ELLSWORTH — The Ellsworth Village Board made the approval for Tennis Sanitation to take over refuse and recycling services at the start of the new year. The bid was one of four the city received along with GFL (the current contract holder), Waste Management and Murtha Sanitation. The rates will decrease quarterly rates from the current contract by 76 cents for 35, 65 and 95-gallon disposals.

Tennis offered the lowest initial combined rate at all three refuse-cart sizes, a 99% completion standard and correction of misses within one business day.

Tennis requested that the pick-up day be changed from Mondays to Tuesdays. That change would need to be made at a future meeting through an ordinance revision by the board.

Trustee Andrew Borner said he has heard from Prescott residents, a city that contracts with Tennis, that the experience with Tennis has been a positive one.

“I talked to some people that live in Prescott, and they said they’ve been happy with Tennis,” Borner said.

The five-year contract has initial collection costs of $55.77 for 35-gallon, $61.11 for 65-gallon and $73.92 for 95-gallon collection quarterly. Additional refuse carts will be $30 each quarterly, and additional recycling carts will be $13.50 quarterly.

UTV/ATV Use on Main Street

The board approved opening Main Street to ATV/UTV traffic. Police Chief Eric Ladwig said there have been a few recorded instances of those vehicles on Main Street by the police. Resident Dave Deiss, who made the request, said it could actually end up making Main Street safer, as residents who live in town will use this option rather than crossing Main Street back and forth as a pedestrian. The board made the approval with the stipulations that the drivers are 16 years of age or older, have valid certification and hold liability insurance.

Other business

• Made the approval on an item that was forwarded by the Health, License and Welfare Committee that requires any police license plate readers to first be approved by the village board, giving the board the opportunity to make a decision. Village Administrator/Clerk-Treasurer Brad Roy said he would need to look into the jurisdiction the county has on whether they could or could not put up cameras within village limits and on village streets without board approval.
• Approved a $25 permit fee for siding replacement on commercially zoned buildings. The board discussed bringing the ordinance as a whole, not the fee, back to the board to discuss wording to exempt residences that are in commercial districts.
• The board approved an 8% increase to sewer rates for 2026. The percentages were discussed back in 2024 when the village made the approval to catch up on debt coverage. Rates increased 30.6% in 2024 and are scheduled for another 8% increase in 2027.
• The board went into closed session to discuss a developer’s agreement with C and J Builders for a residential development in TID 13, as well as litigation regarding a motorcycle impoundment, the Grant and Piety project and the 245 N Broadway St. property, but no action was taken upon reconvening.
• Approved a contract with HydroCorp for administration of Ellsworth Waterworks' non-residential Cross Connection Control Program for 48 months beginning Jan. 1.