Committee recommends keeping Callahan–Mud Lake district boundaries after mixed public comment

At a meeting of the Sawyer County Land, Water and Forest Resources Committee, members voted to forward the existing petition boundaries for a proposed Callahan and Mud Lake district to the Sawyer County Board, despite multiple public objections from property owners who said they lack lake access and would face higher taxes.

The issue matters because inclusion in a lake district can authorize special assessments and ongoing property taxes to fund lake projects such as dam maintenance and water-quality work. Several speakers told the committee they were surprised to find their parcels included and asked to be removed from the proposed district.

David Wegener, a full-time resident at 11123 West Chief River Road, said his parcel is “completely landlocked from the lake” and that he has “absolutely 0 access” yet was included in the district. He said he and other neighbors did not sign the petition and were not notified of the district process. Lynn Amundsen, representing the Callahan Mud Lake Association and the Exploratory Dam Committee, asked the committee to consider the association’s December 6, 2024 letter and cited “Wisconsin statute 33” in arguing that properties that “could reasonably be considered part of a lake community benefit” and therefore should be included. Rhonda Isold, whose frontage is on the Chief River, told the committee the association had “overextended their proposed boundaries” and said inclusion could cause property taxes to rise by “over 30%,” adding that the county board has “the absolute right to remove properties from the proposed district under Wisconsin state statutes.”

Some commenters and committee members framed the question differently. Martin Hansen urged the committee not to change boundaries contained in a petition, saying “Lake Districts are designed to be autonomous and do not need county oversight.” Several committee members and other speakers reviewed GIS maps on screen and discussed which parcels shown in red had requested removal. Staff clarified that lake districts and petition organizers can also modify boundaries after formation and that counties may remove properties, though the process is governed by statute and by the petition mechanics.

After discussion, one committee member moved to recommend the petition’s submitted boundaries and forward that recommendation to the Sawyer County Board. A second was made and the motion carried on a voice vote.

The matter now goes to the full County Board for final consideration; the committee’s action is a recommendation only.

Votes at a glance: The committee voted to recommend the existing Callahan and Mud Lake petition boundaries to the County Board; the motion carried on a voice vote with all members present voting “aye.”