A waste fee | Weekly Wausonian
Wausau news for the week of July 3, 2025
Marathon County residents could be paying a fee for a program that ensures their septic tanks are being maintained.
The county’s Environmental Resources Committee Tuesday gave a preliminary nod to a plan that could charge septic tank owners $6 per year to pay for a program that ensures they’re getting their tanks maintained.
Currently the program is being paid for by tax dollars, and costs the county about $125,000 per year. That means taxpayers in municipalities are paying for a service they don’t use, if they’re hooked up to municipal wastewater systems.
Planning and zoning staff presented a plan with options to help pay for some or all of the costs of the program ($6 covers all of it), which is state-mandated. Officials say 31 other counties in Wisconsin already have a similar fee.
The motion passed but was not unanimous. Committee Member Marilyn Bhend said septic tank owners are already paying a lot for the systems and their maintenance, and she said fees tend to go up over time. “How do we know it will stay at this low price?” Bhend says. “I’m against it.”
But committee chair Mike Ritter said he had a hard time asking people in municipalities to pay for a program that only impacts rural people. He said they already bear the cost of municipal systems. “If the utility puts in a PFAS filtration system, they need to pay for it,” Ritter says.
County officials will next reach out to the towns for their input and will schedule a hearing. The change if ultimately approved would then make its way to the county board for final approval.
Someone tried to sell an otter at a Wausau bar? Here is what happened and more in our Wausau Tavern Report:
Wausau Police investigate attempted sale of a wild otter
We think Wausau gets pretty interesting after dark. Here are the significant police calls to Wausau taverns for the last month, plus information about liquor licenses and other bar-related matters.
The ethics case against Doug Diny has gotten stranger and more complicated:
Ethics board adds a dozen potential witnesses to the Doug Diny Ballot box ethics case
The potential witness list in the ethics investigation into Mayor Doug Diny just grew significantly.
What else in Wausau?
Foundry on Third sees delays, still aims for end-of-year opening: The Foundry on Third project has experienced some delays, but project leaders still plan to finish by the end of the year. The city’s Economic Development Committee Tuesday voted 3-2 to approve an extension for the project, after T. Wall Enterprises officials said they had a tariff-related delay on countertops and some masonry issues. Several committee members said it was the last delay - which extended the completion deadline from Nov. to Dec. 31 - that they would approve of. The Wausonian got a walk-through of the Foundry on Third project recently.
The mayor’s comments are back on the agenda, with restriction: It might seem like inside baseball, but the mayor’s comments at the beginning of city council meetings have sparked controversy - but the city’s rules committee seems to have a solution. The committee Tuesday agreed to put the agenda item back at the beginning of the city council meetings, with caveats that his remarks be agendized and that he not address other items on the agenda - instead he must concede the gavel to the council president and make his remarks from the podium during those specific agenda items. The mayor’s remarks have become a source of contention at recent council meetings, with the mayor and council bickering about what is and isn’t allowed.
Around the metro
Minocqua Brewing Co owner arrested over the weekend, planning to disrupt Fourth of July parade: The owner of Minocqua Brewing Co. was arrested Friday afternoon. The brewery’s Facebook page showed video of Bangstad being arrested for allegedly violating a no contact order issued in his misdemeanor defamation case. Bangstad in his follow up video said he was holding a tasting at the brewery, which has been operating despite its permit being revoked, and speaking through a microphone. Lakeland Times owner Gregg Walker and editor Heather Holmes emerged from the building and Bangstad during his rally started yelling about them (the Times’ office is across the street from the brewery). Walker successfully sued Bangstad for defamation and he also faces misdemeanor defamation after circulating a photoshop creation of Walker and Holmes in an adult situation, as well as a new lawsuit. Court records say he is not to disparage any party in the lawsuit, but it also specifically says “no contact with GW and HH”). Bangstad on the MBC Facebook page Tuesday announced he was planning to organize a march to stop the Fourth of July parade in Minocqua as a protest.
Woman accused in killing of Cindy Schulz-Juedes pleads no contest: A woman accused of killing the woman at the center of Marathon County’s highest-profile cold case has pleaded no contest to the crime. Taylor Sanchez is accused of killing Cindy Schulz-Juedes, who herself was convicted in 2021 of killing her husband Ken Juedes in 2006. The two shared a cell in prison. Prosecutors took on the Juedes case in 2019 without new evidence, believing the circumstantial evidence was enough to convict Schulz-Juedes. The case and subsequent trial became the subject of national news, including an episode of A&E’s Taking the Stand (your Wausonian editor was interviewed for the show).
Business
Mission Grounds closed Monday: Mission Grounds Espresso, run by Bridge Street Mission, closed after business on Monday. Officials told Channel 7 that the coffee shop has served its mission. Bridge Street Mission’s then executive director told the late reporter Pat Peckham that the coffee shop’s mission was to help raise funds for their mission. Bridge Street Mission runs transitional housing at its new 3rd Avenue location and also submitted a bid to run the city’s homeless shelter.
A&W opens in the old Fuzzy Tacos location: A&W is now open in the former Fuzzy Tacos building, and lines are reportedly rather long. The site previously had been a Wendy’s, which was subject to a staff walkout over working conditions.
Bull Falls reopening still pending: The new owners of Bull Falls Brewing Co. say they have an opening date in mind, but aren’t ready to announce it yet. The owners on Facebook said there are still some approvals and permits they’re waiting on. Initially, new owner Kurt Mueller told The Wausonian they had hoped to open Bull Falls Brewing Company in mid-March. “Its [sic] going to be awesome, and a whole new brewery,” the owners posted.
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Entertainment
The multi-day music fest and Fourth of July celebration Riverfront Rendezvous is this weekend; plus The Tamaracks, Brad on the Sand, The Spicy Tie Band and more in our Wausome Weekend Guide:
Sports
College softball: The Wausau Ignite brought a four-game win streak to a close with a double-header loss to the Madison Mares June 28-29. The Ignite dropped the first game 9-2 and narrowly lost the second 8-7. That leaves Wausau fourth out of five teams as the Ignite heads into the second half of its inaugural season. They’ll take on the Mares again at home today (Thursday).
College baseball: The Wausau Woodchucks hope to build on a four-game win streak after defeating the Kalamazoo Growlers 7-6 Tuesday. The Woodchucks finished the first half of the season in second place despite a 22-14 record, behind only the Green Bay Rockers. The Chucks faced Kalamazoo again Wednesday evening.
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