County board approves $6 annual charge for private septic maintenance after heated debate

Marathon County supervisors voted Sept. 18 to amend Chapter 15 of the county code and to impose a $6 annual special charge on properties that have private on‑site wastewater systems to fund the county’s septic maintenance program.

Zoning administrator Chad Harvey presented the ordinance changes, which included corrected cross‑references to the county’s separated shoreland and floodplain codes, clarifications that structures intended for human habitation must have a septic plan, replacement of references to a now‑sunset state grant program and a new mechanism to levy a $6 special charge on properties with private septic systems to support the maintenance program. Harvey said the maintenance program costs about $125,000 per year to operate.

The board first approved a set of ordinance updates that excluded the fee, then took a separate vote on the $6 charge. The fee measure passed but was not unanimous. Several supervisors said they opposed adding a new charge on property owners who already pay…