Waupaca County board adopts budget cuts and reallocations, cutting positions and directing opioid and broadband funds

Waupaca County Board of Supervisors members at a special Oct. 7 session approved a package of budget amendments that removed or reduced county positions and redirected funds to behavioral‑health and broadband priorities.

Chair Morack opened the meeting, saying the session’s purpose was to address a deficit in the proposed 2026 county budget and to consider motions informed by a memo placed on file with the County Clerk. County staff member Heidi Dombrowski was invited to summarize areas of concern in the memo provided to board members.

The board approved several personnel cuts and reallocations. Motions passed to remove a 0.5 full‑time‑equivalent UW‑Extension support/administrative assistant contract position (net savings $41,489), remove a 0.5 FTE UE‑Extension contracted position related to nutrition programs (net savings $32,583), eliminate funding for an accountant position (net savings $151,879), and remove funding for two telecommunicator positions (net savings $172,710). All of those motions recorded roll outcomes in the meeting minutes and were approved by the board.

Separately, the board unanimously approved allocating $96,715 of opioid settlement funds to a substance use disorder counselor and unanimously approved reallocation of $750,000 in one‑time broadband expansion funds. The board also approved a change to the County Board Chair compensation — setting a flat salary of $12,000 with no per diem, estimated to save $8,000 — and moved to stop paying supervisors for interviews while removing meal reimbursements after an amendment to that motion.

Votes were recorded in the minutes with the following tallies: Motion 1 (remove 0.5 FTE UW‑Extension position) carried 19‑1; Motion 2 (remove 0.5 FTE UE‑Extension position) carried 16‑4; Motion 3 (eliminate accountant funding) carried 20‑0; Motion 4 (eliminate two telecommunicator positions) carried 20‑0; Motion 5 (opioid settlement allocation) carried 20‑0; Motion 6 (reallocate broadband funds) carried 20‑0; Motion 8 (change chair salary) carried 17‑3; and Motion 9 (no pay for interviews; amendment to remove meal reimbursements passed 10‑9 with one abstention, and the amended motion later carried 16‑4.

Board action on staffing reductions will change the county’s personnel budget lines for 2026; the meeting minutes record the estimated net savings for each action but do not specify implementation timing or how remaining service responsibilities will be reassigned. The clerk’s minutes indicate the memo explaining deficit areas was placed on file with the County Clerk’s Office.

The board adjourned at 10:25 a.m. following approval of the motions. The minutes were signed by Kristy K. Opperman, Waupaca County Clerk.