Residents urge support for Meals on Wheels and Weiss Library; biojet plant questions raised

Several Hayward-area residents used the board’s public-comment period to press the Sawyer County Board of Supervisors for more support for senior services and libraries and to ask that the county require additional review of a proposed biojet fuel plant.

Anne Larson, director of the Sherman and Ruth Weiss Community Library, described the library as “the heart of Sawyer County” and said it serves more than 20 communities. Larson asked the board to support the library’s $245,000 budget request, saying, “Without that bailout, the library might not be here today,” and noting the Weiss library receives no municipal funding that many Wisconsin libraries receive.

Multiple speakers urged renewed county support for Meals on Wheels. Volunteer driver Ron Ulmer described the deliveries as “a wellness check” for isolated seniors and said recipients often lack other social contact. Peg Martin and Donna Dresco — drivers and program staff — gave examples of homebound residents who depend on the program and noted the logistical burden on volunteer and paid drivers. Joey Johnson, director of the Senior Resource Center, said the center is asking specifically for county funds to support Meals on Wheels, not for wages or unrelated programs.

Johnson provided operational figures for the program: in 2025 (January–October) Meals on Wheels drivers logged 58,768 miles (about 5,677 miles per month) at a reimbursement rate of 58¢ per mile, which Johnson said amounted to approximately $34,085.44 year-to-date; she said 2024 mileage totaled 81,034 miles and 2023 totaled 84,482 miles. Johnson noted program changes since 2022 (reduced in-kind grant matching and fewer volunteer drivers in some areas) and outlined steps the center has taken to control costs.

Separately, Hayward resident Ginny Chobock urged the board and the land, water and forest committee to require a full environmental impact assessment before approving any decisions tied to a proposed biojet fuel plant near Hayward. Chobock raised specific questions about water use (“What volume of water will the plant require?”), energy demands, potential pollutant outputs (particulates, VOCs), waste management, and the potential for contamination of the Namakagon River.

Board members did not take action during public comment; those items were forwarded to the relevant committees or budget discussions later in the meeting. The county’s budget debate later that evening included additional funding for the Weiss Library and the Senior Resource Center (see separate coverage on the budget vote).