Assessors are Coming to the City

Beginning Monday, March 21^st assessors from Accurate Appraisal, the contracted city assessment company, will be visiting certain residences in order to maintain “full value” assessments.  All Assessors will be wearing an identification badge and will be carrying a letter from City Hall that also identifies them. 

Full value assessments are important to maintain in order to make sure that all properties are valued on a fair and equitable basis so each property owner pays only their fair share of the property taxes.  They will begin the process by knocking on your door making contact to perform an inspection.  If you are unavailable, they will leave a note on your door asking you to call their office to make an appointment for an inspection.

Property owners should expect the assessor to visit their home if they meet any one of the following criteria:

1. New construction, exempt status changes, and zoning changes.
2. Properties affected by legal description changes, building removal, fire, significant remodeling, or other major condition changes.
3. All sale properties.
4. Requests for review by property owners of the City's Board of Review.
5. Inclusive of the properties listed above, Accurate Appraisal will also inspect approximately 25 percent of the non-manufacturing parcel count as shown on the prior year's final City Clerk's Statement of Assessment.

Please refer to these documents for additional information:

• Introduction Letter
• Notice of Full Value Maintenance

If you have any questions, feel free to contact Clerk/Treasurer Nancy Zastrow at (608) 868-6900 x.5.

City Hall Closed 3/23/11, 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

City Hall will be CLOSED for one hour on Wednesday, March 23rd, 2011 from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. for an all City employee meeting.

Payments for bills can be dropped off in the outside drop box. City Hall will re-open for regular business at 12:30 pm.

"Milton Reads" Photo Shoot, Kick-off, and More!

Milton Public Library is sponsoring their 3rd Annual “Milton Reads” city-wide reading project in cooperation with a Big Read grant led by the Irvin L. Young Library in Whitewater, the Arrowhead Library System in Rock County and UW-Whitewater’s Young Auditorium. The book this year is Great Tales and Poems of Edgar Allan Poe.  “We’re so excited to be reading tales and poems by Edgar Allan Poe this year,” said Library Director Lisa Brooks. “He may be a 19th century writer but he is very popular. His works are creepy, scary, mysterious and beautiful.” 

Each year the library has coordinated a community photo shoot to help publicize the event and encourage participation. This year’s shoot will be on Thursday, March 24 at 6:30 p.m. at the Milton Middle School gymnasium. Anyone is welcome to attend and be a part of the picture. Milton Courier’s Rick Miller takes the picture, and it is then blown up into several huge photos that are placed around the community.

The photo shoot is just a preparation for the real fun. On Friday, April 1 at 6:30 p.m., Milton Reads will kick-off at Northleaf Winery on Hwy 26 in Milton. The event will include refreshments, a reading by a surprise guest, and free giveaways.

The Edgar Allan Poe book discussion will take place on Tuesday, April 12 at 6:30 p.m. and will be led by a graduate student from UW-Whitewater. Books are available now for checkout at the library

The project will conclude with a teen event called “Poe”-pular Culture on Thursday, April 21 from 3-6 p.m.

The Big Read project in southeastern Wisconsin includes 20 public libraries in Rock, Walworth, Jefferson and Racine counties. To see a complete listing of activities and events in Rock county and throughout the area go to: www.als.lib.wi.us/11BigRead.htm.

The NEA presents The Big Read in partnership with the Institute of Museum and Library Services and in cooperation with Arts Midwest. Support for The Big Read has been provided by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, the Paul G. Allen Family Foundation, the Boeing Company, the Poetry Foundation, and the Ford Motor Company. Regional sponsors support from American Family Insurance and Associated Bank. Media sponsors are the Janesville Gazette and the Daily Jefferson County Union.

For more information about Milton Reads, call 868-7462, stop at the library, 430 E. High St., or visit the library website: www.miltonpubliclibrary.org.

Milton Kiwanis Pancake Day - March 20, 2011

The Milton Kiwanis Club's Annual Pancake Breakfast will take place this Sunday, March 20th from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Milton High School Cafeteria. For the third year in a row, the Pancake Breakfast will be a joint effort with BSA Troop 471.

This is the Kiwanis Club's only fundraiser for the year, and the proceeds go to support the youth programs the Club assists. This is also BSA Troop 471's major fundraiser. The Kiwanis Club's 2011 goal is to have even more funds available to help assist in making a better impact on our community and surrounding area. Troop 471's goal is to raise funds to go towards a Troop canoe trip to the Boundary Waters plus a long term Summer Camp this coming summer.

Tickets are $6 at the door.

The Kiwanis Club and BSA Troop 471 hope you will stop out at to support their clubs.

Reminder: Dog & Cat Licenses Due April 1st

Friday, April 1st is the deadline to have your dogs and cats licensed in order to avoid a $10 late charge per animal. All you need to license your animal is proof of a current rabies vaccination with an expiration date. The fee schedule is below:

1. Fixed (spayed or neutered) - $8.00
2. Not-fixed - $15.00

If you are unable to come to City Hall during regular business hours (Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.), then you can mail in the appropriate amount, rabies vaccination information, and a self-addressed stamped envelope. Staff will process the payment and mail the rabies vaccination information back to you with your license.

Feel free to contact City Hall at 868-6900 or info@ci.milton.wi.us if you have any further questions.

Rent a Plot at the Community Garden

Test your green thumb this summer and avoid digging up a part of your yard by renting a plot of land at the Milton Community Garden.

The Milton Community Garden is located behind the cemetery. The plots are 500 square feet, and the permits cost $10 for the whole summer.

Click here to read the rules and access an application form.

Completed applications and permit fees can be dropped off at the Public Works Garage located at 620 W. Madison Avenue. Forms and fees can also be mailed to City Hall at 430 E. High Street, Suite 3. If you have any questions, feel free to contact Brenda Mathews at the Public Works Department at (608) 868-6914 or by e-mail at bmathews@ci.milton.wi.us.

Milton Kiwanis Council Candidate Forum

The Milton Kiwanis will be hosting the Council Candidate Forum on March 22nd at 6:30 p.m. in the City of Milton Council Chambers located on the lowest level of the Shaw Municipal Building, 430 E. High Street.

The candidates who will appear on the ballot, in no particular order, are:

• Maxine Striegl
• Dave Schumacher
• Brett Frazier
• Don Vruwink
• Anissa Welch

If you have any questions about the forum, please contact City Hall at 868-6900.