The Marathon County Executive Committee voted to authorize Conservation, Planning and Zoning (CPZ) to release a working draft of the county comprehensive plan for public review and comment.

Laurie Kimmons, CPZ staff, told the committee the draft now includes an updated chapter on groundwater and additional maps and that staff plans to circulate the draft for public comment in January and early February, accompanied by a brief survey. "We would like to get that feedback from you all and get a blessing to then circulate the draft to the wider public in January and early February," Kimmons said, describing a planned public hearing in February or March ahead of formal adoption.

Supervisors probed several objectives in the plan. Supervisor Mirage asked how the county plans to "mitigate and adapt to impacts from changing weather patterns," how air quality will be tested and what metrics would indicate success. CPZ staff said mitigation work is likely to include engineering design standards for conservation practices and coordination with regional agencies; they noted the county typically relies on US Environmental Protection Agency and metropolitan planning organizations for air‑quality regulatory action and on the health department for public alerts.

Other supervisors discussed soil and groundwater monitoring; staff confirmed Marathon County conducts periodic groundwater sampling and said the county has begun adding PFAS to those analyses in some locations. On education goals, Administrator Leonard and staff said the comp plan establishes objectives and that subsequent strategy work will set measurable indicators, noting the county’s limited direct role in K‑12 schooling.

Supervisor Robinson moved to authorize CPZ to solicit public input on the draft; the motion was seconded and carried. Supervisors said they would provide editorial suggestions to staff prior to public release.

Next steps: CPZ will circulate the draft and a short survey in January–February, hold a public hearing in February or March depending on responses, and return to the committee with any required edits prior to final adoption.