FAQs

Alcohol Licensing

  • You do not need a temporary license for a private event as long as the event meets the following criteria:

    • The private event is by invitation only with the invited guests known to the host.  The event IS NOT open to the public.
    • The event is not advertised or promoted on social media or other means of public communication.
    • There is no exchange of money – no cost for purchasing alcohol, no cost to enter the event, no donation jar, no tip jar, no exchange of money in any way.

    A person serving alcohol beverages at a private party is not required to hold an operator’s (bartender) license.

  • Any event that is open to the public or where money is exchanged requires a Temp B - Beer or Temp C - Wine license.   Other stipulations for the issuance of such licenses include:

    • Temporary Licenses can only be issued to bona fide clubs, chambers of commerce, to county or local fair associations or agricultural societies, to churches, lodges or societies that have been in existence for at least 6 months, and to veterans’ organization.

    • Temporary Beer License – there is no limit on how many an organization can have in a year.

    • Temporary Wine License – An organization can only have up to 2 licenses in a 12-month period.

    • No Liquor can be served under these licenses, only beer and/or wine.

    • The event must have a licensed operator (bartender) or someone must apply for a temporary operator's license which includes taking a responsible beverage server's course and have a completed background check.

    • A completed application should be turned into the Clerk's office at least 1 month before the event along with the application fee.  The Common Council will need to approve the temporary license prior to the event.

  • You will need to apply for a "Class B" liquor and Class "B" fermented malt beverage license.  The City is subject to a quota of "Class B" liquor licenses per State law.  If you wish to apply for a "Class B" liquor license, please about available license with the City Clerk.

Brush & Yard Waste

  • Tree limbs and brush can be taken to the compost site on the east side of the East Side Cemetery. The entrance is the gravel drive on East Division St, just west of Diamond Oaks Drive. No garbage or building materials please, only compostable items.

  • The City of Dodgeville will be picking up brush up to 6 inches in diameter and 6 feet in length.  Any thing larger will need to be hauled to the East Side Cemetery Brush Pile.

Search Tips and Tricks

  • Yes.  The website indexes web pages as well as PDFs, Microsoft Office documents, and text documents.

  • No.  By default, the search results will show matches for any word within the phrase.  In this example, you would receive results for all web pages and documents that contained either the word alarm or the word permit or both.

    In order to search on an exact phrase, enclose your search phrase in quotations.  The search results for "alarm permit" will show matches for that exact phrase.

  • Yes.   You can exclude words by using the minus sign (-).   In order to find the results of all pages that have alarm in the result but not permit, you would search for alarm -permit.

Tax & Assessment

  • An increase in your assessment does not necessarily mean an increase in your property taxes. Your property tax rate will not be last year’s property tax rate multiplied by this year’s assessed value.

     

    Assessments do not determine how much is going to be taxed; budgets determine that. Assessments only affect how the tax bill is divided among property owners once the tax levy is set. To determine the possible effect on your taxes, compare your change in assessment to the average increase. If the increase in your property’s assessed value is greater than the average, a tax increase is possible; your property represents a larger share of the valuation. If change in your property’s assessment is equal to or less than the average, a tax increase is possible if the total tax levy is increased.

  • The tax rate is the rate necessary to raise sufficient money from the property tax to meet the tax levy. The tax levy is the amount of taxes the City of Dodgeville, the School District of Dodgeville, Madison Technical College, and Iowa County need to collect to support their budget. The tax rate is determined by dividing the total assessment of a district into the levy. The rate is often expressed in terms of dollars per thousand (also known as the mill rate). If the assessed values established by a revaluation are greater than they were before and the tax levy is the same, then the tax rate will be less. For example, if the tax levy remains unchanged and the total assessed value of the taxation district is doubled, the tax rate will be cut in half.

  • The goal of a revaluation is to create uniform, equitable, and fair assessments ensuring each property bears its fair share of the property tax burden. Revaluations ensure that the distribution of property taxes is impartial and based on market value standards.

Utilities

  • Dodgeville Utilities is able to accept cash, money orders, personal/business checks, and credit cards as payment for your water and sewer bill. We also provide customers the option of setting up automatic payment withdrawal. With automatic payment withdrawal, the Utility Department will withdraw the full payment out of the customer's account on the 20th of every month. Credit card payments can be made online through AllPaid, via phone (1-888-604-7888) or at the City Hall. Please note: If you use a credit card, there will be a small processing fee. Check out the Utility Payment Page for more information.

  • To set up water & sewer service, you will need to fill out an Application/Termination form with the Utility Department. The form is available on the Utility Forms page in both a webform or printable format.  You can alsto stop in our office located at City Hall. If you need to start and stop service, you MUST complete two forms. You can email the completed form(s) to the Utility Clerk or drop them off at City Hall. 

  • Payments are always due on the 20th of the month and it your responsibility to make sure they are paid on time.  If we haven’t received payment by the 20th of the month, we send out disconnection notices around the 25th. Sometimes there is a very short window from the payment due date and when we send out the disconnect notices.  Because the Utility is required to send a lot information, these notices are the only “reminders” we send out and are sent to all customers with a delinquent (ANY PAST DUE AMOUNT) balance at the time of printing. However, the Utility does send out reminder posts via text alerts and the City's Facebook page. 

  • Your bank will create and mail us a paper check. The payment is not electronic. You need to allow time for bank processing and mailing. 

  • Your toilet may be leaking and you don’t hear it. The seals can get old and your toilet needs to refill itself but not so much that you hear it. It’s easy to check. Put a couple drops of dark colored soda in the back part of the toilet (the tank part). Do not flush. Wait 20 to 30 minutes. If the water in the bowl turns that color, you may have a leaky toilet.

    Visit this checklist for help looking for leaks in your home.