TOWN OF ELLSWORTH — Phyllis Beastrom’s 42 years as Town of Ellsworth clerk are coming to an end, as she is set to retire in April. Beastrom has seen a lot of changes in local government over four decades of public service and has never backed down.

In 1979, Beastrom’s husband was asked to be the clerk for the Town of Ellsworth by the town chair. Her husband asked if Phyllis could be on the ballot instead, but the chair said it would not work. Phyllis’ husband spent four years as the town clerk where Phyllis was actually doing most of the tasks. In 1983, Beastrom herself was on the ballot, holding the spot for 42 years.

“No, we have to have a man on the ballot,” Beastrom recalled the town chair saying. “I say I’ve been clerk for 46 years because I did everything in those four years too.”

Beastrom felt it was time to step away from the role; however, she enjoyed the work for the most part.

“I like being town clerk,” Beastrom said. “I love elections. Elections at first didn’t really thrill me a lot.”

Beastrom mentioned the town used to vote at the town shop, which had an odor, made people unhappy and would get people sick from the fumes. Around 2020, they made the switch to St. Paul’s UCC Church as the voting site, and Beastrom has enjoyed working elections significantly more. She recalled doing training sessions for election workers, saying people will see her in public and remind her about the training sessions to this day.

Beastrom does meeting minutes, payroll, financial records, reports and more for the town. The biggest change in those 42 years was the computer.

“The computer,” Beastrom said. “In 1979, I got from the county the assessment roll with all the values of all the properties, and I had to figure out the mill rate, and I had to hand calculate every tax bill.”

Beastrom became a property lister for Pierce County in 1979, another time people told her she was not a good fit for the role.

“You’ll never get into the county, because you didn’t grow up here. The good ole boys aren’t going to let you work here,” Beastrom said. “In 79’, I applied for the property lister and I got right in, and I then worked at the county for almost 30 years between property lister and county treasurer.”

Retirement does not mean no one in the community will hear from Beastrom again, as she still plans to be active with the senior center, American Legion Auxiliary and her church.

“I don’t know that I’m going to have any extra time,” Beastrom said.
Beastrom said the next person in line for the job should be someone who will go all out to ensure accuracy but also enjoy what they do. The board hired former River Falls Chamber of Commerce CEO Russ Korpela for the job.

“Enjoy the job,” Beastrom said. “If you don’t enjoy it, you’re not going to like it.”

One piece of the job Beastrom has questioned over the years is the increased requirements for reports to the legislature. Beastrom remembered asking the county years ago who looks at the tax-exempt property reports she was required to submit for the town, and no one had an answer. She said as the legislature gives the municipalities more money, they also want more reports on how it is used but is unsure if they go unread.

“Who looks at these reports once you get them in July,” Beastrom said of the tax-exempt property reports to the county. “Well, nobody, because nobody has time.”

Beastrom’s time as clerk did not go unappreciated by its residents, and her impact was felt by those with whom she worked.