The Eagle River Golf Course has officially closed for the season Oct. 9. It opened for play April 28, and Golf Pro Tony Sable said the season went smoothly with the course itself in “great shape.”
Sable presented final numbers for the 2025 season during the Oct. 14 Eagle River City Council meeting, saying he was proud they reached their $1 million mark, bringing in $1.04 million in revenue.
“Hurrah for that,” Sable said, as overall revenue was up from last year’s $977,459.
Rounds of golf played remained close to steady, with 19,283 in 2025 compared to 2024’s 19,350.
Greens fee revenue continues to increase, netting $562,323 in 2025, compared to $525,357 in 2024 and $519,639 in 2023. Sable noted they raised rates on green fees for this season.
New windshields are being installed on all the carts, which Sable said will hopefully extend the life of the carts by a few more years. He noted that it’s likely batteries in each of the carts will have to be replaced at a cost of about $100 per cart. Typically lasting six to seven years, many of the Eagle River Golf Course’s batteries are nine years old.
Grounds work has been underway which included cleaning up some tree debris by holes 8 and 9 from the tornado that came through about four years ago.
Course Superintendent Kyle Anderson said it’s “safer, cleaned up, and all-around a better experience in my opinion than seeing a big eyesore.” He noted that the irrigation system was blown out recently, and they should have ample time to get the tarps down this year while weather conditions allow.
Mayor Deb Brown and Alderman Dan Dumas both congratulated the course staff for their great work, and for setting the $1 million goal and meeting it.
City Administrator Robin Ginner and Brown also took a tour of the course’s restaurant earlier this month to assess areas that need attention before next season.
“It’s obvious the kitchen needs a refresh,” Ginner said. “It’s a horror show in there.”
The council approved plans to repaint the kitchen and dining room areas at a cost of up to $8,200, as well as steam-clean the kitchen at $155 per hour.
Two coolers also need to be replaced, at a cost of about $15,000, but that decision was tabled until next month’s meeting, as Aldermen Vic Washelesky and Dan Dumas would like input from a restaurant manager on the types of coolers purchased. They also are seeking information on possible cost increases coming down the pike, as well as turn-around time on getting the coolers.
Ginner also noted that she has had interest from two potential restaurant operators for the 2026 season, and possibly a third.
“That restaurant is the one missing link in having a really good golf course,” she said during the meeting. “That would make it really sing.”
She’s hoping to have proposals by the end of the year and make the final decision on who will manage the restaurant in January.
The council okayed Vito Bortolotti, executive director of the Eagle River Historical Society (ERHS), to digitize the city’s tax and real estate assessment records at no cost in order to protect them in the case of fire, flooding or mold issues.
Current paper records go back to 1885, before Vilas County existed and Eagle River was still listed as part of Oneida County.
ERHS has a new book scanner device and a volunteer willing to do the project, Bortolotti said.
He added these records would be public record and accessible by anyone without any ERHS watermarks, also noting that they would be indexed for searching purposes.
The county currently has scanned records from 1907 to now, which Bortolotti is hoping they will release to ERHS. Those talks are still underway.
Clerk Becky Bolte called this project “a huge gift to us (the city),” adding, “this is a no-brainer to me.”
Bolte also spoke with city Attorney Steve Garbowicz to check the legality of publishing this information, and he said it is open record and allowed to be out there, she said.
Eagle River Police Chief Christine Dobbs gave a brief update on activity within the department. She said Cranberry Fest went well, and commended her newest officer for performing life-saving CPR on a person in need recently.
She noted no trick-or-treating hours are set for Eagle River, but said there will be a trunk-or-treat event held at Our Savior Lutheran Church on Silver Lake Road.
A report put together by Assistant Chief Tyler Salvinski and office Manager Danelle Moran indicated that during September, officers investigated 107 offenses. Its active investigation caseload is currently at 43 cases under continued investigation.
September saw a total of 99 traffic stops resulting in 51 citations or warnings issued. Nearly half of the citations were for exceeding speed zones and posted limits. The department also took six people into custody and booked them into Vilas County Jail.
Ginner shared a report highlighting ongoing projects for the city, including the upcoming 2026 budget, IT upgrades, and ongoing issues.
Work on the 2026 budget is going well, and a date of Oct. 28, at 4:45 p.m. was set for the first budget workshop meeting.
She is working with five IT providers to obtain service proposals, as current provider Silver Bay Systems has acknowledged the city’s technology needs now exceed its capacity. Silver Bay will coordinate with a new provider to provide a smooth transition. Proposals are due Oct. 20, and Ginner plans to include this on the November agenda for review and selection.
She also is working on the city’s comprehensive plan which is due for renewal in 2026 and will help guide future development. State statutes require comprehensive plans be updated every 10 years.
All city employees last week went through active shooter training, with Ginner giving props to officers Adam Ross and Jordan Brault for their expert leadership in the training.
The Yard Waste Disposal Facility is still being misused, with a contractor illegally dumping eight trailer loads of debris on the Lincoln side of the street over Cranberry Fest weekend. Surveillance photos did not capture the license plate, so police were not able to identify the person responsible.
Letters were sent to all property owners along the proposed Highway 70 segment of the River Trail where the route would cross private property. The letters aim to begin conversations about establishing use agreements that would be held by the River Trail Commission, Ginner said in her report.
Clerk Becky Bolte said it was a busy month for liquor licenses. The council unanimously approved a number of other agenda items during the meeting, including:
— A street closing/temporary sign/amplification and display of goods permit for the Eagle River Revitalization Program’s Young Entrepreneur Market’s 2026 dates;
— Class B Combo liquor license for Aiello’s on Wall Street LLC, 207 E. Wall St. location;
— Class A Beer licenses for Days By Wyndham (844 N. Railroad St.) and AmericInn By Wyndham (200 W. Pine St.);
— Class B Beer/Class C Wine license for Eagle River Café (1010 E Wall St.);
— Operators licenses for John Ariola, Rebecca Doepke, Erin Hartman, Sarah King, Hugh McCann, Ian Oas and Peter Wagner;
— Temporary operator’s licenses and picnic licenses for participants in the chamber’s upcoming Wi-Doe’s Wine Walk event;
— New carpeting in the treasurer’s office, not to exceed $2,000; and
— Donation of the electric wheelchair/scooter at city hall to a local community organization that can put it to good use.
Discussion on the possibility of relaxing the city’s parking restriction ordinance also was tabled until next month’s meeting, which will be held Tuesday, Nov. 11, at 6 p.m.
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