Weekly News Blast – Town of Grant, Portage Co

Weekly Blast!: It’s been an exciting and hopeful week for the Town of Grant. On Monday Supervisor Doug Steltenpohl convened a meeting for our snowplow operators to discuss what worked and what didn’t during the recent blizzard. During their discussion Supervisor Provost chimed in that state historical records reported that this area had not had a storm of similar intensity since the late 1800s – whoa! Our operators have been charged with considering the current plow routes and to make suggestions for possible modifications in preparation for next winter season. Later that morning the Board met and approved the planned purchase of a chipper. This purchase will allow our Public Works crew to chip the brush they clear along our rights-of-ways and distribute the mulch into the adjoining woods. This will be a much cleaner operation for all to see. Once our winter season’s brush has been chipped the crew will get to clearing the brush laying within ditches and swales so as not to impede spring flow from melt. Last, we will be making small repairs on our JCB, now 32 years old and showing its age. We will use it short-term but intend to sell it and move to a lease to own program for a newer machine over the next three years. Currently we use our backhoe/loader for many functions almost daily. It’s time. Today and tomorrow winter; Sunday through next week, spring? Hopefully, Sharon

Posted on December 13, 2024, Edited December 13, 2024 by webmaster

Weekly News Blast

The Board met this week for their monthly meeting. We passed the 2025 budget – yeah! However, one of the big unknowns for next year will be our legal budget. We placed $25,000 in that line item, a large sum for any Town. Unfortunately, our insurer has covered what they will from the lawsuits filed by former Supervisor Heather Grys-Luecht. At Wednesday’s meeting another $4,000+ bill was paid to the attorneys representing the Town; now totally more than $7,000 in legal fees above our insurance coverage of $10,000. We anticipate that we will continue to receive more legal bills unless/until this case is settled or goes to court. It is because the Town itself has been sued that all landowners will be paying legal fees from town taxes. This, versus the case of the utility solar project wherein all our legal fees were reimbursed.

Just in time for the holidays you’ll be receiving your 2024 tax bills from the Portage County Treasurer’s office. You’ll also be receiving our Fall newsletter. There’s lots of news to take in including special reports from both the Portage County Highway and Solid Waste Departments.

Enjoy the weekend; at least it’s warmed up a bit. Sharon