Chapter 60

60.726(2) (2) If a property owner installed on his or her property a private on-site wastewater treatment system that conforms with the state plumbing code, before a town sanitary district that encompasses that property came into existence, that property shall be included in the town sanitary district. If the private on-site wastewater treatment system was installed on or after 10 years before May 14, 1992, and if the property owner provides the town sanitary district with any information about the cost of the private on-site wastewater treatment system required by the district, the town sanitary district, when the district issues any assessment or charges or imposes property taxes to construct a sewage service system, shall pay or credit the property owner an amount equal to 10 percent of the cost of the private on-site wastewater treatment system, less any grants or aids received by the property owner for construction of the private on-site wastewater treatment system, multiplied by the number of years of remaining life of the private on-site wastewater treatment system. The number of years of remaining life of the private on-site wastewater treatment system is equal to 10 minus the number of years that the private on-site wastewater treatment system has been in operation.

60.726 History History: 1991 a. 270; 1993 a. 213; 1997 a. 252; 2011 a. 146.

60.726 Annotation Homeowners did not have a constitutionally protected vested property right in being excluded from a sanitary district; retroactive application of sub. (1) requiring connection was constitutional. State ex rel. Vanderbloemen v. Town of West Bend Board of Supervisors, 188 Wis. 2d 458, 525 N.W.2d 133 (Ct. App. 1994).

60.73 60.73 Review of orders creating town sanitary districts. Any person aggrieved by any act of the town board or the department of natural resources in establishing a town sanitary district may bring an action in the circuit court of the county in which his or her lands are located, to set aside the final determination of the town board or the department of natural resources, within 90 days after the final determination, as provided under s. 893.73 (2). If no action is taken within the 90-day period, the determination by the town board or the department of natural resources is final.

60.73 History History: 1983 a. 532.

60.74 60.74 Commissioners; method of selection.

60.74(1) (1) Single town districts. If a town sanitary district is located entirely within one town, the town board shall determine how commissioners will be selected. The town board may appoint the commissioners, provide for their election or constitute itself as the commission. If the town board constitutes itself as the commission, it shall do so by an affirmative vote of at least two-thirds of the town board supervisors. The town board shall determine the method of selection for the initial commissioners within 60 days after the town sanitary district is established.

60.74(2) (2) Multiple town districts.

60.74(2)(a) (a) If a town sanitary district is located in 2 or more towns, the town board of the town containing the largest portion of the equalized full value of taxable property of the district shall determine, within 60 days after the district is established, how commissioners will be selected. The town board may appoint commissioners or provide for their election.

60.74(2)(b) (b) If, as a result of a change in each town’s share of the equalized full value of taxable property in the district, a town’s share exceeds the share of the town first authorized to determine selection under par. (a), the town board of the town with the greater share, within 60 days, may provide for the election or appointment of commissioners to replace the commissioners selected under par. (a). Any commissioner selected under par. (a) shall serve until new commissioners are appointed or elected under this paragraph.

60.74(3) (3) Election of commissioners.

60.74(3)(a) (a) If the town board provides for the election of commissioners, the town board shall either schedule the election of the first commissioners at the next regular spring election or call a special election. If the town board schedules the election of the first commissioners at the next regular spring election, the town board shall appoint commissioners, within the time limits specified in sub. (1) or (2), to serve until the 3rd Monday of April in the year when the next regular spring election is held.

60.74(3)(b) (b) After the first commissioners are elected, all subsequent commissioners shall be elected at a regular spring election.

60.74(4) (4) Change from appointment to election.

60.74(4)(a) (a) If the commissioners of a district have been appointed, a petition requesting that commissioners be elected may be submitted, subject to sub. (5m) (b), to the town board responsible for the selection of commissioners under sub. (1) or (2). The petition shall state whether the petitioners wish to have the first commissioners elected at a special election or at the spring election. The petition shall conform to the requirements of s. 8.40 and shall be signed by qualified electors of the district equal to at least 20 percent of the vote cast for governor in the district at the last gubernatorial election.

60.74(4)(b) (b) Upon receipt of the petition, the town board shall provide for the election of commissioners. If the petition requests the election of the first commissioners at the spring election and the petition is filed on or after the date of the spring election and on or before November 15 in any year, they shall be elected at the succeeding spring election; otherwise they shall be elected at the 2nd succeeding spring election. If the petition requests the election of the first commissioners at a special election, the town board shall order the special election in accordance with s. 8.50 (2) (a). After the first commissioners are elected, all subsequent commissioners shall be elected at the spring election.

60.74(4)(c) (c) If the commissioners are elected at a special election, the current appointed commissioners continue to serve until their successors are elected and qualify. If the commissioners are elected at a regular spring election, the current appointed commissioners continue to serve until the 3rd Monday of April following the election of the commissioners.

60.74(5) (5) Change from election to appointment.

60.74(5)(a) (a) If the commissioners have been elected as the result of a petition under sub. (4), the town board may not change the method of selection from election to appointment except as provided under par. (b).

60.74(5)(b) (b) A petition conforming to the requirements of s. 8.40 signed by qualified electors of the district equal to at least 20 percent of the vote cast for governor in the district at the last gubernatorial election, requesting a change to appointment of commissioners, may be submitted to the town board, subject to sub. (5m) (a). The petition shall be filed as provided in s. 8.37. Upon receipt of the petition, the town board shall submit the question to a referendum at the next regular spring election or general election, or shall call a special election for that purpose. The inspectors shall count the votes and submit a statement of the results to the commission. The commission shall canvass the results of the election and certify the results to the town board which has authority to appoint commissioners.

60.74(5)(c) (c) If the change in the method of selection of commissioners is approved at the referendum, the town board shall appoint commissioners within 60 days after the referendum is conducted.

60.74(5m) (5m) Frequency of changes between election and appointment restricted.

60.74(5m)(a) (a) If the commissioners have been elected as a result of a petition and election under sub. (4), no petition may be submitted under sub. (5) (b) to change the method of selection from election to appointment within 5 years after the date on which the election of the commissioners was held.

60.74(5m)(b) (b) If the commissioners have been appointed as the result of a petition and referendum under sub. (5), no petition may be submitted under sub. (4) (a) to change the method of selection from appointment to election within 5 years after the date on which the results of a referendum held under sub. (5) have been certified under sub. (5) (b).

60.74(6) (6) Elector determination. Whenever in this section the number of names of electors required on a petition cannot be determined on the basis of reported election statistics, the number shall be determined as follows:

60.74(6)(a) (a) The area of the district in square miles shall be divided by the area, in square miles, of the municipality in which it lies.

60.74(6)(b) (b) The vote for governor at the last general election in the municipality within which the district lies shall be multiplied by the quotient determined under par. (a).

60.74(6)(c) (c) If a district is in more than one municipality, the method of determination under pars. (a) and (b) shall be used for each part of the district which constitutes only a fractional part of any area for which election statistics are available.

60.74 History History: 1983 a. 532; 1987 a. 391; 1989 a. 192, 359; 1993 a. 167; 1999 a. 182.

60.75 60.75 Commissioners; requirements.

60.75(1) (1) Number of commissioners.

60.75(1)(a) (a) Except as provided in par. (b), the commission shall consist of 3 or 5 members.

60.75(1)(b) (b) If the town board constitutes itself as the commission, the number of commissioners shall be the number of town board supervisors.

60.75(2) (2) Terms.

60.75(2)(a) (a) Except as provided in pars. (b), (bm), and (c), commissioners shall serve for staggered 6-year terms.

60.75(2)(b) (b) Except as provided under par. (c), of the commissioners in a district in which the town board changes the number of commissioners from 5 to 3 or of the commissioners first appointed or elected in a newly established town sanitary district, which consists of 3 members, one shall be appointed or elected for a term of 2 years, one for a term of 4 years and one for a term of 6 years. If the commissioners first elected in a newly established town sanitary district are elected at a special election, the town board shall specify shorter staggered terms for the commissioners so that their successors may be elected at a regular spring election.

60.75(2)(bm) (bm) Except as provided under par. (c), of the commissioners in a district in which the town board changes the number of commissioners from 3 to 5 or of the commissioners first appointed or elected in a newly established town sanitary district, which consists of 5 members, 2 shall be appointed or elected for a term of 2 years, 2 for a term of 4 years, and one for a term of 6 years. If the commissioners described in this paragraph are first elected at a special election, the town board shall specify shorter staggered terms for the commissioners so that their successors may be elected at a regular spring election.

60.75(2)(c) (c) If the town board constitutes itself as the commission, the terms of the commissioners are concurrent with the terms of the town board supervisors.

60.75(2)(d) (d) An elected commissioner shall hold office until the 3rd Monday of April in the year that his or her successor is elected. An appointed commissioner shall hold office until a successor takes office.

60.75(3) (3) Residence; requirement to own property.

60.75(3)(a) (a) Except as provided in par. (b) or (c), all commissioners shall be residents of the town sanitary district.

60.75(3)(b) (b) If commissioners are elected or appointed and if the sanitary district is composed primarily of summer resort property, any of the commissioners may be a resident of the district. Any commissioner who is not a resident shall own property within the town sanitary district.

60.75(3)(c) (c) If the town board constitutes itself as the commission, par. (a) does not apply.

60.75(4) (4) Vacancies. Any vacancy on an elective or appointive commission may be filled by appointment by the town board for the remainder of the unexpired term, except as provided in s. 9.10. Any vacancy on a commission consisting of town board supervisors remains vacant until a successor town board supervisor is appointed or elected.

60.75(5) (5) Oath of office. Before assuming office, each commissioner shall take and sign the oath of office required under s. 19.01 and file the oath with the town clerk.

60.75 History History: 1983 a. 532; 2007 a. 56; 2015 a. 245; 2017 a. 233.

60.76 60.76 Organization of the commission.

60.76(1) (1) Election of officers.

60.76(1)(a) (a) Except as provided in par. (b), the commission shall organize by electing one of its members president and appointing a secretary and treasurer.

60.76(1)(b) (b) When the town board constitutes the commission, the town chairperson shall be the commission president, the town clerk shall be the commission secretary and the town treasurer shall be the commission treasurer.

60.76(2) (2) Secretary; duties. The secretary shall keep a separate record of all proceedings and minutes of meetings and hearings. At the end of each fiscal year, the secretary shall submit to the town board of each town in which the district is located a report showing a complete audit of the financial transactions of the commission during the fiscal year. The report shall be incorporated in the annual financial statement of the town containing the largest portion of the equalized full value of all taxable property in the district.

60.76(3) (3) Treasurer. The commission may require the treasurer to execute an indemnity bond, provided by the district, in an amount which the commission finds appropriate for the proper performance of the treasurer’s duties.

60.76(4) (4) Fiscal year. The town sanitary district fiscal year is the calendar year.

60.76 History History: 1983 a. 532.

60.77 60.77 Powers and duties.

60.77(1) (1) Authority of the commission. The commission has charge of all affairs of the town sanitary district.

60.77(2) (2) Corporate status. The district is a body corporate with the powers of a municipal corporation for the purposes of carrying out this subchapter. The district may sue and be sued and may enter into contracts. The commission may provide for a corporate seal of the town sanitary district.

60.77(3) (3) Compensation; expenses. The town board of the town having the largest portion of the equalized full value of all taxable property in the district may fix the compensation of the commissioners, the secretary and the treasurer. The commissioners and the secretary and treasurer of the commission may receive actual and necessary expenses incurred while in the performance of the duties of the office in addition to any other compensation.

60.77(4) (4) General powers and duties. The commission may project, plan, construct and maintain a water, solid waste collection and sewerage system, including drainage improvements, sanitary sewers, surface sewers or storm water sewers, or all of the improvements or activities or any combination of them necessary for the promotion of the public health, comfort, convenience or welfare of the district. The commission may provide chemical or mechanical treatment of waters for the suppression of swimmers’ itch, algae and other nuisance-producing aquatic growths.

60.77(5) (5) Specific powers. The commission may:

60.77(5)(a) (a) Sell any of its services to users outside of its corporate limits.

60.77(5)(b) (b) Require the installation of private on-site wastewater treatment systems.

60.77(5)(bm) (bm) Require the inspection of private on-site wastewater treatment systems that have been already installed to determine compliance with the state plumbing code and may report violations of the state plumbing code to the governmental unit responsible for the regulation of private on-site wastewater treatment systems for enforcement under s. 145.20.

60.77(5)(bs) (bs) Provide direct financial assistance for costs related to the replacement of private on-site wastewater treatment systems that are failing.

60.77(5)(c) (c) Issue rules or orders, which shall be published either in their entirety, as a class 1 notice under ch. 985, or as a notice, as described under sub. (5s) (b).

60.77(5)(d) (d) Provide an office for the district.

60.77(5)(e) (e) Fix and collect charges for solid waste collection and disposal, sewage service and water service. The commission may fix and collect sewage service charges under s. 66.0821 and water service charges under s. 66.0809.

60.77(5)(f) (f) Except as provided in s. 66.0721, levy special assessments to finance the activities of the district, using the procedures under s. 66.0703.

60.77(5)(g) (g) Provide for the operation as a single enterprise of its water, solid waste or sewerage system, or any part or combination of parts of the system.

60.77(5)(h) (h) Lease or acquire, including by condemnation, any real property situated in this state and any personal property that may be needed for the purposes of this subchapter.

60.77(5)(i) (i) Sell, convey or dispose of any part of its interest in real or personal property which it has acquired that is not needed to carry out the powers and duties of the commission.

60.77(5)(j) (j) Administer the private on-site wastewater treatment system program if authorized under s. 145.20 (1) (am).

60.77(5)(k) (k) Gather at the site of a public works project that has been approved by the commission for the sole purpose of inspecting the work that has been completed or that is in progress if, before gathering at the site, the president of the commission or the president’s designee notifies by telephone or facsimile transmission those news media who have filed a written request for notice of such inspections in relation to that project and if the president of the commission or the president’s designee submits at the next commission meeting a report that describes the inspection. The commission may not take any official action at the inspection site.

60.77(5m) (5m) Authority to enact ordinances. The commission may enact and enforce ordinances to implement the powers listed under sub. (5). The ordinances shall be published either in their entirety, as a class 1 notice under ch. 985, or as a notice, as described under sub. (5s) (b).

60.77(5s) (5s) Requirements for notice.

60.77(5s)(a) (a) In this subsection, “summary” has the meaning given in s. 59.14 (1m) (a).

60.77(5s)(b) (b) A notice of an ordinance, rule, or order that may be published under this subsection shall be published as a class 1 notice under ch. 985 and shall contain at least all of the following:

60.77(5s)(b)1. 1. The number and title of the ordinance, rule, or order.

60.77(5s)(b)2. 2. The date of enactment.

60.77(5s)(b)3. 3. A summary of the subject matter and main points of the ordinance, rule, or order.

60.77(5s)(b)4. 4. Information as to where the full text of the ordinance, rule, or order may be obtained, including the phone number of the commission’s secretary, a street address where the full text of the ordinance, rule, or order may be viewed, and a website, if any, at which the ordinance, rule, or order may be accessed.

60.77(6) (6) Specific duties. The commission shall:

60.77(6)(a) (a) Let contracts for any work or purchase that involves an expenditure of $25,000 or more to the lowest responsible bidder in the manner prescribed by the commission. Section 66.0901 applies to contracts let under this paragraph.

60.77(6)(b) (b) On or before November 1 of each year, levy a tax on all taxable property in the district and apportion the tax among the municipalities in which the district is located on the basis of equalized full value, for the purpose of carrying out the provisions of this subchapter. The amount of the tax in excess of that required for maintenance and operation of the district and for principal and interest on bonds or promissory notes may not exceed, in any one year, one mill on each dollar of the equalized full value of all taxable property in the district. The commission shall certify in writing to the clerk of every municipality in which the district is located the total amount of tax levied in the municipality.

60.77(7) (7) Interest in contracts; penalty. No commissioner may have an interest, directly or indirectly, in a contract with, work or labor done for or material furnished to the town sanitary district or to anyone on the district’s behalf, unless the interest is in a contract not exceeding $1,000 in any one year or in the publication of required legal notices by the district or a commissioner if the publication rate does not exceed the rate prescribed by law. A commissioner who violates this subsection shall forfeit not less than $50 nor more than $500.

60.77 History History: 1983 a. 532; 1989 a. 31, 56, 159, 322; 1991 a. 39; 1993 a. 16; 1995 a. 185, 349, 378; 1999 a. 150 s. 672; 2001 a. 16; 2005 a. 202; 2007 a. 72; 2011 a. 146; 2017 a. 365 s. 112.

60.77 Annotation Sub. (6) (b) does not prevent the levy under s. 66.09 (1) (b) [now s. 66.0117 (2) (b)] of the full amount of a judgment against a district. Davy Engineering Co. v. Clerk of Mentor, 221 Wis. 2d 744, 585 N.W.2d 832 (Ct. App. 1998), 97-3575.

60.77 Annotation Sub. (5) (f) authorizes town sanitary districts to levy special assessments and makes the procedures under s. 66.60 [now s. 66.0703] applicable to those districts. As such, service of a notice of appeal on the district clerk was proper under s. 66.60 [now s. 66.0703]. Mayek v. Cloverleaf Lakes Sanitary District #1, 2000 WI App 182, 238 Wis. 2d 261, 617 N.W.2d 235, 99-2895.

60.78 60.78 Powers to borrow money and issue municipal obligations. A town sanitary district may, under ss. 66.0621 and 66.0713 and ch. 67, borrow money and issue and execute municipal obligations, as defined under s. 67.01 (6).