66.066(2)(j)
(j) Proceedings for purchasing, acquiring, leasing, constructing, extending, adding to, improving, conducting, controlling, operating, or managing a public utility by any municipality begun prior to May 6, 1911, under the provisions of law other than
sub. (2), may be continued either under the provisions of such law, if still in force, or under
sub. (2) as the governing body may elect. A municipality proceeding under
ch. 197 to acquire the property of a public utility may pay for it by the method provided for in this section.
66.066(2)(k)
(k) Under this paragraph, the ordinance or resolution required under
par. (c) may set apart bonds equal to the amount of any secured debt or charge subject to which a public utility may be purchased, acquired, leased, constructed, extended, added to or improved, and shall set aside for interest and debt service fund from the income and revenues of the public utility a sum sufficient to comply with the requirements of the instrument creating the lien, or, if the instrument does not make any provision for it, the ordinance or resolution shall fix the amount which shall be set aside into a secured debt fund from month to month for interest on the secured debt, and a fixed amount or proportion not exceeding a stated sum, which shall be not less than one percent of the principal, to be set aside into the fund to pay the principal of the debt. Any surplus after satisfying the debt may be transferred to the special redemption fund. Public utility bonds set aside for the debt may from time to time be issued to an amount sufficient with the amount then in the debt service fund to pay and retire the debt or any portion of it; the bonds may be issued at not less than 95% of the par value in exchange for, or satisfaction of, the secured debt, or may be sold in the manner provided in this paragraph, and the proceeds applied in payment of the secured debt at maturity or before maturity by agreement with the holder. The governing body and the owners of any public utility acquired, purchased, leased, constructed, extended, added to or improved under this paragraph may, upon such terms and conditions as are satisfactory, contract that public utility bonds providing for the secured debt or for the whole purchase price shall be deposited with a trustee or depository and released from deposit from time to time on the terms and conditions necessary to secure the payment of the debt.
66.066(2)(L)
(L) Any municipality purchasing, acquiring, leasing, constructing, extending, adding to or improving, conducting, controlling, operating or managing a public utility subject to a mortgage or deed of trust by the vendor or the vendor's predecessor in title to secure the payment of outstanding and unpaid bonds made by the vendor or the vendor's predecessor in title, may readjust, renew, consolidate or extend the obligation evidenced by the outstanding bonds and continue the lien of the mortgage, securing the same by issuing bonds to refund the outstanding mortgage or revenue bonds at or prior to their maturity, which bonds shall be payable only out of a special redemption fund to be created and set aside by ordinance or resolution under
par. (e). The refunding bonds shall be secured by a mortgage lien upon the public utility, and the municipality is authorized to adopt all ordinances or resolutions and take all proceedings, following the procedure under this subsection. The lien shall have the same priority on the public utility as the mortgage securing the outstanding bonds, unless otherwise expressly provided in the proceedings of the governing body of the municipality.
66.066(2)(m)1.1. If the governing body of any municipality, by ordinance or resolution, declares its intentions to authorize the issuance or sale of revenue bonds under this section, the governing body may, prior to issuance of the bonds and in anticipation of their sale, authorize the issuance of bond anticipation notes by the adoption of a resolution or ordinance. The notes shall be named "bond anticipation notes." Bond anticipation notes may be issued for the purposes for which the municipality has authority to issue revenue bonds. The ordinance or resolution authorizing the bond anticipation notes shall state the purposes for which the bond anticipation notes are to be issued and shall set forth a covenant of the municipality to issue the revenue bonds in an amount sufficient to retire the outstanding bond anticipation notes. The ordinance or resolution may contain other covenants and provisions, including a description of the terms of the revenue bonds to be issued. The municipality may pledge revenues of the public utility to payment of the principal and interest on the bond anticipation notes. Prior to issuance of the bond anticipation notes, the governing body may adopt an ordinance or resolution authorizing the revenue bonds.
66.066(2)(m)2.
2. Bond anticipation notes may be issued for periods of up to 5 years and may, by ordinance or resolution of the governing body, be refunded one or more times, if the refunding bond anticipation notes do not exceed 5 years in term and if they will be paid within 10 years after the date of issuance of the original bond anticipation notes. Bond anticipation notes shall be executed as provided in
s. 67.08 (1) and may be registered under
s. 67.09. These notes shall state the sources from which they are payable. Bond anticipation notes are not an indebtedness of the municipality issuing them, and no lien may be created or attached with respect to any property of the municipality as a consequence of the issuance of such notes.
66.066(2)(m)3.
3. Any funds derived from the issuance and sale of revenue bonds under this section and issued subsequent to the execution and sale of bond anticipation notes shall constitute a trust fund, and such fund shall be expended first for the payment of principal and interest of such bond anticipation notes, and then may be expended for such other purposes as are set forth in the ordinance or resolution authorizing the revenue bonds. No bond anticipation notes may be issued unless a financial officer of the municipality certifies to the governing body that contracts with respect to additions, improvements and extensions are to be let and that the proceeds of such notes shall be required for the payment of such contracts.
66.066(2)(m)4.
4. Following the issuance of the bond anticipation notes, revenues of the public utility may be paid into a fund to pay principal and interest on the bond anticipation notes, which moneys or any part of them may, by the ordinance or resolution authorizing the issuance of bond anticipation notes, be pledged for the payment of the principal of and interest on such notes. The ordinance or resolution shall pledge to the payment of the principal of the notes the proceeds of the sale of the revenue bonds in anticipation of the sale of which the notes were authorized to be issued and may provide for use of revenue of the public utility or other available funds for payment of principal on the notes. The notes shall constitute negotiable instruments.
66.066(2)(m)6.
6. Any municipality authorized to issue or sell bond anticipation notes under this paragraph may, in addition to the revenue sources or bond proceeds, appropriate funds out of its annual tax levy for the payment of such notes. The payment of such notes out of funds from a tax levy shall not be construed as constituting an obligation of such municipality to make any other such appropriation.
66.066(2)(m)7.
7. Such bond anticipation notes shall constitute a legal form of investment for municipal funds under
s. 66.04 (2).
66.066(4)
(4) Any municipality which may own, purchase, acquire, lease, construct, extend, add to, improve, conduct, control, operate or manage any public utility may also, by action of its governing body, in lieu of issuing bonds or levying taxes and in addition to any other lawful methods of paying obligations, provide for or secure the payment of the cost of purchasing, acquiring, leasing, constructing, extending, adding to, improving, conducting, controlling, operating or managing a public utility by pledging, assigning or otherwise hypothecating, shares of stock evidencing a controlling interest therein, or the net earnings or profits derived, or to be derived, from the operation of the public utility. The municipality may enter into the contracts and may mortgage the public utility and issue obligations to carry out this subsection. Any municipality may issue additional obligations under this subsection or elsewhere in this section, but those obligations shall be subordinate to all prior obligations, except that the municipality may in the ordinance or resolution authorizing obligations under this subsection permit the issue of additional obligations on a parity with those previously issued.
66.066(5)
(5) Revenue bonds issued by a local professional baseball park district created under
subch. III of ch. 229 are subject to the provisions in
ss. 229.72 to
229.81.
66.066 Annotation
A village has power to own and operate a home for the aged, finance the same under 66.066, 66.067, and lease facility to a nonprofit corporation but probably could not lease to a profit corporation for operation. 62 Atty. Gen. 226.
66.066 Annotation
Wisconsin municipal debt finance: An outlook for the eighties. Schilling, Griggs and Ebert, 63 MLR 539 (1980).
66.067
66.067
Public works projects. For financing purposes, garbage incinerators, toll bridges, swimming pools, tennis courts, parks, playgrounds, golf links, bathing beaches, bathhouses, street lighting, city halls, village halls, town halls, courthouses, jails, schools, cooperative educational service agencies, hospitals, homes for the aged or indigent, regional projects, waste collection and disposal operations, systems of sewerage, local professional baseball park facilities and any and all other necessary public works projects undertaken by any municipality are public utilities within the meaning of
s. 66.066.
66.068(1)(1) In cities owning a public utility, the governing body shall and in towns and villages owning a public utility the governing body may provide for a nonpartisan management thereof, and create for each or all such utilities, a board of 3 or 5 or 7 commissioners, to take entire charge and management of the utility, to appoint a manager and fix the compensation, and to supervise the operation of the utility under the general control and supervision of the governing body.
66.068(2)
(2) The commissioners shall be elected by the governing body for a term, beginning on the first day of October, of as many years as there are commissioners, except that the terms of the commissioners first elected shall expire successively one each year on each succeeding first day of October.
66.068(3)
(3) The commissioners shall choose from among their number a president and a secretary. They may command the services of the city, village or town engineer and may employ and fix the compensation of such subordinates as shall be necessary. They may make rules for their own proceedings and for the government of their department. They shall keep books of account, in the manner and form prescribed by the department of transportation or public service commission, which shall be open to the public.
66.068(4)
(4) It may be provided that departmental expenditures be audited by such commission, and if approved by the president and secretary of the commission, be paid by the city, village or town clerk and treasurer as provided by
s. 66.042; that the utility receipts be paid to a bonded cashier or cashiers appointed by the commission, to be turned over to the city, village or town treasurer at least once a month; and that the commission have such general powers in the construction, extension, improvement and operation of the utility as shall be designated. Where in any municipality water mains have been installed or extended and the cost thereof has been in some instances assessed against the abutting owners and in other instances paid by the municipality or any utility therein, it may be provided by the governing body of such municipality that all persons who paid any such assessment against any lot or parcel of land may be reimbursed the amount of such assessment regardless of when such assessment was made or paid. Such reimbursement may be made from such funds or earnings of said municipal utility or from such funds of the municipality as the governing body determines.
66.068(5)
(5) Actual construction work shall be under the immediate supervision of the board of public works or corresponding authority.
66.068(6)
(6) Two or more public utilities acquired as a single enterprise hereunder may be operated as a single enterprise.
66.068(7)
(7) In a 2nd, 3rd or 4th class city, a village or a town, the council or board may provide for the operation of a public utility or utilities by the board of public works or by another officer or officers, in lieu of the commission above provided for.
66.068 Annotation
Where city council creates board under (1), council is prohibited by (3) from fixing wages of utility employes. Schroeder v. City of Clintonville, 90 W (2d) 457, 280 NW (2d) 166 (1979).
66.069
66.069
Charges; outside services. 66.069(1)(a)(a) Except as provided in
par. (am), the governing body of any town, village or city operating a public utility may, by ordinance, fix the initial rates and shall provide for this collection monthly, bimonthly or quarterly in advance or otherwise. The rates shall be uniform for like service in all parts of the municipality and shall include the cost of fluorinating the water. The rates may also include standby charges to property not connected but for which such facilities have been made available. The charges shall be collected by the treasurer.
66.069(1)(am)
(am) If, on June 21, 1996, it is the practice of a governing body of a town, village or city operating a public utility to collect utility service charges using a billing period other than one permitted under
par. (a), the governing body may continue to collect utility service charges using that billing period.
66.069(1)(b)
(b) On October 15 in each year notice shall be given to the owner or occupant of all lots or parcels of real estate to which utility service has been furnished prior to October 1 by a public utility operated by any town, city or village and payment for which is owing and in arrears at the time of giving such notice. The department in charge of the utility shall furnish the treasurer with a list of all such lots or parcels of real estate, and the notice shall be given by the treasurer, unless the governing body of the city, village or town shall authorize such notice to be given directly by the department. Such notice shall be in writing and shall state the amount of such arrears, including any penalty assessed pursuant to the rules of such utility; that unless the same is paid by November 1 thereafter a penalty of 10 % of the amount of such arrears will be added thereto; and that unless such arrears, with any such added penalty, shall be paid by November 15 thereafter, the same will be levied as a tax against the lot or parcel of real estate to which utility service was furnished and for which payment is delinquent as above specified. Such notice may be served by delivery to either such owner or occupant personally, or by letter addressed to such owner or occupant at the post-office address of such lot or parcel of real estate. On November 16 the officer or department issuing the notice shall certify and file with the clerk a list of all lots or parcels of real estate, giving the legal description thereof, to the owners or occupants of which notice of arrears in payment were given as above specified and which arrears still remain unpaid, and stating the amount of such arrears together with the added penalty thereon as herein provided. Each such delinquent amount, including such penalty, shall thereupon become a lien upon the lot or parcel of real estate to which the utility service was furnished and payment for which is delinquent, and the clerk shall insert the same as a tax against such lot or parcel of real estate. All proceedings in relation to the collection of general property taxes and to the return and sale of property for delinquent taxes shall apply to said tax if the same is not paid within the time required by law for payment of taxes upon real estate. Under this paragraph, if an arrearage is for utility service furnished and metered by the utility directly to a mobile home unit in a licensed mobile home park, the notice shall be given to the owner of the mobile home unit and the delinquent amount shall become a lien on the mobile home unit rather than a lien on the parcel of real estate on which the mobile home unit is located. A lien on a mobile home unit may be enforced using the procedures under
s. 779.48 (2).
66.069(1)(bn)1.1. This paragraph applies only if all of the following conditions are met:
66.069(1)(bn)1.a.
a. Water or electric utility service is provided to a rental dwelling unit.
66.069(1)(bn)1.am.
am. The water or electric utility service is provided by a town sanitary district created under
subch. IX of ch. 60 that has sewerage connections serving more than 700 service addresses, by a public inland lake protection and rehabilitation district under
subch. IV of ch. 33 that has sewerage connections serving more than 700 service addresses or by a municipal public utility.
66.069(1)(bn)1.b.
b. The owner of the rental dwelling unit notifies the utility in writing of the name and address of the owner.
66.069(1)(bn)1.c.
c. The owner of the rental dwelling unit notifies the utility in writing of the name and address of the tenant who is responsible for payment of the utility charges.
66.069(1)(bn)1.d.
d. If requested by the utility, the owner of the rental dwelling unit provides the utility with a copy of the rental or lease agreement in which the tenant assumes responsibility for the payment of the utility charges.
66.069(1)(bn)2.
2. If this paragraph applies, a municipal public utility may use
par. (b) to collect arrearages incurred after the owner of a rental dwelling unit has provided the utility with written notice under
subd. 1. only if the municipality complies with at least one of the following:
66.069(1)(bn)2.a.
a. In order to comply with this
subd. 2. a., a municipal public utility shall send bills for water or electric service to a customer who is a tenant in the tenant's own name. Each time that a municipal public utility notifies a customer who is a tenant that charges for water or electric service provided by the utility to the customer are past due for more than one billing cycle, the utility shall also serve a copy of the notice on the owner of the rental dwelling unit in the manner provided in
s. 801.14 (2). If a customer who is a tenant vacates his or her rental dwelling unit, and the owner of the rental dwelling unit provides the municipal public utility, no later than 21 days after the date on which the tenant vacates the rental dwelling unit, with a written notice that contains a forwarding address for the tenant and the date that the tenant vacated the rental dwelling unit, the utility shall continue to send past-due notices to the customer at his or her forwarding address until the past-due charges are paid or until notice has been provided under
par. (b).
66.069(1)(bn)2.b.
b. In order to comply with this
subd. 2. b., if a customer who is a tenant has charges for water or electric service provided by the utility that are past due, the municipal public utility shall serve notice of the past-due charges on the owner of the rental dwelling unit within 14 days of the date on which the tenant's charges became past due. The municipal public utility shall serve notice in the manner provided in
s. 801.14 (2).
66.069(1)(bn)2m.
2m. A municipal public utility may demonstrate compliance with the notice requirements of
subd. 2. a. or
b. by providing evidence of having sent the notice by U.S. mail.
66.069(1)(bn)3.
3. If this paragraph applies and a municipal public utility is permitted to collect arrearages under
par. (b), the municipal public utility shall provide all notices under
par. (b) to the owner of the property.
66.069(1)(c)
(c) The income of a public utility owned by a municipality, shall first be used to make payments to meet operation, maintenance, depreciation, interest, and debt service fund requirements, local and school tax equivalents, additions and improvements, and other necessary disbursements or indebtedness. Beginning with taxes levied in 1995, payable in 1996, payments for local and school tax equivalents shall at least be equal to the payment made on the property for taxes levied in 1994, payable in 1995, unless a lower payment is authorized by the governing body of the municipality. Income in excess of these requirements may be used to purchase and hold interest bearing bonds, issued for the acquisition of the utility, or bonds issued by the United States or any municipal corporation of this state, or insurance upon the life of an officer or manager of such utility, or may be paid into the general fund.
66.069(1)(d)
(d) Any city, town or village may use funds derived from its water plant above such as are necessary to meet operation, maintenance, depreciation, interest and debt service funds, new construction or equipment or other indebtedness, for sewerage construction work other than such as is chargeable against abutting property; or they may turn such funds into the general fund to be used for general city purposes, or may place such funds in a special fund to be used for special municipal purposes.
66.069(1)(e)
(e) Any city, village or town owning a public utility shall be entitled to the same rate of return as permitted for privately owned utilities.
66.069(2)(a)(a) Any town, town sanitary district, village or city owning water, light or power plant or equipment may serve persons or places outside its corporate limits, including adjoining municipalities not owning or operating a similar utility, and may interconnect with another municipality, whether contiguous or not, and for such purposes may use equipment owned by such other municipality.
66.069(2)(b)
(b) So much of such plant or equipment, except water plant or equipment or interconnection property in any municipality so interconnected, as shall be situated in another municipality shall be taxable in such other municipality pursuant to
s. 76.28.
66.069(2)(c)1.1. Notwithstanding
s. 196.58 (5), each city, village or town may by ordinance fix the limits of such service in unincorporated areas. Such ordinance shall delineate the area within which service will be provided and the municipal utility shall have no obligation to serve beyond the area so delineated. Such area may be enlarged by a subsequent ordinance. No such ordinance shall be effective to limit any obligation to serve which may have existed at the time the ordinance was adopted.
66.069(2)(c)2.
2. Notwithstanding
s. 196.58 (5), a municipality that operates a utility that provides water service may enter into an agreement with a city or village to provide water service to all or a part of that city or village. The agreement shall delineate the area within which service will be provided and the municipal water utility shall have no obligation to serve beyond the area so delineated. The agreement is not effective to limit any obligation to serve which may have existed at the time the agreement was entered into.
66.069(2)(d)
(d) An agreement by a city, village or town to furnish utility service outside its corporate limits to unincorporated property used for public, educational, industrial or eleemosynary purposes fixes the nature and geographical limits of that utility service unless altered by a change in the agreement, notwithstanding
s. 196.58 (5). A change in use or ownership of property included under that agreement does not alter terms and limitations of that agreement.
66.069(2)(dm)
(dm) An agreement under
par. (d) under which a city or village agrees to furnish sewerage service to a prison, which is located in an area which has been incorporated since that agreement was made, may be amended to provide that the city or village also furnish water service to the prison. An agreement amended under this paragraph fixes the nature and geographical limits of the water and sewer service unless altered by a change in the agreement, notwithstanding
s. 196.58 (5). A change in use or ownership of property included under an agreement amended under this paragraph does not alter the terms and limitations of that agreement.
66.069(2)(e)
(e) Any town, village or city owning a public utility, or the board of any municipal utility appointed under
s. 66.068, may enter into agreements with any other such towns, villages or cities, or any other such boards of municipal utilities, for mutual aid in the event of an emergency or disaster in any of their respective service areas. Such agreements may include, but are not limited to, provisions for the movement of employes and equipment in and between the service areas of the various participating municipalities for the purpose of rendering such aid and, for the reimbursement of a municipality rendering such aid by the municipality receiving the aid.
66.069 Annotation
See note to Art. XI, s. 3, citing Town of Hallie v. City of Chippewa Falls, 105 W (2d) 533, 314 NW (2d) 321 (1982).
66.069 Annotation
State policy authorizes city to refuse sewage treatment unless purchaser becomes annexed; antitrust law was not violated. Town of Hallie v. City of Eau Claire, 471 US 34 (1985).
66.07
66.07
Sale or lease. Any town, village or city may sell or lease any complete public utility plant owned by it, in manner following:
66.07(1)
(1) A preliminary agreement with the prospective purchaser or lessee shall be authorized by a resolution or ordinance containing a summary of the terms proposed, of the disposition to be made of the proceeds, and of the provisions to be made for the protection of holders of obligations against such plant or against the municipality on account thereof. Such resolution or ordinance shall be published at least one week before adoption, as a class 1 notice, under
ch. 985. It may be adopted only at a regular meeting and by a majority of all the members of the governing body.
66.07(2)
(2) The preliminary agreement shall fix the price of sale or lease, and provide that if the amount fixed by the department of transportation or public service commission shall be larger, the price shall be that fixed by the department or commission.
66.07(3)
(3) The municipality shall submit the preliminary agreement when executed to the department of transportation or public service commission, which shall determine whether the interests of the municipality and of the residents thereof will be best served by the sale or lease, and if it so determines, shall fix the price and other terms.
66.07(4)
(4) The proposal shall then be submitted to the electors of the municipality. The notice of the referendum shall include a description of the plant, and a summary of the preliminary agreement, and of the price and terms as fixed by the department of transportation or public service commission. If a majority voting on the question shall vote for the sale or lease, the board or council shall be authorized to consummate the same, upon the terms and at a price not less than fixed by the department of transportation or public service commission, with the proposed purchaser or lessee or any other with whom better terms approved by the department of transportation or public service commission can be made.
66.07(5)
(5) Unless the sale or lease is consummated within one year of the referendum, or the time is extended by the department of transportation or public service commission, the proceedings shall be void.
66.07(6)
(6) If the municipality has revenue or mortgage bonds outstanding relating to such utility plant and which by their terms may not be redeemed concurrently with the sale or lease transaction, an escrow fund with a domestic bank as trustee may be established for the purpose of holding, administering and distributing such portion of the sales or lease proceeds as may be necessary to cover the payment of the principal, any redemption premium and interest which will accrue on the principal through the earliest retirement date of the bonds. During the period of the escrow arrangement such funds may be invested in securities or other investments as described in
s. 201.25 (1) (a),
(b),
(dm) and
(j), 1969 stats., and in deposits or certificates of deposit with any state or national bank doing business in this state.
66.07(7)
(7) For the purpose of this section, the department of transportation has jurisdiction over transportation systems and the public service commission has jurisdiction over public utilities as defined in
s. 196.01.
66.071
66.071
First class city utilities. In cities of the first class:
66.071(1)(a)(a) Water rates shall be collected in the manner and by any one whom the council may from time to time determine, and shall be accounted for and paid to such other officials in such manner and at such times as the council may from time to time prescribe. Such persons shall give a bond to cover all the duties in such an amount as may be prescribed by the council. Final accounting shall be made to comptroller and final disposition of money shall be made to city treasurer.
66.071(1)(b)
(b) The words "commissioner of public works" in
sub. (1) shall be construed to mean and have reference to any board of public works, or commissioner of public works, or other officer of any city having control of the public works therein, and all acts authorized to be done by such commissioner except for the enforcement of regulations approved by the council shall require the approval of the council before they shall have any force or effect.
66.071(1)(c)
(c) When the city owns its water system, the commissioner of public works may make and enforce bylaws, rules and regulations in relation to the water system, and, before the actual introduction of water, the commissioner shall make bylaws, rules and regulations, fixing uniform water rates to be paid for the use of water furnished by the water system, and fixing the manner of distributing and supplying water for use or consumption, and for withholding or turning off water for cause. The commissioner may alter, modify or repeal the bylaws, rules and regulations.
66.071(1)(d)
(d) Water rates shall be due and payable upon such date or dates as the common council may provide by regulation. To all water rates remaining unpaid 20 days thereafter, there shall be added a penalty of 5 per cent of the amount of such rates, and if such rates shall remain unpaid for 10 days thereafter, water may be turned off the premises, subject to the payment of such delinquent rates, and in such cases where the supply of water is turned off as above provided, water shall not be again turned on to said premises until all delinquent rates and penalties, and a sum not exceeding $2 as provided for by regulation for turning the water off and on, shall have been paid. The same penalty and charge may be made when payment is made to a collector sent to the premises. On or before each day when such rates become due and payable as aforesaid, a written or printed notice or bill shall be mailed or personally delivered to the occupant or, upon written request, to the owner wherever the owner shall state, of all premises subject to the payment of water rates, stating the amount due, the time when and the place where such rates can be paid, the penalty for neglect of payment.
66.071(1)(e)
(e) All water rates for water furnished to any building or premises, and the cost of repairing meters, service pipes, stops or stop boxes, shall be a lien on the lot, part of lot or parcel of land on which such building or premises shall be situated. If any water rates or bills for the repairing of meters, service pipes, stops or stop boxes remain unpaid on the first day of October, in any year, the same shall be certified to the city comptroller of such city on or before the first day of November next following, and shall be placed by the comptroller upon the tax roll and collected in the same manner as other taxes on real estate are collected in said city. The charge for water supplied by the city in all premises where meters are attached and connected, shall be at rates fixed by the commissioner of public works and for the quantity indicated by the meter. If in any case, the commissioner of public works shall determine that the quantity indicated by the meter is materially incorrect or if a meter has been off temporarily on account of repairs, the commissioner of public works shall determine in the best manner in the commissioner's power the quantity used, and such determination shall be conclusive. No water rate or rates duly assessed against any property shall be thereafter remitted or changed except by the council of such city. Under this paragraph, if an unpaid charge or bill is for utility service furnished and metered by the waterworks directly to a mobile home unit in a licensed mobile home park, the delinquent amount shall become a lien on the mobile home unit rather than a lien on the parcel of real estate on which the mobile home unit is located. A lien on a mobile home unit may be enforced using the procedures under
s. 779.48 (2).
66.071(1)(en)1.1. This paragraph applies only if all of the following conditions are met:
66.071(1)(en)1.a.
a. The waterworks provides water service to a rental dwelling unit.
66.071(1)(en)1.b.
b. The owner of the rental dwelling unit notifies the commissioner of public works in writing of the name and address of the owner.
66.071(1)(en)1.c.
c. The owner of the rental dwelling unit notifies the commissioner of public works in writing of the name and address of the tenant who is responsible for payment of the utility charges.
66.071(1)(en)1.d.
d. If requested by the commissioner of public works, the owner of the rental dwelling unit provides the commissioner of public works with a copy of the rental or lease agreement in which the tenant assumes responsibility for the payment of the utility charges.
66.071(1)(en)2.
2. If this paragraph applies, the commissioner of public works may use
par. (e) to collect unpaid charges and bills incurred after the owner of a rental dwelling unit has provided the commissioner of public works with written notice under
subd. 1. only if the commissioner of public works complies with at least one of the following:
66.071(1)(en)2.a.
a. In order to comply with this
subd. 2. a., the commissioner of public works shall send bills for water service to a customer who is a tenant in the tenant's own name. Each time that a commissioner of public works notifies a customer who is a tenant that charges for water service provided by the waterworks to the customer are past due for more than one billing cycle, the commissioner of public works shall also serve a copy of the notice on the owner of the rental dwelling unit in the manner provided in
s. 801.14 (2). If a customer who is a tenant vacates his or her rental dwelling unit, and the owner of the rental dwelling unit provides the commissioner of public works, no later than 21 days after the date on which the tenant vacates the rental dwelling unit, with a sworn affidavit that contains a forwarding address for the tenant, the date that the tenant vacated the rental dwelling unit and a meter reading reflecting the service for which the tenant is responsible, the commissioner of public works shall continue to send past-due notices to the customer at his or her forwarding address until the past-due charges are paid or until the past-due charges have been certified to the comptroller under
par. (e).
66.071(1)(en)2.b.
b. In order to comply with this
subd. 2. b., if a customer who is a tenant has charges for water service provided by the waterworks that are past due, the commissioner of public works shall serve notice of the past-due charges on the owner of the rental dwelling unit within 14 days of the date on which the tenant's charges became past due. The commissioner of public works shall serve notice in the manner provided in
s. 801.14 (2).
66.071(1)(en)2m.
2m. The commissioner of public works may demonstrate compliance with the notice requirements of
subd. 2. a. or
b. by providing evidence of having sent the notice by U.S. mail.
66.071(1)(f)
(f) The commissioner of public works of a city may issue a permit to the county in which it is located, to any national home for disabled soldiers, or to any other applicant to obtain water from the city's water system for use outside of the limits of the city; and for that purpose to connect any pipe that is laid outside of the city limits with water pipe in the city. No permit may be issued until the applicant files with the commissioner of public works a bond in such sum and with such surety as the commissioner shall approve, conditioned that the applicant will obey the rules and regulations prescribed by the commissioner of public works for the use of the water; that the applicant will pay all charges fixed by the commissioner for the use of the water as measured by a meter to be approved by the commissioner, which charges shall include the proportionate cost of fluoridating the water and, except as to water furnished directly to county or other municipal properties, shall not be less than one-quarter more than those charged to the inhabitants of the city for like use of water; that the applicant will pay to the city a water pipe assessment if the property to be supplied with water has frontage on any thoroughfare forming the city boundary line in which a water main has been or shall be laid, and at the rate prescribed by the commissioner of public works; if the property to be supplied does not front on a city boundary but is distant therefrom, that a main pipe of the same size, class and standard as terminates at the city boundary shall be extended, and the entire cost shall be paid by the applicant for the extension; that the water main shall be laid according to city specifications and under city inspection; that the water main and appliances shall become the absolute property of the city, without any compensation therefor, whenever the property supplied with water by the extension or any part thereof shall be annexed to or in any manner become a part of the city; and that the applicant will pay to the city all damages whatever that it may sustain, arising in any way out of the manner in which the connection is made or water supply is used. In case of granting a permit to any county or to any national home for disabled soldiers, the commissioner of public works may waive the giving of a bond. Every permit shall be issued upon the understanding that the city shall in no event ever be liable for any damage in case of failure to supply water by reason of any condition beyond its control.
66.071(1)(g)
(g) The commissioner of public works shall prescribe and regulate the kind of water meters to be used in the city and the manner of attaching and connecting the water meters, and may make other rules for the use and control of water meters as are necessary to secure reliable and just measurement of the quantity of water used; and may alter and amend the rules as necessary for the purposes named. If the owner or occupant of any premises, where the attaching and connection of a water meter may lawfully be required, neglects or fails to attach and connect a water meter, as is required according to the rules established by the commissioner of public works, for 30 days after the expiration of the time within which the owner or occupant is notified by the commissioner of public works to attach and connect a meter, the commissioner of public works may cause the water supplied by the city to be cut off from the premises, and it shall not be restored except upon the terms and conditions prescribed by the commissioner of public works.
66.071(1)(h)
(h) The commissioner of public works may prescribe and regulate the size of connections made with the distribution mains for supplying automatic sprinkler systems and fix an annual charge for such service.
66.071(1)(i)
(i) The commissioner of public works may also make rules and regulations for the proper ventilating and trapping of all drains, soil pipes and fixtures hereafter constructed to connect with or be used in connection with the sewerage or water supply of the city. The council may provide by ordinance for the enforcement of such rules and regulations, and may prescribe proper penalties and punishment for disobedience of the same. The commissioner of public works may also make rules to regulate the use of vent, soil, drain, sewer or water pipes in all buildings in said city, which hereafter shall be proposed to be connected with the city water supply or sewerage, specifying the dimensions, strength and material of which the same shall be made, and may prohibit the introduction into any building of any style of water fixture, tap or connection, the use of which shall have been determined to be dangerous to health or for any reason unfit to be used, and the commissioner of public works shall require a rigid inspection by a skilled and competent inspector under the direction of the commissioner of public works of all plumbing and draining work and water and sewer connections, hereafter done or made in any building in the city, and unless the same are done or made according to rules of the commissioner of public works, and approved by the commissioner of public works, no connection of the premises with the city sewerage or water supply shall be allowed.
