Burning permits required now for local residents

By Matthew Johnson

Reporter

The Wolf Lake Fire Department is considering an increase to the hourly rate the department charges those receiving firefighting services, Wolf Lake Fire Chief Brock Anderson told the Wolf Lake City Council during its Tuesday, March 10, regular monthly meeting.

The matter was discussed during the recent annual contract meeting with the townships and Chief Anderson indicated that it’s been around two decades since the hourly rate charged was last increased. That standard charge is $300 per hour and consensus is to change it to $500 for the first hour and $300 per hour for every hour beyond that. The idea is for the department to recoup its costs and the average local firefighting call is usually contained within an hour, he said.

Anderson indicated he would work on drafting up the appropriate paperwork that the council can vote on in the near future.

Locals required to have burning permits

Chief Anderson announced during the meeting that, as of Friday, March 6, locals are required to have burning permits.

These permits, he further explained, would be for outdoor burning beyond the standard campfire in the regulation, DNR-approved three-foot fire pits, such as the kind of outdoor burning of a brush pile, for example.

“My message to the people would be to make sure they check the DNR’s website before they burn, because it changes frequently,” Anderson said.

In other news

• Agreed to look into hiring an outside entity to help with payroll.

• Passed a motion to change the meeting time from 7 p.m. on the second Tuesday of the month to 7:30 p.m. to better accommodate schedules.

• Reviewed other departmental monthly reports.

• Regular monthly meetings of the Wolf Lake City Council are now being held at 7:30 p.m. on the second Tuesday of the month at city hall.