|
|
|
Ellsworth
Township
Pierce County, Wisconsin |
|
|
|
|
Population (2009 estimate) = 1144 The Town of Ellsworth is located in the center of Pierce County, Wisconsin. The Town is bordered by the Towns of Trimbelle, Martell, El Paso, Hartland, and the Village of Ellsworth, which lies within the town boundary. The Town of Ellsworth is a rural township with a mix of farmland, woodland, and creeks. Its primary industry is agriculture, which includes dairy, beef, and crop farms and also includes a greenhouse and nursery operation. The Town of Ellsworth is gradually becoming more of a residential community as more small tracts are created for housing. The Town of Ellsworth has one school district – Ellsworth Community Schools. One of the elementary schools, Sunnyside Elementary School, is located in the northeastern section of the Town. The town of Ellsworth was incorporated as the Town of Perry on March 3, 1857. The first supervisors were: P.M. Simons, chairman; Caleb Bruce and Wilson Kinnie. The first settler was Anthony Huddleston, who came April 23, 1856, and settled in the southeast quarter of section 20. In that summer Wilson and Norris Kinnie and David Klingensmith settled on farms in sections 18 and 19. The first log house in the town was built by Anthony Huddleston in 1855. The first school house, was a log building, built in 1857, and Mary Filkins was the first teacher. In 1860, following a fierce debate, the County Board decided to relocate the county seat from Prescott to a more central county location. To find the location, a line was drawn on a Pierce County map from the Northwest corner to the Southeast corner, and another from the Northeast corner to the southwest corner. The place where the two lines crossed each other on a high ridge in dense timber where no settlers had yet located in the western part of the Town of Perry became the county seat. In 1861, when the community of Perry sought to establish a post office, postal authorities informed them the name Perry was already used for a community in Dane County. Henceforth, citizens decided to name the community after the first Civil War Union officer to lose his life in battle, Col. Elmer E. Ellsworth and has been ever since known as Ellsworth. The first postmaster was Seeley Strickland. The Village of Ellsworth was platted and laid out in 1862. The Town of Perry officially changed its name to Town of Ellsworth on January 1, 1867.
History from
http://www.rootsweb.com/~wipierce/cities.htm The community of Lawton in the NE quarter of Section 3 and the NW quarter of Section 2 in the Town of Ellsworth was a thriving community in the early 1900’s. The general store at this location opened in 1894 and offered dry goods, notions, finery, groceries, and general merchandise with farm produce as a specialty. The general store also needed a name in order to become a post office. Lawton was accepted by the postal authorities and Oscar Peterson was the first postmaster there in 1894. A cheese factory was built across the road and to the east of the Lawton general store in 1896. The cheese factory shut down in 1905, but in 1906 a new cooperative was formed and they made butter. The business kept growing and a new creamery was built in 1912 or 1913. Butter was the main product but dried skim milk was sold for animal feed. The creamery joined with the Ellsworth Cooperative Creamery in 1940. In 1944 J. S Hines purchased the creamery property and used the building for a wooden box factory. Eventually the box factory moved to East Ellsworth . The old buildings were demolished in 1960 when widening and improvements were made to Highway 63. The Lawton general store building is the only original building remaining at the Lawton site today. - Summarized from History of Lawton submitted by Newell Peterson for the 1985 Atlas of Pierce County
Residents are encouraged to attend The Town of Ellsworth meetings. Regular monthly meetings of the Town Board are normally held at the Town Shop (Hall) on the 1st Monday of the month at 7:30 p.m. (winter months 7:00 p.m.). If there’s something you wish to discuss at the meeting, please contact Clerk Phyllis Beastrom at 715-273-5847 10 days prior to the meeting so it can be properly placed on the agenda. The annual meeting is normally held the second Tuesday in April. At this meeting the residents of the town:
The annual budget hearing/special town meeting is held in November. At this meeting, the residents of the town:
Detailed notices of meetings held in the Town of Ellsworth are published in the Pierce County Herald. Agendas are posted at the town shop (hall), T-Bar, and transfer station. Meeting Minutes Click on this link for a list of minutes. Voter registration is required. You may register at the polls with a valid Wisconsin Drivers License. However, to save time, contact Clerk Phyllis Beastrom at 715-273-5847 to register to vote. Polling hours are from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. The Town Hall is handicap accessible. Absentee voting is available by contacting Clerk Phyllis Beastrom. Please allow enough time (minimum of a month) for absentee ballot applications and ballots to be sent and returned by mail. Town of Ellsworth residents may vote for town, county, state and federal elections at the Ellsworth Town Hall. Effective September, 2009, voting will be done using a combination of touch screen voting machine or paper ballots with an optical scan. Town Elections: The Town Chair, Supervisors, Clerk, and Treasurer are elected in April of odd-numbered years and serve a two-year term. Candidates for these positions are nominated by town residents at the town caucus, which is held in January of odd numbered years. All town residents are invited to nominate persons for these positions at the caucus. The date for caucus is set at the December Town Board meeting in even numbered years. The current officers are up for election in April 2011. Wards 2011 Election Calendar Spring Primary – February 15, 2011 The town assessor is Don Herschleb from Hudson, WI. His telephone number is 1-800-742-0680. The open book session with the assessor and the Board of Review is held sometime between the 2nd Monday of May and December. A notice of any changes in property assessment is mailed to the property owner about 2 weeks prior to the Open Book. The open book session gives property owners an opportunity to discuss their valuation with the assessor. If the property owner remains dissatisfied after speaking with the assessor, the property owner may notify the town clerk, complete the proper papers and appear before the Board of Review. The Open Book Session and Board of Review are the only opportunities a property owner has to dispute the property valuations. It is too late once the taxes are printed. Tax statements are mailed in mid-December. Full or first half real estate and personal property payments are due to the municipal treasurer, Audrey Murphy by January 31st. Any postponed personal property payments are due to Audrey Murphy by July 31st. These payments cannot be made by credit card – only by check or cashier’s check. Send tax payments to Treasurer Audrey Murphy, W6664 450th Avenue, Ellsworth WI 54011. All real estate payments made after January 31st
are payable to the Pierce County Treasurer at To view the 2010 Real Estate Tax List - click on Tax Dog owners are responsible for purchasing a dog license for all their dogs, to secure the license tags to the dog collar and to keep the dog on their property. Rabies vaccinations must be current and certified at the time of licensing. Dog license fees are $10 for spayed or neutered dogs and $15 for non-spayed or non-neutered dogs; private dog kennel $50; Commercial dog kennel variable rate depending on number of dogs. All dogs are to be licensed by April 1st of each year or when they reach the age of five (5) months. A vaccination clinic is held at the Town Garage/Hall each January. To obtain Dog licenses, contact Town Treasurer, Audrey Murphy at 715-273-4572. The Town of Ellsworth currently contracts with the Humane Society of Goodhue County for animal control of stray and impounded animals. Ag Use Conversion Fee (Penalty) Land that has been assessed as agriculture with use value valuation and is parceled or converted for residential use is subject to a conversion fee. WI Statutes 74.485 states “Any parcel benefiting from use value assessment may be subject to a penalty if the use of the parcel changes.” WI Statutes requires that persons owning land assessed as agricultural land must notify the buyer of the potential conversion fee (penalty) if the use of the land changes. For more information, contact the assessor, clerk Phyllis Beastrom, or the county treasurer. 1 - Land use permits are required for all new structures, any structural changes and additions. To obtain these land use permits and sanitary permits contact the Pierce County Zoning Department at 715-273-3531. 2 - Building permits from the Town of Ellsworth are also required for:
New home packets and alteration/addition packets are available at the Town Hall/Garage or contact the town chair or town clerk to obtain a packet. Upon completion of the application, send application and all necessary forms to Todd Dolan of All Croix Inspections at 1810 Crestview Dr, #1C, Hudson WI 54016. Mr. Dolan will complete the building permit. 2006 building permit fees: 3 - Inspections are now required for new homes and alterations/additions. Contact Todd Dolan of All Croix Inspections at 715-377-2152 to schedule erosion, footings, foundation, framing, plumbing, electrical, heating, insulation and final inspections. Driveway permit must be obtained prior to land use and building permits. Driveway applications are available at the town hall/garage or contact town chair Barry Foy at 715-273-5950. Driveway application fee of $50 is due when the application is submitted. The town board will review and approve/deny driveway applications at their regular monthly meeting. All new driveways must meet the codes set by the Town Board. All private roads must be built according to town standards. The Pierce County Zoning office is responsible for assigning addresses and fire numbers. It is illegal to burn garbage and painted or treated lumber in Pierce County. The town does not issue burning permits, but if you plan to burn, notify the Pierce County Solid Waste Department at 273-3092, the town chair Barry Foy at 715-273-5950 or one of the Supervisors Everett Muhlhausen 715-273-5920 or Jeffrey Redding 715-273-4674 AND the Ellsworth Fire Department (273-4653) AND call the Pierce County Sheriff’s Department (715-273-5051) to let them know when and what you are burning. If you do not notify the Sheriff’s Department and someone calls in your fire, you will be charged for the fire call. Fireworks permits are required in the Town of
Ellsworth. Contact Town Chair Barry Foy at Please properly dispose of wastes through opportunities listed below. It is illegal to burn garbage in Pierce County. If you have questions about waste disposal or recycling in Pierce County, contact Phyllis Beastrom or the Pierce County Solid Waste Recycling Department. Town of Ellsworth Transfer Station: The following items may be brought to the Town of Ellsworth Transfer Station (former dump site) located at N5062 530th Street. Hours of operation are Saturday’s from 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. An attendant is on duty to assist. Garbage/Waste: Recycling: Iron/Steel/metals: Appliances: Burn Site: The Town of Ellsworth does not accept furniture, televisions, computers, tires, hazardous wastes, pesticides, wet paint, motor oil, lead batteries, antifreeze, infectious wastes or poisonous gases. The Pierce County Solid Waste Department will periodically have collections for these types of items. Note: The $25 County Solid Waste fee on your tax statement goes directly to Pierce County. The Ellsworth Area Ambulance and the Ellsworth Area Fire Department serve the Town of Ellsworth. Both services are owned jointly by several municipalities and each year the Town is assessed operating fees for both services. The Ellsworth Area Fire Department bills the Town of Ellsworth for fire calls and the Town in turn bills the property owner. If the property owner does not pay the fire call, it will be added as a special charge to the property tax statement. The Ellsworth Area Ambulance Service does its own billing and collection. The ambulance and fire department services are primarily composed of VOLUNTEERS. The town encourages residents to use private services for driveway maintenance. Any request for snowplowing, sanding, or grading will be done AFTER the town roads. 2006 fees: On September 23, 2003, the General Rural Flexible zone was approved by the county board for the Town of Ellsworth. Current zoning for the Town of Ellsworth includes: General Rural Flexible, Primary Agriculture, Rural residential 20, industrial, light industrial, and commercial. General Rural Flexible allows 4 houses per 40 acres and up to 8 with town board approval. Primary Agriculture allows 2 houses per 40 acres. The minimum lot size in the Town of Ellsworth is 2 ½ acres (adopted June 2006).
This page was last updated on February 7, 2011 |
|
