Newbold board delivers details on past year at annual town meeting

“The less people show up, the more people are happy.” 

That’s how Newbold town chair Dan Hess said he sees attendance at the town’s annual meeting — and this year, two residents attended.

A major part of this year’s meeting, held April 21 at the Newbold Community Center, was town public works director Mark Fetzer’s report on road projects completed in 2025, those planned for 2026, and 10 future projects to consider.

Last year, Silver Shores Lane and Silver Shores Drive were reconstructed and resurfaced. Cedar Lane had frost heave repair, and Flowage Road’s turn-around was improved.

The Red Pine subdivision, Muskellunge Highlands Drive, and a portion of Lake Mildred Road all had single-chip sealing and flex-patching done.

Getting single-chip sealed only were Flannery Lake Road, Fetke Lake Road, Wildwood Lake Circle and a portion of Landing Road.

On the docket for this year are the reconstruction and resurfacing of Cedar Lane, Cedar Court, Polke Lane, Soo Lake Road, Oak Drive, Musky Bay Drive and South Musky Bay Drive, as well as single-chip sealing and flex-patching for a portion of River Road, Southshore Drive, Long Lake Drive, Lakeland Drive and a portion of Cedar Lane.

Fetzer, also the town’s fire chief, presented an overview of the Newbold fire department’s 2025 activity. He reported that the department was called to 75 fire department calls, 164 medical calls, one structure fire in Newbold, 12 mutual aid requests for structure fires, six wildland fires, 10 fire alarms, seven car accidents two carbon monoxide calls, nine search-related calls, five airboat requests, seven power lines down, and one lightning strike.

“We have 32 people on the department,” he reported. “Twenty-two members are involved with firefighting activity, ranging from interior structural firefighting to driving a tanker or manning a water supply point. Ten of our members are medical first responders. Eight of our members are primarily involved in search and rescue activities.”

Also on the agenda was a report on the town cemetery, which according to Hess has $36,926 “and change” in the cemetery fund, which is used for upkeep.

“There were eight lot sales,” he told the River News. “Four of them were at $300, four of them were at $600 apiece. They changed the rates to $600 this year. That was the first time they upped the rates in 17 years.”

The pair of resident attendees also heard that their town is in “good financial condition,” per Hess, and that Rookery Run’s disc golf course is now open.

The Newbold town board will meet next on Thursday, April 30, at 6 p.m. at the Newbold Community Center.

Ardith Carlton may be reached at [email protected].