Brian Ernst

The meeting included public comment and discussion on platbooks. Key discussions involved ordering 100 copies of the 2026 Price County Platbook, setting the selling price at $40 for pickup and $50 for shipping, noting previous sales occurred around Christmas and hunting seasons. A significant agenda item was the 2026 NextGen 911 grant application, which is a 95% match grant requiring a 5% local match (approximately $14,000 total) for data collection efforts, including 2D building outlines, road center lines, and mapping driveways to meet GEOC standards. The council approved applying for this grant. There was also a discussion regarding the status of a reimbursement for a prior NextGen 911 grant, which is delayed pending submission confirmation.

The meeting addressed several agenda items across two sections: Land Use & Extension and Land Conservation. In the Land Use & Extension segment, the committee held public hearings and subsequently approved a special exceptions permit filed by Mark Thomas for building a home with a specified setback from Pine Road. They also approved a conditional use permit for Jess Ozakowski for the short-term rental of a home, after discussing septic tank sizing considerations. Furthermore, two land divisions were approved: one for Ffield Homestead LLC creating one lot in the Town of Ffield, and another for Jeffrey Peterson creating two lots in the Town of Playfield. During the department reports, an update was provided on 2025 wildlife damage claims, noting an increase in enrollments but lower total acreage, and confirming that one specific claim regarding a property owner was denied and is not eligible for further consideration this year or next unless appealed. The Land Conservation portion involved a presentation from the USDA Wildlife Services regarding 2025 claims, followed by the approval of the associated report and signatures.

The meeting included a public comment period where a communication was passed along thanking Price County for snow plowing efficiency compared to Lincoln and Onidita Counties. Committee members discussed the 2026 construction projects, which include County Highway D and County Highway H improvements, and HISA project work such as curve redesign, grooving, and guardrail updates. There is no state highway work forecasted for Price County until 2029. Two town bridges in Worster and Ogma are scheduled for replacement. The committee reviewed inspection reports for 25 deficient structures, noting significant concern over a deteriorating masonry arch structure in the Town of Hackett (Bennett Road), which may require expensive replacement with a bridge or specialized culvert system due to DNR regulations. The committee also discussed prioritizing future road projects, noting that County Highway D is in worse shape than County Highway N, and the status of an AIP grant for County Highway Y.

The committee discussed communications regarding the failure of chip seals on State Route 70 between six mile and the county line, noting that patching would be insufficient and that the state would need to address the issue. The committee members reviewed and approved the minutes from the January 7th, 2026 meeting. Discussion followed regarding Resolution 3424, 2025 Price County Highway Department construction projects, where it was explained that funds originally allocated for equipment purchases would be redirected to cover cost overruns in construction projects (which were bid by tonnage rather than fixed price), resulting in a postponement of the equipment purchase. Items five and six, related to funding resolutions, were presented for information only and would be addressed later in an executive session, confirming the total borrowed amount remained unchanged but the allocation between construction and equipment needed refinement for transparency. The committee then passed a resolution urging the governor and state legislature to enact a sustainable transportation funding solution, noting that current state and federal funding, despite user fees, is insufficient due to inflation. The resolution passed unanimously and will be forwarded to the governor.

The meeting commenced with establishing procedures for public hearings, allowing speakers three minutes. Key discussions included the approval of a conditional use permit for Sarah Hogland to operate an in-home daycare in the town of Elk, which was approved unanimously. Two land divisions were subsequently approved: one filed by Doug Rasmmanson to create one lot in the town of Elk, and another filed by Sam Kotkkey for a lot in the town of Flambo. Department reports covered 2025 permit statistics, noting consistency with 2024 figures, except for a slight increase in sanitary permits. A discussion ensued regarding the system for notifying property owners about septic tank pumping, where it was clarified that cards are now only generated if pumping is not recorded electronically by the service provider. A committee member also inquired about obtaining county-wide acreage reports for Managed Forest Land (MFL) and conservation easements, with clarification provided by a staff member that MFL data is managed by the DNR and recorded with the register of deeds, whereas conservation easements require a title search and are not tracked centrally for acreage reporting. Public comments were received from Karen Kerner regarding her removal from the Wisconsin Wildlife Damage Embatement and Claims Program, disputing the grounds for ineligibility cited by the DNR. Another member of the public voiced opposition to grants that restrict land development, citing housing availability concerns.