Lake Holcombe Town/Budget Hearing - If you don’t want the bridge closed, stay off it

By Ginna Young

It wasn’t good news for the County Hwy. M bridge, Nov. 9, at the Lake Holcombe Town Board meeting. According to the recently released Chippewa County Road Report, replacing or repairing the bridge won’t take place any time soon.

“It isn’t even in the plans until 2028 or 2029,” said county supervisor Buck Steele.

It will take that long to get financing, to the tune of $7.5 million. The news is unfortunate, as the weight limits have dropped twice on the bridge over the Chippewa River. Even though the signs indicate no trucks over a certain tonnage are to travel across the structure, the county has cameras facing the bridge and many larger loads are still going across, that aren’t supposed to.

Steele said all it would take is one heavy load and the bridge would be shut down for years, until replacement.

“We don’t want another Cobban Bridge,” he said. There wasn’t real good news for the planned satellite fire station, either, even though the Fire Board submitted a driveway permit for the property that was donated. They called for bids, opened them and decided who to go with for constructing the driveway in the 100x100 cleaned out area, but received word the permit was denied.

“There’s a wetland in that area…so, we have that to deal with,” said town board chairman Brian Guthman, adding that a delineation study must take place, when things are growing, before they proceed. “We are basically stuck.”

Steele, who is also the president of the Sanitary Board, reported how things are going in the Sanitary District.

“The numbers have been staying pretty close to the same,” said Steele.

However, if the DNR decides the phosphorus levels are too high, to get them down chemically would be very expensive or the district would have to build a whole new plant.

Steele also said they ordered the needed pump, having to put 50 percent down of the $10,000, before the order could go through.

“Pretty good hit for the sanitary district, but it’s got to be done,” said Steele.

Guthman said there is a person interested in serving as the treasurer of the Sanitary Board, after a letter went out to residents, stating that new members are needed. Steele and the two other members previously stated they were stepping down at the end of the year.

Tracey Larson, town board clerk, mentioned that the town board will need to appoint the three board members, as well as a secretary and treasurer.

“They’re not usually voting members,” she said. Town board supervisor Doug Olson asked about what the Sanitary Board bylaws say about the matter, but Steele said he is not sure and will have to look into it. There have only been three sanitary members since Steele has been president, but he remembers a time when there were five.

Guthman also reminded residents that overnight street parking is not allowed, from 2 to 6 a.m, which occurs so the town crews can plow snow.

“We haven’t plowed yet, but we don’t want those cars parked on the street, when we need to plow,” said Guthman.

He also asked people not to plow snow across the roadway, as it is illegal. When the snow is pushed over the ends of the culvert, it causes them to freeze up.

In addition, fiberglass rods are causing problems when stuck in the road right-of-way.

“They’re not a good idea,” said Guthman. One thing that got finalized, is the Chippewa County Outdoor Recreation Plan, which lists available facilities and identifies opportunities to improve those recreations.

“We need to adopt our part of it,” said Guthman. The board also approved the 2024 budget of $760,089, along with a tax levy of $308,381.