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County adds $6 annual septic maintenance fee; ordinance amended after split vote
Summary
Marathon County amended its on-site wastewater ordinance (chapter 15) to update statutory references and clarify septic/privy requirements and passed a $6 annual fee to fund the county septic maintenance program; the fee was separated from other amendments and passed by the board but not unanimously.
The Marathon County Board of Supervisors approved multiple amendments to chapter 15 of the county code to update statutory references, clarify that structures intended for human habitation must have a septic plan, and to add a $6 special charge on property tax bills for properties with private on-site wastewater systems to fund the county’s maintenance program.
Zoning Administrator Chad Harvey told the board the maintenance program is a state-mandated county responsibility and costs about $125,000 a year to operate. "This allows us to put a $6 fee on the owners of properties with septic systems to fund that maintenance program," Harvey said.
Board action and procedure
The board voted first on the package of ordinance amendments with the $6 fee separated out for a stand-alone vote. The ordinance amendments other than the fee were approved (motion carried but not unanimous). The $6 fee was then considered as ordinance 43-25A and approved in a separate vote; the clerk recorded that the motion passed but was not unanimous.
Discussion highlights
- Cost and scope: Harvey said the maintenance program costs roughly $125,000 annually; the $6 figure was chosen by dividing that cost across the county’s known septic systems to approximate full cost recovery.
- Enforcement and program work: Harvey described outreach and enforcement work to ensure three-year maintenance inspections; he said approximately 5,000 notices are sent annually and enforcement numbers have fallen from about 500 noncompliant cases to about 50 in recent years through outreach.
- Opposition and fiscal framing: Supervisor Sandalski said many residents oppose adding a new tax/fee and stated she would vote no. Other supervisors raised concerns about placing costs on property owners and asked whether the county would reduce the levy by a corresponding amount; county administrators said that would be addressed in the broader budget process but did not commit to an automatic levy reduction.
- State programs and grants: Presenters and supervisors noted that the Wisconsin Fund grant program referenced in prior versions of the county ordinance was sunset and that related references were removed or updated; presenters said they would help the county explore available state redevelopment or grant funds for other matters.
What the fee pays for
The fee is intended to fund the county’s septic maintenance tracking, notice mailings, staff outreach, enforcement steps and related administrative costs. The county said the fee will appear as a special charge on property tax bills for parcels with on-site wastewater systems.
Outcome
Ordinance 43-25 was amended and passed (without the $6 fee in the initial package). Later the board passed ordinance 43-25A establishing the $6 annual charge for properties with private on-site wastewater treatment systems; both votes were recorded as carried but not unanimous.
Ending
The county will implement changes to chapter 15 in consultation with state review (staff said they had received state approval for some of the late additions) and will reflect the fee on future tax bills; county committees and administration will address whether levy adjustments or other budget changes are needed in the 2026 budget process.
