2023 Wisconsin Statutes & Annotations › Chapter 60 - Towns. › 60.785 - Changes in district boundaries.

60.785
Changes in district boundaries.
(1)
Additions.
(a)
Territory may be added to a town sanitary district under the procedure in s. 60.71. The required signatures shall be obtained from property owners in the territory proposed to be added to the district.
(b)
In lieu of commencing the process of adding territory by petition of property owners, the commission may request the town board to add territory to the town sanitary district. Except for the requirement of a petition, the town board shall use the procedure in s. 60.71.
(1m)
Removal.
(a)
Territory may be removed from a town sanitary district under the procedure in s. 60.71 if the town board, after the hearing, finds that one or more of the standards of s. 60.71 (6) (b) are not met for all or part of the territory subject to a petition under par. (b) 1. or a request under par. (b) 2.
(b)
1.
The petition for removal of territory from a town sanitary district under par. (a) shall state why the portion of the town sanitary district which is subject to the petition does not meet the standards in s. 60.71 (6) (b). The signatures required on the petition shall be obtained from property owners in the territory proposed to be removed from the district.
2.
In lieu of commencing the process of removing territory from a town sanitary district by petition of property owners, the commission may commence the process by requesting the town board to remove the territory. The town board shall use the procedure in s. 60.71 to act on the request.
(2)
Consolidation.
(a)
Any town sanitary district may be consolidated with a contiguous town sanitary district by resolution passed by a two-thirds vote of all of the commissioners of each district, fixing the terms of the consolidation and ratified by the qualified electors of each district at a referendum held in each district. The resolution shall be filed as provided in s. 8.37. The ballots shall contain the words “for consolidation", and “against consolidation". If a majority of the votes cast on the referendum in each town sanitary district are for consolidation, the resolutions are effective and have the force of a contract. Certified copies of the resolutions and the results of the referendum shall be filed with the secretary of natural resources and the original documents shall be recorded with the register of deeds in each county in which the consolidated district is situated.
(b)
Within 60 days after the referendum, the appropriate town board shall appoint or provide for the election of commissioners or constitute itself as the commission for the consolidated district, as provided in s. 60.74.
(c)
Consolidation of a district does not affect the preexisting rights or liabilities of any town sanitary district and actions may be commenced or completed on such rights or liabilities as though no consolidation had occurred.
(3)
Dissolution.
(a)
1.
A town sanitary district may be dissolved in whole using the procedure for creating a town sanitary district under s. 60.71. The petition shall state why the town sanitary district does not meet the standards of s. 60.71 (6) (b). If the town board, after the hearing, finds that one or more of the standards of s. 60.71 (6) (b) are not met, the town board shall order the dissolution of the town sanitary district, except that a board may not order the dissolution of a district if, following dissolution, all outstanding indebtedness of the district would not be paid or provision for payment of the indebtedness would not be made.
2.
A town sanitary district may be dissolved in part under subd. 1. if that sanitary district was created on October 31, 1967.
NOTE:  Subd. 2. was created by 1987 Wis. Act 27. Section 3204 (57) (fm) states that the creation of subd. 2. takes effect retroactively to June 20, 1983.
(b)
Any unexpended funds remaining after dissolution of the district shall be distributed by the commission on an equitable basis to the municipalities or persons who supplied the funds.
(4)
Review of orders. The town board's order under sub. (1), (1m) or (3) may be reviewed under the procedures and time limits in s. 60.73.
History:  1983 a. 532; 1987 a. 27, 77; 1993 a. 301; 1999 a. 182.