Stratford board faces questions from local hunters

By Kevin O’Brien

A pair of hunters approached the Stratford Village Board last week to ask about expanding the village’s hunting zone and to seek clarification on what is currently allowed on village-owned land south of STH 153.

Village resident Brad Guralski was the first to address the board at its Oct. 8 meeting, asking if his five acres of mostly wooded land north of Serene Street could be added to one of the zones where deer hunting is permitted under certain conditions.

“Currently it’s in the white zone, which means no hunting,” he said referring to a color-coded map approved by the village board in September that identifies three zones for hunting.

The map includes “less restrictive” areas

STRATFORD/ Stratford

Continued from page 1

on the outskirts of the village where shotguns, bows and black powder rifles can be used, a few archeryonly areas, and two “special permit” zones where permission is needed from the village to do archery hunting to reduce the village’s deer population. Everything outside those zones is white, where hunting is prohibited.

Trustee Dale Heil said any possible changes to the hunting map first need to be reviewed by the village’s Public Safety committee, which has not had a meeting since the board approved the map in September. Village clerk Jamie Heindl told Gurlaski that she would let him know when the committee schedules its next meeting.

Another resident, Kevin Schleicher, questioned the board about the status of village-owned Heritage Trail area south of STH 153 and west of the trailer park, which is included in “special permit” zone on the village’s hunting map. Schleicher said local police tried to cite him for archery hunting in a firearm zone, but he said the village’s ordinance does not say anything about needing a permit to hunt in a firearm zone.

The ordinance was published in 2010, and if it was updated since then, Schleicher said the village has an obligation to inform the public.

“If the ordinance has changed, you need to provide that to me before you enforce it,” he said.

Schleicher also noted that signs on the property in question indicate it was purchased with land from the state of Wisconsin’s Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Fund.

“According to the stipulations of the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Fund, that land must be opened to all outdoor activity, and if there is a prohibition, it needs to be posted in at least two places on that property,” he said.

During his monthly report, police chief Thomas Koontz said he researched the land Schleicher was referring to and found no records indicating that it was purchased with Knowles-Nelson funding. Schleicher questioned why the village has signs on the property indicating that the land is enrolled in the Stewardship Fund.

“I have no idea,” Koontz said, noting that the Wisconsin DNR’s online map does not include any Stewardship land in Stratford.

Heil said the Public Safety Committee would also address Schleicher’s concerns at its next meeting.

“I know how that land was purchased,” he said. “We will move that to the committee, because we just need more information to resolve this.”

Other business

■ Gwen Strampp from the Stratford Area Historical Society told the board that the Friends of Wausau Historic Landmarks will be visiting Stratford on Saturday, Oct. 19, starting at about 1:30 p.m., to tour the village’s historic business district. She expects about 50 people to attend.

■ The board approved an updated streets and sidewalks priority list, as recommended by the Public Works Committee. Heil said the list helps the village when applying for grants.

■ DPW Scott Dennee told the board about the state’s plan to mill and overlay a portion of STH 153 in 2028, and the village’s initial interest in replacing water and sewer mains during that project. Dennee said the Wisconsin DOT would require the village to reconstruct the road to state standards, which would more than double the costs, so the Public Works Committee recommended holding off on the utility work until the highway is reconstructed in 15 to 20 years.

■ The board approved a street use permit for Legion Street, between Logger and Larch, for the Trunk-or-Treat event on Oct. 31.

■ The board approved the hiring of Stephanie Betlinski as the new village treasurer, and also voted to add her as a signer on the village’s bank accounts.

■ The board approved an $8,000 bonus for village clerk Jamie Heindl for training and additional hours due to staff shortages.

■ The board approved alcohol operator’s licenses for Cody Rocha at Stratford Bread & Butter Shop and Kari Hannemann at Dollar General.