Resident warns farming practices are eroding county road right-of-ways

Chuck Hasmer, a resident of County Highway GG in Bloomer, told the Chippewa County Board during public comment that farming practices are encroaching on road right-of-ways and threatening newly paved roads.

“What's happening to them is they're self destructing in front of our eyes because of the farming practices,” Hasmer said, naming Highway 64, County Double G and County Highway GG as examples where crop rows have been planted into the shoulder material. He described a paved road with an 18-inch shoulder that drops about 3 feet, and said the slope is now soft enough that “my feet started sliding” when he inspected the shoulder.

Hasmer said he and his son conducted drone flights over Highway 64 and County Double G to document the conditions. He said ditches that normally convey runoff and provide preliminary filtration for chemicals are gone in places, and that liquid manure has been placed up to the road without a ditch to contain it. “So it's gonna be detrimental to our ecosystem,” he said.

Hasmer named several officials and offices he has contacted about the problem, including Sen. Tammy Baldwin’s office, Rep. Rob Summerfield, town administrator Randy Schultz, road commissioner Brian Kelly and Sheriff Travis Hakes. He said Aaron Erlewine, formerly with Summerfield’s office, helped him look up statutes and interpret right-of-way language.

Hasmer said statutes leave “no gray” and that landowners who occupy or damage right-of-way are liable for restoring ditches and shoulders to county standards. He asked the board to investigate enforcement, saying he has documented many sites and would share photos.

The comment was delivered during the public-comment portion of the meeting; no board action was taken at that time.