Village President Becky Beissel* is running unopposed, while four people have thrown their hat in the ring for three open trustee seats: Andrew Borner*, Lance Austin*, Ryan Bench and Thomas Schutz. Dale Hines* chose not to seek reelection. Incumbents are marked with an asterisk.

Village President

Becky Beissel*

Residence: Born and raised in Ellsworth

Family: Married to husband Brad for 20 years with two children: Kallie and Evan

Occupation: Small business owner/marketing

Prior elected offices: Village of Ellsworth Trustee (one year), Village President (two years)

Community/civic activities: I'm proud to be involved in the following committees, boards, or organizations: Ellsworth Chamber of Commerce, Cheese Curd Festival, Pierce County Economic Development Corporation, Pierce County Tourism Coalition, Pierce & St. Croix County Healthy & Affordable Housing, Connect Communities, Community for Ellsworth Area Kids, and St. Francis Parish.

What specific skills and/or experiences have helped you to serve as village president? The skills I believe I have used most as village president are that I’m organized, strategic, forward-thinking, and a natural problem-solver. I believe in the power of relationships, have a collaborative spirit, and a positive attitude. I am continually growing my knowledge base by attending trainings, seminars, and conferences and applying what I learn to lead and grow within my role.

What issues are most pressing in the village? What would you do about them? I would say our most pressing issue is our financial sustainability. Having been through three budget seasons, I know how much of a balancing act the budget is. I do want to commend the work the village board did in lowering our 2023 budget by 1.18%. However, I don’t want the lack of money to be the reason that we can’t sustain and improve our community. Borrowing is not the answer, that is not desired or sustainable. Our re-assessment last year really shone a light on an issue. While our residential tax base increased across the board, our commercial tax base went down. The reasons are that #1, we have several vacant and/or blighted properties, and #2, there isn’t as much of a market for commercial property in our community. So, essentially, our tax base shifted from the commercial district to our residential district. A couple things need to happen simultaneously to address this, unfortunately, neither of them will be a quick fix; build property values in our commercial districts and increase the tax base in the community. In other words, deal with blighted properties, attract more business, and build more housing.

If you are an incumbent, what board/village accomplishment(s) are you most proud of? We’ve made some huge strides at the village this last year. We implemented a staff restructuring to build up our team and continued work on becoming an “employer of choice” to help with recruitment and retention efforts. We also completed the update to our Comprehensive Plan and started to put several initiatives from the Implementation Guide in motion. Work on our Downtown Design Guidelines and ordinance review/update are underway and work on our Complete Outdoor Recreation Plan will start soon. We accomplished some noticeable improvements to our downtown; the new library, resurfaced Main Street (and colored crosswalks!), and almost 2,200 square feet of new sidewalks.

What do you see as priorities the village should focus on? The benefit of having an updated Comprehensive Plan (that was largely created from community feedback) is that we just have to implement the plan. We’ll continue to work on our Downtown Design Guidelines, ordinance review and update, and the Outdoor Recreation Plan. In addition, as mentioned above, a focus needs to be placed on increasing our tax base and improving/growing our commercial districts. I hear from employers in our community (the village included) that the lack of housing is causing considerable restraints to their workforce recruitment and retention. Housing will need to continue to be a focus as we move forward.

If you received a $1 million grant to use for the village in any way you wanted, what would you do with it and why? First and foremost, I believe the best use of the funds would be on something that would create a return on the investment, something that will lead to paybacks in the future. I would spend the $1 million on the demolition of the old junior high and turn that property back into a productive use. This will add much-needed housing in our community and increase our tax base.

Where are your favorite places to spend time in the village? Why do you live here? I always enjoy the vibe and pedestrian-friendly atmosphere of the East End District. And you can’t beat a shady spot in East End Park during the summer months. Cairns Woods has sure turned into a lovely gem in our community; I couldn’t get over its beauty during the Winter Walk event. I really feel Ellsworth is the best of both worlds; small, quaint, and safe all while being 45 minutes away from the big city amenities and opportunities of the Twin Cities.

Why should people vote for you? What differentiates you from other board members/candidates? I will continue to make this community, and my elected position, a priority. I show up, I put in the time, and I’m not afraid to roll up my sleeves. I spend my free time reading books about community revitalization, listening to podcasts on municipal government, and thinking of ways to make all the puzzle pieces fit together. Some might say that makes me a nerd, I just say it makes me someone who wants to do well at her job. I don’t take it lightly that I’ve been elected and given this responsibility. I can see all the potential Ellsworth has and I’m excited to be a part of making it happen! I thank the community for their trust in me and look forward to all that’s to come.

How can people contact you? Feel free to email me at becky@villageofellsworth.org

Trustees

Lance Austin*

Residence: Village of Ellsworth

Prior elected offices: Trustee

Andrew Borner*

Residence: I have been an Ellsworth area resident my whole life and a village resident for 15 years.

Family: My wife Anika and I have three sons

Occupation: Facility Director for ECSD

Prior elected offices: Trustee

Community/civic activities: I'm involved in my church Zion Covenant, Ellsworth schools, and help coach my children's youth sports.

What specific skills and/or experiences have helped you to serve as trustee? Budgeting, the drive to complete tasks well, and being able to have constructive conversations. I have been part of other board meetings and have knowledge on how they are run and proper meeting etiquette.

What issues are most pressing in the village? What would you do about them? Infrastructure and housing for young professionals. Look to our comp. plan and make decisions on how to get started.

If you are an incumbent, what board/village accomplishment(s) are you most proud of? Completing the new library building, it was fun to be part of the remodel progress meetings to help keep it on track. Successfully completing the process for hiring a new Public Works Director and a new Village Administrator.

What do you see as priorities the village should focus on? I think we need to focus on infrastructure, bringing in new businesses and housing.

If you received a $1 million grant to use for the village in any way you wanted, what would you do with it and why? Park improvements and trails. I feel it would get used a lot and my family is active in the outdoors.

Where are your favorite places to spend time in the village? Why do you live here? School functions and supporting local businesses/restaurants. I grew up here and like being part of a small community.

Why should people vote for you? What differentiates you from other board members/candidates? I have background knowledge in many areas, construction, budgeting, and working with people to get a common goal completed. I am a very committed board member and show up to all meetings.

How can people contact you? andrew@villageofellsworth.org

Ryan Bench

Residence: Village of Ellsworth

Family: Wife Lisa and two sons

Occupation: Associate Registrar at UW-River Falls

Prior elected offices: None

Community/civic activities: I am the current president of the Ellsworth Wrestling Association and Youth Football Association. I am a member of the Ellsworth Youth Recreation Association, a current Ellsworth Lion, the River Falls Sportsman Club, and a member of the Ellsworth Rod and Gun Club.

If a challenger, what skills and/or experiences have prepared you to take on this role? I have worked in the University of WI system for 17 years and through that work I have served on a number of committees and have been a part of Shared Governance since 2014. As a Shared Governance Leader at UWRF, I have served on the Faculty Senate Executive Committee for two terms and been a senator for six years. This experience has given me an understanding of how small governments operate as well as how to represent the people that have elected you. I have an outstanding track record of representing the division of faculty that have elected me to three consecutive terms. It has also helped me learn to negotiate. Part of the position is working with the Chancellor and their cabinet on passing policy that directly affects faculty, staff, and students across campus.

In addition to my time with Shared Governance, I am also an Eagle Scout. Through my years with Scouting, I learned an appreciation for civic duty as well as how to interact with community leaders. Scouts are also called to leave a place better than they have found it, and that is something I have tried to live by since my younger years. It is something I hope to carry forward with me as a board member if I am elected.

What issues are most pressing in the village? What would you do about them?  Like with any community, Ellsworth can improve, but this is a great place to live and raise a family. I feel physical improvements are one of the most pressing issues facing our community though. There are many buildings currently sitting empty that we should be focusing on. In addition, sidewalks and general upkeep of them and the curbing around town could be spruced up. Surfacing Highway 10 was a huge improvement last year. Also, the work of committees that are working to spruce up East End is great. Lastly, I would be remiss if I didn't mention the old junior high. Figuring out what to do with that building will have a lasting impact on this community.

If you are an incumbent, what board/village accomplishment(s) are you most proud of? If a challenger, what has the previous board done well?  As the saying goes, it’s the little things. I was excited to see West Chestnut moved to a two-way street. This helped with traffic on surrounding roads. I know this is minor, but it shows attention to detail and that the board members listened to their constituents. In addition, purchasing the old junior high and starting the process of removing that is a great accomplishment.

What do you see as priorities the village should focus on? As I said before, I feel the physical aspects of this community should be a point of focus. Sometimes we overlook things the longer we live here. Recently my mom came for a visit from Green Bay, and when we were out for a walk, she pointed out how run down this community looks. I was initially offended, but when I started to look around I realized that there is plenty of room for improvement. Working at the University, I know that funding for this is hard to come by, but if we get creative there are ways to tackle improvements.

Last, I think that encouraging new business to come to town should be a focus of this board. I have heard from many residents over the years that they would love to see more places to shop and eat at. Losing Shopko was a big hit for us. In addition, since I moved here in 2005, I lost count of the number of businesses that have come and gone. I am not sure what the answer is but would love to be a part of the conversation.

If you received a $1 million grant to use for the village in any way you wanted, what would you do with it and why? If I received this grant, I would split it between spending money on village upkeep and also work with our local youth recreation and civic organizations to see what they need help with. As I previously mentioned, I think fixing curbing, sidewalks, landscaping, etc. would go a long way in sprucing up the image of our community. I also feel strongly in investing in our youth. They are the future of this community and doing what we can to develop them into engaged leaders and community members is important.

Where are your favorite places to spend time in the village? Why do you live here?  You can often find me walking around town. I am a walker and am working on getting back into running again. I am looking forward to running the Cheese Curd 10k with my boys in June! I enjoy going to Common Man and other restaurants and bars in town. I live here for several reasons. I grew up in the Air Force, and until I moved to Ellsworth, the longest I lived in one place was seven years. I went to three different high schools and lived in places like Tampa Bay, Fla. and Fairbanks, Ak. Ellsworth felt like home from the start. The people here were welcoming to my wife and I when we moved here. Ellsworth is a great size. Not too large, not too small, but still close to the Twin Cities. Growing up all over, I was looking for a smaller town to start a family in and Ellsworth fit the bill for my wife and me.

Why should people vote for you? What differentiates you from other board members/candidates? I am very hardworking, and I have had many diverse experiences. I have young children engaged in our community and I want to make it better. I was not raised in Ellsworth; I have lived in several different towns, cities, and states. These living experiences give me a unique perspective and provide me with the experience necessary to provide our village with a positive direction for the future.

How can people contact you? ryanabench@gmail.com

Tom Schutz

Residence: I have lived in the Village of Ellsworth for nearly 50 years.

Occupation: I drive school bus for Ellsworth School District and am retired from the Pierce County Sheriff’s Office and Smead Manufacturing.

Prior elected offices: Ellsworth Village Board

Community/civic activities: I was a member of the Ellsworth Fire Department for 15 years. I worked for the Ellsworth Police Department for two years. I worked for the Pierce County Sheriff’s Office for a total of 26 years.

What specific skills and/or experiences would help you to serve as trustee? I was on the village board for one term. Was on different committees during this time. Familiar with the village properties

What issues are most pressing in the village? What would you do about them?  Spending. Always be aware of the money being spent in the village. Vote as a board member that is always concerned for the reflection it will have on the residents of the village. Industry work to promote companies to look at the village as a possible place to start a business.

If you are a challenger, what has the previous board done well?  At this time, I have no comment on the question.

What do you see as priorities the village should focus on?  Promoting businesses. Looking at 60-plus housing opportunities.

If you received a $1 million grant to use for the village in any way you wanted, what would you do with it and why? Take the million dollars and tear down the old junior high school that I feel the village should have never got involved in. After tearing it down sell the property off in ether individual home lots, or sell to a company to build a building for residents 60 plus, with a percentage of the housing to be for 60-plus that qualify for low-income housing.

Where are your favorite places to spend time in the village? Why do you live here?  I like spending time in the village at places that have fundraiser events for people in need, school functions, the Ellsworth Fire Department, Ellsworth Area Ambulance and other organizations. I live in Ellsworth because I like the closeness of the people in the Village of Ellsworth. People watching out for other people's families and properties The businesses, the churches, the emergency services that are available to the residents in the village and surrounding areas in the time of need.

Why should people vote for you? What differentiates you from other board members/candidates? Being a proud resident of the Village of Ellsworth for 50 years and being well-known in the village, I will make myself available to listen to the residents, with their concerns, ideas and complaints that would help better the village.

How can people contact you? Email: schutz2731@yahoo.com