66.0823(14)(14) Budgets; rates and charges; audit. An authority shall adopt a calendar year as its fiscal year for accounting purposes. The board of directors of the authority shall annually prepare a budget for the authority. Rates and other charges received by the authority shall be used for the general expenses and capital expenditures of the authority and to pay interest, amortization, and retirement charges on bonds. The authority shall maintain an accounting system in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles and shall have its financial statements and debt covenants audited annually by an independent certified public accountant.

66.0823(15)(15) Compliance with local ordinances and permit conditions; deviations. The authority shall comply with all local ordinances and permit conditions, unless the authority’s board of directors determines that the ordinance or permit condition imposes unreasonable requirements, costs or delays on the authority’s ability to carry out its responsibilities. If the board of directors determines that an ordinance or permit condition imposes unreasonable requirements, costs or delays, the board of directors shall pass a resolution specifying the ordinance or permit condition, indicating why it is unreasonable and how the authority intends to deviate from the ordinance or permit condition. If the board of directors passes a resolution under this subsection, the authority shall serve a copy of the resolution by certified mail upon the clerk of the county or municipality whose ordinance or permit condition is specified in the resolution. The copy shall be accompanied by a statement that the authority’s determination is subject to review only for a period of 90 days from the date of the postmark. Any aggrieved person may commence an action in the circuit court of the county, or in the circuit court in which the municipality is located, to challenge the authority’s determination. The action must be commenced within 90 days of the postmark of the copy served on the county or municipality. An action under this subsection is the only manner by which the authority’s determination to deviate from an ordinance or permit condition may be challenged. The circuit court shall give the matter precedence over other matters not accorded similar precedence by law. Failure to commence an action within 90 days from the date of the postmark bars the person from objecting to the authority’s determination to deviate from the local ordinance or permit condition. If the determination of the authority either is not challenged or is upheld, the authority may deviate from the ordinance or permit condition in the manner specified in the resolution, except that this subsection does not authorize the authority to deviate from floodplain or shoreland zoning ordinances or permit conditions.

66.0823(16)(16) Other statutes. This section does not limit the powers of local governmental units to enter into intergovernmental cooperation or contracts or to establish separate legal entities under s. 66.0301 or any other applicable law, or otherwise to carry out their powers under applicable statutory provisions.

66.0823(17)(17) Construction. This section shall be interpreted liberally to effect the purposes set forth in this section.

66.0825(1)(1) Short title. This section shall be known as the “Municipal Electric Company Act”.

66.0825(2)(2) Finding and declaration of necessity. It is declared that the operation of electric utility systems by municipalities of this state and the improvement of the systems through joint action in the fields of the generation, transmission and distribution of electric power and energy are in the public interest; that there is a need in order to ensure the stability and continued viability of the municipal systems to provide for a means by which municipalities which operate the systems may act jointly in all ways possible, including development of coordinated bulk power and fuel supply programs and efficient, community-based energy systems; and that the necessity in the public interest for the provisions in this section is declared as a matter of legislative determination.

66.0825(3)(3) Definitions. As used in this section, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:

66.0825(3)(am)(am) “Community-based energy system” means a small-scale energy production system or device which serves a local area or portion thereof, including, but not limited to, a small scale power plant, using coal, sun, wind, organic waste or other form of energy, if the system is located sufficiently close to the community to make the dual production of heat and electricity possible. “Community-based energy system” also means a methane producing system or solar, wind or other energy source system for individual buildings or facilities.