66.504
66.504
Joint civic buildings. 66.504(1)(a)
(a) "Municipality" means a county, city, village, town, technical college district and school district.
66.504(1)(b)
(b) "Nonprofit corporation" means a nonstock, nonprofit corporation organized under
ch. 181.
66.504(2)
(2) Facilities authorized. A municipality may enter into a joint contract with a nonprofit corporation organized for civic purposes and located in the municipality to construct or otherwise acquire, equip, furnish, operate and maintain a facility to be used for municipal and civic activities if a majority of the voters voting in a referendum at a special election or at a spring primary or election or September primary or general election approve the question of entering into the joint contract.
66.504(3)
(3) Financing. A municipality may borrow money, appropriate funds and levy taxes needed to carry out the purposes of this section. Funds to be used for the purposes specified in this section may be provided by a municipality by general obligation bonds issued under
ch. 67. Funds to be used for the purposes specified in this section may be provided by a county, city, village or town by revenue bonds issued under
s. 66.066. Any bonds issued under this section shall be executed on behalf of the municipality by the chief executive officer and clerk thereof.
66.504(4)
(4) Cost sharing. Any contract under this section shall provide that all of the cost of construction or other acquisition, equipment, furnishing, operation and maintenance of a facility shall be paid by the municipality and nonprofit corporation on an agreed percentage basis.
66.505
66.505
County-city auditoriums. 66.505(1)(a)
(a) "Auditorium" includes a building of arena or music hall type construction or a combination of both, including facilities for sports, dances, convention exhibitions, trade shows, meetings, rallies, theatrical exhibitions, concerts and other events attracting spectators and participants.
66.505(1)(b)
(b) "Board" means the joint county-city auditorium board established under this section.
66.505(1)(c)
(c) "Ordinance" means an ordinance adopted by the governing body of a city or county and concurred in by the other governing body.
66.505(2)
(2) County-city auditoriums. Any county and city partly or wholly within the county may by ordinance jointly construct or otherwise acquire, equip, furnish, operate and maintain a county-city auditorium.
66.505(3)
(3) Financing. The governing bodies of the respective county and city or cities shall have the power to borrow money, appropriate funds, and levy taxes needed to carry out the purposes of this section. Funds to be used for the purposes specified in this section may be provided by the respective county, city or cities by general obligation bonds issued under
ch. 67 or by revenue bonds issued under
s. 66.51 or by the issuance of both general obligation bonds under
ch. 67 and revenue bonds issued under
s. 66.51. Any bonds issued pursuant to this section shall be executed on behalf of the county by the county board chairperson and the county clerk and on behalf of a city by the mayor or other chief executive officer thereof and by the city clerk.
66.505(4)
(4) Cost sharing. The ordinance shall provide for a sharing of all of the cost of construction or other acquisition, equipment, furnishing, operation and maintenance of such auditorium on an agreed percentage basis.
66.505(5)
(5) Auditorium board. The ordinance shall provide for the establishment of a joint county-city auditorium board to be composed as follows: The mayor, or chief executive of the city and the chairperson of the county board, who shall serve as members of the board during their respective terms of office; in addition the board shall be composed of 4 members to be appointed by the county board chairperson and confirmed by the county board, one for a one-year, one for a 2-year, one for a 3-year and one for a 4-year term, and 4 members to be appointed by the mayor or other chief executive officer of the city and confirmed by the city council, one for a one-year, one for a 2-year, one for a 3-year and one for a 4-year term; in the case of the members of the board appointed by the mayor or chief executive of the city, not more than 2 public officials (either elected or appointed) shall be eligible to be members of the board, and in the case of the members of the board appointed by the county board chairperson, not more than 2 public officials (either elected or appointed) shall be eligible to be members of the board. Their respective successors shall be appointed and confirmed in like manner for terms of 4 years. All appointees shall serve until their successors are appointed and qualified. Terms shall begin as specified in the ordinance. Vacancies shall be filled for the unexpired term in the manner in which the original appointment was made.
66.505(6)
(6) Organization of boards; officers; compensation; oaths; bonds. 66.505(6)(a)(a) When all members have qualified the board shall meet at the place designated in the ordinance and organize by electing from its membership a president, a vice president, a secretary and a treasurer, each to hold office for one year. The offices of secretary and treasurer may be combined if the board so decides. Members may receive such compensation as may be provided in the ordinance and shall be reimbursed their actual and necessary expenses for their services. However, members serving on the board because of holding another office or position shall not receive compensation other than any actual and necessary expenses for their services. With the approval of the board, the treasurer may appoint an assistant secretary and assistant treasurer, who need not be members of the board, to perform such services as shall be specified by the board.
66.505(6)(b)
(b) Members, and any assistant secretary and assistant treasurer, shall qualify by taking the official oath, and the treasurer and any assistant treasurer shall furnish a bond in such sum as shall be specified by the board and be in the form and conditioned as provided in
s. 19.01 (2) and
(3). The oaths and bonds shall be filed with the county clerk. The cost of the bond shall be paid by the board.
66.505(7)
(7) Powers of board. The board shall have power subject to provisions of the ordinance:
66.505(7)(a)
(a) To contract for the construction or other acquisition, equipping or furnishing of a county-city auditorium, and may accept donated services and gifts, grants or donations of money or property and use the same for the purposes given and consistent with this section, and may contract for and authorize the installation of equipment and furnishings of the auditorium, or any part thereof by private individuals, persons or corporations by donations, loan, lease or concession.
66.505(7)(b)
(b) To contract for the construction or other acquisition of additions or improvements to, or alterations in, such auditorium and the equipment or furnishing of any such addition; and may contract for or authorize the installation of equipment and furnishings in such addition, or any part thereof, by private individuals, persons or corporations by donation, loan or concession.
66.505(7)(c)
(c) To employ a manager of the auditorium and other necessary personnel and fix their compensation.
66.505(7)(d)
(d) To enact, amend and repeal rules and regulations, not inconsistent with law, for the leasing of, charges for admission to, and government of audiences and participants in events at the auditorium, for the regulation of the board's meetings and deliberations, and for the government, operation and maintenance of the auditorium and the employes thereof.
66.505(7)(e)
(e) To contract for, purchase or hire all fuel, equipment, furnishings, and supplies, services and help reasonably necessary for the proper operation and maintenance of the auditorium, and to contract for, purchase, hire, promote, conduct and operate, either by lease of the auditorium building or parts thereof or by direct operation by the auditorium board, meetings, concerts, theatricals, sporting events, conventions and other entertainment or events suitable to be held at the auditorium; and to handle and make all proper arrangements for the sale and disposition of admission tickets to auditorium events and the establishment of seating arrangements and priorities.
66.505(7)(f)
(f) To audit all accounts and claims against the auditorium or against the board, and, if approved, pay the same from the fund specified in
sub. (9). All expenditures made pursuant to this section shall be within the limits of the ordinance.
66.505(7)(g)
(g) To sue and be sued, and to collect or compromise any and all obligations due to the auditorium; all money received shall be paid into the joint auditorium fund.
66.505(7)(h)
(h) To make such studies and recommendations to the county board and city council relating to the operation of the auditorium or the building of facilities therefor as the board may deem advisable or said governing bodies request.
66.505(7)(i)
(i) To employ counsel on either a temporary or permanent basis.
66.505(8)
(8) Budget. The board shall annually, prior to the time of the preparation of either the county or city budget under
s. 65.90, prepare a budget of its anticipated receipts and expenditures for the ensuing fiscal year and determine the proportionate cost to the county and the participating city pursuant to the terms of the ordinance. A certified copy of the budget, which shall include a statement of the net amount required from the county and city, shall be delivered to the clerks of the respective municipalities. It shall be the duty of the county board and the common council of the city to consider such budget, and determine the amount to be raised by the respective municipalities in the proportions determined by the ordinance. Thereupon the county and city respectively shall levy a tax sufficient to produce the amount to be raised by said county and city.
66.505(9)
(9) Auditorium fund. A joint county-city auditorium fund shall be created and established in a public depository to be specified in the ordinance. The treasurer of the respective county and city shall pay or cause to be paid into such fund the respective amounts to be paid thereto by such county and city as specified by the ordinance and resolutions of the respective municipalities when such amounts have been collected. All of the moneys which shall come into said fund are hereby appropriated to the board for the execution of its functions as provided by the ordinance and the resolutions of the respective municipalities. The moneys in the fund shall be paid out by the treasurer of the auditorium board only upon the approval or direction of the board.
66.505(10)(a)(a) In any case where a bid is a prerequisite to contract in connection with a county or city auditorium under
s. 66.29, it shall also be a prerequisite to a valid contract by the board; and for such purpose the board shall be deemed a municipality and the contract a public contract under
s. 66.29.
66.505(10)(b)
(b) All statutory requirements, not inconsistent with the provisions of this section, applicable to city auditoriums shall apply to auditoriums provided for in this section.
66.505(11)
(11) Reports. The board shall report its activities to the county board and the city council annually, or oftener as either of said municipalities may require.
66.508
66.508
County-city safety building. 66.508(1)(a)
(a) "Board" means the joint county-city safety building board established under this section.
66.508(1)(b)
(b) "Ordinance" means an ordinance adopted by the governing body of a city or county and concurred in by the other governing body.
66.508(2)
(2) County-city safety building. Any county and city partly or wholly within the county may by ordinance jointly construct or otherwise acquire, equip, furnish, operate and maintain a county-city safety building.
66.508(3)
(3) Financing. The governing bodies of the respective county and city shall have the power to borrow money, appropriate funds, and levy taxes needed to carry out the purposes of this section. Funds to be used for the purposes specified in this section may be provided by the respective county or city by general obligation bonds issued under
ch. 67 or by revenue bonds issued under
s. 66.51 or by the issuance of both general obligation bonds under
ch. 67 and revenue bonds issued under
s. 66.51. Any bonds issued pursuant to this section shall be executed on behalf of the county by the county board chairperson and the county clerk and on behalf of a city by the mayor or other chief executive officer thereof and by the city clerk.
66.508(4)
(4) Cost sharing. The ordinance shall provide for a sharing of all of the cost of construction or other acquisition, equipment, furnishing, operation and maintenance of such safety building on an agreed percentage basis.
66.508(5)
(5) Safety building board. The ordinance shall provide for the establishment of a joint county-city safety building board to be composed of 3 members to be appointed by the county board, one for a one-year, one for a 2-year and one for a 3-year term, and 3 members to be appointed by the city council, one for a one-year, one for a 2-year and one for a 3-year term, and one additional member appointed by the other members for a 3-year term. The membership of such board shall include the chairperson of the county board and the mayor of the city, who shall be initially designated as members for the 3-year terms. Their respective successors shall be appointed and confirmed in like manner for terms of 3 years. All appointees shall serve until their successors are appointed and qualified. Terms shall begin as specified in the ordinance. If a member of the board ceases to hold a city or county office, membership on the board also terminates. Vacancies shall be filled for the unexpired term in the manner in which the original appointment was made. Members of the board shall be officials of the county or city.
66.508(6)
(6) Organization of boards; officers; compensation; oaths; bonds. 66.508(6)(a)(a) When all members have qualified the board shall meet at the place designated in the ordinance and organize by electing from its membership a president, a vice president, a secretary and a treasurer, each to hold office for one year. The offices of secretary and treasurer may be combined if the board so decides. Members may receive such compensation as may be provided in the ordinance and shall be reimbursed their actual and necessary expenses for their services. The board may appoint an assistant secretary and assistant treasurer, who need not be members of the board, to perform such services as shall be specified by the board.
66.508(6)(b)
(b) Members, and any assistant secretary and assistant treasurer, shall qualify by taking the official oath, and the treasurer and any assistant treasurer shall furnish a bond in such sum as shall be specified by the board and be in the form and conditioned as provided in
s. 19.01 (2) and
(3). The oaths and bonds shall be filed with the county clerk. The cost of the bond shall be paid by the board.
66.508(7)
(7) Powers of board. The board shall have power subject to provisions of the ordinance:
66.508(7)(a)
(a) To contract for the construction or other acquisition, equipping or furnishing of a county-city safety building, and may accept donated services and gifts, grants or donations of money or property and use the same for the purposes given and consistent with this section, and may contract for and authorize the installation of equipment and furnishings of the safety building, or any part thereof by private individuals, persons or corporations by donations, loan, lease or concession.
66.508(7)(b)
(b) To contract for the construction or other acquisition of additions or improvements to, or alterations in, such safety building and the equipment or furnishing of any such addition; and may contract for or authorize the installation of equipment and furnishings in such addition, or any part thereof, by private individuals, persons or corporations by donation, loan or concession.
66.508(7)(c)
(c) To employ a superintendent of the safety building and other necessary personnel and fix their compensation.
66.508(7)(d)
(d) To enact, amend and repeal rules and regulations, not inconsistent with law, for the regulation of the board's meetings and deliberations, and for the government, operation and maintenance of the safety building and the employes thereof.
66.508(7)(e)
(e) To contract for, purchase or hire all fuel, equipment, furnishings, and supplies, services and help reasonably necessary for the proper operation and maintenance of the safety building.
66.508(7)(f)
(f) To audit all accounts and claims against the safety building or against the board, and, if approved, pay the same from the fund specified in
sub. (9). All expenditures made pursuant to this section shall be within the limits of the ordinance.
66.508(7)(g)
(g) To sue and be sued, and to collect or compromise any and all obligations due to the safety building; all money received shall be paid into the joint safety building fund.
66.508(7)(h)
(h) To make such studies and recommendations to the county board and city council relating to the operation of the safety building or the building of facilities therefor as the board may deem advisable or said governing bodies request.
66.508(7)(i)
(i) To employ counsel on either a temporary or permanent basis.
66.508(8)
(8) Budget. The board shall annually, prior to the time of the preparation of either the county or city budget under
s. 65.90, prepare a budget of its anticipated receipts and expenditures for the ensuing fiscal year and determine the proportionate cost to the county and the city pursuant to the terms of the ordinance. A certified copy of the budget, which shall include a statement of the net amount required from the county and city, shall be delivered to the clerks of the respective municipalities. It shall be the duty of the county board and the common council of the city to consider such budget, and determine the amount to be raised by the respective municipalities in the proportions determined by the ordinance. Thereupon the county and city respectively shall levy a tax sufficient to produce the amount to be raised by said county and city.
66.508(9)
(9) Safety building fund. A joint county-city safety building fund shall be created and established in a public depository to be specified in the ordinance. The treasurer of the respective county and city shall pay or cause to be paid into such fund the respective amounts to be paid thereto by such county and city as specified by the ordinance and resolutions of the respective municipalities when such amounts have been collected. All of the moneys which shall come into said fund are hereby appropriated to the board for the execution of its functions as provided by the ordinance and the resolutions of the respective municipalities. The moneys in the fund shall be paid out by the treasurer of the safety building board only upon the approval or direction of the board.
66.508(10)
(10) Correlation of laws. In any case where a bid is a prerequisite to contract in connection with a county or city safety building under
s. 66.29, it shall also be a prerequisite to a valid contract by the board; and for such purpose the board shall be deemed a municipality and the contract a public contract under
s. 66.29.
66.508(11)
(11) Reports. The board shall report its activities to the county board and the city council annually, or oftener as either of said municipalities may require.
66.508(13)
(13) Insurance. The board may procure and enter contracts for any type of insurance and indemnity against loss or damage to property from any cause, including loss of use and occupancy, against death or injury of any person, against employers' liability, against any act of any member, officer or employe of the board in the performance of his or her duties, or any other insurable risk.
66.508(14)
(14) Construction. Nothing in this section shall be construed as relieving, modifying or interfering with the responsibilities for operating jails which are vested in sheriffs under
s. 59.27 (1) and chiefs of police under
s. 62.09 (13) (b).
66.51
66.51
Revenue bonds for counties and cities. 66.51(1)(a)(a) Every county or city, or both jointly, may construct, purchase, acquire, develop, improve, operate or maintain a county or city building, or both jointly, for a courthouse, safety building, city hall, hospital, armory, library, auditorium and music hall, municipal parking lots or other parking facilities, or municipal center or any combination thereof, or a university of Wisconsin center, if the operation of such center has been approved by the board of regents of the university of Wisconsin system.
66.51(1)(b)
(b) The county board, common council of any city, or both jointly, are authorized in their discretion, for any of its corporate purposes as set forth in this subsection, to issue bonds on which the principal and interest are payable from the income and revenues of such project financed with the proceeds of such bonds or with such proceeds together with the proceeds of a grant from the federal government to aid in the financing and construction thereof. In the case of municipal parking lots or other parking facilities such bonds may in addition be payable as to both principal and interest from income and revenues from other similar projects, parking meters, parking fees, or any other income or revenue obtained through parking, or any combination thereof.
66.51(1)(c)
(c) The credit of the county, or city, or both jointly, shall not be pledged to the payment of such bonds, but shall be payable only from the income and revenues described in
par. (b) or the funds received from the sale or disposal thereof. If the county board, or common council of a city, or both jointly, so determine, such bonds shall be secured either by a trust indenture pledging such revenues or by a mortgage on the property comprising such project and the revenues therefrom.
66.51(2)
(2) The bonds or other evidences of indebtedness shall state upon their face that the county, or city, or both jointly, shall not be a debt thereof or be liable therefor. Any indebtedness created by this section shall not be considered an indebtedness of such county or city and shall not be included in such amounts of determining the constitutional 5% debt limitations.
66.51(3)
(3) The provisions of
s. 66.066 relating to the issuance of revenue bonds by cities for public utility purposes, insofar as applicable, and the provisions of
ss. 67.08 (1) and
67.09 relating to the execution and registration of municipal obligations apply to the issuance of revenue bonds under this section.
66.51(4)
(4) All actions of any county or city, including all contracts, agreements, obligations and undertakings entered into pursuant to such actions, before December 4, 1955, in connection with the construction or other acquisition, equipment, furnishing, operation and maintenance of a joint county-city safety building, which would have been valid if
sub. (1) and
s. 66.508 had been in effect when such actions were taken, are hereby validated.
66.52
66.52
Promotion of industry. 66.52(1)
(1) It is declared to be the policy of the state to encourage and promote the development of industry to provide greater employment opportunities and to broaden the state's tax base to relieve the tax burden of residents and home owners. It is recognized that the availability of suitable sites is a prime factor in influencing the location of industry but that existing available sites may be encroached upon by the development of other uses unless protected from such encroachment by purchase and reservation. It is further recognized that cities, villages and towns have broad power to act for the commercial benefit and the health, safety and public welfare of the public. However, to implement that power, legislation authorizing borrowing is necessary. It is, therefore, declared to be the policy of the state to authorize cities, villages and towns to borrow for the reservation and development of industrial sites, and the expenditure of funds therefor is determined to be a public purpose.
66.52(2)
(2) For financing purposes, the purchase, reservation and development of industrial sites undertaken by any city, village or town is a public utility within the meaning of
s. 66.066. In financing under that section, rentals and fees shall be considered as revenue. Any indebtedness created hereunder shall not be included in arriving at the constitutional debt limitation.
66.52(3)
(3) Sites purchased for industrial development under this section or pursuant to any other authority may be developed by the city, village or town by the installation of utilities and roadways but not by the construction of buildings or structures. Any such sites may be sold or leased for industrial purposes but only for a fair consideration to be determined by the governing body.
66.521
66.521
Industrial development revenue bonding. 66.521(1)(a)(a) It is found and declared that industries located in this state have been induced to move their operations in whole or in part to, or to expand their operations in, other states to the detriment of state, county and municipal revenue raising through the loss or reduction of income and franchise taxes, real estate and other local taxes, and thereby causing an increase in unemployment; that such conditions now exist in certain areas of the state and may well arise in other areas; that economic insecurity due to unemployment is a serious menace to the general welfare of not only the people of the affected areas but of the people of the entire state; that unemployment results in obligations to grant public assistance and in the payment of unemployment compensation; that the absence of new economic opportunities has caused workers and their families to migrate elsewhere to find work and establish homes, which has resulted in a reduction of the tax base of counties, cities and other local governmental jurisdictions impairing their financial ability to support education and other local governmental services; that security against unemployment and the preservation and enhancement of the tax base can best be provided by the promotion, attraction, stimulation, rehabilitation and revitalization of commerce, industry and manufacturing; that there is a need to stimulate a larger flow of private investment funds from banks, investment houses, insurance companies and other financial institutions. It is therefore declared to be the policy of this state to promote the right to gainful employment, business opportunities and general welfare of the inhabitants thereof and to preserve and enhance the tax base by authorizing municipalities to acquire industrial buildings and to finance such acquisition through the issuance of revenue bonds for the purpose of fulfilling the aims of this section and such purposes are hereby declared to be public purposes for which public money may be spent and the necessity in the public interest for the provisions herein enacted is declared a matter of legislative determination.
66.521(1)(b)
(b) It is found and declared that the control of pollution of the environment of this state, the provision of medical, safe employment, telecommunications and telegraph, research, industrial park, dock, wharf, airport, recreational, convention center, trade center, headquarters and mass transit facilities in this state, and the furnishing of electric energy, gas and water in this state, are necessary to retain existing industry in, and attract new industry to, this state, and to protect the health, welfare and safety of the citizens of this state.
66.521(1)(c)
(c) It is found and declared that the revitalization of the central business districts of the municipalities of this state is necessary to retain existing industry in, and attract new industry to, this state and to protect the health, welfare and safety of residents of this state.
66.521(2)
(2) Definitions. As used in this section, unless the context otherwise requires:
66.521(2)(a)
(a) "Authorized developer" means a corporation organized under
ch. 180 or
181 which the governing body designates as an authorized developer after making a finding that the principal purpose of the corporation is the general promotion of business development in the municipality or in the local area containing the municipality.
66.521(2)(b)
(b) "Distributor" includes any person engaged primarily in the business of making sales of any products of agriculture, forestry, mining or manufacture in the ordinary course of business to purchasers for purposes of resale or further processing or manufacturing.
66.521(2)(c)
(c) "Eligible participant" includes any person, other than the state or any other governmental unit, who enters into a revenue agreement with a municipality with respect to an industrial project. If more than one eligible participant is a party to a revenue agreement, the undertaking of each shall be either several or joint and several as the revenue agreement provides. An eligible participant need not be directly or indirectly a user of the project.
66.521(2)(d)
(d) "Equip" means to install or place on or in any building or improvements or the site thereof equipment of any kind, including, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, machinery, utility service connections, pollution control facilities, building service equipment, fixtures, heating equipment and air conditioning equipment.
66.521(2)(e)
(e) "Governing body" means the board, council or other body in which the legislative powers of the municipality are vested.
