59.70(16)(b)
(b) If the district dissolves, the commission shall sell all of its property. The proceeds of the sale remaining after payment of all debts, obligations and liabilities of the district, plus any balance in the fund, shall be divided and paid to the treasurers of the member counties in proportion to each county's financial contribution to the district. Member counties shall remain liable for unpaid debts after the dissolution of the district.
59.70(17)
(17) Worms, insects, weeds, animal diseases, appropriation. 59.70(17)(a)(a) The board may appropriate money for the control of insect and worm pests, weeds, or plant or animal diseases within the county, and select from its members a committee which, upon advice from the county agent that an emergency exists because of the destruction which is being or may be wrought to farmlands, livestock or crops in the county by any such pests, may take steps necessary to suppress and control such pests. The clerk shall within 10 days notify the department of agriculture, trade and consumer protection of such appropriation and of the members of such committee. The state entomologist and said department shall cooperate with such committee in the execution of measures necessary for the suppression and control of such pests.
59.70(17)(b)
(b) When such an emergency exists the committee may draw on the contingent fund, if available, an amount not to exceed $5,000 which shall be disbursed upon certification of the committee for the purposes specified in
par. (a) as they relate to worm or insect pests; the treasurer shall pay the amounts so certified. No disbursement shall be made by the committee unless the owner of the premises affected has requested the committee to take steps to suppress or control the pests or when steps have been undertaken by another authority.
59.70(18)
(18) Land clearing and weed control. The board may purchase or accept by gift or grant tractors, bulldozers and other equipment for clearing and draining land and controlling weeds on same, and for such purposes to operate or lease the same for work on private lands. The board may charge fees for such service and for rental of such equipment on a cost basis.
59.70(19)
(19) Land conservation committee. Each board shall create a land conservation committee.
59.70(20)(a)(a) Soil and water conservation. Each board is responsible for developing and implementing a soil and water conservation program, that is specified under
ch. 92, through its land conservation committee.
59.70(20)(b)
(b) Committee powers and duties. The land conservation committee created by the board has the powers and duties that are specified for that committee under
ch. 92.
59.70(20)(c)
(c) Appropriation of funds. The board may appropriate funds for soil and water conservation and for other purposes that relate to land conservation.
59.70(20)(d)
(d) Land use and land management. The board may enact ordinances under
s. 92.11 that regulate land use and land management practices to promote soil and water conservation.
59.70(21)
(21) Conservation congress. The board may appropriate money to defray the expenses of county delegates to the annual convention and other activities of the Wisconsin conservation congress.
59.70(22)
(22) Billboard regulation. The board may regulate, by ordinance, the maintenance and construction of billboards and other similar structures on premises abutting on highways maintained by the county so as to promote the safety of public travel thereon. Such ordinances shall not apply within cities, villages and towns which have enacted ordinances regulating the same subject matter.
59.70(23)
(23) County natural beauty councils. The board may create a county natural beauty council as a committee of the board, composed of such board members, public members and governmental personnel as the board designates. The council shall advise governmental bodies and citizens in the county on matters affecting the preservation and enhancement of the county's natural beauty, and aid and facilitate the aims and objectives of the natural beauty council.
59.70(24)
(24) Lime to farmers. The board may manufacture agricultural lime and sell and distribute it at cost to farmers and may acquire lands for such purposes.
59.70 History
History: 1995 a. 201 ss.
108,
109,
133,
150,
161,
163,
172,
214 to
216,
218 to
221,
437 to
442,
438,
449 to
451,
455,
456;
1995 a. 227;
1997 a. 35;
1999 a. 150 s.
672.
59.70 Annotation
The authority of a county to enact and enforce a minimum standards housing code is discussed. 59 Atty. Gen. 248.
59.70 Annotation
Section 59.07 (49) [now s. 59.70 (22)] authorizes billboard regulations relating solely to highway safety. 61 Atty. Gen. 191.
59.70 Annotation
A county board's power to delegate authority concerning property transactions to its committees is discussed.
74 Atty. Gen. 227.
59.70 Annotation
A board established under s. 59.07 (135) [now s. 59.70 (2)] is restricted to performing advisory, policy-making, or legislative functions.
77 Atty. Gen. 98.
59.70 Annotation
Section 59.07 (135) (L) [now 59.70 (2) (L)] authorizes counties that are "responsible units of government" under s. 159.01 to levy taxes for capital and operating expenses incurred in the operation of the county's recycling program only upon local governments that are not "responsible units of government". Counties may levy taxes for both operating and capital expenses incurred in connection with any other form of solid waste management activity only on local governments participating in that activity.
80 Atty. Gen. 312.
59.71
59.71
Special counties; record keeping. 59.71(1)
(1) In this section, "eminent domain proceedings" means the laying out, widening, extending or vacating of any street, alley, water channel, park, highway or other public place by any court, legislature, county board, common council, village board or town board.
59.71(2)
(2) When the county board of a county with a population of 250,000 or more, according to the last state or United States census, prepares and compiles in book form an eminent domain record containing an abstract of facts relating to eminent domain proceedings and makes an order that the record, with an index thereto, be thereafter maintained and kept up, and provides a suitable book for that purpose, the register of deeds shall thereafter maintain and keep up the record and index.
59.71(3)
(3) The register of deeds shall enter an abstract of all eminent domain proceedings in the record maintained under
sub. (2). The abstract shall substantially contain the facts as to the filing of a notice of lis pendens, the date of filing, the description, the court in which or the body before whom the proceeding is pending, the result of the proceedings, the action taken and the date thereof and briefly state all of the essential facts of the proceeding. The index to the record shall be a practical index, with reference to the number and page of the volume where such abstracts are entered respectively.
59.71(4)
(4) The abstracts and records to be kept by the register of deeds shall be certified by the register to be true and correct and when so certified shall be prima facie evidence of the facts therein recited and shall be received in all courts and places with the same effect as the original proceedings; and the record so prepared and compiled by the county board shall be prima facie evidence of the facts therein recited and shall also be received in all courts and places with the same effect as the original proceedings.
59.71 History
History: 1991 a. 316;
1995 a. 201 s.
371; Stats. 1995 s. 59.71;
1995 a. 225 s.
161;
1997 a. 35.
59.72
59.72
Land information. 59.72(1)(1)
Definitions. In this section:
59.72(1)(c)
(c) "Local governmental unit" means a municipality, regional planning commission, special purpose district or local governmental association, authority, board, commission, department, independent agency, institution or office.
59.72(3)
(3) Land information office. The board may establish a county land information office or may direct that the functions and duties of the office be performed by an existing department, board, commission, agency, institution, authority or office. The county land information office shall:
59.72(3)(a)
(a) Coordinate land information projects within the county, between the county and local governmental units, between the state and local governmental units and among local governmental units, the federal government and the private sector.
59.72(3)(b)
(b) Within 2 years after the land information office is established, develop and receive approval for a countywide plan for land records modernization. The plan shall be submitted for approval to the land information board under
s. 16.967 (3) (e).
59.72(3)(c)
(c) Review and recommend projects from local governmental units for grants from the land information board under
s. 16.967 (7).
59.72(4)
(4) Aid to counties. A board that has established a land information office under
sub. (3) may apply to the land information board for a grant for a land information project under
s. 16.967 (7).
59.72(5)
(5) Land record modernization funding. 59.72(5)(a)(a) Before the 16th day of each month a register of deeds shall submit to the land information board $6 from the fee for recording the first page of each instrument that is recorded under
s. 59.43 (2) (ag) 1. and
(e), less any amount retained by the county under
par. (b).
59.72(5)(b)
(b) A county may retain $4 of the $6 submitted under
par. (a) from the fee for recording the first page of each instrument that is recorded under
s. 59.43 (2) (ag) 1. and
(e) if all of the following conditions are met:
59.72(5)(b)1.
1. The county has established a land information office under
sub. (3).
59.72(5)(b)2.
2. A land information office has been established for less than 2 years or has received approval for a countywide plan for land records modernization under
sub. (3) (b).
59.72(5)(b)3.
3. The county uses the fees retained under this paragraph to develop, implement and maintain the countywide plan for land records modernization.
Effective date note
NOTE: This section is affected eff. 9-1-03 by
1997 Wis. Act 27 to read:
Effective date text
59.72 Land information. (1) Definitions. In this section:
Effective date text
(a) "Land information" means any physical, legal, economic or environmental information or characteristics concerning land, water, groundwater, subsurface resources or air in this state. "Land information" includes information relating to topography, soil, soil erosion, geology, minerals, vegetation, land cover, wildlife, associated natural resources, land ownership, land use, land use controls and restriction, jurisdictional boundaries, tax assessment, land value, land survey records and references, geodetic control networks, aerial photographs, maps, planimetric data, remote sensing data, historic and prehistoric sites and economic projections.
Effective date text
(b) "Land records" means maps, documents, computer files and any other storage medium in which land information is recorded.
Effective date text
(c) "Local governmental unit" means a municipality, regional planning commission, special purpose district or local governmental association, authority, board, commission, department, independent agency, institution or office.
Effective date text
(3) Land information office. The board may establish a separate county land information office or may direct that an office be established within an existing department, board, commission, agency, institution, authority or office. The county land information office shall coordinate land information projects within the county, between the county and local governmental units, between the state and local governmental units and among local governmental units, the federal government and the private sector. If the board establishes a land information office, the board shall, within 2 years after the land information office is established, develop a countywide plan for land records modernization.
Effective date text
(5) Land record modernization funding. A county which establishes a land information office shall use $4 of the $8 per page received under s. 59.43 (2) (ag) 1. and (e) to develop, implement and maintain a countywide plan for land records modernization.
59.72 History
History: 1989 a. 31,
339;
1995 a. 201 s.
457; Stats. 1995 s. 59.72;
1997 a. 27.
59.73
59.73
Surveys; expressing bearings, subdividing sections. 59.73(1)(1)
How bearings expressed in surveys. In all surveys the bearings shall be expressed with reference to a magnetic, true or other identifiable line of the public land survey, recorded and filed subdivision or to the Wisconsin coordinate system. In all cases the reference selected shall be so noted as set forth in
s. 59.45 (1) (a) 2. and if magnetic must be retraceable and identifiable by reference to a monumented line.
59.73(2)
(2) Subdividing sections. Whenever a surveyor is required to subdivide a section or smaller subdivision of land established by the United States survey, the surveyor shall proceed according to the statutes of the United States and the rules and regulations made by the secretary of the interior in conformity to the federal statutes. While so engaged a surveyor and the surveyor's assistants shall not be liable as a trespasser and shall be liable only for any actual damage done to land or property.
59.73 History
History: 1995 a. 201 ss.
393,
394,
421;
1999 a. 96.
59.73 AnnotationResurveys of public lands are discussed. United States v. Citko,
517 F. Supp. 233 (1981).
59.74
59.74
Perpetuation of section corners, landmarks. 59.74(1)(1)
Relocation and perpetuation of section corners and division lines. 59.74(1)(a)(a) If a majority of all the resident landowners in any section of land within this state desire to establish, relocate or perpetuate any section or other corner of any section, or in the same section a division line of the section, they may make a formal application in writing to the circuit judge for the county in which the land is situated. The circuit judge shall file the application in his or her court and shall within a reasonable time give at least 10 days' notice in writing to the owners of all adjoining lands, if those owners reside in the county where the land is situated and if not, by publication of a class 3 notice, under
ch. 985, stating the day and hour when the circuit judge will consider and pass upon such application. The circuit judge shall hear all interested parties and approve or reject the application at that time. If the application is approved, the clerk shall notify the county surveyor who shall within a reasonable time proceed to make the required survey and location. If a corner is to be perpetuated, the surveyor shall deposit in the proper place a stone or other equally durable material of the dimensions and in the manner and with the markings provided under
s. 60.84 (3) (c), and shall also erect witness monuments as provided under
sub. (2). The surveyor shall be paid the cost of the perpetuation from the general fund of the county.
59.74(1)(b)
(b) All expense and cost of the publication of the notice and of the survey and perpetuation shall be apportioned by the clerk among the several parcels of land in the section upon the basis of the area surveyed, shall be included by the clerk in the next tax roll and shall be collected in the same manner as other taxes are collected.
59.74(2)(a)1.1. No landmark, monument, corner post of the government survey or survey made by the county surveyor or survey of public record may be destroyed, removed, or covered by any material that will make the landmark, monument, or corner post inaccessible for use, without first having erected witness or reference monuments as provided in
subd. 2. for the purpose of identifying the location of the landmark and making a certified copy of the field notes of the survey setting forth all the particulars of the location of the landmark with relation to the reference or witness monuments so that its location can be determined after its destruction or removal. The certified copy of the field notes shall be filed as provided under
par. (b) 2.
59.74(2)(a)2.
2. Witness monuments shall be made of durable material, including cement, natural stone, iron or other equally durable material, except wood. If iron pipe monuments are used, they shall be made of 2 inch or more galvanized iron pipe not less than 30 inches in length having an iron or brass cap fastened to the top and marked with a cross cut on the top of the cap where the point of measurement is taken. If witness monuments are made of cement, stone or similar material, they shall be not less than 30 inches in length nor less than 5 inches in diameter along the shortest diagonal marked on the top with a cross where the point of measurement is taken.
59.74(2)(b)1.1. Whenever it becomes necessary to destroy, remove or cover up in such a way that will make it inaccessible for use, any landmark, monument of survey, or corner post within the meaning of this subsection, the person including employees of governmental agencies who intend to commit such act shall serve written notice at least 30 days prior to the act upon the county surveyor of the county within which the landmark is located. Notice shall also be served upon the municipality's engineer if the landmark is located within the corporate limits of a municipality. The notice shall include a description of the landmark, monument of survey or corner post and the reason for removing or covering it. In this paragraph, removal of a landmark includes the removal of railroad track by the owner of the track. In a county having a population of less than 500,000 where there is no county surveyor, notice shall be served upon the clerk. In a county with a population of 500,000 or more where there is no county surveyor, notice shall be served upon the executive director of the regional planning commission which acts in the capacity of county surveyor for the county. Notwithstanding
par. (c), upon receipt of the notice the clerk shall appoint a registered land surveyor to perform the duties of a county surveyor under
subd. 2.
59.74(2)(b)2.
2. The county surveyor or executive director of the regional planning commission, upon receipt of notice under
subd. 1., shall within a period of not to exceed 30 working days, either personally or by a deputy, or by the municipality's engineer make an inspection of the landmark, and, if he or she considers it necessary because of the public interest to erect witness monuments to the landmark, he or she shall erect 4 or more witness monuments or, if within a municipality, may make 2 or more offset marks at places near the landmark where they will not be disturbed. The county surveyor shall make a survey and field notes giving a description of the landmark and the witness monuments or offset marks, stating the material and size of the witness monuments and locating the offset marks, the horizontal distance and courses in terms of the references set forth in
s. 59.45 (1) (a) 2. that the witness monuments bear from the landmark and, also, of each witness monument to all of the other witness monuments. The county surveyor may also make notes as to such other objects, natural or artificial, that will enable anyone to locate the position of the landmark. The county surveyor upon completing the survey shall make a certified copy of the field notes of the survey and record it as provided under
s. 59.45 (1). The municipality's engineer upon completing the survey shall record the notes in his or her office, open to the inspection of the public, and shall file a true and correct copy with the county surveyor. In a county with a population of 500,000 or more, the certified copy of the field notes of the survey shall be filed in the office of the regional planning commission which acts in the capacity of county surveyor for the county.
59.74(2)(c)
(c) In those counties where there are no county surveyors a petition can be made to the board by any resident of this state requesting the board to appoint a land surveyor to act in the capacity of the county surveyor. The board, upon receipt of this petition, shall appoint a land surveyor to act in the capacity of the county surveyor. In counties with a population of 500,000 or more, the board may appoint a governmental agency to act in the capacity of county surveyor.
59.74(2)(d)
(d) The cost of the work of perpetuating the evidence of any landmark under the scope of this subsection shall be borne by the county or counties proportionally, in which said landmark is located.
59.74(2)(e)1.1. Except as provided in
subd. 2., any person who removes, destroys or makes inaccessible any landmark, monument of survey, corner post of government survey, survey made by the county surveyor or survey of public record without first complying with this subsection shall be fined not to exceed $1,000 or imprisoned in the county jail for not more than one year.
59.74(2)(e)2.
2. Any person who removes railroad track as provided in
par. (b) 1. without first complying with
par. (b) 1. shall be subject to a forfeiture not to exceed $1,000.
59.74(2)(f)
(f) Any person who destroys, removes or covers any landmark, monument or corner post rendering them inaccessible for use, without first complying with
pars. (a) 1. and
(b) 1. shall be liable in damages to the county in which the landmark is located, for the amount of any additional expense incurred by the county because of such destruction, removal or covering.
59.74(2)(g)
(g) Every land surveyor and every officer of the department of natural resources and the district attorney shall enforce this subsection.
59.74(2)(h)
(h) Any registered land surveyor employed by the department of transportation or by a county highway department, may, incident to employment as such, assume and perform the duties and act in the capacity of the county surveyor under this subsection with respect to preservation and perpetuation of landmarks, witness monuments and corner posts upon and along state trunk, county trunk and town highways. Upon completing a survey and perpetuating landmarks and witness monuments under
par. (b) 2., a land surveyor employed by the state shall file the field notes and records in the district office or main office of the department of transportation, and a land surveyor employed by a county shall file the field notes and records in the office of the county highway commissioner, open to inspection by the public, and in either case a true and correct copy of the field notes and records shall be filed with the county surveyor. In a county with a population of 500,000 or more where there is no county surveyor, a copy of the field notes and records shall also be filed in the office of the regional planning commission which acts in the capacity of county surveyor for the county.
59.74(2)(i)
(i) The records of the corners of the public land survey may be established and perpetuated in the following manner: commencing on January 1, 1970, and in each calendar year thereafter, the county surveyor or a deputy may check and establish or reestablish and reference at least 5% of all corners originally established in the county by government surveyors, so that within 20 years or less all the original corners will be established or reestablished and thereafter perpetuated.
59.74(2)(j)
(j) The county surveyor may employ other land surveyors to assist in this work and may accept reference checks for these corners from any land surveyor.
59.74(2)(k)
(k) The cost of perpetuating these corners shall be paid out of the county road and bridge fund or other county fund under
s. 83.11.
59.74 History
History: 1995 a. 201 ss.
395,
396,
423.
59.74 Annotation
Resurveys of the public lands under s. 59.635 (8) [now 59.74 (1) (i)] are discussed. 66 Atty. Gen. 134.
59.74 Annotation
A city or village engineer acting under s. 59.635 (2) [now 59.74 (1) (b)] need not be registered as a land surveyor. 68 Atty. Gen. 185.
59.75
59.75
Certificates and records as evidence. The certificate and also the official record of the county surveyor when produced by the legal custodian thereof, or any of the county surveyor's deputies, when duly signed by the county surveyor in his or her official capacity, shall be admitted as evidence in any court within the state, but the same may be explained or rebutted by other evidence. If any county surveyor or any of his or her deputies are interested in any tract of land a survey of which becomes necessary, such survey may be executed by any land surveyor appointed by the board.
59.75 History
History: 1977 c. 449;
1995 a. 201 s.
398; Stats. 1995 s. 59.75.
59.76
59.76
Registration of farms. 59.76(1)
(1) The owner of any farm or country estate, or that person's authorized agent, may register the name of the farm or estate in the office of the register of deeds of the county in which the farm or estate is situated. The owner or purchaser of the farm or any part of the farm may change or release the name from that person's respective interest in the farm by recording a certificate stating that the original registered name is released. A new name of the farm or any parts of the farm may then be registered. Every register of deeds shall index all registrations of farm documents and make the index available upon request. The index shall contain the name of the owner of the farm or estate and the name for the farm or estate that the owner or agent may designate, if no other farm or estate in the county has been previously registered under the same name. The fee for recording an instrument under this subsection shall be the fee specified under
s. 59.43 (2) (ag).
59.76(2)
(2) Any register of deeds who fails or refuses to register farms under
sub. (1), or who charges or collects more than the fee specified under
s. 59.43 (2) (ag) for recording any such registration, or recording such certificate, or who knowingly registers a farm or estate under a name previously adopted and registered for some other farm or estate in the county, or any person who uses, by way of advertisement or otherwise, the name of any farm or estate registered as provided in this section, to designate or as the name of any farm or estate in the county other than the farm or estate for which the name was registered, unless the name was adopted for and used as the name of the other farm or estate prior to April 6, 1905, shall be fined not less than $5 nor more than $25 or imprisoned for not less than 10 days nor more than 30 days, or both.
59.76 History
History: 1971 c. 211;
1981 c. 245;
1991 a. 316;
1993 a. 301;
1995 a. 201 s.
463; Stats. 1995 s. 59.76.
59.78
59.78
Special counties; classification of claims. In counties containing a population of more than three hundred thousand, the county auditor shall classify all such claims according to the budgetary funds provided for in
s. 59.84, against which they are chargeable, before such claims are laid before such board. The county auditor shall then submit with the claims chargeable against each fund, a statement of the balance in such fund against which no county orders have been issued. If such balance in any fund is less than the total of the claims chargeable against such fund, the auditor shall call the attention of the board to that fact, and such board shall not issue county orders in excess of such balance without previously appropriating to such fund an additional sum at least sufficient to cover such orders. If any claims or claim shall be for a purpose for which no specific appropriation has been made in the budget, such claim or claims shall be considered as chargeable against the contingent fund. When the county auditor countersigns any order on the county treasurer for the payment of a claim allowed the auditor shall charge such order against the fund appropriated for that purpose.
