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UPCOMING MEETINGS
The next Plan Commission meeting may take place on Thursday, December 4th at 10 AM:
(*=Plan Commission meetings are scheduled for the First Thursday of every month but occur only when the Commission
has business to conduct, an event signaled by the posting of an agenda 24-48 hours prior to the meeting date)
The next regular Town Board meeting will take place on Wednesday, December 10h at 7 PM:
(As of January 2024, Town Board meetings will occur on the second MONDAY or WEDNESDAY of each month although this might need to change. Watch this site for the date each month)
WINTER ROAD REMINDERS
We’re seeing an increase in the numbers of people pushing snow out of their driveways and across the road. Many municipalities consider this practice to be illegal.
Wis. Stat. § 346.94(5) prohibits anyone from placing or causing to be placed upon a highway any foreign substance which is or may be injurious to any vehicle. This prohibits anyone from plowing, shoveling, or blowing snow onto a road. The penalty for violating this statute is $50 for each offense.
Lanark prefers to be a bit more accepting of the practice, PROVIDED THAT IT IS DONE CLEANLY. All snow pushed across the road should be completely off the roadway so that there is no evidence that the snow was pushed across the road in the first place. Any residual clumps or tracks of snow on the roadway can create problems, especially when that snow becomes ice after temperatures drop. We’ve received complaints from school bus and emergency vehicle drivers about hitting this “residual” snow.
There are also situations where adding snow to a ditch can result in drainage problems when the snow melts. Wis. Stat. § 86.022 makes it a misdemeanor punishable by fine to place any obstruction in a road ditch which will impede drainage. As such, individuals should not be filling ditches with compacted snow.
We’re also asking that residents place their trash/recycling containers outside the travel path of the snow plow. The trash/recycling collection trucks can reach out 4 feet to capture the containers, so make sure those containers are placed beyond the ridge of snow that marks the edge of the plow’s path.
ROAD WORK – Summer 2025
The Town of Lanark awarded the Pipe Road paving project to American Asphalt and the work was completed in June. The Town of Lanark’s portions of Floistad and Damrau Roads were ground up into gravel because their surfaces were beyond repair. These roads will remain as gravel until the Spring of 2026 when the Town will examine paving options to complete the repairs..
FREE WATER TESTING STILL AVAILABLE FOR PORTAGE COUNTY RESIDENTS
Up to 300 free water tests are available to homeowners in Portage County. This testing includes nitrates, coliform bacteria, pH, and other tests included in the UWSP WEAL homeowners package. This testing usually costs $61 if obtained directly from the lab. These free tests will be awarded on a first come, first served basis so apply soon!
Please note that funding for assistance with installation of reverse osmosis systems is no longer available.
For the free water tests, contact:
Tyler Kunze
Portage Count Water Resource Specialist
1462 Strongs Avenue
Stevens Point, WI 54481
715-346-1493
kunzet@co.portage.wi.gov
LANARK SHIFTS TO NEW STATE LEGISLATIVE DISTRICTS
Wisconsin’s State Senate and Assembly district borders have been re-drawn and the Town of Lanark finds itself in new districts for both the State Senate (19th) and Assembly (57th). Previously, we were on the Eastern edge of districts that ran west and south of us but we are now on the northwestern edge of districts that run East and South of us. Here are links to maps of these new districts:
Watch for candidates for office in these districts to reach out prior to the upcoming elections!
This state map provides a statewide or individual view of all 33 Senate and 99 Assembly districts.
TRASH TALK
Q: Why do we separate trash and recyclables when both are dumped into the same truck?
A: Harter’s, the company that collects trash and recyclables in Lanark, uses trucks that have two compartments, one for trash and the other for recyclables. These compartments are easy to see when you look at the back of the truck. This design is more efficient than having separate trucks collecting trash and recyclables.
When the mechanical arm lifts and dumps your trash or recycling bin into the truck, the bin’s contents are directed into the correct compartment by a hinged lid that exposes the correct bin while covering the opening to the other one. This 3 minute video from a collection truck manufacturer shows how it works: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AAbFLt1yBGM