Portage County seeks public input on three-year strategic plan
By Brandi Makuski
PORTAGE COUNTY — County leaders are asking residents to help shape the county’s next three-year strategic plan, a document that will guide major projects, budgeting and services through 2028.
County Executive John Pavelski said supervisors and staff have spent the past year reviewing past plans, evaluating progress, and identifying future needs, and now want feedback from the public before finalizing the update.
“Portage County is in the process of reviewing our objectives and goals to finalize our Strategic Plan. Over the past year, Supervisors and staff have been evaluating past plans, reviewing accomplishments, and revising our needs, roles, and purposes,” Pavelski wrote in a memo. “This Strategic Plan will summarize our vision and provide direction to Supervisors and staff when addressing our goals today, tomorrow, and in the future.”
A draft of the 2026-2028 plan and an online survey are now available. Residents can review the materials and submit feedback at https://www.co.portage.wi.gov/. The survey will remain open through Feb. 9.
County leaders say the plan is meant to provide a clear vision for Portage County’s future while prioritizing projects and aligning budgets with long-term goals.
The county board and staff previously participated in multiple strategic planning sessions to establish a mission, vision, and shared values. The mission emphasizes providing fiscally responsible, inclusive and accessible services, while the vision focuses on promoting safety, well-being, and opportunity for people who live, work and visit the county.
2026 priorities
The first year of the plan centers largely on infrastructure and operations.
Key goals include implementing courthouse safety upgrades with single-point access and a family court remodel, completing design work and beginning construction on a new jail and law enforcement center, updating the county’s capital improvement plan, and continuing investment in highways and county-owned buildings.
The county also plans to expand the use of technology, including modern communication tools and artificial intelligence, to improve efficiency.
Workforce efforts include succession planning for key roles, recruitment and retention strategies, and maintaining an updated wage study. Officials also plan to review county board procedures and establish a more structured budget prioritization process.
Other initiatives include advancing a zoning code rewrite and developing programs for opioid settlement funds and mental health services.
Looking ahead
The 2027 and 2028 portions of the plan build on those efforts.
Future goals include continuing jail construction, completing a 20-year facility space plan, improving parks maintenance and stewardship, refining hiring practices, and pursuing grant funding.
Longer-term priorities include addressing housing affordability, improving transportation options for residents, strengthening coordination with cities, villages, and towns, and expanding collaboration between county departments on services such as mental health, food access, and homelessness.
Pavelski said public participation is a key part of the process.
“Your input is valuable and will be included in discussions,” he wrote.
County officials expect to complete the plan later this spring.