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Tomahawk City Meeting Recap Published on 07/19/2017 under News

It was a rather lengthy night of meetings for the City of Tomahawk last evening.

-Those meetings began with the Board of Public Works. Director John Cole gave brief updates on a rather busy month. He says the storm water study is ongoing, as they are compiling data and hope to have some preliminary information by next month. Chip and Crack sealing is anticipated next month, as the wet weather has pushed these projects back across the region. Pitlik and Wick provided an additional offer due to the delay.

Cole says that they are continuing to plan the Bradley Farm Road/ Kings Road project which aims to alleviate drainage issues in that area. They are awaiting some permits and hope to put the project up for bid next week. They would like to get the ~7-10 day project underway before the school year.

Other upcoming projects include: the biennial seal coat on the bridge, replacing the Louisiana Pacific Railroad spur, and Frontier laying fiber optic cable south of town.

After a discussion, but no action last month, the board sent an ordinance to council regarding people dumping their garbage in other people's receptacles.

-Health and Safety approved operator, liquor, and tobacco licenses without discussion. They discussed three special events related to the Fall Ride. For the most part, the Chamber Brat Fry and Bon Fire and the Downtown events will be largely unchanged, with only minor tweaks. The committee laid over the MDA portion of the event until the August meeting to square up payments from last year, and provide the organization an opportunity to attend the meeting and participate in the discussion.

A pair of items were on the agenda regarding residents in violation of the city's ordinance limiting the number of animals. In the first case, the police chief will communicate with the attorney on avenues to pursue. The second party was on hand at the meeting and explained that they are actively trying to come into compliance. As a result, the committee allowed them to continue doing so.

Both the police and fire chiefs had little to add to their written monthly reports noting that it has been a busy summer, but relatively quiet, as far as incidents. Police Chief Al Elvins noted that new officer Michael Krich continues his training which is expected to take 6 months.

-In a bit of good news, the Finance Committee heard an update from the Standard and Poors rating for the city which has changed from a negative outlook to a stable outlook. The committee had no new updates on several city properties which have remained on the agenda for years now. The Committee heard, briefly discussed and forwarded the Tomahawk Public Library budget. While there was no discussion, during the general financial report, the committee noted they may, again, bring up a premier resort area tax at future meetings.

-A few other odds and ends from last night's City Council meeting. The council revisited the abandonment of an undeveloped, 't-shaped' alley between Bradley Farm and School Road. The Council previously approved the abandonment several years ago, but due to an oversight needed additional action. One of the adjacent property owners objected to the abandonment and after a lengthy discussion and various solutions, the resolution as presented was voted down.

As we previously mentioned, the council approved an ordinance making left-hand, mid-block turns into parking stalls illegal and approved the 2018 library budget. They also approved the items forwarded from Health and Safety.

With minimal discussion, the Council approved a pair of connected resolutions, described as 'boiler plate' regarding funding from the Wisconsin Environmental Improvement Fund and well house renovations.

In Other News

Lincoln County Plans to Transition to .gov Domain

Published on 04/24/2024 under News The Lincoln County government could soon be getting a new website domain and email addresses that are simplified and more secure. The County currently uses the co.lincoln.wi.us. Under a resolution approved by the county board last week, they'll transition to lincolncountywi.gov. The '.gov' addresses are exclusive to US government agencies and organizations. Ahead of the vote, IT Director Travis Spoehr provided a brief overview. He noted the change is something they've talked about in the past. Now the application and registration of .gov domains have been waived for counties and local municipalities. According to the resolution, the Wisconsin Elections Commission will make .gov a requirement for electron elections communications. Some Northwoods counties have already made that transition including Oneida and Vilas Counties. As for the specific domain name, Spoehr noted that they needed to include the 'wi' because there are 36 other Lincoln Counties around the country. They'll continue to maintain the current domain at this time to make a staggered migration. A specific timeline wasn't provided.

Published on 04/24/2024 under News Utility bills in the Northwoods could be up slightly starting next year. Wisconsin Public Service shared that they have filed a request with the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin to set the electricity and natural gas rates for the next two years. According to the release, the proposal would result in an increase of $11-12 a month for a typical electric bill, while natural gas customers would see an increase of $3-4. Even with the potential increase, WPS noted that bills would remain below the national average. The release says a majority of the filing is to recover costs of new power plants the PSCW has already approved. They also continue to focus on three key priorities: reducing customer outages, building the infrastructure needed to support jobs plus economic growth in Wisconsin, and meeting new EPA environmental rules. An update to the filing with more specific information on the impact for each group of customers. The company says they will also provide this information to customers through a bill insert and on wisconsinpublicservice.com. The PSC will review the proposal later this year, and the new rates, if approved, would take effect in January.

Published on 04/24/2024 under News A plump pine warbler and a Rotund ruby-crowned kinglet are among feathered friends competing in a statewide contest to celebrate healthy birds and migration. The Natural Resources Foundation of Wisconsin is celebrating their first-ever Fat Bird Week. The Foundation notes that 'a fat bird is a healthy bird' and it 'celebrates and spotlights the amazing journey our migratory birds make to get back to Wisconsin.' Eight bird photos were selected in the bracket style tournament decided by fan vote. The foundation was inspired by the organizers of the popular Fat Bear Week in Alaska which celebrates bears bulking up for winter hibernation. Conservation biologist Ryan Brady notes that some species of bird will actually double their weight ahead of their twice annual migration. He says, "Fat is fuel in the world of bird migration." They did clarify that while many people call birds "fat," they are often referring to is the fluffiness of the feathers. While the contest is all in good fun, it also serves as inspiration to create a more bird-friendly back yard. Brady says to think native plants which will provide nutrition via fruits, seeds, nectar, and even drawing in bugs. The 'Fat Bird Week' winner will be announced during next Tuesday's webinar "Four Ways to keep Wisconsin's Birds Fat and Healthy." For more information

Published on 04/24/2024 under News For years, Oneida County has offered a teen court program through the municipal court system which provides an alternative for first time youth offenders. The program is currently seeking high school age students to serve as panelists in the program. Panelists interview the offending juvenile and their parents. They assign sanctions designed to help the youth avoid making similar decisions, while allowing the offender to move forward without a juvenile record. Sharon Krause, works with the program through her role as Community Youth Development Educator with the Oneida County UW-Extension. She says serving can be beneficial to the student panelists as well, building communication and leadership skills. It also exposes them to careers in law, government policy, social work and counseling. She says "High school students who wish to become panelists need to have good listening skills, work well as part of a team, and be trustworthy with confidential information." Teen panelists should live in Oneida County (or Vilas County and attend Lakeland Union) The deadline is apply is May 1. For more information about Oneida County Teen Court and panelist application materials, please visit https://oneida.extension.wisc.edu/positive-youth-development/teencourt/ or contact Sharon Krause at sharon.krause@wisc.edu or (608) 381-2661.

Published on 04/24/2024 under News A team of Nicolet cosmetology students earned high marks at an industry event earlier this week. On Monday, Raven Carufel and Axle Jacobs, along with student model Isabella Hulsey attended America's Beauty Show in Chicago. The trio took part in the student team competition where they scored a third place finish in the cyberpunk fantasy category. The teams had an hour to craft an intricate hairstyle and makeup look demonstrating their creativity and technique. Instructor Marie Stott said, "Raven, Axle, and Isabella demonstrated their talent, dedication, and teamwork throughout this competition. Their success is a testament to their hard work and education at Nicolet College." The judging panel included industry professionals as well as social media influencers. For Jacobs specifically, it was a successful April. Earlier this month, we reported Jacobs competed and won the Wisconsin Skills USA barber competition and qualified for nationals. -Photo provided by Nicolet College

Published on 04/24/2024 under News Road Construction announcements are coming frequently. People can learn more about an upcoming project on Rhinelander's north side. The Department of Transportation announced a construction information meeting ahead of work on Highway 17 between Stevens Street and Pollyana Road. The contractor and project staff will share construction details, staging, schedule, traffic impacts and other information. That meeting is scheduled for next Tuesday, April 30 at 1pm at Rhinelander City Hall.

Published on 04/24/2024 under Sports Tomahawk's softball squad notched a convincing Great Northern Conference win Tuesday with a 12-1, five-inning victory over Rhinelander at Hatchet Field. The Hatchets got on starting pitcher Kelsey Winter early, scoring eight runs in the first. Tomahawk got three shutout innings pitched from sophomore Sophie Olsen. The Hatchets also showed great pateince at the plate, issuing eight walks. The win improves Tomahawk to 7-6 on the season and 2-3 in Great Northern Conference play. The Hatchets will have another GNC showdown Thursday at Mosinee. First pitch is at 5:00 that afternoon.

Published on 04/24/2024 under Sports Tomahawk's track and field squads competed at the Medford Invite Tuesday night. The Hatchet girls had the lone first-place finish of the night, coming from Lydia Shaney in the 3200 meter run. Right behind Shaney in the run was Robin Schmidt. Schmidt joined Alli Palmer, Elise Gibeault, and Rachael Reilly placing second in the 4x800 meter relay. The Hatchet boys' top finisher came from Beau Stromberg and Sam Zastrow. Stromberg placed fifth in the high jump, while Zastrow placed fifth in the 800 meter run. Tomahawk will head to another Great Northern Conference foe for their next meet Thursday at Northland Pines. Field Events begin at 4:00 PM.

Published on 04/24/2024 under Sports Tomahawk's golf squad finished their first Great Northern Conference meet of the season in fifth place out of seven teams at a cold, windy Inshalla Country Club. The Hatchets finished with a team score of 366. Austin Lamer finished as the top Hatchet of the meet with a score of 80, good for sixth overall. Sawyer Hanna and Caiden Reichelt finished with a 93. Tomahawk will be back in action Wednesday for another road invite at Barron. Tee-off is at 9:00 am.

Published on 04/24/2024 under Sports Tomahawk's baseball squad was shut out by another Great Northern Conference opponent Tuesday afternoon, losing to Lakeland in Minocqua, 10-0. The Hatchets were also no-hit in the game and committed five errors. Brayden Larson had the loss on the mound, giving up five runs in 2.1 innings pitched. The loss drops Tomahawk to 1-8 on the season and 1-4 in Great Northern Conference play. The two teams will go against each other for the second time Friday at TK Memorial Field. Tune in for the broadcast on Sports Talk 810 AM and 100.7 FM WJJQ with the Fehrman Orthodontics Radio Pregame Show at 4:35 and First pitch at 5:00. Alex Koch and Keith Hanse will be in the broadcast booth.

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