City budget presentations begin with plans for development of Heal Creek

On the municipal calendar, fall is budget season. Cities and towns of all sizes must determine needs and priorities to be funded in the coming year and how much revenue is expected to fill the coffers.

On Wednesday evening, the Rhinelander Common Council had its first opportunity to hear from department heads and ask questions about their budget requests for 2024.

Wednesday’s meeting included discussion of the council/mayor budget, city administrator budget, finance budget, buildings budget, parks, playground, water, stormwater and wastewater budgets, among others.

Several additional meetings are scheduled so the alderperson can hear from the other departments including police and fire and the management firm that is operating the Northwood Golf Club. 

All of the meetings are scheduled to be broadcast via www.hodagtv.com and taxpayers are encouraged to watch their elected officials in action.

Mayor Kris Hanus was unable to attend Wednesday’s meeting but in a Thursday phone interview with the River News he offered a broad view of plans and priorities under consideration for 2024.

“Road construction and fixing utilities is still a priority for me,” he said. “As this rolls out, you’re going to see the finishing up of the big projects we started this year and we also have some new roads because of the PRAT (premiere resort area tax) funding and some other upgrades to our water treatment and well systems.”

“Besides that, I think taking care of our employees is something we have to look at,” he continued. “The marketplace for good help in Rhinelander is still hard to find. So I think we always have to be looking at the benefits and what we can do to make it appealing to work for the city. On top of that, public safety has always been a priority of mine,” he added. “Everything from clearing sidewalks to investing in our police and fire departments is something I think we need to do.”

Finally, Hanus mentioned “activities and amenities” such as a “robust and well-maintained” outdoor recreation program.

To that end, he mentioned potential improvements to the Pioneer Park Historical Museum, in the form of a new roof, and the construction of trails at Heal Creek.

The city has a long-term goal of developing Heal Creek, a 416-acre wooded property near Northwood Golf Club donated by Dr. Lee Swank, into a year-round recreational facility.

The number presented to the council Wednesday for Heal Creek-related expenditures in 2024 was $600,000 but Hanus noted that figure includes a $100,000 anonymous donation as well as some “seed money” via long-term borrowing that has already been secured. 

The city has also applied for grants and there is “potential for other community members that might want to donate to help us get that going out there,” he added.

“So the $600,000 isn’t necessarily cash-in-hand right now for that,” he explained. “It’s more that’s what we’re thinking, if we can bring in some these grant applications and some of these donors. But we have secured over $200,000 so we can start with the design and actually start building some of the trails.”

The $200,000 figure is likely the low end of what could be spent on Heal Creek in 2024 and $600,000 would be the high end if things fall into place, Hanus indicated.

“Once we start getting something going out there and people can see how beautiful that land is, I think we’re going to see more donors and sponsors come forward to help us continue to grow it,” he added. 

During the council discussion, Parks director Jeremy Biolo noted that Pioneer Park Historical Museum director Kerry Bloedorn has requested a pay increase and some additional help running the museum on weekends. 

Biolo indicated he believes the pay increase is warranted and Hanus said he is in favor of investing in the museum. 

“Attendance is up in that park. Attendance is up in that (museum) complex,” he noted, adding that the museum is largely funded via room tax money rather than the tax levy.

“This isn’t something that the average taxpayer would have to bear,” he said.

Hanus also noted that robust room tax revenue is being generated and he believes the picture will only get better when the remodeling of the Claridge Inn is complete and the two hotels currently under development are open to customers.

The council’s next budget discussion is scheduled for 5 p.m. Sept. 27. Additional discussions are scheduled for 5 p.m. Oct. 4, 11, and 18.

The golf course budget discussion, with representatives from Oliphant Golf Management, is scheduled to take place on Oct. 4. Of late, several club members have approached the council, as part of public comment, to express concern about the direction of the club. 

It’s unclear, however, whether the budget presentation would be an appropriate time for discussions related to those concerns, especially given that the city has a binding contract with Oliphant.

Heather Schaefer may be reached at [email protected].