AB784: Bill Text

AB784,26,16 27.03 (2) In any county with a county executive or a county administrator, other than in a county that is part of a local park district created under s. 27.161, the county executive or county administrator shall appoint and supervise a general manager of the park system. The appointment shall be subject to confirmation by the county board unless the county board, by ordinance, elects to waive confirmation or unless the appointment is made under a civil service system competitive examination procedure established under s. 59.52 (8) or ch. 63. In any county with a population of 500,000 or more, the general manager of the park system shall be in the unclassified civil service and is subject to confirmation by the county board unless the county board, by ordinance, elects to waive confirmation.

AB784, s. 67 Section 67. 27.05 (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB784,26,25 27.05 Powers of commission or general manager. (intro.) The Except in a county that is part of a local park district created under s. 27.161, the county park commission, or the general manager in counties with a county executive or county administrator, shall have charge and supervision of all county parks and all lands acquired by the county for park or reservation purposes. The county park commission or general manager, subject to the general supervision of the county board and regulations prescribed by the county board, except as provided under s. 27.03 (2), may do any of the following:

AB784, s. 68 Section 68. 27.06 of the statutes is amended to read:

AB784,27,7 27.06 Mill-tax appropriation. The Except in a county that is part of a local park district created under s. 27.161, the county board may annually, at the same time that other county taxes are levied, levy a tax upon the taxable property of such county for the purchase of land and the payment of expenses incurred in carrying on the work of the park commission. In every county having a population of 500,000 or more, the county park commission shall be subject to s. 59.60.

AB784, s. 69 Section 69. 27.075 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB784,28,7 27.075 (1) The Except in a county that is part of a local park district created under s. 27.161, the county board of any county with a population of less than 500,000 is hereby vested with all powers of a local, legislative, and administrative character for the purpose of governing, managing, controlling, improving, and caring for public parks, parkways, boulevards, and pleasure drives; and to carry out these powers in districts which it may create for different purposes, or throughout the county, and for such purposes to levy county taxes, to issue bonds, assessment certificates, and improvement bonds, or any other evidence of indebtedness. The powers hereby conferred under this section may be exercised by the county board in any town, city or village city, village, or town, or part thereof located in such the county upon the request of any such town, city or village city, village, or town, evidenced by a resolution adopted by a majority vote of the members-elect of its governing body, designating the particular park function, duty, or act, and the terms, if any, upon which the same shall be exercised by the county board. Such The resolution shall state whether the authority or function is to be exercised exclusively by the county or jointly by the county and the town, city or village city, village, or town, and shall also state that the exercise of such the power by the county is in the public interest. Upon the receipt of the resolution, the county board may, by a resolution adopted by a majority vote of its membership, elect to assume the exercise of such the authority or function, upon the terms and conditions set forth in the resolution presented by the town, city or village city, village, or town. A city, village, or town that wishes to create or participate in a local park district under s. 27.161, or terminate its participation with a county under s. 27.161 (1) (a) 4., may negotiate the termination of any agreement entered into with a county under this subsection.

AB784, s. 70 Section 70. 27.075 (2) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB784,28,24 27.075 (2) The county board of any such county, or the commission of a local park district created under s. 27.161, may, by a resolution adopted by a majority of its membership, propose to the towns, cities and villages cities, villages, and towns located in such the county, or any of them, that it offers to exercise such the powers and functions therein in order that are necessary to consolidate municipal park services and functions in said the county. Such The resolution shall designate the particular function, duty, or act and the terms and conditions, if any, upon which the county board or district will perform the same. The powers conferred in sub. (1) and designated in such the resolution may thereafter be exercised by the county board, or commission, in each such town, city or village which shall accept such city, village, or town which accepts the proposal by the adoption of a resolution by a majority vote of the members-elect of its governing body, except that no governing body may accept any proposal described under this subsection unless it contains a provision under which the city, village, or town may terminate its agreement with the county or the district so that the city, village, or town may create or participate in a local park district under s. 27.161.

AB784, s. 71 Section 71. 27.075 (3) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB784,29,6 27.075 (3) After the adoption of resolutions by the county board, the county board shall have full power to or the commission as defined in s. 27.16 (2), the board or commission may legislate upon and administer the entire subject matter committed to it, and among other things, to and may determine, where not otherwise provided by law, the manner of exercising the power thus assumed. No county may exercise any power under this section in a local park district created under s. 27.161.

AB784, s. 72 Section 72. 27.075 (4) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB784,30,4 27.075 (4) The town, city or village concerned A city, village, or town may enter into necessary contracts with the county, or the district as defined in s. 27.16 (4), and appropriate money to pay the county or the district, for the reasonable expenses incurred in rendering the park services assumed. Such The contract shall also provide a procedure for the termination of the contract by any city, village, or town that wishes to create or participate in a local park district under s. 27.161. The expenses may be certified, returned, and paid as are other county charges, and, in the case of services performed pursuant to under a proposal for the consolidation thereof of municipal park services initiated by the county board or district and made available to each town, city and village city, village, and town in the county on the same terms, the expenses thereof shall be certified, returned, and paid as county charges; but in the event that each and every town, city and village if every city, village, and town in the county shall accept such accepts the proposal of the county board or district the expenses thereof shall be paid by county or district taxes to be levied and collected as are other taxes for county purposes. Said towns, cities and villages are vested with all necessary power to do the things herein required, and to do all things and to exercise or relinquish any of the powers herein provided or contemplated. The procedure herein provided in this section for the request or acceptance of the exercise of the powers conferred on the county board or district commission in cities and villages is hereby prescribed as a special method of determining the local affairs and government of such cities and villages pursuant to article XI, section 3, of the constitution.

AB784, s. 73 Section 73. 27.08 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB784,30,12 27.08 (1) Every city that is not part of a local park district created under s. 27.161 may by ordinance create a board of park commissioners subject to this section, or otherwise as provided by ordinance. Such, and if the city has a board of park commissioners the city shall terminate that board and end the board's authority under this section upon the city's creation of or participation in a local park district under s. 27.161. The board shall be organized as directed by the common council shall provide.

AB784, s. 74 Section 74. 27.08 (3) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB784,30,22 27.08 (3) In any city having no If a city does not have a board of park commissioners its and is not part of a local park district created under s. 27.161, the city's public parks, parkways, boulevards, and pleasure drives shall be under the charge of its board of public works, if it has such last named board; otherwise or, if it does not have such a board, under the charge of its common council. When so in charge, the board of public works or the common council may exercise all of the powers of a board of park commissioners. Upon a city's creation of or participation in a local park district under s. 27.161, the city's board of public works or common council may not exercise any authority under this section.

AB784, s. 75 Section 75. 27.16 of the statutes is created to read:

AB784,30,24 27.16 Local park districts; definitions. In ss. 27.16 to 27.165:

AB784,31,5 (1) "Chief executive officer" means, as to a sponsoring political subdivision or as to a municipality or county that is wholly within the jurisdiction of a district, the mayor or city manager of a city, the village president of a village, the town board chairperson of a town, the county executive of a county or, if the county does not have a county executive, the chairperson of the county board.

AB784,31,6 (2) "Commission" means the governing body of a district.

AB784,31,7 (3) "Commissioners" means the commissioners of a district.

AB784,31,9 (4) "District" means a local park district which is a special purpose district created under s. 27.161.

AB784,31,12 (5) "Enabling resolution" means a resolution, or an amendment of a resolution, adopted by the governing body of a municipality or county and signed by the chief executive officer to create a district.

AB784,31,13 (6) "Municipality" means a city, village, or town.

AB784,31,17 (7) "Park facilities" means a public park, including improvements, that is owned by a district, or a public park, including improvements, that is owned by a municipality or a county, but is under the management and control of a district, or both.

AB784,31,18 (8) "Political subdivision" means a municipality or county.

AB784,31,20 (9) "Regular election" means an election that is described in s. 5.02 (5), (18), (21), or (22).

AB784,31,21 (10) "Sponsoring political subdivision" means any of the following:

AB784,31,23 (a) A municipality that creates a district on its own or in combination with another municipality or county.

AB784,31,25 (b) A county that creates a district on its own or in combination with another municipality or county.

AB784, s. 76 Section 76. 27.161 of the statutes is created to read:

AB784,32,7 27.161 Local park districts; creation, organization, and administration. (1) Subject to sub. (5), one or more political subdivisions may provide for the creation of a special purpose district that is a unit of government, that is a body corporate and politic, that is separate and distinct from, and independent of, the state and the sponsoring political subdivisions, and that has the powers under s. 27.163, if the sponsoring political subdivisions do all of the following:

AB784,32,9 (a) Adopt an enabling resolution, subject to sub. (2), that does all of the following:

AB784,32,10 1. Declares the need for establishing the district.

AB784,32,11 2. Contains findings of public purpose.

AB784,32,12 3. Contains a description of the boundaries of the proposed district.

AB784,32,15 4. If the sponsoring political subdivision is a municipality, declares an intention to negotiate with a county the termination of any agreement entered into under s. 27.075 (1), (2), or (4).

AB784,32,19 5. Except in counties having a population of 500,000 or more, the number of commissioners, which shall be at least 3 but not more than 9, and the number of those commissioners who will be elected at large and the number of those commissioners who will be elected from election districts.

AB784,32,25 6. If the sponsoring political subdivision is a county, declare an intention to negotiate with each municipality that is subject to an agreement or contract with the county under s. 27.075 (1), (2), or (4) the termination of any such agreements or contracts, or negotiate an agreement under which each such municipality may remain as a party to the agreement or contract knowing that the district will assume the county's responsibility under the agreement or contract.

AB784,33,3 7. If the sponsoring political subdivision is a county, declare an intention to separate its local park commission or local park department from the county as part of the process of creating a district.

AB784,33,5 (b) File copies of the enabling resolution with the clerk of each municipality and county that is wholly or partly within the boundaries of the proposed district.

AB784,33,10 (2) Subject to sub. (5), a district shall consist of one or more political subdivisions. Each sponsoring political subdivision shall be identified in a substantially similar enabling resolution that is adopted by the governing body of each sponsoring political subdivision within a 90-day period beginning with the date of adoption of the first enabling resolution.

AB784,33,15 (3) The creation of a district may also be provided for, subject to subs. (4) and (5), by referendum if a petition requesting the creation of a district is filed in accordance with this subsection and the question is approved by a majority of the electors of each of the political subdivisions where park facilities are to be included in the proposed district. The petition shall conform to the following requirements:

AB784,33,18 (a) The petition shall be in the form specified in s. 8.40, shall specify each political subdivision whose park facilities are to be included in the proposed district, and shall contain a description and scale map of the proposed district.

AB784,33,22 (b) Except in counties having a population of 500,000 or more, the petition shall specify the number of commissioners, and the number of those commissioners who will be elected at large and the number of those commissioners who will be elected from election districts.

AB784,33,24 (c) The petition may be circulated on or after January 1 of any year and may be filed not later than 5 p.m. on the 3rd Tuesday in February.

AB784,34,3 (d) The petition shall be signed by at least 100 qualified electors residing in each political subdivision whose park facilities are to be included in the proposed district.

AB784,34,5 (e) The petition shall be filed with the clerk of each political subdivision whose park facilities are to be included in the proposed district.

AB784,34,18 (4) If all of the steps in sub. (3) occur, each political subdivision in which a petition containing the requisite number of signatures are submitted to the clerk shall hold a referendum at the next succeeding spring election. The referendum question shall be substantially as follows: "Shall a local park district, the territory of which includes in whole the .... [name of municipality or county], be created?" Subject to sub. (5), if the question submitted at the referendum is approved by a majority of the electors who vote in the referendum in at least one political subdivision, a special purpose district that is a unit of government, that is a body corporate and politic, that is separate and distinct from, and independent of, the state and each political subdivision, and that has the powers under s. 27.163 is created, the boundaries of which include each political subdivision in which the question is approved. If a referendum question is not approved in at least one political subdivision, no district may be created.

AB784,34,20 (5) (a) A district is created on January 1 following the date on which all of the following occur:

AB784,34,23 1. An enabling resolution is adopted in one or more political subdivisions under sub. (1), or a referendum question is approved in one or more political subdivisions under sub. (4).

AB784,34,24 2. The initial commissioners are elected under sub. (7) (a) 4. and assume office.

AB784,35,7 (b) Before a district is created, the governing bodies of each political subdivision that has adopted a resolution under sub. (1) or in which a referendum question has been approved under sub. (4) shall adopt a resolution or enact an ordinance, which shall become effective not later than September 1 following the date on which the resolution under sub. (1) or the referendum question is approved, that contains an agreement among each of the governing bodies which addresses at least all of the following provisions:

AB784,35,10 1. A method to transfer title of the county or municipal facilities within their individual jurisdictions to the district and a description of any restrictions or encumbrances that run with the land or facilities that are transferred.

AB784,35,14 2. A method to select an arbitrator who will decide any issues relating to the creation or dissolution of a district, under s. 27.165 (2) that the sponsoring political subdivisions, or governing bodies of political subdivisions that join a district, question or are unable to resolve.

AB784,35,15 (6) If a district is created, on the date that the creation becomes effective:

AB784,35,18 (a) All assets and liabilities of the political subdivision with respect to park and recreational functions become assets and liabilities of the district, except that all of the following remain the responsibility of the political subdivision:

AB784,35,20 1. Debt related to capital expenditures for park facilities that was incurred by a political subdivision before the district's creation.

AB784,35,24 2. Any liabilities of the political subdivision with respect to employees of the political subdivision who terminated employment before the district's creation and who performed services for the political subdivision related to park and recreational functions.

AB784,36,7 (b) All employees of the political subdivision having functions related to parks and recreation become employees of the district. Employees so transferred have all the rights under s. 59.52 (8) or 66.0509 or subch. I of ch. 63, that they enjoyed as employees of the political subdivision. The district shall honor the terms of the employees' collective bargaining agreements to the extent allowed by law. No employee so transferred who has attained permanent status in class is required to serve a probationary period.

AB784,36,9 (c) All tangible personal property of the political subdivision with respect to park and recreational functions is transferred to the district.

AB784,36,13 (d) All contracts entered into by the political subdivision with respect to park and recreational functions remain in effect and are transferred to the district. The district shall carry out any obligations under such a contract until the contract is modified or rescinded by the district, to the extent allowed under the contract.

AB784,36,16 (e) Notwithstanding s. 111.70 (2), (3), and (6), the district shall recognize the representative of the labor organization that covers the transferred employees of the collective bargaining unit.

AB784,36,20 (f) Any matter pending with the political subdivision with respect to park and recreational functions is transferred to the district and all materials submitted to or actions taken by the political subdivision with respect to park and recreational functions are considered as having been submitted to or taken by the district.

AB784,36,22 (7) (a) 1. The district is governed by a commission. The commission may adopt bylaws to govern the district's activities, subject to ss. 27.16 to 27.165.

AB784,37,2 2. In counties having a population of 500,000 or more, the commission shall consist of 9 members who shall be elected from election districts within the district. In districts located wholly or partly within other counties, the commission shall consist of not more than 9 members and not fewer than 5 members.

AB784,37,7 3. The commissioners shall be regularly elected at the spring election. If commissioners are elected at large, they shall be elected from numbered seats which shall be designated by the commission. If the commissioners are elected from election districts, they shall be elected pursuant to a districting plan adopted under par. (b).

AB784,37,15 4. The initial election of commissioners shall occur at the spring election that is held in the year following the year in which the resolutions or ordinances described in sub. (5) (a) and (b) take effect, except that if the resolutions or ordinances take effect before June 1 in an even-numbered year, the initial election of commissioners shall occur at a special election which shall be held concurrently with the general election. The clerk or board of election commissioners of the most populous political subdivision whose park facilities are included in the district shall serve as the clerk of the district until an initial clerk is appointed under par. (h) and qualifies.

AB784,38,5 (b) 1. Each districting plan shall divide the entire district into election districts for the election of commissioners. The districting plan shall assign consecutive whole numbers to the election districts. Each election district shall consist of contiguous whole wards or municipalities and shall be equal in population insofar as practicable. The districting plan for the election of initial commissioners in a newly created district shall be prescribed by the government accountability board. Thereafter, the commissioner shall adopt the districting plan. The plan shall be adopted by a majority vote of the members elected or appointed to the commission. Except as otherwise provided in sub. (7m) or (10), the plan shall be effective until the commission adopts a revised plan following the next federal decennial census. Upon implementation of the plan, each commissioner who is elected to represent an election district shall be elected by plurality vote of the electors of the election district from which he or she seeks office. In a primary election for the office of any commissioner to be elected from an election district, only the electors of the election district may vote in the election.

AB784,38,9 2. Each candidate for commissioner shall state on the face of his or her declaration of candidacy and nomination papers whether the candidate seeks election at large or from an election district, and if from an election district, the number of the district from which the candidate seeks office.

AB784,38,16 (c) Each commissioner shall be a resident of the district and, if elected from an election district, a resident of the election district from which he or she is elected at the time that the member takes the oath of office. If a commissioner who is elected from an election district ceases to be a resident of that election district after the beginning of his or her term of office but continues to be a resident of the district, the member may continue to serve for the remainder of the term for which he or she was elected or appointed.

AB784,38,18 (d) No person who serves in any other state, local, or national office, as defined in s. 5.02, is eligible to serve in the office of commissioners.

AB784,39,6 (e) 1. Except as provided in this paragraph, the terms of the commissioners shall be 3 years, beginning on the first Monday in June following their election to office. The clerk of the most populous political subdivision whose park facilities are included in the district shall designate the terms of one-third of the initial persons elected to office for expiration on the first Monday in June of the year following that year; the terms of one-third of the initial persons elected to office for expiration on the first Monday in June of the 2nd year following that year; and the terms of one-third of the persons elected to office for expiration on the first Monday in June of the 3rd year following that year. If the number of commissioners is not divisible by 3, the clerk of the most populous political subdivision whose park facilities are included in the district shall designate the number of commissioners, as nearly equal to one-third as possible, whose initial terms shall expire in the following year, the 2nd following year, and the 3rd following year.

AB784,39,21 2. If the commissioners are initially elected at the general election, the terms of office of the initial persons elected to office shall begin on the first Monday in January following their election to office. If the commissioners are initially elected at the general election in any year, the clerk of the most populous political subdivision whose park facilities are included in the district shall designate the terms of one-third of the initial persons elected to office for expiration on the first Monday in June of the 2nd year following that year; the terms of one-third of the initial persons elected to office for expiration on the first Monday in June of the 3rd following year; and the terms of office of one-third of the initial persons elected to office for expiration on the first Monday in June of the 4th following year. If the number of commissioners is not divisible by 3, the clerk of the most populous political subdivision whose park facilities are included in the district shall designate the number of commissioners, as nearly equal to one-third as possible, whose initial terms shall expire in the 2nd following year, the 3rd following year, and the 4th following year.

AB784,39,24 (f) Commissioners may be removed from office before the expiration of their terms, for cause, as provided in s. 17.13 (3) and may be recalled as provided in s. 9.10. Vacancies in the office of commissioner shall be filled as provided in s. 17.27 (1f).

AB784,40,5 (g) The commission shall elect from its membership a chairperson, a vice chairperson, a secretary, and a treasurer. A majority of the current membership of the commission constitutes a quorum to do business. The district may take action based on the affirmative vote of a majority of those commissions directors who are present at a meeting of the commission board.

AB784,40,9 (h) 1. The commission shall appoint a person to serve as clerk of the district. The clerk shall administer the affairs of the district, under the direction of the commission. Within 7 days after the appointment of any person to fill a vacancy on the commission, the clerk shall notify the person of his or her appointment.

AB784,41,6 2. No later than 5 p.m. on the 2nd Tuesday in January, or for an election under par. (e) 2., no later than 5 p.m. on the 3rd Tuesday of July, the clerk shall certify to the county clerk or board of election commissioners the names of candidates who have filed valid nomination papers for commissioner and who are eligible to have their names appear on the ballot under s. 8.30. If any municipality lying wholly or partially within the district prepares its own ballots under s. 7.15 (2) (c), the clerk shall similarly certify the names of candidates to the municipal clerk. In making these certifications, the clerk shall designate the form of each candidate's name to appear on the ballot in the manner prescribed under s. 7.08 (2) (a). If a primary is held for any seat on a commission, the clerk shall certify to the county clerk or board of election commissioners the names of candidates who have won nomination to the commission and who are eligible to have their names appear on the ballot under s. 8.30. If any municipality lying wholly or partially within the district prepares its own ballots under s. 7.15 (2) (c), the clerk shall similarly certify the names of candidates to the municipal clerk or board of election commissioners. The clerk shall notify the municipal clerk or board of elections commissioners of each municipality lying wholly or partially within the district of any district election and furnish each municipal clerk with a copy of the notice of the district election. If paper ballots are utilized at a district election, the clerk shall provide each municipal clerk with an adequate supply of ballots for the election at least 22 days before the election. The clerk shall issue certificates of election to persons who are elected to the commission after each election in the manner provided under s. 7.53 (4).

AB784,41,8 (i) The commissioners shall be reimbursed for their actual and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their duties, but may not receive a salary.

AB784,41,11 (j) Upon the election under par. (a) and qualification of a majority of the commissioners, the commission may exercise the powers and duties of a commission under this subchapter.

AB784,41,12 (k) At its first meeting, the commission shall name the district.

AB784,41,24 (7m) Within 60 days after the municipal governing body of each municipality that is wholly or partly contained within the district enacts an ordinance or adopts a resolution under s. 5.15 dividing the municipality into wards, if the municipality is required to do so, or otherwise within 60 days after the necessary population data becomes available from the federal government or is published by an agency of this state, the commission shall, by vote of a majority of the members of the commission, adopt a revised plan for the election districts within the district. Each election district under the plan shall consist of contiguous whole wards or municipalities and shall be equal in population insofar as practicable. Except as otherwise required under sub. (10), the plan shall be effective until the commission adopts a revised plan under this subsection following the next federal decennial census unless a court of competent jurisdiction orders the commission to revise the plan at an earlier date.

AB784,42,7 (8) (a) If a city or village whose territory is in one district annexes territory that contains park facilities that are located in a different district, that district shall transfer ownership of the park facilities that are located in the annexed territory to the district whose territory includes the annexing city or village. The district which receives the annexed territory shall negotiate a settlement agreement with the park district from which the territory was annexed to compensate that park district for the park facilities that are transferred, based on at least all of the following factors:

AB784,42,8 1. The current value of park facilities that are transferred.

AB784,42,10 2. The amount of money or any other contribution made by the park district for the park facilities that are transferred.

AB784,42,15 (b) If the park districts are unable to negotiate a settlement under par. (a) within 60 days after the effective date of the annexation that results in the transfer of territory, the districts shall agree on the selection of an arbitrator who shall decide the settlement amount, and send written notification of his or her decision to all parties, within 30 days after his or her appointment.

AB784,42,18 (c) A transfer of ownership under this subsection takes effect on the date on which a settlement is reached or the date on which an arbitrator sends written notification of his or her decision.

AB784,42,25 (d) If a city or village is located in more than one county, the city or village may become part of any district for which it is otherwise eligible to be a part of. If a district contains a county, a municipality that is located within that county may become part of that district or it may become part of any other district for which it is otherwise eligible to be a part of. All of the city's or village's territory shall be considered to be within the jurisdiction of the park district in which the city or village chooses to participate.