66.0621(4)(b)4.
4. The refunding bonds are not an indebtedness of a municipality, and shall not be included in arriving at the constitutional debt limitation.
66.0621(4)(b)5.
5. The governing body of a municipality may include a provision in any ordinance or resolution authorizing the issuance of refunding bonds pledging all or part of the revenues of any public utility or utilities originally financed, extended or improved from the proceeds of any of the municipal obligations being refunded, and pledging all or part of the surplus income derived from the investment of a trust created in relation to the refunding.
66.0621(4)(b)6.
6. This subsection constitutes full authority for the authorization and issuance of refunding bonds and for all other acts authorized by this subsection to be done or performed and the refunding bonds may be issued under this subsection without regard to the requirements, restrictions or procedural provisions contained in any other law.
66.0621(4)(c)
(c) The governing body of a municipality shall, in the ordinance or resolution authorizing the issuance of bonds, establish a system of funds and accounts and provide for sufficient revenues to operate and maintain the public utility and to provide fully for annual debt service requirements of bonds issued under this section. The governing body of a municipality may establish a fund or account for depreciation of assets of the public utility.
66.0621(4)(d)
(d) If a governing body of a municipality creates a depreciation fund under
par. (c) it shall use the funds set aside to restore any deficiency in the special redemption fund specified in
par. (e) for the payment of the principal and interest due on the bonds and for the creation and maintenance of any reserves established by the bond ordinance or resolution to secure these payments. If the special redemption fund is sufficient for these purposes, moneys in the depreciation fund may be expended for repairs, replacements, new constructions, extensions or additions of the public utility. Accumulations of the depreciation fund may be invested and the income from the investment shall be deposited in the depreciation fund.
66.0621(4)(e)
(e) The governing body of a municipality shall by ordinance or resolution create a special fund in the treasury of the municipality to be identified as "the .... special redemption fund" into which shall be paid the amount which is set aside for the payment of the principal and interest due on the bonds and for the creation and maintenance of any reserves established by bond ordinance or resolution to secure these payments.
66.0621(4)(f)
(f) At the close of the public utility's fiscal year, if any surplus has accumulated in any of the funds specified in this subsection, it may be disposed of in the order set forth under
s. 66.0811 (2).
66.0621(4)(g)
(g) The reasonable cost and value of any service rendered to a municipality by a public utility shall be charged against the municipality and shall be paid by it in installments.
66.0621(4)(h)
(h) The rates for all services rendered by a public utility to a municipality or to other consumers shall be reasonable and just, taking into account and consideration the value of the public utility, the cost of maintaining and operating the public utility, the proper and necessary allowance for depreciation of the public utility, and a sufficient and adequate return upon the capital invested.
66.0621(4)(i)
(i) The governing body of a municipality may adopt all ordinances and resolutions necessary to carry into effect this subsection. An ordinance or resolution providing for the issuance of bonds may contain such provisions or covenants, without limiting the generality of the power to adopt an ordinance or resolution, as are considered necessary or desirable for the security of bondholders or the marketability of the bonds. The provisions or covenants may include but are not limited to provisions relating to the sufficiency of the rates or charges to be made for service, maintenance and operation, improvements or additions to and sale or alienation of the public utility, insurance against loss, employment of consulting engineers and accountants, records and accounts, operating and construction budgets, establishment of reserve funds, issuance of additional bonds, and deposit of the proceeds of the sale of the bonds or revenues of the public utility in trust, including the appointment of depositories or trustees. An ordinance or resolution authorizing the issuance of bonds or other obligations payable from revenues of a public utility constitutes a contract with the holder of bonds or other obligations issued pursuant to the ordinance or resolution.
66.0621(4)(j)
(j) 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. The ordinance or resolution 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 1% 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 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 of a municipality and the owners of a public utility acquired, purchased, leased, constructed, extended, added to or improved under this paragraph may 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 to secure the payment of the debt.
66.0621(4)(k)
(k) A 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 mortgage by issuing bonds to refund the outstanding mortgage or revenue bonds at or before their maturity. The refunding bonds are payable only out of a special redemption fund 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 may adopt all ordinances or resolutions and take all proceedings, following the procedure under this subsection. The lien has 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.
66.0621(4)(L)1.1. If the governing body of a 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.
66.0621(4)(L)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 of a municipality, 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 the notes.
66.0621(4)(L)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 constitute a trust fund, and the fund shall be expended first for the payment of principal and interest of the bond anticipation notes, and then may be expended for other purposes 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 of the municipality that contracts with respect to additions, improvements and extensions are to be let and that the proceeds of the notes are required for the payment of the contracts.
66.0621(4)(L)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 the 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 are negotiable instruments.
66.0621(4)(L)6.
6. A 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 the notes. The payment of the notes out of funds from a tax levy is not an obligation of the municipality to make any other appropriation.
66.0621(5)
(5) A municipality which may own, purchase, acquire, lease, construct, extend, add to, improve, conduct, control, operate or manage any public utility may, 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 in a public utility, 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. A municipality may issue additional obligations under this section, but those obligations are 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.
66.0621 Annotation
A village has power to own and operate a home for the aged, finance the same under ss. 66.066 and 66.067 [now s. 66.0621], and to lease the facility to a nonprofit corporation, but probably could not lease to a profit corporation for operation. 62 Atty. Gen. 226.
66.0621 Annotation
Wisconsin municipal debt finance: An outlook for the eighties. Schilling, Griggs and Ebert, 63 MLR 539 (1980).
66.0623
66.0623
Refunding village, town, sanitary, and inland lake district bonds. A village, town, town sanitary district established under
s. 60.71 (1), or public inland lake protection and rehabilitation district established under
ch. 33 that has undertaken to construct a combined sewer and water system and issued revenue bonds payable from the combined revenues of the system and that is unable to provide sufficient funds to complete the construction of the system and to meet maturing principal of the revenue bonds, may, with the consent of all of the holders of noncallable bonds, refund all or any part of its outstanding indebtedness, including revenue bonds, by issuing term bonds maturing in not more than 20 years, payable solely from the revenues of the combined sewer and water system and redeemable at par on any interest payment date. The bonds may be issued as provided in
s. 66.0621 (4) and shall pledge income from hydrant rentals and all sewer and water charges and may contain any covenants authorized by law, except if bonds are issued under this section to refund floating indebtedness, the bonds are subject to the prior lien and claim of all bonds issued to refund revenue bonds issued prior to the refunding.
66.0623 History
History: 1999 a. 150 s.
231; Stats. 1999 s. 66.0623;
2001 a. 30.
66.0625
66.0625
Joint issuance of mass transit bonding. 66.0625(1)(a)
(a) "Political subdivision" means a county, city, village or town.
66.0625(1)(b)
(b) "Public transit body" means any transit or transportation commission or authority and public corporation established by law or by interstate compact to provide mass transportation services and facilities.
66.0625(2)
(2) In addition to the provisions of any other statutes specifically authorizing cooperation between political subdivisions or public transit bodies, unless those statutes specifically exclude action under this section, any political subdivision or public transit body may, for mass transit purposes, issue bonds or, with any other political subdivision or public transit body, jointly issue bonds.
66.0625 History
History: 1991 a. 282;
1999 a. 150 s.
604; Stats. 1999 s. 66.0625.
66.0627
66.0627
Special charges for current services. 66.0627(1)
(1) In this section, "service" includes snow and ice removal, weed elimination, street sprinkling, oiling and tarring, repair of sidewalks or curb and gutter, garbage and refuse disposal, recycling, storm water management, including construction of storm water management facilities, tree care, removal and disposition of dead animals under
s. 60.23 (20), soil conservation work under
s. 92.115, and snow removal under
s. 86.105.
66.0627(2)
(2) Except as provided in
sub. (5), the governing body of a city, village or town may impose a special charge against real property for current services rendered by allocating all or part of the cost of the service to the property served. The authority under this section is in addition to any other method provided by law.
66.0627(3)(a)(a) Except as provided in
par. (b), the governing body of the city, village or town may determine the manner of providing notice of a special charge.
66.0627(3)(b)
(b) Before a special charge for street tarring or the repair of sidewalks, curbs or gutters may be imposed, a public hearing shall be held by the governing body on whether the service in question will be funded in whole or in part by a special charge. Any interested person may testify at the hearing. Notice of the hearing shall be by class 1 notice under
ch. 985, published at least 20 days before the hearing. A copy of the notice shall be mailed at least 10 days before the hearing to each interested person whose address is known or can be ascertained with reasonable diligence. The notice under this paragraph shall state the date, time and location of the hearing, the subject matter of the hearing and that any interested person may testify.
66.0627(4)
(4) A special charge is not payable in installments. If a special charge is not paid within the time determined by the governing body, the special charge is delinquent. A delinquent special charge becomes a lien on the property against which it is imposed as of the date of delinquency. The delinquent special charge shall be included in the current or next tax roll for collection and settlement under
ch. 74.
66.0627(5)
(5) Except with respect to storm water management, including construction of storm water management facilities, no special charge may be imposed under this section to collect arrearages owed a municipal public utility.
66.0627(6)
(6) If a special charge imposed under this section is held invalid because this section is found unconstitutional, the governing body may reassess the special charge under any applicable law.
66.0627 History
History: 1999 a. 150.
66.0627 Annotation
A special assessment against a church was not barred by s. 70.11 (4). Grace Episcopal v. Madison,
129 Wis. 2d 331,
385 N.W.2d 200 (Ct. App. 1986).
66.0627 Annotation
A city may impose special charges for delinquent electric bills due a municipal utility. Laskaris v. City of Wisconsin Dells,
131 Wis. 2d 525,
389 N.W.2d 67 (Ct. App. 1986).
66.0627 Annotation
The cost of service to a property under this section does not include the cost of legal services incurred by the municipality in defending against challenges to the removal of materials from a ditch under s. 88.90. Robinson v. Town of Bristol, 2003 WI App 97,
264 Wis. 2d 318,
667 N.W.2d 14,
02-1247.
66.0627 Annotation
Municipalities owning electric companies may pass ordinances allowing unpaid charges for furnished electricity to be placed on tax bills of the receiving property. 73 Atty. Gen 128.
66.0628
66.0628
Fees imposed by a political subdivision. 66.0628(1)(1) In this section, "political subdivision" means a city, village, town, or county.
66.0628(2)
(2) Any fee that is imposed by a political subdivision shall bear a reasonable relationship to the service for which the fee is imposed.
66.0628 History
History: 2003 a. 134.
SPECIAL ASSESSMENTS
66.0701
66.0701
Special assessments by local ordinance. 66.0701(1)(1) Except as provided in
s. 66.0721, in addition to other methods provided by law, the governing body of a town, village or 2nd, 3rd or 4th class city may, by ordinance, provide that the cost of installing or constructing any public work or improvement shall be charged in whole or in part to the property benefited, and make an assessment against the property benefited in the manner that the governing body determines. The special assessment is a lien against the property from the date of the levy.
66.0701(2)
(2) Every ordinance under this section shall contain provisions for reasonable notice and hearing. Any person against whose land a special assessment is levied under the ordinance may appeal in the manner prescribed in
s. 66.0703 (12) within 40 days of the date of the final determination of the governing body.
66.0701 History
History: 1983 a. 532;
1989 a. 322;
1999 a. 150 s.
544; Stats. 1999 s. 66.0701.
66.0701 Annotation
An ordinance under this section may use police power as the basis for a special assessment. Mowers v. City of St. Francis,
108 Wis. 2d 630,
323 N.W.2d 157 (Ct. App. 1982).
66.0703
66.0703
Special assessments, generally. 66.0703(1)(a)(a) Except as provided in
s. 66.0721, as a complete alternative to all other methods provided by law, any city, town or village may, by resolution of its governing body, levy and collect special assessments upon property in a limited and determinable area for special benefits conferred upon the property by any municipal work or improvement; and may provide for the payment of all or any part of the cost of the work or improvement out of the proceeds of the special assessments.
66.0703(1)(b)
(b) The amount assessed against any property for any work or improvement which does not represent an exercise of the police power may not exceed the value of the benefits accruing to the property. If an assessment represents an exercise of the police power, the assessment shall be upon a reasonable basis as determined by the governing body of the city, town or village.
66.0703(1)(c)
(c) If any property that is benefited is by law exempt from assessment, the assessment shall be computed and shall be paid by the city, town or village.
66.0703(2)
(2) The cost of any work or improvement to be paid in whole or in part by special assessment on property may include the direct and indirect cost, the resulting damages, the interest on bonds or notes issued in anticipation of the collection of the assessments, a reasonable charge for the services of the administrative staff of the city, town or village and the cost of any architectural, engineering and legal services, and any other item of direct or indirect cost that may reasonably be attributed to the proposed work or improvement. The amount to be assessed against all property for the proposed work or improvement shall be apportioned among the individual parcels in the manner designated by the governing body.
66.0703(3)
(3) A parcel of land against which a special assessment has been levied for the sanitary sewer or water main laid in one of the streets that the parcel abuts is entitled to a deduction or exemption that the governing body determines to be reasonable and just under the circumstances of each case, when a special assessment is levied for the sanitary sewer or water main laid in the other street that the corner lot abuts. The governing body may allow a similar deduction or exemption from special assessments levied for any other public improvement.
66.0703(4)
(4) Before the exercise of any powers conferred by this section, the governing body shall declare by preliminary resolution its intention to exercise the powers for a stated municipal purpose. The resolution shall describe generally the contemplated purpose, the limits of the proposed assessment district, the number of installments in which the special assessments may be paid, or that the number of installments will be determined at the hearing required under
sub. (7), and direct the proper municipal officer or employee to make a report on the proposal. The resolution may limit the proportion of the cost to be assessed.
66.0703(5)(b)
(b) An estimate of the entire cost of the proposed work or improvement.
66.0703(5)(c)
(c) Except as provided in
par. (d), an estimate, as to each parcel of property affected, of:
66.0703(5)(c)2.
2. The damages to be awarded for property taken or damaged.
66.0703(5)(c)3.
3. The net amount of the benefits over damages or the net amount of the damages over benefits.
66.0703(5)(d)
(d) A statement that the property against which the assessments are proposed is benefited, if the work or improvement constitutes an exercise of the police power. If this paragraph applies, the estimates required under
par. (c) shall be replaced by a schedule of the proposed assessments.
66.0703(6)
(6) A copy of the report when completed shall be filed with the municipal clerk for public inspection. If property of the state may be subject to assessment under
s. 66.0705, the municipal clerk shall file a copy of the report with the state agency which manages the property. If the assessment to the property of the state for a project, as defined under
s. 66.0705 (2), is $50,000 or more, the state agency shall submit a request for approval of the assessment, with its recommendation, to the building commission. The building commission shall review the assessment and shall determine within 90 days of the date on which the commission receives the report if the assessment is just and legal and if the proposed improvement is compatible with state plans for the facility which is the subject of the proposed improvement. If the building commission so determines, it shall approve the assessment. No project in which the property of the state is assessed at $50,000 or more may be commenced and no contract on the project may be let without approval of the assessment by the building commission under this subsection. The building commission shall submit a copy of its determination under this subsection to the state agency that manages the property which is the subject of the determination.
66.0703(7)(a)(a) Upon the completion and filing of the report required by
sub. (4), the city, town or village clerk shall prepare a notice stating the nature of the proposed work or improvement, the general boundary lines of the proposed assessment district including, in the discretion of the governing body, a small map, the place and time at which the report may be inspected, and the place and time at which all interested persons, or their agents or attorneys, may appear before the governing body, a committee of the governing body or the board of public works and be heard concerning the matters contained in the preliminary resolution and the report. The notice shall be published as a class 1 notice, under
ch. 985, in the city, town or village and a copy of the notice shall be mailed, at least 10 days before the hearing or proceeding, to every interested person whose post-office address is known, or can be ascertained with reasonable diligence. The hearing shall commence not less than 10 nor more than 40 days after publication.
66.0703(7)(b)
(b) The notice and hearing requirements under
par. (a) do not apply if they are waived, in writing, by all the owners of property affected by the special assessment.
66.0703(8)(a)(a) After the hearing upon any proposed work or improvement, the governing body may approve, disapprove or modify, or it may rerefer the report prepared under
subs. (4) and
(5) to the designated officer or employee with directions to change the plans and specifications and to accomplish a fair and equitable assessment.
66.0703(8)(b)
(b) If an assessment of benefits is made against any property and an award of compensation or damages is made in favor of the same property, the governing body shall assess against or award in favor of the property only the difference between the assessment of benefits and the award of damages or compensation.
66.0703(8)(c)
(c) When the governing body finally determines to proceed with the work or improvement, it shall approve the plans and specifications and adopt a resolution directing that the work or improvement be carried out and paid for in accordance with the report as finally approved.
66.0703(8)(d)
(d) The city, town or village clerk shall publish the final resolution as a class 1 notice, under
ch. 985, in the assessment district and a copy of the resolution shall be mailed to every interested person whose post-office address is known, or can be ascertained with reasonable diligence.
66.0703(8)(e)
(e) When the final resolution is published, all work or improvements described in the resolution and all awards, compensations and assessments arising from the resolution are then authorized and made, subject to the right of appeal under
sub. (12).
66.0703(9)
(9) If more than a single type of project is undertaken as part of a general improvement affecting any property, the governing body may finally combine the assessments for all purposes as a single assessment on each property affected, if each property owner may object to the assessment for any single purpose or for more than one purpose.
66.0703(10)
(10) If the actual cost of any project, upon completion or after the receipt of bids, is found to vary materially from the estimates, if any assessment is void or invalid, or if the governing body decides to reconsider and reopen any assessment, it may, after giving notice as provided in
sub. (7) (a) and after a public hearing, amend, cancel or confirm the prior assessment. A notice of the resolution amending, canceling or confirming the prior assessment shall be given by the clerk as provided in
sub. (8) (d). If the assessments are amended to provide for the refunding of special assessment B bonds under
s. 66.0713 (6), all direct and indirect costs reasonably attributable to the refunding of the bonds may be included in the cost of the public improvements being financed.
66.0703(11)
(11) If the cost of the project is less than the special assessments levied, the governing body, without notice or hearing, shall reduce each special assessment proportionately and if any assessments or installments have been paid the excess over cost shall be applied to reduce succeeding unpaid installments, if the property owner has elected to pay in installments, or refunded to the property owner.
