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Chapter 2
CHAPTER 2
THE GOVERNING BODY
2.08 Reconsideration of Question
2.09 Disturbances and Disorderly Conduct
2.10 Appropriations and Accounts
2.11 Publication and Effect of Ordinances
2.01 THE TOWN BOARD. The Town Board shall consist of the Town
Chairman and 2 supervisors, who shall be elected for 2-year terms in odd-numbered years.
2.02 MEETINGS. (1) OPEN MEETING LAW REQUIREMENTS. Notice of
every meeting of the Town Board, and every board, commission and committee thereof,
shall be given to the public, to those news media who have filed a written request for
such notice, and to the newspaper at least 24 hours prior to commencement of the
meeting. If such notice is impossible or impractical, shorter notice may be given for
good cause shown, but in no case may notice be given less than 2 hours in advance of
the meeting. Every public notice of a meeting shall contain the time, date, place and
subject matter of the meeting. See Sec. 19.84, Wis. Stats.
(2) REGULAR MEETINGS. Regular meetings of the Town Board shall be
held on the 2nd Monday of each calendar month, at 7:00 pm. Any regular meeting
falling on a legal holiday shall be held on the next following secular day, at the same
hour and place. All meetings of the Board, including special and adjourned meetings,
shall be held in the Town Hall.
(3) SPECIAL MEETINGS. Special meetings of the Town Board may be
called by the Town Chairman or any 2 supervisors in writing filed with the Clerk at
least 36 hours prior to the time specified for such meeting. The Clerk shall immediately
notify each supervisor of the time and purpose of such meeting by causing a written
notice thereof to be delivered to each supervisor personally, if he can be found, or, if
he cannot be found, then by leaving a copy of such notice at the home of such
supervisor. The Clerk shall cause an affidavit showing service of such notice as herein
provided to be filed in his office prior to the time fixed for such special meeting.
Special meetings may be held without such notice when all members of the Town Board
are present in person or consent in writing to the holding of such meeting, such written
consent to be filed with the Clerk prior to the beginning of the meeting. Any special
meeting attended by all the supervisors shall be a regular meeting for the transaction
of any business that may come before such meeting.
(4) MEETINGS TO BE PUBLIC. All meetings of the Town Board and sub units
thereof shall be open to the public as provided in Sub chapter IV of Chapter 19, Sees.
19.81-19.89, Wis. Stats.
2.03 PRESIDING OFFICER, (1) DESIGNATED. The Town Chairman shall
preside. In the absence of the Chairman, the Clerk shall call the meeting to order and
the supervisors present shall elect one of their number President pro tern.
(2) DUTIES. The presiding officer shall preserve order and decorum, decide
all questions of order and conduct the proceedings of the meeting in accordance with
the parliamentary rules contained in Robert's Rules of Order, Newly Revised, unless
otherwise provided by statute or by these rules.
(3) DECISIONS, APPEALS FROM. Any member may appeal from a decision
of the presiding officer. An appeal shall be sustained by a unanimous vote of the
members.
2.04 ROLL CALL; QUORUM. (1) ROLL CALL; PROCEDURE WHEN
QUORUM NOT IN ATTENDANCE. As soon as the Board is called to order, the Clerk
shall proceed to call the names of the members in alphabetical order, noting who are
present and who are absent, and record the same in the proceedings of the Board. If
there is not a quorum present, the fact shall be entered on the journal and the Board
may adjourn; or the President or, in his absence, the Clerk may issue a process to any
constable commanding him to summon the absentees immediately.
(2) QUORUM. A majority of the members shall constitute a quorum. The
President shall be counted in computing a quorum.
2.05 ORDER OF BUSINESS. The business of the Board shall be conducted
in the following order:
(1) Call to order by President.
(2) Roll call. If a quorum is not present, the meeting may thereupon
adjourn, which may be to a specific date and hour pursuant to Sec. 2.02(3) or the
absentees may be summoned as provided by Sec. 2.04(1).
(3) Reading the minutes of the preceding meeting, and approving the same
if correct or rectifying mistakes if any exist.
(4) Public appearances.
(5) Unfinished business from the previous meeting.
(6) New business, including the introduction of ordinances and resolutions.
(7) Reports of Town officers.
(8) Communications and miscellaneous business.
2.06 CLERK PRO TEM. In the absence of the Clerk, the Deputy Clerk
shall act as Clerk pro tern.
2.07 CONDUCT OF DELIBERATIONS. The deliberations of the Town Board
shall be conducted in the following manner:
(1) When 2 or more members simultaneously seek recognition, the presiding
officer shall name the member who is to speak first.
(2) Except as provided in Sec. 2.05(4), no person other than a member shall
address the Board, except by vote of a majority of the members present.
(3) No motion shall be discussed or acted upon until it has been seconded
unless the rules permit one trustee to initiate the action. No motion shall be withdrawn
without the consent of the person making the same and the person seconding it.
(4) When a question is under discussion, no action shall be in order except
the following motions, which shall have precedence in the order listed;
(a) To adjourn;
(b) To lay on the table;
(c) To move the previous question;
(d) To postpone to a certain day;
(e) To refer to a committee;
(f) To amend; or
(g) To postpone indefinitely.
(5) Any member desiring to terminate debate may move the previous
question, in which event the presiding officer shall announce the question as, "Shall
the main question now be put?" If a majority of the members present vote in the
affirmative, the main question shall be taken without further debate, its effect being
to put an end to all debate and bring the Board to a direct vote, first upon any pending
amendments and then upon the main question.
(6) Any supervisor may demand an aye and nay vote on any matter, and
such vote shall be entered in the proceedings. A majority vote of all members of
the Board in favor of any proposed ordinance, resolution or appointment shall be
necessary for passage or approval unless a larger number is required by statute. Except
as otherwise provided by these rules, a majority vote of those present shall prevail in
other cases.
(7) A motion to adjourn shall always be in order; and a motion to adjourn or
to lay on the table and a call for the previous question shall be decided without debate.
2.08 RE CONS IDE RATION OF QUESTION. Any member voting with the
majority may move for a reconsideration of the vote on any question at that meeting or
at the next succeeding regular meeting. A motion to reconsider being put and lost
shall not be renewed. A member may not change his vote on any question after the
result has been announced.
2.09 DISTURBANCES AND DISORDERLY CONDUCT. Whenever any
disturbance or disorderly conduct occurs in any meeting of the Board, the presiding
officer may cause the room to be cleared of all persons guilty of such disorderly
conduct except the member. If any member is guilty of disorderly conduct, the presiding
officer may order the constable or police to take him into custody for the time being
or until the meeting adjourns. Such member may appeal from such order to the Board
as in other cases.
2.10 APPROPRIATIONS AND ACCOUNTS. All demands or accounts shall
be acted upon at the time of presentation unless one or more members demands a
reference.
2.11 PUBLICATION AND EFFECT OF ORDINANCES (1) PUBLICATION.
All general ordinances of the Town and all regulations imposing a penalty shall be
published in the newspaper of the Town once and shall be immediately recorded, with
the affidavit of publication, by the Town Clerk in a book kept for that purpose. A
printed copy of such ordinance or resolution in any book, pamphlet or newspaper and
published or purporting to be published therein by direction of the Town Board shall
be prima facie proof of due passage, publication and recording thereof.
(2) EFFECTIVE DATE. Unless otherwise provided, all ordinances shall take
effect and be in force from and after passage and publication; and published copies
thereof shall have appended the date of first publication.
2.12 AMENDMENT OF RULES. These rules shall not be rescinded or
amended unless the proposed amendment or motion to rescind has laid over from a
regular meeting, and then it shall require a vote of 2/3 of the members of the Board.
2.13 SUSPENSION OF RULES. These rules or any part thereof may be
temporarily suspended in connection with any matter under consideration by a recorded
vote of 2/3 of the members.