Menzner outlines plans for new plant

By Kevin O’Brien

An architect working for Menzner Hardwoods unveiled detailed plans last week for a four-phase development on the north side of STH 29 that will include a 100,000 square foot manufacturing facility and a two-story office building attached to a large distribution warehouse.

Melody Hamlin, project architect for Funktion Design Studio in Wausau, spoke to Marathon City Village Board at its March 6 meeting about the local company’s plans to build a new campus in the village’s new northern industrial park over the next five years.

Phase One of the project, which is expected to be completed by September of 2026, will include construction of the 100,000 square foot manufacturing plant with a 6,400 square foot “employee support area” with its own entrance, offices, break room, lockers, and bathrooms. Phase Two, which will be built out over five years or more, includes a 125,000 square foot distribution warehouse with a two-story office administration building. All of the buildings will be located off Cattail Avenue just west of 152nd Avenue and south of Industrial Park Road. Menzner Hardwoods purchased the 32.5-acre lot from the village last year for $1 per acre, and in exchange, it promised to build a production facility with an assessed value for at least $8.1 million by June 30, 2026.

At last week’s meeting, the board approved a series of amendments to the village’s development agreement with Menzner, which will allow the facility to have a west-facing facade, exceed a 35-foot height limit and include a solar array that covers 70 percent of the roof space. All of these changes required variances to the restrictive

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covenants in the new industrial park.

The covenants would have required the front of the buildings to face south toward STH 29, but in order to maximize its space, Hamlin said the decision was made to turn the building toward the west. Hamlin all corners of the building will match what’s on the front facade, with two shades of gray and embossed panels.

“The commitment that Menzer has made is that this will not look like a pre-engineered metal building,” Hamlin said. “So, it’s all architectural panels that are insulated. It’s going to look like more of a stone wall, if you will.”

When it comes to the height variance, Hamlin said certain parts of the roof are tentatively designed to be 36 feet to cover up the roof-mounted solar arrays, but it could go as high as 38 feet in some spots. Hamlin said the solar panels will be used to provide power for lighting the facility.

Trustee Connie Ruplinger said she has no problem with the variances proposed by Menzner.

“I mean, it’s your property, you’ve got to make that property work for you, whether you have it facing 29 or facing to the west,” she said.

The site plans also includes two large stormwater retention ponds, rows of trees along the north and east sides and a total of 190 parking spots. This will include 70 spots for employees, which matches the number of workers expected for each shift.

Hamlin said the overall layout was designed to catch people’s attention and be something that both the village and the company can be proud of.

Village administrator Steve Cherek said the company has also submitted an application for a conditional use permit (CUP), which will be taken up by the village’s planning commission on Thursday. The commission will address the noise limits of a dust collection system planned at the facility, along with landscaping and parking lot size, and will make a recommendation for the board to consider at a special meeting planned for March 19 at 6 p.m.

Under the development agreement approved last year, the company agrees to pay the village at least $153,836 in “guaranteed tax increment revenue” every year starting in 2026. If the annual property tax bill falls below that amount, the company promises to make a supplemental payment to make up the difference.

Other business

■ The board approved alcohol operator’s licenses for Rebecca Groshek and Ell Altfillish at the Home Bar & Grill, and denied one for Nathan Zuelke. A license was also approved for Tracy Harbaugh at the True North Energy gas station.

■ Following the recommendation of fire chief Darrin Hall and Cherek, the board approved the hiring of Joseph Leiterman as an EMT/firefighter and Devin Hall, Rich Seubert and Nathan Seubert as firefighters.

■ The board renewed an agreement with Chad Clark of Central Wisconsin Fire Safety to do fire safety and prevention inspections. Cherek said the fire department paid Clark $8,000 last year for his services, with the money being recouped through the 2 percent dues collected on fire insurance premiums.

■ The board voted to include a new provision on longevity pay for firefighters and EMTs in the employee handbook, and to remove a section of ordinance dealing with the same issue. The longevity pay, which is $1,000 for 10 years of services and $2,500 for 20 or more years of service, had been included in the ordinances, but Cherek said the village’s auditors suggested it be repealed because it refers to an account that was never actually established.

■ The board voted to take the first step in amending a charter ordinance adopted in 1980 that made the clerk-treasurer a consolidation position. As administrator, Cherek said he also serves as the treasurer, but the village would like to officially appoint someone else as clerk to correspond to how the village is currently run. Because it is a charter ordinance, under state law, the board has to publish the proposed change and wait 60 days, until its May 7 meeting, to officially amend the ordinance.

■ During his monthly administrator’s report, Cherek said he’s continuing to work with the village’s financial advisors at Ehlers Associates to develop a capital improvement plan, which could potentially include nearly 50 proposed projects and purchases. Cherek said finding the money to implement the plan is going to be tricky because $475,000 still needs to be transferred from the general fund to the park fund after the payment was missed in 2021.

■ The board met in closed session to discuss appointing a new assistant fire chief and also to discuss negotiating strategies for something called “DG Market.” The agenda also included ongoing negotiations with the Marathon School District and local ball clubs for user fees at the village’s ballparks. No action was taken in open session.

THE PLANS- An overhead design drawing from Funktion Design Studio in Wausau shows Menzner Hardwoods’ plans for a four-phase development on the north side of STH 29 that will include a new production facility, office building and distribution center. Marathon City sold land to the local company last year so it could build the campus in the village’s new industrial park. Phase One, which includes a 100,000 sqaure foot production plant, is scheduled to be completed by next year