget, separate borrowing authorizations and several committee actions.

“The public hearing gives the public a chance to share their thoughts on the proposed budget, and fulfills a required step in the County budget approval process,” Dunbar said, explaining that the hearing is both an opportunity for resident comment and a legal requirement.

Why it matters: The board is scheduled to consider the 2026 budget and set the tax levy, actions that determine next year’s service levels and property-tax bills. Dunbar said two borrowing resolutions are on the agenda because the proposed budget cannot be adopted without separate approval of the loans. “This is an action the board has done annually for about 5 years,” he said of routine borrowing for capital work.

What’s on the agenda: The board will first consider a resolution authorizing the borrowing of $3,000,000 in general obligation notes to finance highway construction planned for 2026 as part of the county’s 20‑year replacement schedule. Separately, the board will consider a resolution to authorize borrowing up to $9,500,000 to replace the Judicial Center’s aging HVAC with a geothermal system; Dunbar said the geothermal borrowing is included in the proposed budget but requires its own vote.

Other scheduled items include a 2025 Human Services budget amendment, approval to cancel uncashed checks, a resolution to adjust the land‑use fee schedule and the first reading of an ordinance on register-of-deeds fees, and an action to reaffirm participation in the Statewide Interoperable Communication System (WISCOM) so the county remains eligible for related state grants.

Dunbar also flagged a funding shortfall tied to state-administered programs: he said recent cuts to federal funding have resulted in an estimated $223,000 gap affecting Dunn County property taxes and that a resolution will ask the State of Wisconsin to cover the shortfall for income-maintenance services such as medical assistance certification, BadgerCare, childcare assistance and FoodShare (SNAP).

What the meeting will not yet resolve: The transcript records the agenda and Dunbar’s presentation of items but does not include motions, votes, or outcomes. Specific vote tallies, movers and seconds, and final board actions were not recorded in the provided text and are therefore not reported here.

Next steps: The board will hold the public hearing on the proposed 2026 budget during the meeting; after hearing public comment the board will take up other agenda items and then move into committee actions and appointments. The next county board meeting is scheduled for January 2026.