Category: General

In-Person Absentee Voting begins Tuesday, March 18 and ends on Friday, March 28. Oconto City Hall is open Monday-Friday from 7:30am until 4:00 pm. Please be sure to have an acceptable form of photo ID with you to vote. For additional election information, please visit: https://myvote.wi.gov/en-us

Letter from the Mayor

March 11, 2025

This letter is to inform the citizens about the great work that was done by Officer Brad Shearer. The City was in significant need of 1 to 2 patrol cars. Brad put in a lot of time and effort investigating lease programs, making sure it would be a good fit for the City. Instead of 1 to 2 patrol cars, we will be getting 4 cars for the price of purchasing 1. This is a four-year lease with options to renew or purchase the cars at the end of the lease. This program will help the City solve its very old fleet issue, while saving the City money. Thank you for your hard work and dedication to the growth and financial responsibility of the City of Oconto, Officer Shearer!

Regards,

Cliff Martin

Mayor City of Oconto

Notice of Spring Primary and Sample Ballots

February 18, 2025

Office of the Oconto County Clerk

To the voters of Oconto County:

Notice is hereby given of a spring primary election to be held in Oconto County on Tuesday, February 18, 2025, 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 his or her 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 he or she intends 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 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 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 use 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.

Spoiled 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.

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 may be inserted in the security sleeve, so the marks do not show.  The voter shall 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.

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 January 16, 2025

Kim Pytleski, Oconto County Clerk

301 Washington Street, Oconto, Wisconsin 54153

920-834-6800

All Oconto County Voters will vote for:

State Superintendent of Public Instruction

State Superintendent

Vote for 1

Jeff Wright

Brittany Kinser

Jill Underly

Town of Mountain Voters will vote for:

Town Board Chairperson

Vote for 1

Lindor Skip Maletzke

Brenda Carey-Mielke

Tom Huff

Notice of Location and Hours of Polling Place

At the election to be held on February 18, 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.

Letter from the Mayor

January 20, 2025

Please see the statement below from Utility Manager Matt Beekman regarding the work being done at the Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP).

 This is Matt Beekman, the Utility Manager for the City, the WWTP upgrade consists of a new Headworks Building with all new mechanicals (pumps, piping, controls etc.), a new grit removal system, and a new septic receiving station.  Included in the project is bringing the existing building into compliance for safety and HVAC issues.  This will consist of removal of the existing pumps and grit removal system as well as the “Tee Cup”.  The original contract bid was $6,111,566.45 and the project was then value engineered to remove several items that brought the cost down to $5,625,496.70.  The project is funded by a bond issued to the Utility and additional funds for the project coming from the PPE Replacement Fund.  The project is totally funded by Utility monies.  Robert E. Lee (REL) was the Utility’s design engineer on this project at a cost of $271,815.42 and REL is also the construction oversight engineer with an approved contractual amount of $244,900.00.  If you have any questions please feel free to reach out to me, my cell phone number is 920-373-3699 or through my work email at waterdept@cityofocontowi.gov.

In 2025, the Utility approved a routine simple rate increase of 4%. For the average family of four home, this would be an estimated increase of around $9.00 on your quarterly utility bill.

Regards,

Cliff Martin

Mayor City of Oconto

mayor@cityofocontowi.gov

January 7, 2025

***FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, POSTING, AND PUBLICATION***

City of Oconto Alderperson at Large Filing Deadline Extended Until January 10, 2025

The deadline for filing nomination papers for the Spring 2025 election for City of Oconto Alderperson at Large has been extended until Friday, January 10, 2025 at 5:00 p.m. 

An extension of the deadline occurs when one or more incumbents do not file nomination papers or a declaration of non-candidacy by the required deadlines.

Any questions should be directed to Brittney M. Burruel, City Administrator.

City of Oconto 2025 Garbage & Recycling Schedule

Effective January 1, 2024

The City of Oconto has implemented an 8% Room Tax beginning on January 1, 2024. The State of Wisconsin Statutes ensure that 70% of all room tax monies collected go towards promoting tourism in our City. The remaining 30% stays within the municipality to help fund our local municipal priorities. Tourism plays an important role in the City’s economy. Tourism & Economic Development Corporation for the Oconto Region (TEDCOR), as the tourism entity for the City, along with the City of Oconto Tourism Commission, take responsibility for overseeing expenditures of room tax dollars for tourism promotion and development, with a goal of attracting and generating paid overnight stays and putting heads in beds. As such, these room tax dollars provide for the continued planning and growth of the City as a tourist destination.

CITY OF OCONTO SHORT-TERM RENTAL FULL INFORMATIONAL PACKET:

ORDINANCE:

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

CITY OF OCONTO STR PERMIT APPLICATION:

CITY OF OCONTO STR COMPUTATION & REMITTANCE FORM:

First Day to Begin Circulating Nomination Papers: December 1, 2024

Registration Statement (Form CF-1), Declaration of Candidacy (Form EL-162), & Nomination Papers (Form EL-169) DUE BY: 5:00 pm Tuesday, January 7, 2025

EDIT: January 7, 2025

City of Oconto Alderperson at Large Filing Deadline Extended 72 Hours

***FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, POSTING, AND PUBLICATION***

City of Oconto Alderperson at Large Filing Deadline Extended Until January 10, 2025

The deadline for filing nomination papers for the Spring 2025 election for City of Oconto Alderperson at Large has been extended until Friday, January 10, 2025 at 5:00 p.m. 

An extension of the deadline occurs when one or more incumbents do not file nomination papers or a declaration of non-candidacy by the required deadlines.

Letter from the Mayor

November 11, 2024

Veteran Banners on Main Street

This letter is in regard to the Veterans banners that are currently on Main Street. We will be taking these banners down after Veterans Day and replacing them with our Holiday banners. Then, in the Spring we will take the Holiday banners down and replace them with the Veterans banners.

We are asking any of the families that have sponsored their loved one’s banner to let us know if you would like them back or put back up in the Spring. If you would like yours back, please contact me via email so we can advise the crew when they take them down.

We will be continuing this program. Right now, we have approximately 9 – 12 new banners that will go up next Spring along with any other ones we receive over the next several months.

 It was suggested that we add more hangers further down on Main Street. After checking with Superintendent of Public Works Jeremy Wusterbarth, the balance of the poles are owned by Wisconsin Public Service. It is doubtful they will allow the city to put hangers and banners on their poles. This means we only have room for banners on the current poles.

A special “thank you!” to Tina Bruckner for taking lead on the Veteran Banner project and making this all happen. Your hard work is appreciated!

Regards,

Cliff Martin

Mayor City of Oconto

mayor@cityofocontowi.gov