It is necessary for the electors of the town to meet to consider whether and on what conditions to authorize the sale of Town property to the Department of Transportation (DOT) in connection with the Highway 69 reconstruction project. If sale is not authorized, the DOT would be expected to bring condemnation proceedings against the property. A special electors’ meeting has been scheduled for April 15, 2020 at 7:00 p.m. to consider this matter, and the regular town board meeting date changed to April 15 just after that meeting.
APPLICATIONS FOR ABSENTEE BALLOTS
Applications for absentee ballots are on the front door of the town hall. If you are a registered voter and do not want to do in person absentee voting, please take one. When you have completed it, please put it through the slot in the office door on the side of the building together with a photocopy of your driver’s license. An absentee ballot will be mailed to you. This has to be done no later than Thrusday, April 2 at 5 p.m.; sooner is better because ballots must be back by the end of the election – Tuesday, April 7, 2020 at 8 p.m.
Please let any non-computer using neighbor know that they can do this without having to go to myvote.wi.gov.
Absentee voting – update
We are doing very well on absentee voting. So far, out of 766 registered voters, 186 have either voted in person absentee, or have completed applications for absentee ballots. That’s almost 25%!
The Town Hall is now open for in person absentee voting every weekday from now (March 24) through Friday, April 3, from 10 a.m. to noon and from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. And, of course, you can make your request for an absentee ballot any time of the day or night through Thursday, April 2 at 5 p.m., by visiting myvote.wi.gov and following the simple instructions. Finally, you can still register either on line at myvote.wi.gov or at the town hall through Monday, March 30. If you haven’t registered by then, you will need to come in person to the polls on election day, Tuesday, April 7.
In person absentee voting hours – update
The Montrose Town Hall will be open for in person absentee voting from 10 a.m. until noon and from 2 p.m. until 4 p.m. all weekdays starting Monday, March 23, through Friday, April 3, EXCEPT for Wednesday, April 1. Requests to vote curbside can easily be accomodated. Please let your neighbors know!
And you can apply for an absentee ballot to be mailed OR E-MAILED, until 5 p.m. on Thursday, April 2. Because the ballots have to be back to the town hall by 8 p.m. on Tuesday, April 7, Election Day, apply sooner rather than later. Again, please encourage your neighbors to vote absentee!
The Town Hall will be observing social distancing protocols during all forms of voting.
ABSENTEE VOTING ON APRIL 7, 2020
In person absentee voting (including curbside voting) – just call or text the town’s number (608-424-3848) to make an appointment or to check to see if the clerk is in. This is pretty simple procedure, if you are registered. Bring your proof of ID (in most cases, your driver’s license) with you, and vote in the office or the parking lot, as you wish. Your ballot will be kept and counted with the other absentee votes on election day. Last day for in person voting is the Friday before the election, April 3, 2020. Make sure to check ahead of time – this office is not open regular hours, but the clerk will always have the phone.
Getting an absentee ballot mailed. Go on to myvote.wi.gov and request one. If you are registered, you can do this up until 5 days before the election. It would be better to request sooner rather than later – if the ballot is not returned by 8 p.m. on election day it will not be counted.
Information on referendum questions on April 7, 2020 ballot
There are two referendum questions on the April 7, 2020 ballot. The Town is seeking to allow the Town Board to appoint the town clerk and the town treasurer, instead of those positions remaining elective. The reason for this request is that to be elected to either office, a person must be a resident of the town. In our small township (a hair less than 1100 people), it can be difficult to find anyone willing to serve. The current clerk is a town resident appointed on an interim basis after no one ran for the office in 2019. The appointed clerk and treasurer would have the similar protections of their independence as elected clerks and treasurers – their compensation could not be reduced during their terms of office, their terms of office have to be at least 2 years (no more than 3 years), and they cannot be fired without cause. If the appointment process is not satisfactory, the town can return to the elective system.
The town board feels that allowing the appointment of these two officers will make it less likely that a crisis situation will develop in the future, should there be no town resident willing to take on one of these offices.
The statute reads as follows:
(1e) Appointed town officers.
60.30(1e)(a)(a) Notwithstanding sub. (1) (a) 2. and subject to pars. (b) and (c), a town board may enact an ordinance that provides for the appointment of a person by a majority of the members-elect of the town board, as defined in s. 59.001 (2m), to fill the office of town clerk, town treasurer, or both, or to fill the combined office of town clerk and town treasurer under s. 60.305 (1).
(b) An ordinance enacted under par. (a) may not take effect until it is approved in a referendum called by the town board for that purpose at the next spring or general election, to be held not sooner than 70 days after the referendum is called by the town board. The referendum question shall be: “Shall the person holding the office of … [town clerk or town treasurer, or both; or the combined office of town clerk and town treasurer] in the town of … be appointed by the town board?”.
(c) If an ordinance is approved in a referendum under par. (b), the change from an elective office to an appointive office may not take effect until the term of office of the incumbent town clerk, town treasurer, or combined town clerk and town treasurer expires. If an ordinance is approved under par. (b) at a general election, the ordinance takes effect upon the expiration of the term or terms of the incumbent officer or officers. If an ordinance is approved under par. (b) at a spring election at which the office of town clerk or town treasurer is filled, the ordinance takes effect upon the expiration of the term or terms of each officer who is elected at that election. A person appointed to the office of town clerk or town treasurer, or to the combined office of town clerk and town treasurer, shall serve for a term, not to exceed 3 years, that is set by the town board. The person may be reappointed and may be dismissed by the board only for cause, as defined in s. 17.001.
(d) Not sooner than 2 years after an ordinance is approved in a referendum under par. (b), the town board may enact an ordinance to return to a system of electing the town clerk and town treasurer or the combined office of town clerk and town treasurer, under sub. (1) (a) 2., without a referendum. If the ordinance under this paragraph is enacted on or after the date of the spring election and on or before November 1 in any year, a town clerk, town treasurer or combined town clerk and town treasurer shall be elected to succeed the appointive officer at the next spring election following enactment of the ordinance. If the ordinance is enacted on any other date, a town clerk, town treasurer or combined town clerk and town treasurer shall be elected to succeed the appointive officer at the 2nd spring election following enactment of the ordinance.
(e) Notwithstanding sub. (1) (a) 2. and subject to pars. (f) and (g), a town board that is authorized to do so by a town meeting under s. 60.10 (1) (b) 2m. shall appoint, by a majority of the members-elect of the town board, as defined in s. 59.001 (2m), a person to fill the office of town clerk, town treasurer, or both, or to fill the combined office of town clerk and town treasurer under s. 60.305 (1). The town board shall make the initial appointment not less than 30 days nor more than 60 days after the annual town meeting at which the authorization is given.
(f) If a person is appointed to office under par. (e), the person initially appointed may not take office until the term of office of the incumbent town clerk, town treasurer, or combined town clerk and town treasurer expires. A person appointed to the office of town clerk or town treasurer, or to the combined office of town clerk and town treasurer, shall serve for a term, not to exceed 3 years, that is set by the town board. The person may be reappointed and may be dismissed by the board only for cause, as defined in s. 17.001.
(g) Not sooner than 2 years after a person is appointed to office under par. (e), the town board may enact an ordinance to return to a system of electing the town clerk and town treasurer or the combined office of town clerk and town treasurer, under sub. (1) (a) 2. without a vote of a town meeting. An ordinance enacted under this paragraph shall follow the procedures in par. (d).