Holt bids farewell at City Council meeting

Eight years as District 6 alderperson drew to a close for David Holt at Monday’s meeting of the Rhinelander Common Council, April 13 at Rhinelander City Hall.

His message from the podium during public comment was one of the session’s highlights. After a congratulatory handshake with Linnaea Newman, who ran unopposed for the District 6 seat in last week’s spring election, Holt reminisced.

“When I think back eight years ago and look at the way that this community runs and feels now, I’m very proud of the work that we’ve done, and I’m very happy to have worked with each of you,” he said. “I’m stepping off the council, but I’m not stepping back from the community, so I’m not going anywhere.” 

Reading the room, Holt added a quip. 

“That’s not a threat — I saw some worried faces there,” he said.

Leading the new business was the council’s approval of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the city, the Tri-County Council on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault, and Calvary Baptist Church to provide a Safe Haven Baby Box for lawful newborn relinquishment.

Tri-County and Calvary Baptist will jointly provide financial support for the maintenance of the Safe Haven Baby Box, which will be installed at the Rhinelander Fire Department.

“This service should be of little to no extra cost to the City of Rhinelander, as the purchase, installation, and maintenance costs are all to be covered by donations,” city administrator Patrick Reagan wrote in his report on the meeting’s business items. 

The council heard a brief update on road construction, learning that the mill and overlay project on Lincoln Street is expected to start the week of April 20.

“Remember, this is not a city project,” Reagan emphasized. “This is a Wisconsin Department of Transportation project, so just please realize that. It should be done relatively quickly, though.” 

Virginia Roberts of the Rhinelander Public Art Commission was on hand to speak on the group’s recommendation to place an 8-foot-long, reclaimed metal “Iron Hodag” sculpture by artist Don Gaber at the corner of Anderson and Brown, on the south end of Brown Street.

“It is a sculpture that reflects not only the Hodag, which is the mascot of the city, but our heritage in lumber and paper products with its construction,” she said. “Its construction is such that it would be less likely to be damaged or vandalized. 

“I think it would be a good investment and a nice focal point for that end of the street … We also recommend an MOU (memorandum of understanding) with ArtStart to provide the first two years of insurance, repair, and get it installed, with cooperation from the city.”

Gaber, attending the meeting online, was asked by Reagan if the sculpture’s spikes would be “kind of a bit on the rounded side.”

“Absolutely, yes,” Gaber assured him. “In fact, I have some crosscut saw blades that were donated by the Rhinelander Historical Society, and I’ve taken the time to dull each point down … everything will be safe.” 

The recommended placement of the sculpture on city property downtown was approved by the board.

Among other highlights of the meeting, the board:

• Approved the purchase and installation of two Dalkin six-ton air conditioning units from Neighborhood Heating LLC for the Rhinelander Police Department, for a total cost of $31,600.

• Approved an agreement with Revize for 2026-2029 to continue hosting, maintenance, and updating the city’s website, after having contracted with them for 2022-2025.

• Approved the application for a Class B beer and Class B liquor license for Rosati’s Pizza, good through June 30 of this year, with city clerk Austyn Zarda noting that this is the 31st of the city’s 33 Class B liquor licenses — so two currently remain available.

• Approved the purchase of a Freightliner SD 114 Snowplow from Truck Country of Wausau for $126,364, to replace the city’s 2004 International plow truck.

• Approved an amendment to the 2026 city budget to reduce administrative professional service fees requested for Ehlers pro formas by $10,000, and reduce cable franchise fee revenue by the same amount. 

• Approved a public participation plan for the 2026 City of Rhinelander Comprehensive Plan, with Reagan explaining that the plan, last updated in 2016, needs to be updated once every 10 years by state statute, that the money has been budgeted and North Central Regional Wisconsin Planning Commission has been contracted to do the update, and that the public participation plan “basically just outlines how we’re going to keep this out in front of people, how we’re going to communicate, etc. … I would expect (the update) to be done by the end of the year.”

• Approved a three-year lease agreement between the City of Rhinelander and Hodag Farmer’s Market, Inc., for the use of designated space at Pioneer Park. 

• Approved the purchase of ultraviolet disinfection bulbs for the city’s wastewater treatment plant from Trojan Technologies Corporation for $10,803.27.

The Rhinelander Common Council reorganization meeting will be held on Tuesday, April 21, and the next regular common council meeting will be Monday, April 27. Each will be at Rhinelander City Hall and begin at 6 p.m. 

Ardith Carlton may be reached at [email protected].