Fond du Lac County Board of Supervisors Meeting Summary – February 20, 2026
Fond du Lac County Board of Supervisors Meeting Summary – February 20, 2026
The Fond du Lac County Board of Supervisors met on February 20, 2026, at 15:30 UTC, according to the date supplied for this summary; the raw transcript repeatedly states the meeting date as Tuesday, February 17, 2026. Roll call showed 22 supervisors present, with Supervisors Fenric, Yachi, and Ryan excused. No written agenda or minutes were provided, so this summary is based entirely on the raw transcript. The board approved routine items, several grants and fee resolutions, and, after lengthy debate, approved the jail schematic design and justice-system study resolution.
Routine Approvals and Reports
- Approved a petition to cancel the January 20, 2026 county board meeting due to insufficient business: 22-0.
- Approved the December 16, 2025 county board minutes: 21-0, with one supervisor reported as standing/not voting.
- Approved the December 2025 mileage, premium, and expense report totaling $2,032.62 claimed and allowed: 22-0.
- Approved the January 2026 mileage, premium, and expense report totaling $3,024.53 claimed and allowed: 22-0.
Recognition Resolution
- Adopted Resolution 69-25 recognizing Diane Wallman, Stephen Castle-Schmidt, Sarah Meetzel, Eric Mullenbach, and Dwayne Schneider for their county service, with service lengths ranging from 7.5 to 30 years: 22-0. Supervisors offered personal remarks thanking each retiree.
Other Resolutions, Grants, and Contracts
- Approved a resolution supporting 2025 Senate Bill 558 and Assembly Bill 580 to create and fund the Wisconsin State Emergency Riving Act, as transcribed: 22-0. One supervisor expressed appreciation for the educational value of the resolution.
- Approved a resolution urging the governor and state legislature to enact a comprehensive, sustainable transportation funding solution: 22-0.
- Approved a resolution increasing the fee assessed for signing a death record by the Medical Examiner's Office and increasing the cremation permit fee, effective February 17, 2026: 22-0.
- Approved acceptance of a $28,519 Wisconsin Department of Health Services reproductive health and family planning grant and authorized the Health Department to implement program objectives beginning January 1, 2026, with a 2026 budget amendment requiring two-thirds approval: 22-0.
- Approved acceptance of a $60,374 opioid settlement residential use disorder grant for January 1 through December 31, 2026. Staff explained the grant covers room and board for Medicaid-eligible clients with opioid use disorder who need residential level care: 22-0.
- Approved acceptance of a $38,000 donation from the Roberts and Elaine Middleton Fund, held by the Fond du Lac Area Foundation, for continued maintenance and development of Hobbes Woods: 22-0.
- Approved acceptance of a $90,000 donation from Elizabeth and Jan Rather for the Ledge Conservation Area. Staff said funds would be used over two years for a more permanent trail, additional prairie/savanna trails, interpretive signage, and benches: 22-0. One supervisor suggested creating framed appreciation letters for major donors.
- Approved transitioning a full-time county attorney position, E7, from the county pay plan of $75,967–$102,773 to an assistant district attorney on the state pay plan in the Fond du Lac County District Attorney's Office, effective March 9, 2026: 22-0. The District Attorney said the state route helps with recruitment and retention and moves the county away from funding prosecutor positions.
- Approved accepting Metro Elevator Milwaukee's bid of $316,879 for elevators one and two and $161,580 for elevator three, and amending the 2026–2030 capital improvement plan to include the elevator modernization project: 22-0. The county's share was stated as 66.05%. Facilities staff said the work will replace cabs, phones, controllers, call buttons, inside doors, and shaft fixtures, but not exterior doors or buried cylinders.
Public Comments & Testimony
- No separate public comment period appears in the transcript. Supervisors repeatedly relayed constituent concerns about the jail process feeling rushed, perceptions of a predetermined outcome, interest in local design alternatives such as Excel, questions about the relationship between Venture Architects and Samuels Group, and worries about taxpayer cost.
Major Discussion: Jail Schematic Design and Comprehensive Study (Item 7H)
- The resolution authorized accepting Venture Architects' proposal to complete Phase One jail schematic designs for both the Scott Road and Western Avenue sites, authorized an agreement with Jeff F Service Group LC for a jail planning comprehensive study covering jail population forecasting, justice system assessment, and alternatives to incarceration programs, and appropriated $211,250 from the contingency major projects account. The stated account balance was $342,386 before the appropriation and $131,136 afterward.
- Supervisor Griffith offered an amendment to remove Venture Architects from the resolution and fund only the study. She said she needed assurance that the study would genuinely shape the design, creation of a criminal justice coordinating council, and regular supervisor participation in upcoming decisions. The amendment failed 9-13.
- Supervisor Hayes said she could not support the resolution at that time, citing the compressed timeline, lack of a clearly defined transparent process, cost concerns, court security, maintenance of the current facility, and distrust from the public.
- County Executive Kaufman said that if the resolution failed, he would treat the new jail project as over and shift to renovation of the existing jail. He also expressed support for a criminal justice coordinating council if recommended, and said his urgency reflected support for Sheriff Walschmidt and the jail's staff.
- Sheriff Walschmidt and a consultant from Samuels Group explained that supervisor input can occur during the schematic design process and that a committee structure would need to be created by the county board.
- Several supervisors argued in favor of the resolution, saying the $211,250 would provide needed information, prevent further delays, and allow the public to see options and costs. Others said the process had been unfair, the decisions were being rushed, and the board should first hold broader discussions.
Key Outcomes
- Petition to cancel the January 20, 2026 meeting: approved 22-0.
- December 16, 2025 minutes: approved 21-0.
- December 2025 and January 2026 expense reports: each approved 22-0.
- Resolution 69-25 recognizing retiring employees: approved 22-0.
- All routine resolutions, grants, fee changes, and contract approvals listed above: approved 22-0.
- Amendment to remove Venture Architects from the jail resolution: failed 9-13.
- Jail schematic design and comprehensive study resolution, including the $211,250 appropriation: approved 17-0 as read by the chair, with some supervisors not voting/abstentions reported.
- The chair announced the next county board meeting for March 17, 2026, at 6:00 p.m.
Meeting Transcript
All right, I hear by call to order the Tuesday, February 17th, 2026 meeting of the Ponti Lac County Board of Supervisors. As is our tradition, we will have the presentation of colors, followed by a moment of silence, followed in turn by the flight of the leaders. This evening we have the busy B4H club presenting the colours, please rise. Roll call this evening. We have 22 supervisors present with supervisors Fenric Yachi and Ryan all excused. Okay, the first item on the agenda this evening is a petition requested to cancel the January 20th, 2026 meeting of the Pontiac County Board due to insufficient business to warrant the is there a motion to approve. Motion by Supervisor Stends, second by the Supervisor Myers. Uh any questions or comments on the petition. I don't see any, so we'll move to the vote. All of it in favor, press your button aye, opposed nay. The petition has been approved, 22 in favor and none opposed. Next item on the agenda this evening is to approve the minutes of the December 16, 2025 meeting of the Pontiac County Board. Is there a motion to approve? Second by supervisor sign. Are there any errors of missions or corrections to the minutes? Okay, I don't see any, so we'll move to the vote. All those in favor, please re button aye, opposed, nay. 21 in favor, none opposed, but supervisor beer are standing. All right, our first agenda item this evening is resolution number sixty-nine-25. Resolution recognizing Diane Wallman, Stephen Castle-Shmid, Sarah Meetzel, Eric Mullibot, and Dwayne Schneider for their dedicated service and contributions to Pondilac County. This is the dated February 17th, 2026, and submitted by finance personnel and economic development committee, along with the entire county board of supervisors. As our traditional read the resolution, whereas Diane Captain has served Ponlac County for seven and a half years, retired against program assistant two in the office of the family court commissioner. And whereas Stephen Kasten Schmidt has served Pondilac County for 27 and a half years, retired as patrol deputy in the Pontilac County Sheriff's Office. Whereas Sarah Mike Mike has served Found County for 30 years, retiring as group home specialists in the Department of Human Services, Child Load Derivation. And whereas Darren Eric Molenby has served Bauman County for 27 and a half years, retired as detective in the Fong Lag County Sheriff's Office. And whereas Dwayne Schneider has served Bondaland County for 29 years, retired as lead custodian in the Central Maintenance Department. Therefore, we have resolved that we the members of the Bonalite County Board of Supervisors to your bikes and Diane Molman, Jackie, Sarah Meitzel, Eric Mullenbach, and Lane Schneider for considering great little appreciation for their dedicated service and contributions to Fonda County. Well second my supervisor. Are there any uh questions or comments on right the special recognition comments? I don't see any. We'll move to the vote. All of those in favor, press rebutton aye. Uh recognition has been approved, 22 in favor and none of those. I believe we have a couple uh here tonight. We have a back and uh copy the resolution gonna be come on now with your supervisor. We would happy to get those two very careful. Where do you need me? Well, you might come on around you first where there's a little more room. Right, can you just turn the microphone? Sheriff was appreciated. All right, Deputy Molbach, uh Detective Molenbach, who's never retired, uh known Molly, and who we affectionately uh call Molly, uh long time, long time neighbor, back in the day country neighbor, and uh we started on night shift together. So uh congratulations for your years of service. Thank you for your years of service. He served as a patrol, but well, started in the jail, and then a patrol deputy, a uh mid-unit, drug unit, undercover investigator, and then uh eventually detective, which is the rank he retired at. So been there, done that, seen a lot, and uh I'll give a little shout out to his daughter, who is the only child of a sheriff's office employee who gets away with saying Wally, uh when she refers to the sheriff show. You know, from the time she was a little kid, there's Wally, and he's like, That's the sheriff, you don't call a blow anymore. Uh great family, really happy for you, and uh thank you. Congratulations. Got it. Yeah, that's okay.
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