Marathon County’s overarching goal is to be the healthiest, safest, and most prosperous county in Wisconsin. Recognizing that access to broadband is an integral component of County health and prosperity, Marathon County established Goal 8.7: Strive to provide affordable, reliable, high-speed internet access throughout the County in the Strategic Plan 2018-2022.

Mission / Purpose: Develop recommendations identifying the potential role of Marathon County in facilitating the expansion of Broadband access in Marathon County. Review the Report: Broadband for Marathon County Broadband Assessment and Plan prepared by Design 9 and develop broad policies and partnership recommendations relating to the expansion of broadband / internet services throughout Marathon County.

Membership: The task force shall be comprised of 9 members, 4 members of the Marathon County Board including members from EEEDC and Infrastructure Committees; and 5 community members with interest and / or expertise in internet / broadband services. Member terms shall be concurrent with the County Board terms.

Duties and responsibilites: By April 1, 2024:

1. Review the report: Broadband for Marathon County Broadband Assessment and Plan, prepared by Design 9, and information received from Internet Service Providers (ISPs) and identify potential options for the County to pursue relating to expansion of broadband throughout the County.
2. Identify strategies, partners and potential funding sources that will support the expansion of broadband services to underserved areas.
3. Make recommendations to the County Board of the role of Marathon County relating to its role in facilitating the expansion of broadband services to the residents of Marathon County.
4. Establish policies for the allocation of resources to meet public safety and access needs for residents in the County.

Task Force Members:

Supervisor John Robinson, Chair
Supervisor Mike Ritter, Vice-Chair
Supervisor Brandon Jensen
Supervisor Jasper Hartinger
Supervisor Randy Radtke
Supervisor Jordan Reynolds
Eric Budleski, Citizen Member
Valerie Carrillo, Citizen Member
Jon Euting, Citizen Member
Milton Olson, Citizen Member

Purpose:  Study the needs for and to make a recommendation about the development of a regional morgue to serve the needs of Marathon County and other Counties in Northern Wisconsin.  Marathon County and other Northern Counties are currently provided service by morgues in Fond du Lac, Milwaukee and Madison for autopsies conducted by Forensic Pathologists and travel time and service availability have become an issue.  In addition to autopsies, facilities are needed for the storage of human corpses awaiting identification, autopsy and disposal by burial or cremation.

Membership:  the Task force shall be chaired by the Chair of the Marathon County Public Safety Committee (Supervisor Craig McEwen) and will include:

1. Marathon County Sheriff, Chief Deputy or Captain of the Investigation Division: Captain Greg Bean (Investigations)
2. Sheriff or Chief Deputy of another regional county: Sheriff Mark Westen (Langlade County)
3. Medical Examiner or Coroner of a regional county: Scott Rifleman (Portage County)
4. Representative of one of the regional health care systems: Dr. Michael Clark (Aspirus)
5. Marathon County Emergency Management Director: Phil Rentmeester
6. Funeral Director: Greg Zoromski (Peterson Kraemer Funeral Home)
7. Representative of the Medical College of Wisconsin: Dr. Lisa Grill Dodson (Campus Dean)
8. Person with expertise in business planning: Kimm Weber

Duties and Responsibilities: 

1.    Quantify the needs for autopsy facilities and staff to perform them.

2.    Identify the need for the storage of human corpses under normal circumstances and in large scale emergencies

3.    Identify the partnerships needed to make a regional morgue work operationally and financially.

4.    Oversee the development of a business plan for a regional morgue including a financial analysis, governance structure and the employment of medical staff.

5.    Pull all of the information together and if the need exists, inform the Marathon County Board of the long term strategic goals and a shorter term tactical plan for bringing together the resources and support needed to develop a new cooperative venture.

Other Organizational Relationships:  The Task Force is expected to be in regular communication with the Marathon County Public Safety Committee, providing reports and getting direction from the Standing Committee.  Additionally, the Task Force will need to be in regular communication with our contiguous Counties (Lincoln, Langlade, Portage, Wood, Shawano, Clark) the frequency of communications will depend upon the stage of plan development.

Description of Timelines and Expectations:

1.    Meetings will begin in August, 2017.

2.    Members will regularly attend and actively participate in monthly meetings for one to two hours at a time and place to be determined by the Task Force Chair.

3.    The Task Force will deliver a recommendation on the development of a Regional Morgue to the Marathon County Public Safety Committee no later than their August 2018 meeting.

Task Force Members:

Craig McEwen, Chair
Greg Bean
Dr. Michael Clark
Dr. Lisa Grill Dodson
Phil Rentmeester
Scott Rifleman
Kim Weber
Mark Westen
Greg Zoromski
Dr. Jeannie Worden

Purpose:  To review existing tax incremental financing (TIF) and tax incremental district (TID) law and analyze Marathon County’s current role in existing and proposed TID development and utilization with the goal of making commendations to the Marathon County Board of Supervisors as to policies and processes that the County may pursue in relation to existing and proposed TIDs.

Statutory Responsibilities: None.

Membership:  The Task Force shall include 9 members including 5 County Board members, 2 local elected officials, 1 representative from local taxing districts, and 1 business community representative as follows:

1. Supervisor David Oberbeck, Chair
2. Supervisor Jacob Langenhahn
3. Supervisor Gayle Marshall
4. Supervisor Tom Rosenberg
5. Supervisor Allen Drabek
6. Gerry Fitzgerald, Town of Emmet – local elected official
7. Lisa Rasmussen – local elected official
8. TBD – representative from local taxing district
9. Jean Schult, CPA – business community representative

Member Terms: Appointments to this task force shall be for terms concurrent with the term of the County Board of Supervisors during which the appointment occurs.

Duties and Responsibilities: 

1. To review current TIF and TID law and policies, including a review of the background, purpose, allowable activities, changes, benefits, issues, and concerns relative to the use of TIDs in Marathon County.
2. To identify how various taxing entities are treated after a TID is created.
3. To develop an understanding of the role and authority of the Joint Review Board as to TIF and TID usage.
4. To research the role of counties in the formation of ITDs in other jurisdictions.
5. To evaluate the status of TIDs in Marathon County, including the number, valuation, purpose, creation year, number of plan amendments, purpose of amendments, extensions, and overlapping districts of existing TIDs.
6. To identify the impacts of TIDs on Marathon County’s budget and the impact of TIDs on the average Marathon County homeowner.
7. To make policy recommendations to be considered by the County Board of Supervisors relative to representation of the County on the Joint Review Board; the role of the County in extensions of TID timelines, exceedance of valuation limits, and use of donor TIDs; and recommenations to the State Legislature as to changes in TID and TID laws. 

Description of Timelines and Expectations:

1. By December 31, 2023, report to the County Board of Supervisors in the form of an educational presentation regarding current TIF and TID law and policies.
2. By March 31, 2024, present proposed policy changes to the Marathon County Board of Supervisors for consideration.