FISH LAKE, Wis. -- Two years after massive flooding affected residents along Fish Lake, the buyout process with Dane County has started.

However, at least one resident said the offer on the table so far is almost insulting.

Fish Lake, located about 25 miles northwest of Madison, was once a paradise to everyone who lived there, WISC-TV reported. Now, because of massive flooding, it seems like the opposite, which is why Dane County has gotten involved and has started making offers to flood victims to buy out their properties.

"We were told that they would be appraising it at rates for Jan. 1, 2008 -- before the flooding," resident Jim Robarts said.

But Robarts said after negotiations started, things changed, and he couldn't be more disappointed with how things have gone. What the Robarts were hoping for, compared to what Dane County offered them, is about $67,000 off.

"Not as if we wanted the world, but we wanted a price that we felt was fair," Robarts said.

Neighbors said the news confirms what they've long believed -- that the county is doing all it can to take over the area.

"I feel that the county has long coveted this land and I think they're trying to get it at a cheap price and take advantage of people who aren't going to have much choice," neighbor Tom Lowe said.

Robarts said that, unknown to him, the parameters of the buyout changed and his price was lowered to take into account the slow housing market, which didn't exist in January 2008.

In addition, the offer was lowered about $13,000 because of a special assessment all lake residents have been paying off for lake pumps installed five years ago, he said.

It's hardly the news the Robarts were waiting for and they said they'll keep waiting.

"I would love for them to come back with another offer," Robarts said. "I would love for them to talk to us some more."

Dane County said it's working to make fair deals and that talks with homeowners have been good. Leaders stressed that this is just one option that they're making available to residents whose homes have been destroyed by flooding -- and it's completely up to each individual owner. In all, there's just more than $1 million for the Fish Lake buyout, WISC-TV reported.