Rice Lake opens expanded city works building

It’s been nearly a decade since the Town of Rice Lake became the City of Rice Lake. And as the city grows, so does it’s need for expanded infrastructure.

On the afternoon of October 9, the city officially opened its newly expanded public works building, a facility that Mayor Suzanne Herstad says will greatly benefit city employees.

“If you would have been here a year ago, everything was squished into these two stalls. It was very compact. You could hardly move around. We had to store a lot of equipment outside, which exposes you to theft, damages from weather,” the mayor explained, “So, bringing that all inside helps our workers, so their equipment is warm, it’s ready to go, it’s clean, and there’s space to move out.”

Mayor Herstad, along with Rice Lake city councilors, presided over a ribbon cutting ceremony for the building. During remarks, she acknowledged the role of the building’s new namesake, former Mayor John S. Werner.

“John Werner was all about public works, public service, and for him it was a challenge to meet the needs and get those taken care of for people.” Herstad said.

Werner served as Rice Lake’s very first mayor until passing away after a battle with cancer in March of 2023. Those close to him say he was deeply committed to making sure his city was well taken care of.

“My father, John, was a Stalwart in the community. He believed in selfless service and practiced that throughout his entire life here in Rice Lake, and he was very, very instrumental in getting this facility built, as well as improving the infrastructure of this community for everybody.” Said Tom Werner, the former Mayor’s son.

Mayor Herstad says the new space gives the city the some of logistical capacity to help it grow, aligning with Rice Lake’s goal of self-sufficiency as a city. This she says, is all thanks to Mayor Werner.

“John Warner, he was instrumental in all of those pieces. He was a fantastic person and a fantastic mayor, and we owe this future of Rice Lake and our public works to John Warner and his vision.”