Wisconsin 2023-2024 Regular Session

Wisconsin Assembly Bill AB661 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

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3	3	2023 - 2024 LEGISLATURE
4	4	2023 ASSEMBLY BILL 661
5	5	November 9, 2023 - Introduced by Representatives DALLMAN, KURTZ, C. ANDERSON,
6	6	CALLAHAN, CONSIDINE, GREEN, KATSMA, KITCHENS, MOSES, NOVAK, O'CONNOR,
7	7	PENTERMAN, RETTINGER, SCHMIDT and WITTKE, cosponsored by Senators
8	8	QUINN, BALLWEG, COWLES, MARKLEIN, PFAFF, SPREITZER and HESSELBEIN.
9	9	Referred to Committee on Local Government.
10	10	*AUTHORS SUBJECT TO CHANGE*
11	11	AN ACT to repeal 65.90 (3) (a) 1.; and to amend 60.10 (1) (b) 2m., 60.30 (1e) (f)
12	12	and 82.19 (2) (a) of the statutes; relating to: town clerk and treasurer
13	13	appointments, publication requirements for proposed budget summary and
14	14	notice of public hearing, and discontinuance of highways.
15	15	Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
16	16	This bill makes changes to various town procedures. Current law provides that
17	17	a town with a population of 2,500 or more may move from an elected clerk, treasurer,
18	18	or combined office of clerk and treasurer to an appointed clerk, treasurer, or
19	19	combined clerk and treasurer by a vote of the electors at a town meeting. Under
20	20	current law, a town with a population of under 2,500 may only move from an elected
21	21	clerk, treasurer, or combined clerk and treasurer to an appointed position through
22	22	a referendum. The bill would allow a town of any size to move from an elected
23	23	position to an appointed one by a vote of the electors at a town meeting. Current law
24	24	also prohibits a town's change from an elected to an appointed clerk, treasurer, or
25	25	combined clerk and treasurer from taking effect until the end of the current elected
26	26	term. Under the bill, a town may move to an appointed clerk, treasurer, or combined
27	27	clerk and treasurer position during an elected term when there is a vacancy in the
28	28	position.
29	29	The bill also changes the publication and notice requirements for towns with
30	30	respect to the public hearing regarding the town's proposed budget. Current law
31	31	requires that towns, cities, and villages conduct a public hearing on a proposed
32	32	budget. Under current law, cities and villages must provide a summary of the
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36	36	4 - 2 -2023 - 2024 Legislature LRB-4591/1
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38	38	ASSEMBLY BILL 661
39	39	proposed budget and notice of the budget public hearing and may do so by publishing
40	40	the summary and notice in a newspaper, posting it in three locations, or posting it
41	41	in one location and on a website maintained by the municipality. Current law also
42	42	requires towns to provide a summary of the proposed budget and notice of the budget
43	43	public hearing, but towns must post the summary and notice in three locations. This
44	44	bill eliminates the limitation on how towns must provide the summary and notice,
45	45	instead allowing towns the same options as cities and villages.
46	46	Finally, under current law, every highway ceases to be a public highway four
47	47	years from the date on which it was laid out, except the parts of the highway that
48	48	have been opened, traveled, or worked within that time. The bill eliminates the
49	49	travel exception from consideration by a town board in determining whether a
50	50	highway has ceased to be a public highway.
51	51	For further information see the local fiscal estimate, which will be printed as
52	52	an appendix to this bill.
53	53	The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do
54	54	enact as follows:
55	55	SECTION 1. 60.10 (1) (b) 2m. of the statutes is amended to read:
56	56	60.10 (1) (b) 2m. In a town with a population of 2,500 or more, provide Provide
57	57	for the appointment by the town board of the town clerk, town treasurer, or both, or
58	58	of the combined office of town clerk and town treasurer under s. 60.305 (1), at a level
59	59	of compensation to be set by the board that may not be reduced during the term to
60	60	which the person is appointed.
61	61	SECTION 2. 60.30 (1e) (f) of the statutes is amended to read:
62	62	60.30 (1e) (f) If a person is appointed to office under par. (e), the person initially
63	63	appointed may not take office until the term of office of the incumbent town clerk,
64	64	town treasurer, or combined town clerk and town treasurer expires there is a vacancy
65	65	in that position, as described under s. 17.03. A person appointed to the office of town
66	66	clerk or town treasurer, or to the combined office of town clerk and town treasurer,
67	67	shall serve for a term, not to exceed 3 years, that is set by the town board. The person
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83	83	SECTION 2
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85	85	may be reappointed and may be dismissed by the board only for cause, as defined in
86	86	s. 17.001.
87	87	SECTION 3. 65.90 (3) (a) 1. of the statutes is repealed.
88	88	SECTION 4. 82.19 (2) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:
89	89	82.19 (2) (a) Every highway shall cease to be a public highway 4 years from the
90	90	date on which it was laid out, except the parts of the highway that have been opened,
91	91	traveled, or worked within that time.
92	92	(END)
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