New addresses could be coming for Blair residents

While they may not be changing houses, Blair city residents could have new addresses in the near future.

The conversation about switching to the five-digit addresses used elsewhere in Trempealeau County came up again at last week Monday’s regular Blair city council meeting. Ann Hempel from the Trempealeau County Land Records Department told the council that Blair and Strum are the only municipalities in the county that don’t use the five-digit grid address system that was implemented in the late 1990s and that could cause problems for emergency personnel.

“It’s about locating people if there’s an emergency,” Hempel said. She also addressed the issue with the council in 2017. “I did suggest that the city go with five-digit addresses that go with the grad. That didn’t go over very well because people don’t want to change their addresses, but when it comes to a life-or-death situation, that address is pretty important.”

The five-digit grid system helps determine exact coordinates as the numbers go higher when traveling north or west. 

“It tells you a unique location of where your structure is,” Hempel said. “It’s easier for emergency personnel to find that because they know our county grid.” 

City clerk Debi Fremstad said that Blair Post Office Postmaster Andy Stevens — also a member of the city council who was absent at the meeting — worked toward changing addresses when the topic was discussed previously. The addresses would be completely changed — one example given was an address in the 500 block of Taft Street would then change to 13979 Taft St. 

City employee Josh Greenwold, who also serves on the Blair-Preston Fire Department, indicated the difference is addresses isn’t a big deal. He said that emergency personnel have a map that tells them how to get to a location. “We just go to the truck, hit a button and it maps it right away.”

Council member Jeremy Tranberg acknowledged that changing addresses would be “a pain for the residents.” 

When the topic was discussed in 2017, it was determined that the city would purchase the new address plates and numbers to put on houses. Council member Paul Syverson said he believed the cost for doing so at that time was around $3,000. Council members did not know what it would cost to do so now, but acknowledged it would likely be more.

“To me, it’s money well spent,” Jill Anderson, council member said. 

Council member Chris Ekern agreed with Anderson and motioned to send the project to the city finance committee to get a cost before bringing it back to the council for a final vote. 

The council approved liquor licenses for various establishments in the city, except for Daveed, LLC, doing business as Barnyard Tavern because he did not update where his premises is located. 

“He was called several times and has not changed his,” city clerk Debi Fremstad said. “It says 212 West Broadway St. A2 and we went over that that doesn’t tell us anything about where his premises is located.” 

City attorney Mark Radcliffe noted that he did highlight his premises for the city last year, but Fremstad said he has since added “A2” to his address. “If someone said 212 W. Broadway Street Suite A2, we’d have to know how to find it.”

Fremstad also said that a city ordinance requires that there must be a clear view of the bar from the sidewalk, but the windows of that establishment are covered with cardboard. 

Tranberg, owner of Blair Haus, abstained from the vote. 

The council voted to approve various server license applications, but denied an application for Jacob Anderegg, who was convicted of driving while intoxicated in March. The only person voting against the motion to approve all applications except Anderegg’s was Tranberg, who did not give a reason for his vote.

The council unanimously approved a sewer rate increase of 10 percent for five years. Syverson said an audit showed that the city’s water account was subsidizing the sewer account, so they needed to increase the sewer rates. The rate increase won’t begin until October. 

The council voted to accept a bid from Aaron Kidd to clear brush and trees away from the sewage line that runs between Blair and Whitehall, should they get approval from landowners. 

Kidd’s bid of $24,200 was $200 higher than a bid received from Hansel Reimer, but Kidd was willing to clear logs from the area, whereas Reimer would’ve left the logs for the city to remove. 

“Using our guys is going to cost more for the city,” Anderson said. 

The biggest question as whether Canadian National Railway would allow a brush removal crew enter the area, since CNR has the right away. CNR is investigating if there is an easement in place or if a new one would have to be created. Radcliffe said the other landowners would also have to give permission if an easement isn’t already in place, but didn’t think that would be a major issue. 

“I don’t think any of these landowners are going to want this thing busting on their property,” Tranberg said. “It would be a $#!%%-y situation.”