Adding jailer, citizen members to committee also on agenda

BY KEVIN BONESKE

REPORTER/PHOTOGRAPHER

Revisions to the Oneida County Shoreland Protection Ordinance as they relate to boathouses will be among the items on the county board’s monthly meeting agenda Tuesday.

The County’s Planning and Development Committee approved the proposed revisions Wednesday following a public hearing in which four members of the public who were on hand all favored. The committee’s action is in response to changes in state law affecting the authority counties have in the development of a shoreland ordinance.

Counties that currently have shoreland zoning ordinance standards that are more restrictive than established in the applicable state law and regulations can no longer enforce the stricter standards. Counties have until Oct. 1 to adopt an ordinance that is compliant with the updated state standards.

The proposed changes the committee backed in the county code related to boathouses include allowing a flat roof to be used as a deck. Boathouses could be also built with the maximum width parallel to the ordinary high water mark (OHWM) not exceeding the lesser of 75 percent of the viewing area(s) or 36 feet, not including the overhang and eaves that couldn’t exceed two feet, while the maximum length landward and away from the OHWM couldn’t exceed 35 feet.

“We received an email from the (the Wisconsin Department Natural Resources) that says all boathouses must be located within the viewing corridor,” said county planning and zoning department assistant director Pete Wegner, who also noted there are 15 permit applications pending in the county related to boathouses.

Boathouses, for which the maximum total footprint may not exceed 1,008 square feet under the revisions, would also be limited to one story with the sidewalls not exceeding 12 feet in height as measured from the top of the wall to the floor. The proposed language would also restrict boathouses to being confined to the viewing area and at least 10 feet from the side yard lot line.

Committee members agreed not to include a change that would have required the main door of a boathouse to face the water.

ADDED JAILER POSITION

The Labor Relations and Employee Services Committee has forwarded the county board a recommendation also supported by the Public Safety Committee to add a corrections officer position, provided there are at least 20 state prisoners being housed at the jail.

Sheriff Grady Hartman has signed a contract with the state to house up to 100 additional inmates serving state prison sentences at the jail, for which the county will receive $51.46 per prisoner per day.

Hartman, who expects the county to profit from the additional inmates, said he wants to increase the total numbers of corrections officers on staff by one to 26 because of the increase in inmates with the additional of state prisoners, restoring a position that was cut in the 2016 budget.

The county jail, which also was able to house state inmates several years ago to relieve overcrowding in the state prison facilities, resumed housing state inmates June 7 when 11 of them arrived there.

Hartman said the jail is now up to 19 state prisoners after eight more arrived Wednesday. He noted he expects the jail to be above 20, the number required by the resolution to add a corrections officer, when more state prisoners should arrive in a couple of weeks.

CITIZEN COMMITTEE MEMBERS

Up to two citizens members could be added to the county’s Conservation and UW-Extension Education Committee under a resolution that committee has forwarded to the county board.

The resolution, which notes state law allows up to two citizen members on the land conservation committee, would limit the citizen members to voting on agenda items from the land and water conservation department. The resolution’s fiscal impact statement estimates the cost of two additional members from $2,565 to $3,083.

“I like this idea of citizen involvement in committees, and I’m hoping to see more committees that would allow citizens on them,” said Supervisor Jim Winkler. “We need to engage our citizenry into the county business. This is one way we can do that.”

“I personally would much rather see a resolution that would provide citizen members on all county committees,” said Supervisor Robb Jensen, who was the sole committee member to oppose the resolution.