Committee to study city fee issue; 2026 budget approved

Special event fees have been a frequent discussion topic for the Rhinelander Common Council over the last few years as the alderpersons reguarly receive requests for waivers. The requests have prompted multiple alders to express disatisfaction with the current process but the panel has struggled to come to a consensus as to how best to address their concerns. It’s a delicate balancing act as city officials have stressed that they want to continue to support local events, however the municipal budget continues to tighten.
The alders spent nearly an hour of their Nov. 10 meeting revisiting the issue, with concerns raised about consistency, transparency, and the financial burden on city departments.
“It seems to keep coming up during our meetings, where we try to get picky and choosy about who we’re waiving these fees for,” alderman Bob Lueder said. “When people are up at the podium asking us to waive the fees, it’s not the time for us to decide that we’re not going to do that for whatever reason.”
Alderman Steven Jopek suggested creating a dedicated fund using revenue from the recently increased room tax to help offset costs for local organizations. However, City Attorney Steve Sorensen explained that state statute limits how room tax revenue can be used, and the city cannot create a “sinking fund” for fee waivers.
City Administrator Patrick Reagan noted that his concern is the cost to city departments providing services for events.

As he did during the council’s last meeting, Police Chief Lloyd Gauthier emphasized the burden on city staff, particularly for multi-day events requiring significant preparation and resources.
The council ultimately voted to create a subcommittee consisting of Aldermen Jopek and Thomas Barnett, along with city administration, to develop new policy recommendations to be brought back to the full council.
On a related note, the council also voted 5-3 to deny a $250 fireworks display fee waiver request from the Lights of the Northwoods, with several alders citing the need to establish a consistent policy before approving more waivers.
2026 Budget Approved
In other business, the council unanimously approved the city’s 2026 budget and tax levy following a public hearing that drew no public comment.
City finance director Wendi Bixby presented a balanced budget that includes a 3% wage increase for city employees.
“Hours upon hours of work is reduced down to basically two pages,” city administrator Reagan noted, thanking Bixby and department heads for their efforts.
The council also approved several construction-related items, including change orders for the Messer Street project totaling approximately $94,000 - significantly less than initial estimates for dewatering work required by the DNR.
Additionally, the council voted to move forward with soliciting proposals from commercial realtors to potentially sell city-owned vacant parcels, with the goal of returning unused property to the tax rolls.
Finally, following a closed session discussion that lasted approximately 20 minutes, the council voted unanimously to terminate the contract of assistant city attorney Lindsay Erickson. Erickson has been handling the prosecution of municipal and traffic violations since Dec. 1, 2024. No reason was given for the termination of the contract.