60.33(4)(a)(a) Perform the duties required by
chs. 5 to
12 relating to elections.
60.33(4)(b)
(b) Transmit to the county clerk, within 10 days after election or appointment and qualification of any town supervisor, treasurer, assessor or clerk, a written notice stating the name and post-office address of the elected or appointed officer. The clerk shall promptly notify the county clerk of any subsequent changes in such offices.
60.33(4)(c)
(c) Transmit to the clerk of circuit court, immediately after the election or appointment of any constable or municipal judge in the town, a written notice stating the name of the constable or municipal judge and the term for which elected or appointed. If the judge or constable was elected or appointed to fill a vacancy in the office, the clerk shall include in the notice the name of the incumbent who vacated the office.
60.33(5)
(5) Sale of real property. Execute the conveyance of real property of the town.
60.33(6)(a)(a) Publish or post ordinances and resolutions as required under
s. 60.80.
60.33(7)(b)
(b) Demand and obtain the official books and papers of any municipal judge if the office becomes vacant and the judge's successor is not elected or appointed and qualified, or if any municipal judge dies. The town clerk shall dispose of the books and papers as required by law.
60.33(8)
(8) Licenses. Issue any license or permit granted by the town board when presented with a receipt from the town treasurer indicating that any required fee has been paid.
60.33(8m)
(8m) Street trade permits. Stamp or endorse street trade permits at the request of an employer under
s. 103.25 (3m) (b).
60.33(8p)
(8p) Traveling sales crew worker permits. Stamp or endorse traveling sales crew worker permits at the request of an employer under
s. 103.34 (11) (c).
60.33(9)(a)(a) Perform the clerk's duties under
chs. 115 to
121, relating to public instruction.
60.33(9)(b)
(b) Within 10 days after the clerk's election or appointment, report his or her name and post-office address to the administrator of each cooperative educational service agency which contains any portion of the town. The clerk shall report to the administrator the name and post-office address of each school district clerk within 10 days after the name and address is filed in the clerk's office.
60.33(9)(c)
(c) Make and keep in the clerk's office a map of the town, showing the exact boundaries of school districts within the town.
60.33(9)(d)
(d) Apportion, as provided by law, tax revenues collected by the town for schools.
60.33(10)
(10) Highways and bridges. Perform the duties specified in
chs. 82 to
92, relating to highways, bridges and drains.
60.33(10m)
(10m) Notice of property tax revenue. Notify the treasurer of the county in which the town is located, by February 20, of the proportion of property tax revenue and of the credits under
s. 79.10 that is to be disbursed by the taxation district treasurer to each taxing jurisdiction located in the town.
60.33(11)
(11) In general. Perform all other duties required by law, ordinance or lawful direction of the town meeting or town board.
60.33 Note
NOTE: 2003 Wis. Act 214, which affected this section, contains extensive explanatory notes.
60.33 Annotation
The offices of president of a common school district board and chairperson of a town board within the school district and the offices of school board member and town clerk are probably compatible.
74 Atty. Gen. 50.
60.331
60.331
Deputy town clerk. Each town clerk may appoint one or more deputies for whom the town clerk is responsible. A deputy shall take and file the official oath and bond under
s. 60.31. The town clerk may designate a deputy to perform the clerk's duties during the absence, sickness or other disability of the clerk.
60.331 History
History: 1983 a. 532.
60.34
60.34
Duties of town treasurer. The town treasurer shall:
60.34(1)
(1) Receive and disburse town money. 60.34(1)(a)(a) Except as provided in
s. 66.0608, receive and take charge of all money belonging to the town, or which is required by law to be paid into the town treasury, and disburse the money under
s. 66.0607.
60.34(1)(b)
(b) Keep an itemized account of all moneys received and disbursed, specifying the source from which it was received, the person to whom it was paid and the object for which it was paid. The treasurer shall issue numbered receipts for all funds received. At the request of the town board, the treasurer shall present the account books, and any supporting documents requested, to the board.
60.34(2)(a)(a) Deposit as soon as practicable the funds of the town in the name of the town in the public depository designated by the town board. Failure to comply with this paragraph is grounds for removal from office.
60.34(2)(b)
(b) When money is deposited under
par. (a), the treasurer and the treasurer's sureties are not liable for any loss as defined in
s. 34.01 (2). The interest arising from the money deposited shall be paid into the town treasury.
60.34(3)
(3) Records. Comply with
subch. II of ch. 19 concerning records of which the treasurer is legal custodian.
60.34(4)
(4) Taxes. Perform all of the duties relating to taxation required of the town treasurer under
chs. 70 to
79.
60.341
60.341
Deputy town treasurer. Each town treasurer may appoint a deputy for whom the treasurer is responsible. The deputy shall take and file the official oath and bond under
s. 60.31. In case of the absence, sickness or other disability of the treasurer, the deputy shall perform the treasurer's duties.
60.341 History
History: 1983 a. 532.
60.35
60.35
Duties of town constable. 60.35(1)
(1) A town constable shall perform the duties established by the town board under
s. 60.22 (4).
60.35(2)
(2) A town constable shall keep his or her office in the town. No constable who keeps his or her office outside the limits of the town may receive fees for any service performed.
60.35 History
History: 1983 a. 532.
60.351
60.351
Town constable fees. 60.351(1)
(1) Town constables shall collect the fees prescribed for sheriffs in
s. 814.70 for similar services, unless a higher fee is applicable under
s. 814.705 (1) (d).
60.351(2)
(2) If any person except a party to an action performs the services of a town constable, the person shall collect the fees to which the town constable would be entitled.
60.351(3)
(3) No town constable may serve or execute any summons, writ or process in any action or proceeding in which he or she is agent or attorney for the plaintiff or if he or she is interested in the collection of any claim which is the subject of the action or proceeding. A town constable may not recover any costs, fees or expenses, nor may any costs or fees be taxed for any services rendered in violation of this subsection.
60.36
60.36
Municipal judge. The town board may provide for the election of a municipal judge under
ch. 755.
60.36 History
History: 1983 a. 532.
60.37
60.37
Town employees. 60.37(1)(1)
General. The town board may employ on a temporary or permanent basis persons necessary to carry out the functions of town government including, subject to
sub. (4), any elected officer of the town. The board may establish the qualifications and terms of employment, which may not include the residency of the employee, except as provided in
s. 66.0502 (4) (b). The board may delegate the authority to hire town employees to any town official or employee.
60.37(2)
(2) Legal assistance. The town board may designate, retain or employ one or more attorneys on a temporary or continuing basis to counsel the town on legal matters or represent the town in legal proceedings.
60.37(3)(a)(a) The town board may create the position of town administrator and establish the qualifications, compensation and terms of employment for the position. The town administrator may be employed to serve at the pleasure of the town board or for a fixed term. If employed for a fixed term, the town board may suspend or remove the town administrator for cause.
60.37(3)(b)
(b) The town administrator shall perform all lawful duties assigned by the town board which do not conflict with duties and powers conferred by law on other town officers.
60.37(3)(c)
(c) No elected town officer may serve as town administrator.
60.37(3)(d)
(d) A town may join with one or more towns, villages or cities, in any combination, to employ a person as administrator for the towns, villages or cities. The governing body of each town, village and city may enter into an agreement for this purpose, which may include agreement to share the costs of the position. The town board may not enter into an agreement under this paragraph to employ an administrator for more than 3 years unless the town meeting approves the agreement.
60.37(4)
(4) Elected officers serving as employees. 60.37(4)(a)(a) An elected town officer, other than a town clerk, a town treasurer, or an officer serving in a combined office of town clerk and town treasurer, who also serves as a town employee may be paid an hourly wage for serving as a town employee, not exceeding a total of $5,000 each year. An elected town officer, who is a town clerk, a town treasurer, or an officer serving in a combined office of town clerk and town treasurer, who also serves as a town employee may be paid an hourly wage for serving as a town employee, not exceeding a total of $15,000 each year. Amounts that are paid under this paragraph may be paid in addition to any amount that an individual receives under
s. 60.32 or as a volunteer fire fighter, emergency medical technician, or first responder under
s. 66.0501 (4). The $5,000 maximum in this paragraph includes amounts paid to a town board supervisor who is acting as superintendent of highways under
s. 82.03 (1).
60.37(4)(b)1.1. Except as provided in
subd. 2., the town meeting shall establish the hourly wage to be paid an elected town officer for serving as a town employee.
60.37(4)(b)2.
2. If authorized by the town meeting under
s. 60.10 (2) (L), the town board may establish the hourly wage to be paid an elected town officer, other than a town board supervisor, for serving as a town employee.
60.37 Note
NOTE: 2003 Wis. Act 214, which affected this section, contains extensive explanatory notes.
FINANCE
60.40
60.40
Preparation and adoption of budget. 60.40(1)
(1)
Fiscal year; annual budget. The town fiscal year is the calendar year. A town budget shall be adopted annually.
60.40(2)
(2) Preparation. The town board is responsible for preparation of the proposed budget required under
s. 65.90. In preparing the budget, the town board may provide for assistance by any person.
60.40(3)
(3) Hearing. The town board shall conduct the budget hearing required under
s. 65.90.
60.40(4)
(4) Adoption. The town board shall adopt the town budget.
60.40(5)
(5) Amendment. The town budget may be amended by the town board under
s. 65.90 (5).
60.40 History
History: 1983 a. 532.
60.40 Annotation
Local units of government may not create and accumulate unappropriated surplus funds. However, a local unit of government may maintain reasonable amounts necessary in the exercise of sound business principles to meet the immediate cash flow needs of the municipality during the current budgetary period or to accumulate needed capital in non-lapsing funds to finance specifically identified future capital expenditures.
76 Atty. Gen. 77.
60.40 Annotation
Article VIII, section 5 restricts the state from levying taxes to create a surplus having no public purpose. Although the constitutional provision does not apply directly to municipalities, the same limitation applies indirectly to them because the state cannot delegate more power than it has.
76 Atty. Gen. 77.
60.41
60.41
Annual financial statement. The town board annually shall prepare a statement of the financial condition of the town and present the statement to the annual town meeting. In preparing the statement, the town board may provide for assistance by any person. The statement shall include the previous year's revenues and expenditures and the current indebtedness of the town.
60.41 History
History: 1983 a. 532.
60.42
60.42
Finance book. The town clerk shall maintain a finance book under
s. 60.33 (3).
60.42 History
History: 1983 a. 532.
60.43
60.43
Financial audits. 60.43(1)(1)
General. The town board may provide for financial audits under
s. 66.0605.
60.43(2)
(2) Audit of combined clerk and treasurer office. If the offices of town clerk and town treasurer are combined under
s. 60.305 (1) (a), the town board shall arrange for an audit of the town financial records at least once every year. The audit may be conducted either by a certified public accountant, appointed by the town board and not otherwise employed by the town, or by the department of revenue if the department provides such a service.
60.43 History
History: 1983 a. 532;
1999 a. 150 s.
672.
60.44
60.44
Claims against town. 60.44(1)(a)(a) Claims for money against a town or against officers, officials, agents or employees of the town arising out of acts done in their official capacity shall be filed with the town clerk as provided under
s. 893.80 (1d) (b). This paragraph does not apply to actions commenced under
s. 19.37,
19.97 or
281.99.
60.44(1)(b)
(b) The town board shall allow or disallow the claim. Notice of disallowance shall be made as provided under
s. 893.80 (1g).
60.44(2)(a)(a) The town board, by ordinance, may provide a procedure for approving financial claims against the town which are in the nature of bills and vouchers. The ordinance shall provide that payment may be made from the town treasury under
s. 66.0607 after the town clerk reviews and approves in writing each bill or voucher as a proper charge against the treasury, after having determined that:
