After the Three Minutes: Price County Board’s Unfinish

What Happens After Three Minutes: The Unfinished Business Left Behind by Price County’s May Board Meeting

Last updated: May 2026

The Price County Board of Supervisors gaveled out of their May 19 meeting with a familiar mix of routine county business and unresolved tension. On paper, the board handled its agenda: an animal ordinance passed, a bridge aid resolution moved forward, and a special election timeline was set for District 5. But the meeting’s most consequential moment: the board’s decision to grant United Together Against Violence (UTAV) executive director Brittany Volkman exactly three minutes to speak, and then move on, left a trail of questions that no roll call vote can close.

Here is what the board left on the table, what it means for residents, and what to watch for when supervisors reconvene on June 16.

The UTAV Resolutions: Nowhere to Go

Volkman’s three minutes covered a lot of ground: a claim that 40% of Wisconsin’s firearms violence happens in the rural Northwoods, an accusation that citizens face a “brick wall of open records denials,” a description of law enforcement’s severed relationship with domestic violence services over a Black Lives Matter sign, and a warning that the county’s tracking of violent offenses amounts to an “honor system” that increases homicide risk.

These are serious claims. They deserve serious answers. But after those three minutes elapsed, no supervisor asked a follow-up question. No committee referral was made. Board Chair Brian Ernst declared, “We’ve talked about that enough today,” and the agenda item was closed.

The practical result: UTAV’s four proposed resolutions , which the organization says are backed by 148 sources , remain in board packets with no pathway forward. They were not referred to the Law Enforcement Committee, the Health and Human Services Board, or any other standing committee for study. Unless a supervisor chooses to sponsor one of the proposals and bring it through the committee process, they will sit, unacted upon and unexamined.

This is how ideas die in county government , not with a vote, but with silence.

The Numbers Behind the Claims

Volkman’s statistic about 40% of firearms violence occurring in the Northwoods deserves scrutiny, and not dismissal. Wisconsin Department of Justice data on violent crime by county is publicly available, and the numbers for rural northern counties are striking when measured per capita rather than in absolute terms. Price County, with roughly 14,000 residents, typically records a handful of homicides per year , but the rate per 100,000 residents can exceed urban areas when even a single incident occurs in such a small population.

The broader point , that domestic violence services and law enforcement are not coordinating , is one that multiple Wisconsin counties have grappled with since 2020. When the Price County Sheriff’s Office stopped directly contacting the local domestic violence shelter, it created a gap in crisis response that no ordinance or resolution has yet addressed.

The open records denials Volkman referenced are a separate and equally thorny issue. Wisconsin’s open records law is among the strongest in the nation, but enforcement depends on citizens willing to file lawsuits , a tall order in a county where legal resources are thin and government is the biggest employer.

District 5: An Appointed Voice, An Elected Future

The District 5 vacancy , created when Supervisor Jason Hastings resigned April 22 citing concerns about constitutional governance and transparency , took a step toward resolution on May 19, but not before a debate about timing.

The original proposal had the appointed representative serving through December 31, with the elected successor taking office January 1, 2027. Supervisor Robert Kopisch moved to compress that timeline, arguing that the person elected in November should start representing District 5 as soon as possible. Supervisor Alan Barkstrom seconded. The amendment passed 8-4, setting the elected official’s start date to November 12, 2026 , three days after canvassing , with the appointment ending November 11.

What this means in practice: the Towns of Fifield and Eisenstein (Ward 2) will have an appointed supervisor for roughly six months, then an elected one starting mid-November. The county is publishing a vacancy notice, and anyone interested in the appointment should contact the County Clerk’s office. Candidates for the November 3 special election can begin filing nomination papers once the start date is formally set.

IT Costs: The Budget Problem Nobody Voted On

County Administrator Nick Trimner’s report on IT costs drew less public attention than the UTAV exchange, but it is the/a most consequential item for residents’ wallets. One software product’s annual maintenance fee jumped from $36,000 to $76,000 overnight , a 111% increase with no corresponding improvement in service. For a county with roughly 170 employees and a general fund budget around $10 million, that single line item now consumes nearly 1% of the entire budget.

Email costs have tripled. Cybersecurity requirements push expenses higher every year. The county maintains three separate backup systems , local, off-site, and cloud , because the cost of a data breach would far exceed the cost of redundancy. Trimner told the board he has been communicating with state officials about operating costs climbing rapidly while levy limits restrict how much the county can raise to cover them.

The math is straightforward: costs are growing faster than revenue. Sales tax collections hit a record $107,000 in February, up from $73,459 the prior year, but Trimner cautioned the county may be hitting a plateau. Cash on hand stands at $10.6 million, above the state-recommended 90-day reserve threshold, but reserves alone do not solve structural cost growth.

This is not a crisis today. It is a slow-moving budget problem that will show up in property tax levy discussions, service reductions, or both , probably within the next two budget cycles. The June 16 meeting and the fall budget process will be where it starts to surface.

The Animal Ordinance: What Changed and What Didn’t

The Habitual Animal Offender ordinance (Section 223-44.1) and its companion definitions update (Section 223-19) both passed unanimously, but not before public criticism. Resident Ginny Strobl called the original language “unnecessarily vague” with “may” instead of “shall” wording that could lead to “unintended consequences.”

The board apparently agreed on at least one point: the final version changed “may” to “shall” regarding the 10-year tracking period, making enforcement mandatory rather than discretionary. The ordinance was prompted by a specific case , a residence where a pack of dogs was involved in five attacks , but under existing law, only individual animals could be tracked, not the premises itself. The new law tracks the residence.

Strobl’s broader concern , that a two-page ordinance addressing complex animal control issues could create as many problems as it solves , remains valid. Enforcement will tell the story.

Bridge Aid for Eisenstein: Routine, But Not Small

The board approved bridge and culvert aid for the Town of Eisenstein, specifically for infrastructure on Forest Road 149 and Cedar Rapids Road. The resolution barely makes the news but matters enormously to the people who live on those roads. Spring thaw and heavy rain routinely damage rural road infrastructure in northern Wisconsin, and the county-state cost-sharing for bridge and culvert projects is how small towns afford repairs they could never fund alone.

A similar resolution was passed in 2025 for the Town of Lake on Hamilton Road over Smith Creek. The pattern is consistent: county government in Price County handles a steady stream of infrastructure requests that don’t make headlines but keep the roads passable.

Audit Review: Baker Tilly’s Tenure Under Examination

The county is reviewing its audit relationship with Baker Tilly, which has held the contract for 10 years. Three firms . Kerber Rose, CliftonLarsonAllen, and Baker Tilly , will be interviewed at the June executive committee meeting, with a board vote to follow. A decade with one auditor is not unusual for small Wisconsin counties, but it is good practice to periodically reassess. The outcome could affect how financial transparency looks in future years.

What to Watch on June 16

The next regular board meeting is scheduled for June 16, 2026, at 9:00 a.m. In Room 101 of the County Courthouse. Here is what residents should pay attention to:

Will any supervisor sponsor a UTAV resolution?The proposals are in the board packets. They will not move unless someone picks them up. If no one does, the community deserves an explanation.
The District 5 appointment.Who fills the seat, and how quickly, will signal whether the board prioritizes representation or convenience.
IT cost growth.Trimner’s warning about software and cybersecurity expenses needs a public discussion about what the county can afford and what it cannot.
The audit review.June’s executive committee meeting will interview audit firms. A competitive audit process strengthens accountability.
Bug Tussel’s 90-day clock.At the April meeting, Bug Tussel’s VP said the county would face a critical decision point within 90-120 days. Clock is ticking. The June and July meetings could be where the county decides whether to continue with Bug Tussel’s broadband and communications tower project or explore alternatives.

The May 19 meeting was notable for what the board chose not to do. Three minutes of public testimony, no follow-up questions, no committee referrals, and a board chair who declared the conversation over. Is the board’s prerogative. But in a county where a supervisor resigned over transparency concerns, where an advocacy group claims citizens face open records denials, and where the cost of running government is growing faster than the tax base can support , silence is not a strategy.

The next meeting is June 16. See also:Five questions the board needs to answer on June 16. The questions have been asked. The question now is whether anyone on the board will answer them.

Watch the full May 19 meeting recording:Price County Board of Supervisors Meeting 05/19/2026

Related coverage:

Price County Board Limits UTAV Director to 3 Minutes as Transparency Concerns Go Unheard
Price County Board Recap: Bug Tussel Apologizes, District 5 Gets an Appointment, and the County Wants More Local Control
UTAV Drops Video Ahead of May 19 Board Meeting: A Four-Point Plan for Price County
Price County Board Preview: Ordinances, Bridge Aid, and the District 5 Clock Starts Ticking
Fish Fry Near Me: Why Price County Beats Madison and Milwaukee, because even county board meetings end with the question of where to eat afterward

Sources: Price County Board of Supervisors meeting, May 19, 2026 (recorded);Price County Agenda Center;May 19, 2026 Board Packet (PDF); Price County Administrator’s Report, May 2026.

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Frequently Asked Questions

When does the Price County Board of Supervisors meet?

The Price County Board of Supervisors meets the third Wednesday of each month at the Price County Courthouse in Phillips. Agendas are posted at co.price.wi.us.

How do I file an open records request in Price County?

To file an open records request in Price County, submit a written request to the custodian of records for the specific county office. Wisconsin law requires a response within a reasonable time, typically 10 business days.

What is the property tax rate in Price County Wisconsin?

Price County’s property tax rate varies by municipality but is generally lower than the Wisconsin average, with mill rates between $15-$22 per $1,000 of assessed value depending on the school district and local levies.

Population of Price County

Price County has approximately 13,500 residents (2020 Census), with a median age of 52. The county has been slowly losing population since 2010.

What are the main industries in Price County Wisconsin?

Price County’s economy is driven by logging, tourism, healthcare, and small manufacturing. Tourism generates an estimated $50 million annually, with fishing, ATV trails, and hunting as the main draws.