ADDITIONAL MEDIA RELEASE
Rome, WI (March 30, 2020) – Following the guidance of Governor Evers Safer at Home Order, the Town of Rome will be suspending all camping permits until April 30, 2020; matching the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WiDNR) timeline for closure of State campgrounds. An annual camping permit is required in the Town of Rome for any vacant lot camping in the Lake District area. In an effort to flatten the curve of the COVID-19 virus, the Town is suspending these permits until at least April 30th and will be following the WiDNR decision if the date is extended.
No campers can be located on lots without a 2020 Camping Permit, which will not be issued until April 30th at the earliest. Those in violation of the suspension will be fined up to $250 for camping without a permit.
Social distance is key during this public health emergency and one of the most effective means of slowing the rate of infection. We understand the desire, the want to enjoy the outdoors and seasonal properties, but we ask all campers to wait so everyone can enjoy the summer season together. We are all Safer at Home, meaning your primary residence.
For updates on the camping suspension and all cancellations or notices related to COVID-19, please watch the Town of Rome Facebook page @TownofRomeWi.
TOWN OF ROME RESIDENTS: Have you requested your absentee ballot yet? It’s not too late! Go to MyVote.WI.gov today! You want to make sure you get your ballot in time to return it!
If you haven’t used MyVote before and are having trouble, please view this short video with instructions, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K1Z0XvS9r1M.
The Town of Rome is not affiliated with the creator of the video and no goods or services were exchanged for use of the video. The video provides instructions to assist with the usage of the MyVote web site.
Due to Governor Evers Safer-at-Home order, Town Hall will be closed to the public starting March 24, 2020, until further notice. We have scheduled in-person absentee voting hours at the POLICE & EMS BUILDING from 9 AM to 12 PM on:
- Thursday, March 26
- Monday, March 30
- Thursday, April 2
Please share these hours with any friends and neighbors who would like to in-person absentee vote.
Many Town Hall staff are working from home, checking emails and phone messages regularly. If you need contact information for staff, please go to Departments on our home page. Or feel free to call Town Administrator, Jami Gebert, at 715-325-8025 or gebert@romewi.com, and she will direct you to the correct contact. We will do our best to keep Town Hall business moving forward. Stay safe and be well!
The Town of Rome Fire Department remains committed to the safety and health of our residents during this crisis. As the current best practice is to shelter in place, we would like to help those that are at a higher risk to better be able to do so.
If you are at risk due to age or prior conditions and you would like someone to aid you by delivering necessities please reach out directly, preferably via text, to Chief Taub at 608-616-2946.
If you would be interested in volunteering to help Fire Department staff in achieving this goal please reach out via email: taub@romewi.com, and we will contact you if and when you are needed.
It is important that we come together during this crisis and remember to take care of ourselves and our families and our neighbors. This is a marathon and not a sprint.
Be safe, keep your hands clean, utilize physical distancing, and help us flatten the curve.
Chief George Taub
ATTENTION: Due to COVID-19 all activities in the Rome Town Hall are cancelled until further notice.
Voters Encouraged to Vote Absentee for April 7 Election
Town of Rome, WI – Because of the COVID-19, voters in the Town of Rome are strongly urged to act now to vote absentee for the April 7 Spring Election and Presidential Preference Primary.
“Polls will be open in the Town of Rome for those who need them on Election Day, but most voters should vote absentee for this election,” said Amy Reuteman, Clerk/Treasurer “For that to happen, you should request an absentee ballot as soon as possible.”
Acting by Wednesday, March 18, is especially important for anyone who needs to register to vote by mail, Reuteman said. If your name or address has changed since the last election, you need to register with your current information. You can check your registration status at https://myvote.wi.gov, click on “My Voter Info.”
If you know you are registered but cannot find yourself on the website, you should contact your clerk or Wisconsin Elections Commission. There is possibly a typo in the spelling of your name or your date of birth. Voters who cannot find themselves on MyVote should call their municipal clerk’s office at 715-325-8022 or call the Wisconsin Elections Commission at 866-VOTE-WIS (866-868-3947) or 608-261-8005.
How to Register to Vote by the Deadline
Wednesday, March 18 is the deadline for electors to register to vote by mail or online for the Presidential Preference Primary and Spring Election. After this date, electors must register in person in the municipal clerk’s office or at the polling place on Election Day.
According to state law, mailed voter registration forms must be postmarked no later than the third Wednesday before the election. Online registration closes at 11:59 p.m. the same day.
Online voter registration is available at https://myvote.wi.gov. There are two ways you can register using the website:
- People with a Wisconsin driver license or state ID card whose address is current with the Wisconsin Department of Transportation can complete their online registration immediately. People who need to update their address with DOT can accomplish that online and complete their online registration.
- People without a Wisconsin driver license or state ID card can fill out the voter registration form online, then print it, sign it and mail it to their municipal clerk’s office along with a proof-of residence document. The website has detailed instructions. If you do not have a printer where you are, you can save the completed form as a PDF and make arrangements to have a family member or a friend with a printer, or a copy center, to print it for you.
Voter registration forms that can be printed and filled out by hand are also available here in English: https://elections.wi.gov/forms/el-131-fillable
Voter registration forms that can be printed and filled out by hand are also available here in Spanish: https://elections.wi.gov/forms/el-131-spanish
Blank voter registration forms are also available at the clerk’s office, 1156 Alpine Drive during these hours: 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Remember, the deadline to register online or by mail is Wednesday, March 18.
Voters who miss the deadline may also register in their municipal clerk’s office until the Friday before the election, April 3 or at the polls on election day.
How to Request an Absentee Ballot
There are several ways registered voters can request absentee ballots. If they have internet access, the easiest way is to sign up at MyVote Wisconsin, https://myvote.wi.gov.
Just look for the “Vote Absentee” button near the top of the page. On a mobile phone, use the menu button in the upper right corner of the website. There is a three-step process that starts with putting in your name and date of birth, followed by requesting your ballot. If you don’t already have a photo ID on file with your clerk’s office, you can upload a copy. Mobile phone users can take a picture and upload it to MyVote. Absentee ballot requests submitted this way go directly to your clerk’s office, and you can track your ballot by returning to the website.
Voters can also request absentee ballots by mailing, emailing or faxing their municipal clerk’s office. You can find your clerk’s contact information on MyVote Wisconsin. These requests must be accompanied by a copy of your photo ID. If you already have a photo ID on file from previous absentee requests under your current registration, you will not need to provide it again.
Voters who are indefinitely confined, meaning they may have difficulty getting to the polls for reason of age, illness, infirmity, or disability are not required to provide a photo ID. Voters in care facilities can have a representative of the facility confirm the resident’s identity instead of providing a photo ID. More information on photo ID and exemptions can be found at bringit.wi.gov.
The deadline for registered voters to request an absentee ballot be mailed to you is the Thursday before the election, April 2. However, Reuteman urges voters not to wait, due to possible delays in mail delivery. If you get an absentee ballot mailed to you, you can still decide to vote at the polls on Election Day if you haven’t returned it.
Your absentee ballot must be received in your clerk’s office or at your polling place by 8 p.m. on Election Day. Again, Reuteman urges voters to request and return ballots as soon as possible.
Join Supervisor Jerry Wiessinger on a tour of the Town’s new Police & EMS Building!
Pardon our Dust! During the Town Hall facade remodel meeting agendas can still be found at the following posting board locations:
- Pritzl’s Trading Post
- Nekoosa Port Edwards State Bank
- US Bank
- Town of Rome website
Or feel free to stop in and see us during regular business hours for agenda copies. Thank you for understanding while we remodel!
Missed the State of the Lakes Lunch? View the presentations by clicking on the link below:
MEDIA RELEASE
For Immediate Release
Contact Don Ystad, 14 Mile Creek Watershed Committee Chair, 262-894-9423 or dystad@gmail.com
COMMITMENT TO FERTILIZER ORDINANCE
LOCAL AREA PERFERRED APPLICATORS
Rome, WI (March 22, 2019) – The Town of Rome is committed to improving the water quality of the lakes and streams within our boundaries. As part of this commitment the Town, in conjunction with the 14 Mile Joint Watershed Committee, launched a Preferred Fertilizer Applicator Recognition Program. Licensed Professional Fertilizer Applicators who provide services in the Town of Rome were asked to join the effort by committing to adhere to the Town’s Fertilizer Ordinance. Below is a list of preferred applicators, who have pledged to follow best practices for lake quality and signed the commitment to the fertilizer ordinance.
Preferred Fertilizer Applicators:
· NatureScape
· Paul’s Lawn Care
· Rapid Quality Lawn & Landscaping
· Schalows Nursery
· Spring-Green Lawn Care
· Stay Green Sprinkler Systems
If you’ll be using a fertilizer service during the 2019 season, please consider using one these applicators. If your lawn care provider is not listed, please ask them to sign the commitment. Any additional companies who sign the commitment will be periodically added to the Preferred Applicator list, which will be kept on the Town of Rome’s web site. Additionally, if you prefer to apply your own lawn fertilizer, we would strongly encourage you to review the fertilizer ordinance and use the Preferred Applicator methods.
To review the Fertilizer Ordinance in it’s entirely, please visit https://www.romewi.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/9-CHAPTER-09-OFFENSES-AND-NUISANCES.pdf, and scroll to section 9.09.
Disclaimer – The Town of Rome makes information available on its website and in media releases to enhance public knowledge and to provide a better understanding of the Town and its government. This release is not advertising for any of the above-listed businesses, and the Town of Rome does not guarantee the work of the companies. All information contained herein is supplied “as is” and the Town of Rome disclaims all warranties, expressed or implied, related to said information, including but not limited to, accuracy, the completeness or suitability of said information, and any implied warranties of any provider or information contained in this release for any particular purpose.
###
14 Mile Joint Watershed Committee is a public led advisory committee that was reconfirmed by the Tri-Lakes Management District at its 2017 Annual Meeting. It is made up of private citizens representing Lakes Camelot, Sherwood, Arrowhead and Petenwell, as well as citizens at large, representatives of the Town of Rome, Wisconsin DNR, and Adams County Land Conservation. The objective of the committee is to improve water quality in our Town’s lakes and streams, realizing that there are a number of contributing factors including, but not limited to upstream agriculture, shoreline erosion, fertilizer application, septic systems and water flow.
The committee seeks to build upon various groups to partner in its endeavor to improve water quality and the health of the lakes and streams in the 14 Mile Watershed. Groups identified to lead this effort include the following: Lake Sherwood Property Owners Association, Lake Camelot Property Owners Association, Lake Arrowhead Property Owners Association, Petenwell and Castle Rock Stewards, Town of Rome and Adams County.
Synopsis of the Town of Rome Fertilizer Ordinance
· Only use lawn fertilizers with 0% phosphorus or other compound containing phosphorus, such as phosphate. · Only use lawn fertilizers labeled as containing less than 20% slow release nitrogen. · Don’t apply lawn fertilizer when the ground is frozen. · Be careful not to apply fertilizer to impervious surfaces including parking lots, roadways, and sidewalks. · Buffer zones of 35 feet are required by state law for lakes, streams, wetland and ponds and fertilizer should not be applied to the buffer zones. · Lawn clippings cannot be discharged into any drainage ditch, lake, stream or creek.
Remember these Best Practices in Fertilizing your Lawn
· Soil tests should be done every three years to support fertilizer applications. · Lake friendly slow release granular fertilizer should be used; quick release granular or liquid fertilizer should not be used. · Nitrogen applications should be limited to 1 pound and 8 ounces per 1,000 square feet per application. · Applications of lime will assist plants to take up more nutrients. · Limit fertilizer applications to three times per year unless soil samples call for additional applications. · If clippings are not bagged, two annual applications should be considered. · If lake water is used for irrigation, two annual applications should be considered. · Fertilizer should not be applied within 24 hours of forecasted significant rainfall. Irrigation systems should not be operated within 24 hours of a fertilizer application except for a lite application to introduce the fertilizer to the ground surface.