Council passes resolution in support of county shop redevelopment, approves water treatment study

The Rhinelander Common Council has chosen to wade into a topic that has vexed Oneida County officials for years — what to do with the county’s highway department facility. Following a brief discussion during its Nov. 24 meeting, the council unanimously approved a resolution urging the county to redevelop the property where the facility is located.
Mayor Kris Hanus, who requested the resolution, didn’t mince words about the current state of the county-owned property at 730 West Kemp Street near the roundabout.
“It’s an ugly facility to look at when you drive into Rhinelander. I’m going to be blunt,” Hanus said. “That is the gateway from our airport. That is the gateway into our city. It is one of the major highways that show Rhinelander. And I don’t want to look at a pile of sand or a decrepit building from the ‘40s.”
The mayor outlined multiple problems with the existing facility, noting it has safety issues, concerns with the DNR, and sits partially on railroad property. The county has debated for over a decade whether to invest millions in upgrading the building or relocate to a new facility.
Hanus emphasized the economic development potential of the site, which is currently included in a Tax Increment Financing (TIF) district established when the nearby Cobblestone Hotel was built.

“From a real estate point of view, you have one of the most prime real estates in this community, county and city that is making zero tax base,” Hanus said. “So this is something now, with the TIF in place, with the Oneida County hiking, biking trails association, with economic development, with the airport, all working together, we want to work with the county to explore new ways to make this better.”
The resolution is non-binding which means it doesn’t commit any city funds and does not require the county to take action. Instead, it signals the city’s willingness to partner with the county on redevelopment efforts from economic development, job creation, blight removal, and environmental cleanup perspectives.
Alderman Tom Barnett asked whether the city would have input on what gets developed at the site if the county decides to sell.
“If the county were to sell the property, then it falls into the city,” Hanus explained. “If they want TIF assistance, that’s something we could work on a development agreement. Of course, if anything new gets built, they have to follow all the zoning and codes.”
The mayor noted potential revenue sources from redevelopment could include room tax if a hotel is built, or sales tax if retail uses are developed.
Water treatment pilot study approved
In separate action, the council approved a $36,250 contract with Water Surplus of Loves Park, Ill., to conduct a six-to-nine-month pilot study for treating municipal wells seven and eight, which have been offline for the past six years due to PFAS contamination.
Greg Droessler from Town & Country Engineering explained the testing is required by the DNR before any PFAS treatment project can be funded or approved.
“Pilot testing of any water treatment is required by the DNR before they will fund or approve any treatment project, whether it’s iron and manganese or PFAS,” he said.
The study will test four different types of treatment media side-by-side in three-inch diameter columns—two types of granular activated carbon and two ion exchange resins. Each company has proprietary products, and the testing will determine which is most efficient and cost-effective for Rhinelander’s specific water conditions.
“We’re going to be side by side testing four different medias,” Droessler explained. “In the media industry, everyone has their own proprietary product, so you’re basically testing them side by side to see which is going to be the most efficient and effective.”
The city received three proposals and selected Water Surplus over a slightly cheaper California company due to proximity and hands-on support. Droessler noted there’s “a big difference when you have a service call and they’re coming from four or five hours south, versus having to catch a flight from California.”
Alderman Gerald Anderson raised concerns about pumping and disposing of water during the testing process. Dressler assured the council the wells would need to be flushed for several days initially, but during the actual pilot test, only about 3,000 gallons per day would be used—well below the DNR’s 70-gallon-per-minute threshold that requires permitting.
Mayor Hanus noted the similarity to the recent Messer Street project and sought assurance about environmental safety.
“As far as pumping groundwater to the surface, testing it and then letting it go back to groundwater, it sounds very familiar to what we did on Messer,” Hanus said. “I’m assuming it’s all approved by the DNR and recommended actually, like on Messer Street?”
“What we’re actually doing here is we’re actually treating it as we input,” Droessler responded. “What we’re running through the pilot test, we’re actually treating that water before it infiltrates back into the soil.”
The mayor emphasized this provides peace of mind for surrounding residents: “So at least from a peace of mind point of view for the surrounding community around there, we’re slowly cleaning that up, at least for the testing purposes, and there’s no real concern for that activity having a negative impact on their drinking water or their lives.”
Droessler confirmed that was correct, adding that the water will drain to a rock-filled infiltration area rather than the city sewer system. The DNR strongly recommends on-site pilot testing over cheaper laboratory testing because it provides better data on how long treatment media will last, helping project long-term operational and maintenance costs.
If the city successfully secures grant funding for the eventual treatment facility, all pilot testing costs can be reimbursed through the grant program, it was noted.