At the Tuesday, March 11, 2025, meeting of the Common Council, discussion and action on the approximately 8/10 of an acre portion of the Elk Lake Park parking lot was on the agenda.
This portion of the parking lot is owned by Price County United Limited (PCUL), and the city expressed an interest in purchasing it last spring, shortly after PCUL purchased the property (on 4-1-2024). The city has maintained the property and used it for decades.
PCUL board members were in attendance at the city meeting. PCUL board members include Lynda "Lyn" Ludwig, Blake Pluemer, and Cheryl Moore. There were also about 30 community members present. Lyn and Blake spoke to the council and Mayor Charles "Chuck" Peterson, stressing that the city should work with PCUL's vision.
Council members then voted unanimously, 5 to 0, to pursue eminent domain on the portion of the parking lot that is owned by PCUL.
PCUL was made aware that the City of Phillips would still honor the three options the city had made to PCUL, which was to buy it for a fair price, trade it for another piece of land, or lease it for 99 years at no charge to the city.
My Price County will continue to follow this developing story.
Regarding other larger news at the city meeting, the Common Council has set the Chicken Ordinance 25-002, regarding allowing chickens within the city limits, to a public hearing.
Articles related to the parking lot, in reverse chronological order:
ANTHONY SLECK, TOWN OF WORCESTER CHAIRMAN CANDIDATE: If elected chairman, Anthony said, "I pledge to uphold the will of the residents, ensuring their tax dollars are managed wisely and their concerns are addressed with integrity. My leadership style is grounded in common sense, accountability, and a long-term vision for Worcester's success, and I am ready to serve the residents." Learn more about Anthony at Voice of Worcester 2.0.
Price County United Limited (PCUL) held a meeting on Thursday, March 6, 2025, at the BW University Learning Center in Phillips. At least five City of Phillips officials were in attendance, along with at least one county board member. About 30-some people attended in person, and another two dozen or so joined via video, though some people left during the meeting, so the number fluctuated.
Lyn Ludwig led the meeting. Blake Pluemer joined into the discussion to answer some questions. Both are PCUL board members. David Holmes, an environmental consultant, added some insight at the early part of the meeting via video.
About the project and grants, Lyn stated, "I think timing is everything. We created the non-profit. In the last five years, there was significant money. Now, with Trump on board, we don't know if there's going to be funding or not, but at least we got the first grant. That is extremely important, because once you get the first grant, the EPA, they want to see you succeed." Lyn thanked David Holmes for playing an integral role in getting the $1.6 million EPA Cleanup Grant. Click here to view PCUL's grant application.
She also shared that she and Mark Brzeskiewicz have been working with the EPA Sustainable Communities Accelerator Network (SCAN) Program Network. Seventeen communities are learning how to implement plans to prioritize sustainability actions.
"Lionite" property at 115 Depot Street in Phillips; image provided by PCUL in Teams meeting
Lyn gave an overview of the EPA Brownfield Cleanup Grant, stating, "We got 1.6 million awarded last May, and that was for the 'Lionite' site and that was for the 9.2 acres of the 26-acre parcel. We did that on purpose to potentially sector off some more later. So, we applied for one grant in that sector, so it's a little bit of a strategy." Lyn stated, "It was not possible to get two EPA Cleanup Grants for the same site, but then we created one small site, so after we potentially clean up that 9.2 acres, we can get another cleanup grant for the rest of the property." She stated the 9.2 acres in the EPA Cleanup Grant covers the land where the buildings are located. That would mean the Elk Lake Park parking lot is not included in the EPA Cleanup Grant.
She added, "We also have been working with the EPA Water Technical Assistance. This is with the City of Phillips. We got the thumbs up to say hey, you can work with them, so they are putting forth about 20 to 25,000 dollars' worth of work to figure out the stormwater run-off and things like that in the City of Phillips. And why we want that so much is because if we are going to spend millions of dollars building out buildings, we want to make sure we have a very sound infrastructure, so EPA Water Technical Assistance is there." (After the meeting, My Price County asked Alderman Bill Elliott for clarification, and Bill explained, "It is the EPA Water Technical Assistance that we partner with through Ayers and Associates, and the grant she got from the EPA. We did not spend that money....We work with Ayers, as our city engineers, and they have that water assistance.")
At the meeting, Lyn stated that the EPA Community Change Grant, which was supposed to be awarded in 2024, now will be awarded by May 2025. That grant would give $20 million, if awarded. PCUL also applied for the EPA Environmental Justice Thriving Communities Grant, which could bring in $600,000, if awarded.
(Article continues after promotional message.) JUSTIN LINDGREN, PHILLIPS SCHOOL BOARD CANDIDATE: Justin Lindgren feels he is qualified to be a school board member because he has been a teacher and has completed coursework in school administration. He feels he has the insight on both sides to see what needs to be fixed. He is calling for change, transparency, and communication on the school board. "I have spent 12 years serving both the community and the school district, and I would be honored to have the opportunity to continue this." Learn more about Justin at Vote Lindgren.
Lyn stated PCUL was not selected for the Department of Transportation Alternative Programs (complete street model), which would have granted $1.5 million and potentially helped with the cost of new sidewalks. She stated, "If the city put their name on that line, they would score higher."
She stated a $500,000 WEMA Flood Resilience Grant was not awarded, because Phillips did not have any recent floods, and the funding went for larger communities.
She shared that, while some grants were not awarded, it has led PCUL to other grant opportunities for which they can apply.
During and at the end of the meeting, attendees asked questions. While some of the names are known, My Price County did not know the names of all participants, so, to be fair, meeting attendees from the audience will not be identified by name in this article.
One question and answer exchange was about when the equipment will be out of the building. A man in attendance said, "At the last meeting, you said you couldn't do anything with demolition until the former owners got their equipment out of the building." Lyn replied, "Yeah, well, things changed," so the man asked, "What's the timeline on that?" Lyn said, "We should have the buildings down by the end of, in the fall, so that's the timeline." The man asked, "Is that still the situation where the former owners have to get all the equipment out of there?" She replied, "They will need to, yes." The man said, "So, have they given you some kind of guarantee of when they're gonna have that done?" Lyn replied, "Yeah, we have contracts and all kinds of, um...." The man said, "So is there a date on that that they have to have that out of there by? Can you give us that?" Lyn said, "Yeah, there's dates. We are working together, because it's, um, we have a timeframe for the brownfield, so we are going to help that guy out as much as possible, so that when we need to move things around, there are dates that we have that we need to stage their stuff over here, that's okay...." The man said, "But I'm just wondering if you have some kind of dates you can relay to us?" Lyn said, "I think, at this time, I'm just, it's going to...." He said, "I mean, you talk about transparency. I'm just trying to see what that is here." Lyn said, "Well, of course; we want to start our cleanup early in spring, so that is when we want his stuff to be out. Early spring." Lyn did not share how PCUL will accomplish getting the equipment out in time for cleanup but did express PCUL's motivation for doing so.
David Holmes, the environmental specialist who Lyn gave credit for getting the EPA Cleanup Grant, appeared via video and asked if he could add to the discussion. He said, "So, we're trying to figure out all the details of staging it, if there are buildings that make sense to keep for a while for staging stuff or maybe later for redevelopment. And there is this complication; the EPA grant won't pay for demolition unless it is integral with removing the asbestos or it's necessary to assess or clean up the underlying soil. So that is where there are 40 different structures, and we need to make the case for each structure in order for the grant demolition to be eligible under that grant, so that is sort of a challenge because Price County United is a non-profit and this is not a for-profit project, so we are trying to figure out how we can get the grant to pay for everything." He added there is no lead-based paint so all the concrete can be managed on site and crushed and be useful for future development.
A meeting attendee stated that the former owner told him, when he was giving a bid to demolish the old buildings that had fallen before PCUL's ownership, that it had been tested and there was no asbestos in the buildings. David said he did not know why that was said, because there is asbestos in every building to some degree, and they are working on an abatement demolition workplan.
David added that there were some drums that leaked, so some soil may be contaminated. There were six different areas of contamination with previous owners that were closed out with the DNR so there is not any known problematic contamination at the surface that they are aware of. An old burn layer, about two feet down, does show contamination in one area from previous fires during previous mill operations over the last 100-plus years, according to David.
He said it's fortunate that 90 to 95% of the buildings are metal structures, and with scrap metal pricing being so good, they are hopeful the demolition part will be done by contractors that want the scrap.
A meeting attendee said that investors will need to know the ground is safe or else they will not want to invest. David said, "There was a certain amount of leaking underground storage tanks, there was a groundwater remediation system that ran for a while under Georgia Pacific, and then when the last group came and bought it, they did do some level of testing throughout the property, and there really wasn't much found in groundwater, so for me as an environmental consultant, I get concerned if we find any solvents, because those can make a lot of problems and be very expensive to remediate, but there was really no evidence of any significant groundwater problem." He said there is some metals contamination, but not too high, and it's not the type of concern to worry about because it can be capped, or the soil can be managed. He was not worried about the level of contamination at the site as he said there are just common contaminants of any old, urban area that can be assessed and handled. He did not anticipate any contamination would limit developer interest.
(Article continues after promotional message.) ANTHONY SLECK, TOWN OF WORCESTER CHAIRMAN CANDIDATE: If elected chairman, Anthony said, "I pledge to uphold the will of the residents, ensuring their tax dollars are managed wisely and their concerns are addressed with integrity. My leadership style is grounded in common sense, accountability, and a long-term vision for Worcester's success, and I am ready to serve the residents." Learn more about Anthony at Voice of Worcester 2.0.
A meeting attendee said that they, (meaning PCUL and those affiliated with PCUL's efforts), just talked for ten minutes and did not answer his question, which was why an informational slide said the ground testing wasn't covered in the grant but everyone in attendance was just told it was covered. The man said, "There is a lot of misinformation, which is why a lot of people online and a lot of people here have a lot of questions." Blake Pluemer asked what else was misinformation that needed to be clarified, and the meeting attendee said the meeting should just keep going and hopefully questions would get answered. Lyn called David on the phone, since he was no longer in the Teams meeting online, to give more information, which was mostly inaudible.
The meeting went on with a lot of the same information that was given and slides that were presented at the September 2024 meeting.
Lyn mentioned that the people in this county do not live as long as they should. She said, "We're dying earlier, and we're trying to fix that with the Community Change Grant," (which PCUL has not received yet). No specifics were given on how the grant being awarded would increase residents' longevity.
A meeting attendee said, "I've got another question. You are putting apartments there, that's what you want to do, right?" Lyn said, "I think we are off that subject." He said, "Well, I am a concerned citizen, so we are on the same subject; this is why we're here. You want to put apartments there, correct?" Lyn said, "Are you talking about the 'Lionite' site?" He agreed and said, "You want to put low-income apartments on that property?" Lyn said, "I don't know what kind of apartments. We are going to place housing units." He added he has a problem because we have such a drug problem in this county, and he doesn't have a problem with low-income, but if you put low-income housing there, it could attract more drug problems. Lyn said, "I think we got the message on our surveys that they [residents] don't want to have drugs."
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She stated that if the area gets more housing, there will be more of a tax base. She said that if we bring in more students, its $10,500 per student that the school will receive. Lyn said she feels that the school, county, city, and townships should want to contribute. She asked what it is worth to the citizens, and she said she feels the area should want to invest in PCUL's vision. The audience explained that the area needs to have jobs, better medical, and things to do to attract people first.
As Lyn was closing the meeting, she stated community engagement is important to getting these grants. Lyn encouraged people to sign the meeting's check-in sheet, if they had not already, as PCUL uses images of attendees from the meetings and the check-in sheets to show the groups/agencies that are giving grants that there is community interest in the projects. For example, there is a "public involvement requirement" for the EPA Cleanup Grant that these meetings help satisfy. The more attendees and the more website visitors, the more interest, and the higher likelihood of getting grants.
The meeting was set to end, but a meeting attendee continued the meeting by stating, "On Facebook they had that the City of Phillips wanted to buy the parking lot. I think that is why a lot of the people are here, because it said you guys wanted $180,000 per year for it. If you are partnering with the city, how are you going and saying we want $15,000 per month for this little parking lot that the park needs?" Lyn responded, "What is it worth for all these other communities? We want an intentional and accelerated development. And you can see how much funding it takes to bridge the gap and get to the other side, so when we have five townships or six townships, I'm not asking the city to pay $180,000, I'm asking the city to partner with us and partner with the rest of our communities to put this in a public funding source." She added, "We can accelerate this land project very quickly and get it developed." She explained that with federal funding, sometimes it is delayed, and she called the proposition "local wealth building." (See the related article, Additional $180,000 Per Year Lease Payment Proposal Suggested by PCUL, explaining the shared cost proposal.)
Lyn would like to see the government, schools, businesses, and people work together on the funding of the projects. She said, "If the school put in $30,000 per year, they would get $210,000 in students. If the city puts in $60,000, what is that worth to the city in return?"
An attendee said that when Lyn talks about asking the school, city, or county to put in money, that is taxpayer money.
Lyn shared her frustration with the City of Phillips' officials. "When we went to the city, we haven't gotten 40 minutes of their time all together until I put that lease agreement [for the parking lot] in front of them, and then we had a meeting." It should be noted that the City of Phillips puts PCUL on their agendas, talks with them at meetings, and has added PCUL's plans to the city's comprehensive plan. (View the plan on the city's website.) Also, earlier in the meeting, Lyn commended the city clerk, Shelby Kosmer, for all she has done assisting PCUL.
Since the topic of the parking lot was still at the forefront of discussion, Blake said, "I don't think we are here to negotiate a lease." "Well, that is taxpayer money," a meeting attendee said. Blake said, "I'm a taxpayer, too." The attendee said, "The city has been the caretaker of the property, so why does the city have to pay that money? Why do our tax dollars have to go to you for us to park in that parking lot and use it for all these events that we have here in the city. Why can't the city take that $180,000 and go on the other side of that sewer treatment plant, and build a road down that side and create our own parking lot?"
Blake said, "The point that Lyn was trying to make is all they [the city] have done is ignore requests, give two minutes at a city council...." An attendee said, "She said she wants to give back to the community, but then she's trying to take our tax dollars." Blake said Lyn has put a lot of time and effort into it and there are a lot of sequential challenges. He added that "there needs to be a shift in their communication and their partnerships and working together, and this nuclear option maybe wasn't the best way to do it...But we're going to work through it, but we're not going to work through it here tonight. But just know everyone has the best intentions for the city."
Lyn said she is looking for people to give assistance. A meeting attendee said, "To me, if you want to show good faith to the taxpayers and the city, donate that parcel to the city." Lyn said, "Absolutely not; we are not going to do it. That's our property." An attendee said, "You said you want to help the people of the city; that would be good faith to it." Lyn said, "That's not on the table." The man said, "Well, we'll see what the community thinks about that." A county board member asked if the man would donate some of his land to his neighbor, but the man said that is a different situation. The board member said, "No, it's not." The other man said, "Alright, then pay a reasonable amount of money for it, what it's worth." Lyn said, "A million dollars." The attendee continued talking with the county board member, asking, "$15,000 a month, is that what it's worth?" The county board member replied, "I'm not saying it is reasonable. I'm simply saying it is Price County United Limited's property, and if that is what they feel is their number, it's their number." Lyn said, "I live in this community, too; if people want to have that, so what is it worth to the community to redevelop? They think, 'Oh, it's so expensive,' but what is it worth to accelerate that property?" Lyn then said she thought it was a good time to pack up, but another meeting attendee spoke up, asking about the vision for getting the community to a thriving place. She asked Lyn what it would look like and asked for a comparable city of Lyn's vision. She wanted to know if a thriving community would look like Minocqua or Tomahawk or what is the end goal, and the meeting attendee figured people are having a hard time visualizing what is planned and who will benefit. No response was given by PCUL as to a comparable community or who will benefit.
Another meeting attendee said people want to know who is going to own this and what the end goal is. She added that people have been pitching ideas but wanted to know when everyone can start looking at the ideas that have been pitched so the community knows what is going to be there. She asked when more information would be given at these meetings instead of the same information being given. Lyn said it can happen soon and again stated that it's all very complex.
The approximately 20-minute more intense discussion of questions and answers was brought to a close by Lyn. The meeting had gone about 20 minutes longer than expected.
The parking lot is on the agenda, for discussion and action, at the Common Council meeting on Tuesday, March 11, 2025, at 5:30 p.m., in the Council Room at the municipal hall at 174 South Eyder Avenue in Phillips. Those who have an opinion on the topic should consider attending as city meetings are the meetings where decisions are made.
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Alderman Bill Elliott and Attorney Bryce Schoenborn spoke with My Price County about another proposal suggested by Lyn Ludwig of PCUL at the recent city meeting.
Lyn Ludwig suggested that if the city did not want to pay $180,000 per year for the .8-acre section of the Elk Lake Park parking lot, perhaps that cost could be divided in three ways. She suggested that the city pay $60,000 per year, the county pay $60,000 per year, and five major businesses from the area, which were not identified, could pay the remaining $60,000 per year. PCUL suggested drafting a letter to assist in fundraising, and the city agreed to review that letter, but the city attorney has yet to receive such a draft.
Attorney Schoenborn said, "I think that the general response from the city was that it is unlikely that local businesses, the county, or the city could/would come up with $60,000 per year for this parking lot."
He added that right now the city is trying to work cooperatively with PCUL to find a solution that will make everyone happy. However, other options can be on the table, at the decision of the Common Council, if a solution cannot be reached. "Time will tell," he added.
Community members have voiced their concerns, mostly on social media, but some have also contacted city aldermen. Some residents are concerned how a $180,000 lease will affect their taxes, why the City of Phillips included PCUL's ideas in their Comprehensive Plan and is assisting PCUL in their projects if PCUL is not wanting to sell at a reasonable cost or donate the parking lot to the city, what will happen if PCUL increases the rate at each lease renewal, where are these "non-profit" funds going, why are all the buildings being bought by PCUL and Lyn Ludwig and then left vacant curtailing business and growth, among other questions and concerns.
To voice some of their concerns, community members showed up at PCUL's meeting on Thursday, March 6, 2025. About 30-some people were in attendance at the meeting (and some others joined via video). Those in attendance were encouraged to sign the check-in sheet, which is used for the grants to show there is community interest, regardless of the interest being positive or negative. Some grants require "community involvement." A recap of the meeting will soon be published by My Price County. (Please watch our website, Facebook page, and sign up to our free News Highlights e-mail by sending "Subscribe" on the subject line to contact@mypricecounty.com to get free news in your inbox once or twice per month.) Update on 3-10-2025: An article has been published, PCUL MEETING RECAP: 1 MILLION SUGGESTED AS PARKING LOT VALUE; RESIDENTS ASK QUESTIONS.
(Article continues after promotional message. Keep reading, please.) JUSTIN LINDGREN, PHILLIPS SCHOOL BOARD CANDIDATE: Justin Lindgren feels he is qualified to be a school board member because he has been a teacher and has completed coursework in school administration. He feels he has the insight on both sides to see what needs to be fixed. He is calling for change, transparency, and communication on the school board. "I have spent 12 years serving both the community and the school district, and I would be honored to have the opportunity to continue this." "Like" Justin's campaign page on Facebook to learn more about Justin.
Whether you have positive or negative views on the parking lot situation, let your voice be heard. This topic will likely be talked about at the next city meeting on Tuesday, according to Attorney Bryce Schoenborn. You can also contact city aldermen, county board members, and PCUL to express your thoughts.
PCUL members include Lynda "Lyn" (Marschke) Ludwig, veterinarian; Blake Pluemer, vice president of operations at BW Papersystems; and Cheryl Moore, Village of Catawba president. The job titles listed came from PCUL's website.
The Phillips Public Library has implemented a new system for parents to have better control over the materials their children check out of the library.
There are three options. The first option is Full Access, which gives children the right to check out anything at the library. Another option is Young Adult Access, which allows a child to check out most things from the library with certain exceptions such as R-rated movies, MA-rated video games, YA graphic novels, and adult graphic novels, plus parents can choose other entire selections that their children are also not allowed to check out. The third option is Child Access, which gives children the right to check out materials only from the children's side of the library.
Children will not be prohibited from looking at materials while at the library or gaining access to materials in the MORE Libraries system. The new tiered library card system is only for materials being check out of the library. The librarians will do their best to fulfill the check-out requests of parents.
Further details about the system can be found at this link. Questions can be answered by calling the library at 715-339-2868.
There's a lot happening at the library each month. View the current calendar of events, shown below, to find an event or activity for you or your child to enjoy.
On March 5, 2025, at 6:50 p.m., a 42-year-old Stanley, Wisconsin man was pulled over by the Wisconsin State Patrol Wausau Post.
The man, driving a 2008 Hyundai Elantra, was located and stopped on State Highway 13 near Aspen Road. He was a suspect in a possible domestic-related incident.
According to Wisconsin State Patrol, "As officers interacted with the driver of the vehicle, they detected the odor of intoxicants and observed other indicators of impairment. A subsequent investigation, including standardized field sobriety tasks, indicated the 42-year-old male driver was impaired, and he was subsequently arrested for operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated, fifth offense, with a passenger under 16 years of age. The driver is also being held on an order to detain issued by the Wisconsin Department of Corrections."
The 10-month-old child was released to a responsible adult.
Davette Lynne Hrabak, CPA, located at 164 South Lake Avenue in Phillips, specializes in tax return preparation, business start-up services, consulting, bookkeeping, payroll, and all your accounting needs. Call 715-339-6638 or visit Davette's website. Follow her Facebook page.
An approximately .8-acre parcel, about 175 feet x 200 feet, remains at the center of discussion for Price County United Limited (PCUL) and the City of Phillips.
Image provided by PCUL in lease agreement document
After PCUL took ownership on the "Lionite" property on April 1, 2024, the City of Phillips contacted PCUL about doing a land swap or purchasing the .8-acre portion of the Elk Lake Park parking lot that is owned by PCUL. (See related article.) PCUL refused these offers and presented the city with a lease agreement.
The agreement, presented on January 24, 2025, would allow public access and parking for the municipal park and the boat landing with the following terms. The City of Phillips would enter into a two-year lease with biannual renewals. The base rent would be $15,000 per month, which would equate to $180,000 per year. The City of Phillips would be responsible for all permits and permissions required for operations and would need to maintain the area, including putting up any signage, grading, snow removal, and general maintenance. The City of Phillips would need to include the parcel under its umbrella liability policy with indemnification to PCUL. The city would also need to indemnify PCUL for costs and expenses resulting from "defending against eminent domain, condemnation, takings, or adverse possession claims initiated by Tenant (City of Phillips) for any portion of the Premises." All subleasing would need to be approved by PCUL.
The lease states the $180,000 per year rental money would be "used for advancement of Phillips including promotion of community redevelopment and revitalization."
Council members of the City of Phillips, not interested in the lease that was presented, stated it was a non-starter, and if they spent $180,000 to lease .8 acres, the taxpayers would not be happy, they would not get re-elected, and it felt like the lease was using the property as a revenue stream for a non-profit.
The City of Phillips responded with three options for PCUL to consider: buy it, trade it for another piece of land, or lease it for 99 years at no charge to the city. The options would also eliminate the liability issue that PCUL stated they were addressing by offering a lease.
However, PCUL President Lynda Ludwig stated those options were not suitable.
My Price County asked the officers of PCUL the following questions:
Why are you not interested in any of those three options?
How are you helping the city if you are asking for $15,000 per month ($180,000 per year) to lease a .8-acre parcel?
How did you determine the rental amount of $15,000 per month?
If My Price County receives a reply from PCUL, the responses will be published on this article.
PCUL will have a meeting on Thursday, March 6, 2025, from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., at the BW University Learning Center located at 165 County Road F. The public is invited to attend.
This is a developing story, and more information will be provided as it is received.
To see the lease proposed by PCUL, click the link:
PCUL Lease Proposal.pdf (Size: 480.64 KB / Downloads: 298)
JUSTIN LINDGREN, PHILLIPS SCHOOL BOARD CANDIDATE: Justin Lindgren feels he is qualified to be a school board member because he has been a teacher and has completed coursework in school administration. He feels he has the insight on both sides to see what needs to be fixed. He is calling for change, transparency, and communication on the school board. "I have spent 12 years serving both the community and the school district, and I would be honored to have the opportunity to continue this."
There were 4,382 winners in Wisconsin Lottery's SuperCash! drawing on Monday, March 3, 2025.
4,052 people won a dollar matching three numbers; 324 people won $30 matching four numbers; 5 people won $500 when they matched five numbers; and all six numbers were matched by one person for a total of a $350,000 win, which is the top prize! That ticket was purchased in Catawba, Wisconsin.
The winning numbers were 5, 7, 15, 22, 27, 33.
UPDATE - 3-12-2025:
The Wisconsin Lottery has announced that "Wayne R." purchased the $350,000 winning Supercash! ticket at ASD 2STORE LLC in Catawba.
Odds of winning the grand prize are 1 in 1,631,312, according to the Wisconsin Lottery.
JUSTIN LINDGREN, PHILLIPS SCHOOL BOARD CANDIDATE: Justin Lindgren feels he is qualified to be a school board member because he has been a teacher and has completed coursework in school administration. He feels he has the insight on both sides to see what needs to be fixed. He is calling for change, transparency, and communication on the school board. "I have spent 12 years serving both the community and the school district, and I would be honored to have the opportunity to continue this."
About a year ago, Charlie was a very lucky boy, and he got adopted from Catkins Animal Rescue. He was adopted into a loving home. Unfortunately, Charlie's owner recently passed on, and now Charlie is back at Catkins looking for a new home.
He is a 2.5-year old beautiful mixed breed weighing 69 pounds. Catkins believes he is part black mouth cur.
He is housebroken, and he knows basic commands such as sit, stay, and come. He loves to hang out and lay on the couch with his head in your lap. He is a cuddler at night and really enjoys attention from his humans.
He has not been with small children or cats. He does well in playgroups with other dogs but would do best as an only dog in the home.
He is fully vetted and ready for a new home.
To view Charlie's profile and apply to adopt him, click this link.
To thank Robin for sponsoring this pet ad, stop by her shop and see what she has for sale. She offers hand-crafted floral arrangements for special events or just because. If you need flowers for an event, such as a wedding, funeral, prom, or a party, or if you need flowers delivered to a nursing home, hospital, business, home, or some other location, call 715-820-1421 for all your floral needs. Also, follow Robin's Custom Arrangements, LLC's Facebook page.
TOWN OF WORCESTER NOTICE OF ARIP GRANT FUNDING AND PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION
The Town of Worcester has been approved for an Agricultural Road Improvement Project (ARIP) Grant in the amount of $1.8 million. This funding is intended for the reconstruction of Little Chicago Road. However, the reimbursement from the grant will cover only 87.7% of the total project cost, up to $1.8 million, and will only be issued upon the completion, submission, and approval of all necessary documentation. Any costs exceeding the grant funding will be the responsibility of the taxpayers.
Project Funding and Financial Implications:
The total estimated cost of the project exceeds $2 million. The Town of Worcester is required to fully fund the project up-front before being considered for reimbursement. This includes an initial expense of $100,000 to hire an Engineering Firm to survey the sub-structure beneath Little Chicago Road. At the Tax Levy Meeting in November 2024, it was stated that there are no funds in the town's budget allocated for road reconstruction. Despite this, the town board intends to proceed with the project as soon as possible.
Purpose and Justification of the Project:
The ARIP Grant aims to improve roads affected by Spring Thaw Postings, allowing them to remain accessible without seasonal weight restrictions. However, according to public statements, there have been NO instances requiring Over Weight Permits for Little Chicago Road. It has also been asserted that, absent the grant, Little Chicago Road would not require reconstruction. The justification for prioritizing the project over other township roads in greater need of repair remains a matter of public concern.
Impact on the Community and Township Prioritization:
The completion deadline for the project is set for 2028 (at latest). Until then, taxpayer funds will be committed to the project, delaying potential repairs to other roads within the township. Given the significant financial implications, concerns have been raised regarding the prioritization of this project over other roads in need of repair.
Over the past decade, Little Chicago Road has undergone numerous repairs, raising questions about the necessity of the reconstruction. Accordingly, concerns have been expressed regarding conflicts of interest among the past and present town board members with connections to the road.
Public Awareness and Transparency:
Transparency issues have been noted concerning the town board's handling of this project. At the February monthly town meeting, it was stated that the board was NOT supposed to inform the public about this project. Given the substantial financial commitment required from taxpayers, the lack of public consultation is a significant concern. The town board is urgent to provide full disclosure of this project, allowing for community input before further action is taken.
Conclusion and Call for Public Engagement:
The Town of Worcester residents are encouraged to seek further clarification regarding the financial strategy for this project. It is imperative that the town board addresses public concerns and provides detailed information on the fund, necessity, and long-term impact of the reconstruction of Little Chicago Road. The community has a right to full transparency and involvement in decisions of this magnitude.
For further inquiries or to express concerns, residents are encouraged to attend town board meetings and request official documentation regarding the projects planning and financial arrangements.
The Phillips Public Library, located at 286 Cherry Street in Phillips, has lots of activities and events planned for this month. Visit the library's website for more information.
On February 27, 2025, at approximately 3:46 p.m., the Lac du Flambeau Tribal Police Department received a telephone call for a report of smoke coming from a residence in the 2700 block of Wazhashk Trail.
According to police, "Upon arriving on scene, responding units confirmed that all the home’s occupants were safely exited from the residence and that there were no pets. The officers observed heavy smoke emanating from the structure. No flames were initially visible, but, within minutes, flames were seen.
"A preliminary investigation indicated that the fire was likely caused from the oven in the kitchen. There is no suspicion of criminal activity. It is unknown at this time if the residence will be a partial or complete loss."
Agencies assisting with the structure fire were the Vilas County Sheriff’s Office Dispatch Center, Lac du Flambeau Fire Department, Lac du Flambeau Emergency Medical Services, Lac du Flambeau Victim/Witness Services, Lac du Flambeau Emergency Management, Lac du Flambeau Tribal Wardens, Lac du Flambeau Economic Support, Lac du Flambeau Family Resource Center, Arbor Vitae Fire Department, Woodruff Fire Department, Lac du Flambeau Tribal Police Department, and Wisconsin Public Service.
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