Richland County Looks Ahead

Dan Hauk from Southwestern Wisconsin Regional Planning gave a presentation on the Richland County Comprehensive Plan to the Richland County Executive and Finance Standing Committee at its meeting Tuesday night. He received recommendations, many of which were grammatical changes. More substantial recommendations were left out in whole or in part because they were outside of the scope of the comprehensive planning process. Some of the changes made to the plan based on feedback received during the public comment period include: Updated recommendations based on revisions from the Richland Resilience land use group. Updated the Town of Dayton within the future land use map to reflect feedback from the Town; and updated the town’s future land use map to reflect existing land use. The committee voted to send the plan on the full board for consideration.

Public Administration Associates LLC (PAA) gave a presentation of the Administrator Transition Plan. The goal is for the County Board to offer a contract to its selected candidate at its meeting in March and for the successful candidate to begin in the position in early to mid May.

Also approved to pass on to the full board for consideration were:

A Water Reservoir Study with Delta 3 for Pine Valley Community Village was conducted. The DNR is requiring Pine Valley Community Village to repair the water reservoir, as there is rebar showing inside the tank, conduit needs repaired and isolation values needs to be replaced. The cost for this Water Reservoir study is $15,500 and it is in three phases. The first phase is a cost of $15,500 for the Water Reservoir Study. The funding will come from Pine Valley funds and grants will be applied for.

The federal government has released $42 billion to be used nationwide to deploy broadband

services. They are calling this BEAD, which stands for Broadband, Equity, Access & Deployment Program. Of that $42 billion, Wisconsin got just over $1 billion. The federal government identified areas where broadband is not available and is releasing funding for these areas. La Valle & Richland-Grant Telephone Cooperatives will be going after the remaining 463 serviceable structures within the County. The committee agreed to endorse and assist the two companies in obtaining BEAD assistance.

Symons Recreation Complex receives regular donations to provide free and discounted swim lessons and pool passes which are deposited into the SRC Fund 37 donation account. The Natatorium Board has reviewed the report of free and discounted lessons and passes provided in 2024 and has recommended transfer of these funds from the Fund 37 donation account to the Fund 36 operating budget account. The total amount of this transfer is $1,400.

Symons Recreation Complex also receives regular donations from members and the Symons Recreation Complex Foundation to make facility improvements and equipment purchases. Donations from the Symons Recreation Complex Foundation to the Symons Recreation Complex total $11,000. The Natatorium Board is asking for approval to accept those donations.

And approval of a 2025 Educator Contract between Richland County and UW Extension in the amount of $99,500. And a Memorandum of Understanding between the county and the UW Extension.