November 3, 2026 Absentee Voting Information: VOTING BY ABSENTEE BALLOT General Election November 3, 2026   VILLAGE OF WALES                      VILLAGE OF DOUSMAN                TOWN OF OTTAWA  Any qualified elector who is unable or unwilling to appear at the polling place on election day may request to vote an absentee ballot.  A qualified elector is any U.S. citizen, who will be 18 years of age or older on election day, and has resided in the ward or municipality where he or she wishes to vote for at least 28 days before the election.  The elector must also be registered in order to receive an absentee ballot.  Photo ID must be provided before an absentee ballot may be issued.  TO OBTAIN AN ABSENTEE BALLOT YOU MUST MAKE A REQUEST IN WRITING. Contact your municipal clerk and request that an application for an absentee ballot be sent to you.  You may also request an absentee ballot by letter.  Your written request must list your voting address within the municipality where you wish to vote, the address where the absentee ballot should be sent, if different, and a copy of Photo ID.  You may make an application for an absentee ballot by mail-in person or at myvote.wi.gov. Special absentee voting application provisions apply to electors who are indefinitely confined to home or care facility, in the military, hospitalized, or serving as a sequestered juror.  If this applies to you, contact the municipal clerk. You can also personally go to the clerk’s office, complete a written application, show Photo ID and vote an absentee ballot.  VILLAGE OF WALES                                                VILLAGE OF DOUSMAN Gail Tamez, Clerk                                                        John Roth, Administrator/Clerk/Treasurer 129 W. Main Street                                                    118 S. Main Street Wales, WI 53183                                                         Dousman, WI 53118 262-968-3968                                                             262-965-3792 Monday – Thursday                                                    Monday & Wednesday 8:00 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.                                                 Friday 8:00 a.m. – noon Friday                                                                          Tuesday & Thursday 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.                                                                                                                                    TOWN OF OTTAWA  Lori Geyman, Clerk                                                     W360 S3337 State Road 67                                           Dousman, WI 53118                                                     262-965-3228                                                                       Monday – Thursday 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.                                                         Friday – 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon THE DEADLINE FOR MAKING APPLICATION TO VOTE ABSENTEE BY MAIL IS THURSDAY OCTOBER 29, 2026. HOURS VARY BY MUNICIPALITY, PLEASE SEE ABOVE FOR INDIVIDUAL HOURS. (MILITARY ELECTORS SHOULD CONTACT THE MUNICIPAL CLERK REGARDING THE DEADLINES FOR REQUESTING OR SUBMITTING AN ABSENTEE BALLOT. THE FIRST DAY TO VOTE AN ABSENTEE BALLOT IN THE CLERK’S OFFICE IS TUESDAY OCTOBER 20, 2026.  THE DEADLINE FOR VOTING AN ABSENTEE BALLOT IN THESE MUNICIPALIIES IN THE CLERK’S OFFICE IS ON FRIDAY OCTOBER 30, 2026.  CONTACT YOUR CLERK’S OFFICE FOR SPECIFIC VOTING HOURS ON FRIDAY OCTOBER 30, 2026 THE MUNICIPAL CLERK WILL DELIVER VOTED BALLOTS RETURNED ON OR BEFORE ELECTION DAY TO THE PROPER POLLING PLACE BEFORE THE POLLS CLOSE ON TUESDAY NOVEMBER 3, 2026.  

TEST TW WEATHER

Posted on , by Sharyl Hall

FIRE FEE FACT SHEET

FACT SHEET

Village of Dousman Fire Protection Fee

Over the past year the Village of Dousman has undertaken a detailed and comprehensive work effort to determine the best way to fund the necessary service of fire protection to its residents.

 

The Village Board has made the decision to implement fire service fees that enable the Village to accomplish the following goals:

  1. Protect the lives and property of all Dousman residents and businesses through fire protection, emergency management, education and prevention.
  2. Ensure that there is adequate funding for necessary operation, staffing and training.
  3. To apportion the cost of providing fire protection services in the most fair and equitable way.

Fire service fees are now listed as a special charge on the yearly tax bill and our tax levy has been lowered to reflect this change.

 

FAQ’s

 

What is a fire service fee?  A fire service fee is a charge for having fire protection services provided by the Western Lakes Fire Department (WLFD) to all properties in the Village.  The revenue collected by this fee can only be used for the provisions of fire protection services in the Village of Dousman.

 

Who is required to pay a fire service fee?  All properties – residential, commercial, institutional and tax exempt – within the Village of Dousman are required to pay a fire service fee, with the exception of state-owned lands that already make an annual aid payment.

 

How are fire service fees calculated?  The Village of Dousman has established a fire service fee formula.  It is calculated through different variables; acreage, building square footage and outbuilding square footage.  By including all of these variables, the fee is more equity divided by the billing unit, or Domestic User Equivalent (DUE), to determine each parcels fire service fee.

 

Will the billing rate increase?  The Fire Board members representing each municipality and WLFD work in detail and with great consideration on a realistic working budget every year.  The Municipal Joint Owners of the WLFD then collectively vote to adopt that budget annually.  The Village of Dousman Board’s goal balances conservative budgeting while maintaining necessary service for all residents.

 

Is this just another tax?  A fire service fee is not a tax.  Although the service fee is a charge t customers, it is not a tax because it bears no relation to the taxable value of a property.  Instead, customers are charged based on acreage and building square footage that would require WLFD to provide a smaller or larger amount of personnel and/or equipment in response to a fire on their property.

 

2025 Fire Fee Figures  
   
Land $15 Flat Fee
Land $2 additional fee Above 1acre
Outbuilding  $10per 200 square feet
Residential, Commercial/Manufacturing $151.87/500 Square Feet
= Total Fire Fee

OBI (Out Building Improvements) DUE Calculation

  1. Out Building Improvements are defined as separate “non habitable” buildings above 200 sqft 
  2. “non habitable” defined as not providing space for living, sleeping, eating or cooking
  3. Excludes all buildings under 200 sqft.
  4. Excludes all agricultural bins, cribs and silos
  5. The total square footage of any and all residential, commercial, industrial and institutional improved “non habitable” buildings divided by the figure of 200 square footage
  6. Residential Outbuildings definition – detached structures not classified as above ground living/work space structures on residential zoned parcels with a tax classification of Residential (Class 1) used for “incidental” purposes and functions.

*   Residential Outbuildings are not assigned above ground Living/work space     

     structure DUES for the fire district due to their “incidental” purposes and functions.

 

 

  1. 7. Agricultural Home site (Residential) Outbuildings – Detached structures not classified

As above ground Living/work space structures on agricultural zoned parcels with a tax classification of Other (Class7) used for “incidental” purposes and functions

  • Agricultural Homes site (Residential) Outbuildings are not assigned above ground Living/work space structure DUES for the fire district due to their “incidental” purposes and functions.
  1. Commercial and Manufacturing Warehouses – Detached structures not classified as above ground Living/work space structure on commercial or Manufacturing zoned parcels with a tax classification of commercial or Manufacturing (Class 2 or 3) used for the integral purpose and function of the business entities operations.
  • Commercial and Manufacturing Warehouses are assigned above ground Living/work space structure DUES for the fire district due to their “integral” purpose and function for a business entities operations. (i.e. Similar to the above ground Living/work space structure DUES assigned to residential attached garages)

Above Ground Residential, Commercial Industrial and Institutional DUE Calculation 

  1. Square footage calculation excludes all square footage below ground
  2. The total above ground square footage of all and any improved residential, principal commercial, principal industrial and principal institutional buildings. Attached garages will be included in the total square footage calculation.   
  3. This total square footage divided by the figure of 500 square footage