[0:08] Okay, it is uh 2:00 p.m. We'll call the meeting today, Monday,

[0:16] August 24th of the public property and law

[0:20] enforcement committee. First order

[0:25] is uh roll call. Marcus JMA

[0:29] » here. >> Philip Livingston.

[0:35] Philip, are you online? Okay. Lauren Negro.

[0:44] Lauren Negro. >> Jim Schultz

[0:47] » here. >> Paul Wilharm

[0:49] » here. >> Thank you.

[0:55] Second is approval of the agenda. >> Wilharm will make a motion to approve

[1:02] the agenda. >> Second.

[1:05] » Motion has been made to approve and seconded.

[1:10] Any discussion?

[1:14] All in favor? Say I. Opposed.

[1:19] Motion carried. Number three, public comment.

[1:25] And as stated,

[1:31] excuse me,

[1:35] for for public comment. All right. Uh we're going to limit

[1:41] to three minutes per speaker and hopefully uh we won't hit that 30

[1:48] minute total time limit. So uh do we want to take the first person who's

[1:57] online there?

[2:02] So are we going to have her take over? Did

[2:06] you want to take over on the meeting or should we have Jim run the meeting?

[2:20] » I can take the meeting. >> Okay, I'm going to turn the volume.

[2:28] » Sorry about that. It was a tech issue. It just kept spinning and spinning and

[2:33] spinning.

[2:38] Okay. So, Adam Baker is the first one that had his hand raised for a public

[2:42] comment. >> Did we have a list of everybody? They

[2:46] signed in. >> I do have lists here. Yes. And I'll grab

[2:51] them.

[3:08] Thank you. And you said Brian

[3:12] » Adam Baker. >> Adam Baker. Um, can you have him come up

[3:16] to the microphone by you? >> Oh, okay.

[3:25] » Can you hear me? >> Sure can.

[3:28] Excellent. Well, thank you everybody. My name is Adam Baker. I live in Ashlin

[3:32] joining on Zoom. Thank you for having me today. Um, I'm just a resident coming in

[3:36] here to talk to you today about flot cameras. I've read the county's own

[3:40] paperwork and I just like to tell you what's in it. Ashlin Fox Ashland

[3:44] County's flot camera renews on September 10th for another two years and nobody on

[3:49] this board voted for it because nobody could have. I filed the records request

[3:53] this July. Chief Deputy Dawson, who's been very helpful throughout, answered

[3:57] that this contract is handled inside the sheriff's office and renews on its own.

[4:02] I asked whether the county gave notice to stop it, and his answer was four

[4:05] simple words. No notice was given. The order form he signed requires 30 days.

[4:11] For a September 10th renewal, that deadline was August 11th, and it went by

[4:15] quietly. Not saying anybody did anything proper, no one did anything wrong. I'm

[4:19] just saying there was no public step in it, and that's the part this board can

[4:23] change. The other thing in the paperwork is who can search it. The county's own

[4:27] sharing list dated August 17th shows nationwide search is turned on and names

[4:33] 754 different agencies across 38 states who

[4:37] have access to this camera's footage. I'll give the cameras their due. They

[4:43] don't use facial recognition and they do help recover stolen vehicles and help

[4:47] with other crimes. But that does not justify the abuse of privacy and Fourth

[4:52] Amendment rights that comes with them. And to me, it's not even close. When the

[4:56] ACLU obtained Maryland plate reader records, two in every 1,000 scans

[5:03] produced a hit of any kind, 0.2%. And of those, 97% were a suspected

[5:10] registration or failed emissions test. That was Maryland years ago. But the

[5:14] same issue remains true of these cameras today. That means nearly everyone in

[5:18] this database is just a neighbor driving to work. Not a lead, not a suspect. Just

[5:22] what the camera caught along the way will regular people live their lives. No

[5:26] warrant, no suspicion, no way to opt out. That is not a small thing to renew

[5:32] without a vote. I know today is a reported not a vote, and that's exactly

[5:36] why I'm asking. Please send the flock contract to the full county board before

[5:40] you set the budget. Thank you and I appreciate your time.

[5:46] » Who do we have next

[5:50] » Mara?

[5:55] Tomorrow online then? >> I'm I'm right here in the uh courthouse.

[6:00] » Okay. >> Here in the courthouse.

[6:03] » Okay. I'm Tamara Tupesus. I live at 615 Avenue in Ashland, Wisconsin. I'm a

[6:08] resident and I have been in touch with people. I just shook the mayor's hand

[6:15] before I came here and I have been in touch with uh the utility engineer.

[6:22] Madison is her first name. I can't I'll butcher her last name. But um these

[6:27] folks have been very kind and and uh receptive to my concerns about the

[6:34] eviction of the wildlife just right in my own little backyard. The state bird,

[6:42] three robins nests, more than 14 robins died since Enbridge has been in since my

[6:51] water utility has been changed. Since the water pressure has been better,

[6:56] since my water now smells more like bleach than water, and I live in the in

[7:02] in the most beautiful place in the world where water should always be a priority,

[7:09] not not pushed back and not not uh you know misjudged as to how much it affects

[7:19] everybody. You would not be here for not this water. That's why this committee is

[7:25] here. That's why I have lived here my whole life in Wisconsin.

[7:31] And I think that there is a mismanagement

[7:34] and a not listening by these people who I go to, I look them in the eye, I get,

[7:42] "Oh yeah, I really care. Oh yeah, but what about this? What about that?"

[7:48] The best water system was the Roman water system. It was clay or just, you

[7:53] know, go to your adah in the woods. Why do we need someone flocking us,

[8:01] taking a picture of us, getting our water, living our lives?

[8:07] This is corporations that are not people that are taking

[8:12] charge of our lives insidiously right here in Ashland, Wisconsin. They are

[8:18] coming in and stomping on our rights and the

[8:23] flora, the fauna, the life.

[8:27] This is life. And you are to be caretakers. We are caretakers.

[8:35] Nobody seems to care about my voice. I speak up every opportunity I have. And I

[8:43] want you to listen to me now.

[8:48] Take a breath. Enjoy that breath. I nearly died when the smoke came in.

[8:54] I I really felt bad when I smelled all that bleach in my water in my house, in

[8:59] my bathtub that I need to make me feel better.

[9:04] And it's killing me little by little. And I think we need to take

[9:10] responsibility. We are a community. We are people.

[9:16] We're not We're not those other things. Those other things aren't real.

[9:23] This is what's real. And my experience after being in a water

[9:28] family, both my grandfathers worked at breweries in Milwaukee. Capston Schlitz.

[9:34] I know water better than anybody. I ate more Bradford Beach sand. I lived in

[9:40] Cambridge, Wisconsin, where Embridge blew up my water by my farmland.

[9:47] You let these people in and they will destroy us. They are destroying us now.

[9:53] And you're not listening. You're not paying attention. And this is not

[9:58] arbitrary. This is not flagrant. This is

[10:03] responsible citizenship. >> Sorry,

[10:07] » this is stewardship. >> Not mean to cut you off, but we do have

[10:10] a three minute time. >> Okay.

[10:12] » Sorry. Thank you for your comments. >> Yeah.

[10:17] » Who is next?

[10:21] » Lydia.

[10:29] » Good afternoon. My name is Lydia Christensen. I was born here in Ashlin,

[10:33] Wisconsin. I'm a US Senate candidate in Michigan. Uh I came here to speak on two

[10:38] things, both um the flock camera situation and the Nbridge cooperation

[10:44] with the sheriff's department. Um I would t ask that the board take serious

[10:49] consideration of both of the public comments previously stated before me.

[10:53] Both come from reputable people who have made their concerns known. Uh, I would

[10:59] like to mention that clock cameras are very likely unconstitutional. The

[11:04] Supreme Court recently ruled that your phone falls underneath the papers and

[11:08] effects of the fourth amendment of the Constitution of the United States of

[11:12] America. Ashlin County will face potentially lawsuits if they continue to

[11:18] violate US citizens constitutional rights. Additionally, I would like to

[11:23] say that the federal courts have ruled that Enbridge has been trespassing on

[11:29] tribal treaty protected land and that it is absolutely time that the board takes

[11:35] the time to reconsider and strip this cooperation from the

[11:42] the county. Whether that means that uh we kick

[11:48] Enbridge out of Wisconsin or we kick Enbridge out of Michigan, they are

[11:52] violating treaty rights. It's not even environmental risk that I'm talking

[11:57] about, but the environmental risk is also documented and very real. Thank

[12:02] you.

[12:07] » Okay, who is next? >> I don't have any other signup sheets.

[12:14] Oh, you you

[12:43] uh these are uh two two pages each. This is the Bay Bills County Ordinance that

[12:47] your neighbors um passed. Um

[12:53] we'll try to be brief as I understand 3 minutes is of course brief and uh

[12:59] there's not really enough time to mention all the harassment that's been

[13:02] going on uh against local residents uh by law enforcement.

[13:07] uh a company called SIPs um who is their security team and how they are being

[13:12] directed your law enforcement is being directed by SIPs to target uh

[13:16] individuals and harass individual citizens. Uh they're parking uh Emirates

[13:20] employees are parking in wrongful places.

[13:23] » Yeah. >> Um could you state your name and your

[13:26] address, please? >> I'm sorry. I'm I'm Matthew Bourke. Um

[13:28] I'm not really comfortable with giving my address at this point in time because

[13:31] like I said, um >> are you an Ashlin resident? Um I am a

[13:36] rational resident. Uh >> okay. Thank you.

[13:39] » Uh brought out this ordinance because uh I

[13:44] also want to notify all of you that the the agreement that was filed and signed

[13:49] by Ashlin County is against Wisconsin law. Um the Bayfield County did a

[13:54] wonderful job of making that agreement transparent to make sure the officers

[13:58] are being taken care of and paid for their services for extraordinary

[14:01] services. Um, we would appreciate that you scrap the agreement and adopt look

[14:08] review this ordinance, support the adoption of this ordinance, bring it to

[14:12] the board of supervisors. This is the appropriate method to case things

[14:16] transparent. Right now, you all seem to be working behind a veil. um blocking

[14:23] all information requests and you're

[14:27] essentially targeting all the local residents and supporting targeting local

[14:30] residents. All the uh uh board of supervisors was advised of the law

[14:36] Wisconsin records law that that Wisconsin would be um that they would if

[14:40] they signed it they would be breaking Wisconsin law. Um but they approve they

[14:44] decided to sign it anyways. I understand that they were put in a pressure situ

[14:47] situation and given 5 days to make this decision even though their lawyer said,

[14:51] "Oh, that's plenty of time through the weekend." It's really not. You all have

[14:54] known about this a long time. I don't know how long the sheriff's department

[14:57] had been talking about that agreement. But to drop it on and use threatening

[15:01] things to say either you sign this right now or you're going to be million

[15:04] dollars in the hole and we are going to and Embridge is going to bankrupt you is

[15:09] a straightup threat. I've been threatened by Ember Security. I've been

[15:12] stalked by security. I'm not the only one. They've been speeding down roads.

[15:16] Every complaint that the residents have gone to call you on has turned into more

[15:21] emage creating stories to target those people. They're compiling their stories,

[15:26] giving multiple things and trying to say that that

[15:30] stopping residents from getting to the doctor's appointment. when the doctors

[15:34] uh when when the local resident gets angry and and says get the hell out of

[15:40] my way, they get the that local resident gets charged because the Emirbridge

[15:43] workers are compiling stories and conspiring to basically say this guy

[15:47] threatened us when in fact these residents are the one that are live are

[15:51] living here. The sheriff's department is not just protecting them and allowing

[15:56] them to work do things illegally which means parking on the road. They have

[16:00] their own easements. Okay, these are public roads. Citizens can, you know,

[16:04] have access, but Emridge owns these other roads. They have places to park.

[16:08] They're stopping up traffic and making dangerous situations.

[16:12] Today, I just got back from a situation where officers were on their easement

[16:16] while construction was actively working. That's an OSHA violation. And if they're

[16:19] not wearing their hard hats, their safety limbs. Every single worker on

[16:22] that place knows what those safety things are. Embridge is not following

[16:26] safety, but yet the officers show up and say, "We're here to enforce safety and

[16:30] are keeping people away from the public lands and the and the and the waterways,

[16:34] the publicly accessible waterways that they can legally stand in." And it's

[16:38] been turned into a bully system. And I would like you to all go home, look at

[16:42] this ordinance, pass it up. I understand whether that agreement can

[16:48] be put to the side. All those records can be opened up because without having

[16:51] any transparency, you now are being part of a conspiracy to target people and I

[16:56] don't think you want to put yourself in that position. So, I would appreciate it

[16:59] if you'd look at this. I understand that the board of supervisors meeting has

[17:03] been cancelled this month. Little weird since they went on an Embridge tour

[17:07] instead, but is what it is. Um, so please review this. Talk to your fellow

[17:13] people about it. Please support your local residents and stop them from

[17:17] harassing and targeting and stalking. Literally, these cars are are driving

[17:20] around. I I talked to an one of the security guys says, "You've been

[17:24] following me around for five miles." I said, "Is that st isn't that stalking?"

[17:27] He says, "No, this is what my boss has told me to do. I they told me to jump in

[17:30] the car and start following you around everywhere." Um, the the the it's not

[17:35] just going from that. It's going to spreading that information to other

[17:38] local residents that are getting old other local residents

[17:41] with propaganda saying, "Oh, uh, uh, drones are dive bombing. This person's

[17:46] doing that." There's been no criminal activity. I like I don't know where

[17:50] these rumors are coming from other than a propaganda piece. Um, thank you for

[17:53] your time and I really appreciate you all listening to us.

[17:58] » Thank you. Is there anybody else there inside looking to speak?

[18:05] I do not see any. >> All right. Is there anyone else online

[18:10] that wanted to speak? Anyone online?

[18:17] Anyone online? Okay, seeing none, we can close the

[18:22] public comment and move on to reports and updates.

[18:28] Review the quarterly financials.

[18:39] So, Laura, I'm just filling in for Lori and Dan today. Um, I'm not

[18:45] » Is there somebody from the sheriff's department?

[18:48] » Dave is here. >> Dave could go ahead and handle that

[18:53] then. >> Okay.

[18:58] » Hi there. Um, so Dave,

[19:01] » hi. Um, just looking at the general ledger here. Um, currently, as you can

[19:06] see to the right, the percentage allocated was, uh, we're we're actually

[19:10] doing really good regarding the the actual budget. Now, granted, we we are,

[19:18] uh, without one position in recreation and um, one office spot. Um but as far

[19:28] as the actual allocated budget, we're doing really good. Um

[19:35] now, um I know um when we look at the the numbers, the jail right now um is

[19:44] doing good. We have to send approximately four people by the end of

[19:49] the year to training. um there we've

[19:53] already extended um the allowable time before they get get sent to training by

[19:59] state. So um we're going to see some numbers end of this year and then

[20:06] beginning of next year when it when it comes to overtime. Um

[20:12] but after those four come back, we should be pretty good. We should be

[20:17] really good actually with uh our jail side of things.

[20:21] Um, >> are we fully staffed in the jail then?

[20:24] » Yes, ma'am. Yes, we are. [clears throat]

[20:28] » I know there's a I think one kitchen spot maybe um that could be open. Um,

[20:34] but right now we are currently fully staffed

[20:38] as far as correctional goes. Um, we do, just so you know, we do have

[20:44] one resation. Um

[20:48] he's uh he's moving to another county. Um he is a sergeant in the jail. So that

[20:57] spot will be available or open. So there there will be potentially

[21:04] um a promotion and then one jailer spot will be

[21:09] um I think he is due I think beginning of September is when his last day is.

[21:17] » So um I don't want to I just need to interrupt you for a second. Can we move

[21:22] the camera over to point at Dave just for a little housekeeping thing?

[21:27] » Sorry. >> It's okay. You got a lot to do.

[21:33] There he is. He's sitting in my chair. [laughter]

[21:39] Okay, Dave, you can go on. >> Okay. [laughter]

[21:43] Um, anything else as far as the budgetary

[21:48] issues? I I I don't believe we have a current issue as far as um

[21:55] staffing. Um, I know that we are we're doing pretty

[22:00] good with the numbers we have. Um, yeah.

[22:08] Did anybody else have any questions for Dave on that budget piece?

[22:13] This is kind of us reviewing.

[22:17] » This is Jim here. Uh, >> okay. Is there any anything on here

[22:22] comparing, you know, like last year? Uh any running

[22:27] totals, uh comparisons? Uh obviously things are probably going up.

[22:36] » Yeah, cost of things are going up. Um the biggest hit we'll take for next year

[22:41] will be the health care costs within the jail. Um,

[22:46] I think it's projected 5% increase. That's what I budgeted for for 2027.

[22:53] Um,

[22:57] obviously we can't predict accidents, but um, we know that the healthc care

[23:03] costs will go up. Food obviously, gasoline um for the squad cars.

[23:11] Um yeah, all those things we kind of can predict, but we we kind of

[23:19] are limited right now as far as um 2027. I don't um I did have the 2026 versus

[23:28] 2027 and we are on we are still um we're still above where we were for

[23:35] last year. So, we're doing pretty good. And we had a lot of

[23:39] open positions last year in the jail. So,

[23:44] so yeah, we're we're doing pretty good.

[23:52] Is there any other questions for Dave on the budget piece?

[24:03] Well, at least Jim asked a question this time. It's it's it's a good thing. Um,

[24:09] so moving on is courthouse maintenance update.

[24:15] [clears throat and cough] I believe last uh time we had talked about an issue in

[24:18] the main breaker panel um and our our uh solar system. Still waiting on quotes

[24:25] for the solar system. I did reach out to them. They're just super busy with

[24:29] actually some other project projects [clears throat] that they're

[24:32] working on for the county. Um the panel has been fixed with no

[24:38] hiccups. Um we did have an a capacitor to go bad in our main exhaust fan up in

[24:44] the attic, but I was able to fix that myself. So it was it was cheap and easy.

[24:49] Um, as far as that, uh, looking forward just shortly here beginning prepared for

[24:57] the winter and no other hiccups as of right now. So,

[25:02] hope it just stays that way, >> right?

[25:06] It's always the goal. Um, did you know if they are looking for grants to help

[25:14] with the solar? I believe that'll be on the table once

[25:18] we actually get a price for updating it. It's been a bit of a chore for him

[25:22] because it's an outdated system. So, it's kind of revamping

[25:27] almost redesigning the whole system if that makes sense.

[25:31] » Wonderful. >> Sounds really sounds really cheap and

[25:34] easy like >> Exactly. [laughter]

[25:39] » Um, anything else you need to highlight?

[25:45] » Not as of right now. Oh, I think we're I think that's about it.

[25:51] » Any of the committee members have any questions?

[25:59] Hearing none, we will move on to the sheriff department reports.

[26:06] Dave, you got that one, too? >> Yes, ma'am.

[26:10] » Go ahead and shoot. >> Okay. Okay. So, these numbers are

[26:15] because we these numbers aren't completely, you

[26:19] know, complete as far as, you know, we're still in August and I switched the

[26:24] and usually September the end of September is our our quarter three.

[26:28] » Yeah. >> Um, so they're just they're preliminary.

[26:31] Um, obviously I'll adjust them for our next meeting. So, this is just strictly

[26:36] July through August 17th. >> Okay.

[26:42] » All right. So, totals uh 31 arrest, uh 11 referred to prosecution,

[26:50] 161 citations, 117 complaints to investigate, and 1,428

[26:57] calls for service. Total number of bookings so far, uh 121

[27:03] as of last week. Uh 31 is our current average

[27:10] for this quarter.

[27:13] See, looks like one transport, eight hours for a total mileage of 526.

[27:21] Year-to- date mileage, 4,270.

[27:26] Zero juvenile transports. Seven other wants and warrant

[27:31] transports. Total mileage,

[27:36] uh, 2,867. year to date, it's 15,998.

[27:42] And these transports are anything that's court-ordered

[27:46] um warrant picking up or from uh the

[27:53] prisons to bring back for court dates and etc. Um current uh number of inmates

[28:00] being boarded is one and current uh number of inmates on electronic monitors

[28:06] three.

[28:12] And that is all for the report. Um, has any of these numbers gone up

[28:19] with us having to do

[28:25] assist with the Nbridge project? Uh, calls for service. Yes. Uh, we've

[28:31] had some increase um with calls for service. Um,

[28:38] regarding anything from a 911 call to an accident,

[28:43] um, we have seen some increase.

[28:49] Okay. Um, for Excuse me, that was a good squeak. Um, for the next time I'd like

[28:57] to see those calls separated out on this spreadsheet so that way we know what

[29:02] kind of calls and issues we're having through that so we can compare.

[29:09] » You're saying separate the calls for service relation to

[29:13] » to the Enbridge. >> Okay.

[29:16] Um

[29:20] and then um

[29:26] and then the breakdown um who is like have that separated out for if there is

[29:33] people that get arrested or referred for to court for charges and such. Um does

[29:41] anybody else have any [clears throat] boy I got another squeak. Uh, does

[29:44] anybody else have another qu any questions on

[29:49] the law enforcement report?

[30:01] All right, next is the fun part, the flat cameras.

[30:06] So, you want to give us a good rundown on

[30:10] that? Because I thought we didn't own any.

[30:15] Uh yes, we have currently one camera in contract with Flock. Uh that camera

[30:22] is on 13 and 77 intersection in the city of Melon. The sheriff last year the

[30:30] sheriff approached the city of Melon and asked for permission to place that

[30:35] camera within the city limits and it was granted.

[30:42] I can tell you uh I doing some record requests with Adam Baker who's online um

[30:52] » very transparent you know I understand the concern I also understand the

[30:57] importance of the the tool that's being used um I can tell you from doing audits

[31:04] that the last person besides myself to touch or log into Flock from our agency

[31:12] was mid July. Um

[31:17] I can tell you in June, I believe it was um

[31:23] uh mid June that camera did help solve a incident and within the city of limits

[31:29] of Melon where an individual did fire a firearm.

[31:36] Um an offduty officer was walking with his family.

[31:41] Um, within 30 seconds, dispatch was able to give other responding units that

[31:48] plate information and vehicle description. Um, Adam did mention, Adam

[31:53] Baker online did mention that, you know, to its credit, you know, Flock does not

[31:59] take pictures of people. Um,

[32:04] I understand the importance of people realizing that, you know, it's a it's a

[32:08] fixed position on it. You know, that camera does not move. Um, there's no

[32:14] facial recognition as Adam pointed out. Um,

[32:22] monthly I do an audit. basically the the large numbers that I gave Adam because I

[32:29] gave Adam everything from January I think to

[32:33] current of the network it's called where other agencies

[32:41] they utilize a search function called nationwide search.

[32:46] um that search is that if they're looking for a missing person and there's

[32:51] an amber alert, a silver alert, a green alert, um

[32:56] they can type in that plate or partial and it basically searches all those

[33:02] cameras within that designated s area that they actually designate they want

[33:06] to search. So there is some large numbers.

[33:11] It doesn't tell me if that plate that they were searching for was spotted on

[33:17] our camera. It just says that our camera was used in that search.

[33:22] Um obviously with

[33:27] when it comes to that tool there is potential for being overabused

[33:35] and I understand that completely and that's why you know with

[33:40] audits with policy we limit that potential.

[33:48] Um but with with our agency of 20 sworn or

[33:53] 19 sworn currently um the last person besides myself was

[33:59] mid last month that that actually logged in. Um I can tell you we don't have time

[34:05] to search it for just randomly. Um, and there was four incidences I believe

[34:14] that was kind of like I guess the most searched reason why.

[34:20] One was welfare, one was theft, one was traffic violations,

[34:25] and I believe the other one was uh criminal damage to property. They

[34:30] were searching for a car that they had a description of. They type in a

[34:34] description, not a plate, and they get a a slew,

[34:39] which requires the work still to be un done on the investigator or whoever's

[34:44] searching. But it kind of helps that tool helps um especially in a rural area

[34:51] investigation wise.

[34:57] » So on these reports that you pull, it tells what reason they searched.

[35:02] » Yeah. Yes, ma'am. So, I required when we got

[35:06] the cameras, I required them to actually put in a case number and a reason why

[35:10] they're searching. So, it gives me who searched it within the organization,

[35:16] why, when, what they searched, and you know, what time they searched. Um,

[35:22] they're required to do a double uh authentic modification, this MA MFA,

[35:28] before they actually access the account. So it's yeah it's it's pretty locked

[35:34] down as far as that goes. >> So mostly all those numbers that Adam

[35:41] had spoke about it's other people searching our cameras.

[35:45] » Yes ma'am. So that so when they do a nationwide search and and they select

[35:50] that geographic area whether it be Midwest or just nationwide

[35:56] um our camera is included in those searches.

[35:59] but it won't tell me if they've actually got a result from our camera.

[36:05] Um, for instance, um, we'll get calls from neighboring counties. Um, examples

[36:13] is Iron County was dealing with someone who was suicidal.

[36:17] Um, they left their parents' house. Um and the camera picked them up coming

[36:25] back towards their parents' house. Um threats of a firearm. Um well, there was

[36:33] a firearm in inside the motorcycle sadd uh saddle bag, but um they were able to

[36:39] respond back to the house because they knew sort of the direction that he would

[36:43] be going where our camera was placed. So they were able to get there, you know,

[36:50] and that essentially helped that person out before something bad happened.

[36:55] So that's another c that's that's just an example of another county using our

[36:59] camera when they did a nationwide search on it helped them. Um,

[37:07] so every place that uses these cameras has to have a contract with Flock.

[37:15] Uh yes, with FA requires a contract. Um usually it's the

[37:23] what I've seen is three years. Um it's an auto renewal.

[37:29] Um basically the first year and then it auto renews. There's no signatory, you

[37:36] know, requirements. There's no it auto, you know, auto renews. Um

[37:43] yeah. How long is this data kept?

[37:48] » Uh what specific data are you asking? >> So if there's scans on this,

[37:56] so is it a week's worth of license plates?

[38:01] Is it a month's worth of license plates? 30 days.

[38:07] 30 days. And then everything's deleted.

[38:12] I can't say what if it's deleted on their part because the data is kept with

[38:17] flock. We have access to all the data but it's it's not kept locally.

[38:25] » Is there a contract with this that we could see also with flock?

[38:31] » Yeah, I provided uh Adam as well the same contract. I can send it to you

[38:35] guys. >> That would be cool.

[38:39] Um,

[38:43] and then my audits, just so you know, my audits go back longer than that

[38:49] as far as access to the system locally, our access.

[38:56] » Okay. >> So, just flock only contract with law

[38:59] enforcement. >> No, they do they do businesses. They do

[39:05] » Okay. Uh HOAs, they do >> township governments.

[39:09] » Yeah, they do townships. Um >> Okay.

[39:14] » Yeah. >> So what HOA could access our camera?

[39:20] » No. I So I limit So what I did was they have to they have to ask or share. So

[39:27] what I did was I there's only one federal entity that's listed um that I

[39:34] allow access to. It's um it's a fed it's um

[39:40] believe it's out of Indiana or Illinois. It's um

[39:44] it's a park service. Um but federal entities can't ask. I I blocked

[39:52] the their requests. So, it's it's just law enforcement

[39:59] that ask for us and like um you have other

[40:04] you have other entities uh fusion centers, Haida centers um that ask for

[40:10] requests, but that's all blocked.

[40:14] » All law enforcement. Yeah.

[40:20] » When did we take over that camera in Maryland?

[40:24] September of last year, I think it went it went

[40:29] live. It took were several planning issues that they had to deal with for

[40:35] the state, but um I [clears throat] think it went live September area.

[40:47] And so this policy has been in place for about a year. No, not this policy.

[40:55] » This one I This one I kind of revised. I added my job title on it. Basically,

[41:01] » second page you'll see where it says chief deputy. Yeah, it says

[41:07] revise it if we needed. I kind of it's put myself out, you know, for as far as

[41:14] responsibility goes. Um kind of made it where I'm responsible

[41:21] for the audits. Yeah, >> you're in trouble.

[41:24] » Yeah. >> And this has been reviewed by corporate

[41:28] council. >> No, this this policy um this policy is

[41:34] from Lexiple.

[41:38] It's basically one of their good practice policies.

[41:46] There's several policies that Lexiful We use Lexiful for all of our law

[41:51] enforcement policies. Uh some are state mandatory,

[41:56] federal and then there's good practice. So this

[42:02] is one of their good practice policies.

[42:09] And when I >> So when I asked you about our flock

[42:12] cameras before and you said we didn't have any

[42:17] » when um

[42:23] we've had >> sometime early this summer.

[42:27] » We've had one since September of last year.

[42:29] » Okay. Okay. So,

[42:33] and where it says ALPR,

[42:38] this policy also incorporates, which we don't have, but it also incorporates

[42:44] license plates readers within vehicles.

[42:48] So

[42:58] is why did we take over this camera if we didn't have it previous any

[43:05] previously? We didn't take over a camera. We entered

[43:10] into a contract with Flock. The sheriff >> the administration just basically they

[43:15] asked for permission from the city of Melon to place the camera within the

[43:19] city limits. >> Wow.

[43:25] » Hasn't that camera been there for like ever?

[43:29] » Yeah. It just wasn't operational. >> Oh, so is a fake camera.

[43:38] a fancy flashing camera. >> It It has some issues with battery life

[43:44] because, as you know, our sunshine doesn't

[43:49] » Yeah. >> Yeah.

[43:52] » Fun.

[43:55] Does anyone else on the committee have any questions about the flat camera?

[44:02] » Paul here. I'm wondering are there any more flock camera locations under

[44:07] consideration at this time? >> No. Flock wanted us to get more. They

[44:14] actually for they were trying to force us to get three more. Their policy was

[44:18] they wanted they wanted every agency to have at least four and we told them no.

[44:24] The sheriff was very adamant that if if we had to get more that we were going to

[44:28] cancel. So, >> thank you. Yes, sir.

[44:34] Is there a monthly fee, yearly? Is it free?

[44:38] » It's not free. It's not free, unfortunately. It's It's 3,000 annually.

[44:43] 3,000. >> What?

[44:55] Is there any more questions from the committee on the flat cameras?

[45:01] All

[45:06] right, hearing none, just scroll back up to the agenda.

[45:13] Um,

[45:17] Gail administration, we don't really have Matt anymore, but

[45:22] that report kind of did that already.

[45:28] Who's in jail? So, this stuff is out of order.

[45:38] » Anything else on jail administration, Dave?

[45:42] » No, ma'am.

[45:46] » Um, then let's go on to Christina for emergency management.

[45:54] » Hello, Christina. emergency management um hazard mitigation plan. We got a

[46:01] resolution in June for that. It has been turned into FEMA to be finalized. Um the

[46:07] whole process has been delayed several times due to government shutdowns and um

[46:13] but it is on the road to being finalized.

[46:16] Um consolidated PAP, they're looking for a new director.

[46:20] Um the current one is now that everything is pretty much smoothed out

[46:25] and they're running quite well, she is looking to um step down and have someone

[46:29] else take that role full-time. Um they recently added a new program that helps

[46:34] dispatchers with life-saving directions for callers until EMS gets there. Um, so

[46:40] far they've had several lifaving success stories where the dispatcher was able to

[46:46] um give the caller directions on different

[46:52] um CPR and things like that and holding pressure and um so that's exciting. Um

[47:00] EPCRA and EMPG grants. EMPG. Last year, um Wisconsin Emergency

[47:08] Management had to file a lawsuit to receive the funding for the full year of

[47:12] 2025. Um they won that lawsuit, so we are

[47:16] receiving the full funding for last year. Um the application for this year's

[47:22] funding just came out on Friday. Um I'm almost done with that application. It's

[47:27] due at the end of September, but it should be done by tomorrow. Um, I also

[47:32] applied for the EPRA computer hazmat grant that was submitted last month. We

[47:37] should be receiving the award letter soon. Um, this grant is a yearly grant

[47:41] that I apply for. Um, $2,000 goes towards emergency management to be used

[47:48] to update computer equipment and then $6,000 of that grant is for our hazmat

[47:53] team which is at the um Ashlin Fire Department.

[47:59] So, that has been applied for and we'll be hearing about that soon. Um outreach,

[48:04] I assisted with clean sweep. I helped plan the um all county employee picnic,

[48:10] helped with the Ashlin County Sheriff's Department with National Night Out. Um I

[48:16] had the Genesis emergency alert flyers um around the Ashlin County Fair, hoping

[48:22] to get more people to sign up for that.

[48:27] Um, as far as training goes, I completed all the know before internet trainings,

[48:32] completed public information basics. It's a class by Wisconsin emergency

[48:37] management. I completed the emergency operations center organization and

[48:41] coordination methods from Wisconsin emergency management. I did the joint

[48:46] information center planning for tribal, state, and local public information

[48:50] officers. That was also through Wisconsin emergency management.

[48:54] I completed a livestock response with WHEM. Um I completed a project

[49:02] lifesaver training and I also completed coordinated response exercise with the

[49:08] pipeline safety program. I attended all the Northwest Regional Wisconsin

[49:13] Emergency Management monthly meetings which is a grant requirement. I attended

[49:17] all fire association and EMS council meetings. I attended

[49:25] um meetings with the preparedness planning

[49:29] group and I also met with Ashton Health and Human Services about shelters.

[49:34] Um, as far as major grants and funding, the Senate

[49:39] appropriations bill for 3,155,000 for the emergency services radio

[49:46] infrastructure project was earmarked earmarked for Ashen County working

[49:50] closely with Sheriff Subkey, Chief Deputy Dawson, Erica

[49:56] Hannacle, and Caroline Twambbley. We submitted the two applications to the

[50:01] part to the Department of Homeland Security COPS grant office for review.

[50:05] We should be um hearing about that in October.

[50:11] So that's my summer in a nutshell. You always give a good long report.

[50:18] [laughter] Busy busy busy.

[50:22] Does anyone have any questions for Christina?

[50:30] Next is Enbridge updates.

[50:35] Don't know who has that one. Would that be a Dan update which we

[50:42] would table to the next meeting? >> I suppose it would be

[50:49] either that or the sheriff, but neither one is there. So,

[50:54] all right, let's move on to approval of the meeting minutes from June 29th. Do I

[51:00] have a motion for that or any any corrections?

[51:09] » Jim will make a motion. >> Do we have a second?

[51:14] » Will harm second. Have a motion and a second.

[51:20] To approve the meeting minutes. All those in favor, please signify by saying

[51:24] I.

[51:30] Nobody used their mics. >> They all said I. They did use their

[51:33] mics. >> Naughty, naughty, naughty.

[51:38] Um, and then we've got a solar panels on

[51:44] County Property Farm Road.

[51:48] I suppose that's a Dan thing again. >> Laura, this is Pat Kenny.

[51:55] » Yep. >> Um, I can speak to this one. Um, back on

[52:00] February 17th, I brought to a zoning meeting a discussion of considering

[52:04] putting solar uh panels um expanding the Ordo solar farm that's out there. In

[52:10] 2019, um, Excel Energy, um, put in a community

[52:15] solar garden there. Um, and they use a company, One Energy out of Madison to

[52:19] put that in. It's a 1 megawatt DC or 7 megawatt AC solar farm. The county owns

[52:26] 20 acres adjacent to that. And so one of the things I've been thinking about as

[52:31] we look at our comp plans and we talk about climate change, sustainability,

[52:36] getting off fossil fuels, being more independent on local energy, and from an

[52:41] economic development standpoint, producing more of our energy here. The

[52:46] Bayfront Power Plant Nation only produces about half the energy

[52:49] electricity that we use here. In the next couple years, they're going to

[52:53] start their planning process to uh make improvements and upgrades there. So from

[52:58] an economic development standpoint, you know, one of the things I think about

[53:01] is, you know, we send money outside this area for the electricity that we use. We

[53:07] don't keep those local jobs here. So if we expand this on that county parcel,

[53:13] JMA Electric has uh people that are wellversed with solar

[53:18] um farms at this point to equipment and talent. So it would support some local

[53:22] jobs there. The county has owned that parcel for about 20 years. We let a

[53:27] farmer hay that parcel. The company that would install the solar farm, we have a

[53:33] proposal from them to use 15 acres of that. The other five are probably too

[53:38] wet. They would pay us $800 per acre per year. So that's $12,000 annually rent on

[53:45] that parcel with 2% annual increases, a 30-year lease with an option for

[53:50] additional 10 years. So, it would support some jobs, would

[53:55] address some of our goals with climate change. The county would still own the

[53:59] parcel. Um, and then generation down the road, if the county wanted to build

[54:04] something there, the county would still have um that parcel.

[54:10] Back in December, I got a packet of information from a company wanted to put

[54:15] in a utility scale solar farm with my property east of Mason, the farmland I

[54:20] own. um with my place literally as a center of that. So that sent me down the

[54:24] road of doing a lot of reading. When you look at aerial maps for northern

[54:29] Wisconsin and think um kind of north of Spooner, there's not a lot of farm

[54:34] fields compared to Woods and then you have to look at where the high voltage

[54:39] power lines are. My property has one high voltage power line post on it. Um

[54:45] and so they want to buy 15 to 20 acres just for a new substation and battery

[54:50] storage. So in Ashland they're proposing battery storage as part of that too. So

[54:55] when you look at where the high voltage power lines are and the distribution

[54:58] lines off the high voltage power lines um and then where substations are many

[55:03] of which are not adequate to put in a solar farm. Um, there's very few places

[55:09] up here where we have the ability to put in a solar farm without a larger

[55:14] investment or local land owners agreeing to say yes to that. Um, this is one of

[55:21] the few places up here where the economics work. It's small, but there

[55:27] just aren't going to be that many places where someone's going to say yes to this

[55:31] and it would connect to either a high voltage power line or a distribution

[55:35] line, which is the one where Excel Energy has the solar farm right now. So

[55:41] there's limited places that we could put this and I realize it means that we

[55:44] can't use it for something else in the next generation but anything we would

[55:48] build in terms of buildings there's a lot more options for that than for

[55:54] putting solar somewhere. So I guess to me I mean you know without going into

[55:58] more detail than that and more of the the reason for making the case I guess

[56:05] you know like a few people in this room I'm old enough that we've talked about

[56:08] comp plans for longer than I can remember. We know most of them get stuck

[56:11] on the shelf and forgotten. And when we look at our comp plans and

[56:15] the updates that we're working on, to me, this seems to check a lot of boxes

[56:20] in terms of what we say we value. You know, we all use oil yet, or almost

[56:26] all of us do. I bike here, but I mean, I still have vehicles with fuel, so I

[56:30] understand why we have an Enbridge oil line running through here. I understand

[56:34] that. Um, but if we're going to change things in the next generation, then we

[56:41] need to be willing to do some things like I mean, I realize this is a small

[56:45] project compared to our total needs for energy. But, you know, we should provide

[56:50] some leadership on this um rather than just put it something in writing and say

[56:55] somebody else should do it because I will tell you as a land owner, I don't

[57:00] want somebody else telling me what I can and can't do with my land. the law will

[57:04] specify certain things I can and can't do, but I want to be able to do with my

[57:08] land what I choose. Um, and I am open to having a utility scale solar farm there

[57:13] if they can pull enough land together, which means 700 acres or more. And if

[57:18] they can't do utility scale, and the PSC, the public service commission, um,

[57:22] does the permitting for utility scale. Smaller than that, um, it would be the

[57:27] county that would do the zoning. on this project because it lands in the city

[57:31] limits. The city would do the zoning. So, to me, it's partly the question, are

[57:36] we going to do some of what we talk about? Um, or are we not going to do

[57:41] some of what we talk about? And for me personally, out on my land, which is Old

[57:45] Lake Superior shoreline on the higher ground. It's not suitable for roll crops

[57:49] anymore. Too much wind erosion, loss of organic matter. It can't take farming

[57:54] anymore. Not with row crops. It's got to be in hay, but nobody wants to put it in

[57:58] hay. It's not worth the money on that ground. So for the land, it's going to

[58:02] be better off in solar farm than it is with row crops. There's land out there

[58:07] that's just bare, doesn't grow anything anymore, and it gets worse each year. So

[58:11] I'm willing to say yes to a solar farm on my land because it makes sense in the

[58:16] big picture of things. So I could take some questions on this,

[58:22] Laura, if that's okay, if anyone wants. um the February 17th packet for zoning.

[58:27] I wrote some questions, sent them to the administrator. They were not in the

[58:30] packet there. So, I pulled up my questions for that meeting and there was

[58:35] not an agenda bill written for this one. So, um I understand that nobody had

[58:41] anything to read on this item, which is why I came to this meeting, but um if

[58:46] the chair will allow questions, I'd be happy to answer whatever I could.

[58:51] Is there any questions from the committee?

[58:56] » What's the cost for installation? >> The company One Energy did the current

[59:01] solar farm there and when I talked to the administrator about

[59:07] this um we both were in agreement that we did not want to own the solar farm.

[59:13] So under the proposal here, one energy would install the solar farm and then

[59:18] sell the project to Excel Energy. So the first step in this is we would enter

[59:24] into an agreement terms of an agreement with one energy so they can access the

[59:29] land the person from one energy who lives in Madison and ironically his dad

[59:33] decided to live in Ashland. So when he was up in June visiting he walked the

[59:38] property and he thinks 15 acres are suitable. five he thinks are too wet for

[59:43] what they want to do. Um so he would examine the property more closely. I

[59:51] asked him for zoning, do you need to go through the city on zoning first before

[59:56] we can finalize a contract? And the answer is yes because they've got to

[1:00:00] make sure that um the city will say yes to this and then think setbacks for

[1:00:05] example from roads and other things. Um so given there's one solar farm there we

[1:00:11] would anticipate you know the same guidelines for zoning but still that has

[1:00:15] to go forward through the city. So, One Energy would build the project and then

[1:00:20] sell the project. And once they get to a point where they know what they can put

[1:00:24] in there um in terms of solar, so what it'll generate and when they'll be able

[1:00:29] to connect it, they'll sign an interconnection agreement. And in that

[1:00:33] agreement, Excel will then buy the project. They'll know what it'll

[1:00:38] generate in terms of how much electricity. So, One Energy and Excel

[1:00:43] will work on that piece. We will simply lease the land to them. We will not own

[1:00:47] the solar farm. We will not be responsible for maintenance. Currently

[1:00:52] on the solar farm there, JOMA Electric does the maintenance. That's worked out

[1:00:56] well for One Energy and they would hire Joma Electric also to do the maintenance

[1:01:02] on this if we expand onto the county land. We would simply be leasing the

[1:01:06] land

[1:01:10] unless the board decides they would rather own it. But putting that in is a

[1:01:14] rather heavy lift on investment. >> So basically what you're saying it'd be

[1:01:19] roughly 12,000 per year paid to the county.

[1:01:24] » The county >> and the county would have to sign a

[1:01:28] 10-year lease or what how would that work?

[1:01:31] » The first step in this is we would sign an agreement that they could access the

[1:01:35] land, work on developing the project u for up to 18 months. Um, and the big

[1:01:41] takeaway there is we're not going to call somebody else and say, "Hey, you

[1:01:45] know, are you interested in this?" And then having two companies looking at the

[1:01:48] same land because then at most one, you know, could end up putting a solar farm

[1:01:54] there. So, we would give them exclusive rights for up to 18 months to be on the

[1:01:58] land, examine it, work with the city to get through zoning, and work towards

[1:02:03] getting an interconnection agreement. and the interconnection agreements. Um

[1:02:08] the information on our high voltage power lines, the loads etc. is fairly

[1:02:14] closely held information and it's partly for national security reasons. So we

[1:02:20] cannot simply go oh you know give us all the data on the high voltage power

[1:02:25] lines. I know the line that runs across my property is 161 kilovolt but I don't

[1:02:30] know how much more capacity there is to add a load there. I did ask the company

[1:02:34] I'm talking to, are you going to have to upgrade that power line? And it's rather

[1:02:38] amazing what what they know about my property. They've researched mine in the

[1:02:43] neighbors. And he said, "We know that it's going to

[1:02:47] cost us, and I won't share the number, um, but it's in the millions to upgrade

[1:02:52] that power line that runs there." And I said, "Well, I've got an easement and it

[1:02:56] specifies the number of arms on those posts and the number of wires." So

[1:03:03] larger diameter wires can carry more power. He said, "Well, we're going to

[1:03:07] have to put on bigger arms. There still be three arms, but they're going to be

[1:03:10] bigger and they're going to be larger diameter wires." So another factor in

[1:03:14] this, if we think about it, if half of our electricity comes from outside the

[1:03:17] area, and personally, I'm not worried about data centers because why would you

[1:03:22] bring that much power here if we only have half of what we already need? It's

[1:03:26] not cost-effective. So, you know, if we don't want bigger

[1:03:30] power lines and we don't want more power lines running, it means we need more

[1:03:35] local generation also. But in all likelihood,

[1:03:38] we're going to have a bigger bigger arms and bigger diameter wires, you know,

[1:03:43] running through that line. Um, so, but then you have to put in a large enough

[1:03:49] solar farm to justify the price tag of upgrading that power line and putting in

[1:03:55] a substation with battery storage. It's going to be 10 or 15 acres. This one

[1:03:59] here, one of the things I thought about was when they put that one in there, it

[1:04:05] demonstrated that they had the capacity on that distribution line to connected

[1:04:09] to their substation and do the distribution locally. They also knew the

[1:04:13] power plant here didn't produce all of our energy. So, it turns out they can

[1:04:17] use the existing substation and infrastructure they have in place to add

[1:04:22] on to Ordoc Solar with what the county has in their property without having to

[1:04:28] upgrade power lines somewhere or put in a new substation, which pretty quickly

[1:04:32] gets to be not cost effective unless you can pull enough land together, which for

[1:04:37] the most part up here is difficult. And the few land owners that have enough

[1:04:42] land to put something large in are our dairy farmers on Samurn Avenue, Highway

[1:04:48] 112, if they want to exit dairy farming, they could l rent rent that land out or

[1:04:54] over my neck of the woods, White River Egg. Um, but even then, they need more

[1:05:00] land than just that for utility scale.

[1:05:04] And this offer of $800 an acre, the offer that I've been made is $800 an

[1:05:11] acre, but that's a large solar farm. And if you read the return on investments on

[1:05:15] these utility scale solar farms with the information you can find from them

[1:05:18] around the country. What we have right now is I call it the wild wild west of

[1:05:23] putting in solar farms. There are deep pocketed investors and speculators

[1:05:29] um trying to put these in because of the return on investment. They pay off in 10

[1:05:33] to 12 years typically. And yet the life is for 30 years with extensions that can

[1:05:38] go five and 10 more years up to 50 years and more. So we can I don't think we're

[1:05:44] going to get utility scale unless it's my neck of the woods because we don't

[1:05:46] have enough land here. And the company I'm talking to, they've looked at Ashlin

[1:05:50] County. They don't see the possibility of utility scale here and being able to

[1:05:54] pull together that much land where there's a high voltage power line that's

[1:05:59] suitable. something smaller perhaps but not the large stuff. I think we can be

[1:06:04] proactive if we did this project and learn more. I think we can be proactive

[1:06:09] on trying to identify some other areas that are private lands and see if other

[1:06:15] people are interested. This offer of $800 an acre for a small project like

[1:06:19] this. I was really shocked because that's what they normally pay for larger

[1:06:25] projects where the return on investment is bigger. this one because the existing

[1:06:30] structure there. Yes. >> Is that what you were offered per acre

[1:06:35] for yours? >> I'm also offered 800 per acre. Um, but

[1:06:41] the return on investment in larger ones is better, but this one can tag on to

[1:06:46] what's already there. So, they're able to offer the $800 per acre there also.

[1:06:53] and both XL Energy and One Energy would put it in both in separate conversations

[1:06:58] described it as a nice project. Um >> Okay. But you haven't approached them

[1:07:03] about the county things because we haven't discussed it as a county board

[1:07:08] yet. >> You mean one energy?

[1:07:11] » Yeah. >> No, from the zoning meeting back on

[1:07:14] February 17th, we invited Excel Energy. So, we had a couple people from there.

[1:07:19] Outside of meetings, I worked with Excel Energy and then connecting to One

[1:07:24] Energy. We have a proposal from them for the $800 an acre using 15 acres.

[1:07:31] And in this committee,

[1:07:36] you know, the reason it's on this agenda, you know, it's public property,

[1:07:40] but it would then go to executive committee to work on the contract

[1:07:44] um for this term of agreements. >> Okay. So, I have a question. So, zoning

[1:07:49] put together a package of stuff that had to do with properties when this is the

[1:07:53] committee where the property stuff is. >> I wrote the questions regarding the

[1:07:59] solar farm for a zoning meeting in part because I

[1:08:05] was thinking about I got this packet from the utility scale in December which

[1:08:12] got me thinking about all of the zoning questions. There's a lot the PSC would

[1:08:16] do the permitting there. And so it got me thinking about the county. We do not

[1:08:21] have any zoning regulations on solar that I'm aware of for solar farms. The

[1:08:26] existing one or dock solar is in the city limits. So they did the zoning on

[1:08:30] that. So it was partly so that we could start thinking about questions related

[1:08:34] to zoning. You know, think setbacks from roads, things like that. Is there going

[1:08:38] to be screening? Um,

[1:08:42] now that we have a proposal, it's at this committee.

[1:08:48] » Okay. So, you got a proposal that didn't come through our committee.

[1:08:53] » I have a proposal from one energy by working with Excel and one energy that I

[1:09:01] received on July 16th and forwarded it to the administrator and board chair at

[1:09:06] that time. So, there is a proposal in front of the

[1:09:10] county for a solar farm on the >> We haven't put it out for an RFP.

[1:09:17] » I talked to Dan about the RFP. Um,

[1:09:23] and one is the number is small enough that we wouldn't need to do this. And

[1:09:28] two is One Energy and Excel have worked together on the current solar farm. And

[1:09:33] this offer of 800 bucks an acre is a really really strong offer.

[1:09:39] Another thing to keep in mind is with interconnection agreements which would

[1:09:43] take up to 18 months to get to by the time one energy is ready to say, "Yep,

[1:09:47] here's what we can put in. We've worked through the zoning issues etc. We don't

[1:09:51] know nor would Excel Energy or One Energy know if at the time they're ready

[1:09:57] to say, "Yep, we can put this in and sign an agreement." We don't know if

[1:10:01] somebody else is working on something where that available capacity to add

[1:10:06] solar is going to be taken up by somebody else.

[1:10:12] » Have we held any hearings to see if there is any public support for this?

[1:10:18] » I would argue that our comp plan says there's public support for it, but I

[1:10:23] could be wrong on that. >> We don't have the comprehensive plan

[1:10:28] together yet, do we? Well, we're working on it, but you could look at the one

[1:10:32] from 2016, and it would seem that a lot of the things from 2016

[1:10:37] would be consistent with supporting a project like this.

[1:10:41] » Pretty much the 2016 was a state template with our name put in there.

[1:10:50] Well, there's relatively few places that you're going to put a solar farm, and

[1:10:55] there's lots more places you can put most other things.

[1:11:00] But if I'm not mistaken, we're certainly writing goals and objectives that would

[1:11:04] be consistent with a project like this in terms of climate change, reducing our

[1:11:09] reliance on fossil fuels, being more energy independent with battery storage

[1:11:13] a bit more resilient than otherwise. And then the economic development piece with

[1:11:17] some local employment related to the maintenance.

[1:11:26] Does anybody else have any questions for Pat?

[1:11:39] Um, I'm going to put a little piece in here

[1:11:43] because if you can already tell, I I just this is the first I'm hearing about

[1:11:47] this. Um,

[1:11:51] I don't know that we as a county have a plan together for the properties that we

[1:11:57] own. And mostly the direction that our solar has been taking place has been

[1:12:03] with buildings and properties that we own like trying to not take up space

[1:12:08] that we could use for other purposes. Say housing.

[1:12:16] Well, certainly you could put housing in lots of places. A couple of years ago

[1:12:21] with buildings go away at the farm. I was sure I was going to convert to solar

[1:12:25] out there. So, I spent a lot of time looking at putting solar out there. And

[1:12:29] it turned out I didn't for a variety of reasons. One of which it was far more

[1:12:33] expensive than made sense compared to staying on Bayfield Electric. But the

[1:12:37] other another thing I learned along the way, and this affects whether I'm

[1:12:42] willing to support these projects going on buildings if tax dollars are used,

[1:12:47] these projects where you put solar on the rooftop or a few panels next to a

[1:12:51] building, on average, they're about four times the money per kilowatt or per

[1:12:57] megawatt than a solar farm. You just have all this equipment. You need your

[1:13:02] inverter. You need all this other stuff. Some people put in battery storage.

[1:13:07] They're just really expensive for what you get out of it. About four times the

[1:13:11] money on average. And if I look at our federal deficit, which probably most of

[1:13:16] you have heard, has hit 40 trillion lately.

[1:13:19] I don't see the future as being putting solar on, you know, just on the

[1:13:23] building. If you want to do it on your own dime and house, that's one thing.

[1:13:27] You know, your own payback, you know, which is going to be a long period of

[1:13:31] time. But I think the day of tax dollars subsidizing solar on small projects, I

[1:13:37] think those days with our deficits and politics, I think that's going to be

[1:13:42] really hard to come by. I think what we're going to see more of are smaller

[1:13:46] solar farms, the 10 to 40 acres, 50 acres, 80 acres here and there because

[1:13:52] the return on investment is so much better than the small stuff. And what it

[1:13:56] means is we just have to accept that we're going to use some of our property

[1:14:00] for solar farms if we want that energy. And solar and wind are the two most

[1:14:03] cost-effective forms of energy generation.

[1:14:07] So, we're going to have to accept we're going to have to have more of that if we

[1:14:11] want electricity, you know, that's affordable.

[1:14:14] Um >> well then maybe there needs to be some

[1:14:18] more research done with all the properties that we own in the county to

[1:14:23] see which is the most optimal place to do it.

[1:14:28] Well, if you start looking at where your high voltage power lines are,

[1:14:32] um, you end up with a pretty short list.

[1:14:38] And then it's got to be able to connect to the system,

[1:14:44] which means either a new substation, an investment, or something existing that

[1:14:48] you can connect to, which there is at Ordoc Solar.

[1:14:59] And I guess I would also say if the countyy's owned this for about 10 years,

[1:15:05] you know, I know various things have been kicked around, but you got to come

[1:15:09] up with the money, not just our money, but somebody else's

[1:15:13] money. And then, you know, something needs to be done. I know the mayor

[1:15:17] doesn't want lowincome housing out there. Um, a few years ago out at Mason,

[1:15:24] one of the government agencies proposed a low-income housing project and Mason

[1:15:28] almost entirely showed up to adamantly say no. And so,

[1:15:35] you know, we need housing, but unless a community says we'll take that, it's

[1:15:41] kind of hard to tell somebody that's the housing you're going to get if the

[1:15:44] community is saying no. I know we could put in low-income housing here. Um, even

[1:15:50] though the mayor doesn't want it, but we should also think about if the community

[1:15:55] accepts it. >> Well, we haven't had a hearing on that

[1:15:59] either.

[1:16:02] » Hey. Hey, Laura. >> Yeah.

[1:16:05] » This is Gary. Hey, I just didn't want to hang up and be rude, but I have to go to

[1:16:10] another meeting, so I'm hanging up at the moment.

[1:16:13] » All right. We'll just call you hi, iPad 7. And

[1:16:17] » yes, and say see you later then. >> Thank you, Laura.

[1:16:21] » All right. >> Bye.

[1:16:24] » I guess one more comment is I've talked to a board member at Bayfield Electric.

[1:16:30] Bayfield Electric is a distribution co-op. They don't generate their own

[1:16:33] power. They buy their power from Dairine Co-op, which is based out of Lacrosse

[1:16:37] and serves a lot of Western Wisconsin and and up towards this area. But then

[1:16:42] there's a gap until you get to Bayfield Electric.

[1:16:45] And the way that contract is with Dairland Co-op, um Bayfield Electric

[1:16:52] isn't simp able to simply say, "Oh, we want to put in some solar farms." Well,

[1:16:58] because Dairland Co-op says, "You're a distribution co-op. We're not going to

[1:17:02] simply let you put in some solar farm." Bad River is on Bayfield Electric. and

[1:17:07] what Bad Bad River is allowed to put in for solar farm apparently is taking up

[1:17:12] most of the capacity that Dairland Co-op is willing to give up. So a lot of our

[1:17:19] land around here unless you're on that 161 kilovolt line you're going to

[1:17:23] connect to Bayfield Electric which Dairland Co-op is saying yes we need

[1:17:28] more power but thanks to but no thanks for you guys generating it up there.

[1:17:34] You know, in the coming years, there's got to be some conversations between

[1:17:36] Bayfield Electric and Dairland Co-op to allow some solar farms up here that

[1:17:43] serve this area, but that's going to be a very long conversation apparently

[1:17:47] because Dairland Co-op is figuring out how they're going to generate new

[1:17:52] electricity and they would rather not have the waters muddied on figuring out

[1:17:56] who's going to generate what where. They just want to take care of that for the

[1:18:00] most part. So a lot of the rural area here is on Bayfield electric which makes

[1:18:06] you know we happen to connect to Excel here which limits the possibilities

[1:18:10] outside of the city of Ashland and a few other places that are on Excel.

[1:18:21] » What is the committee thinking about this? I I agree with what Pat's saying

[1:18:27] on being on the planning committee. This is talked about a lot and I feel like

[1:18:36] there must be support of the community when so many people talk about it. So I

[1:18:40] feel like we need to look into it and not just kick the can down the road.

[1:18:45] Actually try to move it forward. I don't know enough about solar to say

[1:18:52] too much on it. So, I guess it'd be nice to hear on that.

[1:19:01] » Anybody else? >> Paul here. Yeah, I'm in [clears throat]

[1:19:04] support of any revenue on land leases. There's there's no risk with a land

[1:19:10] lease. Well,

[1:19:13] » there is. If they build things on it, it's a little hard to have them pick

[1:19:17] things up and move. Jim, do you have anything?

[1:19:23] » Yeah, I kind of agree with the with everything being said. I like the $800

[1:19:31] payment part of it there. That's reasonably good money.

[1:19:39] Does anybody else want to see if there's uh

[1:19:45] somebody's talking there? If there's a better use that can be researched for

[1:19:51] this, I get that any income is nice, but just having any income for any income.

[1:19:58] If the property value is higher than that, we might be able to make more of

[1:20:03] that. Um, I don't know how long this is. I

[1:20:10] I myself would like to see some kind of research.

[1:20:13] » Laura, this is Erica Hannle. Could I say something really quick? Sure.

[1:20:19] » Um, so I have invited Peter Levi of the Nature Conservancy to come to the next

[1:20:25] finance meeting. I'm sure he's willing to come to any meeting that we might

[1:20:29] want him. And that was for the purpose of showing us their tool for evaluating

[1:20:38] properties for renewable energy enterprises.

[1:20:43] Um, of course including solar. Um, so that may be one part of the research

[1:20:49] that you might like to hear about. Um, and secondarily,

[1:20:54] I was at the WEAN conference, what is that? uh climate action network for

[1:21:00] Wisconsin um several weeks ago and made several

[1:21:04] contacts where I'm sure that if if you wanted more options for what we might

[1:21:11] include in an RFP or expertise

[1:21:15] on the issue. I'm sure I can connect you with a person that could offer that.

[1:21:23] » That would seem to make a lot of sense. There's somebody that's thinking. I

[1:21:27] appreciate that. I also would think that, you know, some input from Mary Joe

[1:21:33] on what putting solar on some land that has wet land and such by it and how that

[1:21:40] affects us would be helpful. Um,

[1:21:46] so everybody agrees we should move forward with some more research.

[1:21:53] We need to make a motion. >> Yeah,

[1:21:59] » I make a motion that we move forward with looking into putting

[1:22:04] solar on the county's farm road property.

[1:22:08] » Are we going to research a little bit more first before we do this?

[1:22:14] » You can add in research and I guess yeah to move it forward.

[1:22:21] » Will harm will second. Okay, I have a motion and a second to

[1:22:29] move forward with some research and looking at solar also. Um,

[1:22:36] any discussion or anything else you guys would like to

[1:22:41] see in this process?

[1:22:48] you're talking. I can't hear you because nobody's got their mics on, but

[1:22:52] probably not. Um, all right. All those in favor, please signify by saying I.

[1:22:59] » I. >> I.

[1:23:01] » I. Okay. Looks like we have a direction to move forward and and look into this.

[1:23:08] Thank you guys. Um, is that Oh, that's on the agenda.

[1:23:16] next meeting date. Usually we meet in September, so we're kind of skipping

[1:23:22] over that, but um we do in December have the jail tour and

[1:23:31] we'll have to have some updates on this stuff. So, is everybody looking at your

[1:23:37] calendar in December

[1:23:41] somewhere between

[1:23:47] Thanksgiving. You're not too close to Christmas.

[1:23:57] The 7th maybe.

[1:24:04] Is there anything else on the other calendar? I see you leaving through

[1:24:07] that. It's really tiny on my laptop though.

[1:24:11] I don't see anything on the 7th.

[1:24:16] » Does that work for you guys too? Same just a Monday at 2:00 p.m. again.

[1:24:25] » No conflicts will harm here. >> Okay, that's one of us.

[1:24:31] » Good to hear. >> Okay, what about you, Jim?

[1:24:36] » Yeah, let's go. All right, let's go for it.

[1:24:41] Okay, PL 2 PM on the 7th.

[1:24:49] Last thing we have is if somebody wants to do the motion to adjurnn.

[1:24:56] » Will harm motion to adjurnn. >> Second.

[1:25:01] » Motion by Paul, second by Marcus. Anybody want to discuss it?

[1:25:08] All right. All right. All those in favor, please signify by saying I.

[1:25:12] » I. >> I.

[1:25:14] » All right. Thank you guys. Good meeting. Thank you for being patient with my tech

[1:25:18] problems.

Public Property & Law Enforcement Committee Meeting

Agenda

Transcript