The Wood County Board of Supervisors approved a county budget of more than $157,000,000 on Nov. 12, and Chair Lance Plimel said most of that total is pass-through federal and state funding for mandated programs while roughly $25–30 million represents discretionary or debt-related spending.

"On a $157,000,000 budget, there's only about 25 to 30,000,000 of debt," Plimel said, and he identified employee wages as the primary point of contention among the small number of dissenting votes: "I think that was the only pushback there at all, and it still passed 17 to 2," he said.

Plimel said much of the board’s work is completed in committees before items reach the floor, which he said leads to a high rate of unanimous votes on routine matters. He noted the county completed a roughly $100,000,000 jail project a few years ago and said paying that debt down should allow future reductions in the mill rate.

Several resolutions accompanying the budget were described during the interview. Plimel said the county authorized an increase for an oral-health program aimed at preventing dental issues among school-aged children and that resolutions are commonly required both to spend and to accept grant dollars. He described the county health department as a strong performer and credited health director Sue Smith.

Kaye also asked about a resolution authorizing the county to seek funding for a cooperative tribal-led law enforcement program. Plimel said such requests are annual and required to accept funds; he described close local cooperation with tribal partners and occasional interaction with the Bureau of Indian Affairs on related projects.

Plimel highlighted several local projects tied to county planning and budget decisions: the county’s first year operating Sarah Park (opened around May 1), which met usage goals and whose waterfront he said will make it one of the county’s most-used parks; a proposal to convert a wing of the Edgewater facility in Port Edwards from underused nursing-home beds to community-based residential/assisted-living units at an estimated $2–3 million cost; and a downtown master plan developed jointly with the city to improve parking and access around the courthouse and riverfront, with much work contingent on grants and state approvals and with some work targeted for completion by 2026.

Plimel listed priorities as committee meetings resume heading into 2026, naming public safety, affordable housing, childcare and a rising homelessness/unsheltered issue as top concerns.

No new county vote or final decision on the Edgewater conversion or specific construction starts was announced during the interview.