Year: 1861

Change of County Government.


The following is the law which has
passed both branches of the Legislature,
changing our present system Of County
Government:


The people of the State of Wisconsin.
represented IN Senate ond assembly, do
enact as foilous::


Sec. /. The county board Of supervi>
sors of each of the organized counties of
this Slate, shall consist Of three electors,
except in those counties which contain
three or more Assembly Districts and in
such counties there shall be elected one
supervisor jn each Assembly District, and
one additional supervisor for the county
at large, in those counties where there is
Tor may be) an even number of assembly
districts. Such supervisors shall be elect
ed in each of the organized counties re-
spectively biennaly, OH the Tuesday suc-
ceeding the first Monday in November of
each alternate year, and shall hold Their
Office for the term of two years. The
votes cast for such supervisors sh all be
canvassed in the same manner as the vote
for other county officers.


Sec. 2. In each of the counties of this
State, in which there shall be less than
three assembly districts, the present board
of supervisors shall meet at the usual
place Of meeting thereof, on the second
Monday of July, A. d. 1861, aud by AZ
order, to be recorded at lergIh by the
clelk of such board, divide such county
into three supervisor districts; but no
two of such districts shall be within the
same town, village or city. nor shall any
part of such districts be within the same
town, city or village, if there shall be
more than one original town in such coun-
ty and the supervisors hereafter to be
elected may alter or change the bouuda-
ries of such districts; but such alterations
shall not take effect during the term of
office of the supervisors making the same,
nor within six months from the time of
making such alterations.


Sec. 3. The board of supervisors, to be
elected as provided in this act, shall be a
body corporate and polite. by and under
the name and style of the board of super
visors of the county of (naming the coun,
ty.) and as such shall possess and exercise
all and singular the powers and perform
all the duties now devoved by law upon
the board of supervisors in each county
respectively; except as provided in section
10; and may, in like manner, by and un
der their corporate name and style, sue
and be sued; Provided, that no action
shall hereafter be maintained by any per-
son against county, upon claim or de.
mand other than county order, unit!
such person shall first have presented his
claim 10 the board of supervisors of such
county for allowance


Sec. 4. The board of supervisors of each
county shall, at their first meeting after
their election, choose, by ballot, one of
their number chairman of their board
for .he ensuing year, and in case Of his alb.
sence at any meeting of tho board, they
may appoint one of their number as chair
man pro tenn, to hold snt:i the adjourn,
ment, or the chairman shall be present at
their meeting. In case of vacancy in
the office of chairman, the board shall
have power to fill such vacancy for the
unexpired term. A majority of such
board shall constitute quorum for the
transaction of business.


Sec. 5. Should there be vacancy in
the board of county supervisors, the clerk
| of the board shall immediately notify the
sheriff of the county, whose duty 1t shall
be to order an election to be holden for
the purpose of filing such vacancy, thirty
days previous notice being given of such
election by publishing the same in each
newspaper published in the county. if
there be any, and by posting up notice
thereof in some public place in each town
in the county.


See. 6. The clerk of the board of super.
visors in office at the time Of the taking
effect of this act, shall continue in office
until the first day Of January, 1868, and
until their successors snail be elected and
qualified, and the first election for clerk
Of the board of County supervisors. shall
be on the Tuesday succeeding the first
Monday in November, A. d. 1862, unless
vacancy shall sooner occur.


Sec. T. The first meeting of the board
of supervisors shall be held in each coanty
IN this State on the second Monday in
January, 1862, and thereafter the said
board shall meet annually on the Tuesday
succeeding the general election in each
year, at the county seat, If there be one,
in their respective counties, for the pur-
pose OF transacting such business as may
be reqaired; and the said board are heres
by authorized to hold extra sessions at
the seat of justice, in case the business of
the county requires it, which snail be
called in the manner provided in section
As, chapter Is, of the Revised Statutes
The said Supervisors shall each receive
two dollars per day for each and every
day they shall be employed on the session
of the Board, and six cents per mile for
going to aud returning frcn the place of
holding such session, but no Supervisor
shall be allowed to draw pay for more
than twenty-five days attendance on the
County Board, in one year.


Sec S Each person elected as Su-
peryisor shall within tan dare or,or