Fond du Lac County Board of Supervisors Regular Meeting – July 21, 2026
Fond du Lac County Board of Supervisors Regular Meeting – July 21, 2026
The Fond du Lac County Board of Supervisors met on Tuesday, July 21, 2026, at 6:00 PM CDT, with 24 supervisors present. The meeting covered approval of previous minutes, special recognition of retirees, an update on the new jail schematic design, and several resolutions. The most contentious item was Resolution 24-26, which would close the county's inpatient behavioral health acute unit effective January 1, 2027. After extensive debate, including a failed attempt to refer the resolution back to committee, the board voted 15-9 to approve the closure.
Consent Calendar
- Minutes of June 23, 2026: Approved 24-0-1 (Supervisor Hurlash abstained).
- Resolution 23-26 (Special Recognition of Retirees): Recognized Chantel Cha (17 years, public health nurse), Linda Foote (19 years, legal secretary), Cindy Lidke (5 years, program assistant), and Mary Pickert (6 years, registered nurse) for their service. Approved unanimously 24-0.
- Report of Finance, Personnel and Economic Development Committee: Mileage and per diem for June 2026 totaling $3,046.90. Approved 24-0.
- Resolution 25-26 (BEAD Grant Hilbert Funds): Authorized $290,000 from sales tax reserves for broadband expansion, previously approved by Resolution 111-21. Approved 24-0 (required two-thirds majority, met).
- Resolution 26-26 (County Property ROW Bridge): Dedicated county-owned property for bridge replacement over the Fond du Lac River near the airport. Approved 24-0.
- Resolution 27-26 (Rural Functional Classification Changes): Approved changes to rural road classifications. Approved 24-0.
Discussion Items
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Jail Schematic Design Update – Venture Architects (Cory Beyer): The presentation covered two potential sites for a new jail and phased expansion (jail only, sheriff's office, then courts). The downtown site (south parking lot) is in a 500-year floodplain, requiring costly reinforcement; the north lot is in a 100-year floodplain, and closing a street would be needed. The Scott Road site offers more flexibility for phasing and growth. Design should be complete by end of August, with cost estimates within 3–4 weeks. Design details will remain vague for security reasons. Supervisors asked about floodplain costs, juvenile and mental health spaces, and future expansion (second story possible). Discussion confirmed that law enforcement and community stakeholders had not been formally included in planning.
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Resolution 24-26 (Closure of Inpatient Behavioral Health Acute Unit): This resolution would close the county-operated acute care unit for mental health emergencies effective January 1, 2027. A motion by Supervisor Hayes to refer the resolution to the Health and Human Development Committee (to develop a comprehensive, collaborative plan) failed 8-16. Proponents of closure argued the unit is unsustainable due to declining census, staffing shortages (statewide issue), rising costs (estimated $1.2–1.8 million annually), and the availability of alternative crisis services and inpatient care at other facilities (e.g., SSM Health, Winnebago). Human Services Director Jerry stated the plan is to hire additional crisis workers (as required by Chapter 34) and rely on community partners, though no specific budget commitments were in the resolution. County Executive Kaufman noted that $290,000 for reimbursement of law enforcement transport costs would be explored later. Opponents, including Supervisors Hayes, Brault, Griffith, and others, argued that closing without a comprehensive plan involving law enforcement, mental health professionals, and the public would erode trust and ignore strong community opposition. They cited letters from police chiefs, public testimony, and personal stories emphasizing the need for inpatient care. Supervisor Brault shared her own experience with hospitalization for depression. Supervisor Griffith noted that suicide has affected her family. Opponents said the process lacked collaboration and that the public overwhelmingly supported keeping the unit open.
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Supervisor Ryan’s Proposed Framework (not introduced as amendment): After the motion to refer failed, Supervisor Ryan indicated he had a more specific five-point framework to guide committee work but did not formally offer it due to time constraints. He promised to share it with the committee.
Key Outcomes
- Resolution 24-26 (Acute Unit Closure) PASSED: 15 in favor, 9 opposed. Supervisors Griffith, Mike Will, Sippel, Meyerchuk, Rodman, Hurlash, Brault, Yankee, and Hayes voted against. The closure is effective January 1, 2027.
- All other resolutions and consent items passed unanimously.
- Next Meeting: Tuesday, August 18, 2026, at 6:00 PM CDT.
- County Executive Kaufman thanked Supervisor Sarah Smith for her service, noting this was likely her last board meeting.
- Adjournment: Motion by Supervisor Smith, second by Supervisor Simon, approved 24-0.
Meeting Transcript
Good evening, everyone. Hereby call to order the Tuesday, July twenty first, twenty twenty-six meeting of the Fondalag 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 pledge of allegiance. Thank you, gentlemen. Okay, we're gonna try this again with the new system. Um if we don't get this to work tonight, I really don't know what we're gonna do next. But um, we're asking that you try to stay in the agenda um and not go back and forth because as we go along, and I'll ask you the questions. Um actually, let's see if I do this. Do you see where you can open up the minutes in your system? You should see like uh like an attachment. It should be here's what I'm gonna it's on the side, okay. Some of you are seeing it, some of you are not items. It doesn't. It does right there. So they told me that there would be okay. Well, we're gonna we're gonna struggle through this and hopefully we'll figure this out yet. There's a if everybody looks where it says the word minutes, the little arrow, tap that arrow on the left side there, and then it should open up everything that you need, so you don't have to go back and forth. Does everybody see this? They said that still doesn't open, so all right. Well, we'll get there. Maybe it will when we go further down, but all right. If you have to go back and forth, but I think so far everybody is uh is present, so we'll keep our fingers crossed, but we're getting there little by little. Honestly, this was not something I intended to do with the agenda, but I know I'm getting a lot of positive comments on everybody liking how the agenda looks and how it's working online. So we'll keep I'll keep working on it. All right, okay, we'll move along. You are correct, it does not work. So item on the agenda is to approve the minutes of the June 23rd, 2026 meeting of the Fonelac County Board. Is there a motion to approve? Motion by Supervisor Van Heizen, second by Supervisor Simon. Okay, and who was the second? Um we'll try and figure it out along as as we go here. Yeah. Okay, are there any errors, omissions, or corrections to the minutes? Okay. Um if there are none, we will end up move going to a voice vote here. All those in favor of approving the minutes, say aye. Opposed, same sign. The minutes have been approved, 24 in favor and none opposed. I should mention that I see what I did wrong. I was on the wrong item on my end. So let's try this one more time. I'll not forget it. I got it. I heard the beep. While we're doing that, I I should mention roll call this evening, 24 supervisors present. And uh Supervisor Fenric is excused. Actually, I own my errors. I was on the wrong agenda item. So provisor Conley, if you could try and vote. There you go.
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