Chapter 61

61.44 61.44 Railroads, dust prevention. The village board may require any railroad company to cause its roadbed within the limits of the village, to a distance of one foot outside each rail, to be sprinkled with water or to be oiled in such manner as to prevent dust from arising therefrom.

61.44 History History: 1985 a. 187.

61.46 61.46 Village taxes.

61.46(1) (1) General; limitation. The village board shall, on or before December 15 in each year, by resolution to be entered of record, determine the amount of corporation taxes to be levied and assessed on the taxable property in such village for the current year. Before levying any tax for any specified purpose, exceeding one percent of the assessed valuation aforesaid, the village board shall, and in all other cases may in its discretion, submit the question of levying the same to the village electors at any general or special election by giving 10 days’ notice thereof prior to such election by publication in a newspaper published in the village, if any, and if there is none, then by posting notices in 3 public places in said village, setting forth in such notices the object and purposes for which such taxes are to be raised and the amount of the proposed tax. The village board shall file the question as provided in s. 8.37.

61.46(2) (2) Highway. The village board shall, at the same time and in like manner, determine the amount, if any, of highway tax to be levied and collected in such village for the current year. Such highway tax shall thereafter be assessed and collected by the village treasurer at the time and in the manner provided for the collection of other village taxes; and such highway tax shall be kept as a separate fund, and shall be expended under the direction of the village board in the improvement of the streets, highways and bridges in said village.

61.46 History History: 1973 c. 90, 333; 1975 c. 39, 80, 224; 1977 c. 113 ss. 1, 6; 1977 c. 142; 1977 c. 203 s. 101; 1977 c. 418 ss. 389 to 394, 929 (42); 1979 c. 34; 1979 c. 175 s. 51; 1981 c. 20, 61, 93; 1983 a. 27; 1985 a. 29; 1999 a. 182.

61.47 61.47 Street and sidewalk improvement tax. For the purpose of improving the streets, making and improving sidewalks and crosswalks and setting out shade and ornamental trees in such village, the board may levy a tax in addition to the highway tax provided for in s. 61.46 (2), and the amount fixed shall be levied, certified and collected as provided in these statutes. All moneys so collected shall be paid to the village treasurer and expended under the direction of the board of trustees.

61.47 History History: 1985 a. 29.

61.48 61.48 County aid for construction and repair of bridges and culverts. Any village may elect to become subject to all of the provisions of s. 82.08 by a resolution adopted by a two-thirds majority vote of all of the members of the village board. The election to become subject to s. 82.08 shall be effective when a certified copy of the resolution is filed with the county board and a majority of the towns and villages in the county that are already subject to s. 82.08 vote to approve the village’s election. Until the village ceases to be subject to s. 82.08, the words “town” and “town board” as used in s. 82.08 shall also apply to the village and its village board. A village that has become subject to s. 82.08 may cease to be subject to that section by the adoption of a resolution and its approval in the same manner as the village became subject to that section.

61.48 History History: 2003 a. 214 s. 146.

61.48 Note NOTE: 2003 Wis. Act 214, which affected this section, contains extensive explanatory notes.

61.50 61.50 Ordinances; contracts; other instruments; how executed.

61.50(1) (1) Publication of notice of ordinances. Every contract, conveyance, commission, license or other written instrument shall be executed on the part of the village by the president and clerk, unless otherwise provided by resolution or ordinance, sealed with corporate seal, and in pursuance only of authority therefor from the village board. All ordinances and bylaws shall be signed by the president and countersigned by the clerk; and, if any penalty or forfeiture is thereby imposed, the ordinance or bylaw shall be published either in its entirety, as a class 1 notice, under ch. 985, or as a notice, as described under sub. (3) (b), and shall take effect on the day after the publication or a later date if expressly prescribed. If there is no newspaper published in the village, the village board may in lieu of newspaper publication have copies of the ordinances and bylaws posted in at least 3 public places in said village, and proof thereof filed and recorded by the village clerk, and the same shall take effect the day after the proof of posting has been filed and recorded, or at a later date if expressly provided in the ordinance or bylaw.

61.50(1m) (1m) Indeterminate publication. When any village ordinance is required by law to be published without express designation therein as to class of notice, the ordinance shall be published either in its entirety, as a class 1 notice under ch. 985, or as a notice, as described under sub. (3) (b).

61.50(2) (2) Entitling of ordinance. All ordinances shall be suitably entitled and in this style: “The village board of .... do ordain as follows”. All authorized ordinances and bylaws shall have the force of law and remain in force until repealed.

61.50(3) (3) Requirements for notice.

61.50(3)(a) (a) In this subsection, “summary” has the meaning given in s. 59.14 (1m) (a).

61.50(3)(b) (b) A notice of an ordinance or bylaw that may be published under this subsection shall be published as a class 1 notice under ch. 985 and shall contain at least all of the following:

61.50(3)(b)1. 1. The number and title of the ordinance or bylaw.

61.50(3)(b)2. 2. The date of enactment.

61.50(3)(b)3. 3. A summary of the subject matter and main points of the ordinance or bylaw.

61.50(3)(b)4. 4. Information as to where the full text of the ordinance or bylaw may be obtained, including the phone number of the village clerk, a street address where the full text of the ordinance or bylaw may be viewed, and a website, if any, at which the ordinance or bylaw may be accessed.

61.50 History History: 2007 a. 72; 2009 a. 173; 2017 a. 365 s. 112.

61.51 61.51 Auditing accounts.

61.51(1) (1) No account or demand against the village shall be paid until it has been audited and allowed and an order drawn on the treasurer therefor. Every such account shall be made out in items. After auditing, which, at the option of the board, may be done by the village manager or such other officer as may be designated, the board shall cause to be endorsed by the clerk, over the clerk’s hand on each account, the words “allowed” or “disallowed,” as the fact is, adding the amount allowed, if any, and specifying the items or parts of items disallowed, if disallowed in part only. The minutes of the proceedings of the board, or a statement attached thereto, shall show to whom and for what purpose every such account was allowed and the amount. Every such account or demand allowed in whole or in part shall be filed by the clerk, and those of each year consecutively numbered, and have endorsed the number of the order on the treasurer issued in payment, and the clerk shall take a receipt thereon for such order.

61.51(2) (2) Payment of regular wages or salaries may be by payroll, verified by the proper official, and filed in time for payment on the regular pay day and such payments heretofore made are validated.

61.51(3) (3) The fiscal year in each village shall be the calendar year.

61.51(4) (4) Section 893.80 shall be applicable to villages.

61.51 History History: 1977 c. 285 s. 12; 1979 c. 323 s. 33; 1991 a. 316.

61.51 Cross-reference Cross-reference: See s. 66.0609 for an alternative system of approving claims.

61.54 61.54 Public works. All contracts for public construction shall be let by a village board in accordance with s. 62.15. The village board, or a person or body designated by the village board, shall exercise the powers and duties of the board of public works under s. 62.15. Section 62.15 applies to a village in the same manner as to a city.

61.54 History History: 2009 a. 173; 2011 a. 32.

61.54 Annotation Municipal competitive bidding statutes do not apply to projects undertaken by intergovernmental agreement or when the municipalities that will perform the work have made a determination under s. 62.15 (1) to do the work themselves with their own employees. OAG 5-09.

61.57 61.57 Acquisition of facilities without bids. A village may contract for the acquisition of any element of the following without submitting the contract for bids as required under s. 61.54 if the village invites developers to submit proposals to provide a completed project and evaluates proposals according to site, cost, design and the developers’ experience in other similar projects:

61.57(1) (1) A recycling or resource recovery facility.

61.57(2) (2) If the village contains an electronics and information technology manufacturing zone that is designated under s. 238.396 (1m):

61.57(2)(a) (a) Water and sewer systems.

61.57(2)(b) (b) Wastewater treatment facilities.

61.57 History History: 1983 a. 425; 2009 a. 173; 2017 a. 58.

61.61 61.61 Village orders; borrowing money. No village or any officer thereof shall have power to issue any time or negotiable order, or borrow money, except in the manner and for the purposes expressly declared by statute.

61.64 61.64 Ambulance service. The village board may purchase, equip, operate and maintain ambulances and contract for ambulance service with one or more providers for conveyance of the sick or injured. The village board may determine and charge a reasonable fee for ambulance service provided under this section.

61.64 History History: 1991 a. 39.

61.65 61.65 Police and fire departments; pension funds.

61.65(1) (1) 

61.65(1)(a) (a) Except as provided under s. 61.66, each village with a population of 5,000 or more shall, and each village with a population of under 5,000 may, provide police protection services by one of the following methods:

61.65(1)(a)1. 1. Creating its own police department.

61.65(1)(a)2. 2. Contracting for police protective services with a city or town, with another village, or with a county. A village that contracts for police protective services shall pay the full cost of services provided. A village may not contract with a county to provide all of the village’s police protective services under this subdivision.

61.65(1)(a)3. 3. Creating a joint police department with a city or town or with another village.

61.65(1)(a)4. 4. Abolishing its police department and entering into a contract with a county under s. 59.03 (2) (e) for the county sheriff to provide law enforcement services in all parts of the village. If the village is located in more than one county, it may not abolish its police department under this subdivision unless the village enters into a contract under this subdivision with the county in which the greatest amount of the village’s equalized value, population, or territory is located. If a village wishes to abolish its police department under this subdivision, it shall act under s. 62.13 (2s), and s. 62.13 (2s), as it applies to cities, applies to villages.

61.65(1)(am) (am) If a village establishes a police department and does not create a board of police commissioners singly or in combination with another municipality, or if a village board establishes a combined protective services department under s. 61.66 and does not create a board of police and fire commissioners, the village may not suspend, reduce, suspend and reduce, or remove any police chief, chief of a combined protective services department, or other law enforcement officer who is not probationary, and for whom there is no valid and enforceable contract of employment or collective bargaining agreement which provides for a fair review prior to that suspension, reduction, suspension and reduction or removal, unless the village does one of the following:

61.65(1)(am)1. 1. Establishes a committee of not less than 3 members, none of whom may be an elected or appointed official of the village or be employed by the village. The committee shall act under s. 62.13 (5) in place of a board of police and fire commissioners. The village board may provide for some payment to each member for the member’s cost of serving on the committee at a rate established by the village board.

61.65(1)(am)2. 2. Appoint a person who is not an elected or appointed official of the village and who is not employed by the village. The person shall act under s. 62.13 (5) in place of a board of police and fire commissioners. The village board may provide for some payment to that person for serving under this subdivision at a rate established by the village board.

61.65(1)(b) (b)

61.65(1)(b)1. 1.

61.65(1)(b)1.a. a. Each village with a population of 5,000 or more but less than 5,500 that creates its own police department may create or designate a committee of the board of trustees to perform any duty conferred by the board relating to police protective services, or may create a board of police commissioners to govern the department.

61.65(1)(b)1.b. b. Each village with a population of 5,000 or more that creates a joint police department with another municipality shall create a joint board of police commissioners with that municipality to govern the joint department.

61.65(1)(b)2. 2. Each village with a population of 5,500 or more that creates its own police department shall create a board of police commissioners to govern the department.

61.65(2) (2) 

61.65(2)(a) (a) Except as provided under s. 61.66, each village with a population of 5,500 or more shall provide fire protection services by one of the following methods:

61.65(2)(a)1. 1. Creating its own fire department.

61.65(2)(a)2. 2. Contracting for fire protection services with a city or town or with another village. A village that contracts for fire protection services shall pay the full cost of services provided.

61.65(2)(a)3. 3. Creating a joint fire department with a city or town or with another village.

61.65(2)(a)4. 4. Utilizing a fire company organized under ch. 213, except that this subdivision does not apply in a village that provides fire protection services under subd. 1. on December 9, 1993.

61.65(2)(b) (b)

61.65(2)(b)1. 1. Each village with a population of 5,500 or more that creates its own fire department shall create a board of fire commissioners to govern the department.

61.65(2)(b)2. 2. Each village with a population of 5,500 or more that creates a joint fire department with another municipality shall create a joint board of fire commissioners with that municipality to govern the joint department.

61.65(3g) (3g) 

61.65(3g)(a) (a) Any village with its own board of police commissioners and its own board of fire commissioners may consolidate the boards into one board of police and fire commissioners.

61.65(3g)(b) (b) Municipalities with a joint protective services department shall create a joint board of commissioners to govern that department. If a village operates both of its protective services departments jointly with one municipality, the village and the other municipality may create a joint board of police and fire commissioners to govern each department. The municipalities may jointly determine the apportionment between the municipalities of costs relating to the joint department or departments and the joint board.

61.65(3g)(c) (c) Any village that has created one separate protective services department and one joint protective services department may authorize the joint board governing the joint department also to govern the separate protective services department, subject to the approval of the joint board. A village that receives the approval of the joint board is not required to create or maintain a separate board of commissioners to govern the separate protective services department.

61.65(3g)(d) (d)

61.65(3g)(d)1. 1.

61.65(3g)(d)1.a. a. A board created under this section shall be organized in the same manner as boards of police and fire commissioners under s. 62.13 (1).

61.65(3g)(d)1.b. b. Municipalities creating a joint board under this section may jointly determine the number of commissioners to be appointed to the joint board by each municipality and the length of the commissioner’s term. A majority of the commissioners is a quorum. The provisions of s. 62.13 pertaining to the appointment of commissioners and records of proceedings apply to the joint board.

61.65(3g)(d)2. 2. Any board or joint board created under this section is subject to the provisions of s. 62.13 (2) to (12) pertaining to a board of police and fire commissioners or to appointments, promotions, suspensions, removals, dismissals, reemployment, compensation, rest days, exemptions, organization and supervision of departments, contracts and audits, to the extent that the provisions apply to 2nd or 3rd class cities. Optional powers of a joint board, listed in s. 62.13 (6), apply only if the electors in each municipality approve these powers by referendum. In applying s. 62.13, the village president has the powers and duties specified for a city mayor; the village clerk has the powers and duties specified for a comptroller; the village board has the powers and duties specified for a common council; and the village has the powers and duties specified for a city. In applying s. 62.13 to a town that creates a joint board or joint department with a village, the town chairperson has the powers and duties specified for a city mayor; the town clerk has the powers and duties specified for a comptroller; the town board of supervisors has the powers and duties specified for a common council; and the town has the powers and duties specified for a city.

61.65(3g)(d)3. 3. Appointments to a board or joint board are not subject to confirmation by a village board of trustees unless required by ordinance.

61.65(3r) (3r) Each village with a population of 5,500 or more is subject to s. 40.19 (4).

61.65(4) (4) Persons who are members of the police departments in villages of 5,000 or more, and members of fire departments in villages of 5,500 or more, according to the last federal census, shall automatically and without examination, become members of the police and fire departments of such villages under this section.

61.65(5) (5) The provisions of this section shall be construed as an enactment of statewide concern for the purpose of providing a uniform regulation of police and fire departments.

61.65(8) (8) Any village having a volunteer fire department shall be reimbursed by the department of transportation not to exceed $500 for any fire call on a state trunk highway or any highway that is a part of the national system of interstate highways maintained by the department of transportation if the village submits written proof that the village has made a reasonable effort to collect the cost from the insurer of the person to whom the fire call was provided or from the person to whom the fire call was provided, except that the village may attempt to collect the cost from the person only if the village is unsuccessful in its efforts to collect from the person’s insurer or if the person has no insurer. If the village collects the cost from an insurer or such person after the department reimburses the village, the village shall return the amount collected to the department.

61.65 History History: 1975 c. 94 s. 91 (5); 1975 c. 199; 1977 c. 29 s. 1654 (8) (d); 1977 c. 182; 1979 c. 256; 1981 c. 96 s. 67; 1981 c. 171; 1985 a. 166; 1987 a. 27, 399; 1993 a. 16, 77, 213; 2003 a. 205; 2005 a. 40; 2009 a. 173; 2011 a. 32.

61.65 Annotation Sub. (1) (am) applies to all villages, including those with populations of less than 5,000. Rychnovsky v. Village of Fall River, 146 Wis. 2d 417, 431 N.W.2d 681 (Ct. App. 1988).

61.66 61.66 Combined protective services.

61.66(1) (1) Notwithstanding s. 61.65 (1) (a), (2) (a) and (3g) (d) 2., any village may provide police and fire protection services by any of the following:

61.66(1)(a) (a) A combined protective services department which is neither a police department under s. 61.65 (1) (a) nor a fire department under s. 61.65 (2) (a) and in which the same person may be required to perform police protection and fire protection duties without being required to perform police protection duties for more than 8 hours in each 24 hours except in emergency situations, as described under s. 62.13 (7n).

61.66(1)(b) (b) Persons in a police department or fire department who, alone or in combination with persons designated as police officers or fire fighters, may be required to perform police protection and fire protection duties without being required to perform police protection duties for more than 8 hours in each 24 hours except in emergency situations, as described under s. 62.13 (7n).

61.66(2) (2) The governing body of a village acting under sub. (1) may designate any person required to perform police protection and fire protection duties under sub. (1) as primarily a police officer or fire fighter for purposes described in ss. 62.13 (7m), (7n), (10m), and (11), 891.45, 891.453, and 891.455.

61.66 History History: 1987 a. 399; 1997 a. 173; 2005 a. 3; 2009 a. 284; 2011 a. 32.

61.71 61.71 Consolidated plats; numbering of buildings. The village board may cause a revised and consolidated plat of the lots and blocks of the village to be recorded in the office of the register of deeds, and may compel the owners and occupants of all buildings within the village to number the same in such manner as the board may from time to time prescribe.