Committee reviews draft Marathon County 2026 comprehensive plan; asked to submit feedback by Feb. 11

The Marathon County Health and Human Services Committee on Jan. 7 reviewed the draft Marathon County 2026 comprehensive plan and was asked to return feedback by Feb. 11 so the executive committee could consider placing the draft on 30-day circulation at its Feb. 12 meeting, leading to a public hearing and adoption recommendation in March.

Staff asked committee members to focus on goals and objectives in chapter 3 (health and human services), noting the plan had been updated with new data. Several supervisors raised concerns about homelessness, with Supervisor Conley saying she did not see an objective specifically addressing homelessness in the draft.

Staff replied that homelessness is addressed in other chapters (including chapter 4 and chapter 13 strategies) and pointed to related strategies and outcome measures; Supervisor Covelli directed members to page 62 for the homeless services discussion and the proposed public health coordinator position. Members discussed whether to create a distinct homelessness objective and one committee member suggested a small group (himself, Ron Covelli and Administrator Leonard) could draft a recommendation for discussion at the next meeting. Corporation counsel advised that while educational items are for discussion and not action, less-than-quorum meetings to prepare recommendations with the administrator are permissible.

Committee members asked staff to distribute chapter 13 strategies and other targeted excerpts to ease review rather than requiring members to read the entire draft packet. The committee set the next meeting for Wednesday, Feb. 4 at 3 p.m. and agreed to put homelessness discussion on the next agenda as an actionable item for fuller consideration.