2023 Wisconsin Statutes & Annotations › Chapter 66 - General municipality law. › 66.0517 - Weed commissioner.

66.0517
Weed commissioner.
(1)
Definition. In this section, “noxious weeds" has the meaning given in s. 66.0407 (1) (b).
(2)
Appointment.
(a)
Town, village and city weed commissioner. The chairperson of each town, the president of each village and the mayor of each city may appoint one or more commissioners of noxious weeds on or before May 15 in each year. A weed commissioner shall take the official oath and the oath shall be filed in the office of the town, village or city clerk. A weed commissioner shall hold office for one year and until a successor has qualified or the town chairperson, village president or mayor determines not to appoint a weed commissioner. If more than one commissioner is appointed, the town, village or city shall be divided into districts by the officer making the appointment and each commissioner shall be assigned to a different district. The town chairperson, village president or mayor may appoint a resident of any district to serve as weed commissioner in any other district of the same town, village or city.
(b)
County weed commissioner. A county may by resolution adopted by its county board provide for the appointment of a county weed commissioner and determine the duties, term and compensation for the county weed commissioner. When a weed commissioner has been appointed under this paragraph and has qualified, the commissioner has the powers and duties of a weed commissioner described in this section. Each town chairperson, village president or mayor may appoint one or more deputy weed commissioners, who shall work in cooperation with the county weed commissioner in the district assigned by the appointing officer.
(3)
Powers, duties and compensation.
(a)
Destruction of noxious weeds. A weed commissioner shall investigate the existence of noxious weeds in his or her district. If a person in a district neglects to destroy noxious weeds as required under s. 66.0407 (3), the weed commissioner shall destroy, or have destroyed, the noxious weeds in the most economical manner. A weed commissioner may enter upon any lands that are not exempt under s. 66.0407 (5) and cut or otherwise destroy noxious weeds without being liable to an action for trespass or any other action for damages resulting from the entry and destruction, if reasonable care is exercised.
(b)
Compensation of weed commissioner.
1.
Except as provided in sub. (2) (b), a weed commissioner shall receive compensation for the destruction of noxious weeds as determined by the town board, village board, or city council upon presenting to the proper treasurer the account for noxious weed destruction, verified by oath and approved by the appointing officer. The account shall specify by separate items the amount chargeable to each piece of land, describing the land, and shall, after being paid by the treasurer, be filed with the town, village, or city clerk. The clerk shall enter the amount chargeable to each tract of land in the next tax roll in a column headed “For the Destruction of Weeds", as a tax on the lands upon which the weeds were destroyed. The tax shall be collected under ch. 74, except in case of lands which are exempt from taxation, railroad lands, or other lands for which taxes are not collected under ch. 74. A delinquent tax may be collected as is a delinquent real property tax under chs. 74 and 75 or as is a delinquent personal property tax under ch. 74. In case of railroad lands or other lands for which taxes are not collected under ch. 74, the amount chargeable against these lands shall be certified by the town, village, or city clerk to the secretary of administration who shall add the amount designated to the sum due from the company owning, occupying, or controlling the lands specified. The secretary of administration shall collect the amount chargeable as prescribed in subch. I of ch. 76 and return the amount collected to the town, city, or village from which the certification was received.
2.
For the performance of duties other than the destruction of noxious weeds, a weed commissioner shall receive compensation to be determined by the town board, village board or city council.
History:  1999 a. 150; 2003 a. 33.