Town of Whitewater, Wisconsin Resource Guide
Town of Whitewater
W8590 Willis Ray Road Whitewater, WI 53190
262.473.4639
Office Hours:
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday from 8:30 AM to 1:30 PM
And by Appointment
Email: clerk.treas@townofwhitewaterwi.gov
Chairperson
Lowell Hagen
N8944 Parker Road
262.903.1346 (cell)
First Side Supervisor Responsible for roads Bob Strand
W8244 Elkhorn Road
PO Box 647
262.391.3421 (cell)
Email: strand_builders@yahoo.com
Second Side Supervisor
Rep. for WW/Rice Lakes and Safety Patrol.
Jon Tanis
262-473-9694
email: tanisconstruction@yahoo.com
Clerk/Treasurer
Jorja Boiley
262.473.4639 (town hall)
Public Works Superintendent
Carl Ahrens 920-723-0458
Town Assessor:
Municipal Group
Ryan Kernosky, MPA
ryan@municipalgroup.org
715-204-4563
Building Inspector
For inspections/appointments call
Building Inspections Services at 608-921-1891 or Email: jon.mesler@gmail.com
Emergency Numbers
Call 911 for any emergency!
Public Service Numbers
Walworth County Sheriff 262.741.4400
(for ordinance Enforcement & non-emergencies)
Boat Safety Patrol 262.741.4400
Lakeland Animal Shelter 262.723.3899
Jefferson Co. Humane Society 920.674.5218
Town Board Meetings
The Town of Whitewater is governed by a three-member board that meets the second Wednesday of each month at 7 p.m. at the Town Hall. (April is the third Wednesday of the month). Agendas and notices are posted at the Town Hall and on the town website at: townofwhitewaterwi.gov. You are encouraged to attend meetings or to contact any town official with concerns or questions.
Taxes
Tax bills are usually mailed by December 13.
The full payment or first installment is due by January 31st.
Checks are payable to the Town of Whitewater and can be mailed to the Town Hall or put in the Drop Box on the garage door at the Town Hall. Second
installments are due July 31 and payable to:
Walworth County Treasurer
PO Box 1001
Elkhorn, WI 53121.
If you move, please contact the Walworth
County Property Lister Office before November 15
@ 262.741.4255.
Just a reminder All tax payments made from February 1 through July 31 should be mailed directly to the Walworth County Treasurer, or dropped off in Elkhorn at the Walworth County Treasurer’s Office. Make checks out to Walworth County Treasurer. Final tax payments are due July 31 to the Walworth County Treasurer. Walworth County does NOT send out second installment reminder notices.
Fire & Ambulance Calls
The Town contracts with the City of
Whitewater for these services. There is a
potential fire call charge of $500.00 - $1,000 whenever the trucks leave the garage even for a false alarm or an unreported controlled burn. The
City bills all fire calls and ambulance calls charges depending on equipment and manpower used and also the distance to closest hospital.
Payments for these services are due upon
receipt. Always check with any insurance coverage as your policy may cover the services rendered.
To Report a Controlled Fire Burn
Report all controlled fires to the Whitewater
Fire Dept. @ 262.473.0555 and the Walworth County Sheriff Dept. @ 262.741.4400. If someone reports a fire that has not been called in and fire trucks are dispatched, you will be charged for the fire call. Someone must be at the burn site until the fire is out.
Refuse/Recyclable Collection Garbage and recycling will be picked up every week. Place carts about three feet from the edge of the road on pickup day.
Bulk pickup may be scheduled any time during the month by calling John's Disposal at 262.473.4700. The bulk pick up, which now includes televisions and electronics, is the only time items can be put out without being in a John’s Disposal container. Shredded paper must be put into a plastic bag. Dispose of medical needles in a special container from your medical provider. If you move into a new house, please call the town hall to begin service. Trash and recycling fees are included on your annual tax bill.
Branch chipping service
This service is available the first Monday of
each month from May through October by
appointment only. Call 262.473.4639 and leave your name, address and phone number on the answering machine by the Thursday before each scheduled service date.
All ends of branches must be placed in an orderly fashion in a stack 5 ft. wide x 3 ft. high facing the road by your fire number, or your branches will not be chipped. Do NOT put any roots in with your branches. Do NOT place branches across the road in the ditch. Yard leaves/waste should be bagged and delivered to John’s Disposal facility,
W3875 Hwy U, Whitewater, WI 53190
262.473.4700.
Dog Licenses
All dogs over 5 months kept in the Town must be licensed annually with the proof of a current rabies shot. Your vet will provide all the information required.. Proof of
spay or neuter must be verified with initial
application only. The cost of a spayed or
neutered dog license for 2023 is $20.00, all others are $39.00. You may purchase a license when you pay your taxes. Late fees, $5.00 per dog, apply after
March 31.
New dog applications are on the Town’s website.
Elections
All elections are held at the Town Hall from
7a.m.- 8 p.m. Voter ID is now in effect. Voter
registration is required. You may register on line: https://myvote.wi.gov/
or register in person at the Town either prior to election day or in advance at the Town Hall. You must provide proof or residency and provide a photo ID in order to register.
Contact the Clerk at 262.473.4639 with questions.
Bicycling, Walking, and Jogging
Exercise is encouraged in the Town. Persons
riding bikes must follow all traffic laws.
Walkers and joggers are reminded that they
must walk on the left side of the road facing on-coming traffic.
Recreational Vehicles
Mini bikes, go-carts, golf carts and snowmobiles are not allowed on Town roads. ATV/UTV's are not allowed on specific roads. Signs are posted for all routes.
Lake Access
There are several lake accesses where boats
can be launched. Rice Lake has a State launch on the right side of State Park Road and Whitewater Lake has a launch on the left side of State Park Road at The Boat House Marina. The other launches on Kettle Moraine Drive and East Lake Shore Drive do not have available parking. Any cars parked on the road must have all four wheels off the blacktop.
Clover Valley Flowing Well
Stop and have a cool drink of spring water and relax at the Channing Flowing Well. The Well is located on Clover Valley Road and can be accessed 24/7. There are no restrooms available. The water is tested every year by Walworth County and results are available by emailing the Clerk and requesting a copy of the report: clerk.treas@townofwhitewaterwi.gov.
Road Maintenance
Town of Whitewater provides snowplowing,
sanding, mowing, and maintenance for all town
roads. The schedule for snow plowing is
determined by road usage. The town has 53
miles of road to plow, so please be patient.
Please respect the road right-of-way by not
using it for dumping of refuse, leaves, or
branches. When plowing your driveway, do not
push the snow across the road onto
Town right-of-way. Please report any dangerous road conditions by calling the Town Hall at 262.473.4639 or Carl Ahrens 920-723-0458
Parking and/or Storage on Roads or Road
Right-of-Way
There is no parking allowed on any town roads
or lake accesses. If you are having a family
gathering and you need additional parking other
than your driveway, contact the Sheriff’s
Department for permission to park. All wheels
must be off the road. There is no storage
permitted in the Town right-of-way.
Note: Any work done in the town right-of-way
must be approved by the township prior to starting work.
Fireworks
The Town only issues fireworks permits to
licensed pyrotechnics with insurance. Please call
the Town Hall to obtain a permit.
Building Permits
State Law requires a building permit to ensure
all State Codes are followed. Contact the
Building Inspector, MZIS, for an appointment
at 920.675.9062.
Weed Notice
State law prohibits growth of noxious weeds on
any lands. Property owners are expected to
destroy all noxious weeds before the plants
bloom. Failure to do so could result in a 5-day
written notice to destroy and if not complied
with, such weeds are destroyed and the
expense is charged to the said land owner on
the next tax bill.
Whitewater/Rice Lake Management District
This is a governmental district which provides
maintenance for preservation of Whitewater and
Rice Lakes. If you are in this district, there is a
charge on your tax bill. Their meetings are held
the second Thursday of each month at the Town hall at 7 pm.
Town of Whitewater
Information & Reference Guide
Walworth County, Wisconsin
The Town of Whitewater is a thriving rural community located in southern Wisconsin in the heart of Kettle Moraine Country. The first people to live on Whitewater Lake were the Algonquin Indians, their tribe name was Wau-be-gan-naw-po-cat which means whitish or muddy water. Governor Doty later gave the lake the Menomonee name Waubish Nepayuaw meaning White- water. There was skirmish in Whitewater between Chief Black Hawk and General Atkinson over lands promised to the Indians in the Treaty of 1804. As early as 1830 Norwegian settlers came to the area. The records of 1843 show them as the first white settlers. In the year 1844, thirty seven Norwegian immigrants settled near the Heart Prairie on the wooded high grounds of Whitewater Lake. In the 1840’s the first dam was built near Rice Lake. In 1855 the first church was built, called Heart Prairie Lutheran Church. This church still stands on Chapel Drive and services are held there on summer weekends.
The Town of Whitewater has grown into a beautiful community nestled in the Kettle Moraine Area. There is much to say about this beautiful recreational area around Rice and Whitewater Lakes. As it started out being an agricultural area, there is still pride in the farming community. The Town offers outdoor activities, manufacturing, shopping. and restaurants. Our neighbor, the City of Whitewater, has additional shopping, restaurants, banking and a variety of cultural and theatrical productions offered by the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, as well as educational opportunities. There are emergency facilities and health care services offered as well.
