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Schreiber appointed Hobart-Lawrence municipal judge

By Kevin Boneske
Staff Writer


HOBART – Following last month’s resignation of Hobart-Lawrence Municipal Judge Ronald Van Lanen, the village board agreed March 2 to appoint someone who previously was a municipal judge elsewhere in Brown County.

Village Administrator Aaron Kramer said the appointment of Gregg Schreiber, a Lawrence resident who was a municipal judge in the Village of Howard for about 20 years, will run until a special election is held in April 2022, when the winner would serve the remainder of the four-year term ending in April 2024.

Kramer said Schreiber last year filled in on several occasions as a municipal judge in Van Lanen’s absence.

“(Schreiber) confirmed he would fill the position,” Kramer said. “He would take the position as acting judge.”

The Lawrence town board also approved Schreiber’s appointment at its meeting March 8.

Sewer rate hike

After holding a public hearing in which no one spoke, the village board passed a resolution increasing sewer volume rates by 9 percent (64 cents per 1,000 gallons), effective immediately.

As stated on the public hearing notice, the sewer volume rate is being affected by the amount the village is budgeted to pay NEW Water in sewer charges, which are increasing this year by 10.1 percent ($61,992) to $675,292.

The notice also stated $85,683 more is required this year to cover NEW Water costs, operating costs, debt service, budget increases and capital projects.

Based on an average of 12,000 gallons per quarter, a resident will pay $7.68 more per quarter, an additional $30.72 per year, for sewer service.

Municipal committee

The board passed a resolution supporting the creation of the NEW Water Municipal Committee, which would recommend the appointment of a municipal representative to the NEW Water Board of Commissioners.

Suamico Village Administrator Alex Kaker spearheaded the idea of forming the committee for NEW Water’s 15 municipal customers, who have no direct representation on the five-member Board of Commissioners and annually face higher sewer charges.

Kramer said the committee could have a representative from each of the municipalities approving the resolution, but he didn’t have a recommendation for the meeting as to who should be appointed from Hobart.

“I’ve put some people on notice and warned them they’d be likely candidates, but we’re not at that point yet,” he said. “This is just a resolution of support that I would then forward to Suamico.”

NEW Water’s Board of Commissioners is appointed by the Brown County Board of Supervisors, with the county executive nominating commissioners and one appointment coming up later this year.

Pigeon deregulation

The board agreed to no longer require a permit for Hobart residents to raise pigeons.

Board members amended the village code to eliminate the permit requirement, for which there was a $20 annual fee, to operate or maintain a pen, coop, or another structure for the purpose of keeping or raising pigeons.

Kramer said the village has no record of ever having issued a permit for keeping pigeons or inspecting a coop.

“We’re still going to require you can’t be unsanitary and unhealthy, but you also have a public nuisance ordinance,” he said. “You have a health department in the county.”

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