Wis. Stat. § 251.03 — WI Code / Chapter 251 / Section 251.03
Local board of health; members.
Status: in_force

(1) A local board of health shall consist of not more than 9 members. At least 3 of these members shall be persons who are not elected officials or employees of the governing body that establishes the local health department and who have a demonstrated interest or competence in the field of public health or community health. In appointing the members who are not elected officials or employees, a good faith effort shall be made to appoint a registered nurse and a physician, except that if the appointing authority is unable to locate a willing registered nurse, physician, or both, it shall make a good faith effort to appoint a physician assistant, advanced practice registered nurse, or both. Members of the local board of health shall reflect the diversity of the community. A county human services board under s. 46.23 (4) may act as a county board of health if the membership of the county human services board meets the qualifications specified in this subsection and if the county human services board is authorized to act in that capacity by the county board of supervisors. If a county human services board acts in this capacity, it shall use the word “health” in its title.

(2) The chief executive officer of a city or a village shall appoint members of a local board of health, subject to confirmation by the governing body. In a county with a county executive, the county executive shall appoint members of the county board of health, subject to confirmation by the county board of supervisors. In a county without a county executive, members of the county board of health shall be appointed by the chairperson of the county board of supervisors, subject to confirmation by the county board of supervisors. The person who appoints members of the local board of health may designate certain members to be nonvoting members of the board.

(3) In establishing a city-county or multiple county health department, the relevant governing bodies shall agree on how many members of the local board of health are appointed by each governing body and how many of each governing body’s appointees shall be members who are not elected officials or employees of the governing body. The members shall be appointed as specified in sub. (2) .

(4) Governing bodies of counties, cities or villages that appoint local boards of health shall specify the lengths of terms of members and shall provide for staggered terms.

(4m) Subsections (1) to (4) do not apply to a village or town that establishes a local health department under s. 251.02 (3m) . In a village or town that does so, the village board or town board shall establish itself as a local board of health or appoint either wholly or partially from its own members a local board of health that consists of a suitable number of competent persons. A local board of health under this subsection shall elect a chairperson and clerk.

(4r) Subsections (1) to (4m) do not apply to a city, village or town that establishes a multiple municipal local health department under s. 251.02 (2) (b) or (3r) , or to cities that establish a city-city local health department under s. 251.02 (3t) . In establishing a multiple municipal local health department as described under s. 251.02 (2) (b) or (3r) , the relevant governing bodies shall agree on how many members of the local board of health are appointed by each governing body and how many of each governing body’s appointees shall be members who are not elected officials or employees of the governing body. The members shall be appointed by the relevant governing bodies. A local board of health under this subsection shall elect a chairperson and clerk.

(5) No governing body of a county, city, village or town is required to use the term “local board of health” to refer to a local board of health that is established under this section.

History: 1993 a. 27 ; 1999 a. 9 ; 2003 a. 158 ; 2021 a. 192 ; 2025 a. 129 .