The Barron County Board of Supervisors have voted to abolish the County Forester position. It was not without controvery. The Chetek Alert reported ...

According to the resolution, the county would contract for timber services from an outside source, and all other duties of the department would be dispersed to other employees. The change is expected to save the county $50,000 per year.

"It's absolutely asinine that we don't want to have a county forester," said Supervisor Terry Henck. "An independent forester isn't going to care about the condition of the county's forests; they're only going to care about the bottom line."

Henck pointed out that the county has 75 employees in the Department of Health and Human Services, including four receptionists.

"And we can't afford to have one person look after the forests of the county?" Henck asked.

Property committee members Supervisor George Strom and Supervisor James Pannier said the decision was difficult, but with forester Jack Nedland retiring in November, they felt it was a "now or never" proposition to save the county money.

"If we can't make these decisions when someone retires, then how will we ever make decisions to cut positions when someone isn't retiring?" asked Pannier. "We have to start making some tough decisions."

The board voted 18-9 to approve the change, with Supervisors Larry Leff, John Hardin, Donna Cordes, Rick Wuorenma, Carol Moen, Keith Hardie, Jon Sleik, Donald Horstman and Henck opposing. Supervisors Ed Zych and Walt Organ were absent.