Marathon County Board: key appointments, rezones and resolutions approved; most votes unanimous

The Marathon County Board of Supervisors on May 15 approved a broad set of consent, appointments, rezones and committee-backed resolutions. Most votes were unanimous; a small number of measures were recorded as carried but not unanimous.

Appointments and reappointments - Solid Waste Management Board: Reappointed Supervisor Alan Drabek, Supervisor Tom Soybert, Supervisor Jason Wilhelm and Ringgold town representative Al Christiansen to three-year terms ending April 30, 2028 (motion by Supervisor Covelli, second by Supervisor Mirage). Vote: carried, unanimous. - ADRC Central Wisconsin Advisory Committee: Reappointed Dana McCallalad Ponak to complete a three-year term expiring April 30, 2027 (motion by Supervisor Lemmer, second by Supervisor Robinson). Vote: carried, unanimous. - Board of Adjustment: Reappointed Jim Servais of Athens as second alternate to expire June 30, 2027 (motion by Supervisor Lemmer, second by Supervisor Mask). Vote: carried, unanimous. - City-County IT Commission (CCIT) citizen member: Reappointed Chet Strebe, CIO at Northcentral Technical College, for a two-year term beginning June 1, 2025 and expiring May 31, 2027 (motion by Supervisor Robinson, second by Supervisor Marash). Vote: carried, unanimous. - Environmental Resources Committee leadership changes: Appointed Mike Ritter as chair (replacing Jacob Longenhahn) and Supervisor Rick Seefeldt as vice chair (replacing Mike Ritter) (motion by Supervisor Covelli, second by Supervisor Drabek). Vote: carried, unanimous. - District 35 appointment: Appointed Jerry Kurth of Mosinee to the Marathon County Board of Supervisors for District 35, replacing Jacob Longenhahn; the board administered the oath of office at the meeting (motion by Supervisor Hagan, second by Supervisor Marash). Vote: carried, unanimous.

Zoning ordinances and county code - Town rezones (ordinances listed in meeting materials and approved): Town of Brighton (Ordinance 0-19-25), Town of Alden (Ordinance 0-20-25), Town of Eldron (Ordinance 0-21-25), Town of Holton (Ordinance 0-22-25), Town of Spencer (Ordinance 0-23-25). Each motion was moved and seconded by supervisors identified in the meeting record and each vote was carried and recorded as unanimous. - Marathon County general code amendment to Section 3.2 related to tax-delinquent land sales (Ordinance 0-24-25): Motion by Supervisor Marash, second by Supervisor Robinson. Vote recorded as carried but not unanimous.

Resolutions and committee items - Town of Wausau rezones and related resolutions (items from Environmental Resources Committee): Resolutions noted in materials (including R-28-25 and a Town of Wausau rezone from commercial/light manufacturing to residential, listed as Resolution 209-25 in materials). Votes recorded as carried and unanimous. - Opioid litigation: Executive Committee item to confirm and ratify counsel authority to add additional defendants in the MDL-2804 opioid litigation (Resolution 30-25). Motion by Supervisor Arstad, second by Supervisor Robinson. Vote: carried, unanimous. - Medical examiner reorganization (Resolution 31-25): Motion by Supervisor Mask, second by Supervisor Robinson. Vote: carried, unanimous. - Sheriff lieutenant county pay scale and benefits (Resolution 32-25): Motion by Supervisor Mask, second by Supervisor Fifrick. Vote: carried, unanimous.

Other business - Several property-purchase offers in the Village of Kronenwetter were considered (Resolution 33-25). Motion carried but not unanimous; see separate article for full discussion of the Kronenwetter parcels and staff responses to supervisor questions. - A resolution to the state regarding circuit court funding (Resolution 34-25) was moved by Supervisor Maaske, seconded by Supervisor Dreyback; the motion was carried.

Many motions were presented with the committee staff recommendation and passed without extended discussion. When a vote was not unanimous the board recorded the motion as carried and noted a non-unanimous outcome in the transcript.