Fond du Lac County Board Meeting - November 4, 2025

The Fond du Lac County Board met on November 4, 2025, with 24 supervisors present and Supervisor Smith excused. The board approved several routine items and held extensive debate on the 2026 budget, particularly regarding funding for a health and well-being educator position to support food pantries. The meeting concluded with adoption of the budget and announcements about the next meeting and upcoming election.

Consent Calendar

• Approval of October 28, 2025 meeting minutes: Approved unanimously (24-0).
• 2024 Annual Report: Received and placed on file without questions.
• Resolution authorizing agreement with Village of Norfonelac for tax collection: Approved (24-0).
• Resolution authorizing agreement with City of Fond du Lac for tax collection: Approved (24-0).
• Resolution authorizing sale of Lot 1 on Campus Drive: Approved (24-0).
• Resolution adopting 2026-2030 Capital Improvement Plan: Approved (24-0).

Public Comments & Testimony

• No public comments were made during this meeting, but supervisors referenced extensive public testimony from the previous week's hearing (October 28, 2025), where over a dozen speakers urged the board to fund a full-time health and well-being educator position through UW Extension to support food pantries and food security.

Discussion Items

• 2026 Budget and Amendment for Extension Educator:
  • County Executive Kaufman presented an alternative plan to incorporate food security coordination duties into an existing health department position (Rain Bleaker) with no additional county cost in 2026, funded by grants through 2026. He argued this would allow immediate start and avoid losing UW Extension resources.
  • Supervisor Hayes moved an amendment to add $100,000 to the 2026 extension budget for a full-time health and well-being educator, with $40,000 coming from the City of Fond du Lac (based on a verbal commitment from City Manager Joe Moore) and $60,000 from county salary/fringe contingency. The amendment was seconded by Supervisor Griffith.
  • Supporters of the amendment (Supervisors Griffith, Brault, Hurlash, Hayes) argued that UW Extension provides unique expertise, statewide network, and long-standing relationships with food pantries; that the City’s offer should be leveraged; and that the health department plan would lose critical resources and not replace the full scope of work (equivalent to 2.5 positions lost).
  • Opponents (Supervisors Kaufman, Ryan, Dornbrook, Dean Will, and others) cited the immediate availability of the health department position, cost savings, no fiscal impact in 2026, and the ability to reassign duties to free up capacity. They questioned the City commitment’s certainty and noted that the board could revisit the issue later.
  • Kim Mueller (Health Department) answered questions, stating that Rain Bleaker has capacity to take on the duties with cross-training and that the department has strong relationships with food pantries.
• After debate, the amendment failed on a roll call vote: 6 in favor (Griffith, Fenric, Rodman, Hurlash, Brault, Hayes), 18 opposed.
• The board then considered the original budget (without amendment). Supervisors Griffith and Brault expressed disappointment, but most supported the plan as a workable solution with a promise to monitor and revisit if needed.
• The budget was then voted on.

Key Outcomes

• Amendment to fund UW Extension educator position: Failed (6-18).
• Resolution adopting Fond du Lac County 2026 budget (including the health department plan): Approved 21-2-1 (Supervisors Brault and Hayes opposed; Supervisor Rodman abstained).
• The budget includes County Executive Kaufman’s plan to have the health department absorb food security coordination duties.
• Next regular board meeting: Tuesday, December 16, 2025, at 6:00 p.m.
• Clerk announced that nomination papers for county board positions are available and can be circulated starting December 1, requiring at least 50 signatures (recommend more).
• County Executive Kaufman encouraged donations to food pantries during the holiday season.