Chapter 59, COUNTIES
96 sections in this chapter.
Wis. Stat. § 59.51 Board powers
1.1K chars
59.51 Board powers. 59.51(1)(1) Organizational or administrative powers. The board of each county shall have the authority to exercise any organizational or administrative power, subject only to the constitution and any enactment of the legislature which grants the organizational…
Wis. Stat. § 59.52 County administration
18.6K chars
59.52 County administration. 59.52(1)(1) Department of administration. 59.52(1)(a)(a) In counties with a population of 750,000 or more, the county may create a department of administration, provide for the appointment by the county executive of a director of such department and a…
Wis. Stat. § 59.53 Health and human services
18.6K chars
59.53 Health and human services. 59.53(1)(1) Surplus commodity plans. The board may adopt and participate in any surplus commodity absorption plan in connection with furnishing relief to needy persons within any municipality in the county and appropriate money to carry out such p…
Wis. Stat. § 59.535 Veterans affairs
2.1K chars
59.535 Veterans affairs. 59.535(1)(1) Certifications and filings for veterans; no charge. 59.535(1)(a)(a) In this subsection, “veteran” has the meaning given in s. 45.01 (12), and includes a person under s. 45.51 (2) (a) 2. 59.535(1)(b)(b) No fee shall be charged by any register …
Wis. Stat. § 59.54 Public protection and safety
34.5K chars
59.54 Public protection and safety. (1) AMBULANCES. The board may purchase, equip, operate and maintain ambulances and contract for ambulance service with one or more providers for conveyance of the sick or injured and make reasonable charges for the use thereof. (2) RESCUE EQUIP…
Wis. Stat. § 59.55 Consumer protection
3.0K chars
59.55 Consumer protection. 59.55(1)(1) County consumer protection agency. 59.55(1)(a)(a) In this subsection: 59.55(1)(a)1.1. “Consumer complaint” means a complaint received by a consumer protection agency from an individual. 59.55(1)(a)2.2. “County consumer protection agency” mea…
Wis. Stat. § 59.56 Cultural affairs; education; recreation
18.2K chars
59.56 Cultural affairs; education; recreation. (1) CULTURAL AND EDUCATIONAL CONTRIBUTIONS. The board may appropriate money for cultural, artistic, educational and musical programs, projects and related activities, including financial assistance to nonprofit corporations devoted t…
Wis. Stat. § 59.57 Economic and industrial development
15.8K chars
59.57 Economic and industrial development. (1) COUNTY INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT AGENCY. (a) Subject to par. (b), the board may appropriate money for and create a county industrial development agency or to any nonprofit agency organized to engage or engaging in activities described i…
Wis. Stat. § 59.58 Transportation
16.0K chars
59.58 Transportation. (1) AIRPORTS. The board may: (a) Construct, purchase, acquire, develop, improve, extend, equip, operate and maintain airports and airport facilities and buildings, including without limitation because of enumeration, terminal buildings, hangars and parking s…
Wis. Stat. § 59.60 Budgetary procedure in certain counties
18.6K chars
59.60 Budgetary procedure in certain counties. (1) APPLICATION. The provisions of this section shall apply to all counties with a population of 750,000 or more. Except as provided in sub. (13), any county with a county executive or county administrator may elect to be subject to …
Wis. Stat. § 59.605 Tax levy rate limit
7.8K chars
59.605 Tax levy rate limit. (1) DEFINITIONS. In this section: (a) “Debt levy” means the county purpose levy for debt service on loans under subch. II of ch. 24, bonds issued under s. 67.05, promissory notes issued under s. 67.12 (12), and appropriation bonds issued under s. 59.85…
Wis. Stat. § 59.61 Financial transactions
4.5K chars
59.61 Financial transactions. (1) RECEIPTS AND DEPOSITS OF MONEY; ACCOUNTS. Every county officer and employee and every board, commission or other body that collects or receives money for or in behalf of the county shall: (a) Give such receipts therefor and file such duplicates t…
Wis. Stat. § 59.62 Investment authority delegation
0.6K chars
59.62 Investment authority delegation. (1) The board may delegate to any officer or employee any authority assigned by law to the board to invest county funds. The delegation shall provide that the officer or employee be bonded. (2) The board may impose any restriction on the del…
Wis. Stat. § 59.63 Treasurer’s disbursement of revenue
16.2K chars
59.63 Treasurer’s disbursement of revenue. The treasurer may make disbursements of property tax revenues and of credits under s. 79.10 according to the proportions that are reported under ss. 60.33 (10m), 61.25 (10) and 62.09 (11) (j). History: 1983 a. 395; 1985 a. 39 s. 17; 1989…
Wis. Stat. § 59.64 Claims against county
14.7K chars
59.64 Claims against county. 59.64(1)(1) Claims, how made; procedure. 59.64(1)(a)(a) In general. Every person, except jurors, witnesses and interpreters, and except physicians or other persons who are entitled to receive from the county fees for reporting to the register of deeds…
Wis. Stat. § 59.65 Publication of financial report
11.1K chars
59.65 Publication of financial report. A board shall cause to be made out and published in the county, as a class 1 notice, under ch. 985, immediately after its annual meeting, a report of the receipts and expenditures of the immediately preceding year and the accounts allowed. T…
Wis. Stat. § 59.66 Unclaimed funds
10.2K chars
59.66 Unclaimed funds. 59.66(1)(1) Disposition of unclaimed funds by court clerks. 59.66(1)(a)(a) On or before January 10 of every odd-numbered year the circuit court clerk shall file with the treasurer of his or her county a written report under oath of all moneys, securities or…
Wis. Stat. § 59.69 Planning and zoning authority
79.3K chars
59.69 Planning and zoning authority. (1) PURPOSE. It is the purpose of this section to promote the public health, safety, convenience and general welfare; to encourage planned and orderly land use development; to protect property values and the property tax base; to permit the ca…
Wis. Stat. § 59.691 Required notice on certain approvals
1.9K chars
59.691 Required notice on certain approvals. (1) In this section, “wetland” has the meaning given in s. 23.32 (1). (2) (a) Except as provided in par. (b), a county that issues a building permit or other approval for construction activity, shall give the applicant a written notice…
Wis. Stat. § 59.692 Zoning of shorelands on navigable waters
27.4K chars
59.692 Zoning of shorelands on navigable waters. (1) In this section: (a) “Department” means the department of natural resources. (ar) “Roadway” has the meaning given in s. 340.01 (54). (b) “Shorelands” means the area within the following distances from the ordinary high-water ma…
Wis. Stat. § 59.693 Construction site erosion control and storm water management zoning
5.7K chars
59.693 Construction site erosion control and storm water management zoning. (1) DEFINITION. In this section, “department” means the department of natural resources. (2) AUTHORITY TO ENACT ORDINANCE. To effect the purposes of s. 281.33 and to promote the public health, safety and …
Wis. Stat. § 59.694 County zoning, adjustment board
27.3K chars
59.694 County zoning, adjustment board. (1) APPOINTMENT, POWER. The county board may provide for the appointment of a board of adjustment, and in the regulations and restrictions adopted under s. 59.69 may provide that the board of adjustment may, in appropriate cases and subject…
Wis. Stat. § 59.696 Zoning; filing fees
0.5K chars
59.696 Zoning; filing fees. The board may enact ordinances establishing schedules of reasonable filing fees for the filing of petitions to amend county zoning ordinances and notices of appeal to the board of adjustment from determinations of county zoning authorities and providin…
Wis. Stat. § 59.697 Fees for zoning appeals
0.2K chars
59.697 Fees for zoning appeals. The board may establish a schedule of fees to be charged for the filing of petitions for amendment and notices of appeal under ss. 59.69 and 59.694, relating to zoning ordinances. History: 1995 a. 201 s. 182.
Wis. Stat. § 59.698 Zoning, building inspector
0.4K chars
59.698 Zoning, building inspector. Except as provided under s. 59.69 (2) (bm), for the enforcement of all laws, ordinances, rules and regulations enacted under s. 59.69, the board may appoint a building inspector, define the building inspector’s duties and fix the building inspec…
Wis. Stat. § 59.70 Environmental protection and land use
28.8K chars
59.70 Environmental protection and land use. (1) BUILDING AND SANITARY CODES. The board may enact building and sanitary codes, make necessary rules and regulations in relation thereto and provide for enforcement of the codes, rules and regulations by forfeiture or otherwise. The …
Wis. Stat. § 59.71 Special counties; record keeping
2.1K chars
59.71 Special counties; record keeping. (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, villag…
Wis. Stat. § 59.72 Land information
7.3K chars
59.72 Land information. (1) DEFINITIONS. In this section: (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 informa…
Wis. Stat. § 59.73 Surveys; expressing bearings, subdividing sections
1.5K chars
59.73 Surveys; expressing bearings, subdividing sections. (1) HOW BEARINGS EXPRESSED IN SURVEYS. In all surveys the bearings shall be expressed with reference to a magnetic, true or other identifiable line of the public land survey, recorded and filed subdivision or to the Wiscon…
Wis. Stat. § 59.74 Perpetuation of section corners, landmarks
10.4K chars
59.74 Perpetuation of section corners, landmarks. (1) RELOCATION AND PERPETUATION OF SECTION CORNERS AND DIVISION LINES. (a) If a majority of all the resident landowners in any section of land within this state desire to establish, relocate or perpetuate any section or other corn…
Wis. Stat. § 59.75 Certificates and records as evidence
0.7K chars
59.75 Certificates and records as evidence. The certificate and also the official record of the county surveyor when produced by the legal custodian thereof, or any of the county surveyor’s deputies, when duly signed by the county surveyor in his or her official capacity, shall b…
Wis. Stat. § 59.76 Registration of farms
1.1K chars
59.76 Registration of farms. The owner of any farm or country estate, or that person’s authorized agent, may register the name of the farm or estate in the office of the register of deeds of the county in which the farm or estate is situated. The owner or purchaser of the farm or…
Wis. Stat. § 59.79 Milwaukee County
4.7K chars
59.79 Milwaukee County. In a county with a population of 750,000 or more, the board may: (1) HOUSING FACILITIES. Build, furnish and rent housing facilities to residents of the county. Such a county may borrow money or accept grants from the federal government for or in aid of any…
Wis. Stat. § 59.792 Milwaukee County; sewage, waste, refuse
4.1K chars
59.792 Milwaukee County; sewage, waste, refuse. (1) In this section: (a) “County” means a county with a population of 750,000 or more. (b) “Waste” includes, without limitation because of enumeration, garbage, ashes, municipal, domestic, industrial and commercial rubbish, waste or…
Wis. Stat. § 59.794 Milwaukee County; limitations on board authority and on intergovernmental cooperation, shared services
4.6K chars
59.794 Milwaukee County; limitations on board authority and on intergovernmental cooperation, shared services. (1) DEFINITIONS. In this section: (a) “Agreement” means an intergovernmental cooperation agreement under s. 66.0301, or a contract to provide consolidated services under…
Wis. Stat. § 59.796 Milwaukee County; opportunity schools and partnership program
0.3K chars
59.796 Milwaukee County; opportunity schools and partnership program. Notwithstanding s. 59.81, the board of any county with a population of 750,000 or more may not have access to or exercise oversight of any private gifts and grants received by the county executive under s. 59.1…
Wis. Stat. § 59.80 Milwaukee County; city-county crime commission
0.6K chars
59.80 Milwaukee County; city-county crime commission. The board of any county with a population of 750,000 or more or the common council of any 1st class city however organized in such county may appropriate money to defray in whole or in part the expenses of a city-county crime …
Wis. Stat. § 59.81 Cash flow, Milwaukee
0.8K chars
59.81 Cash flow, Milwaukee. In counties having a population of 750,000 or more, the treasurer may be designated as the custodian for all cash received in an escrow, trust, bailment or safekeeping capacity by any other department of the county. This section is not applicable to th…
Wis. Stat. § 59.82 Milwaukee County Research and Technology Park
2.1K chars
59.82 Milwaukee County Research and Technology Park. (1) Counties with a population of 750,000 or more may participate in the development of a research and technology park under sub. (2) if all of the following apply: (a) A nonstock corporation is organized under ch. 181, and tha…
Wis. Stat. § 59.84 Expressways and mass transit facilities in populous counties
38.4K chars
59.84 Expressways and mass transit facilities in populous counties. (1) DEFINITIONS. In this section, unless the context indicates otherwise: (a) “Board” means the county board of supervisors in any county with a population of 750,000 or more. (b) “Expressway” means a divided art…
Wis. Stat. § 59.85 Appropriation bonds for payment of employee retirement system liability in populous counties
19.3K chars
59.85 Appropriation bonds for payment of employee retirement system liability in populous counties. (1) DEFINITIONS. In this section: (a) “Appropriation bond” means a bond issued by a county to evidence its obligation to repay a certain amount of borrowed money that is payable fr…
Wis. Stat. § 59.86 Agreements and ancillary arrangements for certain notes and appropriation bonds
1.1K chars
59.86 Agreements and ancillary arrangements for certain notes and appropriation bonds. At the time of issuance or in anticipation of the issuance of appropriation bonds under s. 59.85, or general obligation promissory notes under s. 67.12 (12), to pay unfunded prior service liabi…
Wis. Stat. § 59.87 Employee retirement system liability financing in populous counties; additional powers
3.2K chars
59.87 Employee retirement system liability financing in populous counties; additional powers. (1) DEFINITIONS. In this section: (a) “Board” means the county board of supervisors in any county. (b) “County” means any county having a population of 750,000 or more. (c) “Pension fund…
Wis. Stat. § 59.875 Payment of contributions in and employment of annuitants under an employee retirement system of populous counties
3.6K chars
59.875 Payment of contributions in and employment of annuitants under an employee retirement system of populous counties. (1) In this section, “county” means any county having a population of 750,000 or more. (2) (a) Beginning on July 1, 2011, in any employee retirement system of…
Wis. Stat. § 59.88 Employee retirement system of populous counties; duty disability benefits for a mental injury
1.3K chars
59.88 Employee retirement system of populous counties; duty disability benefits for a mental injury. (1) In this section, “county” means any county having a population of 750,000 or more. (2) If an employee retirement system of a county offers a duty disability benefit, the emplo…
Wis. Stat. § 59.90 Provisions applicable to certain counties with special sales tax authority
3.1K chars
59.90 Provisions applicable to certain counties with special sales tax authority. All of the following apply to a county in which a 1st class city is located: (1) With regard to the budget of the county, all of the following apply: (a) The total amount of budgeted expenditures re…