Public Works seeks ATV/UTV Ordinance exception

by Joseph Back

Stanley Wisconsin is once again on the market for hired help. Submitting her letter of resignation to city staff with Council approval at the Monday March 1 meeting, Holly Hatlestad will no longer be the assistant city clerk for Stanley. Hatlestad was hired last year to replace assistant clerk Shauntia Hale, while Hale herself replaced deputy clerk Brittany Johnson, who resigned from a post with the city last year.

“I thank you for the opportunity you have given me here in the City of Stanley,” Hatlestad wrote in her resignation letter submitted to City of Stanley staff. “I genuinely learned a lot here and enjoyed working here. But the time has come for me to move forward and take on a new adventure, in the field of business.” she wrote. As such, those with clerking skills might find a reception at City Hall. In the meantime, Public Works is seeking a specific exemption from city ordinance related to All Terrain and Utility Vehicle (ATV/UTV) use in the city, all in the interest of keeping parks up—but there was a potential catch.

“You might want to put “Government Vehicle” on that as well,” Clerk Nicole Thiel said in debate of UTV signage for a proposed “City Vehicle,” which sign, although restricted to public works use for area parks, could also be interpreted ambiguously. Any trouble with following rules, it was made known at the March 1 meeting, would result in a ban on ALL use of ATV/ UTV in city parks, including that of city employees. At present the sought for amendment to city ordinance would help the Public Works department do its job. Mark Fitzsimmons had some input on the proposed exemption for city workers.

“But in the past 50 years, haven’t we just used pickups to do everything in the parks?” Fitzsimmons asked at the March 1 meeting, “We have,” Public Works Operator John Hoel said, noting that in the spring it was difficult to get in back. “It’s a heavy unit,” Fitzsimmons said of UTVs.

“Considerably lighter than a truck,” Hoel replied to Fitzsimmons of the sought after exemption for ATV/UTV use by city staff.

See EXEMPTION, page 9 EXEMPTION

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“Do they have any signage such as city ATV/UTV only?” Hendrickson asked of city parks.

“Does the UTV need to say anything about the City of Stanley on it,?” Huff seconded Hendrickson’s question.

“It has signage all over it,” Hoel replied.

“And to that point we have received zero complaints about any ATVs, UTVs, in the park,” Chief Lance Weiland chipped in some input. “I mean we’ve had complaints on them, but anything in the park we haven’t received complaints,” he said.

Hoel then shared that while Thorp couldn’t use theirs on Washington (Main) Street because it doubled as a state highway, many other municipalities used them, and the size made them nice to do tree trimming and other maintenance tasks. As time dragged on consensus was reached, pending official ordinance revision—save a final note.

“But still, the only way you could get out of there is 8th Avenue,” Mayor Al Haas noted in reference to exit from Chapman Park.

“Once the bridge is there,” Public Works operator John Hoel said.

“Once the bridge is there,” Haas confirmed. With motion by Jacob Huff seconded by Laurie Foster and all but Fitzsimmons giving approval to an ordinance amendment allowing Public Works an exemption to use ATV/UTV vehicles in city parks upon a roll call vote, look for small vehicles making their way through city parks soon—public works employees use only.