68.10 History
History: 1975 c. 295,
421.
68.11
68.11
Hearing on administrative appeal. 68.11(1)
(1)
Time of hearing. The municipality shall provide the appellant a hearing on an appeal under
s. 68.10 within 15 days of receipt of the notice of appeal filed or mailed under
s. 68.10 and shall serve the appellant with notice of such hearing by mail or personal service at least 10 days before such hearing.
68.11(2)
(2) Conduct of hearing. At the hearing, the appellant and the municipal authority may be represented by an attorney and may present evidence and call and examine witnesses and cross-examine witnesses of the other party. Such witnesses shall be sworn by the person conducting the hearing. The municipality shall provide an impartial decision maker, who may be an officer, committee, board, commission or the governing body who did not participate in making or reviewing the initial determination, who shall make the decision on administrative appeal. The decision maker may issue subpoenas. An appellant's attorney of record may issue a subpoena to compel the attendance of a witness or the production of evidence. A subpoena issued by an attorney must be in substantially the same form as provided in
s. 805.07 (4) and must be served in the manner provided in
s. 805.07 (5). The attorney shall, at the time of issuance, send a copy of the subpoena to the decision maker. The hearing may, however, be conducted by an impartial person, committee, board or commission designated to conduct the hearing and report to the decision maker.
68.11(3)
(3) Record of hearing. The person conducting the hearing or a person employed for that purpose shall take notes of the testimony and shall mark and preserve all exhibits. The person conducting the hearing may, and upon request of the appellant shall, cause the proceedings to be taken by a stenographer or by a recording device, the expense thereof to be paid by the municipality.
68.11 History
History: 1975 c. 295;
1989 a. 139.
68.11 Annotation
The review of a city council decision by an administrative review appeals board that included the mayor did not violate the requirement of an impartial decision maker when the mayor did not participate in making or reviewing the resolution. City News & Novelty, Inc. v. City of Waukesha,
231 Wis. 2d 93,
604 N.W.2d 870 (Ct. App. 1999),
97-1504.
68.12
68.12
Final determination. 68.12(1)(1) Within 20 days of completion of the hearing conducted under
s. 68.11 and the filing of briefs, if any, the decision maker shall mail or deliver to the appellant its written determination stating the reasons therefor. Such determination shall be a final determination.
68.12(2)
(2) A determination following a hearing substantially meeting the requirements of
s. 68.11 or a decision on review under
s. 68.09 following such hearing shall also be a final determination.
68.12 History
History: 1975 c. 295.
68.13
68.13
Judicial review. 68.13(1)(1) Any party to a proceeding resulting in a final determination may seek review thereof by certiorari within 30 days of receipt of the final determination. The court may affirm or reverse the final determination, or remand to the decision maker for further proceedings consistent with the court's decision.
68.13(2)
(2) If review is sought of a final determination, the record of the proceedings shall be transcribed at the expense of the person seeking review. A transcript shall be supplied to anyone requesting the same at the requester's expense. If the person seeking review establishes impecuniousness to the satisfaction of the reviewing court, the court may order the proceedings transcribed at the expense of the municipality and the person seeking review shall be furnished a free copy of the transcript. By stipulation, the court may order a synopsis of the proceedings in lieu of a transcript. The court may otherwise limit the requirement for a transcript.
68.13 History
History: 1975 c. 295,
421;
1981 c. 289.
68.13 Note
Judicial Council Note, 1981: Reference in sub. (1) to a "writ" of certiorari has been removed because that remedy is now available in an ordinary action. See s. 781.01, stats., and the note thereto. [Bill 613-A]
68.13 Annotation
A litigant cannot bring a claim for money damages grounded upon 42 U.S.C. s. 1983 in a certiorari proceeding under ch. 68. Failure to join an s. 1983 claim with a ch. 68 certiorari action does not preclude the claimant from bringing an s. 1983 claim. Hanlon v. Town of Milton,
2000 WI 61,
235 Wis. 2d 597,
612 N.W.2d 44,
99-1980.
68.13 Annotation
The requirement of procedural due process is met if the state provides adequate post-deprivation remedies. Certiorari under this section is an adequate remedy. Failure to pursue certiorari under this section barred a claim that procedural due process was denied. Thorp v. Town of Lebanon.
2000 WI 60,
235 Wis. 2d 610,
612 N.W.2d 59,
98-2358.
68.13 Annotation
This section unambiguously provides authority for the remand of an agency final order for further proceedings necessary to insure the legislative purpose set forth in s. 68.001. The circuit court had authority to remand a s. 68.12 final determination based upon a reconsideration motion that presented newly discovered recantation evidence. M.H. v. Winnebago County Department of Health & Human Services,
2006 WI App 66,
292 Wis. 2d 417,
714 N.W.2d 241,
05-0871.
68.13 Annotation
A court should not defer to a municipality's interpretation of a statewide standard. Doing so would give one locality disproportionate authority to influence state standards established by the legislature. If the language of the municipality's ordinance appears to be unique and does not parrot a state statute but rather the language was drafted by the municipality in an effort to address a local concern, applying a presumption of correctness, the court will defer to the municipality's interpretation if it is reasonable. Ottman v. Town of Primrose,
2011 WI 18,
332 Wis. 2d 3,
796 N.W.2d 411,
08-3182.
68.13 Annotation
A municipality's interpretation of its own ordinance is unreasonable if it is contrary to law, if it is clearly contrary to the intent, history, or purpose of the ordinance, or if it is without a rational basis. An interpretation that directly contravenes the words of the ordinance is also unreasonable. Ottman v. Town of Primrose,
2011 WI 18,
332 Wis. 2d 3,
796 N.W.2d 411,
08-3182.
68.13 Annotation
A certiorari court cannot order a board to perform a certain act. Thus, a court on certiorari review was without statutory authority to provide the equitable relief requested in this case. Certiorari exists to test the validity of decisions by administrative or quasi-judicial bodies. The scope of certiorari extends to questions of jurisdiction, power and authority of the inferior tribunal to do the action complained of, as well as questions relating to the irregularity of the proceedings. Guerrero v. City of Kenosha Housing Authority,
2011 WI App 138,
337 Wis. 2d 484,
805 N.W.2d 127,
10-2305.
68.14
68.14
Legislative review. 68.14(1)(1) The seeking of a review pursuant to
s. 68.10 or
68.13 does not preclude a person aggrieved from seeking relief from the governing body of the municipality or any of its boards, commissions, committees, or agencies which may have jurisdiction.
68.14(2)
(2) If in the course of legislative review under this section, a determination is modified, such modification and any evidence adduced before the governing body, board, commission, committee or agency shall be made part of the record on review under
s. 68.13.
68.14(3)
(3) The governing body, board, commission, committee or agency conducting a legislative review under this section need not conduct the type of hearing required under
s. 68.11.
68.14 History
History: 1975 c. 295.
68.15
68.15
Availability of methods of resolving disputes. This chapter does not preclude any municipality and person aggrieved from employing arbitration, mediation or other methods of resolving disputes, and does not supersede contractual provisions for that purpose.
68.15 History
History: 1975 c. 295.
68.16
68.16
Election not to be governed by this chapter. The governing body of any municipality may elect not to be governed by this chapter in whole or in part by an ordinance or resolution which provides procedures for administrative review of municipal determinations.
68.16 History
History: 1975 c. 295.
68.16 Annotation
In order for a municipality to elect not to be governed by a particular section of ch. 68, the municipality must enact an ordinance that shows that it chooses to opt out of the particular section. Tee & Bee, Inc. v. City of West Allis,
214 Wis. 2d 194,
571 N.W.2d 438 (Ct. App. 1997),
96-2143.
