Amber Erickson

This document outlines Ashland County's Land Information Plan for 2025-2027, detailing its strategy for land records modernization, meeting WLIP funding eligibility, and improving government efficiency and public services. The plan prioritizes providing geospatial data for planning, informing land use decisions, integrating land records across county departments, and enhancing online public access to land information. Key projects include the completion and integration of PLSS corners for improved geospatial accuracy, regular updates to orthoimagery, refinement of parcel fabric, creation of public-facing surveyor document maps, updating plat books, continuous back-indexing of Register of Deeds documents, modernization of physical server infrastructure and enterprise migration, and expansion of ArcGIS Online datasets and web maps to ensure accurate, up-to-date, and accessible land records.

The meeting commenced with roll call and included a public hearing regarding proposed changes to the fee schedule for hotels, motels, and tourist rooming houses, pursuant to updated Wisconsin administrative code requirements, which are set to take effect on April 1st. Key agenda items included the approval of the regular agenda and minutes from the previous meeting. Discussions focused on 2025 year-to-date expenditures, noting that figures will change once all 2025 revenue is recorded. A significant discussion involved the relocation of the Child Support office to meet federal code compliance standards for handling sensitive tax information, which resulted in approximately $3,000 in unbudgeted expenses for electrical work and new locks. Furthermore, the Board adopted updated public health water laboratory fees, which had not been adjusted for over eight years, increasing rates for bacteria testing to $35 and nitrate/nitrite testing to $75 to cover increased costs. Finally, an updated public health lead followup and case closure policy was approved to align with current CDC and State of Wisconsin recommendations regarding elevated blood lead levels in children. The session concluded with an open discussion regarding the entity's public relations and visibility to the public, with consensus that improved social media presence could be beneficial.

The Zoning & Land Committee meeting included a public comment section where a member requested placing an Amtrak resolution support letter on the agenda for future committee review before forwarding it to the general board. Following the closure of public comments, the committee approved the agenda and subsequently approved the minutes from the January 20th, 2026 meeting, addressing a need to include full names in the minutes record. Key discussions centered on zoning and action items, including a review of issued permits revenue for January 2026, totaling $3,190, which involved details about sanitary holding tank systems for the Coyote Hills project. The major topic involved a detailed discussion regarding solar power and future capacity in Ashland County, including questions posed to representatives from Excel Energy concerning how future solar farm capacity fits into their plans, desirable locations relative to transmission lines and substation capacity, and the varying permitting processes for utility-scale versus smaller solar projects. The committee also inquired about opportunities for local involvement, such as the county-owned land adjacent to the existing Yordock Solar Farm.

The meeting commenced with the approval of the agenda. During public comment, a request was made for the committee to consider a letter of support for bringing Amtrak service to Northern Wisconsin and the upper peninsula of Michigan, citing benefits for economic development, healthcare access, and employment opportunities. Key discussion items involved the approval of the Finance and Economic Development Committee meeting minutes from October 16th, which included clarifications regarding loan amounts. The financial consultants provided an update covering financials through November 30th, noting a temporary deficit in the General Fund offset by expected revenue accruals and noting mischarged capital expenditures. They also discussed the deficit in the Highway Enterprise Fund due to unbilled contracted work (County H and GG projects) involving FLAP and FEMA grants, which is expected to resolve with upcoming reimbursements. Finally, the committee initiated a discussion on the Economic Development section of the 2016 Comprehensive Plan, focusing on the construction industry data, including high job earnings and labor rates, and proposing the establishment of a business/industrial park near Ashland to support construction trades and assist with housing affordability and farmland preservation.

The meeting covered updates on fisheries, including survey results for Ashton County lakes, the status of the Day Lake Dam repair project, and changes to the musky opener season. Wildlife updates addressed the 2025 elk harvest success rates in the northern and central zones and changes to the 2026 season structure. Ongoing wildlife projects included black bear den site monitoring, wolf and otter track surveys, and progress on the statewide beaver management plan. The forestry report summarized 2025 fire statistics for Ashland County and statewide, noting debris burning as the top cause. Progress on the DNR time standards commitment for the county forest was reported, alongside preparations for the 2026 audit. Personnel updates included the retirement of the current Area Forestry Leader, Matt Bllelock, and the appointment of Eric Shrine as the successor. Additionally, several ranger and technician vacancies were noted, with interviews scheduled for February.