Every effort has been made to mail this newsletter to all property owners and residents.  The board asks that property owners who have rental property make sure their tenants have received the newsletter or have them call the clerk for a copy.  If you have sold your property recently, please forward the newsletter to the new property owners or have them contact the clerk for a copy. 

Regular Town Board Meetings
2^nd Wednesday of each month
7:00 p.m. – Kildare Town Hall

Chairman Dennis Franek                   (608) 666-2327

Supervisor Leo Schneider                  (608) 666-4444

Supervisor Dan Lapp                          (608) 666-3305

Treasurer Patty Schluter                    (608) 847-7244

Clerk Linda Winterstein                      (608) 666-2637
(Hours: Mon-Fri 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.)
Please note that the town clerk works out of her home on a part-time basis. 
It is always a good idea to call before stopping by to make sure the clerk is at home.

Trash & Recycling Collection

  A new 3-year trash/recyclable contract was awarded to Clark Disposal, Inc., effective January 1, 2006.  Notice of the change was included in the property tax bills mailed in December.  Collection will remain on the same day with trash collection every Monday and recyclables collected the fourth Monday of each month.  If Monday is a major holiday, collection will occur the next day.  Please see calendar at the end of this newsletter or click here for a printer friendly version of the official 2006 calendar.   

   -  Place trash and recyclables at the end of the driveway by 6:00 a.m. Monday morning.  Recyclables and trash should not be placed at the end of the driveway for collection until the weekend prior to pick-up.    

   -  Tires and other large items, such as appliances, furniture, mattresses, are not part of a normal collection and should not be placed at the end of the driveway unless arrangements have been made for a special pick-up.  To arrange for pick-up of these items, contact Clark Disposal at (608) 847-6734.  You can also call the Juneau County Landfill at (608) 562-5223 to make arrangements to drop off large items/tires. 

   -  To obtain a list of items that can be recycled, contact the town clerk or click here.  Please remember that it is against the law to place recyclable items in with garbage or trash collection containers. 

   -  If your trash or recyclables are not picked up, please contact Clark Disposal at the above number—not the clerk. 

Town Ordinances

  Over the past year, the board revised the following ordinances:

   ATV ordinance [No. 17(A)] to open all town roads to ATVs with the exception of dead-end roads and cul-de-sacs.  The ordinance was amended [No. 17(B)] to exclude Town Line Road from ATV travel.  Although the amended ordinance was adopted, it is not effective until proper signage has been posted.  Contact the clerk for further information. 

   Building ordinance [No. 5(F)] to clarify culvert requirements and placement of structures from the centerline of the public highway.

Building Permits/Building Inspection

  In 2005, the town issued 42 building permits, of which 7 were for new residences.  Building permit fees effective January 1, 2006:  Frame (stick-built) House $450; Modular/Manufactured House $350; Mobile Home and Building Addition $300; Garage, Pole Shed/Barn/Deck/Porch $125; Yard Shed (80-200 square feet) $25; Fire Sign $75.00.

  Yard sheds less than 80 square feet do not require a building permit.  Failure to obtain a building permit prior to construction will result in a penalty fee of $200.00 minimum/$1,000.00 maximum in lieu of the standard building permit fee.

   Building permits are approved at monthly town board meetings.  Please take into consideration the time required for sanitary permit and building permit approvals when planning construction. 

   Building permit applications and information can be obtained from the clerk, the building inspector, or the town website.  The town building inspector is Walter Hoehn, Hoehn & Son Lumber Company, 106 N. Lemonweir, Lyndon Station, (608) 666-2111.  Please contact Mr. Hoehn before beginning construction.

  Driveways

  Driveway permits are required if installing a driveway without erecting a structure.  Permits can be obtained from the clerk.  There is no fee for a driveway permit.  Reminder that driveways must be wide enough to allow fire trucks to enter the property.  All driveways require a culvert (minimum:  12-inch diameter; 30-foot long), unless the town board grants an exception, and driveways must be a minimum of 20 feet wide at the culvert.

Fire Signs

   The town began a three-year fire sign replacement program in 2005.  The new signs are double-sided (except for dead-end roads and cul-de-sacs).  The following roads received new fire signs in 2005:  County Road HH, McMahon Road, 54^th Street, and 24^th Avenue. 

   Fire signs must be installed within the town right-of-way and cannot be moved; they cannot be nailed to trees, houses or placed in other locations on private property.  Property owners are responsible for making sure brush, tall weeds, dirt or snow do not obscure the fire number.  The town is responsible for replacement of fire signs due to normal wear and tear.  Property owners are responsible for replacement cost of damaged and missing fire signs; cost to replace is $75.00

   These signs are used by emergency responders and minutes can make the difference.  If your fire sign is not clearly visible and readable from the road, emergency responders may not locate your property in time. 

Town Roads

   The 26^th Avenue TRIP reconstruction project was completed in July 2005.  Total cost was $124,676, which includes $14,675 for design, plans & specifications.  The engineering firm was MSA Professional Associates of Baraboo, and the construction contractor was Scott Construction of Lake Delton. 

   Design work will be completed on the 28^th Avenue bridge reconstruction in the next month and bids are to be advertised this spring.  Current plans are to have the reconstruction completed by November 2006. 

 Town Website

  Check out the town website at www.kildaretownship.com.  The website has building permit information and forms, as well as the most recent town board minutes and coming events/meetings.  Many thanks to Kildare resident, Beth Onofrio of Ellynbee Creations Web Design, for designing and maintaining the website. 

Livestock Premises Registration

   Reminder that anyone who keeps and/or houses livestock and poultry, including livestock and poultry kept as pets or for family use, should have registered their premises by January 1, 2006, and must renew the registration annually.  The law excludes dogs and cats.  Purpose of registration is to help the state respond quickly to animal or bird disease outbreak (such as Avian flu).  There is no fee for registration.  However, penalty for not registering livestock or poultry ranges from $200 to $5,000.

   Premises include farms, hobby farms and residential property that have livestock and/or poultry.  Livestock includes bison, cattle, llamas, alpacas, deer, elk, moose, horses, donkeys, mules, goats, sheet and pigs/hogs.  Poultry includes pheasants, quail, pigeons, exotic birds, chickens, turkeys, geese, ducks, guinea fowl, ostriches, emus and other captive game birds.   

   For additional information, contact the Juneau County Farm Service Agency at 847-7221 or the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection at (608) 742-5811.  Or you can visit the state website at www.datcp.state.wi.us/premises/index.jsp.

 Property Taxes

   Property tax bills were mailed in early December.  This bill is for 2005 property taxes, which are payable in 2006.   First installment is due January 31, 2006, to the town treasurer.  If you pay the entire amount prior to December 31, 2005, it is mailed to the town treasurer.  If you pay in two installments, the first installment is paid to the town treasurer and the second installment is paid to the county treasurer on or before July 31.  The town treasurer will be collecting payments at the Bank of Lyndon on January 20 and 27, 2006, from 4:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.  No cash payments will be accepted at the treasurer’s residence.

2006 Town Budget/Levy

   The 2006 town budget and town levy were approved on November 17, 2005, after a public budget hearing on that same date.  The overall 2006 budget is $274,400, as compared to $267,725 approved in November 2004 and amended to $380,925 in September 2005.  Town levy for 2005 (payable in 2006) is $120,000, as compared to $122,339 in 2004/2005.  Town mill rate for 2005/2006 will be $2.60 as compared to $2.90 in 2004/2005.  If you wish to review a copy of the 2006 budget, it is posted at the Kildare Town Hall or you may contact the clerk for a copy. 

   The following pie chart shows a percentage breakdown of the $1,157,930.27 tax levy for 2006.     

Elections

   Voter Registration:  Beginning in 2006, state law requires that all voters must be registered.  For those individuals who did not pre-register in 2005, you may register at the clerk’s residence prior to election day or at the Town Hall prior to voting on election day.

   Procedures for requesting absentee ballots:  Request must be in writing, using either the state-approved form or a letter with the same information contained in the form.  Please allow sufficient time for mailing the request to the clerk and having the absentee ballot mailed and returned prior to poll closing.  If time does not allow mailing, individuals can complete an absentee ballot request, as well as cast the absentee vote, in the clerk’s office.   Contact the clerk in advance before applying for or casting an absentee ballot.  Please note that the clerk’s hours do not include Sundays.

   2006 Election Dates: 

February 21 – Spring Primary; April 4 – Spring Election; September 12 – Fall Primary; November 7 – General Election.  Polling place is the Kildare Town Hall; poll hours are 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.  The town is always looking for individuals to work at the elections.  Pay for election officials/tabulators was increased to $8.00 an hour in 2005; individuals can work half-day (6 hours) or full day (12 hours); tabulators work one to two hours.  If you are interested in working at the elections, contact the town clerk.

Things to Ponder

 � Drivers who don’t move to the far right when faced with oncoming cars on narrow town roads.

 � Trash cans that are left at the edge of driveways all week, even after trash has been collected.

 � Drivers who throw trash and other items from their car into the town roads and ditches.

 � Individuals who dump tires along town roadsides instead of disposing of them properly.

 � 90% of residents responding to the 2004 town survey indicating the town should continue having an annual clean-up day, yet only a few residents showing up at the town hall to participate in annual clean-ups. 

 � Town road signs that are defaced or removed, requiring replacement at taxpayer expense.

 � An average of 5 to 6 residents attending monthly town board meetings out of a town population of 615.

 � Difficulty in finding residents for to run for town offices and committees, yet no difficulty in finding residents who complain about town board decisions.

Town Clean-Up

   On May 7 the town held its annual clean-up day to pick up trash and other large items from roadside ditches.  The board would like to thank Jasan Franek and Bill Winterstein for volunteering their time to help the board members.  The board also appreciates the assistance from other residents in picking up trash from the ditches in front of and near their property throughout the year.  Approximately 0.49 tons of trash and 1.01 tons of tires were delivered to the Juneau County Landfill for a cost of $207.33.  

   The board asks that property owners/residents make a special effort to have tires and large items disposed of properly rather than dumping them in town ditches.  The town has a dumping and littering ordinance with appropriate fines, so if you are aware of someone who has violated the ordinance, write down the license plate number and contact one of the board members.  Please help keep the town clean!

Meeting Notices

   Notices of town board meetings are published every Thursday in the Juneau County Messenger.  Also, the notice is posted at the Town Hall and at Lyndon Hardware in Lyndon Station.  Special notices are posted at three locations:  the Town Hall, Country Corners Bait & Tackle, and the clerk’s residence, as well as at Lyndon Hardware.

Emergency Preparedness

   The tornadoes in southern Wisconsin and hurricanes Katrina and Rita on the Gulf Coast last year are a reminder that everyone should be prepared to deal with natural and other disasters.  The town has an Emergency Operations Plan to follow in the event of a disaster.  The plan is a guideline for town officials to coordinate with various government agencies, relying upon federal, state and county agencies to provide assistance.  The plan also contains information on local businesses to be contacted in the event of emergency requirements.  The town chairman serves as the town emergency management director and the town hall is designated as the primary point of operation for emergencies.

   The Gulf Coast hurricanes show that individuals should make advance preparations rather than rely on government agencies to provide assistance in the immediate days following a disaster.   Standard response time for FEMA is 72 to 96 hours; in the meantime, state and local governments are responsible for coordinating and providing assistance. 

   Although Wisconsin does not have hurricanes, it does have tornadoes, and individuals should plan on being self-sufficient for an extended period of time.  Some things to think about having available on a regular basis, but particularly during tornado season:  a safe room or location for shelter; emergency provisions including pet food; emergency generators; cellular telephones; battery-powered radios; flashlights and extra batteries; candles and matches; first-aid supplies; extra medications; location of important documents and valuables (for quick retrieval); and, if evacuated, type of transportation, routes, destination and gasoline for personal vehicles.

2006  Trash and Recycling Schedule

Click Here for a Printable Calendar to hang on the refrigerator!