Regional planning commission outlines water-resource plan, SBA microloan opportunity and recycling staff changes

A representative from the regional planning commission reported several updates affecting Sawyer County, including a five-county water resource planning effort funded through the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources with federal IIJA support, ongoing aquatic plant management projects and a regional strategic-assessment process that included focus groups and interviews.

The planner said the office is "still receiving the funds that we've applied for in the past," and noted an upcoming SBA microloan application round expected to reopen in May. He also described loan-fund activity in Sawyer County, including a recently closed resort refinancing handled through the commission's business loan fund and a response submitted to Sawyer County for zoning-ordinance rewrite work.

Staffing changes were also reported: the environmental services program hired Scott Schultz as recycling and household-hazardous-waste technician; Schultz will contact very small quantity generator businesses about chemical-waste collection and the office will run its long-standing spring and fall "milk run" collection program.

The commission is conducting a strategic assessment with selected focus groups across the region and will present a final report to its executive committee on March 25.