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| P.O. Box 1 | Readstown, WI 54652 | Phone: 608-629-5848 | Send Us an Email |
History of the government of the Township of Kickapoo
In the late winter of 2004 I had the privilege to deliver an absentee ballot for the upcoming Presidential and County Board of Supervisors primary to Dale Slaback, a former resident of the township, then living in the Bethel Home in Viroqua. I sat to chat for a moment, and during that time, I learned a little bit about the Kickapoo Township.
As Dale recalled……Ed Smith was Dale’s grandfather. While serving as assessor for the township beginning in 1928, Mr. Smith had several helpers; his wife helped with the paper work, and Dale and his brother, Merlin rode along. It was the boys’ job to jump out, open a gate to let their grandpa through, close the gate and hop on again. Dale remembered with a grin the three road gates on Fodness, a steep road that wound higher and higher. It had three gates to get through before they reached the top. Ed Smith died around 1955.
Dale recalls Russell Miller’s first year, “he really got initiated that year.” A very snowy winter.
Dale Slaback drove school bus for 37 years; Russell Miller and Keith Larson also drove bus.
The township roads were first graveled in the late 1920s with gravel from Kellogg’s (on CTH I) and Slaback’s (on T) gravel quarries. (Ken Anderson remembers that Norske Road was graveled in 1938 or 39. He remembers the roads being graveled with a 3-yard box. Trucks now hold 16 yards. The cabs were so dusty that the patrolmen would stand on the running board just so they could breathe!).
At the end of East River Road was Inland Park Dance Hall. According to Dale, it was the “only place to go on Saturday night.” More about that in the entry, “There Once Was a Town at Kickapoo Center.”
Berry’s cemetery is located off of STH 131 near Kickapoo Center. “Only Berrys are buried there.”
Dale Slaback died in September 2004.
Other assessors have been Selmer Robinson, Charles Holcomb, Hugh Harper, until 12/1995, and currently, Jay Walsh. The assessor position was an elected position until January of 1995.
The township boasts three clerks in its history: Walter Holcomb assisted at times by his daughter-in-law, Hazel, Keith Larson until April 2003, and currently Doreen O’Donnell.
There were just as few treasurers for the township: Harold Crook (Dale’s father-in-law), Charles Holcomb until April of 2003, and currently Karene Uhe.
Boards
Board minutes before 1983 are housed in the Vernon County Historical Museum in Viroqua, Wisconsin. Perhaps next winter I will have the time to spend there to learn about the early years of the township.
Early Chairmen Jessie Drake from Sugar Grove area, John Glass, Oscar Midthun
April 1981-83 Chairman, Norman Yttri; Supervisor No. 1, Neely McKittrick; Supervisor No. 2, Leonard Jacobson (Karl Kaap finished his term)
April 1983-85 Chairman, Norman Yttri; Supervisor No. 1, Neely McKittrick, Supervisor No. 2, Raymond Mickelson
April 1985-87 Chairman, Norman Yttri; Supervisor No. 1, Neely McKittrick; Supervisor No. 2, Kenneth Anderson
April 1987-89 Chairman, Norman Yttri; Supervisor No. 1, Burdette Nelson; Supervisor No. 2, Kenneth Anderson
April 1989-91 Chairman, Kenneth Anderson; Supervisor No. 1, Don Kellogg; Supervisor No. 2, Raymond Mickelson
April 1991-93 Chairman, Kenneth Anderson; Supervisor No. 2, Donald Kellogg (resigned in July 1992 because he moved to Viola)- Kenneth (Stub) Skrede completed Don’s term
April 1993-95 Chairman, Kenneth Anderson; Supervisor No. 1, Kenneth Skrede; Supervisor No. 2, Donald Clements
April 1995-97 Chairman, Kenneth Anderson; Supervisor No. 1, Kenneth Skrede; Supervisor No. 2, Donald Clements
April 1997-99 Chairman, Kenneth Anderson; Supervisor No. 1, Kenneth Skrede; Supervisor No. 2, Donald Clements
April 1999-2001 Chairman, Kenneth Anderson; Supervisor No. 2, Burdette Nelson; Supervisor No. 2, Donald Clements
April 2001-03 Chairman, Kenneth Anderson; Supervisor No. 1, Burdette Nelson; Supervisor No. 2, Donald Clements
April 2003-05 Chairman, Kenneth Anderson; Supervisor No. 1, Burdette Nelson; Supervisor No. 2, Donald Clements
April 2005-07 Chairman, Kenneth Anderson; Supervisor No. 1, Burdette Nelson; Supervisor No. 2, Donald Clements
Road Patrolmen Floyd Crook, Ray Jewett (1983), Ken (Stub) Skrede (-1987), Russell Miller (1989- 90’s), Willie Crook (son of Floyd, 1983- 6/89), Don Clements (1987- 3/89), Ken Huisman ( 3/89- 10/94),Tom Webster ( 12/94- 5/95), Randy Myhre (10/95- 8/96), Guy Nicks ( 1/99, part-time), Steve Clements ( 10/96- present), Jeff Clements (9/97- present), sons of Donald.
Poll Workers (appointed positions)
January 1981-83 Margaret Larson, Shirley Mickelson (Lyndal Glass, alternate), Marion Sanford, Helen Kaap, Hazel Holcomb
January 1983-85 Margaret Larson, Shirley Mickelson, Lyndal Glass, Marion Sanford, Helen Kaap
January 1985-87 Margaret Larson, Shirley Mickelson, Lyndal Glass, Marion Sanford, Helen Kaap
January 1987-89 Margaret Larson, Shirley Mickelson, Lyndal Glass, Marion Sanford, Helen Kaap, Ione Williams
January 1989-91 Margaret Larson, Shirley Mickelson, Lyndal Glass, Helen Kaap, Ione Williams
January 1991-93
January 1993-95 Margaret Larson, Shirley Mickelson, Lyndal Glass, Helen Kaap, June McKittrick (Marie Clements, alternate)
January 1995-97 Margaret Larson, Shirley Mickelson, Lyndal Glass, Helen Kaap, Marie Clements
January 1997-99 Margaret Larson, Shirley Mickelson, Lyndal Glass, Helen Kaap, Marie Clements
January 1999-2001 Margaret Larson, Shirley Mickelson, Lyndal Glass, Marie Clements, Verna Jacobson
January 2001-03 Margaret Larson, Shirley Mickelson, Lyndal Glass, Marie Clements, Janice Huisman
January 2003-05 Margaret Larson, Shirley Mickelson, Lyndal Glass, Marie Clements, Janice Huisman
January 2005-07 Margaret Larson, Shirley Mickelson, Lyndal Glass, Marie Clements, Janice Huisman
Other information I gleaned from boxes of documents and township board meeting minutes:
Buildings:
August 1962 The township garage was built by Jenkins Construction Company for $9,680. This price did not include plumbing, heating or wiring. Oscar Midthun was chairman at this time.
In 1991 the recycling shed was built for $10,574.
3-1-02 first discussion of salt shed. The shed was built by Brickl Bros. for $10,292.04.
12/04 lean-to built onto recycling shed- materials cost $3,540.70.
Businesses
Sugar Grove Repair- cigarette license and soda water license to Marvin Edgar 7-1-83,
8-16-84.
9-1-88 “Vern Long present asking for paper stating there are no zoning regulations preventing him from establishing a used car lot at the Sugar Grove garage which he is planning to buy. Clerk instructed to sign papers to that effect.”
As of this writing (2/2005,), Mike Mayberry’s Transmission and Auto Repair is doing business out of that building.
5-1-85 “License approved for Soda Water and Cigarette Applications to Marlene’s What-Not-Shop, Rural Route, Viola.”
11-1-88 “Approved application of Jim Holmberg for used car lot, no local license required.”
Board position on LaFarge Dam
1-16-84 “…Town Board of the Town of Kickapoo does hereby resolve to go on record in opposition to the entire Gunderson proposals for the modification or deauthorization of the LaFarge Lake Project, as detailed in the reports of the LaFarge Study of 1983 by the U.S. Corps of Engineers.”
10-16-84 “Approved signing letter approving completion of La Farge Dam Project.”
In the year_____________the La Farge Dam Project was permanently suspended.
Recycling
10-16-90 “Agreement to designate Vernon County as the ‘Responsible Unit’ for recycling within Vernon County.”
4/93 dumpsite on land on Day Creek Road sold to M. Schoville for $2,600, by bid.
Local flooding
1976 Kickapoo River flooded- major damage all along the river from LaFarge through Gays Mill. Village of Soldiers wiped out.
9-21-92 Kickapoo River Flooded East River Road, completely flooding in residents Ken Huisman and Steve O’Donnell.
2000 Big Reads Creek flood
2004 Major road damage in the township due to May flooding
Citizens United Against Low-level Flights
Resolution dated 3-21-95 “Notice is hereby given that the Board of Supervisors of the Town of Kickapoo, Vernon County, Wisconsin, at a regular Town Board meeting held
3-16-95, has adopted a resolution opposing the low-level, high-speed, training flights proposed by the Air National Guard over this area. A copy of this notice is being sent to Major Kent Adams, Andrews Air Force Base, MD. Authorized by the Kickapoo Town Board.”
A list of resolutions opposing the Military Training Route (MTR) was presented to the Wisconsin National Guard late 1995 or early 1996.
The proposed MTR plan was withdrawn on April 2, 1996 after a long campaign by residents in the Kickapoo Valley and Iowa who would have been directly affected by it.
Steps toward ordinances and Comprehensive Planning
2-22-03 At a Special Town Meeting a resolution to grant the Board Village Powers passed 50 votes for, 18 against. Also at that meeting a question was asked whether the electors favor the township accepting a grant to pursue Smart Growth (Comprehensive Planning). The vote was 57 for and 11 against.
8-14-03 The Township’s Driveway Ordinance is adopted
11-3-03 The Township’s Building Permit Ordinance is adopted
4-12-05 Village Powers rescinded
Bits and pieces
7/03 The township creates a website.
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Submitted by Doreen O’Donnell, March 2005
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| P.O. Box 1 | Readstown, WI 54652 | Phone: 608-629-5848 | Send Us an Email |