Pelican board revisits 2025, gives brief bridge update in annual town meeting

With Dr. Walter and Donna Gager on hand to represent the electorate, the annual meeting of the town of Pelican was held last Tuesday, April 14 at Pelican Town Hall.

Chairman Nick Scholtes, town supervisors James Cates and Walter Dahlquist Jr., and clerk Mike Ring fielded questions from the Gagers as they proceeded through the agenda.

In the discussion of the 2025 municipal financial report, which Ring noted “shows all money brought in, all money spent, and that we balance at the end of the year,” Donna Gager asked how much in taxes had been brought in, and how much was given to the Rhinelander District Library.

Ring explained that a total of $3.391 million in taxes had been collected, with the library receiving $125,579, and $2.167 million paid to schools.

“That first number looks really big when you start looking at $3.3 million, until you find out how much goes right back out right away,” Scholtes pointed out. “Then when you get down to what the nitty-gritty is, then you’re looking at about $700,000 to run the township for the year.”

“We keep $700,000 in taxes, and then we take out the $125,000 (for the library),” added Ring. “We’re down to $500,000 to run the township.”

In the road report, Scholtes reported on the year’s construction projects, Lake Julia Road from County G to Wildflower, and Hilltop Road from Germond Road going east to the end of the road.

“The cost of Hilltop for resurfacing was $133,213.22,” he reported. “Lake Julia Road we had done a little bit in the very front because there was a culvert that needed to be replaced, so they paved over that part and there was $32,655 spent in 2024. We finished it last year (for) an additional $96,777.39 in 2025.”

A dust inhibitor had also been applied to Haymeadow Road. “There were issues on the gravel road and all the dust and that, so we put a dust inhibitor on there,” he explained. “The people were really happy with it.

“The brine that got put on there was calcium chloride, and what that does is, that knocks that dust right down. It lasted really well throughout the summer. I was very pleased with it.”

In all, Scholtes said, “for what money we had to spend, we did good last year. One project came in substantially under what the estimate was, and that was Lake Julia Road. So we were happy with last year. We’re hoping this year can be as good, but we’ll see.” 

Pelican fire chief David Hollands was not present and a fire department report wasn’t available, but for that agenda item, Scholtes reported that the board had helped fund a new brush truck for the fire department last year.

“Their brush truck was failing really bad that they had,” he explained. “Matter of fact, most of the equipment in the fire department needs to be looked at for replacement. It’s just a matter of, it’s old, and it’s something down the road we’re going to have to look at, see what we can do to get it replaced.”

Donna Gager asked about the Haymeadow Bridge.

“It went through design, and it went through a let from the Wisconsin Department of Transportation,” said Scholtes. “It’s been in the newspaper here recently because we had three different meetings trying to find a good approach, because we’re struggling to try and get the Wisconsin Department of Transportation to increase their funding on it. So we’re working on that right now. 

“I just talked to the engineer today from the DOT. And they’re hoping to have some information back to us by end of this week, mid to late next week, as to whether or not we can get that additional funding or not.

“It’s been a challenge. It’s been one of the harder bridges I’ve worked on … It will be built; it’s just a matter of the funding and how we’re funding it.”

The date and time for the next annual meeting were set for April 20, 2027, at 7 p.m.

The Pelican town board’s next regular monthly meeting will be at Pelican Town Hall on April 27 at 4 p.m.

Ardith Carlton may be reached at [email protected].