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On April 28, the Price County Board of Supervisors convened for a business meeting that ran just under 90 minutes but packed in enough substance to keep residents paying attention: a Bug Tussel broadband update that raised more questions than it answered, a unanimous vote to fill the District 5 vacancy by appointment, a resolution demanding more local control over wind and solar projects, and the creation of two new behavioral health positions the county says it desperately needs.
Twelve supervisors were present, with Joe Baratka joining remotely. County Administrator Nicholas Trimner and Finance Director Carrie Kyle were also in attendance. Board Chair Brian Ernst gaveled the meeting to order at 9:00 a.m. in Room 101 of the County Courthouse.
Bug Tussel Returns: Apologies, Delays, and a 90-Day Clock
The longest and most anticipated portion of the meeting belonged to Bug Tussel. VP of Strategic Development Jesse Lane stood before the board to deliver an update on the county’s ambitious broadband and communications tower project — and spent a good part of his time apologizing.
The project, which includes six proposed tower sites supporting emergency communications, public safety radio systems, and wireless internet service, has been stalled. Originally estimated at 18 months, it has now stretched past two years with little visible progress on the ground. Lane acknowledged the delays and what he called a lack of clear communication to the county.
The urgency is real. Price County’s emergency radio system is nearing end-of-life and needs replacement or upgrading within the next two years. About $15 million in bond funding has been allocated, but it is tightly controlled — only released as work is completed. So far, only minimal funds have been drawn for early engineering and planning.
Lane pointed to leadership and staffing changes
Lane pointed to leadership and staffing changes at Bug Tussel, saying a new team is now managing the project and communications. He told the board to expect a critical decision point within the next 90 to 120 days, roughly late summer or early fall, when the county will need to make budgeting decisions about how , or whether , to proceed.
The board listened but asked no public questions during the presentation. The silence was notable given that previous meetings have seen supervisors press Bug Tussel on timelines and deliverables. The 90-day window Lane described means the June and July board meetings could become key.
District 5 Vacancy: Appointment Now, Election in November
The board moved quickly and unanimously to fill the District 5 vacancy, which represents the Towns of Fifield and Eisenstein. Motion by Kopisch, seconded by Houdek, to appoint someone to the seat now and place it on the November 3, 2026 special election ballot. The vote was 12-0.
Discussion covered procedures and timelines, including how past vacancies have been handled. The county will publish a vacancy notice in the newspaper and send it directly to the towns of Fifield and Eisenstein. The appointment gives District 5 residents immediate representation while ensuring they get a say at the ballot box this fall.
Setting the start date for the appointed supervisor’s office is on the May 19 meeting agenda as a miscellaneous item.
Local Control Resolution: Wind, Solar, and County Authority
Perhaps the most substantive policy action of the morning was a resolution asking the Wisconsin Counties Association to lobby the state legislature and governor for greater local control over large-scale wind and solar projects.
Submitted by the Land Use/UW-Extension Committee and adopted unanimously, the resolution argues that county boards , as democratically elected bodies , should have the same authority that state legislators have been trying to return to cities, villages, and towns. It cites well-documented negative impacts on environmental habitats, public health, road infrastructure, and property values in areas where large-scale renewable projects operate.
The resolution is not an anti-renewable energy statement. It is a pro-local-control statement. The distinction matters. Price County’s geographic and environmental characteristics are different from those of Dane or Milwaukee counties, and the resolution asks the state to recognize that a one-size-fits-all regulatory framework does not serve every community equally.
Copies will be forwarded to the Wisconsin Towns Association, all local and state legislators representing Price County, the governor, and every county board in Wisconsin for consideration and support.
New Behavioral Health Positions Approved
The board approved a resolution creating up to two additional full-time or part-time Behavioral Health social worker positions within the Health and Human Services Department. The need is driven by the state’s mandate to eliminate waitlists for new client enrollment in the Children’s Long-Term Support program, which has pushed caseloads to levels the resolution describes as unreasonable.
High caseloads, the resolution warns, increase the risk of service delays, reduce time available to support families, complicate compliance with state requirements, and contribute to worker burnout and turnover. The new positions will also provide support to the Complete Community Services program as needed.
The fiscal impact to the county is expected to be minimal due to the CLTS program’s cost-neutral structure. The Administration Committee will handle the recruitment process. This follows broader trends the county has been tracking in behavioral health and human services discussions earlier this spring.
Budget Amendments and Committee Appointments
The board approved budget amendments for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2026, as recommended by the Executive Committee on April 9. The amendments do not change the amount of tax levied; they more accurately record financial activities across county departments. The fiscal impact was listed as zero.
Seven sets of committee appointments were recognized by the board, covering the Veterans Service Commission, Nutrition Advisory Council, Transportation Coordination Committee, three library boards, and the Price County Library Committee. Charles Lovelace was appointed to the Veterans Service Commission through December 2028.
The meeting also included the election of committee chairs and vice chairs for the new term. Dennis Wartgow was elected Administration Committee Chair with Paula Houdek as Vice Chair. Doug Erickson takes over Forestry and Parks with Michelle Drobnik as Vice Chair. Paula Houdek leads Health and Human Services with Robert Kopisch as Vice Chair. Robert Kopisch chairs Land Use and UW-Extension with Doug Erickson as Vice Chair. Larry Palecek heads Law Enforcement with Dennis Wartgow as Vice Chair.
Employee Recognition and Committee Reports
Before getting into business, the board recognized county employees celebrating service anniversaries. Annee Meyer of the Sheriff’s Office, Nancy Olson of UWEX, and Cindy and Loren Erickson as Ogema Home Delivered Meals Drivers each celebrated one year. Brandon Kozak marked five years in Corrections. Christy Hlavacek celebrated 10 years as Forestry Administrative Assistant. Krisan Bastil and David Wesenick each marked 25 years . Bastil in HHS Accounting and Wesenick as a Deputy Sheriff.
Committee chair reports were brief. No committee meetings had taken place since the April 21 meeting one week prior, so there were no new updates from any standing committee.
Administrator’s Report: D.C. Training and Financial Summary
County Administrator Nicholas Trimner presented the 2026/2026 financial summary, which is on file. He also announced he will travel to Washington, D.C., from May 31 through June 5 to attend training through the County Leadership Institute, a program of the National Association of Counties.
Supervisor Palecek stated he was proud of Trimner for receiving the appointment. Board Chair Ernst agreed, for the record.
What Comes Next
The next board meeting is scheduled for May 19 at 9:00 a.m. in the County Board Room. The agenda includes two ordinance public hearings on the Habitual Animal Offender provision and related definitions, a bridge and culvert aid resolution for the Town of Eisenstein, the District 5 appointment start date, and a discussion of United Together Against Violence proposals. Residents can attend in person, join via Webex, or call in at 1-408-418-9388 with conference code 2491 714 0894.
After a long winter of committee reshuffling and vacancy discussions, the April 28 meeting showed a board settling into its new configuration and getting down to work. The Bug Tussel decision point looming in late summer and the District 5 appointment process will be the stories to watch as spring turns to summer in Price County.
Source: Price County Board of Supervisors Minutes, April 28, 2026. Official minutes are available at the Price County Agenda Center. Meeting recordings are posted on the Price County YouTube channel. For ongoing coverage of Price County government, visit Borrachos Bar for community news from across the Northwoods region.
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