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County weighing continued membership in Winnebago Waterways as contract costs bite
Summary
Staff told the committee Waushara County has paid $40,000 so far into an executive committee contract for Winnebago Waterways; with budget pressure the county is considering exiting the contract or finding donor/association funding to replace the $20,000-per-year county contribution.
The Zoning Administrator summarized the county's participation in the Winnebago Waterways partnership (involving the Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance and several counties) and said joint work has helped secure roughly $6,000,000 in grants for watershed and lake projects. The administrator said Waushara County has been part of the executive committee contract that carries a $20,000-per-year contribution and noted the county has paid $40,000 to date for the current contract cycle. "Winnebago Waterways Group, literally to date has, received over $6,000,000 worth of grants," the Zoning Administrator said.
Staff said the county faces budget constraints and questioned whether the membership is sufficiently critical to keep the contribution in 2027. The committee discussed options including soliciting donations from lake associations, reaching out to the farm bureau, or otherwise shifting the cost to partner organizations; staff said termination or a scaled-back commitment will require 30 days' notice if pursued. No final decision was made; staff will seek an update from the Watershed Lakes Council and provide options to the committee before the November notice deadline.
