Marathon County discusses buy of Kronenwetter parcels for new highway facility amid water, traffic and tax concerns

Marathon County staff on Tuesday presented plans to buy multiple parcels in the Village of Kronenwetter for a new county highway facility, prompting public comment and a detailed staff presentation on site options, water use, traffic impacts and property‑sale strategies. The county did not vote on the purchase at this meeting; the resolution (Resolution 25‑25) was scheduled to return to the board for action at the next meeting.

The discussion opened during the public comment period with Sean Domingue, a former member of the Village of Kronenwetter board and utility committee, urging supervisors to oppose Resolution 25‑25. Domingue said village officials and many residents learned of the proposal for the first time when it appeared on the county agenda and raised concerns about water capacity. “Our current infrastructure cannot handle such a significant increase in demand without incurring substantial cost for upgrades that our village simply cannot afford,” Domingue said, and he urged the board to vote against the resolution.

Resident Guy Bridal, of 2240 Ruby Drive in the Village of Kronenwetter, also opposed the proposal and said the village would receive no tax revenue from a county facility while nearby municipalities could…