In November 2024, I raised questions about the growth of Marathon County’s Highway Fund reserves. At the time, I pointed out that despite a budget that anticipated drawing millions of dollars from Highway reserves, the Fund’s unrestricted net position actually increased by nearly $1.93 million in 2023.
I thought it was worth updating that information using the County’s audited financial statements.
The chart below shows the Highway Fund’s unrestricted net position from 2012 through 2025. The figures come from the Statement of Net Position – Proprietary Funds in the County’s audited annual financial reports.
Over that 13-year period, unrestricted net position increased from approximately $37.1 million to $65.4 million—an increase of more than $28.2 million, or about 76%.
There have been ups and downs along the way, but the overall trend is clear. In 2025 alone, unrestricted net position increased by approximately $4.65 million.
This figure should not be confused with cash available to spend. Unrestricted net position is an accounting measure, and some of these resources may be associated with existing obligations or future needs. Nevertheless, this long-term trend is important information for residents and County Board Supervisors to consider when evaluating claims about the Highway Fund’s financial position.
I believe the public deserves to see the historical numbers and understand how the County’s Highway finances have evolved before decisions are made about future funding.