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Chippewa County board approves initial $7.5M bonding authorization for road projects
Summary
The board passed an initial resolution authorizing up to $7.5 million in general obligation promissory notes to fund highway improvement projects and approved a follow‑up sale resolution; staff said the plan uses sales tax and a 10‑year payback schedule and emphasized the county's relatively low per‑capita debt.
Chippewa County supervisors voted to move forward with bonding and capital plans for county roads, approving an initial resolution authorizing up to $7.5 million in general obligation promissory notes for highway improvement projects and a separate sale resolution directing staff to take the steps necessary to issue the debt.
The initial measure (Resolution 12‑26) was discussed as a carryover from the prior meeting. A county staff presenter noted that local governments commonly use debt for capital projects and described a 10‑year payback approach for the proposed notes. "You can use [debt] for capital projects ... our payback, we're not stretching out — we stay to a 10 year schedule," the staff member said, adding that Chippewa County's per‑capita debt was about $126 compared with a statewide average cited by staff of $539.
Staff explained the upcoming bond authority will support road and bridge work: sales tax dollars will fund design for several county bridge projects while a subsequent bond issue will cover construction costs for county M and county T segments; equipment and vehicle replacements are included in the capital plan. The presenter advised that with 20 supervisors sworn in, a three‑quarter majority (15 votes) is required to adopt the bonding authorization; the initial resolution passed 19‑0.
Supervisors asked routine questions about the frequency of borrowing and the scope of projects. When asked about the timeline for replacing a particularly dangerous bridge, the highway commissioner replied: "When we have funding," and added that the bridge is monitored on an inspection schedule and would be closed if it were unsafe.
The follow‑up sale resolution (Resolution 13‑26), which directs county staff to work with financial advisors (Baird) and other professionals to carry out the debt issuance, also passed 19‑0. The county plans to use a mix of sales tax revenue and bonding to carry out the capital improvement plan, with staff returning to execute the sale process and related details.
