Board approves lodging, water-lab and lead policies; routine business carried
February 18, 2026 | Ashland County, Wisconsin
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The Ashland County public-health board approved three formal items on the consent/regular agenda: a lodging fee schedule aligned to state changes under ATCP 72, updated water laboratory fees and a revised lead follow-up and case-closure policy.
Liz, a public-health staff member, summarized the lodging fee changes the state is implementing under ATCP 72 and said the state’s new fee rates go into effect April 1. She said the county’s proposed licensing fees were adjusted incrementally to cover program costs and that the state’s annual licensing fee for a tourist rooming house would rise from $1.55 to $3.40 under the new structure. The board voted to adopt the county’s adjusted fee schedule to align with the state.
On laboratory fees, staff provided a cost analysis and proposed raising the bacteria test fee to $35 (reflecting staff time and supplies) and setting nitrate/nitrite testing at $75 to reflect UW Oshkosh’s shipping and test costs; the board approved the updated water laboratory fees.
The board also approved an updated lead follow-up and case-closure policy to align with revised CDC and Wisconsin recommendations; staff noted there is no safe blood-lead level and said the current recommended follow-up level is 3.5 (as reported in the guidance). Staff described automatic lab reporting, requests for confirmatory venous testing and environmental-investigation criteria in the updated policy.
Procedural items on the agenda were handled in routine fashion: the agenda and the minutes of the last meeting were approved by voice vote, and the board adjourned at the meeting’s close.
Votes at a glance
- Approve lodging fee schedule (align to ATCP 72): motion made by Rich, seconded by Matt; outcome: approved (voice vote; recorded "Aye" responses in meeting).
- Approve updated public health water laboratory fees (bacteria $35; nitrates/nitrites $75): outcome: approved (voice vote).
- Approve updated lead follow-up and case-closure policy (align with CDC/state recommendations; follow-up recommended at 3.5): outcome: approved (voice vote).
Liz, a public-health staff member, summarized the lodging fee changes the state is implementing under ATCP 72 and said the state’s new fee rates go into effect April 1. She said the county’s proposed licensing fees were adjusted incrementally to cover program costs and that the state’s annual licensing fee for a tourist rooming house would rise from $1.55 to $3.40 under the new structure. The board voted to adopt the county’s adjusted fee schedule to align with the state.
On laboratory fees, staff provided a cost analysis and proposed raising the bacteria test fee to $35 (reflecting staff time and supplies) and setting nitrate/nitrite testing at $75 to reflect UW Oshkosh’s shipping and test costs; the board approved the updated water laboratory fees.
The board also approved an updated lead follow-up and case-closure policy to align with revised CDC and Wisconsin recommendations; staff noted there is no safe blood-lead level and said the current recommended follow-up level is 3.5 (as reported in the guidance). Staff described automatic lab reporting, requests for confirmatory venous testing and environmental-investigation criteria in the updated policy.
Procedural items on the agenda were handled in routine fashion: the agenda and the minutes of the last meeting were approved by voice vote, and the board adjourned at the meeting’s close.
Votes at a glance
- Approve lodging fee schedule (align to ATCP 72): motion made by Rich, seconded by Matt; outcome: approved (voice vote; recorded "Aye" responses in meeting).
- Approve updated public health water laboratory fees (bacteria $35; nitrates/nitrites $75): outcome: approved (voice vote).
- Approve updated lead follow-up and case-closure policy (align with CDC/state recommendations; follow-up recommended at 3.5): outcome: approved (voice vote).
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