GENERAL QUESTIONS
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Q.
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What are the Town Hall Office hours?
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A.
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Monday through Thursday from 7:30
a.m. to 4:00 p.m. & Fridays 7:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
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Q.
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Where is the Town Hall located?
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A.
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W249 S8910 Center Drive
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PROPERTY TAX QUESTIONS
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Q.
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When am I going to get my tax bill?
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A.
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Every year, the bills are mailed
to property owners between December 1 and December 15. Remember . . . It is your responsibility
to obtain and pay the tax bills on your property. The mailing of tax bills is for your
convenience, and according to Wisconsin Statutes, Section 74.09(6), failure to receive a bill
does not exempt any property owner from paying penalties in the event of late payment.
Administration of property tax
bills and collection is according to Wisconsin State Statutes, Chapter 74. To view the statutes
(Chapter 74) regarding property taxes,
click here.
The Town Treasurer collects
current real estate taxes from mid-December to January 31. After January 31, our real estate tax
records are turned over to the Waukesha County Treasurer, 1320 Pewaukee Road, Waukesha, WI
53188. The County Treasurer collects all delinquent real estate taxes from previous years. The
Town Treasurer collects Town personal property taxes (business-related), current and delinquent,
year-round.
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Q.
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What is this year's tax rate (net assessed value rate)
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A.
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2008 Assessment Ratio is 93%
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Q.
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What is the amount of this year's lottery credit?
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A.
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$77.23
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Q.
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What is my tax amount?
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A.
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Click here to
look up your property tax information.
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Q.
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How are my taxes determined?
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A.
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Total Assessed
Value of Your Property (as of Jan 1 of the tax year) x Tax Rate=Your Real Estate Tax
Though the assessed value of your
property affects your share of taxes, the actual amount you pay is determined by the budget
needs of the schools, Town, county, technical college, and state. All of these taxing units
decide what services they will provide in the coming year and how much money they will need to
provide those services. This amount is divided by the assessed value of all Town property minus
the school tax credit to arrive at the net tax rate. The tax rate is the rate that is necessary
to raise sufficient money from the property tax to meet the levy. The levy is determined by
totaling all expected sources of revenue such as state aids and shared revenues, license fees,
etc. This amount is then subtracted from the estimated expenditure figure and the remainder must
be raised from the property tax.
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Q.
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Where do my tax dollars go?
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A.
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Although your tax payments are made to the Treasurer, a large
share of your tax dollars are turned over to other governmental units such as the schools,
county, technical college, and the state. Taxes also pay for Town services such as Public Works,
Health and Sanitation and Elections Administration.
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Q.
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How can I change the ownership name on the bill?
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A.
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Contact the County Register of Deeds, 1320 Pewaukee Road,
(262) 548-7863.
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Q.
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How can I change my mailing address?
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A.
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Click here
to use the address
change form or contact the Town Assessor @ 542-3332.
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Q.
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When is the real estate tax bill due and do I have to pay the whole bill?
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A.
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There are two payment options after receiving your bill:
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Full Payment Option: By January 31 - Pay the total amount
of the tax due.
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Installment Option:
By January 31 - Pay the
amount of the first installment due.
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If you choose to pay in installments, please remember:
The bill is divided into 2 installments. The due dates are
January 31st and July 31st. The amount of the installment due on your bill must be paid by the
appropriate due date. If any portion of the installment is paid late, the ENTIRE balance of
the real estate tax bill becomes delinquent, and will accrue penalty until it is paid in full.
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Q.
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If I choose the installment option, can I pay more than the installment amount due?
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A.
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Yes, anything over the amount of the installment due would be
applied towards the next installment.
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Q.
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What determines a timely payment?
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A.
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To be considered a timely payment, your tax payment must be
received by the Town Treasurer on or before January 31st, or your mailing envelope must be
postmarked no later than January 31st. Do not depend on your mailed payment being postmarked on
the day you deposit it in the mailbox.
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Q.
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What if I can't pay the amount due?
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A.
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If the full payment is not received by January 31st, or any
installment is not paid by the appropriate due date, the total remaining unpaid balance of the
bill is DELINQUENT. The unpaid balance will accrue penalty until it is paid in full. Wisconsin
Statutes 74.12(7)(8)
http://www.legis.state.wi.us/rsb/stats.html
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Q.
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How is penalty calculated?
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A.
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Delinquent real estate taxes are subject to interest of one
percent (1%) and penalty of one-half percent (1/2%) per month or fraction of a month, computed
back to February 1. If any installment is delinquent, the total remaining unpaid balance becomes
delinquent. Wisconsin Statutes Chapter 74.47, 74.12 (10), 74.12 (7)(8).
http://www.legis.state.wi.us/rsb/stats.html
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Q.
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Who should I make my check payable to?
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A.
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Town of Vernon Treasurer, PO Box 309, Big Bend, WI 53103
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Q.
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What forms of payment do you accept?
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A.
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Checks (including money orders and cashier's checks) or cash
are acceptable methods. Debit and Credit cards are NOT accepted.
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Q.
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Do I have to wait in a long line if I come in person to pay my taxes?
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A.
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As soon as the tax bills are mailed, we sometimes have long lines
of people waiting to pay. In December, the wait can be from 10 to 20 minutes. We recommend
either mailing your payment, or using the payment drop boxes located outside of our building.
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Q.
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What if I cannot mail the payment in time or make it in person before you close?
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A.
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There is a payment drop box located outside of our building
underneath the window to the East of the front door. Put your payment in an envelope, marked
"Town Treasurer" (please do not deposit cash) and place it the drop box, any time of the day or
night. Payments received in the box prior to the due date are date stamped on time.
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Q.
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Do I need to endorse the back of my escrow check?
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A.
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If you are listed as the payee or co-payee on your escrow
check, you must endorse the check. If more than one payee is listed, every payee listed must
endorse the escrow check.
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Q.
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What do I do if my escrow check from my mortgage company is not enough or too much to cover
the amount due?
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A.
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If the check is not enough to pay the first installment, you
are responsible to pay the difference by January 31. However, if it covers more than the first
installment, you may pay the balance of the second installment by July 31.
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Q.
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I just got my real estate tax bill in the mail, what do I do now?
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A.
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The property owner is responsible for paying the bill. If you
have a mortgage on your property, contact your lender for information on how payment from your
escrow account is handled.
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Q.
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I am not sure if I am supposed to pay my property taxes, or if my mortgage company is paying
them. How do I find out?
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A.
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If you do not know if you are to pay your property taxes or
if your mortgage company plans to, you should call your mortgage company.
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Q.
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I recently purchased this property. I thought the taxes were already paid. Why am I getting
this bill?
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A.
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You should read your closing documents to determine if any
portion or proration of the taxes were credited to you by the previous owner. You are
responsible for any taxes which were not paid or credited as of closing.
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Q.
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Do I have any recourse if I disagree with this bill?
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A.
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No. Early in the year, the assessed value for the property is
established by the assessor. Around that time, a property owner may file an objection to their
assessed value. However, the period for appealing has passed by the time the taxes are
determined. For more information on assessment objections, visit the assessor page.
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Q.
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What are personal property taxes?
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A.
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This type of tax usually pertains to a business. It is based
on assessed value of tangible items, for example, furniture and machinery. Wisconsin Statutes
70.04
www.legis.state.wi.us/rsb/stats.html
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Q.
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Lottery Credit How do I get the Lottery Credit?
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A.
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Contact the Waukesha County Treasurer, 1320 Pewaukee Road,
Waukesha, WI 53188 (262) 548-7029 or
click here to download the form.
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Q.
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Are there any programs to help me with my property taxes?
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A.
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The Wisconsin Department of Revenue administers two programs
to help people with their property taxes - the Homestead Tax Credit Program and the Property Tax
Deferral Loan Program.
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For information on the Homestead Tax Credit Program:
Wisconsin Department of Revenue P. O. Box 8903 Madison, WI 53708-8903 (608)266-8641
http://www.dor.state.wi.us/faqs/ise/homedef.html
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For information on the Property Tax Deferral Loan Program:
WHEDA (Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority) P. O. Box 1728 Madison, WI
53701-1728 1-800-755-7835 www.wheda.com
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LICENSES
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Q.
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How do I get a dog license?
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A.
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Bring the rabies certificate which shows a valid rabies shot
for the dog to our office. The fees vary depending upon the time of year and if the dog is
neutered or spayed.
Current dog licenses fees are $11.00 if the dog is
spayed/neutered and $13.00 if not spayed or neutered. After March 31st, there is an additional
$25.00 fee per dog if the license is not purchased within 30 days of ownership within the Town, if the
dog is older than 5 months old.
Click here for
the form.
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Q.
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How can I get a bartender (Operator’s) License?
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A.
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Click
here to obtain instruction on how to apply for and Operator's License.
Click here for the Operator's License
Application.
Click here
for Waukesha County Technical College's class schedule for the "Responsible Beverage Server"
course.
Click here to take
the "Responsible Beverage Server" course online at Learn2Serve.
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ELECTIONS/VOTING
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Q.
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Do I need identification to register to vote?
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A.
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At the polling place, you must provide acceptable proof of
residence, a form of identification must be listed and must include:
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A current and complete name, including both the given and
family name
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A current and complete residential address, including a
numbered street address, if any, and the name of a municipality. (Some examples: Driver's
license, utility bill, rent receipt.)
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Q.
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What election activity does the Town Clerk conduct?
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A.
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Voter registration
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Voter history & maintenance
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Candidate
registration
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Pollworker and voting machine technician & supervision
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Comprehensive voting system administration
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Absentee ballot administration
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Q.
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When are the elections?
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A.
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In even-numbered years:
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Spring Primary (if required) 3rd Tuesday in February
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Spring Election 1st Tuesday in April
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September Primary (if required) 2nd Tuesday in September
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General Election Tuesday after the 1st Monday in November
In odd-numbered years:
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Spring Primary (if required) 3rd Tuesday in February
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Spring Election 1st Tuesday in April
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Q.
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Where can I register to vote?
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A.
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At the Vernon Town Hall in the Town Clerk's office, or on the
day of any election at your polling place. To locate your polling place,
click here.
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Q.
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Where do I vote?
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A.
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Wards 2 - 5 vote at the Vernon Town Hall (W249 S8910 Center
Drive)
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Wards 1, 6-10 vote at Fire Station #3 (STH 164 & I-43)
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Click here
to see where you vote.
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Q.
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How can I get an absentee ballot?
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A.
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Ballots are available in the Town Clerk's office
approximately 4 weeks before any election. For information on how to get a ballot
click here.
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Q.
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How can I become a pollworker?
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A.
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Contact the Town Clerk at (262) 662-2039 or
e-mail the
Clerk.
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Q.
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What times do the polling places open and close?
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A.
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The polls are open from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. on election
day.
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Q.
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How can I run for a Town office?
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A.
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Any person seeking public office in the State of Wisconsin
must register as a candidate. You should register as a candidate in the Town Clerk's office
before circulating nomination papers to ensure proper disclosure.
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RECYCLING
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Q.
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When is my garbage day?
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A.
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Call the Town Clerk’s
Office at (262) 662-2039 as we need your address to determine your pickup
day.
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Q.
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Brush Pickup
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A.
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Q.
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What do I do with my moving boxes?
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A.
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Flatten and bundle and place with your
recycling bin. Recycling
materials are picked up the same day as your garbage on a bi-weekly basis.
The following #'s are recyclable: #1 & #2.
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Q.
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Before you Burn...
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A.
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Contact the Fire Department at 662-2079.
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BUILDING INSPECTION
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Q.
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I need a Building/Electrical/Plumbing, HVAC Permit, who do I call?
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A.
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Vince Budiac, Town of Vernon Building Inspector
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Q.
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What are his office hours?
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A.
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Monday, Wednesday & Friday from 1:30 PM to 3:30 PM
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Q.
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Where is his office?
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A.
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At the Vernon Town Hall (W249 S8910 Center Drive)
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Q.
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What is his phone number?
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A.
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MISCELLANEOUS
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Q.
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Where Do I Park My Car Overnight?
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A.
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Not on the streets
overnight between November 1 and April 1.
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Q.
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Meeting Dates
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A.
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Town Board meets on the 1st & 3rd Thursdays of the month at
6:30 PM
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Plan Commission meets on the 2nd (if needed) & 4th
Thursday
of the month at 6:30 PM
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Ordinance Committee meets on the 4th Monday of the month
from 4:00 PM to 5:30 PM
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Department of Public Works Committee meets on the 3rd
Monday of the month at 5:00 PM
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Public Health & Safety Committee meets on the 4th Tuesday
of the month at 6:30 PM
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