News & Notices
The Deerskin River has a serious siltation issue because of the WDNR dam removal many years ago. We are working to remediate this situation. For more information including results of the geomorphic study done on the river click here.
The 2024 Town of Washington newsletter is available here.
Oak Wilt, a 100% fatal disease of oak trees, has been confirmed in ten locations in the Town of Washington. To read more about it and learn what you can do to help prevent its spread click here.
The brush site is closed for the year. It will reopen in spring 2025.
SONIC NET'S FIBER BROADBAND SERVICE NOW AVAILABLE
In addition to Bass Lake, SonicNet's fiber broadband service is now available in the following areas:
Eagle Waters
Oak Hill
Oak
Golf View and Alder
Rangeline up to the bridge
Tambling
Everett and most off-shooting lanes
Highway 70 on the south side between Forest Lane and Everett Road
For more information, see sonicnet.us/fiber-internet-service-plans/ and reach out to SonicNet using the online form right below the services offered (same web page). You can also call them at 715-301-0600, ext 100, during the day, Monday through Friday. Prices start at $79/month for 300 Mbps service. 1 Gig service is also available.
Awards have been determined by the Wisconsin DNR for the 2025 Wildfire Risk Reduction Grant applications. There are more applications for limited grant funding each year, and the process is highly competitive.
The Town of Washington was awarded funding for our Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP) for 2025 in the amount of $12,301.20
The projects included in the grant are:
Roadside chipping on Bass Lake for 120 residents
Roadside chipping on Carpenter Lake for 120 residents
HIZ Assessments on Bass Lake for 60 residents
Brush site maintenance of the town brush site
Since beginning our CWPP in 2017, we have been awarded a total of $101,270.10 in funding for our projects. There has been no cost to the town!
We are grateful to Laura Hayes, WDNR Wildland Urban Interface Specialist, for all her help over the years.
The Transfer Station is accepting plastic bags and other sheet plastics for recycling. This is part of the Trex Recycling Program.
It's the NexTrex Recycling Community Challenge. If we gather 1,000 pounds of plastic in a 12-month period the Town of Washington will receive a
Trex park bench from Trex. In 2023 we collected 1,130 pounds of plastic, and in 2024 we collected 2,862 pounds of plastic. To date, we have received two park benches.
There are two separate bins at the Transfer Station where you can deposit plastic bags and other sheet plastics for recycling. The plastics will be bagged, weighed, and taken to a NexTrex drop-off site.
What kind of plastics can be recycled in the NexTrex Challenge?
Grocery bags
Bread bags
Bubble wrap
Ice bags
Dry cleaning bags
Plastic shipping envelopes
ZipLok and other food storage bags
Cereal bags
Case overwraps
Salt bags
Plastic wrap
Stretch film
Produce bags
NEW GRANT FOR THE TOWN OF WASHINGTON
We are pleased to announce the Town of Washington has been awarded a Community Wildfire Defense Grant in the amount of $246,938.45.
Funded by President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the Community Wildfire Defense Grant (CWDG) program helps communities plan for and mitigate wildfire risks.
The USFS administers this grant, and it invested $197 million in the initial round of funding.
The grant proposal was written by Carole Linn, a member of the town CWPP team.
100 grant proposals were selected representing 22 states and seven tribes. CWDG grants will make $1 billion available over five years to assist at-risk communities.
There were more than 400 applications nationwide requesting more than $525 million during this application cycle. Only three projects were funded in the northeast-midwest section of the United States. The Town of Washington was one of those three projects!
The purpose of our Fuels Reduction Project is to augment, enhance, and expand the Town of Washington Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP) to protect lives, property, and resources from wildfire and provide for public safety. This will be accomplished through the following projects:
Improve wildfire planning efforts and increase the public's and emergency responders' safety through vegetation management on town rights-of-way. This will be accomplished on all 72 miles of town roads rights-of-way through mowing and cutting using a leased John Deere tractor, boom mower, and swing flail for a total cost of $212,938.45. The Town will own the tractor at the end of the lease period.
Reduce hazardous fuels to mitigate fire danger by supporting the Town's brush site through annual chipping. Foley Tree Service will chip the brush site and remove the chips at a cost of $6,800 per year for 5 years for a total cost of $34,000.
2 vehicles are allowed in both the drive-through and side entrance
Backing up is prohibited for safety reasons
You may not walk your garbage or recyclables in
Providing an inventory of forest resources (e.g. forest cover types, approximate timber volumes, tree ages).
Providing a schedule of forest management activities to follow in order to meet land management objectives.
Once a Stewardship Plan is prepared and adopted by the Township, the Town can apply to become a Community Forest. Benefits of this program include free trees or seeds from the State Nursery and technical assistance from DNR Foresters to implement forest management practices and tree planting plans.
Implementing practices within the plan can help the Town sustain its forest resource for future generations while generating periodic income. Managed forests are typically healthy forests.
We are grateful for our partnership with the WDNR. Through their support of our CWPP, we were able to take advantage of this funding opportunity. Special thanks to Laura Hayes, WDNR Wildland Urban Interface Specialist, for her hard work and dedication to facilitating the Town of Washington CWPP.
ADOPT-A-ROAD AND HELP KEEP OUR ROADS FREE FROM LITTER!
Jill Faulkner is the Adopt-A-Road program coordinator.
We need volunteers! If you or your group would like to volunteer for a road segment, please contact Jill.
The Town provides all the required materials and support.
All that is required is for you or your group to pick up litter twice a year (spring and fall) on your desired segment of town road.
Please consider volunteering! To volunteer or for more information, please contact Jill here or by phone at 630-750-6563.
Download the Adopt-A-Road Application/Permit click here.
Please note the following procedures at the transfer station:
Please be mindful of those waiting in line. Empty your garbage quickly and limit conversation.
The Town of Washington is developing a forest management plan known as a Stewardship Plan .
With approximately 1,200 acres of town-owned land, we have enlisted the help of the WDNR in developing a forest management plan for these lands.
Our local WDNR Vilas County Forestry Department will be leading the effort. Ryan Brown, WDNR Forester will work with Jean Gillen, WDNR NR Regional Supervisor to produce the plan.
Some of the benefits include:
The Stewardship Plan will give us a good snapshot of our current land holdings and provide us with a basic framework of forest management practices.
There is NO COST for the development of this plan. We thank the WDNR for working with us to develop the plan!
Ryan and John reported all town-owned parcels have been inventoried. The parcels were identified as eight specific compartments. No immediate needs were revealed. They will continue to develop the plan with more detailed compartment maps and management strategies.
We'll keep you posted as the plan develops.
PLEASE NOTE: Cardboard larger than 2' X 2' is NOT ACCEPTED at the transfer station as it causes the compactor to jam. Please ensure cardboard boxes are flattened.
Please note the phone number for the Town Shop 715-477-2024.
Do you need to dispose of old computer equipment or appliances? Recycling vouchers are still available. Voucher is limited to a maximum of $15. Contact the Town Clerk here to get your voucher.