Board Meeting:
The second Monday of each month. Special meeting are posted as needed
Plan Commission:.
The fourth Monday of each month. Special meetings are posted as needed
Parks Committee:
Called as needed by the supervisor of parks. Meetings are posted.
Highway Committee:
Called as needed by the supervisor in charge of highways. Meetings are posted.
Joint Planning Commission:
Usually called by the city of Marshfield. Meetings are posted.
Smart Growth:
In the final stages of completing the comprehensive plan in 2005. Meetings are set by membership and posted. A series of special meetings and hearings will be forthcoming. All meeting will be published and posted as per state requirements.

**** The public is welcome and encouraged to attend all town meetings. Agendas are posted at the town hall, Mullin’s Cheese Factory and at the Belvedere Super Club. Agendas will also be posted on the McMillan web site for your convenience. This website, however is not a legally required posting location.

Welcome to New Residents

The Town of McMillan Board and the staff of the Town of McMillan wish to extend a sincere welcome to those who have recently moved into our community. Below is some important information for all our new and current residents. It is hoped this information will be of help to you.

Zoning Notice

The town of McMillan currently has Marathon County Zoning restrictions. It is recommended before proceeding with any zoning changes, that you contact our deputy zoning administrator. Please call with any questions and/or concerns.

The McMillan town hall, fire department, highway department and our community park are located at the intersection of Galvin and Elm Streets, one mile east of County Hwy. E on Elm or two miles north of Hwy. 97 via. Galvin Avenue to Elm Street.

You will see the town hall on the north side of Elm Street. The other buildings in the area are the fire department, south of Elm and the highway department garage north of the town hall. Our town park is just northeast of the hall. The church to the west of the hall is St. Peter’s Lutheran Church. (Maps and Directions)

Voting
Voting for all elections takes place at the McMillan Town Hall (M 403 Elm Street) at the intersection of Galvin Avenue and Elm Street.

Where do I register to vote?
Registration is now required prior to voting. This can be accomplished at the town hall anytime prior to the election date. Bring two forms of identification that show your current address. Once you have registered this will be maintained as long as you vote on a regular basis.

Information and Services
Call the town hall (389-1338) if you have any town related questions.

This web site is being provided to increase communication with our residents. It is not intended that this site meet your every need nor is it intended to replace personal communication with our clerk or other town officials.

As you may have noted, the “contact us” section of our web page has a box that requires your name, full address and phone number. This information is essential for us to better serve you. If a response from us is time sensitive, please make a phone call to our clerk rather then using e-mail. Due to time constraints e-mails may not be checked and answered every day. While our goal is a prompt response, other demands may have made this difficult. Please call us if a response has not occurred in a timely manner.

Fire and Ambulance Services
In the event of an emergency dial 911. Emergency services are dispatched out of the Marathon County dispatch center. Ambulance service comes from the Marshfield Fire and Rescue. Fire and first responder services are provided by members of our volunteer fire department. They are backed up by other volunteer departments from other communities. The cost of man power and materials used to fight a fire will be billed to the homeowner. This amount could easily be several thousand dollars. Check with your insurance carrier to make sure it pays more than the standard $500 for an initial response. All other costs of maintaining this department come from our tax dollars or from our Annual Fall Festival event.

Fire Numbers
Every home in the town has an assigned fire number. It is on that red sign with white lettering (example: M 543) on the right side of your drive way as you enter. This number is crucial in locating your home in the event of a fire or other emergency. The sign is located in a standardized place where emergency responders can easily locate it day or night. Please do not move it. Tampering with this sign can place your family at risk. If you have removed the sign please replace it. The fire number is your address, but house numbers are often not visible especially at night. Having these signs in a consistent place is essential. If you do not have a posted fire number, please contact our clerk immediately at 389-1338.

Note: Since we share a post office with the City of Marshfield, It is also important to use the M on all of your mail so it is not sent to a similar address in the city. (Example: 543 Birch in Marshfield instead of M543 Birch in the Town of McMillan.)

Burning Permits and Open Burning
A burning permit is required to burn brush, grass or other clean materials. Please contact the town clerk for authorization not more than 24 hours prior to burning. By ordinance all open burning shall be performed in a safe pollution free manner, when wind and weather conditions allow burning without adverse effects. Open burning shall not be used covertly to burn refuse, garbage, plastic, construction debris or other prohibited materials. The materials being burned shall be at least 50 feet away from any structure unless in an approved burning device at least 15 feet from any structure. No burning is allowed on the public right-of -way. State law restricts burning on Sundays and holidays. Please be considerate of your neighbors when burning any material. Be aware of wind direction and conditions when burning. During dry conditions be sure to check if burning bans are in effect. Open burning (not in a container) is restricted much of the year.
.
Rural Roads
The current town board has worked diligently over the past years to meet the needs of our community without significant increases in our mill rate. Those of you who have moved here from a city may experience a different level of service. Many of our roads are gravel. This results in mud, dust, packed snow, ice, and rapidly changing road conditions in all seasons. Our two snowplows must service over 50 miles of rural roadways. During snow storms roadways may close rapidly due to drifting snow. Some roads may remain closed longer than you are accustomed. It is essential to know the height and capability of your vehicle before entering drifts. Roads may also remain slippery much longer than in urban communities. Please be patient.

Recycling and Garbage
The township has a contract with a local company to provide pickup of recyclables. A new monthly schedule is set each year. Copies are included with our newsletter. Additional copies and a list of what will be accepted are available upon request at out town hall. It is also available on this website. Homeowners may contract with any one of several companies for the collection of your garbage. The town does not contract for garbage pickup service.

How and what do we recycle?
Blue recycling bins are available at the town hall for $3.00 each. Place your recycling in these containers and set them at the end of your driveway the night before your scheduled pickup time. In some areas of the town, pickup can begin before 6 AM.

Recycle aluminum cans, glass containers (clean without cap), clean plastic bottles and containers marked #1 (PET or PETE) or # 2 (HDPE), and tin cans (clean with labels removed). These can be placed in the same recycling bin. Place corrugated cardboard, mixed papers, and newspapers in another recycling bin. A more detailed list is on the back of your recycling schedule. A word of caution. Be careful not to include sensitive personal information in recycled paper unless shredded.

Sewage
Most residents of McMillan have holding tanks for sewage. This system requires that every gallon of water used be pumped and hauled away. This can be very expensive. Your pumping bill may double during the winter and early spring due to restrictions on land spreading. At these times all sewage must be hauled to a city sewage system. A number of local companies provide this service.

Need for Water Conservation
During the summer of 2004 a few private wells within the town experienced water shortages. Wells have gone dry! To date most of these problems have been a temporary inconvenience. During the last few years this area has suffered from shortages of precipitation. Water tables are low. If this trend continues there is an increased risk that more wells will fail. Those individuals who have moved to the country from the seemingly unlimited supply of city water may need to reevaluate the volume and timing of their water usage. There is not an unlimited supply of water.

Farmers will tell you they have always needed to be very conscious of their water usage. Many left water running slowly all day to water their cattle. Thirty homes in a concentrated area can draw more water than a farm.

If our water table continues to decrease, we may have to follow the lead of those in other drought stricken areas. Start looking at conserving water usage and stagger usage times. A little conservation can save a lot of headaches and expense in the future.

Zoning and Building Permits
McMillan is zoned. A building permit is required for any activity on your property that increases its value (siding, remodeling) or any construction that takes up ground space (deck, addition, out building). If planning any such activity, contact our deputy zoning administrator and/or town clerk prior to starting any project.

The type of zoning on your property will define what can be done on that property. For example, set backs vary depending on zoning types. Some zones allow horses, some do not. Business operations require special rezones in all types of zoning.

All construction in McMillan must meet requirements of the State Uniform Dwelling Code. State inspectors will be involved in assessing compliance.

No building of any kind shall be moved and no new building or structure, or any part thereof shall be erected, or ground broken for the same, or enlarged, moved, or demolished within the town until a permit is obtained from the town clerk/treasurer by the owner or his or her agent.

Permits are required for any new building or additions that increase the physical dimensions of an existing building including decks. Any alteration to a building - structural, heating, electrical or plumbing - requires a permit. Permits are required for residing. Exceptions are re-roofing and finishing of interior surfaces, installation of cabinets or minor repairs.

Applications for a building permit shall be in writing on a form furnished by the township. Permits are to be displayed in a conspicuous place on the premises at all times during construction. Remember that all construction must meet all set back restrictions from any and all lot lines. These are spelled out in the Marathon County Zoning Ordinance. Set backs may vary depending on the zoning on your property. Before building or remodeling, contact the town hall 389-1338. Save yourself from many headaches and potential fines. Ask before you start. Be sure to have all required permits in place before starting a project..

A Note for Realtors and Developers.
McMillan is zoned and has a Code of Ordinances. Adherence to all state and local building code regulations is required. Make sure the planned construction is consistent with the zoning on the involved property. Obtain all zoning and building permits prior to starting any project. If you are considering any land division, it is important that you review all the town ordinances related to zoning and the development of roads. A road constructed by a developer will not be accepted by the town board until the road is completed to our highway standards. Funds must be set aside to guarantee the road against structural defects for two years and for future blacktopping.

Sign Ordinances
The Town of McMillan has recognized the desire of its residents to maintain the aesthetic rural nature of the town and to ensure open spaces along town streets and highways. Therefore, the town of McMillan deems it necessary to no longer allow any new off-premises signs or billboards. These are defined as signs advertising goods or services not provided on the parcel where the sign is located or advertising businesses not located there.

Township ordinances limit signage within the town. Address signs larger than 4 square feet in residential zoning or farmstead identification signs more than 32 square feet in agricultural zoning (A3, A 4 ) will require a permit to be filed with the town clerk. If you are planning any signage on you property, please call the town clerk before you proceed to ensure compliance with town ordinances.

Small address signs, temporary signs such as Real Estate for Sale signs or lease signs, garage sale signs, crop signs or no trespassing signs less that 4 square feet in size do not require a permit. Garage sale signs must be removed within 48 hours of the conclusion of the sale. Political signs are allowed during an election campaign. These must be removed within 10 days of the election. All signs must be off the town right of way.

Transient Merchants
This ordinance regulates merchants setting up any temporary sales locations within the township. It also regulates individuals that are selling at your door and have not been invited by you. Examples include someone stopping and offering to fix your roof, blacktop your driveway or sell you a product you have not ordered or asked for. If this occurs, they must have received a permit from the township. Feel free to ask to see this permit and report any violations. This does not regulate any charitable organizations such as churches, Boy or Girl Scouts or school organizations.

Respect Your Neighbor’s Property
Be cautious of your neighbors property . Many of us have grown up in the city. We understand how individuals feel about their lawns and yards. It is no different in the country. All lands are owned by someone. It is not abandoned or public land. Whether it is the vacant lot next door or that seemingly vast expanse of farm land behind your lot, show them the same respect you expect for your own property. Going on anyone’s property without permission is trespassing and subject to fines. No trespassing signs are not required. In most situations asking may be all it takes to obtain permission. If not, respect your neighbors wishes. In the old days it was always said good fences made good neighbors. This applies today if the fence is real or imaginary! The lot line is the modern day fence.

Welcome to the beauty and serenity of rural living. This is why we all choose to live here. Rural living is a great life, however as in all good things there often are trade offs. Services may be more limited or less frequent. We are more dependent on our neighbors so courtesy and good relations are especially important.

Economics, Taxes, and the Future of the Town

The Budget
Each fall during September and October, the town board establishes our annual budget. This process usually takes several meetings. The challenge is to meet our needs in the face of rising costs and the decrease in shared revenue from the state. It is anticipated that with the state’s budget problems we will continue to loose significant dollars of shared revenue.

Most of the budget has little or no flexibility. Roads must be maintained, snow removed, and public safety provided. Contractual payments must be made. Some, like the costs of the Marshfield ambulance service (which are set by the city), are out of our control. Fuel costs continue to spiral. The only real areas of control are capital outlay and our blacktopping program. We can only delay building projects and replacement of equipment. Unfortunately, this usually means increased costs in future years.

Residents, interested in the process of establishing our budget, are invited to attend our meetings. Plan to attend the annual budget hearing in October and the annual meeting in early April. Watch for posting of dates and times.