Chapter 66

66.0621(4)(b)6. 6. This subsection constitutes full authority for the authorization and issuance of refunding bonds and for all other acts authorized by this subsection to be done or performed and the refunding bonds may be issued under this subsection without regard to the requirements, restrictions or procedural provisions contained in any other law.

66.0621(4)(c) (c) The governing body of a municipality shall, in the ordinance or resolution authorizing the issuance of bonds, establish a system of funds and accounts and provide for sufficient revenues to operate and maintain the public utility and to provide fully for annual debt service requirements of bonds issued under this section. The governing body of a municipality may establish a fund or account for depreciation of assets of the public utility.

66.0621(4)(d) (d) If a governing body of a municipality creates a depreciation fund under par. (c) it shall use the funds set aside to restore any deficiency in the special redemption fund specified in par. (e) for the payment of the principal and interest due on the bonds and for the creation and maintenance of any reserves established by the bond ordinance or resolution to secure these payments. If the special redemption fund is sufficient for these purposes, moneys in the depreciation fund may be expended for repairs, replacements, new constructions, extensions or additions of the public utility. Accumulations of the depreciation fund may be invested and the income from the investment shall be deposited in the depreciation fund.

66.0621(4)(e) (e) The governing body of a municipality shall by ordinance or resolution create a special fund in the treasury of the municipality to be identified as “the .... special redemption fund” into which shall be paid the amount which is set aside for the payment of the principal and interest due on the bonds and for the creation and maintenance of any reserves established by bond ordinance or resolution to secure these payments.

66.0621(4)(f) (f) At the close of the public utility’s fiscal year, if any surplus has accumulated in any of the funds specified in this subsection, it may be disposed of in the order set forth under s. 66.0811 (2).

66.0621(4)(g) (g) The reasonable cost and value of any service rendered to a municipality by a public utility shall be charged against the municipality and shall be paid by it in installments.

66.0621(4)(h) (h) The rates for all services rendered by a public utility to a municipality or to other consumers shall be reasonable and just, taking into account and consideration the value of the public utility, the cost of maintaining and operating the public utility, the proper and necessary allowance for depreciation of the public utility, and a sufficient and adequate return upon the capital invested.

66.0621(4)(i) (i) The governing body of a municipality may adopt all ordinances and resolutions necessary to carry into effect this subsection. An ordinance or resolution providing for the issuance of bonds may contain such provisions or covenants, without limiting the generality of the power to adopt an ordinance or resolution, as are considered necessary or desirable for the security of bondholders or the marketability of the bonds. The provisions or covenants may include but are not limited to provisions relating to the sufficiency of the rates or charges to be made for service, maintenance and operation, improvements or additions to and sale or alienation of the public utility, insurance against loss, employment of consulting engineers and accountants, records and accounts, operating and construction budgets, establishment of reserve funds, issuance of additional bonds, and deposit of the proceeds of the sale of the bonds or revenues of the public utility in trust, including the appointment of depositories or trustees. An ordinance or resolution authorizing the issuance of bonds or other obligations payable from revenues of a public utility constitutes a contract with the holder of bonds or other obligations issued pursuant to the ordinance or resolution.

66.0621(4)(j) (j) The ordinance or resolution required under par. (c) may set apart bonds equal to the amount of any secured debt or charge subject to which a public utility may be purchased, acquired, leased, constructed, extended, added to or improved. The ordinance or resolution shall set aside for interest and debt service fund from the income and revenues of the public utility a sum sufficient to comply with the requirements of the instrument creating the lien, or, if the instrument does not make any provision for it, the ordinance or resolution shall fix the amount which shall be set aside into a secured debt fund from month to month for interest on the secured debt, and a fixed amount or proportion not exceeding a stated sum, which shall be not less than 1 percent of the principal, to be set aside into the fund to pay the principal of the debt. Any surplus after satisfying the debt may be transferred to the special redemption fund. Public utility bonds set aside for the debt may be issued to an amount sufficient with the amount then in the debt service fund to pay and retire the debt or any portion of it. The bonds may be issued at not less than 95 percent of the par value in exchange for, or satisfaction of, the secured debt, or may be sold in the manner provided in this paragraph, and the proceeds applied in payment of the secured debt at maturity or before maturity by agreement with the holder. The governing body of a municipality and the owners of a public utility acquired, purchased, leased, constructed, extended, added to or improved under this paragraph may contract that public utility bonds providing for the secured debt or for the whole purchase price shall be deposited with a trustee or depository and released from deposit to secure the payment of the debt.

66.0621(4)(k) (k) A municipality purchasing, acquiring, leasing, constructing, extending, adding to or improving, conducting, controlling, operating or managing a public utility subject to a mortgage or deed of trust by the vendor or the vendor’s predecessor in title to secure the payment of outstanding and unpaid bonds made by the vendor or the vendor’s predecessor in title, may readjust, renew, consolidate or extend the obligation evidenced by the outstanding bonds and continue the lien of the mortgage, securing the mortgage by issuing bonds to refund the outstanding mortgage or revenue bonds at or before their maturity. The refunding bonds are payable only out of a special redemption fund created and set aside by ordinance or resolution under par. (e). The refunding bonds shall be secured by a mortgage lien upon the public utility, and the municipality may adopt all ordinances or resolutions and take all proceedings, following the procedure under this subsection. The lien has the same priority on the public utility as the mortgage securing the outstanding bonds, unless otherwise expressly provided in the proceedings of the governing body of the municipality.

66.0621(4)(L) (L)

66.0621(4)(L)1. 1. If the governing body of a municipality, by ordinance or resolution, declares its intentions to authorize the issuance or sale of revenue bonds under this section, the governing body may, prior to issuance of the bonds and in anticipation of their sale, authorize the issuance of bond anticipation notes by the adoption of a resolution or ordinance. The notes shall be named “bond anticipation notes”. Bond anticipation notes may be issued for the purposes for which the municipality has authority to issue revenue bonds. The ordinance or resolution authorizing the bond anticipation notes shall state the purposes for which the bond anticipation notes are to be issued and shall set forth a covenant of the municipality to issue the revenue bonds in an amount sufficient to retire the outstanding bond anticipation notes. The ordinance or resolution may contain other covenants and provisions, including a description of the terms of the revenue bonds to be issued. The municipality may pledge revenues of the public utility to payment of the principal and interest on the bond anticipation notes. Prior to issuance of the bond anticipation notes, the governing body may adopt an ordinance or resolution authorizing the revenue bonds.

66.0621(4)(L)2. 2. Bond anticipation notes may be issued for periods of up to 5 years and may, by ordinance or resolution of the governing body of a municipality, be refunded one or more times, if the refunding bond anticipation notes do not exceed 5 years in term and if they will be paid within 10 years after the date of issuance of the original bond anticipation notes. Bond anticipation notes shall be executed as provided in s. 67.08 (1) and may be registered under s. 67.09. These notes shall state the sources from which they are payable. Bond anticipation notes are not an indebtedness of the municipality issuing them, and no lien may be created or attached with respect to any property of the municipality as a consequence of the issuance of the notes.

66.0621(4)(L)3. 3. Any funds derived from the issuance and sale of revenue bonds under this section and issued subsequent to the execution and sale of bond anticipation notes constitute a trust fund, and the fund shall be expended first for the payment of principal and interest of the bond anticipation notes, and then may be expended for other purposes set forth in the ordinance or resolution authorizing the revenue bonds. No bond anticipation notes may be issued unless a financial officer of the municipality certifies to the governing body of the municipality that contracts with respect to additions, improvements and extensions are to be let and that the proceeds of the notes are required for the payment of the contracts.

66.0621(4)(L)4. 4. Following the issuance of the bond anticipation notes, revenues of the public utility may be paid into a fund to pay principal and interest on the bond anticipation notes, which moneys or any part of them may, by the ordinance or resolution authorizing the issuance of bond anticipation notes, be pledged for the payment of the principal of and interest on the notes. The ordinance or resolution shall pledge to the payment of the principal of the notes the proceeds of the sale of the revenue bonds in anticipation of the sale of which the notes were authorized to be issued and may provide for use of revenue of the public utility or other available funds for payment of principal on the notes. The notes are negotiable instruments.

66.0621(4)(L)6. 6. A municipality authorized to issue or sell bond anticipation notes under this paragraph may, in addition to the revenue sources or bond proceeds, appropriate funds out of its annual tax levy for the payment of the notes. The payment of the notes out of funds from a tax levy is not an obligation of the municipality to make any other appropriation.

66.0621(4)(L)7. 7. Bond anticipation notes are a legal form of investment for municipal funds under s. 66.0603 (1m).

66.0621(5) (5) A municipality which may own, purchase, acquire, lease, construct, extend, add to, improve, conduct, control, operate or manage any public utility may, by action of its governing body, in lieu of issuing bonds or levying taxes and in addition to any other lawful methods of paying obligations, provide for or secure the payment of the cost of purchasing, acquiring, leasing, constructing, extending, adding to, improving, conducting, controlling, operating or managing a public utility by pledging, assigning or otherwise hypothecating, shares of stock evidencing a controlling interest in a public utility, or the net earnings or profits derived, or to be derived, from the operation of the public utility. The municipality may enter into the contracts and may mortgage the public utility and issue obligations to carry out this subsection. A municipality may issue additional obligations under this section, but those obligations are subordinate to all prior obligations, except that the municipality may in the ordinance or resolution authorizing obligations under this subsection permit the issue of additional obligations on a parity with those previously issued.

66.0621(6) (6) 

66.0621(6)(a) (a) Revenue bonds issued by a local professional baseball park district created under subch. III of ch. 229 are subject to the provisions in ss. 229.72 to 229.81.

66.0621(6)(b) (b) Revenue bonds issued by a local professional football stadium district created under subch. IV of ch. 229 are subject to the provisions in ss. 229.829 to 229.834.

66.0621(6)(c) (c) Revenue bonds issued by a local cultural arts district created under subch. V of ch. 229 are subject to the provisions in ss. 229.849 to 229.853.

66.0621 History History: 1973 c. 172; 1979 c. 268; 1981 c. 282; 1983 a. 24; 1983 a. 207 ss. 9 to 21, 93 (1), (3); 1987 a. 197; 1991 a. 316; 1993 a. 263; 1995 a. 56, 216, 225, 378; 1997 a. 35; 1999 a. 65; 1999 a. 150 ss. 175, 177; Stats. 1999 s. 66.0621; 1999 a. 167 ss. 33 to 36; 1999 a. 186 s. 45; 2001 a. 30, 105; 2005 a. 148; 2011 a. 239; 2017 a. 58.

66.0621 Annotation A village has power to own and operate a home for the aged, finance the same under ss. 66.066 and 66.067 [now this section], and lease the facility to a nonprofit corporation, but probably could not lease to a profit corporation, for operation. 62 Atty. Gen. 226.

66.0621 Annotation Wisconsin Municipal Debt Finance: An Outlook for the Eighties. Schilling, Griggs, & Ebert. 63 MLR 539 (1980).

66.0623 66.0623 Refunding village, town, sanitary, and inland lake district bonds. A village, town, town sanitary district established under s. 60.71 (1), or public inland lake protection and rehabilitation district established under ch. 33 that has undertaken to construct a combined sewer and water system and issued revenue bonds payable from the combined revenues of the system and that is unable to provide sufficient funds to complete the construction of the system and to meet maturing principal of the revenue bonds, may, with the consent of all of the holders of noncallable bonds, refund all or any part of its outstanding indebtedness, including revenue bonds, by issuing term bonds maturing in not more than 20 years, payable solely from the revenues of the combined sewer and water system and redeemable at par on any interest payment date. The bonds may be issued as provided in s. 66.0621 (4) and shall pledge income from hydrant rentals and all sewer and water charges and may contain any covenants authorized by law, except if bonds are issued under this section to refund floating indebtedness, the bonds are subject to the prior lien and claim of all bonds issued to refund revenue bonds issued prior to the refunding.

66.0623 History History: 1999 a. 150 s. 231; Stats. 1999 s. 66.0623; 2001 a. 30.

66.0625 66.0625 Joint issuance of mass transit bonding.

66.0625(1) (1) In this section:

66.0625(1)(a) (a) “Political subdivision” means a county, city, village or town.

66.0625(1)(b) (b) “Public transit body” means any transit or transportation commission or authority and public corporation established by law or by interstate compact to provide mass transportation services and facilities.

66.0625(2) (2) In addition to the provisions of any other statutes specifically authorizing cooperation between political subdivisions or public transit bodies, unless those statutes specifically exclude action under this section, any political subdivision or public transit body may, for mass transit purposes, issue bonds or, with any other political subdivision or public transit body, jointly issue bonds.

66.0625 History History: 1991 a. 282; 1999 a. 150 s. 604; Stats. 1999 s. 66.0625.

66.0626 66.0626 Special assessments or charges for contaminated well or wastewater system loans.

66.0626(1) (1) In this section:

66.0626(1)(a) (a) “Contaminated private water supply” has the meaning provided in s. 281.75 (1) (b).

66.0626(1)(b) (b) “Failing private on-site wastewater treatment system” has the meaning provided in s. 145.01 (4m).

66.0626(1)(c) (c) “Political subdivision” means a city, village, town, or county.

66.0626(1)(d) (d) “Private on-site wastewater treatment system” has the meaning provided in s. 145.01 (12).

66.0626(1)(e) (e) “Private water supply” has the meaning provided in s. 281.75 (1) (f).

66.0626(1)(f) (f) “Well subject to abandonment” has the meaning provided in s. 281.75 (1) (i).

66.0626(2) (2) A political subdivision or its designee may, with the agreement of the owner of the private water supply, well, or wastewater treatment system, remediate a contaminated private water supply, fill and seal a well subject to abandonment, or rehabilitate, replace, or abandon a failing private on-site wastewater treatment system, that is located in the political subdivision, or may make a loan at or below the market interest rate, as defined in s. 281.59 (1) (b), including an interest-free loan, to the owner of a contaminated private water supply, a well subject to abandonment, or a failing private on-site wastewater treatment system, that is located in the political subdivision, for those purposes. If a political subdivision takes any of the actions under this subsection, the political subdivision may, as a special charge under s. 66.0627 or special assessment under s. 66.0703, recover the costs of the remediation, the filling and sealing, or the rehabilitation, replacement, or abandonment, or collect the loan repayment. Notwithstanding s. 66.0627 (4), a special charge imposed under this subsection may be collected in installments and may be included in the current or next tax roll for collection and settlement under ch. 74 even if the special charge is not delinquent.

66.0626 History History: 2017 a. 69; 2021 a. 238.

66.0627 66.0627 Special charges for current services and certain loan repayments.

66.0627(1) (1) In this section:

66.0627(1)(ad) (ad) “Brownfield revitalization project” means any of the following actions when taken upon premises that are located on, or that constitute, brownfields, as defined in s. 238.13 (1) (a):

66.0627(1)(ad)1. 1. Site assessment.

66.0627(1)(ad)2. 2. Remediation.

66.0627(1)(ad)3. 3. Lead or asbestos abatement.

66.0627(1)(ad)4. 4. Demolition.

66.0627(1)(ad)5. 5. Standard site preparation actions not included in subds. 1. to 4.

66.0627(1)(am) (am) “Energy efficiency or reliability improvement” means an improvement to a premises that reduces the usage of energy, or increases the efficiency or reliability of energy usage, at the premises, including energy storage or backup power generation improvements or improvements that facilitate participation in a microgrid.

66.0627(1)(ao) (ao) “EV infrastructure improvement” means an improvement to a premises to provide facilities for charging vehicles that are fully or partially powered by electricity.

66.0627(1)(b) (b) “Political subdivision” means a city, village, town, or county.

66.0627(1)(bk) (bk) “Renewable resource application” means any of the following:

66.0627(1)(bk)1. 1. An improvement to a premises that allows for the production of energy through the incorporation of solar thermal electric or photovoltaic energy.

66.0627(1)(bk)2. 2. An improvement to a premises that allows for the small scale derivation of electricity from a renewable resource listed under s. 196.378 (1) (h).

66.0627(1)(bk)3. 3. A manure digestion or other biomass system that produces natural gas.

66.0627(1)(bm) (bm) “Resiliency improvement” means an improvement to a premises intended to increase resilience or improve the durability of infrastructure, including an improvement intended to improve storm and wind durability or wind resistance or to assist in fire suppression or mitigation of damage from flooding.

66.0627(1)(c) (c) “Service” includes snow and ice removal, weed elimination, street sprinkling, oiling and tarring, repair of sidewalks or curb and gutter, garbage and refuse disposal, recycling, storm water management, including construction of storm water management facilities, tree care, removal and disposition of dead animals under s. 60.23 (20), loan repayment under s. 70.57 (4) (b), soil conservation work under s. 92.115, and snow removal under s. 86.105.

66.0627(1)(cg) (cg) “Storm water control measure” means an improvement to a premises that uses structural or nonstructural measures, practices, techniques, or devices designed to mitigate the negative impacts of storm water runoff or other surface runoff to the premises, including an infiltration system, wet detention pond, constructed wetland, grassed swale, or vegetative roofing system. “Storm water control measure” does not include a rain barrel or cistern designed for temporary storage of precipitation.

66.0627(1)(d) (d) “Water efficiency improvement” means an improvement to a premises that reduces the usage of water, or increases the efficiency of water usage, at the premises.

66.0627(2) (2) Except as provided in sub. (5), the governing body of a city, village or town may impose a special charge against real property for current services rendered by allocating all or part of the cost of the service to the property served. The authority under this section is in addition to any other method provided by law.

66.0627(3) (3) 

66.0627(3)(a) (a) Except as provided in par. (b), the governing body of the city, village or town may determine the manner of providing notice of a special charge.

66.0627(3)(b) (b) Before a special charge for street tarring or the repair of sidewalks, curbs or gutters may be imposed, a public hearing shall be held by the governing body on whether the service in question will be funded in whole or in part by a special charge. Any interested person may testify at the hearing. Notice of the hearing shall be by class 1 notice under ch. 985, published at least 20 days before the hearing. A copy of the notice shall be mailed at least 10 days before the hearing to each interested person whose address is known or can be ascertained with reasonable diligence. The notice under this paragraph shall state the date, time and location of the hearing, the subject matter of the hearing and that any interested person may testify.

66.0627(4) (4) A special charge is not payable in installments. If a special charge is not paid within the time determined by the governing body, the special charge is delinquent. A delinquent special charge becomes a lien on the property against which it is imposed as of the date of delinquency. The delinquent special charge shall be included in the current or next tax roll for collection and settlement under ch. 74.

66.0627(5) (5) Except with respect to storm water management, including construction of storm water management facilities, no special charge may be imposed under this section to collect arrearages owed a municipal public utility.

66.0627(6) (6) If a special charge imposed under this section is held invalid because this section is found unconstitutional, the governing body may reassess the special charge under any applicable law.

66.0627(7) (7) Notwithstanding sub. (2), no political subdivision may enact an ordinance, or enforce an existing ordinance, that imposes a fee on the owner or occupant of property for a call for assistance that is made by the owner or occupant requesting law enforcement services that relate to any of the following:

66.0627(7)(a) (a) Domestic abuse, as defined in s. 813.12 (1) (am).

66.0627(7)(b) (b) Sexual assault, as described under ss. 940.225, 948.02, and 948.025.

66.0627(7)(c) (c) Stalking, as described in s. 940.32.

66.0627(8) (8) 

66.0627(8)(a) (a)

66.0627(8)(a)1. 1. Except as provided in subd. 2., a political subdivision may make a loan, or enter into an agreement regarding loan repayments to a 3rd party for owner-arranged or lessee-arranged financing, to an owner or lessee of a premises that is a residential property containing at least 5 dwelling units or a nonresidential property and that is located in the political subdivision for a brownfield revitalization project or for the financing or refinancing of a project for making, installing, operating, or maintaining any of the following with regard to the premises:

66.0627(8)(a)1.a. a. An energy efficiency or reliability improvement.

66.0627(8)(a)1.b. b. A water efficiency improvement.

66.0627(8)(a)1.c. c. A renewable resource application.

66.0627(8)(a)1.d. d. An EV infrastructure improvement.

66.0627(8)(a)1.e. e. A resiliency improvement.

66.0627(8)(a)1.f. f. A storm water control measure.

66.0627(8)(a)2. 2. A political subdivision may not make a loan or enter into an agreement under subd. 1. for the financing or refinancing of a project for making, installing, operating, or maintaining a resiliency improvement for a premises to which a floodplain zoning ordinance applies unless all of the following apply:

66.0627(8)(a)2.a. a. If the premises is a nonconforming building, as defined in s. 87.30 (1d) (a) 1., the building would be permanently repaired, reconstructed, or improved so as to comply with all applicable requirements of the floodplain zoning ordinance for the area of the floodplain that it occupies after completion of the resiliency improvement.

66.0627(8)(a)2.b. b. If the political subdivision participates in the National Flood Insurance Program, the owner or lessee of the premises agrees to maintain any flood insurance policy required under the program for the premises.

66.0627(8)(ag) (ag)

66.0627(8)(ag)1. 1. Subject to subd. 2., a political subdivision may make a loan, or enter into an agreement regarding loan repayments to a 3rd party for owner-arranged financing, to an owner of a premises located in the political subdivision for the purpose of replacing customer-side water service lines, as defined in s. 196.372 (1) (a), containing lead.

66.0627(8)(ag)2. 2. If a political subdivision makes a loan under subd. 1., the political subdivision shall require each owner of a premises located in the political subdivision that is serviced by a customer-side water service line, as defined in s. 196.372 (1) (a), containing lead to replace that customer-side water service line.

66.0627(8)(am) (am) If a political subdivision makes a loan or enters into an agreement under par. (a) 1. or (ag), the political subdivision may collect the amounts due under the loan or agreement as a special charge under this section. Notwithstanding sub. (4), a special charge imposed under this paragraph may be collected in installments and may be included in the current or next tax roll for collection and settlement under ch. 74 even if the special charge is not delinquent. If a political subdivision makes a loan, or enters into an agreement regarding loan repayments to a 3rd party, the repayment period may not exceed 30 years.