Wis. Stat. § 323.14 — WI Code / Chapter 323 / Section 323.14
Local government; duties and powers.
Status: in_force

(1) Ongoing duties.

(a)

1. Subject to subd. 3. , each county board shall develop and adopt an emergency management plan and program that is compatible with the state plan of emergency management under s. 323.13 (1) (b) .

2. Each county board shall designate a head of emergency management. In counties having a county executive under s. 59.17 , the county board shall designate the county executive or confirm his or her appointee as county head of emergency management. Notwithstanding sub. (2) (b) , an individual may not simultaneously serve as the head of emergency management for 2 or more counties.

3. Each county board shall designate a committee of the board as a county emergency management committee. The chairperson of the county board shall designate the chairperson of the committee. In counties having a county executive under s. 59.17 , the committee shall retain policy-making and rule-making powers in the establishment and development of county emergency management plans and programs.

(b)

1. The governing body of each city, village, or town shall develop and adopt an emergency management plan and program that is compatible with the state plan of emergency management adopted under s. 323.13 (1) (b) .

2. The governing body of each city, village, or town shall designate a head of emergency management.

(2) Ongoing powers.

(a) The governing body of a local unit of government may appropriate funds and levy taxes for its emergency management program under sub. (1) .

(b) Local units of government may cooperate under s. 66.0301 to furnish services, combine offices, and finance emergency management programs.

(c) Local units of government may contract for emergency management services with political subdivisions, agencies, and federally recognized American Indian tribes and bands of this state, and, upon prior approval of the adjutant general, with such entities in bordering states. A copy of each agreement shall be filed with the adjutant general within 10 days after execution of that agreement.

(3) Duties during an emergency.

(a) If the governing body of a local unit of government declares an emergency under s. 323.11 and intends to make use of volunteer health care practitioners, as specified in s. 257.03 , the governing body or its agent shall, as soon as possible, notify the department of health services of this intent.

(b) During a state of emergency declared by the governor, a local unit of government situated within the area to which the governor’s executive order applies may employ personnel, facilities, and other resources consistent with the plan adopted under sub. (1) (a) 1. or (b) 1. to cope with the problems that resulted in the governor declaring the emergency. Nothing in this chapter prohibits local units of government from employing their personnel, facilities, and resources consistent with the plan adopted under sub. (1) (a) 1. or (b) 1. to cope with the problems of local disasters except where restrictions are imposed by federal regulations on property donated by the federal government.

(4) Powers during an emergency.

(a) The emergency power of the governing body conferred under s. 323.11 includes the general authority to order, by ordinance or resolution, whatever is necessary and expedient for the health, safety, protection, and welfare of persons and property within the local unit of government in the emergency and includes the power to bar, restrict, or remove all unnecessary traffic, both vehicular and pedestrian, from the highways, notwithstanding any provision of chs. 341 to 349 .

(b)

1. In this paragraph, “chief executive officer” means any of the following:

a. The county executive of a county, the county administrator of a county, or, in a county with an administrative coordinator, the county board chair of a county.

b. The mayor or city manager of a city.

c. The village president or village manager of a village.

d. The town board chairperson of a town.

e. A person acting as, or temporarily filling the role of, a person listed in subd. 1. a. to d.

2. If, because of the emergency conditions, the governing body of the local unit of government is unable to meet promptly, the chief executive officer or acting chief executive officer of any local unit of government shall exercise by proclamation all of the powers conferred upon the governing body under par. (a) or s. 323.11 that appear necessary and expedient. The proclamation shall not exceed 60 days, unless the proclamation is extended by the governing body. The proclamation shall be subject to ratification, alteration, modification, extension, or repeal by the governing body as soon as that body can meet, but the subsequent action taken by the governing body shall not affect the prior validity of the proclamation.

History: 2009 a. 42 ss. 98 to 102 , 111 , 112 , 234 to 236 , 294 to 299 ; Stats. 2009 s. 323.14; 2021 a. 243 ; 2025 a. 61 .