Resident alleges county administrator interfered in animal-control enforcement; administrator to refer matter to Public Safety committee

During the public-comment period, Benjamin Kurzweil (speaker 6), who identified himself as chairman of the town of Haribah but spoke in a personal capacity, urged the Sawyer County Board to instruct County Administrator Andy Alvarado not to interfere with enforcement of the county animal-control ordinance.

Kurzweil said his complaints began in mid‑June regarding a cat issue on his property and that animal-control enforcement officer Chaz Olson had at one point indicated a fine might be issued. Kurzweil told the board that after he asked staff whether a fine would be assessed, he was told in early August that no fine would be issued and that Alvarado had instructed staff not to continue the investigation. He cited a portion of the county's animal code requiring animals be kept under restraint and referenced Wis. Stat. § 59.18 regarding the county administrator’s duties.

County Administrator Andy Alvarado did not dispute the public commenter’s factual account in open session but told the board later during his administrator report that he would place the animal-control enforcement question on next month’s Public Safety Committee agenda for further review and direction.

Kurzweil asked the board to either require enforcement consistent with the ordinance or, if the board disagrees with the ordinance, change it through the formal legislative process. Board members accepted the request and Alvarado confirmed the matter would be scheduled for committee consideration.

The board took no immediate formal action at the meeting; the item will return for committee-level review.