Yesterday morning at 9:37 a.m., Washington County Dispatch received multiple calls for a train derailment at 250 Constitution Avenue in Hartford. Incident Commander Fire Chief Tony Burgard immediately initiated a MABAS status (Mutual Aid Box Alarm System for surrounding departments to assist) and Fire Departments from Hartford, Richfield, St. Lawrence, West Bend, Allenton and Slinger and Lifestar responded to the 19-car 3-engine derailment. Multiple other agencies responded to backfill those agencies.

Washington County Executive Josh Schoemann will host a ribbon cutting of the newly improved kayak access point at Goeden County Park which will provide kayakers and canoers with easier access to the Milwaukee River to enjoy the scenic route through West Bend.

Washington County, in partnership with Economic Development Washington County (EDWC), the Village of Kewaskum, American Companies, and Regal Ware is hosting a groundbreaking ceremony for Regal Place on Monday, June 9 at 3:00-3:30 p.m. as part of the Next Generation Housing Initiative, providing attainable homeownership opportunities to area residents and workers.

Washington County is announcing a new initiative aimed at water education and featuring a new website hub. The education campaign is part of the county’s Water Health Initiatives which were named a strategic priority last year centering around balancing development with conservation. The county re-envisioned the vintage ‘water drop’ character that will be used throughout the campaign.

This month, the Washington County Board approved an expansion plan concept for the Washington County Golf Course (WCGC) as part of its Capital Improvement Planning. The project includes clubhouse remodeling and an addition to house golf simulators and will now head to a final design phase. The final scope of the project has not yet been finalized. WCGC will host a community engagement workshop on Tuesday, June 10 at 7 p.m. seeking feedback from its golf community on the plan.

Washington County approved the installation of a new kayak launch at Goeden County Park and shoreline improvements along 275 feet of river frontage. The project includes removing invasive vegetation; creating a new kayak access with a ScourStop walkway – a transition mat that protects against erosion allowing for easy access to the river; shoreline stabilizing, native plantings, and installing a new camera system to add Goeden County Park access to the County’s annual and daily park membership program in 2026.

On Thursday, May 8, 2025, a meteorologist from the National Weather Service (NWS) will conduct Severe Weather Safety & Spotter Training at the Germantown Community Library located at N112 W16957 Mequon Rd. in Germantown. Two identical sessions will be held - an afternoon session from 1-3 PM and an evening session from 5:30-7:30 PM.

Moody’s Investors Service again assigned Washington County a AAA bond rating, the best a local government can achieve. This rating provides the lowest interest options to the county, an advantage when borrowing funds as it holds down interest costs on long-lived assets that are debt funded. Proceeds from the notes will finance remodeling of county buildings and road projects.

County Executive Josh Schoemann created a University Campus Task Force to review the county’s interest in repurposing the UW-Milwaukee at Washington County (UWM-WC) college campus in the best interest of taxpayers.

County Executive Josh Schoemann officially appointed the Washington County Chief Deputy Medical Examiner Debbie Stodola to serve as the Medical Examiner on December 23, 2024, and she began in the new role on January 1, 2025.

– In advance of the upcoming Veterans Day holiday, Washington County is announcing plans to again illuminate county buildings in green lighting from November 4-11 as part of Operation Green Light for Veterans, a nationwide effort uniting counties in a show of support for our military veterans. The Washington County Government Center, Justice Center, Sheriff’s Office and Public Agency Center will be illuminated with green lighting.

Reconstruction of County Trunk Highway (CTH) P, from State Trunk Highway (STH) 145 to STH 60 in the Village of Jackson and Towns of Jackson and Polk, is now complete and open to the public.

Washington County municipal clerks all offered extended in-person absentee voting time, adding more than 300 additional hours for voters’ convenience. For a complete list of hours in every Washington County municipality, visit https://www.washcowisco.gov/departments/county_clerk.

Earlier this year, an Outagamie court order was filed for the placement of a Chapter 980 sexually violent offender in Washington County. Washington County Attorney Brad Stern filed a Motion to Intervene in the case of Paul Schabow, the Ch. 980 sexually violent offender slated by the Outagamie County Court for placement in the Town of Trenton, despite not being a Washington County resident nor having been convicted of a crime in the county.

Washington County’s Glacier Hills Lakefront Development Project will receive a $250,000 donation from TC Energy to support infrastructure needed to enhance water quality on Friess Lake

The Washington County Board unanimously approved a recommendation to make changes to its long-tenured agreement with UW-Madison – Division of Extension. This will include the addition of a second county-funded 4-H Educator to double down on enhancing existing 4-H Clubs and establish new 4-H Clubs in the direction of Automation, Innovation and Robotics.

Thanks in part to a grant from TC Energy, Washington County’s Natural Resources Department is now looking to secure the final funding needed to execute the Glacier Hills Lakefront Development Project on Friess Lake in the Village of Richfield. Last month, the Washington County Board unanimously approved a resolution authorizing the pursuit of grants to be locally matched with a $250,000 donation from TC Energy and a pledge of $200,000 from the Washington County Golf, Parks & Trails Endowment Fund*.

Washington County is hosting a Hispanic Heritage Month Celebration to kick off the month-long observance that spans from September 15 – October 15 and recognizes the achievements and contributions of Hispanic Americans

County Executive Josh Schoemann will present a proclamation declaring it “Nick Rusher Day” in Washington County on Tuesday, September 3 at the Cedar Lake Yacht Club.

The West Bend facility of Milwaukee Tool, located on River Road, manufactured and donated more than 300 aluminum rods to be used as burial flag posts by the Washington County Veterans Service Office.

Washington County Clerk Ashley Reichert was reappointed to two committees with the National Association of Counties (NACo) by the association’s president, James Gore, for the 2024-2025 term.

Washington County Executive Josh Schoemann selected David Seager of Jackson to fill the new cabinet member role of Chief Public Safety Officer/Director of Emergency Preparedness. The position assists in the management of preparedness activities and public safety functions, along with participation on related task forces, councils and boards that ensure the safety of all citizens. The County Executive’s five cabinet members serve as liaisons between the county and the County Board committees.

The Washington County Clerk’s Office has concluded the online submissions for the new “I Voted” sticker contest for Washington County students. More than 200 students submitted designs, and the public now has the opportunity to vote for the winners.

Washington County will host a brief ceremonial signing of the sale of the Samaritan Campus to EOM Healthcare Group tomorrow. County Executive Josh Schoemann, County Board Chair Jeff Schleif and EOM Healthcare Group owner Jacob Jeidel will sign a certificate commemorating the sale. The campus has been under the management of EOM since July 1.

Register of Deeds Sharon Martin announced that the Washington County Register of Deeds Office is offering quarterly Saturday hours for purchasing certified copies of birth, marriage, and death certificates.

County Executive Josh Schoemann issued a statement following the announcement that Chancellor Mark Mone will end his tenure as chancellor at UW-Milwaukee next July

County Executive Josh Schoemann issued a statement on the passing of Racine County Executive Jonathan Delagrave

The Washington County Drug Treatment Court was awarded a $1,000,000 Bureau of Justice Assistance grant to continue operation of providing treatment to and reducing recidivism of nonviolent offenders with a substance use disorder residing in Washington County. These dollars will provide funding for the drug court through September 30, 2027.

In recognition of the oldest known celebration of the ending of slavery, Washington County is hosting its 5th annual Juneteenth celebration of Freedom Day on Wednesday, June 19, 2024, at the Boys & Girls Club of Washington County. The county is partnering with the Boys & Girls Club of Washington County to cohost the event.

Washington County Sheriff Martin Schulteis today issued a news release about the potential placement of a violent sex offender from Outagamie County in Washington County. Similar to the county’s efforts with a Chapter 980 placement in Erin in 2023, the County Executive’s Office will continue being transparent about this situation while we work hard to explore all legal options.

Washington County Executive Josh Schoemann designated $300,000 in one-time funding for grants to enhance tourism-related activities, promote economic growth, and foster community development. The County Board Executive Committee approved the grant funding at their March 20 meeting via general consensus. The funding source for these grants is under the American Rescue Plan Act. Eligible recipients included organizations in Washington County with a commitment to supporting tourism, arts, culture, or community development.

New mountain bike trails in Slinger at Heritage Trails County Park are now open for riding. In 2021, Washington County partnered with Metro Mountain Bikers (MMB) to develop bike trails at Heritage Trails. Since their opening, daily visitors to the park have increased 272%. In recent years, it was estimated that 82% of these riders are from outside Washington County, creating roughly $500,000 in visitor spending. “Heritage Trails is quickly becoming a regional MTB (mountain bike) destination drawing mountain bike riders from surrounding states. The diversity of high-quality trails, natural beauty, and geographical location makes Heritage unique and special to the Midwest MTB scene” said Tom Hartman, Trails Project Lead for Metro Mountain Bikers.

– The Washington County Treasurer’s Office has completed an historic tax roll project, scanning records from 1849-1984 to create a permanent online backup and increase their accessibility to property owners and the general public.

Shoreland, Floodplain, Wetland Permits Now Available Electronically. After June 1, 2024, hard copy records will be destroyed. The Washington County Natural Resources Department has completed the transfer of its public permit records to electronic format pursuant to Section 4.33 of the Washington County Code. Residents can now find copies of permits online.

County Executive Josh Schoemann praised the County Board’s approval of an Election Integrity resolution to be implemented ahead of the November 2024 General Election.

IMPORTANT NOTE: the Tuesday, May 7 Session Recently Cancelled by the Kohlsville Fire Department (WEST BEND, WI) – County Executive Josh Schoemann will hold a series of listening sessions throughout Washington County for residents between Thursday, May 9 to Saturday, May 11. There is no set agenda at these quarterly sessions, rather, they provide an opportunity for the county executive to hear from citizens about matters of importance to them, and for the public to voice their concerns, ask questions, or simply attend to hear about the latest issues facing the county.

West, Bend, WI – Washington County Executive Josh Schoemann commissioned a task force earlier this year to address the role of UW Extension programing in the county and review how best to meet the changing needs of our local community. The task force was chaired by Washington County Supervisor Carroll Merry and included representatives from the ag community, the non-profit community, and supervisors serving on the Washington County Land Use and Planning Committee.

The Washington County Clerk’s Office will offer additional office hours from 8:00 a.m. until 11:00 a.m. on the third Saturday in January, April, July, and October, beginning July 20, 2024.

The Washington County Clerk’s Office is working towards continued community engagement within the election process and is requesting student involvement in the creation of our 2024 “I Voted” sticker. The top four selected designs from students in grades K5-12 will be used to represent voters from all of Washington County. The designs will be used to highlight the November 5, 2024 General Election, in addition to bringing awareness to elections throughout the following year. Each voter will receive one of these specially designed stickers after they vote!

Glacier Hills County Park in Richfield placed third in Milwaukee Magazine’s Best of the Burbs survey for parks in the northern suburbs. The results were announced in their April issue. The annual survey reveals area favorites in a variety of categories. This year, they asked readers to pick the Best of the Burbs, and Glacier Hills County Park made the winners’ list.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is hosting a Flood Risk Open House for property owners regarding Preliminary Floodplain Study Map Amendments. There are over 8,700 parcels within the floodplain study that will receive a postcard from Washington County.

At a meeting of the County Board tonight, Washington County Executive Josh Schoemann announced the receipt of a letter of intent from EOM Healthcare Group LLC for the purchase of Samaritan Health Center. He was joined by EOM Healthcare Group owners Jacob Jeidel and Ben Shkop. After the closed session, the board voted to effectuate the sale 16-2.

Washington County Veterans Services, in coordination and partnership with volunteers from the Hartford and West Bend American Legion Posts, Sons of the American Legion, and the West Bend Music Academy, has launched the West Bend Chapter of Guitars for Vets!

Washington County Executive Josh Schoemann’s statement regarding the UW-Milwaukee announcement to allow for transfer of technical college credits

The Wisconsin legislature passed legislation that was signed into law last week, 2023 Wisconsin Act 54, that addresses the way clerks send out and process absentee ballots prior to a Presidential Preference election.

Washington County completed a review of the Land Resources permitting and review fees resulting in significant fee reductions in the 2024-2025 Budget approved by the County Board last month. County Executive Josh Schoemann initiated the review aimed at lowering the overall regulatory cost of home construction and platting, and to mitigate the impact on the price of housing.

Washington County Health & Human Services Department was awarded a $30,000 grant from the Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs (WDVA) to provide no-cost mental health services to Washington County veterans. The check was presented today by WDVA Secretary James Bond at the county’s Behavioral Health clinic.

Washington County Executive Josh Schoemann will join A&N Contracting for a wall raising event tomorrow to celebrate the first Next Generation Housing homes being built in Skyway Park in Hartford. They broke ground on the development in mid-October, and the project is quickly coming to life as they reach the wall raising stage.

In advance of the upcoming Veterans Day holiday, Washington County is announcing plans to illuminate county buildings in green lighting from November 6-12 as part of Operation Green Light for Veterans, a nationwide effort uniting counties in a show of support for our military veterans. The Washington County Government Center, Justice Center, Sheriff’s Office and Public Agency Center will be illuminated with green lighting.

The Wisconsin Child Support Enforcement Association (WCSEA) named the Washington County Child Support Agency the Agency of the Year for the first time in the history of the Child Support Agency! WCSEA is the statewide association that works to foster the exchange of ideas and suggest methods for improvement of the state’s child support program. The award was presented at the WCSEA’s recent statewide Fall Conference.

Washington County Executive Josh Schoemann participated in another groundbreaking for the Next Generation Housing initiative yesterday for Lots 67-73 in the Skyway Park Subdivision in Hartford. Also participating in the event were Tom Hostad, Executive Director of the Hartford Area Development Corporation (HADC), A&N Contractors owners Nate Dziatkiewicz and Tony Monfre, and Washington County Community Development Director Deb Sielski.

County Executive Josh Schoemann issued the following statement regarding the closure of the UW-Milwaukee at Washington County branch campus: “As a past school board president in Washington County, I understand the difficulties of making tough decisions that affect a community and its students. One thing I learned from navigating such difficulties is that it is essential to keep schools focused on students. I remain wholly committed to keeping students first as we work through this transition, fighting to keep higher education opportunities in our community for the students of today and the future.”

In recent months, County Executive Josh Schoemann, along with County Board Chair Jeff Schleif, have hosted a series of meetings with the county local elected municipal officials to discuss shared services. These discussions have focused on collaboration, and the resulting county proposal prioritizes sharing services to provide citizens with much-needed efficiencies, stretching every taxpayer dollar a bit further.

The Washington County Veteran Memorial geo-location project application portal is now live. Significant effort went into creating the portal, in partnership with the Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Department, Veterans Service Office, and many wonderful volunteers in Washington County

County Executive Josh Schoemann will present his State of the County Address at Delta Defense in West Bend on Tuesday, September 12. The event will also be on Facebook Live on our county Facebook page at facebook.com/washcowisco.

The Washington County Aging and Disability Resource Center, in partnership with the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS), is pleased to announce its participation in the state’s new Independent Living Supports Pilot program. As a participating Aging and Disability Resource Center (ADRC), Washington County ADRC will help identify eligible participants, assist them with enrollment, coordinate one-time and ongoing services, and support participants in transitioning to other services when the pilot ends.

In light of the referendum results this past November and this past April, we as the Chief Elected Officials of your towns, villages, cities, and county, are writing to report our most recent efforts to work together to maximize the effectiveness of every tax dollar you pay to your units of government, while maintaining small and effective local government services. We have met twice in the past year, even before both referendums, and we plan to meet several more times in the coming months with a focus on getting the biggest bang for your taxpayer dollar in key areas such as public safety, roads, and more.

Tommy Thompson: Rethink how Wisconsin delivers higher education Op-ed published in Wisconsin State Journal June 26, 2023 Wisconsin’s world class higher education system features the sprawling University of Wisconsin and Wisconsin Technical College systems. Our 13 public universities and 16 technical colleges operate on main and satellite campuses in dozens of cities. In some communities, UW and tech college campuses share a common location or have overlapping missions, raising the question: Are there innovative ways to streamline Wisconsin’s higher education infrastructure while still providing access to local, commuter and online students?

Last night the Wisconsin State Legislature’s Joint Committee on Finance (JFC) adopted a budget motion allocating $3.35 million in support of the transition of University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee – Washington County (UWM-WC) from a two-year UWM branch campus to Moraine Park Technical College (MPTC). This action demonstrates support of the findings of the Washington County Task Force on Higher Education that recommended a “community college concept” after determining the two-year campus is unsustainable.

County Executive Josh Schoemann nominated and the County Board confirmed the appointment of Kraig Sadownikow to the Southeast Wisconsin Professional Baseball Park District yesterday.

– In recognition of the oldest known celebration of the ending of slavery, Washington County is hosting its 4th annual Juneteenth celebration on Monday, June 19, 2023, at the Washington County Golf Course Clubhouse. This year the county is partnering with the Boys & Girls Club of Washington County.

Summer swim season is commencing in Washington County. County Executive Josh Schoemann has committed financial assistance to the City of West Bend and Kettle Moraine YMCA to offset the increased staffing costs related to summer swim opportunities for West Bend/Washington County residents.

The Washington County Board of Supervisors last night passed a resolution 13-8 approving the sale of Samaritan Campus. Several private sector nursing care organizations have expressed interest or provided letters of intent to purchase.

The Washington County Board of Supervisors voted 19-2 last night to approve a resolution that recommends the creation of a pilot community college concept combining the resources of UWM at Washington County (UWM-WC) and Moraine Park Technical College West Bend (MPTC) campus.

In light of the recent announcement that Regal Ware, Inc. and the Village of Kewaskum released yesterday, County Executive Josh Schoemann expressed his support of their joint agreement.

The Washington County Board of Supervisors approved a request from the County Clerk, Treasurer, and Register of Deeds to implement a pilot program to change their office hours to a “4-10s” schedule – working four days a week, 10 hours a day, to better serve the public.

The Washington County Natural Resources Department is hosting an Explore Our Parks event on Sunday, May 21, 2023, at Leonard J. Yahr County Park, 7999 Orchard Valley Rd, West Bend. This event will be held 11:00 am – 3:00 pm and includes the following activities for families of all ages

County Executive Josh Schoemann will hold a series of listening sessions throughout Washington County for residents on Tuesday, March 7. These quarterly sessions provide an opportunity for the public to voice their concerns, ask questions, or simply attend to hear about the latest issues facing the county.

Washington County’s Heritage Trails County Park in the Town of Polk will be the new home of Tough Mudder Wisconsin. The event is expected to bring thousands of participants to Washington County on May 13 and 14, 2023 to tackle the challenging obstacle course.

The Washington County Board of Supervisors voted last night to indefinitely suspend a rezoning ordinance for a county-owned parcel of wetland in the Town of Erin at the corner of CTH K and CTH E. The site was under consideration by the county Chapter 980 Committee that is tasked by the state to find placement for a released sex offender. This action, unanimously passed by the board, effectively removes this property as a potential placement site.

The Washington County Veterans Service Office will be moving to a new location on March 7 and 8, 2023. Still located on the Washington County Campus, the Veterans Service Office will now be on the 3rd floor of the Public Agency Center just south of its current location, and across Washington Street. The new address will be 333 E Washington Street, Suite 3100, West Bend, WI 53095.

Washington County wrapped up a two-week donation drive to benefit Seed of Hope Center in celebration of their 30th Anniversary serving the community. Seed of Hope Center is a non-profit organization in West Bend that offers free programs and a Baby Boutique of items for women seeking pregnancy help.

The community is invited to participate in a Baby Shower to benefit Seed of Hope Center in celebration of their 30th Anniversary serving the community! Seed of Hope Center is a non-profit organization in West Bend that offers free programs and a Baby Boutique of items for women seeking crisis pregnancy help.

Washington County has completed a hand count audit of the top two races on the November 8, 2022 general election ballot. County Clerk Ashley Reichert and County Executive Josh Schoemann asked the County Board’s Executive Committee in September to approve the Strategic Priority funds to support the audit after ballots were printed and voting machines were programmed. The funds were approved (not to exceed $50,000) and the audit commenced December 5.

In light of the recent announcement from the University of Wisconsin System that the UW-Platteville Richland Campus will close next fall, County Executive Josh Schoemann would like to provide an update on the status of the UWM-Washington County Campus Task Force he created in May of 2021. Demographic trends on lower student enrollments prompted a proactive evaluation of how best to sustain the campus.

County Executive Josh Schoemann and Sheriff Martin Schulteis will hold five Community Town Hall Meetings at locations around the county to provide details about the Washington County Anti-Crime Plan that will be a referendum on the November 8 ballot.

County Executive Josh Schoemann has appointed Matt Furno as the new Samaritan Campus Administrator to replace outgoing administrator Taya Walk, who submitted her resignation effective September 30, 2022.

County Executive Josh Schoemann and Sheriff Martin Schulteis joined Waukesha County Executive Paul Farrow and Waukesha County Sheriff Eric Severson today to address the surging fentanyl crisis in our community.