CHAPTER 62
CITIES
SUBCHAPTER I
GENERAL CHARTER LAW
62.02 Repeal of special charters.
62.03 First class cities excepted.
62.04 Intent and construction.
62.071 Annexations to cities of the first class.
62.075 Detachment of farm lands from cities.
62.08 Alteration of aldermanic districts.
62.115 Defense of officers by city attorney.
62.13 Police and fire departments.
62.133 Ambulance service.
62.135 Highway safety coordinator.
62.14 Board of public works.
62.155 Acquisition of facilities without bids.
62.16 Street grades; service pipes.
62.17 Enforcement of building codes.
62.175 Sewer and water extensions in 1st and 2nd class cities; sewage from other municipalities.
62.185 Sewer district bonds.
62.19 Water and heat pipe extensions.
62.22 Acquiring property; opening or changing streets.
62.225 Recycling or resource recovery facilities.
62.231 Zoning of wetlands in shorelands.
62.232 Required notice on certain approvals.
62.233 Zoning of annexed or incorporated shorelands.
62.234 Construction site erosion control and storm water management zoning.
62.237 Municipal mortgage housing assistance.
62.25 Claims and actions.
62.26 General provisions.
SUBCHAPTER II
FIRST CLASS CITIES
62.50 Police and fire departments in 1st class cities.
62.51 Mayoral appointments in 1st class cities.
62.53 Real property used for school purposes; 1st class cities.
62.55 Requirements for surety bonds of officers and employees in 1st class cities.
62.57 Uniform salaries in 1st class cities.
62.59 Police authority to alderpersons in 1st class cities repealed.
62.61 Health insurance; 1st class cities.
62.62 Appropriation bonds for payment of employee retirement system liability in 1st class cities.
62.621 Agreements and ancillary arrangements for certain notes and appropriation bonds.
62.622 Employee retirement system liability financing in 1st class cities; additional powers.
62.623 Payment of contributions in an employee retirement system of a 1st class city.
62.624 Employee retirement system of a 1st class city; duty disability benefits for a mental injury.
62.625 Amortization period for employer contributions.
62.63 Benefit funds for officers and employees of 1st class cities.
62.65 Death benefit payments to foreign beneficiaries.
62.67 Uninsured motorist coverage; 1st class cities.
62.69 First class city utilities.
62.71 Pedestrian malls in 1st class cities.
62.73 Discontinuance of public grounds.
62.90 Provisions applicable to certain cities with special sales tax authority.
GENERAL CHARTER LAW
62.01
62.01
Saving clause. That no inconvenience may arise by reason of change of government of cities from special charter to general charter, or by reason of the revision of the general charter law, it is declared that:
62.01(1)
(1) All vested rights, pending actions and prosecutions, and existing judgments, claims, and contracts, both as to individuals and bodies corporate, shall continue as though no change had taken place.
62.01(3)
(3) Ordinances in force, so far as not inconsistent herewith, shall continue in force until altered or repealed.
62.01(5)
(5) Nothing herein shall change the time for paying taxes as provided in any special city charter until the council shall by ordinance change the same to conform to general law.
62.02
62.02
Repeal of special charters. All special charters for cities of the 2nd, 3rd and 4th classes are hereby repealed and such cities are hereby incorporated under this subchapter. The city clerk shall forthwith certify the boundaries of such city to the secretary of administration, who shall file the same and issue to such city a certificate of incorporation as of the date when this subchapter became effective, and record the same.
62.02 History
History: 1977 c. 151;
2015 a. 55.
62.03
62.03
First class cities excepted. 62.03(2)
(2) Any such city may adopt by ordinance this subchapter or any section or sections thereof, which when so adopted shall apply to such city.
62.03(3)
(3) The revision of the general charter law by
chapter 242, laws of 1921 shall not affect the application of any provisions of the general charter previously adopted by any 1st class city under special charter, but such provisions shall as to such cities retain the same force and application as they had before the enactment of
chapter 242, laws of 1921.
62.03 Annotation
Milwaukee can adopt less than a statute “section" from this chapter [now this subchapter]. State ex rel. Cortez v. Board of Fire & Police Commissioners,
49 Wis. 2d 130,
181 N.W.2d 378 (1970).
62.04
62.04
Intent and construction. It is declared to be the intention of the revision of the city charter law, to grant all the privileges, rights and powers, to cities which they heretofore had unless the contrary is patent from the revision. For the purpose of giving to cities the largest measure of self-government compatible with the constitution and general law, it is hereby declared that ss.
62.01 to
62.26 shall be liberally construed in favor of the rights, powers and privileges of cities to promote the general welfare, peace, good order and prosperity of such cities and the inhabitants thereof.
62.04 Annotation
Section 66.0301 (2) specifically authorizes a municipality to contract with other municipalities for the receipt or furnishing of services. In addition, this section and s. 62.11 (5) confer upon cities all powers not denied them by other statutes or the constitution. In this case, the city decided to make certain of its property available to neighboring municipalities for wastewater treatment service on the terms and conditions it negotiated in contracts with those municipalities, including annual license fees. Section 62.11 (5) unquestionably conferred authority upon the city to do so. Mary Lane Area Sanitary District v. City of Oconomowoc,
2023 WI App 48,
409 Wis. 2d 159,
996 N.W.2d 101,
22-1649.
62.05
62.05
Classes of cities.
