May 6, 2026
By TIM HUNDT
VIROQUA Wis. – The City of Viroqua is offering free local delivery of excess compost as public works officials work to clear out the rural yard waste site and comply with state environmental regulations.
City Engineer Sarah Grainger presented the issue to the Public Works Committee on May 5 explaining that the city needs to get rid of a pile of old compost material currently sitting at the Lewison Road brush and compost site. She noted the city advertised free public pickup last year but had almost no takers for the estimated 1,000 to 8,000 cubic yards of material.
Grainger proposed a new plan where city crews will haul full truckloads of the material directly to residents living within a five mile radius of the city.
“We have heard from people that they would take it but they do not want to haul it,” said Grainger. “So that is what I am coming to talk to you about is going and putting an advertisement out this time and saying we will haul within and set a distance.”
The push to empty the site is driven by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources which recently mandated that the city handle its yard waste properly. Grainger explained that the state directed the city to start fresh and build proper compost windrows that reach higher temperatures rather than just piling it up.
“One of the things that the DNR is requiring us to do is actually truly make more of a compost,” said Grainger. “We have to do a regular turning of the windrows and setting them into proper things like we were more just sort of haphazardly composting it before.”
This cleanup effort follows major operational changes discussed at previous committee meetings. In recent months officials revealed the city faced an unexpected $15,000 dollar shredding bill after the DNR cracked down on the city burning practices at the dump. The rural brush site had become a hotspot for illegal dumping and city crews could no longer legally or safely burn the mixed piles of brush and garbage. To regain control the city is transitioning the public residential drop off location to the downtown city shop while keeping the rural site locked and accessible only to commercial tree services paying an annual fee.
During the May 5 meeting committee members weighed the costs of trying to screen and clean the existing messy compost pile versus simply hauling it away. Alderperson Todd Kirking noted that trying to sift out sticks and debris would waste too much manpower and fuel.
“If you get all them sticks out I do not know you would have to screen it somehow,” said Kirking. “Probably the best like you said I think that is the best thing is to get rid of it for now and then start another pile.”
Alderperson Cyndy Hubbard expressed concern about the quality of the current compost particularly regarding invasive plants. She pointed out that because the old piles were not properly heated the material likely still contains viable weed seeds that could sprout in local gardens.
“This is when you leave your weeds and all that stuff and the city picks up,” said Hubbard. “So we are talking about parsnip and all that kind of stuff seeds would be in there too right.”
Grainger agreed that residents should be careful with the current material but noted the new mandated process will help destroy weed seeds in the future.
“The idea is with a better compost is that you are getting to higher temperatures properly,” said Grainger. “I do not think that would be more of a higher level compost but at least composting it better than what we have right now.”
After the discussion the committee agreed to move forward with the delivery plan. Alderperson AJ Bergum formalized the decision with a motion to begin advertising the service while protecting city resources.
“I make a motion that we move forward with the advertising of last year’s compost material,” said Bergum. “In the five mile range with the right to refuse delivery.”
The motion was seconded by Kirking and passed unanimously.
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