The Sunlight Report

Northwest Regional Planning Commission

This is the first data release from The Sunlight Report’s ongoing RPC transparency project. The data below was obtained through public records requests and reflects the most recent disclosures available.

We are still analyzing these records and pursuing deeper reporting. This page offers a preliminary overview — our deeper stories are still unfolding.

Commissioners

Placeholder summary for commissioners — narrative analysis will appear here in future updates.

NameAssociated EntityEmailPhone
Brian ErnstPrice Countybrian.ernst@co.price.wi.us715-339-5130
Cathy LemkeTaylor Countycatherine.lemke@co.taylor.wi.us715-748-1460
Dennis PocernichBayfield Countydennis.pocernich@bayfieldcounty.wi.gov715-373-3200
Dick PufallAshland Countyrichard.pufall@ashlandcountywi.gov715-682-7015
Don TaylorBurnett Countybcchair@burnettcounty.org715-349-2181 Ext. 1334
Ed PetersonBurnett Countycbdistrict10@burnettcountywi.gov715-349-2181 Ext. 1334
Emerson CoyLac Du Flambeau Tribal Councilecoy@ldftribe.com715-588-3303
Gary GillisSawyer Countyunknown715-634-2311
Gary MertigAshland Countygary.mertig@ashlandcountywi.gov715-682-7015
Jeffrey HallstrandPrice Countyjeff.hallstrand@co.price.wi.us715-339-5130
Jim CrandallBayfield Countyjames.crandall@bayfieldcounty.wi.gov715-373-3200
Jim PaineDouglas Countymayor@ci.superior.wi.us715-395-7212
Joe HarrisTaylor Countyjharris@medfordwi.gov715-748-4321
Kathy HalburRusk Countykhalbur@ruskcountywi.us715-532-2100
Kurt WolffIron Countykurt.wolff@ironcountywi.org715-561-3375
Larry YoungsIron Countylarry.youngs@ironcountywi.org715-561-3375
Linda FeatherlyWashburn Countylfeather@co.washburn.wi.us715-468-4600
Louis TaylorLac Courte Oreilles Tribal Councilunknown715-634-8934
Mark LiebaertDouglas Countymark.liebaert@douglascountywi.gov715-395-1493
Marquise SlayDouglas Countymarquise.slay@douglascountywi.gov715-395-1493
Matthew MackenzieAshland Countymmackenzie@coawi.org715-682-7033
Nicole BoydRed Cliff Tribal Councilnicole.boyd@redcliff-nsn.gov715-779-3700
Philip UnterschuetzRusk Countypunterschuetz@ruskcountywi.us715-532-2100
Robert BlanchardBad River Tribal Councilr.blanchard@badriver-nsn.gov715-685-4045
Robert GrotzingerRusk Countyladysmithmayor@gmail.com715-532-2620
Rollie ThumsTaylor Countyrollie.thums@co.taylor.wi.us715-748-1460
Ron KinsleySawyer Countyron.kinsley@sawyercountygov.orgUnknown
Steve KariainenSawyer Countysteve.kariainen@sawyercountygov.orgUnknown
Thomas FowlerSt Croix Tribal Councilunknown715-349-2195
Tim KesslerWashburn Countytkessler@co.washburn.wi.us715-468-4600

Revenue

Placeholder summary for revenue — narrative analysis will appear here in future updates.

SourceAmountPercent
Federal Grants$862,88226.7%
State Grants$73,6062.3%
Local Membership Levy$211,8286.6%
Local Contracts$1,118,41334.6%
Public Charges For Services$00%
Interest Income$965,55129.9%
Other$00%
Total$3,232,280100%

About the Audit and the Numbers

This revenue data comes from public records and budget files. In some cases, it is summarized from the 2023 Audit (PDF). Note that we are not presenting these figures in the same format as official government audits.

Those audits follow GASB — the Governmental Accounting Standards Board — a framework that often obscures how money moves. For example, GASB treats things like leases (e.g. renting office space) as income, alongside actual revenue like taxpayer-funded grants. This makes it hard for the public to see where the money truly comes from.

Our goal is to clarify, not complicate. We’ve reorganized the figures into a more readable form, focused on what matters: where money comes from and who decides where it goes.

Salaries

Data for salaries not available yet.

Tax Levies

Data for tax levies not available yet.