The City of Black River Falls offers city residents curb side brush pickup April through October. Brush pickup dates are included on the recycling calendar which is available at City Hall and on the city’s website at https://blackriverfalls.us/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/2022-Recycling-Calendar.pdfblackriverfalls.us/forms.
As an alternative, city residents may dispose of their brush at their convenience in the designated area at the City Shop behind the fairgrounds. The brush is processed by city employees using city equipment which are both funded using city tax dollars. Therefore, the designated area for brush is for city residents only meaning only those that live within the city limits of Black River Falls. Contractors, and those living in surrounding townships, surrounding villages, and throughout the rest of Jackson County are prohibited from dumping at this site.
The volume of brush showing up at the City’s brush pile has increased substantially over the past five years which indicates much of it is coming from outside of the city limits. The cost to city taxpayers for processing brush has almost doubled from $46,876 in 2017 to $82,947 in 2021! This is only the payroll expense and doesn’t include the additional cost for equipment and fuel to process the brush received.
Many individuals may believe they are city residents because they have a Black River Falls mailing address, but this is not always the case. A Black River Falls, WI mailing address simply means their mail is processed through the Black River Falls post office. Others may believe the designated site is at the Jackson County fairgrounds and is therefore for all county residents, but this is not the case either. The Jackson County Fair Park property is owned by the City of Black River Falls and leased to the Jackson County Agricultural Society each year for the Jackson County Fair.
One way for an individual to determine if they are allowed to dump at the city’s brush dump site is by looking at their street address. Property owners or renters that have a rural address number such as N1500 or W1200 reside outside of the city limits and are prohibited from dumping at the city site. Many individuals that have a Black River Falls, WI 54615 mailing address that includes a house number such as 100 or 1500 are city residents and can use the brush disposal site. However, those living in the sanitary district of the Town of Brockway that have a Black River Falls, WI 54615 address with a house number such as 100 or 700 are prohibited from dumping at the city site.
Another method of determining city residency is an individual’s polling place. If they vote at City Hall, then they are a city resident. If they vote at a Town Hall, a Village Hall, or any location other than City Hall located at 101 S. Second Street in the City of Black River Falls, then they are not a resident and are prohibited from using the designated area at the City Shop for brush disposal.
Finally, if a homeowner pays the first installment of their property taxes at City Hall, then they are a city resident. Of course, there are hundreds of renters in the area that do not pay taxes, but they can use one or both of the two previous methods to determine residency and whether or not they can use the designated area for brush.
The City’s brush control ordinance provides the following regulations:
NO contractors are allowed to dump brush at the site regardless of where the brush originates
NO lumber
NO stumps or root balls
NO brush greater than 6 feet in length
NO brush greater than 6 inches in diameter.
Any person who violates a provision of this ordinance may be subject to a fine of up to $1,000 for each violation.
Individuals are encouraged to call city hall at 715-284-2315 before they dump if they are unsure if they are allowed to use the city’s brush disposal site.
Those living outside the city limits should contact their town clerk or village clerk to find out what regulations and programs their town or village has in place for brush disposal.
