2023 Wisconsin Statutes & Annotations › Chapter 59 - Counties. › 59.61 - Financial transactions.

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 thereof with the clerk and treasurer as the board directs.
(b)
Keep books of account and enter accurately in the books from day to day with ample description, the items of that person's or that body's official service, and the fees therefor.
(c)
Pay all such money into the county treasury at the time that is prescribed by law, or if not so prescribed daily or at the intervals that are prescribed by the board.
(d)
Perform all other duties in connection therewith that are required by law.
(2)
Depositories; designation.
(a)
The board of each county having a population of 200,000 or more shall designate 2 or more, and in other counties the board, or when the occasion arises and the board is not in session, then a committee of the board which has been authorized to do so shall designate one or more credit unions, banks, savings banks, savings and loan associations, or trust companies organized and doing business under the laws of this state or federal law, located in this state, as county depositories, one or more of which shall be designated as working credit unions, savings banks, savings and loan associations or banks, all deposits in which shall be active deposits.
(b)
In addition to the depositories specified in par. (a), the local government pooled-investment fund may be designated as a depository for investment purposes.
(3)
Funds to be placed in depositories; reports; cash balance.
(a)
Whenever a board has designated a county depository under sub. (2), the treasurer shall deposit therein as soon as received all funds that come to the treasurer's hands in that capacity in excess of the sum the treasurer is authorized by the board to retain. Any sum on deposit shall be considered to be in the county treasury, and the treasurer shall not be liable for any loss thereon resulting from the failure or default of such depository. The board, a committee of the board designated by it or the treasurer acting under s. 59.25 (3) (s) may invest any funds that come into the county treasurer's hands in excess of the sum the treasurer is authorized by the board to retain for immediate use in the name of the county in the local government pooled-investment fund, in interest-bearing bonds of the United States or of any county or municipality in the state or in any other investment authorized by statute. The board, committee or the county treasurer acting under s. 59.25 (3) (s) may sell such securities when considered advisable.
(b)
Every such depository shall on the first business day of each month, and more often when required, file with the clerk a statement of the amount of county money deposited with it during the preceding month, and the treasurer shall at the same time file with such clerk a statement showing the amount of moneys received and disbursed by the treasurer during the previous month.
(c)
The board may fix the amount of money which may be retained by the treasurer but in no case shall the sum exceed $3,000; provided, that in all counties having a population of 200,000 or more inhabitants, the treasurer may retain such sum as may be fixed by the board.
(d)
Such treasurer and clerk, whenever the cash balance does not amount to the sum authorized by the board to be retained, may increase it to such amount by their check on the county depository or depositories in favor of such treasurer.
History:  1995 a. 201 ss. 392, 422, 424, 425.
One who deals with a municipality does so at his or her own risk and may be subject to any provisions of law that might prevent him or her from being paid by a municipality even though the services are rendered. Unless the power to bind the municipality financially has been specifically delegated, the only entity with the statutory authority to contract is the municipality. Holzbauer v. Safway Steel Products, Inc., 2005 WI App 240, 288 Wis. 2d 250, 712 N.W.2d 35, 04-2058.
Based on the plain meaning of the word “investment," the exchange of surplus county funds for U.S. gold coins would be an investment within the meaning of sub. (3). Section 66.0603 provides the authorized list of investments that a county can make with county funds, and the statute does not authorize an investment in U.S. gold coins. OAG 2-13.