Chapter 66

66.0805 Annotation When a city council creates a board under sub. (1), the council is prohibited by sub. (3) from fixing the wages of the utility’s employees. Schroeder v. City of Clintonville, 90 Wis. 2d 457, 280 N.W.2d 166 (1979).

66.0805 Annotation Although the statutes relating to public utilities and transit commissions describe certain attributes the governing commissions must have, these statutes do not call the commission into existence or endow it with authority independent of what the statutes confer on the municipality. A commission has no authority but for what it receives from the municipality, and the municipality has no authority to legislate contrary to the boundaries established by the statutes. Wisconsin Carry, Inc. v. City of Madison, 2017 WI 19, 373 Wis. 2d 543, 892 N.W.2d 233, 15-0146.

66.0805 Annotation This section grants municipalities the authority to create commissions to govern public utilities, but it contains no independent grant of authority to such commissions. As a public utility, a commission exercises its authority under the supervision of the city. The city exercises its supervisory authority via ordinance. Wisconsin Carry, Inc. v. City of Madison, 2017 WI 19, 373 Wis. 2d 543, 892 N.W.2d 233, 15-0146.

66.0807 66.0807 Joint operation of public utility or public transportation system.

66.0807(1) (1) In this section, “privately owned public utility” includes a cooperative association organized under ch. 185 or 193 for the purpose of producing or furnishing utility service to its members only.

66.0807(2) (2) A city, village or town served by a privately owned public utility, motor bus or other systems of public transportation rendering local service may contract with the owner of the utility or system for the leasing, public operation, joint operation, extension and improvement of the utility or system by the municipality; or, with funds loaned by the municipality, may contract for the stabilization by municipal guaranty of the return upon or for the purchase by installments out of earnings or otherwise of that portion of the public utility or system which is operated within the municipality and any territory immediately adjacent and tributary to the municipality; or may contract for the accomplishment of any object agreed upon between the parties relating to the use, operation, management, value, earnings, purchase, extension, improvement, sale, lease or control of the utility or system property. The provisions of s. 66.0817 relating to preliminary agreement and approval by the department of transportation or public service commission apply to the contracts authorized by this section. The department of transportation or public service commission shall, when a contract under this section is approved by it and consummated, cooperate with the parties in respect to making valuations, appraisals, estimates and other determinations specified in the contract to be made by it.

66.0807 History History: 1977 c. 29 s. 1654 (9) (g); 1981 c. 347 s. 80 (2); 1985 a. 187; 1993 a. 16, 246; 1999 a. 150 ss. 171, 237; Stats. 1999 s. 66.0807; 2005 a. 441.

66.0809 66.0809 Municipal public utility charges.

66.0809(1) (1) Except as provided in sub. (2), the governing body of a town, village or city operating a public utility may, by ordinance, fix the initial rates and shall provide for this collection monthly, bimonthly or quarterly in advance or otherwise. The rates shall be uniform for like service in all parts of the municipality and shall include the cost of fluorinating the water. The rates may include standby charges to property not connected but for which public utility facilities have been made available. The charges shall be collected by the treasurer or other officer or employee designated by the city, village or town.

66.0809(2) (2) If, on June 21, 1996, it is the practice of a governing body of a town, village or city operating a public utility to collect utility service charges using a billing period other than one permitted under sub. (1), the governing body may continue to collect utility service charges using that billing period.

66.0809(3) (3) 

66.0809(3)(a) (a) Except as provided in subs. (4) and (5), on October 15 in each year notice shall be given to the owner or occupant of the lots or parcels of real estate to which utility service has been furnished prior to October 1 by a public utility operated by a town, city, or village and payment for which is owing and in arrears at the time of giving the notice. The department in charge of the utility shall furnish the treasurer with a list of the lots or parcels of real estate for which utility service charges are in arrears, and the notice shall be given by the treasurer, unless the governing body of the city, village, or town authorizes notice to be given directly by the department. The notice shall be in writing and shall state the amount of arrears, including any penalty assessed pursuant to the rules of the utility; that unless the amount is paid by November 1 a penalty of 10 percent of the amount of arrears will be added; and that unless the arrears, with any added penalty, are paid by November 15, the arrears and penalty will be levied as a special charge, as defined under s. 74.01 (4), against the lot or parcel of real estate to which utility service was furnished and for which payment is delinquent. The notice may be served by delivery to either the owner or occupant personally, or by letter addressed to the owner or occupant at the post-office address of the lot or parcel of real estate.

66.0809(3)(b) (b) On November 16, the officer or department issuing the notice shall certify and file with the clerk a list of all lots or parcels of real estate, giving the legal description, for which notice of arrears was given under par. (a) and for which arrears remain unpaid, stating the amount of arrears and penalty. Each delinquent amount, including the penalty, becomes a lien upon the lot or parcel of real estate to which the utility service was furnished and payment for which is delinquent, and the clerk shall insert the delinquent amount and penalty as a special charge, as defined under s. 74.01 (4), against the lot or parcel of real estate.

66.0809(3)(c) (c) All proceedings in relation to the collection of general property taxes and to the return and sale of property for delinquent taxes apply to the special charge under par. (b) if it is not paid within the time required by law for payment of taxes upon real estate.

66.0809(3)(d) (d) Under this subsection, if an arrearage is for utility service furnished and metered by the utility directly to a manufactured home or mobile home unit in a licensed manufactured and mobile home community, the notice shall be given to the owner of the manufactured home or mobile home unit and the delinquent amount becomes a lien on the manufactured home or mobile home unit rather than a lien on the parcel of real estate on which the manufactured home or mobile home unit is located. A lien on a manufactured home or mobile home unit may be enforced using the procedures under s. 779.48 (2).

66.0809(3)(e) (e) This subsection does not apply to arrearages collected using the procedure under s. 66.0627.

66.0809(3)(f) (f) In this subsection:

66.0809(3)(f)1. 1. “Metered” means the use of any method to ascertain the amount of service used or the use of a flat rate billing method.

66.0809(3)(f)2. 2. “Utility service” includes loans provided as financial assistance under s. 196.372 (2).

66.0809(3m) (3m) 

66.0809(3m)(a) (a) If sub. (5) applies, the municipal utility is complying with sub. (5) (am) 1., and a notice of arrears under sub. (3) (a) is given or past-due charges are certified to the comptroller under s. 62.69 (2) (f), on the date the notice of arrears is given, or the past-due charges are certified under s. 62.69 (2) (f), the municipality has a lien upon the assets of each tenant of a rental dwelling unit who is responsible for arrears in the amount of the arrears, including any penalty assessed pursuant to the rules of the utility.

66.0809(3m)(b) (b) The department in charge of the utility shall provide a notice to each tenant against whom the municipality has a lien. The notice shall be in writing and shall state the amount of arrears including any penalty assessed pursuant to the rules of the utility, that the tenant is subject to a lien upon his or her assets for arrears for which he or she is responsible, that the lien will transfer to the owner of the rental dwelling unit if the owner pays the arrears, and that the lien will be enforceable upon the filing of the lien with the clerk of courts.

66.0809(3m)(c) (c) If par. (a) applies, prior to December 17, the municipality shall file with the clerk of courts a list of tenants of rental dwelling units responsible for arrears and against whom the municipality continues to have a lien. No action to enforce a lien under par. (a) may be maintained unless a notice of lien is filed under this paragraph.

66.0809(3m)(d) (d) If par. (a) applies and the owner of the rental dwelling unit has paid the municipality the amount provided in the notice of arrears given under sub. (3) (a), or certified to the comptroller under s. 62.69 (2) (f), or the amount placed as tax against the real estate under sub. (3) (b) or s. 62.69 (2) (f), the lien under par. (a) transfers to the owner of the rental dwelling unit and the municipality no longer has a lien against the tenant.

66.0809(3m)(e) (e) An owner of a rental dwelling unit who has a lien under par. (d) may file a notice of lien with the clerk of court of the county in which the rental dwelling unit is located not more than 6 months after the date the lien arose under par. (a). The clerk of courts shall file and enter the notice of lien in the judgment and lien docket. No action to enforce a lien under par. (d) may be maintained unless a notice of lien is filed under this paragraph.

66.0809(3m)(f) (f) Within 7 days after a lien established and filed under this subsection is satisfied, the lienholder shall file with the clerk of courts a notice of lien satisfaction.

66.0809(4) (4) A municipal utility may use the procedures under sub. (3) to collect arrearages for electric service only if one of the following applies:

66.0809(4)(a) (a) The municipality has enacted an ordinance that authorizes the use of the procedures under sub. (3) for the collection of arrearages for electric service provided by the municipal utility.

66.0809(4)(b) (b) In 1996, the municipality collected arrearages for electric service provided by the municipal utility using the procedures under s. 66.60 (16), 1993 stats.

66.0809(5) (5) 

66.0809(5)(a) (a) This subsection applies only if all of the following conditions are met:

66.0809(5)(a)1. 1. Water or electric utility service is provided to a rental dwelling unit.

66.0809(5)(a)1m. 1m. The water or electric utility service is provided by a town sanitary district created under subch. IX of ch. 60 that has sewerage connections serving more than 700 service addresses, by a public inland lake protection and rehabilitation district under subch. IV of ch. 33 that has sewerage connections serving more than 700 service addresses or by a municipal public utility.

66.0809(5)(a)2. 2. The owner of the rental dwelling unit notifies the utility in writing of the name and address of the owner.

66.0809(5)(a)3. 3. The owner of the rental dwelling unit notifies the utility in writing of the name and address of the tenant who is responsible for payment of the utility charges.

66.0809(5)(a)4. 4. If requested by the utility, the owner of the rental dwelling unit provides the utility with a copy of the rental or lease agreement in which the tenant assumes responsibility for the payment of the utility charges.

66.0809(5)(am) (am)

66.0809(5)(am)1. 1. A municipal public utility shall send bills for water or electric service to a customer who is a tenant in the tenant’s own name.

66.0809(5)(am)2. 2. If a customer who is a tenant vacates his or her rental dwelling unit, and the owner of the rental dwelling unit provides the municipal public utility, no later than 21 days after the date on which the tenant vacates the rental dwelling unit, with a written notice that contains a forwarding address for the tenant and the date that the tenant vacated the rental dwelling unit, the utility shall continue to send past-due notices to the customer at his or her forwarding address until the past-due charges are paid or until notice has been provided under sub. (3) (a) or the past-due charges have been certified to the comptroller under s. 62.69 (2) (f).

66.0809(5)(b) (b) A municipal public utility may use sub. (3) or, if s. 62.69 applies, s. 62.69 (2) (f), to collect arrearages incurred after the owner of a rental dwelling unit has provided the utility with written notice under par. (a) if the municipal public utility is complying with par. (am) 1. and serves notice of the past-due charges on the owner of the rental dwelling unit within 14 days of the date on which the tenant’s charges became past due. The municipal public utility shall serve notice in the manner provided in s. 801.14 (2).

66.0809(5)(bm) (bm) No earlier than 14 days after receiving a notice under par. (b) of a tenant’s past-due charges for electric service, the owner of a rental dwelling unit may request that the municipal public utility terminate electric service to the rental dwelling unit. Except as provided under rules of the public service commission relating to disconnection of service and subject to the procedural requirements under those rules, unless all past-due charges are paid, the municipal utility shall terminate electric service to the rental dwelling unit upon receipt of a request under this paragraph. This paragraph does not apply if a municipal public utility does not use the procedures under sub. (3) to collect the past-due charges.

66.0809(5)(c) (c) A municipal public utility may demonstrate compliance with the notice requirements of par. (b) by providing evidence of having sent the notice by U.S. mail or, if the person receiving the notice has consented to receive notice in an electronic format, by providing evidence of having sent the notice in an electronic format.

66.0809(5)(d) (d) If this subsection applies and a municipal public utility elects to collect arrearages under sub. (3) or s. 62.69 (2) (f), the municipal public utility shall provide all notices under sub. (3) or s. 62.69 (2) (f) to the tenant and to the owner of the property or a person designated by the owner.

66.0809(7) (7) A municipal utility may require a prospective customer to submit an application for water or electric service.

66.0809(8) (8) A municipal public utility shall disclose to the owner of a rental dwelling unit, upon the owner’s request, whether a new or prospective tenant has outstanding past-due charges for utility service to that municipal public utility in that tenant’s name at a different address.

66.0809(9) (9) A municipal utility is not required to offer a customer who is a tenant at a rental dwelling unit a deferred payment agreement. Notwithstanding. ss. 196.03, 196.19, 196.20, 196.22, 196.37, and 196.60, a determination by a municipal utility to offer or not offer a deferred payment agreement does not require approval, and is not subject to disapproval, by the public service commission.

66.0809(10) (10) A municipal utility may adopt application, deposit, disconnection, or collection rules and practices that distinguish between customers based upon whether the customer owns or leases the property that is receiving utility service where the possibility exists for any unpaid bills of a tenant to become a lien on the property that is receiving utility service.

66.0809 History History: 1999 a. 150 ss. 184, 186; 2007 a. 11; 2013 a. 274; 2015 a. 55, 176; 2017 a. 137, 317.

66.0809 Annotation Municipalities owning electric companies may pass ordinances allowing unpaid charges for furnished electricity to be placed on tax bills of the receiving property. 73 Atty. Gen. 128.

66.0809 Annotation Under the facts of this case, a municipal utility’s claim for unpaid utility charges was subject to the automatic stay in bankruptcy court. Reedsburg Utility Commission v. Grede Foundries, Inc., 651 F.3d 786 (2011).

66.0811 66.0811 Municipal public utility revenues.

66.0811(1) (1) A city, village or town owning a public utility is entitled to the same rate of return as permitted for privately owned utilities.

66.0811(2) (2) The income of a municipal public utility shall first be used to make payments to meet operation, maintenance, depreciation, interest, and debt service fund requirements, local and school tax equivalents, additions and improvements, and other necessary disbursements or indebtedness. Beginning with taxes levied in 1995, payable in 1996, payments for local and school tax equivalents shall at least be equal to the payment made on the property for taxes levied in 1994, payable in 1995, unless a lower payment is authorized by the governing body of the municipality. Income in excess of these requirements may be used to purchase and hold interest bearing bonds, issued for the acquisition of the utility; bonds issued by the United States or any municipal corporation of this state; insurance upon the life of an officer or manager of the utility; or may be paid into the general fund.

66.0811(3) (3) A city, town or village may use funds derived from its water plant to meet operation, maintenance, depreciation, interest and debt service funds; new construction or equipment or other indebtedness for sewerage construction work other than that which is chargeable against abutting property; or the funds may be placed into the general fund to be used for general city purposes or in a special fund to be used for special municipal purposes.

66.0811 History History: 1999 a. 150 ss. 187, 188, 239.

66.0811 Cross-reference Cross-reference: See also ch. PSC 109, Wis. adm. code.

66.0813 66.0813 Provision of utility service outside of municipality by municipal public utility.

66.0813(1) (1) A town, town sanitary district, village or city owning water, light or power plant or equipment may serve persons or places outside its corporate limits, including adjoining municipalities not owning or operating a similar utility, and may interconnect with another municipality, whether contiguous or not, and for these purposes may use equipment owned by the other municipality.

66.0813(2) (2) Plant or equipment, except water plant or equipment or interconnection property in any municipality interconnected, situated in another municipality is taxable in the other municipality under s. 76.28.

66.0813(3) (3) 

66.0813(3)(a) (a) Notwithstanding s. 196.58 (5), a city, village or town may by ordinance fix the limits of utility service in unincorporated areas. The ordinance shall delineate the area within which service will be provided and the municipal utility has no obligation to serve beyond the delineated area. The delineated area may be enlarged by a subsequent ordinance. No ordinance under this paragraph is effective to limit any obligation to serve that existed at the time that the ordinance was adopted.

66.0813(3)(b) (b) Notwithstanding s. 196.58 (5), a municipality that operates a utility that provides water service may enter into an agreement with a city or village to provide water service to all or a part of that city or village. The agreement shall delineate the area within which service will be provided and the municipal water utility shall have no obligation to serve beyond the area so delineated. The agreement is not effective to limit any obligation to serve which may have existed at the time the agreement was entered into.

66.0813(4) (4) An agreement by a city, village or town to furnish utility service outside its corporate limits to unincorporated property used for public, educational, industrial or eleemosynary purposes fixes the nature and geographical limits of that utility service unless altered by a change in the agreement, notwithstanding s. 196.58 (5). A change in use or ownership of property included under that agreement does not alter terms and limitations of that agreement.

66.0813(5) (5) An agreement under sub. (4) under which a city or village agrees to furnish sewerage service to a prison, which is located in an area that has been incorporated since that agreement was made, may be amended to provide that the city or village will also furnish water service to the prison. An agreement amended under this subsection fixes the nature and geographical limits of the water and sewer service unless altered by a change in the agreement, notwithstanding s. 196.58 (5). A change in use or ownership of property included under an agreement amended under this subsection does not alter the terms and limitations of that agreement.

66.0813(5m) (5m) 

66.0813(5m)(a) (a) In this subsection:

66.0813(5m)(a)1. 1. “Municipality” means a city, village, or town.

66.0813(5m)(a)2. 2. “Public utility” has the meaning given in s. 196.01 (5).

66.0813(5m)(b) (b) Notwithstanding subs. (3) and (4), a municipality in a county bordered by Lake Michigan and the state of Illinois may request the extension of water or sewer service from another municipality in that county that owns and operates a water or sewer utility if the request for service is for an area that, on the date of the request, does not receive water or sewer service from any public utility or municipality and the municipality requesting the service contains an area that, on the date of the request, receives water or sewer service from the water or sewer utility owned and operated by the other municipality. The municipality requesting the service extension may specify the point on the water or sewer utility’s system from which service is to be extended to the area that is the subject of the request. The municipality that owns and operates the water or sewer utility shall approve or disapprove the request in writing within 45 days of the date on which the request was made. The municipality that owns and operates the water or sewer utility may disapprove the request only if the utility does not have sufficient capacity to serve the area that is the subject of the request or if the request would have a significant adverse effect on the utility. A municipality making a request under this paragraph may appeal to the public service commission any decision of the municipality that owns and operates the water or sewer utility to deny the service extension. The public service commission may include in its decision conditions on the extension of service to ensure that costs resulting from the extension are borne by the users causing the cost and that the connection point selected by the municipality requesting the service is reasonable. Either municipality may appeal the decision of the public service commission.

66.0813(5m)(c) (c) Paragraph (b) applies even if the municipality that owns and operates the water or sewer utility has, before July 14, 2015, enacted an ordinance or entered into an agreement specifying that the municipality is not obligated to provide utility service beyond an area covered by the ordinance or agreement.

66.0813(6) (6) A town, village or city owning a public utility, or the board of any municipal public utility appointed under s. 66.0805, may enter into agreements with any other towns, villages or cities owning public utilities, or any other boards of municipal public utilities, for mutual aid in the event of an emergency or disaster in any of their respective service areas. The agreements may include provisions for the movement of employees and equipment in and between the service areas of the participating municipalities for the purpose of rendering aid and for the reimbursement of a municipality rendering aid by the municipality receiving the aid.

66.0813 History History: 1999 a. 150 ss. 189, 240; 2015 a. 55.

66.0813 Cross-reference Cross-reference: See also ch. PSC 185, Wis. adm. code.

66.0815 66.0815 Public utility franchises and service contracts.

66.0815(1) (1) Franchises.

66.0815(1)(a) (a) A city, village or town may grant to any person the right to construct and operate a public utility in the city, village or town, subject to reasonable rules and regulations prescribed by ordinance.

66.0815(1)(b) (b) The board or council may submit the ordinance when passed and published to a referendum.

66.0815(1)(c) (c) An ordinance under sub. (1) may not take effect until 60 days after passage and publication unless sooner approved by a referendum. Within the 60-day period electors equal in number to 20 percent of those voting at the last regular municipal election may file a petition requesting a referendum. The petition shall be in writing and filed with the clerk and as provided in s. 8.37. The petition shall conform to the requirements of s. 8.40. Each signer shall state his or her residence and signatures shall be verified by the affidavit of an elector. The referendum shall be held at the next regular municipal election, or at a special election within 90 days of the filing of the petition. The ordinance may not take effect unless approved by a majority of the votes cast. This paragraph does not apply to extensions by a utility previously franchised by the village, city, or town.

66.0815(1)(d) (d) If a city or village at the time of its incorporation included within its corporate limits territory in which a public utility, before the incorporation, had been lawfully engaged in rendering public utility service, the public utility possesses a franchise to operate in the city or village to the same extent as if the franchise had been formally granted by ordinance adopted by the governing body of the city or village. This paragraph does not apply to any public utility organized under this chapter.

66.0815(2) (2) Service contracts.

66.0815(2)(a) (a) A city, village or town may contract for furnishing light, heat, water or motor bus or other systems of public transportation to the municipality or its inhabitants for a period of not more than 30 years or for an indeterminate period if the prices are subject to adjustment at intervals of not greater than 5 years. The public service commission has jurisdiction over the rates and service to any city, village or town where light, heat or water is furnished to the city, village or town under any contract or arrangement, to the same extent that the public service commission has jurisdiction where that service is furnished directly to the public.

66.0815(2)(b) (b) When a city, village or town has contracted for water, lighting service or motor bus or other systems of public transportation to the municipality the cost may be raised by tax levy. In making payment to the owner of the utility a sum equal to the amount due the city, village or town from the owner for taxes or special assessments may be deducted.

66.0815(2)(c) (c) This subsection applies to every city, village and town regardless of any charter limitations on the tax levy for water or light.

66.0815(2)(d) (d) If a privately owned motor bus or public transportation system in a city, village or town fails to provide service for a period in excess of 30 days, and the owner or stockholders of the privately owned motor bus or public transportation system have announced an intention to abandon service, the governing body of the affected municipality may without referendum furnish or contract for the furnishing of other motor bus or public transportation service to the municipality and its inhabitants and to the users of the defaulting prior service for a period of not more than one year. This paragraph does not authorize a municipality to hire, directly or indirectly, any strikebreaker or other person for the purpose of replacing employees of the motor bus or public transportation system engaged in a strike.

66.0815 History History: 1977 c. 29; 1981 c. 347 s. 80 (2); 1981 c. 390 s. 252; 1991 a. 316; 1993 a. 16, 246; 1995 a. 378; 1999 a. 150 s. 169; Stats. 1999 s. 66.0815; 1999 a. 182 s. 204d; 2001 a. 30.

66.0817 66.0817 Sale or lease of municipal public utility plant. A town, village or city may sell or lease any complete public utility plant owned by it in the following manner:

66.0817(1) (1) A preliminary agreement with the prospective purchaser or lessee shall be authorized by a resolution or ordinance containing a summary of the terms proposed, of the disposition to be made of the proceeds, and of the provisions to be made for the protection of holders of obligations against the plant or against the municipality on account of the plant. The resolution or ordinance shall be published at least one week before adoption, as a class 1 notice, under ch. 985. The resolution or ordinance may be adopted only at a regular meeting and by a majority of all the members of the governing body.

66.0817(2) (2) The preliminary agreement shall fix the price of sale or lease, and provide that if the amount fixed by the department of transportation or public service commission is greater, the price shall be that fixed by the department or commission.

66.0817(3) (3) The municipality shall submit the preliminary agreement when executed to the department of transportation or public service commission, which shall determine whether the interests of the municipality and its residents will be best served by the sale or lease, and if it so determines, shall fix the price and other terms.