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Weekly Blast!: Last week the Town of Grant hosted the Portage County unit meeting of the Wisconsin Towns Association (WTA). This week I attended the WTA Annual Convention in Stevens Point. Town and village officers from all over the State of Wisconsin were present; hundreds of them. Each year this event helps to educate officers about state statutes, current legislation, road maintenance and construction, budgeting, ambulance and fire protection, and so much more. No one officer can attend all the sessions available (we need the entire board to do that!) but these are the ones I attended: 1) Cypersecurity Attacks; 2) Fire Protection Service Fees; 3) Legal “Cracker Barrel” (where officers can ask the WTA attorneys ANYTHING); 4) Large-Scale Wind & Solar; and 5) Industrial Development. Each session was extremely interesting and educational. Of particular interest was the session on Fire Protection Service Fees. Currently we pay for fire protection services from our general fund to the Town of Grand Rapids and the Village of Plainfield. The first uses equalized value to determine what we pay whereas the second uses a formula that is proportional to each contracted municipality. The former does not and so unfortunately, we pay a disproportional amount to T. Grand Rapids. In this WTA session they recommended two options if we don’t want to continue pulling from our general fund: 1) referendum to increase our levy; or 2) using a formula based on square footage of homes/businesses/land size, etc. to have landowners pay proportionally based on the anticipated expense of a fire to their parcel. It’s a very interesting option and several towns are working with their assessors to create a fair formula for landowners. For example, an agricultural field would pay far less than a large commercial building, or a small home would pay less than a large one with several accessory buildings, etc. Moving forward the Town of Grant will be looking at options as the price of fire protection increases every year. We need to find ways to make it fair with the greatest protection for all our residents, their homes, businesses, and land. Enjoy the anticipated stunning weather, Sharon

Posted on by vanja

Notice of Public Hearing

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
PORTAGE COUNTY WELLHEAD PROTECTION ORDINANCE AMENDMENT

 

Notice is hereby given that on Tuesday, February 24, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. in Conference Room 5 of the County Annex, 1462 Strongs Avenue, Stevens Point, the Portage County Planning and Zoning Committee will hold a public hearing at which time and place all interested persons may appear and will be given an opportunity to be heard in support of or in opposition to T-2025-001. The proposal will amend the existing Portage County Wellhead Protection Ordinance text and make modifications to the Groundwater Protection District maps.

 

Materials and information related to this request will be available for viewing prior to the Hearing date online at www.co.portage.wi.gov by clicking on the agenda packet for the Planning and Zoning Committee meeting in the Agendas/Minutes Calendar. All interested persons are invited to attend said hearing and be heard, and accommodations have been made to do so remotely if you prefer. To attend this meeting by telephone dial 1-872-242-7813, after dialing the number you will then be asked to enter in a meeting number. Use the following meeting number: 595 131 207, then press #. To attend this meeting by video, go to www.co.portage.wi.gov and click on the link in the agenda for the Planning and Zoning Committee meeting in the Agendas/Minutes Calendar. If you are unable to attend the hearing, you may submit written comments on agenda items to the Planning and Zoning Department by mail at 1462 Strongs Avenue, Stevens Point, WI 54481, or by e-mail at (kunzet@co.portage.wi.gov). The deadline for sending comments in writing is 2 business days prior to the meeting. Comments will be delivered to supervisors and posted at least 24 hours prior to the start of the meeting.

Wellhead Protection Ordinance Packet to Municipalities