★ Independent, reader-supported & ad-free · Watching the watchers in all 50 states ★ Support Us
The Docket · Government Meeting · DKT-2026-000785

On the agenda: Chippewa Falls Executive Committee - Regular Meeting — facial recognition (Sep 15)

Past  ⚠ Agenda Watch  Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin · Tuesday, September 15, 2026 — 3 days ago

About this record

The published agenda for the September 15, 2026 meeting contains: "facial recognition". The meeting has passed. The agenda stays here as a permanent public record.

WhenTuesday, September 15, 2026
Check the agenda document for the meeting time.
WhereChippewa Falls, Wisconsin
BodyExecutive Committee - Regular Meeting
Money$11,675.57 was at stake
On the record“facial recognition”

The agenda, word for word

Government public record — the full text of the published document, archived September 8, 2026. Gold highlighting of key terms is ours, not the original’s. Read the original document ↗

48 pages · scroll to read
Page 1 of 48

Chippewa County
Executive Committee
Regular Meeting
September 15, 2026
Chippewa County Courthouse, Room 302
4:30 PM

District 7, Chair
Jason Bergeron
District 9, Vice-Chair
Joel Seidlitz
District 21
Kari Ives

District 13
Joseph Roshell

District 11
Karen Lotts

Page 1 of 48

Page 2 of 48

Chippewa County
Executive Committee
Regular Meeting
September 15, 2026
Chippewa County Courthouse, Room 302
4:30 PM

1.

Call to Order

2.

Roll Call

3.

Members of the Public Wishing to Be Heard
(Comments will be limited to 5 minutes per speaker.)

4.

Consent Agenda
(Unless separation of an item is requested, all items will be adopted under one motion.)

1.

Approve the Agenda

2.

Approve the Minutes - September 1, 2026

3.

Schedule Next Meeting Date - October 6, 2026

5.

Reports

6.

Business Items

7.

1.

Resolution to Disallow Claim of Cindy Bijold and Cynthia Storm - Deb Blevins

2.

Human Resources Policy Manual – Revisions Related to Implementation of the One Big Beautiful Bill
Act (OBBBA) - Andy Albarado/Leah Simington

Updates, Announcements, and Correspondence
1.

County Board Chair Report

2.

County Administrator Operation Report
a.

Preliminary Update on 2027 Budget – Andy Albarado

b.

Update on Courthouse Security and Implementation of Hybrid Option #4 – Andy Albarado

8.

Agenda Items for Future Consideration

9.

Adjourn

Chippewa County shall attempt to provide reasonable special accommodations to the public for access to its public meetings, provided
reasonable notice of special need is given. If special accommodations for a meeting are desired, contact the County Clerk’s Office at 715-7267980.
Members of the Chippewa County Board of Supervisors who are not members of this committee are entitled to attend this meeting. It is
possible that the attendance of one or more such nonmember Supervisors may create a quorum of some other county board committee,
board or commission. Such a quorum is unintended and the nonmember Supervisors are not meeting for the purpose of exercising the
responsibility, authority, power, or duties of any other committee, board or commission.

Published: September 8, 2026

Page 2 of 48

Page 3 of 48

Chippewa County
Executive Committee
Regular Meeting
September 15, 2026
Chippewa County Courthouse, Room 302
4:30 PM

Page 3 of 48

Page 4 of 48

Chippewa County
Executive Committee
Regular Meeting
September 1, 2026
Chippewa County Courthouse, Room 302
4:30 PM
1.

Call to Order
The Chair called the meeting to order at 04:00 PM

2.

Roll Call
Members Present:
Jason Bergeron, Joel Seidlitz, Kari Ives, Joseph Roshell, Karen Lotts
Members Absent:
Others Present:
Andy Albarado, Traci Bremness, Jessica McDonald, Leah Simington, Dave Staber, Pam Guthman, Dennis Bachman,
Brian Tonnancour, Todd Pauls, Andy Bauer

3.

Members of the Public Wishing to Be Heard
(Comments will be limited to 5 minutes per speaker.)

Dave Staber, Town of Lafayette Chair and EMS Ad Hoc Committee member, does not see any benefit for
creating an EMS Coordinator position. They will not be a trained EMS provider. Those funds should be used
towards something else. He recognized Guthman for doing a great job facilitating the meetings. In order to
solve the EMS issue, we need to find a way to fund full time staff rather than relying on volunteers.
Brian Tonnancour, Chippewa Falls Fire Chief, thanked the EMS Committee for their work. There are a lot of
great data points and foundation to work on. The City of Chippewa Falls is looking at ways they can provide
additional services rather than just working within the boundaries of Chippewa Falls. He agrees there needs to
be more discussions before moving forward with the EMS Coordinator position to make sure we do it the right
way.

4.

Consent Agenda
(Unless separation of an item is requested, all items will be adopted under one motion.)

Motion:
Result:
Mover:
Seconder:
Ayes:
Nayes:
Absent:

5.

Approved
Passed (5 - 0)
None
Joel Seidlitz
Jason Bergeron, Joel Seidlitz, Kari Ives, Joseph Roshell, Karen Lotts
None

1.

Approve the Agenda

2.

Approve the Minutes - August 18, 2026

3.

Schedule Next Meeting Date - September 15, 2026

Reports
1.

Finance Update - 2nd Quarter - Leah Simington

Page 4 of 48

Page 5 of 48

Simington reviewed the 2nd quarter financials through June 2026.
This item was reviewed by the committee and will be forwarded to the County Board for review at the 09/08/2026
meeting.

6.

Business Items
1.

Resolution to Appoint Melissa Grill as Successor County Treasurer - Andy Albarado
Albarado explained that Patty Schimmel’s last day is October 9, 2026. The resolution will authorize Melissa Grill to
start as the County Treasurer on October 12, 2026. The recommendation is also to allow Melissa to start sooner on
September 28, 2026 in a temporary position as Chief Deputy Treasurer to allow her to train with Schimmel prior to
her departure.
This item was reviewed by the committee and will be forwarded to the County Board for review at the
09/08/2026 meeting.
Motion:
Result:
Mover:
Seconder:
Ayes:
Nayes:
Absent:

2.

Forwarded to the County Board
Passed (5 - 0)
Joel Seidlitz
Joseph Roshell
Jason Bergeron, Joel Seidlitz, Kari Ives, Joseph Roshell, Karen Lotts
None

Resolution to Accept the Ad Hoc EMS Study Committee Final Report and Direct the County Administrator
to Develop an Implementation Plan - Andy Albarado
Albarado explained the Ad Hoc EMS Study Committee finished their review and presented their final report for
consideration. One of the recommendations is for the County to create an EMS Coordinator position that would be
funded with an EMS levy. See memo on file for more details. He clarified that accepting the report does not mean
approving the recommendations. It directs the County Administrator to develop a plan on how to implement the
recommendations and bring that back to the County Board for consideration. He does not think we should move
quickly on creating the EMS Coordinator position. They need more time to research everything and also to let the
municipalities and providers to digest the findings. Everyone needs to acknowledge that EMS services have changed
and staffing them only with volunteers has become a challenge. It is not a statutory responsibility of counties to
provide EMS services. It is a statutory responsibility of the towns and municipalities so the County will need to
determine what level of involvement we should have.
The committee agreed this issue is a priority and they want to keep it front and center. They would like Albarado to
keep them informed on how the discussions are going and try to bring back a recommendation within six months.
Guthman, Ad Hoc EMS Study Committee Chair, commented that a great deal of time has been invested in this
analysis and a lot of data has been reviewed. A state expert was involved at the meetings. The report and
recommendation is not to take over EMS at the county. One of the roles of the EMS Coordinator would be to help
gather data and feedback from the providers and municipalities. Additional communication with EMS providers,
EMTs, towns, and municipalities will be critical to finding a successful solution. She received a letter from Dr. Dixon,
Medical Director, and he sees this as a steppingstone to finding a solution that could work for the county.
This item was reviewed by the committee and will be forwarded to the County Board for review at the
09/08/2026 meeting.
Motion:
Result:
Mover:

Forwarded to the County Board
Passed (5 - 0)
Karen Lotts

Page 5 of 48

Page 6 of 48

Seconder:
Ayes:
Nayes:
Absent:

3.

Kari Ives
Jason Bergeron, Joel Seidlitz, Kari Ives, Joseph Roshell, Karen Lotts
None

Human Resources Policy Manual – General Revisions
This item was reviewed by the committee and will be forwarded to the County Board for review at the
09/08/2026 meeting.
Motion:
Result:
Mover:
Seconder:
Ayes:
Nayes:
Absent:

4.

Forwarded to the County Board
Passed (5 - 0)
Joseph Roshell
Kari Ives
Jason Bergeron, Joel Seidlitz, Kari Ives, Joseph Roshell, Karen Lotts
None

Human Resources Policy Manual – Revisions Related to Implementation of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act
(OBBBA)
Simington explained that currently in our policy holidays count towards overtime. The proposal is to change the
policy so that holidays do not count towards overtime, which means employees need to actually work 40 hours
before they get overtime. If the committee does not support that change then the other proposed changes are not
needed.
Motion:
Result:
Mover:
Seconder:
Ayes:
Nayes:
Absent:

7.

Motion to postpone this item until the 09/15/26 Executive Committee meeting so they have
more time to understand the proposal and the issues associated with it.
(5 - 0)
Joel Seidlitz
Karen Lotts
Jason Bergeron, Joel Seidlitz, Kari Ives, Joseph Roshell, Karen Lotts
None

Updates, Announcements, and Correspondence
1.

County Board Chair Report

2.

County Administrator Operation Report

8.

Agenda Items for Future Consideration

9.

Adjourn
The meeting adjourned at: 05:57 PM
Result:
Mover:
Seconder:
Ayes:
Absent:

Passed (5 - 0)
Joel Seidlitz
Joseph Roshell
Jason Bergeron, Joel Seidlitz, Kari Ives, Joseph Roshell, Karen Lotts

Page 6 of 48

Page 7 of 48

Statement of Explanation
Resolution to Disallow Claim of Cindy Bijold and Cynthia Storm - Deb
Blevins

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13

Cindy Bijold and Cynthia Storm filed a formal notice of claim dated July 27, 2026, against
the County pursuant to Wisconsin Statute § 893.80. Ms. Bijold and Ms. Storm claim that their
2025 Winnebago EKKO camper trailer and vehicle were damaged from debris discharged from a
brush cutter operated by Land Conservation and Forest Management Department staff while
the trailer and vehicle were parked in the Hickory Ridge Trailhead parking lot. The incident
occurred on July 22, 2026, and the claim was received by Chippewa County Clerk’s office on July
27, 2026. The damage amount claimed is $11,675.57, per the estimate provided by Ms. Bijold
and Ms. Storm.
Upon review of the claim by the County’s liability insurance company, Wisconsin
Municipal Mutual Insurance Company (WMMIC), it is WMMIC’s recommendation that the
County formally disallow the claim. Passage of this resolution will formally disallow this claim
pursuant to Wisconsin Statute §893.80.

Page 7 of 48

Page 8 of 48

Resolution No.
Resolution to Disallow Claim of Cindy Bijold and Cynthia Storm - Deb Blevins
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42

43

WHEREAS, Cindy Bijold and Cynthia Storm filed a Notice of Claim on July 27, 2026, with
the Chippewa County Clerk's Office; and
WHEREAS, the Notice of Claim states that Ms. Bijold and Ms. Storm are claiming property
damage in the amount of $11,675.57 to their 2025 Winnebago EKKO Camper trailer and vehicle
from debris discharged from a brush cutter operated by Land Conservation and Forest
Management Department staff while the trailer and vehicle were parked in the Hickory Ridge
Trailhead parking lot; and
WHEREAS, upon review of the claim by the County’s liability insurance company,
Wisconsin Mutual Municipal Insurance Company (WMMIC), it is WMMIC’s recommendation
that the claim be disallowed;
NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Chippewa County Board of Supervisors does
hereby disallow the claim of Ms. Bijold and Ms. Storm, and no action on this claim may be
brought against Chippewa County or any of its officers, officials, agents or employees after six
(6) months from the date of service of this notice, pursuant to Wis. Stat. § 893.80; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that a copy of this resolution be forwarded to the claimants by
certified mail, return receipt requested, as Notice of Disallowance.
Forwarded to the County Board by the Executive Committee.
Financial Impact
There is no fiscal impact to Chippewa County by passage of this resolution.
Signatures
Approved as to Form:

County Administrator

Finance Director

Corporation Counsel

Page 8 of 48

Page 9 of 48

Page 9 of 48

Page 10 of 48

Page 10 of 48

Page 11 of 48

Page 11 of 48

Page 12 of 48

Page 12 of 48

Page 13 of 48

Page 13 of 48

Page 14 of 48

Page 14 of 48

Page 15 of 48

Deborah Blevins
711 N Bridge Street
Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin 54729

September 2, 2026

RE:

Claimant:
Our Claim No.:
Our Insured:
Date of Loss:

Cindy Bijold and Storm
GLCC00004891
Chippewa County
07/22/2026

Dear Deborah Blevins ,
We have received the above
- referenced claim on 07/27/2026 . After a thorough
examination of the information regarding
LCFM clearing brush and small trees with rented
equipment. Apparently, debris (rocks) were kicked up and damaged vehicle and travel
trailer parked nearby ; it has been determined that
Chippewa County has no liability for this
claim. There is n o evidence establishing that County operations caused
damage to

claimant's trailer. While the video provided appears to show a damage trailer, the
video does not demonstrate that the mower struck the trailer or that it caused the
alleged damage . Please issue formal disallowance and provide a copy of this
disallowance to WMMIC.
This claim will be closed on the date of receipt of the disallowance.
A copy of this letter has been placed in the claim file for reference. If you should have any
further questions, please contact me.

Sincerely,

Pa Vang
Liability Claim Representative
Wisconsin Municipal Mutual Insurance Company
(608) 729 - 5682
[email protected]

Page 15 of 48

Page 16 of 48

9/8/2026

2026 HR Policy Manual Revisions

Related to the One Big Beautiful Bill Act
Leah Simington, Finance Director
Executive Committee, Tuesday, September 15, 2026
County Board, Tuesday, October 6, 2026

1

One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA)
• The "One Big Beautiful Bill Act," temporarily allows eligible employees to take a deduction
for a portion of FLSA qualified overtime compensation when they file their federal income
taxes for tax years 2025 through 2028.
• Overtime rate is at time and one half (1.5).
• FLSA qualified overtime equals only the .5 premium portion paid for physical hours
worked over 40 in a single workweek under federal FLSA.
• Example - If you make $20/hour, your overtime rate is $30. Only $10 is tax deductible.
• This is an income tax deduction. It is not an exemption from payroll taxes, meaning they
will still be taxed through payroll. Employees may receive the tax benefit when they file
their annual tax return.
2

Page 16 of 48

1

Page 17 of 48

9/8/2026

One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) cont.

Tax Benefit and FLSA Overtime
TAX BENEFIT

• Only the .5 of the 1.5 overtime rate is tax deductible
• Tax deduction applies to non-exempt hourly employees only
• Amount is to be reported on W-2’s starting in 2026
• Limited to $12,500 filing Single or $25,000 filing Joint
FLSA OVERTIME
• FLSA overtime equals hours worked over 40 hours a week for general employees.
• Overtime for FLSA defined Public Safety employees equals hours worked over 86 hours
in a pay period.
• Example, jail and patrol employees working 12-hour shifts
• Compensatory time qualifies as FLSA overtime
3

Change to Holiday Hours

Should holiday hours count towards time worked?
• Currently, Chippewa County policy allows holiday hours to be included as worked time.
• Proposed changes would be to NOT allow holiday hours to be included as worked time
for the purpose of calculating overtime and compensatory time.
• This change has been discussed with Department Heads on several occasions

• This change is standard practice in most organizations.
• This change would result in a reduction of overtime pay for a small number of nonexempt employees and a loss in compensatory time accrual for exempt employees.

4

Page 17 of 48

2

Page 18 of 48

9/8/2026

Change to Holiday Hours
How will this impact employees?

• The examples below are based on data from actual hours worked between November 2024 –
October 2025 for all non-exempt hourly employees, excluding Highway and Patrol
• Total of 51 employees (excluding Highway and Patrol) received overtime during holiday weeks
• 23 general employees (11 telecom), 28 jail employees
• Total of 3,991.50 overtime hours during holiday weeks
• 1,293.50 for general employees (1,164 telecom), 1,984.50 for jail employees
• Some of these overtime hours will remain as some telecom and jail employees are still
working over 40 hours in a week.

5

Change to Holiday Hours

How will this impact the Jail?

• Jail employees currently receive overtime after 84 hours in a pay period.
• With the proposed change to holiday hours not counting towards hours
worked, the Jail would also switch to a 40-hour week.
• Jail employees would like this change
• Jail employees would then be on the same schedule as Telecom and
receive 8 hours of overtime per pay period due to the 12-hour shifts

6

Page 18 of 48

3

Page 19 of 48

9/8/2026

Change to Additional Compensation

Premium Pay vs. Qualified Overtime

• Currently, when an employee is called in to work outside their normal shift, they receive
overtime pay. This is not always FLSA ‘qualified’ overtime.
• This generally impacts the Facilities & Parks employees and Highway employees.
• The existing language was moved from the Overtime policy to the Additional Compensation
policy under a new sub section (d) called Premium Pay
• This will now be referred to as Premium Pay (rate will be time and one half)
• Example, if an employee is called in after hours or on a weekend and they have used
PTO, Compensatory time or Holiday pay during the week, they will receive Premium
Pay equal to time and one half for those hours worked due to being called in.
• There is no financial impact with this change.
7

Change to Exempt Pay Period

How will this impact Exempt Employees?
• Currently, exempt (salaried) employees receive compensatory time for hours
worked (including Holiday hours) over 40 hours in one week
• Example holiday week, exempt employee works 35 hours and receives 8 hours of holiday pay,
they will currently receive 3 hours of compensatory time (35 + 8 = 43 total hours)

• If holiday hours no longer count towards hours worked, exempt employees would
no longer receive compensatory time unless, they physically work over 40 hours
during the holiday weeks.
• Example holiday week, exempt employee works 35 hours and receives 8 hours of holiday pay,
they will not receive the 3 hours of compensatory time as they did above.

8

Page 19 of 48

4

Page 20 of 48

9/8/2026

Change to Exempt Pay Period, cont.

How will this impact Exempt Employees?

• With the proposed change to holiday hours not counting towards hours worked,
exempt employees would move from a 40-hour work week, to an 80-hour work period.
Impact
• This will allow more flexibility for exempt staff.
• With this change, exempt employees will use less compensatory time, but they will also
accrue less compensatory time
• Example holiday week, if exempt employee works 35 hours and receives 8 hours of holiday pay in
week 1 (total 43 hours), then in week 2 they could work 37 hours for a pay period total of 80 hours.
• Employees still need to request approval for the time off as they do today
• No compensatory time would be accrued or lost.

9

Change to Exempt pay period, Cont.

How will this impact Exempt Employees?

Additional Examples
• Holiday in week 2, if exempt employee works 40 hours in week 1, and in week 2 they
work 35 hours and receive 8 hours of holiday pay for a pay period total of 83 hours, the
employee will record 3 hours of unpaid time.
• There will be 3 hours of lost compensatory time

• Holiday week 2, if exempt employee works 45 hours in week 1, and in week 2 they
work 37 hours and receive 8 hours of holiday pay for a pay period total of 90 hours, the
employee will record 2 hours of compensatory time as they worked 82 hours.
• There will be 8 hours of lost compensatory time

• Non-holiday pay period, if exempt employee works 45 hours in week 1, then in week 2
they could work 35 hours for a pay period total of 80 hours. Or vise versa
• Employees still need to request approval for the time off as they do today

10

Page 20 of 48

5

Page 21 of 48

9/8/2026

Questions, Comments, or Concerns

11

Page 21 of 48

6

Page 22 of 48

Department of Administration
August 6, 2026
TO:

County Board

RE:

HR Policy Manual Revisions – Related to Implementation of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA)

In 2025, new overtime laws went into place as part of the new One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA).
Specifically, there is a new federal tax deduction effective from 2025 to 2028 that allows eligible employees
to exclude qualified overtime compensation from their taxable income. The key word is “qualified overtime”.
Chippewa County (along with many other organizations and Counties) pay employees overtime rates for
work that is above and beyond and not “qualified overtime” under FLSA.
The Finance and HR Divisions have been working together to address this new law and assist us with proper
year-end reporting for employees to use when they complete their annual income taxes. Many of the
proposed policy changes are a result of this law. We will also be updating several procedures regarding
payroll processing along with updating pay codes in 2026 prior to approval of the HR Policy Manual revisions.
Below is a summary of all of the proposed recommendations:
Holidays
• No longer consider holiday pay as time worked for the purpose of overtime or compensatory time
calculations. This change will allow us to utilize the automation in our payroll software and reporting
to comply with the new overtime law. This is also a standard practice in most organizations when
processing holiday and overtime pay. This change will result in a reduction in overtime pay for a small
number of non-exempt employees who might work more than 24 or 32 hours in a holiday work week.
PTO

Update the PTO Conversion section, upon employee termination, to require lower PTO balances to
go to the 401(a) qualified deferred compensation plan.

Overtime
• Overtime language was added to clarify that overtime is calculated lawfully when there is a shift
differential or other related pay requiring recalculation. This will result in a slight increase in pay for
employees who receive shift differential and overtime.
• Several exceptions to the overtime policy have been moved to the “Additional Compensation”
section of the policy and redefined as premium pay and not overtime pay. This recommendation, if
approved, will require a new pay code in our payroll software and assist with proper reporting of
“qualified overtime”. This results in no financial change for employees.
Additional Compensation
• The recommendation is to remove the Facilities & Parks and Highway overtime sections and move
them to premium pay. This policy change will allow for proper reporting of “qualified overtime”. This
results in no financial change for employees.
Payroll and Timekeeping
• The recommendation is to update the corrections section of this policy to allow corrections,
regardless of when it is submitted to the Department Head and Finance Division.

Summary of Proposed HR Policy Manual Revisions – One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA)

Page 1 of 1

Page 22 of 48

Page 23 of 48

Chippewa County
Department of Administration
Human Resources Division

Human Resources
Policy Manual
County Board Action/History
Adopted by the County Board 11/13/2012 and effective 1/1/2013
Revised and amended by the County Board on the following dates:
05/14/2013; 08/13/2013; 12/10/2013; 03/11/2014; 05/12/2014; 12/09/2014; 12/08/2015; 03/14/2017; 04/11/2017; 03/13/2018; 11/06/2018;
12/11/2018; 01/08/2019; 07/09/2019; 09/10/2019; 10/08/2019; 11/11/2019; 11/10/2020; 09/13/2022; 11/08/2022; 12/13/2022; 09/12/2023;
06/11/2024; 01/14/2025; 09/09/2025; 11/11/2025

** PROPOSED REVISIONS **
These policy revisions are related the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA)
and need to be adopted before 01/01/2027
3.
4.
18.

Holidays – (if the CB does not approve this, then the other policy changes are not needed)
Paid Time Off
Overtime and Compensatory Time (exceptions moved to new premium pay
and comp changed from 40 to 80 hours)

19.
26.

Additional Compensation (premium pay)
Payroll and Timekeeping

Page 23 of 48

Page 24 of 48

CHAPTER 2 – TIME AT WORK AND TIME AWAY FROM WORK
3.

Holidays
a.

Purpose
To identify observed employee holidays and to establish a consistent procedure for scheduling
and payment.

b.

Eligibility
All regular full‐time or part‐time employees are eligible to receive compensation for the paid holiday
benefit. In order to receive holiday pay, employees shall work the full scheduled day before and the
full scheduled day after each observed holiday unless the employee substitutes PTO (scheduled or
unscheduled). Part‐time employees shall be compensated on a prorated basis. Employees receiving
Workers’ Compensation benefits are not eligible for compensation for holidays that fall during their
period of disability. Employees on any type of unpaid leave of absence on the observed holiday are
not eligible for compensation for the holiday.
All limited term (annual or seasonal) status employees (LTEs) are eligible to receive compensation
for the paid holiday benefit only if they actually work the day of the holiday or observed holiday.

c.

Holidays Observed
The following holidays shall be paid holiday for eligible employees:
New Year’s Day
Spring Holiday (Friday before Easter)
Memorial Day
Independence Day
Day after Independence Day

d.

Labor Day
Thanksgiving Day
Day after Thanksgiving
December 24th
December 25th

Compensation
Holiday pay is calculated at the straight time hourly rate of pay of the employee on that day.
Holiday pay is not considered time worked for the purposes of overtime or compensatory time
calculation.

e.

1.

Full‐time employees shall be compensated for eight (8) hours of holiday pay on the
observed holidays regardless of the scheduled shift (4‐, 5‐, 6‐, 7‐, 8‐, 9‐, 10‐, 11‐, or 12‐
hour day).

2.

Part‐time employees shall receive four (4) hours of holiday pay on the observed holidays.

3.

LTEs shall receive holiday pay for the exact hours worked on the day of the holiday or
observed holiday in addition to their actual hours worked. If the employee does not
work on the day of the holiday or observed holiday, they are not eligible for holiday pay.

Work on Holiday
In cases where a full‐time or part‐time employee is required to work on a holiday due to
unforeseeable circumstances, or required to work on a holiday as part of their normal work
schedule, the employee shall receive holiday pay for the holiday in addition to the actual hours
worked.

Human Resources Policy Manual

Page 2 of 19
* GO BACK TO TOP OF DOCUMENT *

Adopted: 11/13/2012
Amended: 11/12/2025Page 24 of 48

Page 25 of 48

Holiday pay is considered time worked for the purposes of overtime.
f.

Holidays During Leave
Holidays falling within any unpaid period of absence for any reason shall be without pay.
For employees on paid FMLA over an observed holiday, the holiday shall be counted as FMLA
leave.
Employees are permitted to use scheduled or unscheduled PTO during an approved FMLA or
County medical leave before and after the Holiday to be eligible for Holiday pay, even if the
employee doesn’t have enough PTO or Compensatory time for the entire leave period.

g.

Holidays Falling on a Weekend
Whenever any of the observed holidays falls on a Saturday, the preceding Friday shall be
observed as the holiday, and when falling on a Sunday, the succeeding Monday shall be observed
as the holiday. When December 24th falls on Friday and December 25th on Saturday, the
preceding Thursday and Friday shall be observed as the holidays. When December 24th falls on
Sunday and December 25th on Monday, the succeeding Monday and Tuesday shall be observed
as the holiday.

h.

Holidays Falling on a Scheduled Day That is Not 8 Hours for a Full‐Time Employee
Whenever an observed holiday falls on a day that an employee is scheduled to work more than
eight (8) hours, the employee shall be paid for eight (8) hours of holiday pay. The employee shall
use PTO, Compensatory time or work a flexible schedule to make up the additional hours within
the same work week.
Whenever an observed holiday falls on a day that an employee is scheduled to work less than
eight (8) hours, the employee shall flex their schedule during the week to work less hours on
other days, so not to earn overtime or compensatory time without Department Head approval.
Flexible schedules during the week of a holiday shall be established and approved by the
Department Head to best meet the needs of the department for efficient operations, to reduce
overtime or compensatory time and to remain open during established business hours.

i.

Sheriff’s Department Dispatcher and Jailer Exceptions
Due to the nature of the scheduling within the Sheriff’s Department, the dispatchers and jailers
who are eligible for holidays and required to work on an observed holiday shall receive the
holiday pay for that day in addition to hours worked.

j.

Exceptions
Due to the nature of work required from the Highway Department and Facilities & Parks Division
for unforeseen emergency circumstances, in cases when a regular status full time non‐exempt
employee of the Highway Department or Facilities & Parks Division is required to work on an
observed holiday, the non‐exempt employee shall receive premiumovertime pay at a rate of time
and one‐half for those actual hours worked by the non‐exempt employee in addition to receiving
holiday pay for the holiday. Overtime hHours worked on an observed holiday are considered

Human Resources Policy Manual

Page 3 of 19
* GO BACK TO TOP OF DOCUMENT *

Adopted: 11/13/2012
Amended: 11/12/2025Page 25 of 48

Page 26 of 48

premium overtime pay and shall not be calculated in the regular rate of pay for the purposes of
calculating FLSA overtime (29 C.F.R §778.201).
Premium pay is additional pay that is not required under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).
(Section 3 amended by the County Board 05/14/13; 12/10/13; 12/09/14; 12/08/15, 03/13/18; 11/6/18; 09/13/2022; 12/13/2022)

4.

Paid Time Off (PTO)
a.

Purpose
The purpose of the Paid Time Off (PTO) plan is to provide regular full time and regular part‐time
employees a flexible means to carefully plan their time away from work and maximize time spent
on the job. It is the County’s belief that employees empowered to control their time at work and
away from work do so responsibly. PTO can be utilized for any purpose, subject to necessary
request and approval procedures consistent with County policies and written departmental
procedures.

b.

Calculation
Employees earn PTO for each pay period based upon the number of hours that an employee is paid
during the pay period, up to 80 hours. The payroll hours are tied to a multiplier, based upon years
of service, and a new accrual amount is added to an employee’s balance each pay period. The
following are the multipliers to be used:
Multiplier
Level

Years of Continuous Service

Hour for Hour
Multiplier Used

Level 1
Level 2
Level 3
Level 4
Level 5

Less than 5
5‐less than 10
10‐less than 15
15‐less than 20
20 and greater

.0886
.0983
.1079
.1271
.1464

Per Pay Period
Multiplier
(Full Time
Employee)
7.09
7.86
8.63
10.17
11.71

Approximate
Annual
Accrual
184
204
224
264
304

Movement to Higher Multiplier
When the employee’s length of service reaches the next higher rate of accrual, accrual at the
new rate shall begin on the first day of the pay period that the employee’s Full Time or Part Time
anniversary date is within.
c.

Accrual Limits (Maximum and Minimum)
An employee’s total accrued PTO shall not exceed four hundred eighty (480) hours at any given
time for full time and three hundred‐sixty (360) hours for part‐time. Upon reaching the maximum
hours, the employee shall no longer continue to accrue hours until PTO hours are used; except as
otherwise provided in this policy, employees may not have a negative PTO balance.
Employees are not authorized to carry a negative PTO balance (except as provided below under
Newly Hired Employees). There is no minimum requirement per policy, however PTO shall be
used for both planned time off (typically a vacation) and unplanned time off (sick time or other
emergencies). So it is recommended to maintain a healthy minimum PTO balance for unplanned
events.

Human Resources Policy Manual

Page 4 of 19
* GO BACK TO TOP OF DOCUMENT *

Adopted: 11/13/2012
Amended: 11/12/2025Page 26 of 48

Page 27 of 48

d.

Timeframe for Available Use
Employees may request to use PTO only in a pay period following the pay period in which the
PTO was accrued.

e.

Newly‐Hired Employees
PTO is earned on a pay period basis and can only be used in a pay period following the pay period
in which the PTO was accrued. Consequently, newly‐hired employees may submit a request to
the Human Resources Division that their PTO bank be authorized to carry a negative balance
within the first seven (7) pay periods from the newly‐hired employee’s date of hire for
emergency situations or pre‐approved absences only. Requests for authorization of a negative
PTO balance shall be made in writing to the Human Resources Division by the Department Head
or designee. The Human Resources Division shall consult with the Department Head and render
a determination. The determination of the Human Resources Director or designee shall be final
and binding. Any authorized negative balance shall not exceed forty (40.0) hours. Authorized
negative balances shall be restored through accrual to a positive balance before any further PTO
may be taken by the employee. Employees who separate employment and have a negative PTO
bank balance at the time of separation shall have their final paycheck adjusted from regular
hours worked to restore the PTO bank to a zero (0) balance.

f.

PTO Service Credit at Hire
The Department Head may submit a request to the Human Resources Director that a prospective
applicant be granted a one‐time beginning balance credit of PTO or be given credit for length of
service for employment experience that is directly related to the position. The request shall be in
writing before the applicant is hired and shall be based on the Department Head’s assessment of
the candidate’s qualifications beyond the minimum requirements, recruitment considerations, or
service accrual provided by the previous employer. No additional length of service credit shall be
granted after initial appointment with the County. The Human Resources Director shall make all
determinations for length of service credit, and the determination of the Human Resources
Director shall be final and binding.

g.

Rate of Pay for PTO Bank Hours
PTO hours shall be paid at regular straight time pay for the workday the PTO is taken. Shift
differentials are excluded from the rate of pay.

h.

PTO Departmental Scheduling Procedures
Each department shall establish written procedures to ensure that paid time off requests are
processed in a fair and equitable manner, with first consideration to be given to the efficient
operation of the department. All procedures shall include the following components: notice
requirements for scheduled vs. unscheduled absences, process for requesting PTO, reminder that
the employee is responsible for monitoring PTO and Compensatory Time balances, hours that the
department shall be staffed and open to the public, how the department shall handle employees
reporting to work sick and compensatory time or flex time requirements if relevant. All
departments shall file a copy of their updated written time off procedures with the Human
Resources Division.

i.

PTO Scheduling Authority
The department head or designee has final authority in authorizing accrued and available PTO.

Human Resources Policy Manual

Page 5 of 19
* GO BACK TO TOP OF DOCUMENT *

Adopted: 11/13/2012
Amended: 11/12/2025Page 27 of 48

Page 28 of 48

j.

Scheduled Absences
PTO shall be requested by the employee as far in advance as reasonably possible and shall be
approved in advance by the Department Head or designee. Individual departments shall define
advanced notice for Scheduled Absences and list the definition in the departments PTO
scheduling procedure. Employees shall follow written departmental procedures for requesting
PTO. Requests for PTO may be denied based on the needs and workload of the department or if
other employees are already scheduled for time off.

k.

Unscheduled Absences
Employee PTO usage for unscheduled, unforeseen circumstances shall be made according to
written departmental procedures. The employee may be requested to provide a physician’s
verification statement for absences spanning more than three (3) consecutive work days.

l.

Coordination with FMLA
The County reserves the right to require substitution of paid leave, subject to applicable state
and federal law. Therefore, an employee shall use PTO for any federal FMLA qualifying leave
including, but not limited to, intermittent leaves.

m.

Coordination with Workers’ Compensation
The employee may use accrued PTO to compensate for time lost that is not reimbursed by
workers’ compensation.

n.

Unpaid Time
With the exception of qualified Wisconsin and Federal FMLA leave, an employee may not take
unpaid leave until such time that the employee’s PTO bank has been exhausted. At no time shall
an employee be authorized to carry a negative PTO balance (except as provided above under
Newly Hired Employees). In the event an employee has an insufficient PTO balance to cover an
absence for any reason, the employee shall immediately revert to unpaid time. In the event an
employee is reverted to unpaid time without prior authorization by the Department Head and
the Human Resources Director, the employee may be subject to disciplinary action.
Employees on unpaid status, for any reason other than as outline in Chapter 2, under Leave‐
Military, shall not accrue PTO on the unpaid time.
1.

Unpaid Time for Exempt Employees
Unpaid time or partial‐day deductions for exempt employees are permitted in the case of
a public employee who is in a position that earns PTO or Compensatory Time and is
absent for a partial day or full day due to personal reasons, illness or injury under the
following circumstances:
a).

PTO or Compensatory Time has not been requested or has been denied;

b).

Accrued PTO or Compensatory Time is exhausted; or

c).

The employee is qualified under Wisconsin FMLA leave and specifically chooses
to take time off unpaid.

Human Resources Policy Manual

Page 6 of 19
* GO BACK TO TOP OF DOCUMENT *

Adopted: 11/13/2012
Amended: 11/12/2025Page 28 of 48

Page 29 of 48

The employee will not accrue PTO on the unpaid time. This policy is established pursuant
to principles of public accountability and complies with the requirements of 29 C.F.R.
541.710
o.

Part‐Time Employee Utilization of PTO
The number of hours that a part‐time employee may record when taking a “day off” from work is
what they would normally have been scheduled to work. Part‐time employees may only take
PTO on days that they would have normally been scheduled to work.

p.

Increments of Time
Employees shall use PTO in increments of fifteen (15) minutes. Nonexempt employees shall
record PTO to bring their total hours paid for the week to 40 hours unless the employee is on a
qualified Wisconsin and Federal FMLA leave and chooses unpaid time. Exempt employees shall
record PTO to bring the total hours paid for the biweekly work period to 80 hours unless the
employee is on a qualified Wisconsin and Federal FMLA leave and chooses unpaid time.

q.

Presenteeism
PTO is designed to provide for effective planning of work hours and time away from work and
encourages employees to maximize time spent on the job. If an employee has any communicable
disease, the employee shall report it to his or her Department Head or designee. The
Department Head or designee may require a return‐to‐work form from the employee’s physician.
The Department Head or designee has the right to send an employee home if the employee is
unfit or unable to perform the functions of his/her position or if the Department Head or
designee determines the ill employee poses a threat to the health or safety of customers or other
employees in the department. The employee shall use PTO or compensatory time, if available to
the employee, for their remaining work day.

r.

s.

Restrictions
1.

An employee shall not be paid for time at work and receive PTO pay for the same time.

2.

An employee may not donate PTO to a third party.

3.

An employee may not use PTO beyond the employee’s last day actually worked.

Department Transfers
PTO balances shall transfer with the employee when an employee transfers from one
department to another.

t.

Optional Annual PTO Payout
Full time employees that have 150 hours of PTO on the books as of the first paycheck in
November each year, shall have the option to elect 24 hours of PTO paid out on the second
paycheck in November that year at the employee’s regular rate of pay or waive a payout.
Part time employees that have 75 hours of PTO on the book as of the first paycheck in November
each year, shall have the option to elect 12 hours of PTO paid out on the second paycheck in
November that year at the employee’s regular rate of pay or waive a payout.

Human Resources Policy Manual

Page 7 of 19
* GO BACK TO TOP OF DOCUMENT *

Adopted: 11/13/2012
Amended: 11/12/2025Page 29 of 48

Page 30 of 48

Payout is optional at the election of the employee and the Human Resources Division shall collect
employee election and authorization to payout PTO annually by October 15. If the employee
does not authorize to pay out PTO by October 15, no payout shall occur.
u.

PTO as a Reward or Prize
The County Administrator may approve providing PTO as a reward or prize to a PTO eligible
employee. Offering PTO as a prize or a reward is a creative way to acknowledge or reward
employees for taking an action they normally may not take, without an incentive.
The amount of the PTO reward shall be determined by the County Administrator and shall be no
more than twenty (24) hours total per year and a maximum of eight (8) hours per employee per
year. Upon approval, the Human Resources Director shall communicate the reward details and
amount to the employee(s) via email to ensure employee(s) are aware of the PTO reward and/or
why they earned it or how to earn it.
The Human Resources Division shall notify the Finance Division of the final reward amount and
date to be added to the employee’s accrual total. A letter or form shall be placed in the
employee’s personnel file detailing the date, hours of PTO received and reason for the PTO
reward or prize. PTO as a reward is not transferable to a third party.

v.

Separation
1.

Definitions
a).

b).

2.

A Qualified Separation is defined as follows:
1.

resignation or retirement from employment with Chippewa County with
advanced written notice as defined in Chapter 3, Separation of
Employment Section.

2.

permanent layoff from employment

3.

discharge from employment when the employee has 3 or more years of
continuous years of service with the County based on most recent date
of hire unless the employee is discharged for misconduct. Misconduct is
defined as intentional and substantial disregard of or intentional and
unreasonable interference with the employer’s interests.

4.

County employee who becomes an elected official for the County.

Discharge: Discharge is defined as dismissal from employment for involuntary
reasons.

PTO Conversion
The accumulated PTO of those employees leaving Chippewa County employment due to
a qualified separation shall be converted into the County’s Conversion Plan, (herein
referred to as the “Plan”). The conversion of PTO is mandatory upon a qualified
separation and all separating employees with unused PTO on the date of their separation
shall participate in the Plan. The employee shall have all PTO converted to a dollar value

Human Resources Policy Manual

Page 8 of 19
* GO BACK TO TOP OF DOCUMENT *

Adopted: 11/13/2012
Amended: 11/12/2025Page 30 of 48

Page 31 of 48

calculated by taking the number of total PTO hours multiplied by the regular straight
time hourly rate of pay at the time of separation (hereinafter “Benefit”).
Within thirty (30) days of receiving written notice of an employee’s qualified
separationAs part of the benefit exit meeting completed with an employee on or around
their last day worked, the County shall elect the form in which the separating employee
shall receive the Benefit. If the employee’s Benefit is less than $1,000, it shall be
converted to the 401(a) qualified deferred compensation plan. If the employee’s Benefit
is $1,000 or more tThe Benefit paid to the separating employee (as selected by the
County in its sole discretion) shall be limited to one of the following forms:

w.

a).

The County shall make a contribution to a Medical Expense Trust for the benefit
of the separating employee to be applied toward health insurance premiums and
un‐reimbursed medical expenses specified under IRS Code Section 213. This
benefit shall continue until fully exhausted by the separating employee or their
qualified dependent beneficiaries, or.

b).

The County shall make a contribution to a 401(a) qualified deferred
compensation plan (as selected by the County in its sole discretion) in the
amount of the Benefit, which shall be paid to the separating employee according
to the terms of the selected plan.

1.

An employee whose separation is non‐qualified shall not be eligible for the PTO
payout.

2.

An employee who is discharged with less than 3 years of continuous service with
the County based on most recent date of hire shall not be eligible for the PTO
payout.

3.

An employee may not use PTO beyond his/her last day actually worked.

Death
Upon the death of an employee, the County shall pay to the estate of the deceased employee all
accumulated and unused PTO for which the deceased employee may have otherwise been
eligible to use at the time of his/her death.

x.

Elected Officials
Elected Officials are not eligible for PTO. Elected officials who were county employees
immediately prior to their election shall mandatorily convert their PTO as described in the PTO
conversion upon taking Office.

(Section 4 amended by the County Board 12/10/13; 12/08/15; 03/13/18; 11/9/18; 11/12/19; 09/13/2022; 01/14/2025)

CHAPTER 3 – WAGES AND OTHER FORMS OF COMPENSATION
18.

Overtime and Compensatory Time
a.

Purpose

Human Resources Policy Manual

Page 9 of 19
* GO BACK TO TOP OF DOCUMENT *

Adopted: 11/13/2012
Amended: 11/12/2025Page 31 of 48

Page 32 of 48

To provide a consistent system for distributing overtime in compliance with the overtime‐pay
provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).
b.

Definitions
Each position is designated as either “Non‐exempt” or “Exempt” from the federal Fair Labor
Standards Act and state wage and hour laws. Employees should contact the Human Resources
Division if they are unsure of their position’s designation.

c.

1.

Non‐Exempt positions that are paid on an hourly basis and are entitled to overtime pay
for hours worked in excess of 40 hours per week, excluding premium overtime pay (29
C.F.R. §778.201).

2.

Exempt positions that are generally paid on a salary basis and are excluded from specific
provisions of federal and state wage and hour laws and are not eligible for overtime pay.

Overtime
Non‐exempt employees may receive pay for overtime hours. This shall be paid at time and one
half the hourly rate of pay for any hours worked in excess of 40 hours per workweek. Overtime
pay will be calculated in accordance with FLSA rules governing the regular rate of pay, including
applicable differentials or incentives as required by law.
1.

Facilities and Parks Division Exception
Non‐exempt Facilities and Parks employees shall receive overtime at a rate of time and
one‐half their regular hourly rate for all hours worked for winter maintenance between
the hours of 6:00 p.m. – 6:00 a.m., unless normally scheduled, and for hours worked for
winter maintenance on Saturdays and Sundays.
Non‐exempt Facilities and Parks employees shall receive overtime pay at time and one‐
half their regular hourly rate for time worked outside of their normal work schedule/shift
for emergency situations. A minimum of two (2) hours shall be paid except for those
hours that are part of the normal work schedule/shift. Management shall have the
discretion to determine the workday thereafter. Emergency situation examples include
weather‐related damage, facility damage, and flooding, but excludes snow/ice removal
and construction projects.
Overtime hours worked under this section is considered premium overtime pay and shall
not be calculated in the regular rate of pay for the purposes of calculating FLSA overtime
(29 C.F.R §778.203 and §778.204 or as amended).

2.

Sheriff’s Department Management Exception
Sheriff’s Department Management who are exempt may be paid overtime at their
straight hourly rate for hours in excess of forty (40) in any one (1) workweek for special
events in which all operating costs, salaries, and fringes are billed back to the event
organizer for reimbursement. Such events do not include normal duties and
responsibilities of the job (i.e. reporting to the scene of an accident after normal work
hours). Events covered include large assembly events and music events.

3.

Sheriff’s Department Exception

Human Resources Policy Manual

Page 10 of 19
* GO BACK TO TOP OF DOCUMENT *

Adopted: 11/13/2012
Amended: 11/12/2025Page 32 of 48

Page 33 of 48

Chippewa County has established an alternate work period for Jailers, Jail Sergeants and
Patrol Sergeants working 12 hour shifts. If the Jailer, Jail Sergeant or Patrol Sergeant is
assigned the alternate work period, the following exception applies. As allowed under
Section 7(k) of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), the alternate work periods for Jailers,
Jail Sergeants and Patrol Sergeants rotates on a 14‐day work period basis. The work
period for Jailers, Jail Sergeants and Patrol Sergeants shall consist of fourteen (14)
consecutive calendar days starting at 12:00 a.m. on Sunday and ending at 11:59 p.m. on
Saturday 14 days later. The overtime threshold within this work period for Chippewa
County shall be 84.0 hours for purposes of hours worked. Calculation of overtime
and/or compensatory time shall be based on hours of work in excess of 846.0 hours per
14‐day work period for the purposes of this Policy. In instances when a Jailer, Jail
Sergeant or Patrol Sergeant uses PTO or Compensatory Time during one week of the 14‐
day work period, the employee shall earn OT after the scheduled hours for that week (36
hours or 48 hours) only in the week in which the PTO or Compensatory Time were not
used, as long as there are no unpaid normally schedule hours during the 14‐day work
period.
4.

Highway Department Exception
Non‐exempt Highway employees shall receive overtime at a rate of time and one‐half
their regular hourly rate for hours worked outside of their normal work day/shift. All
hours worked in excess of, or outside of, the normal work day/shift shall be approved by
the Highway Commissioner or designee. A minimum of two (2) hours shall be paid if an
employee is called into work, except for those hours that are part of the normal work
day/shift that precede or immediately follow the shift.
Overtime hours worked under this section is considered premium overtime pay and shall
not be calculated in the regular rate of pay for the purposes of calculating FLSA overtime
(29 C.F.R §778.203 and §778.204 or as amended).

d.

Compensatory Time
1.

Exempt
It is understood that Department Heads, Managers, and other exempt positions (as
classified by your job description) are paid a salary for their overall responsibility and
accountability and may work in excess of the normal work week in order to complete
necessary job tasks. At the discretion of the Department Head, (and County
Administrator in cases of Department Heads) exempt employees who work in excess of
840 hours in a workweek biweekly pay period (not including Holiday pay) may qualify for
compensatory time. Compensatory time shall be earned prior to use, is earned at straight
time (hour for hour), and shall be tracked accordingly on the timesheet. Compensatory
time balances for exempt non‐management positions in the Criminal Justice Services,
Public Health and Human Services Departments shall not exceed 40.0 hours. All other
exempt employees shall not exceed 80.0 hours.

2.

Non‐Exempt
Non‐exempt employees may receive overtime in the form of compensatory time (earned
at time and one half) or paid time at one and one‐half times their rate of pay for hours
worked in excess of 40 in a workweek (excludes hours paid, such as workers’

Human Resources Policy Manual

Page 11 of 19
* GO BACK TO TOP OF DOCUMENT *

Adopted: 11/13/2012
Amended: 11/12/2025Page 33 of 48

Page 34 of 48

compensation, PTO, jury duty and/or compensatory time taken) at the employer’s
discretion. “Non‐exempt” status is determined by the employer on a job‐by‐job basis.
Compensatory time shall be tracked on the timesheet. Compensatory time balances shall
not exceed 40.0 hours for all non‐exempt positions (80.0 hours for non‐exempt
management positions). Once the maximum accrual amount has been met, employees
shall be paid for any time worked in excess of 40 in a work week at a rate of time and
one‐half.

3.

a).

Section 7(O) of the FLSA allows public sector employers to provide certain non‐
exempt employees with an option of whether to receive cash overtime or
compensatory time earned at time and one‐half. Department heads shall
determine employee eligibility for earning compensatory time.

b).

Non‐exempt highway employees are not eligible for compensatory time and shall
receive overtime in the form of pay only.

Increments of Time
Employees shall use Compensatory Time in increments of fifteen (15) minutes.

e.

Compensatory Time Payout
All accrued and unused compensatory time shall be paid out for the following reasons:
1.

If an employee changes positions that results in an exempt or non‐exempt status change;
or

2.

If an employee transfers to another department; or

3.

If an employee becomes an elected official for the County; or

4.

If a non‐exempt employee transfers to a new non‐exempt position and there is also a pay
change, the employee’s Compensatory Time shall be paid out at the time of transfer at
the rate of pay prior to the transfer; or

5.

When an employee separates employment from Chippewa County. A separation is
defined as follows:
a).

resignation or retirement from employment with Chippewa County

b).

permanent layoff from employment

c).

discharge from employment with Chippewa County

Compensatory time payout due to a change in position that results in an exempt or non‐exempt
status change, transfer to another department, or when an employee becomes an elected official
shall be added to the payroll on the last day worked in the former position, paid at the regular
rate of pay, to be paid in cash via the employee paycheck. The compensatory time paid shall not
be considered time worked.
Compensatory time payout due to separation of employment shall be paid in accordance with
Chippewa County’s Separation from Employment Policy.

Human Resources Policy Manual

Page 12 of 19
* GO BACK TO TOP OF DOCUMENT *

Adopted: 11/13/2012
Amended: 11/12/2025Page 34 of 48

Page 35 of 48

f.

Approval
All overtime/compensatory time earned shall be approved in advance by the Department Head.
If advanced approval is not obtained, the employee is not authorized to work the overtime. The
Department Head has the sole right to approve or deny overtime and compensatory time
requests. Failure to obtain prior approval may result in disciplinary action, up to and including
discharge.
Requests to trade shifts cannot result in creating overtime/compensatory time for either party.

g.

Compensatory Time Off
Use of compensatory time shall be requested by the employee as far in advance as reasonably
possible, and shall be approved in advance by the Department Head. Employees shall follow
written departmental procedures for requesting to take compensatory time. Requests to use
compensatory time may be denied based on the needs and workload of the department or if
other employees are already scheduled for time off. The Department Head has full authority to
approve or deny said request.

h.

Department Scheduling Procedures
Each department shall establish written procedures to ensure that compensatory time off
requests are processed in a fair and equitable manner, with first consideration to be given to the
efficient operation of the department. All departments shall file a copy of their updated written
time off procedures with the Human Resources Division.

i.

Accrual
Employees are not able to earn compensatory time or paid overtime (earned at straight time or
time and one half) as a result of the use of paid leaves. No paid leave time shall be counted as
hours worked for overtime purposes, including PTO, workers’ compensation, jury duty, and
compensatory time taken.

j.

Non‐Exempt Employee Annual Payout of Compensatory Time
Non‐exempt employees shall be paid‐out, at straight time, any unused Compensatory Time
earned each calendar year on the last paycheck of the year it was earned. All non‐exempt
employees shall start every new year with a zero balance in their Compensatory Time accrual
bank.

k.

Safe Harbor
It is the policy of Chippewa County to comply with the salary basis requirements of the FLSA.
Therefore, improper deductions from the salaries of exempt employees are prohibited. If it is felt
that an improper deduction has been made to your salary, you should immediately report this to
the Human Resources Director. Reports of improper deductions shall be promptly investigated
and reimbursements provided if it is determined improper deductions occurred.
29 C.F.R 541.710 outlines the principles of public accountability in which public agencies and
elected officials are held to a higher level of responsibility under the public trust which demands
effective and efficient use of public funds in order to serve the public interest including the view
that public employees should not be paid for time they do not work excluding the use of paid
time as outlined in Chippewa County policy.

Human Resources Policy Manual

Page 13 of 19
* GO BACK TO TOP OF DOCUMENT *

Adopted: 11/13/2012
Amended: 11/12/2025Page 35 of 48

Page 36 of 48

(Section 18 amended by the County Board 05/14/13; 12/09/14; 12/08/15, 03/13/18, 11/6/18; 11/10/2020; 09/13/2022; 11/08/2022)

19.

Additional Compensation
a.

Sheriff’s Department ‐ Field Training
1.

Purpose
To provide an incentive to dispatch employees working 24/7 operations for providing an
extensive hands‐on training program for new hires into dispatcher and jailer positions.

2.

Compensation
Dispatchers and Jailers assigned to and designated as Field Training Officers shall receive an
additional 50 cents ($.50) per hour for each hour worked training new hires.

b.

Sheriff’s Department – Shift Differential
1.

Purpose
To provide extra compensation to nonexempt employees who are scheduled on a regular,
rotating or sporadic basis to work during evening or night shifts.

2.

Compensation
Nonexempt employees who work between the hours of 6:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. shall
receive an additional dollar ($1.00) per hour for those hours worked. It shall only be paid
when recording regular or overtime hours and no other pay codes.

c.

Clerk of Courts – Jury Bailiffs
1.

Purpose
To provide compensation to Jury Bailiffs scheduled for a jury trial when the trial is cancelled
due to settlement, rescheduling or other reasons as determined by the County.

2.

Compensation
Except as provided in sub‐section 3 below, in the event a Jury Bailiff is scheduled to work
for a jury trial that is canceled prior to the Jury Bailiff reporting to work, the Jury Bailiff
shall be paid two (2) hours at his or her regular rate of pay. In the event a Jury Bailiff is
scheduled and reports to work for a jury trial that is canceled subsequent to the Jury
Bailiff reporting to work but before the Jury Bailiff has worked two (2) hours, the Jury
Bailiff shall be paid two (2) hours at his or her regular rate of pay. In the event a jury trial
is canceled after the Jury Bailiff has worked at least two (2) hours, the Jury Bailiff shall be
paid for those hours worked.

3.

Waiver
An employee may voluntarily elect to waive the Clerk of Courts‐Jury Bailiffs additional
compensation provided in sub‐section 2 above. If an employee elects to waive the
additional compensation, the employee shall provide written documentation of the

Human Resources Policy Manual

Page 14 of 19
* GO BACK TO TOP OF DOCUMENT *

Adopted: 11/13/2012
Amended: 11/12/2025Page 36 of 48

Page 37 of 48

waiver to the Human Resources Division to be placed in the employee’s personnel file. A
voluntary election to waive additional compensation may be withdrawn by the employee
by providing a written notice of the change to the Human Resources Division to be placed
in the employee’s personnel file.
d.

Premium Pay
1.

Facilities & Parks Division
When non‐exempt Facilities & Parks Division employees have not worked 40 hours in a
week and are called in, they shall receive premium pay equal to a rate of time and one‐
half their regular hourly rate for all hours worked for winter maintenance between the
hours of 6:00 p.m. – 6:00 a.m., unless normally scheduled, and for hours worked for
winter maintenance on Saturdays and Sundays.
When non‐exempt Facilities &Parks Division employees have not worked 40 hours in a
week and are called in, they shall receive premium pay at time and one‐half their regular
hourly rate for time worked outside of their normal work schedule/shift for emergency
situations. A minimum of two (2) hours shall be paid except for those hours that are part
of the normal work schedule/shift. Management shall have the discretion to determine
the workday thereafter. Emergency situation examples include weather‐related damage,
facility damage, and flooding, but excludes snow/ice removal and construction projects.
Hours worked under this section are considered premium pay and shall not be calculated
in the regular rate of pay for the purposes of calculating FLSA overtime (29 C.F.R
§778.203 and §778.204 or as amended).
Premium pay is additional pay that is not required under the Fair Labor Standards Act
(FLSA).

2.

Sheriff’s Department Management
Sheriff’s Department Management who are exempt may be paid at their straight hourly
rate for hours in excess of eighty (80) in a pay period for special events in which all
operating costs, salaries, and fringes are billed back to the event organizer for
reimbursement. Such events do not include normal duties and responsibilities of the job
(i.e. reporting to the scene of an accident after normal work hours). Events covered
include large assembly events and music events.

3.

Highway Department
When non‐exempt Highway employees have not worked 40 hours in a week, they shall
receive premium pay at a rate of time and one‐half their regular hourly rate for hours
worked outside of their normal workday/shift. All hours worked in excess of, or outside
of, the normal workday/shift shall be approved by the Highway Commissioner or
designee. A minimum of two (2) hours of premium pay shall be paid if an employee is
called into work, except for those hours that are part of the normal workday/shift that
precede or immediately follow the shift.
Hours worked under this section are considered premium pay and shall not be calculated
in the regular rate of pay for the purposes of calculating FLSA overtime (29 C.F.R
§778.203 and §778.204 or as amended).

Human Resources Policy Manual

Page 15 of 19
* GO BACK TO TOP OF DOCUMENT *

Adopted: 11/13/2012
Amended: 11/12/2025Page 37 of 48

Page 38 of 48

Premium pay is additional pay that is not required under the Fair Labor Standards Act
(FLSA).
(Section 19 revised and approved by the County Board 08/13/13, 05/12/14, 11/6/18; 09/13/2022; 09/12/2023; 01/14/2025)

26.

Payroll and Timekeeping
a.

Purpose
To provide standardization of time and provide each department the information needed to
accurately record and submit their timesheets in accordance with applicable State and Federal
guidelines. Accurately reporting time worked is the responsibility of each employee.

b.

Workweek
The workweek covers seven consecutive days for the purpose of compliance with the Fair Labor
Standards Act, and shall consist of seven (7) consecutive calendar days starting at 12:00 a.m. on
Sunday and ending at 11:59 p.m. on the following Saturday of each calendar week for all
departments.

c.

Pay Periods
A pay period shall be the two (2) consecutive workweeks, on the conclusion of which payroll is
completed.

d.

Pay Schedule
Paychecks are generally directly deposited biweekly on Fridays. See payroll schedule on the
Employee Portal for any variances due to the Federal Reserve holiday schedule.

e.

General Information
1.

Time Worked
Time worked includes time that an employee is required and authorized to do work and
should be recorded to the nearest quarter of an hour. The following provisions count as
time worked:
a).

Work Away From Premises or at Home. Employees shall receive advanced
approval from their Department Head for any work performed outside the
County workplace. Employees approved for work outside the County workplace
shall document and submit their hours, including but not limited to any and all
time spent accessing work‐related emails and other programs and files,
according to the payroll policies.

b).

Break Periods. Authorized break periods of 15 minutes or less are counted as
time worked.

c).

Travel/Training Time. Travel and training time is to be considered and included in
actual time worked in accordance with the Travel Time Policy and the
Training/Development Policy.

Human Resources Policy Manual

Page 16 of 19
* GO BACK TO TOP OF DOCUMENT *

Adopted: 11/13/2012
Amended: 11/12/2025Page 38 of 48

Page 39 of 48

d).

2.

Holidays. Observed Holidays as defined in the Holiday Policy are to be
considered time worked.

Time Not Worked
The following provisions do not count as time worked:

f.

a).

Paid Leave. PTO, other substituted leaves of absence, workers’ compensation,
jury duty, and Compensatory Time taken are not counted as time worked and
should be recorded to the nearest 15 minutes.

b).

Meal Periods. Uninterrupted time off for lunch or dinner of at least 30 minutes is
not counted as time worked and shall be unpaid.

Payroll Reporting Procedures
In accordance with Wisconsin and Federal Labor Standards, all employees shall accurately record
the following on a daily basis:
1.

Time beginning/ending work each day;

2.

Time beginning/ending of each meal period;

3.

Absence from work with appropriate pay codes; AND

4.

Total number of hours per day and week.

It is the employee’s responsibility to sign his/her timesheet to verify accuracy and provide to
his/her manager. The manager shall review and sign the timesheet and submit to payroll for
processing. In the event of an error in reporting time, the employee should immediately report
the problem to their Department Head and Finance Division.
g.

Responsibilities
1.

Employee Responsibilities
All employees, when completing their timesheets, shall adhere to the following
procedures:
a).

Record correct pay codes and benefit codes on a daily basis.

b).

Maintain an honest and accurate daily record of hours worked and the correct time
codes recorded on the time sheet. All absences from work schedules should be
appropriately recorded and coded. Entries should be made daily.

c).

Entries for absences from work shall be used in fifteen (15) minute increments.
Hours worked shall be used in fifteen (15) minute increments.

d).

Obtain prior approval for any overtime or compensatory time earned in the pay
period.

e).

Clearly mark approved overtime and compensatory time on your timesheets.

f).

Sign and submit the completed time sheet to the Department Head in the time
period required for approval.

Human Resources Policy Manual

Page 17 of 19
* GO BACK TO TOP OF DOCUMENT *

Adopted: 11/13/2012
Amended: 11/12/2025Page 39 of 48

Page 40 of 48

h.

Department Head/Manager Responsibilities
Each Department Head is responsible for the following procedures:

i.

1.

Ensuring that employees reporting to him/her have the correct codes.

2.

Ensuring employees are accurately recording their payroll on a daily basis.

3.

Ensuring that all employees maintain accurate timesheets.

4.

Providing clear and timely approval for overtime or compensatory time.

5.

Approval and submission of payroll by the dates specified in this policy.

Payroll Submission Deadlines
Department payrolls shall be submitted electronically on the Monday following the end of the
pay period. Departments shall be required to follow all payroll submission procedures provided
by the Finance Division.
Employees failing to submit timesheets timely will not be guaranteed receipt of their payroll
check on the established payroll date as the County does not process separate payroll checks as a
result of untimely timesheet submission. It is the responsibility of each department to establish
written departmental procedures to allow ample time for management review prior to the
submission deadline and to make arrangements if scheduled to be off work and as a result shall
miss the established deadline.

j.

Corrections
If a payroll error occurs, it is the employee’s responsibility to immediately notify his/her
Department Head and the Finance Division. Corrections shall be submitted to the Finance
Division for adjustment as soon as reasonably possible, without delay. on the next payroll within
fourteen (14) calendar days from the pay date. Exceptions to the fourteen (14) calendar day
requirement would occur if the error was due to the Department of Administration error or when
the correction is required by law or regulation.

k.

Penalties
Altering, falsifying the time record, tampering with time records, recording time on another
employee’s time record (authorized personnel excluded) or any other infraction of this policy
may result in disciplinary action, up to and including discharge.

l.

Deductions
It is the Employer’s policy to comply with applicable wage and hour laws and regulations. If you
have any questions or concerns about your status or you believe that any deduction has been
made from your pay that is inconsistent with your status, you should immediately raise the
matter with the Human Resources Division who can assist you in understanding the information
that is required in order to investigate the matter. Chippewa County is committed to
investigating and resolving all complaints as promptly, but also as accurately, as possible.
Consistent with the U.S. Department of Labor’s policy, any complaint shall be resolved within a
reasonable time given all the facts and circumstances. If an investigation reveals that you were

Human Resources Policy Manual

Page 18 of 19
* GO BACK TO TOP OF DOCUMENT *

Adopted: 11/13/2012
Amended: 11/12/2025Page 40 of 48

Page 41 of 48

subjected to an improper deduction from pay, you shall be reimbursed and the County shall take
whatever action it deems necessary to ensure compliance in the future.
(Section 26 amended by the County Board 05/14/13 and 03/11/14; 12/09/14, 03/13/18, 11/6/18; 09/13/2022)

Human Resources Policy Manual

Page 19 of 19
* GO BACK TO TOP OF DOCUMENT *

Adopted: 11/13/2012
Amended: 11/12/2025Page 41 of 48

Page 42 of 48

Department of Administration
Andy Albarado, County Administrator
September 9, 2026
TO:

Executive Committee

FR:

Andy Albarado

RE:

County Administrator 2027 Proposed Budget Update

At the May County Board meeting, you received a presentation explaining the overall budget process. Throughout
the summer, policy committees have been working on reviewing department-level budgets. In recent weeks, our
Finance Director, Leah Simington, and I have met one-on-one with each Department Head to better understand
their operations and to identify potential savings and efficiencies. This memo is intended to give you a brief
overview of key elements involved in building the budget, ahead of my formal recommendation to the Executive
Committee on October 6, 2026.
Adopting the annual budget is among the most significant policy responsibilities you have as County Board
Supervisors. Items such as resolutions for the Capital Improvement Program (CIP), tax levy allocations for salary
adjustments, and health insurance are treated as preliminary placeholders during the budget-building process.
These items do not become final until the full budget is approved in November.
NET NEW CONSTRUCTION
The net new construction percentage increase has been received. This percentage is multiplied by our net levy
from the previous year. (Net levy is when you take the total levy and subtract the levy exempt items such as
libraries and bridge aid then add personal property aid.) The result is a dollar amount which our levy is allowed to
increase for the new year. This year Chippewa County is the 12th highest net new construction rate in the state
due to economic growth.
Net New Construction
Percentage

Year
2022 for 2023
2023 for 2024
2024 for 2025
2025 for 2026
2026 for 2027

2.06%
2.47%
2.34%
1.92%
1.77%

TAX LEVY
This is the combination of all department budgets line item 411100 “General Property Taxes”. Remember this
total will include some items which are not included in the net levy such as libraries, etc. The total proposed levy
for the 2027 budget will be included with my final recommendation.
Year
2022 for 2023
2023 for 2024
2024 for 2025
2025 for 2026
2026 for 2027

711 N. Bridge Street, Room 106
Chippewa Falls, WI 54729

County Levy
$20,941,066
$21,110,729
$21,713,416
$22,330,263
$22,819,056

Increase from
Previous Year
$302,355
$169,663
$602,687
$616,847
$488,793

[email protected]

% Increase
1.46%
.81%
2.85%
2.84%
2.19%

Ph: (715) 726-4597
Fx: (715) 726-4599Page 42 of 48

Page 43 of 48

Page 2
EQUALIZED VALUE FROM WISCONSIN DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE (APPORTIONMENT REPORT-TID OUT)
We have received the final equalized valuation from Wisconsin Department of Revenue for this year’s tax rate
calculation. The equalized value is critical in the computation of the tax rate. The valuation has seen an increase
of 9.23% from 2025. It is noteworthy that the valuation increase is attributable to approximately 7% in economic
change and 2% of actual new construction.
Year

Equalized Valuation

Change

% Change

2022 for 2023
2023 for 2024
2024 for 2025
2025 for 2026

$7,699,372,900
$8,806,721,900
$9,536,158,100
$10,526,745,400

$1,037,004,600
$1,107,349,000
$729,436,200
$990,587,300

15.57%
14.38%
8.28%
10.39%

2026 for 2027

$11,498,278,200

$971,532,800

9.23%

STATE SHARED REVENUE
In 2024 a change in State Shared Revenue created a Supplemental payment in addition to the Legacy County Aid
and Utility Aid. The new Supplemental Payment is expected to have a modest increase every year based on sales
tax collections by the State. The projected increase for 2027 is 2.1%. Based on latest information received from
the Wisconsin Counties Association and the Legislative Fiscal Bureau, we are anticipating an increase of 2.1% (or
approximately $72,924) which is included in my preliminary tax levy, tax rate and maximum allowable levy above.
However, the Wisconsin Department of Revenue will not release the final number until late September 2026.
Year
2023
2024
2025
2026
2027 (est.)

County
Aid
$1,241,629
$1,241,564
$1,270,028
$1,313,209
$1,340,786

Utility
Aid
$1,305,501
$1,380,730
$1,329,494
$1,374,697
$1,403,565

Supplemental
County Aid
$741,795
$758,856
$784,657
$801,135

Total Shared
Revenue
$2,547,130
$3,364,088
$3,358,378
$3,472,563
$3,545,487

Increase
($26,650.13)
$816,958.48
($5,711)
$114,185
$72,924

%
Change
-1%
32%
-.1%
3.4%
2.1%

TAX RATE
The tax rate is a tax per dollar of assessed value of property. The rate is expressed in “mills”. The tax rate is
calculated by taking (tax Levy ÷ equalized value x 1,000 = tax rate). Our tax rate has been going down each year
even though the levy amount has increased due to the increased equalized value.
Year
2022 for 2023
2023 for 2024
2024 for 2025
2025 for 2026
2026 for 2027

711 N. Bridge Street, Room 106
Chippewa Falls, WI 54729

Tax Rate
$2.72
$2.40
$2.28
$2.12
$1.98 est

[email protected]

Ph: (715) 726-4597
Fx: (715) 726-4599Page 43 of 48

Page 44 of 48

Page 3
MAXIMUM ALLOWABLE LEVY BY STATE (LEVY LIMITS)
All counties within Wisconsin have been under levy limits for several years. These levy limits only allow counties to
increase their net levy from the previous year by net new construction and the annual debt payments. That is why
I find it critical to keep the annual debt payments even or a slight increase from the previous year. If our annual
debt payments decrease from the previous year, that would mean that we need to reduce levy and that will
directly affect our employees.
Year
2022 for 2023
2023 for 2024
2024 for 2025
2025 for 2026
2026 for 2027

Allowable
Levy
$21,022,125
$21,361,600
$21,996,660
$22,528,672
$23,095,543

Allowable
Tax Rate
$2.73
$2.43
$2.31
$2.14
$2.01

Approved
Levy
$20,941,066
$21,110,729
$21,713,416
$22,330,263
TBD

Approved
Tax Rate
$2.72
$2.40
$2.28
$2.12
TBD

Amount Available
to Levy Limit
$81,059
$250,871
$283,244
$198,409
$276,487

SUMMARY OF NEW/REMOVED POSITIONS
The table below shows the new positions that the County Board approved for incorporation into the FY27 budgets.
All new positions listed below are currently included in the County Administrator FY27 Proposed Budget.

Summary of New/Eliminated Positions Recommended by the County Administrator
Description

Department

Social Worker – APS
(Part-Time)

DHS-MWR

Environmental Health
Specialist
(Part-Time)

Public
Health

Budget Process
or Mid-Year
2027 Budget

County Board
Meeting
Res. 29-26
08/11/2026

2027 Budget

Res. 28-26
08/11/2026

Comments
New position in the Mental Wellness &
Recovery Division to assist with Adult
Protective Services. Position is funded
100% with tax levy.
Eliminate an LTE position and convert it
to Part-time (1,044 hrs). No levy
funding. Funding will come from water
lab fees, TN fees and FSRL fees.

COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR PROPOSED BUDGET PRESENTED TO EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Just a reminder that my recommended budget will be presented at the October 6th Executive Committee meeting
at 4:30 p.m. in Room 302. Anyone is welcome to attend.
NOVEMBER BUDGET HEARING AND REGULAR COUNTY BOARD MEETINGS
The budget hearing is scheduled for November 5, 2026 at 6:00 p.m. in Room 302. During this public hearing,
community members will have the opportunity to share comments on the budget I have recommended to you.
Once the hearing concludes, I will present the budget in the same form that was shared with the Executive
Committee. At this meeting, you will be asked to make a motion to approve a balanced budget for 2027. Please
keep in mind that if you wish to make changes to the recommended budget, it must remain balanced. In other
words, any added expense must be matched with a corresponding revenue source. (A balanced budget means that
total expenses equal total revenues, including the property tax levy.)
If you have any questions or concerns you may contact me at any time.
Andy Albarado
County Administrator
711 N. Bridge Street, Room 106
Chippewa Falls, WI 54729

[email protected]

Ph: (715) 726-4597
Fx: (715) 726-4599Page 44 of 48

Page 45 of 48

Department of Administration
Andy Albarado, County Administrator
September 9, 2026
TO:

Executive Committee
County Board of Supervisors

FR:

Andy Albarado

RE:

Courthouse Security – Implementation of Hybrid Option #4 is Complete

On June 11, 2024, the County Board voted "to move forward with Hybrid Option #4 as recommended by
the Executive Committee and former County Board. This recommendation includes reducing the use of
some entrances, without implementing a single point of entry." This memo is to inform you that this
project is complete. A summary of the items that were implemented are included below.
Security Enhancements – Completed Since June 2024

Security upgrades, physical barriers, and cameras have been integrated into the LCFM and Register
in Probate Department remodel projects. Both projects are now complete.

Resolution 16-24 was approved to create a new Jailer II position. We hired a second Courthouse
Security Officer (Megan Olson) and established a security office on the first floor. This has greatly
improved the monitoring capabilities for the Courthouse. Our other Courthouse Security Officer
(Mark Hollister) continues to have an office on second floor located by the courtrooms. As a
reminder, both officers report to Lt. Darrin Williams, Investigations Division.

We installed fob access on numerous doors throughout the courthouse and other county facilities.

We added fob readers to secure access to employee breakrooms in the courthouse.

The County Board approved Ordinance 01-25 and updated the language to address security of
county buildings. The ordinance defines what constitutes a weapon, prohibited and required acts,
and penalty and enforcement.

Items 1-5 listed below have all been completed as part of implementing Hybrid Option #4 as
directed by the County Board. Attached to this memo is a floor plan diagram so it’s easier to
understand which doors I am referring to.

1.

Entrance #6 (near Human Resources):
• Employees and the public will no longer be allowed to use these doors for routine entry
into or exit from the building.
• Signage was installed to direct the employees and public that it is an “Emergency Exit Only”.
• Alarm monitoring with crash bars was installed to notify security personnel if someone exits.
• Only law enforcement and Facilities & Parks staff will be allowed to enter/exit this door
for emergency and maintenance purposes only. Use of fob access by these individuals will
disengage the alarm when they exit.
• Original Estimate – Install fob access so law enforcement and Facilities & Parks staff can
exit, install signage and alarm monitoring with crash bars = $10,000

711 N. Bridge Street, Room 106
Chippewa Falls, WI 54729

[email protected]

Ph: (715) 726-4597
Fx: (715) 726-4599Page 45 of 48

Page 46 of 48

Page 2
2.

Entrance #3 (near Public Health)
This is the main handicap entrance to the courthouse.
a.

Stairwell Door B1 (from the first-floor hallway)
• This stairwell door is now closed to the public so they can’t immediately go
upstairs or downstairs, which makes it easier for the Courthouse Security Officer
to monitor the public entering the building.
• Fob access was installed on this door so employees can enter and exit this door.
• Signage was installed on 1st floor indicating "Employee Use Only."

b.

Fire Door/Exit Only B2 (from outside)
• Previously this door was used for exiting only. There was no alarm, no key fob and
no door handle on the outside.
• This is now designated as “Emergency Exit Only” and equipped with an alarm.
• New steel doors with no windows were installed to increase security.

c.

Cost Estimate for Entrance #3
• Fire Door/Exit Only B2: Original Estimate = $20,000
• Door B1 and B2: Original quote for installation of fob readers (entry/exit) for Door B1
and installation of alarm monitoring with crash bars for Door B2 = $18,000.

d.

Stairwell Signage
• Signage was installed on 2nd floor, 3rd floor and the lower level for anyone trying to
enter the stairwell. Signage indicates “Emergency Exit Only”.

3.

Entrance #2 (by the Cul-de-Sac)
This is located inside the stairwell by the cul-de-sac.
• Previously these doors were used for exiting only. The doors had windows, no fob access
and no alarm.
• New steel doors without windows and no door handles on the outside were installed.
• Alarm monitoring with crash bars were installed along with signage indicating it is an
“Emergency Exit Only”.
• Original Estimate – $20,000

4.

Cameras
• Converted 64 cameras to facial recognition capability by installing software with a 10-year
service plan.
• This system allows authorized users to upload photos for persons of interest to alert law
enforcement if they are detected in our building. Camera footage is stored locally on our
servers.
• Installed one additional camera in the hallway by Entrance #3 for better visibility.
• Installed one additional camera on 2nd floor in the stairwell on the East end of the building
by Entrance #3 (near Public Health).
• Installed two additional cameras on 1st floor and 2nd floor in the stairwell by Entrance #2
(by the cul-de-sac)
• Original Estimate – $66,000

711 N. Bridge Street, Room 106
Chippewa Falls, WI 54729

[email protected]

Ph: (715) 726-4597
Fx: (715) 726-4599Page 46 of 48

Page 47 of 48

Page 3
5.

Pull Cord/Duress Alarms
• We currently have about four different types of pull cords/switches making it confusing
for dispatch and officers when responding to a duress alarm. The current system is also at
capacity so we cannot add to it.
• The entire system has been upgraded. We added hardware and increased the zones from
30 to 120 capacity, which gives us room for future growth.
• The new door alarm monitoring that was installed sends a notice to both courthouse
security officers and dispatch when activated. It also integrated into the new duress alarm
system when emergency exits are activated.
• Original Estimate – Quote = $18,000 – $20,000.

The County Board approved Resolution 21-24 and 50-24 and allocated a total of $750,000 to be used
towards courthouse security including the remodel of the DOA Suite. A total of $146,097 was used to
fund all of the projects indicated above, which leaves a balance remaining of $603,903. The DOA suite
remodel has not been completed yet.
I want to thank everyone for their patient as we worked to implement the recommendations as directed
by the County Board. Let me know if you have any questions.
Sincerely,

Andy Albarado
County Administrator
Attachment

711 N. Bridge Street, Room 106
Chippewa Falls, WI 54729

[email protected]

Ph: (715) 726-4597
Fx: (715) 726-4599Page 47 of 48

Page 48 of 48

Attachment
Page 4

Recommendations to Implement Hybrid Option #4

This is where the new 2nd Courthouse
Security Officer will be located

Entrance #5
This is the only
entrance that
meets the
requirements
needed for a
single point of
entry per the
architects.

Entrance #3
See the diagram
below for more
details on
Fire Door B2
&
Stairwell Door B1

Note: At this
time the CB
does not
support
implementing a
single point of
entry.

Entrance #6
Employees & the
public will no
longer be
allowed to use
this entrance.
Alarm
monitoring was
installed along
with signage
saying
“Emergency Exit
Only”

Entrance #2
Installed new steel
doors without
windows & no door
handles on the
outside.
Installed alarm
monitoring &
signage indicating
“Emergency Exit
Only”

Page 48 of 48

Outcome

Not yet recorded. The record stays open — outcomes are added as minutes and vote results are published.

Provenance

Where this record came from. Every source is listed, permanently.

  • DeFlock research desk · Sep 8, 2026
  • Agenda Watch · Sep 8, 2026

Permanent ID DKT-2026-000785 — this record is never deleted.

Record history

Every change to this record, logged as it happened.

  • Sep 8, 2026 Filed on the Docket
  • Sep 8, 2026 Corroborated by another source Agenda Watch
  • Sep 8, 2026 Record updated
  • Sep 8, 2026 Full document archived — public record
  • Sep 18, 2026 Location confirmed Chippewa Falls
  • Sep 18, 2026 Record updated

← The full Docket · every meeting, vote, and action on the permanent record · also in the National Record Index.