[{"_1":2,"_108":-5,"_109":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,98],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6520914,"mediaKeyId","5116099-a13512410d233bd378a68ef6ba8c257e","parentId",5116099,"title","Committee advances leachate-management planning as PFAS constraints reduce offsite treatment options","audioSeconds",77,"startMs",3819000,"endMs",3896000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5116099-a13512410d233bd378a68ef6ba8c257e&start=3819&end=3896","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5116099-a13512410d233bd378a68ef6ba8c257e/thumbnail_3819000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6520914/Marathon-County/Wisconsin/Committee-advances-leachate-management-planning-as-PFAS-constraints-reduce-offsite-treatment-options","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6520914-fc289b914deea9ece88f040b5b567ad6/orig.mp4?Expires=1775320182&Signature=lvXVKjyhEck9piBXSYhSTNeReA2vvI0ej6KSzzywSkDfQeQLa1gdQE8LjR2uB5tjPudnfSjihyLyvRmrVwI2YIIFqYCi93QoEbw1yVEcsnKnju8UF-VkQF-OxOkZ6lv2OAw2Uk8baIPW0Ga3ZeF16d4vmQvwcHEDzrlEVgJ78eTh1gWAIfMlQMYA--yqGR2gJAteVV-Ovq96fZXr~h63Yp65olTlsEzvc2mhhaNkCB6dYG-2LAzMEj9-0J8Z58X0nqFj5bgLymGv-gDruzL21RQFzXyV1nEvyN-~KfeH0ySvuUZfHBpQ5QMTXzdtixwEy8XciF6CR1edi0F0XBal~g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Marathon County, WI","date","2025-07-01T22:23:14.477Z","article","Marathon County Solid Waste Department staff told the Environmental Resources Committee on July 1 that emerging contaminants — specifically PFAS — are increasingly limiting municipal wastewater-treatment plants’ ability to accept landfill leachate. Solid Waste Director Dave Heggen said the county needs a plan so it can continue compliant landfill operations if off-site treatment options are curtailed.

The committee voted to move the environmental management plan forward to the County Board so the county can submit a Clean Water Fund application and pursue designs and funding. Heggen said staff identified full on-site treatment using reverse osmosis as the best-value technical approach in the plan under current assumptions, and that state funding mechanisms could include principal forgiveness that would significantly reduce the county’s capital costs (staff cited potential principal forgiveness of up to $3.5 million as part of Clean Water Fund eligibility for PFAS-focused projects).

Why it matters: If treatment plants decline to accept landfill leachate because of PFAS, the county could face a regulatory compliance problem and higher costs to treat or store leachate. Planning now preserves grant eligibility and scheduling flexibility, the Solid Waste director said.

Board discussion and next steps: Supervisors encouraged exploring multi-county partnerships for a facility sized to serve Marathon County and neighboring counties. Several supervisors urged exploring joint-venture agreements so partner counties would share capital and operating responsibilities. The committee approved a motion to proceed with planning and information gathering and to move the environmental management plan on to the County Board for adoption necessary for final grant submittal.

Ending: Staff will pursue grant and funding avenues and return with a grant-ready plan and county-board adoption as required by the Clean Water Fund application process.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Marathon County Environmental Committee Meeting - 7/1/2025","oneSentenceSummary","Marathon County Solid Waste Department staff told the Environmental Resources Committee on July 1 that emerging contaminants — specifically PFAS — are increasingly limiting municipal wastewater-treatment plants’ ability to accept landfill leachate and that the county needs a plan to maintain compliant landfill operations.","taxTitle","Marathon County, Wisconsin","taxId",4560,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6520919,"Committee backs pursuing special charge on tax bills to fund county septic maintenance program",376,1028000,1404000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5116099-a13512410d233bd378a68ef6ba8c257e&start=1028&end=1404","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5116099-a13512410d233bd378a68ef6ba8c257e/thumbnail_1028000.jpg","/articles/6520919/Marathon-County/Wisconsin/Committee-backs-pursuing-special-charge-on-tax-bills-to-fund-county-septic-maintenance-program","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6520919-525420dc56443cfcf19bce70dd6bc178/orig.mp4?Expires=1775320182&Signature=d2gxy1XUIzlRazV6g2v49VWLdab9V2scTFbYEoeVUUK-fx7iJuVv-NONs1r1PwbtrJajYXI47K9xdkKTuX-QLwLJhGUwOIT2PMqc3gw5g92Ib5ubQg19cA3quAJ1yo414eEXPvPJUUlnKqlcOQNWQa9mm6Gx12W5haVhEiLvWWi7GiPDvlnpGX9rOWfmAWmj3Vky5PrI391b-yOHuSAI6oB9SEfXDDRjzAqq7OBNgJZ4MhkNaCSm6BN9saG6PZf5MUWEaZGxq60dbVCUZP5VgnVh~j4vPZX5OZK1DWljiLuHZAaNwv~jvdne017YD5sDjUGtLI2pWGunsxs4fYgwLQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Marathon County’s Environmental Resources Committee on July 1 voted to pursue a special charge on property tax bills to fund the county’s private on-site wastewater (septic) maintenance program rather than continue funding it entirely from county levy.

The motion instructs county staff to draft a Chapter 15 ordinance amendment and fee schedule, send the draft to affected towns and the Department of Safety and Professional Services (DSPS) for review, hold a public hearing before the committee, and, if approved, forward the amendment to the County Board for adoption.

Why it matters: County staff presented that the maintenance program is a state‑mandated function but receives no dedicated state operating funds. Staff estimated the program’s operational cost at about $125,240 and said the program currently tracks 21,219 on-site wastewater systems. Using 2020 census–derived estimates, staff said roughly 43,808 residents (about 31% of the county population) use on-site systems. Staff presented several financing options, including a 100% fee-funded option estimated at about $6 per year per parcel with a system, a 75% special charge/25% levy option (~$4.50/year), and a 50/50 option (~$3/year).

Staff presentation and reasoning: Shad Harvey, Marathon County land resource manager (CPZ), told the committee that the proposed special charge is an efficient way to recover costs because the county already issues annual tax bills and many Wisconsin counties use a similar mechanism. Harvey said 31 of Wisconsin’s 72 counties currently charge a maintenance fee for their septic programs, and that charging through tax bills avoids higher administrative costs that would result from issuing separate bills (staff estimated a separate-billing approach could raise the per-parcel cost toward $10).

Board discussion: Supervisors raised equity and implementation concerns. Town representative Marilyn Bend said property owners who already pay large up-front costs for septic installation would be harmed and asked how the county would ensure money collected would remain dedicated to the maintenance program. Supervisor Kurth asked whether new construction could bear more of the cost; staff said permit-fee increases were less reliable as a funding source because maintenance obligations continue regardless of development cycles. Several supervisors, including Supervisor Robinson and Supervisor Kroll, supported the special-charge approach as a targeted, lower-cost way to require program users to pay for the service.

Implementation steps and timeline: Staff advised that the county would need to draft an ordinance amendment, send it to towns and DSPS for the statutorily required review, hold a public hearing, and obtain County Board adoption. Staff noted timelines could affect whether a fee could be placed on the 2025 tax bill and that DSPS review and town comment windows would need to be satisfied. The committee directed staff to proceed with the ordinance drafting and review process.

Ending: The committee’s direction begins a formal process that includes town notification, DSPS review, public hearing(s) and eventual County Board action before any fee is imposed.","After a detailed staff presentation, the Marathon County Environmental Resources Committee directed staff to pursue an ordinance amendment and DSPS review to place a special charge on county tax bills to fund the private on-site wastewater maintenance program, with a full-fee option estimated at about $6 per year.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":91,"_47":92,"_49":93,"_51":94,"_53":95,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":96,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":97,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6520924,"Environmental Resources Committee approves rezones, forwards comprehensive-plan amendments and several county plans to full board",0,4403000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5116099-a13512410d233bd378a68ef6ba8c257e&start=4403&end=4403","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5116099-a13512410d233bd378a68ef6ba8c257e/thumbnail_4403000.jpg","/articles/6520924/Marathon-County/Wisconsin/Environmental-Resources-Committee-approves-rezones-forwards-comprehensive-plan-amendments-and-several-county-plans-to-full-board","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6520924-15b4fc8a4f0dbf3d678f00c2456a5600/orig.mp4?Expires=1775320182&Signature=aQBlfoJT1Xd1yyPDC1qPIxgDzybXSG1aMeuJNRysLGdO71zAtrBh1gcz4jq5rm~K8FWy1VRZirjqs8E~BBliacEcNKcvfXUXXUMQwk5QJ0Qxa4dUrfMvScRCGWAzMUsIyHazb0SRsGidhKXKAyfIoI7enmL9bHwNsJOK~KKFCqvukDQ~Ilz7nwxubEmbMjU8XeN85VnfBEoiV7QrTG1vpB3IajO1sl5XN9GtLzIM90wfbNJHuvjV12tsecq-uJdIqlQWJhJbPwz9CrmGbXgRRdMMcN35cDfcfejSjBCHk1PY-v5-tsKBc1ILD0XXg2~low32UH~896O9UOpFlToADA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Marathon County Environmental Resources Committee on July 1 recommended approval or advancement of multiple zoning and policy items — including two rezones and two Town of Wausau planning items — and approved staff recommendations on a proposed special charge to fund the county septic maintenance program and on county solid-waste and trail planning documents.

The committee unanimously moved forward two rezone petitions and two Town of Wausau items for consideration by the full Marathon County Board of Supervisors. It also approved a staff recommendation to pursue a special (tax-bill) charge to fund the county’s private on-site wastewater treatment system maintenance program and voted to advance a solid-waste environmental management plan and a Wausau–Merrill corridor master plan.

Why it matters: The rezones and Town of Wausau plan changes will change zoning or planning guidance for properties in Gunther, McMillan and Wausau townships. The committee’s approval to pursue a special charge signals a policy shift toward assessing users of on-site wastewater systems instead of funding the maintenance program entirely from county levy. The solid-waste and trail planning actions authorize county staff to pursue next steps that could lead to capital projects or grant applications.

What the committee did (votes at a glance):
- Rezone petition of Stephen Gilley, Town of Gunther (RR rural residential to GA general agriculture): motion to recommend approval to the Marathon County Board carried (mover: Supervisor Eubank; second: Supervisor Schoenborn). Staff had recommended approval. (Item 5A1)

- Rezone petition of David Fulkowski on behalf of Adding Acres LLC, Town of McMillan (FP farmland preservation to GA general agriculture): motion to recommend approval to the Marathon County Board carried (mover: Supervisor Kroll; second: Supervisor Debreu). Staff had recommended approval. (Item 5A2)

- Town of Wausau amendment to comprehensive plan to add an overlay map identifying areas compatible with wind/solar development: motion to forward to county board carried (mover: Supervisor Drebeck; second: Supervisor Schoenborn). Staff characterized the comprehensive-plan amendment as a nonbinding guidance document. (Item 5B1)

- Town of Wausau rezone (1.98 acres from Commercial Light Manufacturing to Agricultural District): motion to forward to county board carried (mover: Supervisor Kroll; second: Supervisor Draback). (Item 5B2)

- Private on-site water treatment system maintenance: committee voted to recommend pursuing a special charge on tax bills to fully fund the maintenance program rather than fund it 100% from levy (motion by Supervisor Kroll; second: Supervisor Debreu; motion carried). Staff presented cost and implementation options. (Item 5C1)

- Solid Waste Department environmental management / leachate plan: committee voted to move the plan forward so the county board can adopt it, enabling a Clean Water Fund application and further planning for on-site or pretreatment leachate solutions (mover: Supervisor DeWert; second: Supervisor Unger; motion carried). (Item 5C2)

- Wausau–Merrill Veil master plan (corridor study funded by River District Development Foundation): motion to adopt the master plan (mover: Supervisor Carl; second: Tom Muller; motion carried). Staff and consultant described the plan as nonbinding and not obligating county spending. (Item 5C3)

Details and next steps: For the two rezones and both Town of Wausau items the committee’s recommendations will be transmitted to the full Marathon County Board of Supervisors for final action. For the septic maintenance financing change, staff will prepare ordinance language and pursue required town notifications and the Department of Safety and Professional Services (DSPS) review before public hearing and potential ordinance adoption. For the solid-waste plan, staff will proceed with steps required for a Clean Water Fund application, including county-board adoption of the environmental management plan to support the application.

Ending: Committee members directed staff to follow the procedural steps for public notice and unit coordination for each action and to bring ordinance amendments, grant applications or county-board items back in the normal review sequence.","At its July 1, 2025 meeting, the Marathon County Environmental Resources Committee recommended approval of two rezones, forwarded two Town of Wausau planning items to the county board, and approved staff recommendations on a septic maintenance funding proposal and several planning documents.",{"_33":99,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":100,"_41":101,"_43":91,"_45":102,"_47":103,"_49":93,"_51":104,"_53":105,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":106,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":107,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6520910,"Committee adopts Wausau–Merrill corridor master plan funded by River District Development Foundation",474,4877000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5116099-a13512410d233bd378a68ef6ba8c257e&start=4403&end=4877","/articles/6520910/Marathon-County/Wisconsin/Committee-adopts-WausauMerrill-corridor-master-plan-funded-by-River-District-Development-Foundation","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6520910-01f3bb06d82080f47782d12cb034b64b/orig.mp4?Expires=1775320182&Signature=oXgbn3~ya7QsgFcawDc1fWsGZScynLh1YMy1s1F96etHyrDt5IbmXjLXgZ0BR2zhThx7waTAutT87ler0a8BFrV9qy0SAB69JWW1TCOZSPETgm1TBQVWLTZSCzzYw696bptuRb1K4dzbWYSevH6HfPAhH7wN8MKwYnftAitJ1dEuCu9tQdlCRShge-lCUbAXKqlqJ~m62aayW0Gf715tvwqsZLzXlkf50Y5mTAgBm6h096arolW2r3gNKs-l1gtznI8sNLX20pvUdhO-r5MmqV2GF2~dmg2vcV7nuSo5TungfqwugNTs7S7MMU8uKLejbjge3iLNmklGJCpuEJl~pA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Marathon County Environmental Resources Committee on July 1 adopted a Wausau–Merrill corridor master plan that identifies a potential trail corridor linking Wausau and Merrill largely on WPS (Wisconsin Public Service) property and other rights-of-way. The study was funded by the River District Development Foundation and completed by consultant MSA Professional Services.

Why it matters: The plan maps a potential 15-mile corridor (DNR Corridor 18) that would connect the Mountain–Bay State Trail to the Bearskin Trail. Committee members emphasized the plan is nonbinding, does not commit the county to purchase land or expend funds, and will serve as a guide for future acquisitions, easements, partnerships and grant applications.

Staff summary: Jamie Polley (Parks/Forestry) said the study included public outreach sessions in Wausau and Merrill, direct contact with landowners along the corridor, and alternatives to avoid landowners who oppose a trail or to bypass difficult terrain. The consultant also discussed potential coordination with ATC (American Transmission Company) and WPS regarding power-line corridors and right-of-way uses. Polley said the plan could help a friends group or nonprofit pursue DNR trail grants in the future.

Board discussion and next steps: Supervisors asked about timeline and potential conflicts with utility/transmission plans. Staff said timelines are uncertain and could take many years; the plan is intended to be ‘on the shelf’ for future opportunities. The committee adopted the plan and directed staff to make it available for future land/easement decisions and grant applications.","Marathon County’s Environmental Resources Committee adopted a nonbinding master plan for a proposed trail corridor linking Wausau and Merrill; the plan was funded and donated to the county by the River District Development Foundation and does not obligate county spending or land commitments.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Committee advances leachate-management planning as PFAS constraints reduce offsite treatment options

Committee backs pursuing special charge on tax bills to fund county septic maintenance program

Environmental Resources Committee approves rezones, forwards comprehensive-plan amendments and several county plans to full board

Committee adopts Wausau–Merrill corridor master plan funded by River District Development Foundation