Dunn County educator outlines EMS study findings, childcare survey and regional supports

Garrett, regional community and leadership development educator for Chippewa, Dunn and Eau Claire counties, told the Dunn County Community Resources and Tourism Committee that a recently completed EMS planning study and a county childcare survey are driving local planning and outreach.

Garrett said the Town of Elk Mound secured an Innovation Planning Grant and hired consultant Dana Schlatt to collect data from Dunn County fire and EMS services on call volumes, staffing rosters and equipment. He said the consultant’s report was released last month and that some local providers did not provide the requested information, which has complicated a full countywide assessment. “There are folks that are doing such good and important work and are so under resourced that they are afraid that any scrutiny is going to hurt them,” Garrett said, describing the reluctance to share internal data.

The educator said the governor’s office has also proposed a larger state-level innovation grant program discussed at the Capitol that speakers in the meeting described as roughly $300 million in total funds with individual application amounts apparently capped near $5 million; Garrett characterized those figures as the current working numbers in play at the state level. He said several townships in Dunn County are discussing more limited regional collaboration rather than a countywide consolidation, and that the towns association has held meetings to consider next steps.

On childcare, Garrett said the countywide survey drew about 400 respondents overall and more than 300 responses once the results were filtered to households with childcare needs. He said the findings will be released in April and that the county will use an employer-focused April panel to present models and incentives—drawing on work by the Wisconsin Early Childhood Education Association and local partners—to encourage employer participation in solutions such as shared facilities, endowments and nonprofit child-care providers. “The math just isn’t there for child care centers run by a single employer,” Garrett said, explaining why collaborative or pooled approaches are being promoted.

Garrett framed his work as neutral facilitation—helping local governments, nonprofits and businesses set strategic goals—and said other regional projects include a Chippewa Valley nonprofit exchange and leadership development programs for local government staff. He told the committee staff will support Health and Human Services’ operational planning with deeper data dives beginning in late March or early April.

The committee did not take formal action on the EMS or childcare items; members asked for more outreach and clarity about provider data and next steps. Garrett said staff will continue supporting town-level conversations and bring findings to county committees as they are finalized.