Council approves Iron Hodag sculpture, baby box agreement

A special piece of public art is coming to downtown Rhinelander. Last week, the Rhinelander Common Council voted unanimously to place a Iron Hodag sculpture on the south end of Brown Street, one of several actions taken at what was also the final meeting for the lone outgoing alderperson, David Holt.
The council approved a recommendation from the Rhinelander Public Art Commission to site the sculpture at the corner of Anderson and Brown streets. The piece is the work of Don Gaber, an artist with ties to Rhinelander, and was commissioned by former Rhinelander residents Ron and Elise Gaber.
The Iron Hodag is built around an approximately eight-foot-long metal skeleton and will be finished with reclaimed materials donated by the community — an approach consistent with Gaber’s broader artistic practice, which incorporates discarded, donated, scavenged, and vintage materials to create large-scale works that reflect the history and character of the communities where they are created. Materials being woven into the sculpture include paper mill artifacts, lumberjack memorabilia, vintage license plates, old metal advertising, machinery parts, and former business or tourism signage sourced from the Rhinelander area.
Virginia Roberts, vice chair of the Public Art Commission, told the council the sculpture was designed to reflect both the hodag — the city’s mascot — and Rhinelander’s heritage in the lumber and paper industries. Its construction was also intended to make it resistant to damage and vandalism. The artist noted that the spikes on the sculpture have been dulled for safety, and confirmed that cross-cut saws donated by the Rhinelander Historical Society were incorporated into the piece.
The sculpture is expected to be unveiled later this summer. The council also approved a memorandum of understanding with Artstart to cover the first two years of insurance and care for the piece.

A question arose during the meeting about the fate of an existing Hodag already on the proposed site. City officials indicated it would likely be relocated to one of two other downtown green spaces.
Community members who wish to contribute materials to the project can email a photo of the item to David Gaber at gaberssuperiorview@gmail.com or Janet Jamison at jamisjan@rhinelander.k12.wi.us.
The council also took a major step forward Monday on a months-long effort to bring a Safe Haven Baby Box to the Rhinelander Fire Department, approving a memorandum of understanding with the Tri-County Council on Domestic Violence and Assault and Calvary Baptist Church to formalize the arrangement.
The program, which allows parents in crisis to anonymously surrender newborns without facing criminal charges, was first presented to the council in January by two Oneida County foster parents, Nicole Ziolkowski and Jenna Toms. The pair emphasized from the start that they intended to cover all costs through fundraising, with no expense to the city or taxpayers — a condition that remained central to Monday’s MOU approval. Fire Chief AJ Johnson, who has been working on the agreement for several months, reiterated that ensuring no financial burden fell on the city was a key requirement.
Safe Haven Baby Boxes are installed at fire stations and allow parents to surrender infants up to 72 hours old anonymously. When a baby is placed inside, multiple alarms sound immediately and emergency personnel are dispatched. The program was founded in 2015 and operates as the only initiative of its kind in the United States. The closest existing box to Rhinelander is in Howard, near Green Bay.
The box would be installed near the training room at the front of the fire station, which is staffed around the clock and is adjacent to the police department. The initial cost for a Wisconsin installation is $16,500, which includes a required video surveillance component, with an annual maintenance fee of $500. Fundraisers have set a goal of approximately $30,000 to cover installation and ongoing costs.
Council President Carrie Mikalauski, who works for the Oneida County Human Services Office, expressed strong support for the program when it was first presented, noting that the county has seen multiple safe haven surrenders in recent years. “I can think of three just last year,” she said at the time. “This is really a need in our region, and it’s not just for Rhinelander — this would affect the surrounding communities too.”
The meeting opened with brief public remarks from Holt, who announced last November he would not seek another term. Holt reflected on his eight years on the council and told those in attendance he was proud of the work done during that time.
“I’m stepping off of Council, but I’m not stepping back from the community,” he said, drawing laughter when he clarified the remark was not a threat.
Linnaea Newman will take over as the District 6 alderperson.
In other action, the council:
Approved the purchase of two Daikin six-ton air conditioning units for the Rhinelander Police Department from Neighborhood Heating LLC at a cost of $31,600. The units were budgeted at $15,000, but the higher cost will be covered through existing borrowing funds. City administration noted the current units have been failing since last year.
Approved a new website hosting and maintenance agreement with Revize through 2029. The city’s previous four-year contract with the company expired this month. The new agreement includes improvements to make city PDFs and forms more ADA accessible.
Approved a liquor license application for Rosati’s Pizza at 1973 Navajo Street, pending occupancy approval from city inspectors and the fire department. The license would run through June 30, after which the business would need to reapply. The approval brings the city to 31 of its 33 allowed Class B liquor licenses.
Approved the purchase of a Freightliner SD114 snowplow from Truck Country of Wausau for $126,364. The truck will be added to the city’s existing fleet rather than replacing a current vehicle.
Approved a budget amendment reducing both franchise fee revenue and professional fee expenditures by $10,000 each, a net-zero adjustment reflecting a decline in franchise fee collections.
Approved a public participation plan for the city’s 2026 comprehensive plan update, required by state statute. The North Central Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission is handling the update, which is expected to be completed by the end of the year.
Approved a new three-year lease agreement with the Hodag Farmers Market for use of space at Pioneer Park. The previous agreement had been a 10-year contract; the shorter term reflects legal guidance received by the city.
Approved the purchase of ultraviolet disinfection bulbs for the city’s wastewater treatment plant from Georgia Technologies Corporation for $10,803.27. The bulbs are used to treat E. coli and are available only from a single source supplier.
The council’s next regular meeting is scheduled for April 27 at 6 p.m.