Category: General

Bird City Wisconsin
Making our communities healthy for birds … and people
PO Box 487
Port Washington, WI 53704

May 09, 2025
Dear City of Oconto,
On behalf of myself and Bird City Wisconsin’s Steering Committee, I would like to congratulate the City of Oconto on achieving Bird City status in the Bird City Wisconsin program.
Bird City communities are at the forefront of efforts to forge a statewide coalition of citizens and public officials who recognize that birds are more than beautiful – they are significant. Bird City Wisconsin truly appreciates both all that you do to green your community as well as all of the effort that you put into demonstrating all of your community’s actions to us during the renewal process.
THANK YOU!
We ask that you share news of your renewal with local media. To make your job easier, we have included some general text about the program at the bottom of this letter. Feel free to use Bird City’s logo to promote your community – and let us know if you would like a digital copy. Please also consider other ways that we can help you achieve public recognition for your accomplishments, or any other way that we might be able to assist you. As always, feel free to contact us with your thoughts at birdcitywi@lmbo.org.
We celebrate your efforts to improve the quality of life of the people and birds that reside in your community. Thank you for helping to make Wisconsin healthy for birds… and people.
Sincerely,
Kelsey Bell
Program Director

About Bird City
Bird City Wisconsin was created in 2009 and began recognizing communities the following year. The program recognizes municipalities for the conservation and education activities that they undertake to make their communities healthy for birds… and people. Bird City Wisconsin is the first Bird City program and served as the model for the Western Hemisphere-wide Bird City Network, of which Bird City Wisconsin is a founding member.
To be recognized as a Bird City, a community must take actions across four categories (Habitat, Threat Reduction, Education & Engagement, and Sustainability) and officially recognize and celebrate World Migratory Bird Day. Bird City also offers High Flyer recognition for those communities that truly go above and beyond in their conservation and education programs. To become a High Flyer, a community must meet additional, and more involved, criteria.

(414) 533-5398 • www.birdcity.org/wisconsin

CITY OF OCONTO

The Oconto Utility Commission will be flushing water mains in all areas south of the Oconto River on Monday, May 19, 2025.

In all areas north of the Oconto River, West of and including Superior Avenue on Tuesday and Wednesday, May 20 & 21, 2025.

In all areas north of the Oconto River, East of Superior Avenue, on Thursday and Friday, May 22 & 23, 2025. 

Due to certain water main connections, other areas could be affected, please check your water for discoloration before using laundry.

Oconto Utility Commission

Matthew Beekman

Utility Manager

The City of Oconto will be participating in No Mow May again in 2025. Due to some issues in the previous years, we will be requiring those wanting to participate to sign up at City Hall.

Please stop in City Hall, call 920-834-7711, or email admin@cityofocontowi.gov to get on the No Mow May Participation List.

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For more information on the benefits of No Mow May, please visit the links below:

https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/topic/endangeredresources/pollinators#:~:text=In%20Wisconsin%2C%20most%20pollinators%20are,in%20Wisconsin%20are%20not%20pollinators.

hort.extension.wisc.edu/articles/whats-the-deal-with-no-mow-may/

beecityusa.org/no-mow-may/

Attention City of Oconto Residents on the South Side:

Your THURSDAY recycling pick-up will be CANCELED this week (4/24/25).

Your recycling will instead be next week WEDNESDAY (4/30/25).

This is due to the Brown County Transfer Station being closed for the NFL Draft.

BOARD OF PUBLIC WORKS

BRUSH CHIPPING POLICY

1. Branches/brush must be no more than 10” in diameter and no longer than 14’.
2. Cut ends of branches must be stacked the same way traffic flows.
3. Branches should not be piled more than 4ft high.
4. Branches must be free of dirt and roots.
5. Brush must be stacked so it pulls somewhat easily from pile.
6. Stumps must be taken to the City’s yard waste site located at 1616 Main St.
7. Brush will not be allowed at the City’s yard waste site located at 1616 Main St and should be put out to the curb only!
8. Chipping time at each stop will be limited to 30 minutes until all stops get picked up.
9. Homeowners are encouraged to call 834-7779 when they put brush out to curb.
10. This policy is to be a general guideline and will be adjusted as circumstances warrant.
11. Brush should not be mixed in with leaves or other yard waste during the cities loose-leaf collection time.

Total # of Voters = 1,492

–

Alderperson-At-Large: The top 4 vote getters will be elected.

Ron Gunner Daul – 622

Bob LeBreck – 673

Casey Sowle – 589

Wibble Sowle – 523

Kim Bronikowski – 754

Violet McFadden Hornick – 534

Mike Feldt – 461

At the election to be held on April 1, 2025, in the County of Oconto, the following polling place locations will be used for the wards indicated below.  If you have questions concerning your polling place, contact the municipal clerk. 

City of Oconto W1-7    Brittney Burruel (920) 834-7711    1210 Main Street, Oconto, WI 54153

All polling places will open at 7:00 A.M. and will close at 8:00 P.M.

All polling places are accessible to elderly and voters with disabilities.

Notice of Meeting of the Local Board of Canvassers

At the close of voting on Election Day, pursuant to the provisions of Wis. Stat. § 19.84, the Election Inspectors at each polling place will convene as the Local Canvassing Board for the purpose of conducting the local canvass pursuant to Wis. Stat. § 7.51.  This meeting will be open to the public pursuant to Wis. Stat. §§ 19.81-89.

Notice of Meeting of the Local and Municipal Board of Canvassers (MBOC)

At the close of voting on Election Day, pursuant to the provisions of Wis. Stat. § 19.84, the Election Inspectors will convene as a joint meeting of the Local Board of Canvassers and the MBOC for the purpose of conducting the local and municipal canvasses pursuant to Wis. Stat. §§7.51 and 7.53(1). This meeting will be open to the public pursuant to Wis. Stat. §§ 19.81-89.

Notice of Meeting of MBOC to Process Rehabilitated Provisional Ballots

If provisional ballots have been issued and are subsequently cured by the voter before 4:00 p.m. on the Friday after the election, the MBOC must meet no later than the following Monday at 9:00 a.m. to process the cured provisional ballots.  This is a public meeting and requires applicable notice.

Office of the Oconto County Clerk

To the voters of Oconto County:

Notice is hereby given of a spring election to be held in (insert name of county, town, village, city, or school district) on (insert full date of election), at which the officers named below shall be chosen.  The names of the candidates for each office, whose nominations have been certified to or filed in this office, are given under the title of the office, each in its proper column, together with the questions submitted to a vote, for a referendum, if any, in the sample ballot below.

Information to Voters

Upon entering the polling place and before being permitted to vote, a voter shall:

• state their name and address
• show an acceptable form of photo identification*
• sign the poll book**

*If a voter does not have acceptable photo identification, the voter may obtain a free photo ID for voting from the Division of Motor Vehicles. 

**If the voter is unable to sign the poll book due to disability, a poll worker may write the word “exempt.”

If a voter is not registered to vote, they may register to vote at the polling place serving their residence if the voter provides proof of residence.

Where ballots are distributed to voters, the initials of two inspectors must appear on the ballot. 

Upon being permitted to vote, the voter shall enter a voting booth or go to a machine and cast their ballot. The vote should not be cast in any manner other than specified here.  Sample ballots or other materials to assist the voter in marking their ballot may be taken into the booth and copied.  The sample ballot shall not be shown to anyone so as to reveal how the ballot is marked.

A voter who is a parent or guardian may be accompanied by the voter’s minor child or minor ward. 

An election official may inform the voter of the proper manner for casting a vote but the official may not advise or indicate a particular voting choice.

Assistance for Voting

A voter may select an individual to assist in casting their vote if the voter declares to the presiding official that they are unable to read, have difficulty reading, writing, or understanding English, or that due to disability are unable to cast their ballot.  The selected individual rendering assistance may not be the voter’s employer or an agent of that employer or an officer or agent of a labor organization which represents the voter.

Where Paper Ballots are Used

The voter shall fill in the oval next to the name of the candidate of their choice for each office for which they intend to vote.  To vote for a person whose name does not appear on the ballot, the voter shall write in the name of the person of their choice in the space provided for a write-in vote.  On referendum questions, the voter shall fill in the oval next to “yes” if in favor of the question, or the voter shall fill in the oval next to “no” if opposed to the question.

Where Optical Scan Voting is Used

The voter shall fill in the oval next to the name of the candidate of their choice for each office for which they intend to vote.  To vote for a person whose name does not appear on the ballot, the voter shall write in the name of the person of their choice in the space provided for a write-in vote and fill in the oval next to the write-in line.  On referendum questions, the voter shall fill in the oval next to “yes” if in favor of the question, or the voter shall fill in the oval next to “no” if opposed to the question.

When using an electronic ballot marking device (“Automark,” “ExpressVote,” Clear Access or “ImageCast Evolution-ICE”) to mark an optical scan ballot, the voter shall touch the screen or use the tactile pad to select the name of the candidate of his or her choice for each office for which he or she intends to vote.  To vote for a person whose name does not appear on the ballot, the voter shall type in the name of the person of his or her choice in the space provided for a write-in vote.  On referendum questions, the voter shall touch the screen or use the tactile pad to select “yes” if in favor of the question, or the voter shall touch the screen or use the tactile pad to select “no” if opposed to the question.

Where Touch Screen Voting is Used

The voter shall touch the screen or us the tactile pad to select the name of the candidate of their choice for each office for which they intend to vote.  To vote for a person whose name does not appear on the ballot, the voter shall type in the name of the person of their choice in the space provided for a write-in vote.  On referendum questions, the voter shall touch the screen at “yes” if in favor of the question, or the voter shall touch the screen at “no” if opposed to the question.

After Voting the Ballot

After an official paper ballot is marked, it shall be folded so the inside marks do not show, but so the printed endorsements and inspectors’ initials on the outside do show.  The voter shall deposit the voted ballot in the ballot box or deliver the ballot to an inspector for deposit and shall leave the polling place promptly.

After an official optical scan ballot is marked, it shall be inserted in the security sleeve, so the marks do not show.  The voter may insert the ballot in the voting device and discard the sleeve or deliver the ballot to an inspector for deposit.  If a central count system is used, the voter shall insert the ballot in the ballot box and discard the sleeve or deliver the ballot to an inspector for deposit.  The voter shall leave the polling place promptly.

After an official touch screen ballot is cast, the voter shall leave the polling place promptly.

Spoiling Ballots

If a voter spoils a paper or optical scan ballot, they shall return it to an election official who shall issue another ballot in its place, but not more than three ballots shall be issued to any one voter.  If the ballot has not been initialed by two inspectors or is defective in any other way, the voter shall return it to the election official who shall issue a proper ballot in its place. 

The voter may spoil a touch screen ballot at the voting station before the ballot is cast.

The following is a list of contests, ballot candidates, and a sample of the official ballot published in accordance with state statute.  Each polling location will have samples of official ballots specific to that location posted.  Please visit https://myvote.wi.gov/en-us/ for more information.

Done in the City of Oconto on March 18, 2025

Kim Pytleski, Oconto County Clerk

301 Washington Street

Oconto, Wisconsin 54153

920-834-6800

City of Oconto

The City of Oconto Department of Public Works will begin its fall curbside collection of leaves and garden waste on April 21st and ending pick-up May 19^th. This material should be placed at the curb in separate piles. Leaves should be in a row no more than 4 feet wide and approximately 3 feet high. Leaves should be placed in open areas and not around obstacles such as street signs or trees or will not be picked up. Bagged material or mixed material will not be picked up.

Do not put leaves into the street. Place the leaves between the curb and the sidewalk and as close to the curb as possible. Leaves placed on the street will not be picked-up unless placed back in the area defined for proper pick-up. Brush cannot be mixed in with leaf piles.

Residents may also bring their loose leaves and garden waste to the City’s yard waste site, which is located at 1616 Main St.

It is not possible to accurately tell residents the exact day their leaves and garden wastes will be picked up.

If you have any questions, call 834-7725 between 6:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Monday thru Friday.

 Jeremy Wusterbarth

 Superintendent of Public Works