If you’ve ever vacationed in northern Oconto County, you know we are blessed with an abundance of pristine natural resources, excellent restaurants, great places to shop and lots of entertaining things to do. That draws thousands of out-of-town guests from Memorial Day to deer season who come to enjoy what we get to experience every day. It’s mostly good as we like sharing, but frankly, there are a few we wish would stay home.
Now I know what it feels like to be an outsider. When Jon and I moved to Townsend in 2002, we were surprised that we weren’t always welcome. We often heard “You aren’t from here; we don’t care what you think,” or “Stop trying to improve things; we like it the way it is.” After two decades, the shoe has found its way to the other foot.
Rant alert. What follows is based on personal experience, so buckle up.
First off, it’s important to say that most visitors who come up north respect the environment and the people who reside here. Unfortunately, the bulk of the problems stem from those who do neither, mostly short-term renters and UTV enthusiasts who seem to think that spending money here gives them unfettered freedom to do as they please. In fact, we’ve been told several times that “there are no laws north of Highway 64.” Really.
Thanks to the new Oconto County Sheriff’s Department satellite office in Riverview, we have dedicated deputies on regular patrol. However, this is a big geographic area to police and protect, especially from Memorial Day to Thanksgiving when the population doubles or even triples. No surprise that most of the bad behavior is fueled by excessive consumption of alcohol.
On the plus side, a big factor in facilitating public safety and security is the ubiquitous presence of cameras. They are very effective at deterring property crimes, but unless perpetrators are caught on some kind of recording device, odds are they’ll get away with it. Even with the more robust law enforcement presence, it’s relatively easy for those with bad intentions to operate under a cloak of anonymity.
Some common infractions include throwing litter into roadside ditches, ruining lakebeds and shorelines with wake-producing watercraft, off-trail recklessness tearing up the woods, wasting precious groundwater, or worst of all, ignoring burning rules that could cause a catastrophic wildfire. Clearly, the culprits who conduct themselves like this don’t care that they can go home, but we are the ones left to deal with the fallout.
Given all that, it’s no wonder there is deep-seated resentment against the powers that be in Oconto pushing for more and more tourism without considering the impact on the high tax paying property owners who must live with it. For example, we had basically no say in allowing UTVs to range freely. Yes, they should stay on the trails and obey speed limits, but far too many drive wherever they please as fast as they can go.
Last Saturday, I headed home on County Road F after spending the day as a tour guide at Holt and Balcom Logging Camp in Lakewood. I was driving the 45 mph limit when four UTVs passed me at high speed, each cutting closely in front of me. The last one in line would have caused a head-on crash with an oncoming pickup if I hadn’t slammed on the brakes.
I think it’s fair to ask those who make decisions to promote unrestrained tourism up north, would you want strangers racing unmuffled off-road vehicles in front of your house at all hours of the day and night, doing doughnuts on your fragile roads, or trespassing and tearing up your property? How about throwing whatever wherever instead of disposing of it properly? Deafening music bellowing across the lake or 10-decibels-above-sanity booms from fireworks and quarter sticks waking you up in the middle of the night?
What people need to appreciate is that we are a carefully woven mosaic of rural residents living together in harmony. We are not ignorant dweebs who think a painting is what we give our sun-faded decks, a musical score is a steamy ballad that sets the mood for hooking up, sculpting is the latest in plastic surgery and wouldn’t know a plat from a plate.
Yes, there are some who may not value differences in age, gender, ethnicity, social and economic status, but they are a minority. Most of us mind our own business unless someone needs assistance. Then we cast aside politics and personal feelings, eagerly pitching in to help.
We northern town residents know that tourism is an essential economic activity. When people openly trespass on private property, disrespect hospitality workers, pepper loud conversations with the F-bomb, even steal critical road signs, they spoil it for everyone. We want visitors to feel welcome here. All we ask is a little respect and consideration so we can all enjoy our time in Poor Man’s Paradise.
Kathleen Marsh is a lifelong educator, writer, and community advocate. She has published eight books, four on the history of Townsend, where she and husband Jon are happily retired on the beautiful Townsend Flowage.
