Supervisors discuss goals to pursue over next two years

MERRILL – In a brief but wide-ranging discussion last month, the Lincoln County Board of Supervisors laid out an array of goals it would like to work to accomplish over the next two years.

The board identified numerous strategic priorities during its meeting at the Lincoln County Service Center in Merrill on Tuesday, June 16, with the objective being to create a list of key topics to discuss further when the board reconvenes in July.

During last month’s meeting, Board Chair Don Friske voiced his support for the board being proactive before current terms expire.

“We have a couple of ways to approach the next 21 meetings, from now until the end of ‘28,” Friske said. “And that is, we can wait for things to come to us, and we can deal with them as they come to us, or we can deal with them within a set of parameters and goals that we’ve set out and priorities that we’ve set for the county.”

Friske asked board members for their input regarding how the board may proceed in the next two years, and several topics were touched on, with the first being the rise in data centers being built in Wisconsin and around the country.

Data centers are large facilities that house computer servers and related hardware, information technology (IT) infrastructure and data storage drives. Opposition to the construction of data centers has stemmed in part from potential negative environmental impacts, noise pollution and the scarcity of long-term jobs created by the facilities, while supporters point to the possible economic growth and global innovation they may offer as key supporting components of the internet.

It was indicated that the board will take a more in-depth look into how it may approach the issue of data centers at the local level.

Supervisors also discussed the continued promotion of Lincoln County. Friske pointed to a 2.3% increase in tourism experienced by the county that followed branding and marketing efforts.

Continued broadband internet expansion, backing the construction of housing developments in county municipalities, improving infrastructure, population sustainability and job growth were also cited as potential objectives for the board to pursue moving forward.

The board is expected to continue the consideration of its two-year goals during its next meeting, which is scheduled to be held at the Lincoln County Service Center at 801 N. Sales St. in Merrill on Tuesday, July 21. The meeting will begin at 6 p.m.