ELLSWORTH – The Thirsty Badger had its request to use the Ellsworth Village Hall parking lot for an Oct. 3 special event that will resemble a Polka Fest or Oktoberfest style celebration.

“We’re hoping there’s a bit of nostalgia, that people from the 70s and 80s remember the Polka Fest,” Thirsty Badger Co-owner Dennis Armbruster said. “We were thinking about an Oktoberfest-ish [event] last year.”

There would be fencing around the outdoor space used for safety and they would explore parking options at the nearby Old Village Library. There would be a food truck parked in the back lot next to Village Hall.

The board also approved annual alcohol license renewals for July 2026-July 2027.

The board approved a payment of $757,339 for the Grant and Piety Street project, which included a subbase correction for South Grant and Woodworth that was approved at the April 21 board meeting. Trustee Tony Hines opposed the vote, saying the village should no longer make payments to the project until it is completed, citing the time the project has already taken and later bringing up a portion of Piety Street that he claimed is not up to par and makes for a bumpy drive.

“That’s got to be taken out. That blacktop has got to come out and they’ve got to redo it,” Hines said.

Village Administrator/Clerk-Treasurer Brad Roy said that will be reviewed during a final project walkthrough and that the project is expected to be completed by July 2.

After a closed session period to discuss a developer’s agreement with C and J builders, the board made a directive to continue on with discussions regarding the agreement.