Outgoing Sheriff Richard “Chip” Meister has repeatedly used a county fuel card to fill his department truck at spots as far as 220 miles from Sauk County, according to an investigation by The Badger Project.

By Annie Pulley, THE BADGER PROJECT

Long-time Sauk County Sheriff Richard “Chip” Meister has used a county fuel card to fill his department-issued truck at least 16 times this year in northwestern Wisconsin, hours from Sauk County, according to an investigation by The Badger Project. And in the last two years, he has filled up about 80 times in the region, totaling approximately $4,500 for the fuel purchased hours from the county.

From January to May of 2026, county documents show Meister filled his department truck in places like Birchwood, Rice Lake and Black River Falls. The municipalities are between a 1.5-hour and 3.5-hour drive from Sauk County. The total spent on gas in 2026 using the county card adds up to about $1,000. Meister’s term finishes at the end of the year, and he is not running for reelection.

The sheriff did not respond to multiple requests for comment.

The documents showing the fuel purchases were first posted to the campaign website of Aaron Kirby, a former Sauk County Sheriff’s Office sergeant who is now running for the top spot. The Badger Project received the documents from him and verified their authenticity with the county.

Sheriff’s deputies using county-owned vehicles are prohibited from using them for personal errands or personal business unless approved via special circumstances, according to the Sauk County Sheriff’s Office vehicle use policy. A 1967 ordinance does allow the county to purchase a vehicle for the sheriff.

Kirby provided records to The Badger Project dating back to June 2024 that he received in records requests from the county showing Meister’s out-of-county fill-ups.

The Sauk County Sheriff’s Office told Kirby, according to emails The Badger Project reviewed, that gas card statements are only available as far back as two years from the date they’re requested, so it’s unknown if Meister used the card far from Sauk County before that time.

Kirby, who worked with Meister but under a different sheriff in the department from 2000 to 2011, said he and Meister used to “butt heads.” Kirby told The Badger Project that he supported Meister’s opponent in a primary election back in 2010. After Meister won, he eliminated Kirby’s position from the budget, he said.

“The things that he thinks he can get away with because he thinks he’s untouchable,” Kirby said. “The public needs to know.”

Meister’s been the sheriff for 16 years and has worked for the department for 43 years. Set to retire, he has endorsed Matt Burch, one of five Republicans running for the position in the Aug. 11 primary. Zip Spencer, Matthew Tate, Erik Knull and Kirby are all running as Republicans. Burch, Tate and Knull work for the sheriff’s office. Ryan Jesberger, village president of Sauk City and a UW-Madison police officer, is the sole Democrat running and is likely to meet the winner of the Republican primary in the general election.

The Badger Project reached out to all six candidates offering them a chance to comment on the investigation and its findings.

“The Sauk County Board provides oversight of the Sheriff’s use of county vehicles, fuel cards and travel expenses. As a candidate for Sauk County Sheriff, I can only speak to the standard I would set,” said Tate, a patrol sergeant at the department, in an email to The Badger Project. “Taxpayers expect county resources to be used responsibly, transparently and only for legitimate county business. Those are the same standards I hold myself to today as a Sauk County employee, and they are the standards I would uphold as sheriff.”

Kirby said if he were elected, he’d revise the sheriff’s office vehicle policy to restrict personal travel with command staff vehicles so they are able to return to the county and respond to an incident within 30 minutes.

“I cannot justify a county-owned emergency vehicle being driven more than three and a half hours outside Sauk County for personal reasons while taxpayers pay for the fuel, maintenance, depreciation, and wear on that vehicle,” Kirby wrote. “In my opinion, allowing that practice demonstrates poor stewardship of public resources and erodes the trust taxpayers place in their elected officials.”

In an email, Jesberger, the Democratic candidate, said: “As our next Sheriff, I will always seek to gather all available information before making a determination on any potential policy or legal concerns. To make a comment or judgment prior to reviewing all available information is simply not fair to all involved parties.”

The remaining candidates – Burch, Spencer and Knoll – did not respond.

The Badger Project is an independent, reader-supported news nonprofit in Wisconsin.