The Village of Catawba — population 110 as of the 2020 Census — held a special meeting on September 8, 2025, for a single agenda item: whether to buy a tax-delinquent property on US Highway 8 for $10,000. See also: our guide to free camping in Wisconsin. See also: what makes Price County communities special. See also: our guide to Price County public records.
The meeting lasted 15 minutes.
Village President Cheryl Moore, Trustees Cali Handel and Richard Manula (joining by phone), and Clerk Shirley Kempen were present. No public comments. No debate. Richard Manula made a motion to purchase at the minimum bid of $10,000 plus $60 for deed transfer fees. Cali Handel seconded. Motion carried.
The property at W9212 US Highway 8 had accumulated $6,365.26 in back taxes, delinquent user fees, and a special assessment dating back to 2019. Under County Ordinance 25-01, municipalities get first option on foreclosed properties. The Village filed a letter of intent and a check.
The stated plan: convert the lot into parking for the Historical Building and overflow parking for community events.
What Happened Next
At the October 20, 2025 regular meeting, the board voted to pay the delinquent user fees on the newly purchased property to the Sewer Commission. The property, it turns out, came with outstanding utility obligations that the Village now owed.
By December, the Village was also dealing with a separate property matter. Price County sold the so-called “5R” property, and Catawba received $14,377.37 from the sale. Of that, $12,693.72 went straight to the Sewage Commission. The Village kept the difference.
Meanwhile, the parking lot plan has moved slowly. The March 2026 minutes note the board ordered a “No overnight parking” sign for the lot east of the Museum. As of April 2026, the Village is also on the hook for $4,600 in a state-municipal maintenance agreement for the US Highway 8 project, specifically for marking parking areas alongside the highway.
The Bigger Picture: Why This Matters
Small municipalities buying tax-foreclosed property is routine in Wisconsin. What makes Catawba’s situation notable is the context:
- The Village’s total checking balance was $24,657.54 the month after the purchase. A $10,000 property acquisition represents over 40% of operating cash.
- The same board that approved the purchase also approved a $7,500 loan to the Catawba-Kennan Joint Sewage Commission in September.
- The DOT informed the Village that LRIP funds cannot be used for chip seal on roads in Villages, only in towns and cities. This means Catawba has fewer road funding options than neighboring towns, and the board is now weighing whether to use LRIP money to pulverize and gravel South Main Street instead.
- The Village is responsible for $4,600 in highway marking costs for the US-8 project, which they approved at the April 2026 meeting. Without those markings, parking along the highway would be prohibited.
What We Still Don’t Know
The minutes don’t indicate whether the property was appraised independently or whether the $10,000 comparative market analysis value is accurate for a US-8 commercial lot. The Village hasn’t published a timeline for the parking lot conversion, and there’s no mention of whether the property was assessed for environmental concerns before purchase.
We filed a public records request with the Village of Catawba on May 18, 2026, for the full bid documents, deed transfer records, and any correspondence related to the purchase. We also requested the comparative market analysis used to set the $10,000 price. As of this publication, we have not received a response.
The Road Funding Problem
Catawba’s property purchase also highlights a structural issue for Wisconsin villages. The DOT’s LRIP (Local Roads Improvement Program) restriction means villages cannot use LRIP funds for chip seal projects, limiting road maintenance options. In January 2026, the board discussed using LRIP funds to pulverize and gravel South Main Street instead. By April, they decided on patching and crack sealing for this year, with a decision pending on which road gets LRIP money.
For a village with roughly $25,000 in its checking account, every infrastructure decision is a budget decision.
By the Numbers
- Purchase price: $10,000 + $60 deed transfer = $10,060
- Back taxes/fees recovered: $6,365.26
- Net cost to Village: Approximately $3,694.74 (after tax recovery)
- Village checking balance at time of purchase: ~$25,000
- Separate sewer commission loan: $7,500
- 5R property sale proceeds: $14,377.37 (of which $12,693.72 went to Sewage Commission)
- US-8 highway marking cost: $4,600
Village Board Members
- Cheryl Moore, President
- Richard Manula, Trustee
- Cali Handel, Trustee
- Arlene Birdeau, Trustee
- Shirley Kempen, Clerk
Sources
- Village of Catawba Special Meeting Minutes, September 8, 2025
- Village of Catawba Regular Board Meeting Minutes, May 19, 2025; August 25, 2025; September 22, 2025; October 20, 2025; December 15, 2025
- Village of Catawba Regular Board Meeting Minutes, January 19, 2026; March 23, 2026; April 20, 2026
- Price County Ordinance 25-01
Price County Fun is the only independent news source covering municipal government in Price County, Wisconsin. We attend the meetings, read the minutes, and follow the money. If you have information about local government in Price County, contact us at [email protected].. See also: latest county board recap