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From the Heritage of Iron & Timber 1880-1980

Published for Florence County, Wisconsin, 1980

The Townsite of Florence is Laid Out

In 1879 Mr. VanDyke and Mr. Hagerman, financiers, purchased a three-fourths interest, arranged for railroad extension because of the good work done in this mining region by Mr. N.P. Hulst and called the mine in Florence in honor of Mrs. Florence Hulst, his wife. This name was first applied to the iron mine, then to the town and county. The following is an account of the letter sent to Mrs. Florence Hulst on December 15, 1879 by Mr. J.J. Hagerman President of the Menominee Mining company:

Mrs. Hulst -- The time is come when we must give a name to the new town in Wisconsin at the end of the Railroad now building, and to the new mine in the vicinity, now called the Eagle, but which name we do not wish to keep, as there is already an Eagle P.O. in Wisconsin. The Company owns all the land around the lake, where the town will be located. It will be a lively town. We shall put an anti-whiskey clause in all deeds and we expect it will be as much noted for its temperance and morality as for its -- well, anything the future may develop. We all wish to call the new town and the mine FLORENCE, in honor of the first white woman who had courage enough to settle (for a while) in that rugged country. I mean the first white woman known to us.

Will you permit your name to be used?

Thus the town and mine had been given a name, a very prim and proper name!

Because of the mine people rushed into the region and by 1880 Mr. Fisher laid out the townsite, putting a number of lots upon the market. He said he would put the lots in at government prices selling the ordinary lots from $100.00 while the corners sold for $150.00.

In sixty days Mr. Fisher had sold $60,000 worth of realty. The population at this time was 50 people. In a short time a blast furnace was put up as was a foundry, five coal kilns, a large sawmill and a cheese factory.

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2020 Assessment Procedures

This 2020 assessment year is proving to be more of a challenge than any of us expected. The coronavirus has virtually shut everything down that is not essential.

Under the State of Wisconsin Department of Health Services Emergency Order #28, paragraph 1., sub-paragraph b., Essential Governmental Functions, allows such services to continue to ensure operations of the government body for State, Tribal and/or local governments.

As property assessors, we will continue to work for the municipalities we are contracted with to follow up on building permits and sales, field questions, make value changes and complete Boards of Review in a timely manner. The procedures for how we will complete our work must change due to public restrictions. Field review is necessary to check on building permits and update pictures and information based on changes. Most of what is recorded can be done on the exterior of the property. Where interior information is needed, this can be done at/through the door with the property owner. Or the property owner may call our office Monday through Friday between the hours of 8 am and 4 pm. If the owner fails to provide the necessary interior information R&R Assessing will place an assessment accordingly. If the property owner wishes to contest their assessment the burden of proof is the property owners. Please contact our office when asked to help ensure an accurate fair assessment.

Under “Minimum Basic Operations”, paragraph 14, sub-paragraph g., only one property assessor would be at the property to collect pertinent information at any one time.

Beginning Monday, April 27, our office will be fully staffed, and physical inspections will commence. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact our office at 920-846-4250.

Ryan L. Raatz

Rick L. Raatz

R&R Assessing Services LLC

Election Voters Strongly Encouraged to Absentee Vote by Mail for 2020

This has been a busy election year. There have already been 4 elections in Florence County, and there is one more coming up. Because of the COVID-19 and the restrictions that may still be in place, voters are strongly urged to act now to vote absentee by mail for the November 3 General Election. The Wisconsin Elections Commission encourages all Wisconsin voters who want to vote in elections to request an absentee ballot by mail.

Absentee Ballots are mailed out to voters with a request on file as soon as we receive the request from the voter. For the November 3, 2020 General Election, ballots were mailed out to everyone with a request on file on September 16, 2020.

You can request your ballot now, but you don't have to vote it immediately if you are still undecided. By requesting your ballot early, you ensure that you will get it through the mail with plenty of time to vote it and get it back.

If you are at all concerned about mailing them and getting them back in time, you can drop them off in-person at the Town Office or at the Polls on Election Day. All ballots have to be back by 8:00 p.m. on Election Night.

Why Vote Absentee?

Although the elections are months away, social distancing guidelines may still be in place limiting the number of voters permitted to enter the polling place at one time.

As with the April, May and August elections, the polls will be open for people to come and vote in person. However, social distancing requirements included:

Limiting the number of voters allowed in the polling place at one time to seven (7) -- you may have to wait in line outside if there are already 7 people in the polling place

Voters maintaining 6 feet of distance between each other and between themselves and poll workers

The use of hand-sanitizer was encouraged when voters entered and exited the polling place

Voters were given their own pen to use throughout the process

By requesting absentee ballots today, they will automatically be issued as soon as the ballots are received by the Town of Florence Office. Not only does this ensure voters will receive their ballots as soon as possible, but it also makes it easier for the office to issues ballots together as a group.

TOWN OF FLORENCE TAXPAYERS

Notice that the Assessment Roll is open for Examination and Open Book

Pursuant to s. 70.45, Wis Stats. the assessment roll for the Year 2020 assessment will be open for examination at the Town Office located at 749 Central Avenue, Florence, WI 54121 starting

October 7th until 3:30 p.m. daily thereafter.

The Town of Florence Assessor will be at the Community Center

(Located at 749 Central Avenue, Florence) on the following date and time for the

OPEN BOOK SESSION

October 12th, 2020 from 1:00 P.M. to 3:00 P.M.

NOTICE OF THE BOARD OF REVIEW FOR THE TOWN OF FLORENCE

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Board of Review for the TOWN OF FLORENCE, FLORENCE COUNTY shall be held on

October 26th, 2020 from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM

at the Community Center located at 749 Central Avenue.

Please be advised of the following requirements to appear before the board of review and procedural requirements if appearing before the board:

1. No person will be allowed to appear before the board of review, to testify to the board by telephone, or to contest the amount of any assessment of real or personal property if the person has refused a reasonable written request by certified mail of the assessor to view the property to conduct an exterior view such property being assessed.

2. After the first meeting of the board of review and before the board's final adjournment, no person who is scheduled to appear before the board of review may contact or provide information to a member of the board about the person's objection, except at a session of the board. Open book shall occur no less than 7 days prior to the board of review.

3. The board of review may not hear an objection to the amount or valuation of property unless, at least 48 hours before the board's first scheduled meeting, the objector provides to the board's clerk written or oral notice of an intent to file an objection, except that upon a showing of good cause and the submission of a written objection, the board shall waive that requirement during the first 2 hours of the board's first scheduled meeting, and the board may waive that requirement up to the end of the 5th day of the session or up to the end of the final day of the session if the session is less than 5 days with proof of extraordinary circumstances for failure to meet the 48-hour notice requirement and failure to appear before the board of review during the first 2 hours of the first scheduled meeting.

4. Objections to the amount or valuation of property shall first be made in writing and filed with the clerk of the board of review within the first 2 hours of the board's first scheduled meeting, except that, upon evidence of extraordinary circumstances, the board may waive that requirement up to the end of the 5th day of the session or up to the end of the final day of the session if the session is less than 5 days. The board may require objections to the amount or valuation of property to be submitted on forms approved by the Department of Revenue, and the board shall require that any forms include stated valuations of the property in question. Persons who own land and improvements to that land may object to the aggregate valuation of that land and improvements to that land, but no person who owns land and improvements to that land may object only to the valuation of that land or only to the valuation of improvements to that land. No person may be allowed in any action or proceedings to question the amount or valuation of property unless the written objection has been filed and that person in good faith presented evidence to the board in support of the objections and made full disclosure before the board, under oath, of all of that person's property liable to assessment in the district and the value of that property. The requirement that objections be in writing may be waived by express action of the board.

5. When appearing before the board of review, the objecting person shall specify in writing the person's estimate of the value of the land and of the improvements that are the subject of the person's objection and specify the information that the person used to arrive at that estimate.

6. No person may appear before the board of review, testify to the board by telephone, or object to a valuation if that valuation was made by the assessor or the objector using the income method of valuation, unless the person supplies the assessor with all the information about income and expenses, as specified in the assessor's manual under s. 73.03 (2a), Wis. stats., that the assessor requests. The Town of Florence has an ordinance for the confidentiality of information about income and expenses that is provided to the assessor under this paragraph that provides exceptions for persons using information in the discharge of duties imposed by law or the duties of their officer or by order of a court. The information that is provided under this paragraph, unless a court determined that it is inaccurate, is not subject to the right of inspection and copying under s. 19.35 (1), Wis. stats.

7. The board shall hear upon oath, by telephone, all ill or disabled persons who present to the board a letter from a physician, surgeon, or osteopath that confirms their illness or disability. No other persons may testify by telephone unless the Board, in its discretion, has determined to grant a property owner’s or their representative’s request to testify under oath by telephone or written statement.

8. No person may appear before the board of review, testify to the board by telephone, or contest the amount of any assessment unless, at least 48 hours before the first meeting of the board, or at least 48 hours before the objection is heard if the objection is allowed under s.70.47 (3) (a), Wis. stats., that person provides to the clerk of the board of review notice as to whether the person will ask for the removal of a member of the board of review and, if so, which member, and provides a reasonable estimate of the length of time the hearing will take.

Notice is hereby given this 25th day of September, 2020.

Shelly VanPembrook

Clerk/Treasurer

What Happens to a Voted Absentee Ballot?

Absentee ballots are issued and mailed once the Town of Florence Office receives a request in writing and a photo ID is on file. Each absentee ballot mailing includes: instructions, one of each type of ballot (each ballot is initialed by the clerk), and a stamped and addressed certificate envelope for the voter to securely return their ballot in. The ballots are folded so that when they are returned, the election inspectors can see that the clerk initialed the ballot, but cannot see how the voter marked his/her ballot.

The voter receives and votes the ballot and encloses it in the certificate envelope provided with the ballot. This envelope must be signed and dated by the voter. A witness must also sign and write their address the envelope—by signing the witness states that they saw the voter sign the envelope and mark their ballot (not what they marked, but witnessing the voter was marking his/her own ballot).

The ballot gets returned to the Town of Florence. You can drop the ballot in the mail (there is postage on the envelope). If you use the mail, please note that it can take approximately 5-7 days for it to be returned to us. Voters can also drop off their absentee ballots at the Town of Florence Office during office hours or use the secure drop off box next to the Town Office door.

Once received by the Town of Florence Office, the ballot is recorded as returned and the sealed envelope is placed in a secured absentee ballot box. If you vote in-person by absentee, the ballot is placed in a signed certificate envelope and locked up in the box with the rest of the absentee ballots.

That box is delivered by the Clerk to the polls on Election Day.

Two election inspectors verify the certificate envelope: that it is still sealed and hasn’t been tampered with, that the voter signed and dated the envelope and that a witness signed and put their address on the envelope. Then a voter number is issued to that voter, and the absentee ballot envelope is opened.

When the envelope is opened, the inspectors make sure there is only one ballot of each type (official, town, school, etc) enclosed, and that the clerk has initialed the ballot. Once those two items are verified, the ballot is then placed directly in the ballot box. The inspectors do not see how a voter marked their ballot due to how the ballot is folded in the envelope.

The ballot boxes are opened after 8:00 p.m. on Election Day. The election workers verify there are the same number of ballots as there are voters. Then the ballots are counted by four people.

After the ballots are all tallied, they get sealed in a ballot bag. Then the results are called into the County Clerk’s Office.

How to Request an Absentee Ballot to Vote by Mail

How to Request an Absentee Ballot

The easiest way to request an absentee ballot is to go online to www.myvote.wi.gov.

Voters can also request a ballot by sending something in writing either by email, fax or mail to their municipal clerk. Town of Florence Voters can contact the Town of Florence Office by sending a request to:

e-mail: Shelly at svanpembrook@florwi.org or Jessica at jklumpp@florwi.org

fax: 715-528-3591; mail: P.O. Box 247; Florence, WI 54121

In order to receive a ballot, the voter needs to have a request on file that states:

Voter’s name & registered voting address

Where the Voter wants the ballot mailed to, if it’s a PO Box that needs to be indicated (absentee ballots do not forward in the mail)

What elections the voter wants to receive the ballot for—i.e. this election, all elections in 2020, etc.

Photo ID: If the voter has voted by mail as an absentee in the past, the ID may already be on file. Otherwise a copy of the photo ID must be included with the absentee request.

Absentee By-Mail Deadlines:

October 29 at 5 p.m. - To request an absentee ballot by-mail for regular and overseas voters.

October 30 at 5 p.m. - To request an absentee ballot by-mail for indefinitely confined voters and military voters (not on active duty).