Benton, WI

Come Grow With Us!

Officials and Elections

Benton has an elected Village Board consisting of the Village President and a six-member Board of Trustees. The Village Board sets local governmental policy, determines types and levels of service to be provided, hires village employees, establishes village codes and ordinances, and approves the budget and subsequent expenditures for the fiscal year. Each member of the Board—including the President—is elected to a two-year term. To ensure that the Board is always comprised of at least three experienced members, elections for trustee positions are held on an every-other-year basis, with three positions being elected one year and four positions being elected the next.

Village Board Members

Gary McCrea, President
Term: April 2009
Phone: 608.759.3983

Chuck Wartner, Trustee
Term: April 2010
Phone: 608.759.2025

Lisa Lawrence, Trustee
Term: April 2009
Phone: 608.759.4407

Katey McCarthy, Trustee
Term: April 2009
Phone: 563.542.6840

Ron Fladseth, Trustee
Term: April 2010
Phone: 608.759.2068

Terry Sheffer, Trustee
Term: April 2008
Phone: 608.759.4825

Rose Walton, Trustee
Term: April 2009
Phone: 608.759.4671

Committees and Assignments

  • Finance
    • Chuck Wartner, Chair (608.759.2025)
    • Gary McCrea
    • Ron Fladseth
  • Police
    • Gary McCrea, Chair (608.759.3983)
    • Terry Sheffer
    • Katey Neis
    • Streets
      • Terry Sheffer, Chair (608) 759-4825
      • Gary McCrea
      • Ron Fladseth
    • Electric
      • Ron Fladseth, Chair (608) 759-2068
      • Rose Walton
      • Terry Sheffer
    • Sewer / Water
      • Katey Neis, Chair (608) 759-3573
      • Ron Fladseth
      • Terry Sheffer
    • Public Nuisance
      • Lisa Lawrence, Chair (608) 759-4407
      • Ron Fladseth
      • Chuck Wartner
    • Parks / Building
      • Lisa Lawrence, Chair (608) 759-4407
      • Rose Walton
      • Gary McCrea
    • Personnel / Disposal
      • Gary McCrea, Chair (608) 759-3983
      • Chuck Wartner
      • Lisa Lawrence
    • Ordinance
      • Rose Walton, Chair (608) 759-4671
      • Lisa Lawrence
      • Katey Neis
    • Lafayette Development Corporation
      • Terry Sheffer (608) 759-4825
      • Gary McCrea (608) 759-3983
    • Weed Commissioner
      • Ron Fladseth (608) 759-2068
    • Planning & Zoning Commission
      • Sherri Timmerman, Chair (608) 759-2292
      • Katey Neis
      • Rose Walton
      • Myrna Sysko
      • Chuck Wartner
      • Doris Pulvermacher
      • Philip Vaughn
    • Zoning Board of Appeals
      • Alfred Kluge
      • James Sysko, Jr.
      • Robert Dixon
      • Dave Halloran
      • Jeff Savatski

    Board Meeting Dates and Times

    All meetings are open to the public and comply with the state’s open meeting laws (Wis. Stat. § 19.81—19.98).

    Time:
    6:30 P.M.
    Date:
    3rd Wednesday of every month
    Location:
    Benton Business Incubator conference room at 244 Ridge Avenue

    Agenda Requests

    Citizens or other persons with items or concerns they would like to have placed on the agenda may do so by calling the Village Clerk’s office one week prior to the scheduled meeting. (Village Office: 608.759.3721)

    Subcommittee Meetings

    In addition to regular board meetings, the Village also has a number of subcommittees that meet on an as-needed basis to determine a variety of issues related to the operation of the Village and its services. Village Board members, as well as various members of the community, serve on the subcommittees. Meetings are posted and are open to the public.

    Village Office Hours and Contacts

    • Open Office Hours

    • 8:00 A.M. to 11:30 A.M.
    • 12:30 P.M. to 4:30 P.M.
    • Tuesday thru Friday

    • Contacts

    • 608.759.3721
    • Fax: 608.759.3212
    • Email: info@bentonwi.us

    • Village Office Location

    • Benton Business Incubator
    • 244 Ridge Avenue
    • Benton, WI 53803

    Clerk’s Office

    Darnell Hendricks is Benton’s Village Clerk / Administrator / Treasurer. She is responsible for coordinating the day-to-day operations and administrative matters of the Village of Benton. Maggie Langkamp serves as the Assistant Village Clerk.

    Employee Directory

    • Carver, Ryan
      Water / Wastewater / General Maintenance
      608.759.3721

      Ryan Carver has been employed with the Village since March 1997. He is responsible for maintenance of the Village’s wastewater utility and water treatment plant, ensuring that our water is clean and safe to drink. Ryan also assists other Village employees with many other facets of general Village maintenance.

    • Goffinet, Jim
      Parks / Streets / General Maintenance
      608.759.3721

      Jim Goffinet has been employed with the Village since October 1998. His primary responsibilities include maintaining buildings, parks, streets, and vehicles. He also provides assistance to other Village employees with the electric, water, and sewer utility maintenance.

    • Hendricks, Darnell
      Village Clerk / Administrator / Treasurer
      608.759.3721

      Darnell Hendricks has been employed with the Village since July 1990. Darnell provides daily supervision and management of all Village operations and departments. She is responsible for implementing budget and policy directives of the Village Board.

    • Johnson, Janet
      Public Librarian
      608.759.BOOK (2665)

      Janet Johnson has been the Benton Public Librarian since March 2007. Janet manages the day-to-day operations of the library and assists library patrons with material selections and with research and information needs. She is responsible for implementing budget and policy directives of the Library Board.

    • Langkamp, Maggie
      Assistant Village Clerk
      608.759.3721

      Maggie Langkamp has been employed with the Village since February 2006. As Assistant Clerk/Treasurer, Maggie provides support to the village clerk/treasurer, as well as to other village employees. She is primarily responsible for the electric, water, and sewer utility billing and is the first source of information when contacting the Village Office.

    • Perkins, John
      Electric / General Maintenance
      608.759.3721

      John Perkins has been employed with the Village since July 1991. He is responsible for the operation and maintenance of the Village’s electric utility. John also assists other village employees with general maintenance and with water and sewer utility maintenance.

    Voting and Elections

    Voting Locations

    • Residents of the Village of Benton
      Benton Business Incubator
      244 Ridge Avenue
    • Residents of Benton Township
      Benton Township Garage
      455 Railroad Avenue
    • Residents of New Diggings Township
      Leadmine Town Hall
      Leadmine, WI
    • Residents of Hazel Green Township
      Hazel Green Township Garage
      3910 North Percival
      Hazel Green, WI

    Voter Registration

    All voters in Wisconsin must be registered to vote. There are three options by which voters may register:

    1. By Mail

      To register by mail, download the Application for Voter Registration, complete the form, and mail it to the address below. The application must be postmarked no later than the 20th day (3rd Wednesday) before the election. Mail the completed form to:

      Darnell Hendricks, Village Clerk
      244 Ridge Avenue
      Benton, WI 53803

      PLEASE NOTE: State and federal law now requires that any first-time voter submitting a registration application by mail provide a copy of an acceptable identifying document that provides proof of residence. (A “first-time voter” is an individual who has not voted in an election in Wisconsin.) Acceptable forms of proof of residence are outlined in number 3 below. Please note that first-time voters registering by mail may not use a residential lease as proof of residence. The copy of the form of proof of residence must be included when submitting the registration application. If a copy of proof of residence is not included, the elector will be required to supply it before being issued a ballot at the polling place or before being issued an absentee ballot in the municipal clerk’s office.

      *Forms with an expiration date must be valid on Election Day.

    2. In Person

      Register in the Village Clerk’s office up to 5:00 P.M. or the close of business (whichever is later) on the day before the election.

      Note: after the “by mail” deadline has passed, an elector voting in person in the clerk’s office is required to present acceptable proof of residence as outlined below.

    3. At the Polling Place on Election Day

      If you wish to register at your polling place, you must bring proof that you have lived at your present location for at least 10 days preceding the election. For purposes of voter registration, acceptable forms of proof of residence must include:

      1. A current and complete name, including both the given and family name; and
      2. A current and complete residential address, including a numbered street address if there is one, and the name of a municipality.

    Village Board and
    School Board Candidates

    Information regarding candidates running for the Village Board or for the Benton School Board will be posted on the “Keep Informed” tab of the website. Persons wishing to run for either board must take out papers during the month of December, prior to the April election. Nomination papers for the Village Board are available at the Village Office at 244 Ridge Avenue. Nomination papers for the School Board are available at the school’s office at 41 Alma Street.

    Additional Voting and
    Election Information

    Additional voting and election information may be found at the following online sources. (Please note: Information on these websites supersedes that found on the Village of Benton website.)