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County executive updates board on campus search, shoreland zoning, planetarium finances and public-health trends
Summary
Winnebago County’s county executive told the board that Faith Technologies declined to purchase the campus, the county is preparing a community visioning process, towns must file shoreland zoning documents by early March to avoid losing county general zoning on April 1, and that suicide and overdose deaths show concerning trends that prompted a temporary staffing authorization for the medical examiner’s office.
Winnebago County’s county executive provided a multi-topic update to the Board of Supervisors covering economic-development prospects for a county-owned campus, an impending shoreland zoning transition, the Barlow Planetarium’s early performance under county management, and troubling early-year public-health numbers.
On economic development, the executive said Faith Technologies completed its 90-day due diligence and declined to make a formal offer because rehabilitation costs and the cost to host a nationally centralized training operation were too high. The county will return to prior efforts to market the property and is preparing to allow an entertainment management company a window to investigate operation of the communication arts center and field house.
On shoreland zoning, the executive reminded supervisors that an amendment to chapter 27 removes county responsibility for general zoning in shoreland areas effective 2026-04-01. Towns may adopt county-like general zoning or follow state-statutory procedures for adoption; required documents must be submitted by the end of the week so planning and zoning staff can prepare materials for a March 9 special meeting and the county-board packet for March 17.
The county’s transition of the Barlow Planetarium from the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh to county operation is showing modest revenue momentum: combined 2025 revenue was reported at $172,000 with $279,000 in expenses across UW Oshkosh and county operations; the county's portion of revenue was $79,669. January 2026 revenue at Barlow was "just over $26,000" against an estimated $27,000 in expenses, and February is tracking ahead of 2025 levels, the executive said.
The executive also reported a concerning increase in suicides: 27 deaths were recorded in 2025 and nine suicide deaths had occurred so far in 2026. Overdose deaths in 2025 totaled 26 (with one pending); there were zero confirmed overdose deaths in 2026 but three pending cases as of the report. To address medical-examiner staffing strain, the executive authorized a temporary project position to restore the medical examiner team to four during an absence.
The executive described steps the county and local partners are taking to expand cold-weather sheltering capacity and to coordinate with community organizations, libraries and shelters during extreme weather. He asked supervisors to expect further updates and materials as towns finalize shoreland zoning decisions and as the county pursues development and management options for the campus.
