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 (4).
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.
60.351 History
History: 1983 a. 532;
1987 a. 181.
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 employes. 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. The board may establish the qualifications and terms of employment, which may include the residency of the employe. The board may delegate the authority to hire town employes to any town official or employe.
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 History
History: 1983 a. 532.
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.
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. 66.041.
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.
60.44
60.44
Claims against town. 60.44(1)(a)(a) Claims for money against a town or against officers, officials, agents or employes 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 (1) (b). This paragraph does not apply to actions commenced under
s. 19.37 or
19.97.
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. 66.042 after the town clerk reviews and approves in writing each bill or voucher as a proper charge against the treasury, after having determined that:
60.44(2)(a)1.
1. Funds are available under the town budget to pay the bill or voucher.
60.44(2)(a)2.
2. The item or service covered by the bill or voucher has been duly authorized.
60.44(2)(a)3.
3. The item or service covered by the bill or voucher has been supplied or rendered in conformity with the authorization.
60.44(2)(a)4.
4. The claim appears to be a valid claim against the town.
60.44(2)(b)
(b) The town clerk may require submission of proof to determine compliance with the conditions under
par. (a) 1. to
4.
60.44(2)(c)
(c) The ordinance shall require that the clerk file with the town board at least monthly a list of the claims approved, showing the date paid, name of claimant, purpose and amount.
60.44(3)
(3) Court actions to recover claims. Subsection (2), or an ordinance adopted under that subsection, does not affect the applicability of
s. 893.80. No action may be brought or maintained against a town upon a claim unless the claimant complies with
s. 893.80. This subsection does not apply to actions commenced under
s. 19.37 or
19.97.
60.44 History
History: 1983 a. 532;
1995 a. 158.
60.45
60.45
Disbursements from town treasury. Disbursements from the town treasury shall be made under
s. 66.042.
60.45 History
History: 1983 a. 532.
60.46
60.46
Public depository. The town board shall designate one or more public depositories for depositing funds of the town. The treasurer and the treasurer's surety are not liable for loss, as defined under
s. 34.01 (2), of money deposited in the name of the town in a designated public depository. Interest accruing from town money in a public depository shall be credited to the town.
60.46 History
History: 1983 a. 532;
1985 a. 25 s.
15.
60.47
60.47
Public contracts and competitive bidding. 60.47(1)(1)
Definitions. In this section:
60.47(1)(a)
(a) "Public contract" means a contract for the construction, execution, repair, remodeling or improvement of any public work or building or for the furnishing of materials or supplies, with an estimated cost greater than $5,000.
60.47(1)(b)
(b) "Responsible bidder" means a person who, in the judgment of the town board, is financially responsible and has the capacity and competence to faithfully and responsibly comply with the terms of the public contract.
60.47(2)
(2) Notice; advertisement for bids. Except as provided in
subs. (4) and
(5):
60.47(2)(a)
(a) No town may enter into a public contract with an estimated cost of more than $5,000 but not more than $10,000 unless the town board, or a town official or employe designated by the town board, gives a class 1 notice under
ch. 985 before execution of that public contract.
60.47(2)(b)
(b) No town may enter into a public contract with a value of more than $10,000 unless the town board, or a town official or employe designated by the town board, advertises for proposals to perform the terms of the public contract by publishing a class 2 notice under
ch. 985. The town board may provide for additional means of advertising for bids.
60.47(3)
(3) Contracts to lowest responsible bidder. The town board shall let a public contract for which advertising for proposals is required under
sub. (2) (b) to the lowest responsible bidder.
Section 66.29 applies to public contracts let under
sub. (2) (b).
60.47(4)
(4) Contracts with governmental entities. This section does not apply to public contracts entered into by a town with a municipality, as defined under
s. 66.30 (1) (a).
60.47(5)
(5) Exception for emergencies. This section is optional with respect to public contracts for the repair and construction of public facilities when damage or threatened damage to the facility creates an emergency, as declared by resolution of the town board, that endangers the public health or welfare of the town. This subsection no longer applies when the town board declares that the emergency no longer exists.
60.47(6)
(6) Application to work by town. This section does not apply to any public work performed directly by the town.
60.47 History
History: 1983 a. 532;
1989 a. 272.
PUBLIC WORKS AND PUBLIC SAFETY
60.50
60.50
Public works. Without limitation because of enumeration, the town board may:
60.50(1)
(1) Acquire lands. Notwithstanding
s. 60.10 (2) (e), acquire lands to lay, construct, alter, extend or repair any highway, street or alley in the town.
60.50(2)
(2) Streets, sewers and service mains. Provide for laying, constructing, altering, extending, replacing, removing or repairing any highway, street, alley, sanitary sewer, storm sewer, water main or any other service pipes, under
s. 62.16 (2) (d), in the town.
60.50(3)
(3) Sidewalks. Provide for construction, removal, replacement or repair of sidewalks under
s. 66.615.
60.50(4)
(4) Lighting highways. Provide for lighting for highways, as defined under
s. 340.01 (22), located in the town.
60.50(5)
(5) Lake improvements. Provide for making improvements in any lake or waterway located in the town.
60.50(6)
(6) Inspections. Gather at the site of a public works project or a highway, street or alley project that has been approved by the town board for the sole purpose of inspecting the work that has been completed or that is in progress if, before gathering at the site, the chairperson of the board or the chairperson's designee notifies by telephone or facsimile transmission those news media who have filed a written request for notice of such inspections in relation to that project and if the chairperson of the board or the chairperson's designee submits at the next board meeting a report that describes the inspection. The board may not take any official action at the inspection site.
60.51
60.51
Payment for public works; special assessments. The town board may levy and collect special assessments and charges under
s. 66.60 to pay for all or part of the cost of any public work or improvement. Special assessments may be paid under
s. 66.54. Reassessments shall be under
s. 66.635.
60.51 History
History: 1983 a. 532.
60.52
60.52
Sewer and water systems of adjoining municipality. 60.52(1)(1) With the approval of the town board, any city or village adjoining a town may construct and maintain extensions of its sewer or water system in the town. An extension of a sewer or water system under this subsection is subject to
s. 62.175 (1) and the rights of abutting property owners.
60.52(2)
(2) An abutting property owner who is permitted to connect with and use a sewer or water system constructed under
sub. (1) may not be deprived of the use of the sewer or water system, except for nonpayment of water or sewer charges, without the approval of the town board.
60.52 History
History: 1983 a. 532.
60.53
60.53
Service pipes and laterals. Sections 62.16 (2) and
66.625, relating to service pipes and laterals, are applicable to towns.
60.53 History
History: 1983 a. 532.
60.54
60.54
Solid waste transportation. 60.54(1)
(1) The town board may designate any town highway which provides reasonable access to a solid waste disposal site or facility licensed under
s. 289.31 as appropriate for the transportation of solid waste into, within or through the town for the purpose of disposing of the waste at the site or facility and may prohibit the use of other town highways for that purpose.
60.54(2)
(2) Any person violating a prohibition enacted under
sub. (1) shall forfeit not more than $1,000.
60.54 History
History: 1983 a. 532;
1995 a. 227.
60.55
60.55
Fire protection. 60.55(1)(a)(a) The town board shall provide for fire protection for the town. Fire protection for the town, or any portion of the town, may be provided in any manner, including:
