Marathon County committee authorizes letter supporting Domtar’s Rothschild Dam modernization, forwards request to full board

A Marathon County committee on April 3 authorized a letter of support for Domtar’s proposal to modernize the timber-crib spillway at the Rothschild dam and agreed to forward the request to the full county board for its consideration.

The request centered on a congressionally directed spending application being prepared through U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin’s office; Domtar asked for letters of local support to strengthen that application, which the company said must be submitted by April 7. Domtar’s representative told the committee the engineering is complete and the company plans construction this summer if funding is secured.

Mr. Fawcett, general manager of Domtar’s Rothschild mill, told the committee the total cost to repair the compromised timber-crib section is $84,000,000 and that his company is proposing a one‑third, one‑third, one‑third cost‑share model. “The cost of the project is $84,000,000,” Fawcett said, adding that Domtar would cover roughly $28,000,000 and that the company’s owner has proposed a third‑state, third‑federal, third‑local split.

Committee members pressed Domtar on contingency plans if state or federal funding did not materialize. Supervisor Lemmer asked about Domtar’s long‑term commitment: “What is happening at year 4?” Administrator Leonard and Fawcett said Domtar has explored sale or transfer of the asset to a hydro specialist, but the dam is in a condition that would make a transfer impractical without major repair.

The presentation described the damaged section as roughly one third of an approximately 800‑foot structure; two‑thirds of the dam is concrete and reportedly in good shape, while the timber crib spillway—described by Fawcett as resembling “Lincoln logs”—has deteriorated. Fawcett said the company has averaged about $1 million a year in repairs over the past 15 years and that the proposed construction would take three to four years to complete. He also said Domtar would pursue federal and state funding and requested local letters to bolster the state application.

Corp Counsel advised that a committee may issue a letter of expression of support signed by the committee chair but cannot bind the full board; the committee then may forward the matter for full board consideration of a separate countywide letter. Vice Chair Dickinson warned the committee that if the committee acted but the full board did not, the differing positions could create a conflict in messaging though not a legal bar to county staff action.

Supervisor Fraser Rosenberg moved that the county provide a letter of support for the project and forward the item to the full board for consideration of a county board letter; a second was recorded. The committee voted in favor; the motion passed unanimously on a voice vote.

Domtar representatives said the dam contributes to flood control and local recreation and that, while hydroelectric generation at the site is relatively small today, the structure plays a role in managing the regional reservoir and downstream flows. The company also said it is pursuing state support and congressional funding but that state officials want to see local backing before committing funds.

The committee authorized staff to draft a letter of support from the committee (to be signed by the committee chair) and to forward the matter to the full county board for possible adoption of a countywide letter of support. The committee’s action explicitly did not commit county funds; committee members and staff reiterated that no county appropriation was being authorized by the vote.

Domtar representatives said they would continue outreach to the village of Rothschild and other local units of government; the presenter said he would immediately return to the Rothschild board seeking the village’s approval to submit its letter with Domtar’s congressional application.

The committee then took up other agenda items.