59.70(12)(a)(a) A county or 2 or more contiguous counties may establish a district to control mosquitoes, upon a majority vote of each board.
59.70(12)(b)1.1. If a county establishes a district, the board shall elect 3 county supervisors to a commission. If 2 or more contiguous counties establish a district, each board in the district shall elect 2 county supervisors to a commission. The elected county supervisors shall serve as members of the commission until the expiration of their terms as county supervisors, as provided in
s. 59.10 (1) (b),
(2) (b),
(3) (d) or
(5). Each board in the district shall elect supervisors as replacements when vacancies occur in the commission. The commission shall operate the mosquito control district.
59.70(12)(b)2.
2. The commission shall elect a chairperson, vice chairperson and secretary at its first meeting each year as provided under
subd. 3. The chairperson, or vice chairperson, in the chairperson's absence, shall preside at meetings and shall sign contracts and other written instruments of the commission. The secretary shall keep a record of the minutes of each meeting that is available for public inspection at all reasonable times, and shall mail notices to all members of the time and place of meetings.
59.70(12)(b)3.
3. The commission shall meet on the first Thursday after the first Monday in January to select officers of the commission and to conduct other organizational business. The commission shall also meet if the chairperson calls a meeting, or within 48 hours if a majority of the members of the commission request a meeting in writing, specifying the time and place for the meeting. The commission shall give adequate public notice of the time, place and purpose of each meeting. All business of the commission shall be open to the public.
59.70(12)(b)4.
4. The board of each county in the district shall reimburse commissioners representing that county in the manner provided in
s. 59.13 for board committee members.
59.70(13)
(13) Commission; powers and duties. 59.70(13)(a)2.
2. Employ the persons and contract for services to carry out the mosquito control program. The commission may not employ any person who is related to a commissioner.
59.70(13)(a)3.
3. Reimburse employees for expenses that are incurred or paid in the performance of their duties, and provide a reasonable daily reimbursement.
59.70(13)(a)4.
4. Purchase the materials, supplies and equipment to carry out the mosquito control program.
59.70(13)(a)5.
5. Take measures to control mosquitoes in accordance with expert and technical plans.
59.70(13)(a)7.
7. Dispose of property of the commission or mosquito control district, if it is no longer needed to control mosquitoes, by selling the property on competitive bids after 2 weeks' published notice.
59.70(13)(a)8.
8. Obtain public liability insurance and worker's compensation insurance.
59.70(13)(a)9.
9. Enter into agreements with other political subdivisions of the state outside the mosquito control district to conduct mosquito control activities within these political subdivisions, to promote mosquito control in the district.
59.70(13)(a)10.
10. Enter into agreements with contiguous states or political subdivisions in contiguous states, as provided in
s. 66.0303, to conduct mosquito control activities within those states or political subdivisions, to promote mosquito control in the mosquito control district.
59.70(13)(a)11.
11. Collect money from all counties in the district for operation of the district.
59.70(13)(a)12.
12. Require the employees of the commission who handle commission funds to furnish surety bonds, in amounts the commission may determine.
59.70(13)(a)13.
13. Perform other acts that are reasonable and necessary to carry out the functions of the commission.
59.70(13)(b)
(b) Members or employees of the commission may request admission onto any property within the district at reasonable times to determine if mosquito breeding is present. If the owner or occupant refuses admission, the commission member or employee shall seek a warrant to inspect the property as a potential mosquito breeding ground. Commission members or employees may enter upon property to clean up stagnant pools of water or shores of lakes or streams, and may spray mosquito breeding areas with insecticides subject to the approval of the district director and the department of natural resources. The commission shall notify the property owner of any pending action under this paragraph and shall provide the property owner with a hearing prior to acting under this paragraph if the owner objects to the commission's actions.
59.70(13)(c)1.
1. Submit to the board of each county that is participating in the mosquito control district, at the end of each year, a complete audit of the financial transactions concluded and a progress report indicating the actions taken to control mosquitoes.
59.70(13)(c)2.
2. Publish a notice for general circulation in each of the counties in the district for bids at least 10 days prior to purchasing materials or services costing more than $2,500. The notice shall state the nature of the work or purchase, the terms and conditions upon which the contract will be awarded, and the time and place where bids will be received, opened and read publicly. The commission may reject all bids after the reading or shall award the contract to the lowest responsible bidder. The commission may award the contract to any unit of government without the intervention of bidding, under
s. 66.0131 (2). The district business administrator shall execute all contracts in writing, and may require the contracting party to provide a bond to ensure performance of the contract. The commission may direct the business administrator to purchase materials or services costing $5,000 or less on the open market at the lowest price available, without securing competitive bids, if the commission declares that an emergency exists by an affirmative vote of five-sixths of the commission. In this subdivision, an "emergency" is an unforeseen circumstance that jeopardizes life or property.
59.70(13)(c)3.
3. Employ and fix the duties and compensation of a full-time or part-time entomologist to act as director of the mosquito control program, who shall develop and supervise the program.
59.70(13)(c)4.
4. Employ and fix the duties and compensation of a full-time or part-time business administrator, who shall administer the business affairs of the commission and who shall keep an account of all receipts and disbursements by date, source and amount.
59.70(14)
(14) Adverse interest of commissioners. No commissioner may have any personal or financial interest in any contract made by the commission. Any violation of this subsection resulting in a conviction shall void the contract, and shall disqualify the commissioner convicted of the violation from membership on the commission.
59.70(15)
(15) Financing. On or before October 1 of each year, the commission shall require each county within the mosquito control district to contribute an amount per resident of the county to carry out the purposes of
subs. (12) to
(16). The commission shall determine the amount to charge per resident. The commission shall certify in writing to the clerk of each county participating in the mosquito control district, the total amount of the county's contribution to the mosquito control district.
59.70(16)(a)1.1. A county may terminate its participation in the district upon a majority vote of the board and 12 months' notice to the chairperson of the commission. If a county terminates its participation in the district, a board of appraisers as established in
subd. 2. shall appraise the property of the commission.
59.70(16)(a)2.
2. The board of appraisers shall consist of 3 members, one who is appointed by the terminating county, one by the commission and one by the other 2 members of the appraisal board. If the 2 appraisers cannot agree on the appointment of the 3rd appraiser within 30 days, the commission may appoint the 3rd appraiser. The commission shall pay to the treasurer of the terminating county an amount equal to that county's share in the net assets of the commission, proportionate to the county's financial contribution to the mosquito control district. The terminating county shall remain liable for its allocated share of the contractual obligations of the mosquito control district.
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 described in s.
144.76 (3) (intro.), 1973 stats.
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;
2005 a. 149.
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
The county board may delegate relatively broad powers to the land conservation committee in connection with the lease or purchase of real property for the purposes of soil and water conservation, but such property transactions are subject to the approval of the county board.
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)(a)
(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.
59.72(1)(b)
(b) "Land records" means maps, documents, computer files and any other storage medium in which land information is recorded.
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(2)(a)(a) If the county has established a county assessor system under
s. 70.99, the board shall provide Internet access to countywide property tax assessment data, and, if the county maintains land records that identify the zoning classification of individual parcels, the board shall post on the Internet land records that identify the zoning classification of individual parcels.
59.72(2)(b)
(b) No later than June 30 following the end of any year in which a county that accepts a grant under
s. 16.967 (7) or retains any fees under
sub. (5) (b), the county land information office shall submit to the department of administration a report describing the expenditures made with the moneys derived from those grants or retained fees.
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. If the board establishes a county land information office, the 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. For any county in which land records are not accessible on the Internet, the plan shall include a goal of providing access to public land records on the Internet. The plan shall be submitted for approval to the department of administration under
s. 16.967 (3) (e).
59.72(3)(c)
(c) Review and recommend projects from local governmental units for grants from the department of administration under
s. 16.967 (7).
59.72(3m)(a)(a) If the board has established a land information office under
sub. (3), the board shall have a land information council consisting of not less than 8 members. The council shall consist of the register of deeds, the treasurer, and, if one has been appointed, the real property lister or their designees and the following members appointed by the board for terms prescribed by the board:
59.72(3m)(a)3.
3. A realtor or a member of the Realtors Association employed within the county.
59.72(3m)(a)4.
4. A public safety or emergency communications representative employed within the county.
59.72(3m)(a)4m.
4m. The county surveyor or a registered professional land surveyor employed within the county.
59.72(3m)(a)5.
5. Any other members of the board or public that the board designates.
59.72(3m)(am)
(am) Notwithstanding
par. (a), if no person is willing to serve under
par. (a) 3.,
4., or
4m., the board may create or maintain the council without the member designated under
par. (a) 3.,
4., or
4m.
59.72(3m)(b)
(b) The land information council shall review the priorities, needs, policies, and expenditures of a land information office established by the board under
sub. (3) and advise the county on matters affecting the land information office.
59.72(4)(a)(a) A board that has established a land information office under
sub. (3) and a land information council under
sub. (3m) may apply to the department of administration for a grant for a land information project under
s. 16.967 (7).
59.72(4)(b)
(b) A board shall use any grant received by the county under
s. 16.967 (7) (a) and any fees retained under
sub. (5) (b) to design, develop, and implement a land information system under
s. 16.967 (7) (a) 1. and to make public records in the system accessible on the Internet before using these funds for any other purpose.
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 department of administration $10 from the fee for recording or filing each instrument that is recorded or filed under
s. 59.43 (2) (ag) 1. or
(e), less any amount retained by the county under
par. (b).
59.72(5)(b)
(b) Except as provided in
s. 16.967 (7m), a county may retain $8 of the $10 submitted under
par. (a) from the fee for recording or filing each instrument that is recorded or filed under
s. 59.43 (2) (ag) 1. or
(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).
