Price County committee elects Palecek chair, forwards Eisenstein bridge aid, and approves airport contracts and policies

Larry Palecek was elected chair of the Price County Highway & Transportation Committee and Jordan Spacek was elected vice chair at the committee’s May 6, 2026 meeting in Phillips, the committee confirmed.

The vote followed nominations at the start of the meeting; Joe Baratka nominated Palecek, and Palecek assumed the chair for the remainder of the session after the motion to elect him passed by unanimous ballot. Doug Erickson nominated Spacek for vice chair; that unanimous ballot was approved as well.

Why it matters: The committee oversees local road and airport projects and the chair and vice chair will steer agendas and recommendations to the county’s Executive Committee and County Board.

The committee reviewed the Highway Department’s annual financial audit and an equipment inventory used to decide what to keep, sell or retire. Committee members were told a single audit is scheduled for April–May 2026 and is expected to close by mid-summer.

County Highway Commissioner Roger Petrick reported that the department patched State Highway 70 and that the Wisconsin Department of Transportation posted the route with a 40-ton restriction while still allowing logging trucks; DOT plans full repairs with emergency funds in July 2026. Petrick also outlined planned county projects for the season, including work on County Road D and portions of County Road H and possible reimbursed assistance to Lincoln County on County Road YY.

In a funding action, the Town of Eisenstein’s bridge and culvert aid request was approved by the committee and forwarded to the Executive Committee for final approval. The U.S. Forest Service has pledged $31,000 toward the request, described in committee materials as half of the total request.

Airport business drew several approvals and recommendations. The committee approved purchasing a seven-year extended warranty for the airport’s new loader at a cost of $4,880 (motion by Jordan Spacek, second by Doug Erickson). Market & Johnson was the apparent low bidder on two projects: the T-hangar bid at $1,338,292 and the Taxi Lane bid at $199,868.15; both amounts were reported as lower than earlier estimates prepared by Becker-Hoppee. The committee also recommended creation of a Price County Airport Fuel Policy and voted to forward that draft to the Executive Committee with an added provision that no fuel or product may be added to an account until the account balance is paid in full (motion by Joe Baratka, second by Jordan Spacek).

Operations and staffing updates included fleet and facilities notices: delivery of a new Chevy 3500 one-ton Foreman pickup, two new freight liners, graders prepared for summer, electrical upgrades to fiber power and the sand shed, and the sale of a single-axle truck at auction. The committee was informed that Fleet and Facilities Superintendent Dan Heenan has submitted his resignation and the county is seeking a replacement.

Financial housekeeping: the committee accepted Highway & Transportation vouchers as presented—$103,223.90 for March 2026 and $102,833.22 for April 2026 (motion by Jordan Spacek, second by Doug Erickson). The committee set its next meeting for June 3, 2026 and Chair Palecek adjourned the meeting at 9:32 a.m.

Attributions: Motions and procedural actions are recorded as entered in the meeting minutes. Reported amounts, contractor names and dates were drawn from committee materials presented at the meeting and noted by the County Highway Commissioner and County Airport Manager.