Opinion ID: 1725375
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Arbitrary or capricious action.

Text: The appellants also argue that the action taken was arbitrary or capricious. This contention is grounded on the fact that the president of CESA #3, which has responsibility for all of the territory under appeal, was called as a witness and specifically identified as a resource person at the board hearing on August 17, 1973. Appellants further contend that the action evidences irrational conduct in that the towns involved had only recently been detached from the Wabeno District and attached to the White Lake District.  The proceeding before the board is legislative in nature. In Joint School District v. State Appeal Bd., supra, pages 795, 796, it was recognized that: ... the action of the appeal board is not a judicial or quasi-judicial review, but is rather an independent, legislatively delegated re-evaluation and redetermination of the proposed reorganization. As a consequence, the State Appeal Board was not required to restrict its decision to the facts appearing of record and could base its conclusion on matters within its knowledge and expertise in the field of educational policy and on information and evidence adduced at its own hearing. Thus, it is apparent that the board, in its discretion, could consider information from all sources in reaching its policy conclusion. Joint School District v. State Appeal Bd., supra, page 797, addressed the question of what constitutes arbitrary or capricious action: ... In Olson v. Rothwell, supra, page 239, we stated the test for determining whether a reorganization order was arbitrary or capricious. We said: `Arbitrary or capricious action on the part of an administrative agency occurs when it can be said that such action is unreasonable or does not have a rational basis.... Arbitrary action is the result of an unconsidered, wilful [sic] and irrational choice of conduct and not the result of the winnowing and sifting process.' In Larson v. State Appeal Board (1973), 56 Wis. 2d 823, 829, 202 N. W. 2d 920, the discretion of the board was determined to be extremely broad. No formalized findings of fact were made in the proceedings before the board. Although both desirable and of assistance on review, such findings are not required. Joint School District v. State Appeal Bd., supra, page 795. However, it can reasonably be inferred from the record and the motion for the merger of the Wabeno and White Lake Districts, subsequently denied, that it had  been anticipated the merger would occur, thus making the original detachment of Lakewood and Townsend from the Wabeno District not of critical proportions. That merger did not take place and the history of these actions indicates considerable disagreement has surrounded reorganization for a number of years. The wisdom of the decision in terms of policy is not a matter for judicial review. Larson v. State Appeal Board, supra, page 828; Joint School District v. State Appeal Bd., supra, page 800. The trial court correctly pointed out that the record of the hearing shows some basis upon which the decision of the board could be considered rational, including the interests of the Wabeno School District and the ability to provide quality education to the children of the affected areas. In addition, the board presented to the proponents of both sides of the issue opportunity to be heard on the questions of policy involved, and questioned the witnesses with respect to the interests of the children. Having heard extensive presentations of both points of view, the board voted to affirm the committee's decision. The dispute between these two districts is of long standing. The record reflects the reorganizing authorities are familiar with the problem. The trial court properly refused to substitute its discretion for that of the State Appeal Board. Our review of the record leads us to conclude that the action of the board was not arbitrary or capricious.