Walworth County Board approves release of Lakeland Healthcare Center feasibility and vacant‑wing funds

The Walworth County Board of Supervisors voted June 9 to release capital funding tied to Lakeland Healthcare Center and to allow feasibility work on the facility’s vacant wing to move forward.

Public commenters urged the board to free up funds for an intergenerational feasibility study at Lakeland. Madison Sweetman of Elkhorn told supervisors she supported releasing the feasibility‑study funds so officials could "look at what care looks like and how do we achieve it in our community." Rachel Catlett and Scott McLeod also urged approval, saying modest initial steps would build momentum for broader senior‑housing and child‑care solutions.

The vote followed Public Works Committee recommendations. The board took up Resolution No. 17‑0626, described in committee as "releasing the administrative hold on Lakeland Healthcare Center vacant wing modifications 2026 capital project funding," which had been recommended by both the Public Works Committee and the Lakeland Healthcare Center board of trustees. Supervisor Kenneth Monroe moved to approve the public‑works item; Supervisor Susan Ingersoll seconded the motion. The board approved the motion and the administrative hold was removed, allowing the capital project funding to proceed.

Committee materials and discussion show the County Zoning Agency and Public Works Committee considered land‑use and funding details in prior hearings. The record before the board included committee recommendations that were unanimous (committee votes cited as 5–0 in committee). The transcript does not provide a full roll‑call tally for the final board vote on this resolution beyond the meeting’s affirmation that the motion carried.

What this means: with the administrative hold lifted, county staff and Lakeland trustees can move forward on project planning and the feasibility work the public requested. The board did not adopt a final construction plan during the June 9 meeting; additional design, budgeting, and procurement steps remain before any physical work begins.

The board also approved related zoning, comprehensive‑plan and capital‑closure items during the same meeting, including several county zoning ordinance amendments and resolution actions reported earlier on the agenda. The board closed the meeting after finishing the business and a training session later in the agenda.

Next steps: county staff will proceed with the administrative steps needed to access the capital funds and advance the feasibility work; project timing and specific budget amounts for the Lakeland wing modifications were not specified in the board’s public remarks at the June 9 session.