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Committee backs county ordinance clean-up and continued alignment with City of Wausau park rules, including restricted open‑park alcohol hours
Summary
The Environmental Resources Committee recommended county-board approval of ordinance updates to align Marathon County park rules with the City of Wausau and to add enforcement language; the package includes a city‑aligned restriction on general alcohol consumption in parks before 4 p.m.
Marathon County staff presented a package of ordinance updates to bring county park codes into alignment with the City of Wausau’s park rules and to address enforcement and public-safety language.
Jamie Polley, director (parks and recreation), said the updates include ‘‘housekeeping’’ changes to chapter 16 (county forest) and chapter 19 (parks), plus Wausau city‑park subsections so that county recreation deputies and city officers have consistent enforcement tools across shared park sites. Polley told the committee the draft changes were reviewed by corporation counsel.
One notable change discussed was an alcohol restriction tied to city practice: the City of Wausau adopted a rule prohibiting general drinking in city parks before 4 p.m. as a one‑year trial; the park commission recommended adding matching language to county rules for county parks inside the city. Polley said permitted events and reserved shelters would continue to allow alcohol when a permit or reservation applies; deputies would have discretion to enforce rules and would focus on education as well as enforcement.
Supervisor Seefeldt moved to recommend the county ordinance updates and the city‑aligned alcohol restriction to the county board; Supervisor Kroll seconded and the motion carried by voice vote.
Polley told the committee the changes would go to the city council (for the city portions) and the county board as appropriate, and that staff will continue outreach and education regarding enforcement and shelter exceptions.
