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Dunn County committee approves five-year facilities CIP after removing smokestack demolition and deferring vehicle purchase
Summary
The Dunn County Facilities Committee voted to approve a five-year capital improvement plan as amended, striking a $25,000-per-year set-aside for demolition of an old boiler-room smokestack and removing a proposed 2027 vehicle purchase so vehicles will remain leased for now. The motion passed unanimously and will go to the executive committee and full board.
The Dunn County Facilities Committee voted unanimously to approve a five-year capital improvement plan, with two amendments removing a planned $25,000-per-year set‑aside for demolition of an old boiler-room smokestack and deferring a 2027 vehicle purchase in favor of continued leasing.
The amendment came after extended discussion about the value and risks of demolishing a masonry smokestack and whether the county should invest in purchasing fleet vehicles rather than leasing. Supervisor Tom Gilbert moved to approve the CIP with the smokestack set‑aside removed; the motion was seconded. The committee then approved an amendment to strike the 2027 vehicle purchase and keep the CIP otherwise intact. Chair Luke Wilsey declared the motion unanimous.
Committee members said the smokestack raised questions about structural risk versus historic value. "If it's not falling over, I don't know why we would spend a quarter million dollars tearing it down," Supervisor Tom Gilbert said during debate, arguing the cost might outweigh the benefit. Other members and staff said the smokestack presents long‑term maintenance and liability concerns that led executive leadership to propose gradual set‑asides beginning in 2024 to fund eventual demolition.
On fleet policy, staff had proposed setting aside $30,000 annually to shift some vehicles from operational leasing to capital purchase to save money over time. Staff noted trade‑offs: leased vehicles arrive quickly when totaled and remain under warranty; purchased vehicles can be cheaper over a longer lifecycle but require capital funding. During CIP debate the committee elected to defer the 2027 vehicle purchase, keeping the option to reevaluate in later years.
Staff told the committee they will forward the amended CIP to the executive committee and then to the full county board for adoption. The committee set no specific new deadline for reconsidering the smokestack line item and instructed staff to provide additional information on costs and preservation alternatives as requested.
The committee adjourned; the next meeting was scheduled on the record for 2026-06-15 at 04:30.
