1.00 AUTHORITY. The Town of Vermont is a political subdivision and municipality of the State of Wisconsin organized and existing under Ch. 60 of the Wisconsin Statutes.

1.01 GOVERNING AUTHORITIES. The Town of Vermont is governed by an elected Town Board and meetings of the Town electors as hereinafter set forth.

1.02 TOWN BOARD.

1. Authority and Powers. The Vermont Town Board has the specific authority, powers and duties to manage and direct the affairs of the Town as set forth in Ch. 60 and ss 60.10 of the Wisconsin Statutes and other provisions of the Wisconsin Statutes, including powers conferred on village boards by Ch. 61, Wis. Stat. The exercise of which does not conflict with the duties and powers of town boards set forth elsewhere in the Wisconsin Statutes. (Village powers granted by annual Town Meeting April 16, 1990.) The Town Board shall have charge of all of the affairs of the Town not otherwise delegated by law to the annual Town Meeting or other Town officers.
2. Membership: Compensation. The Town Board shall be composed of five (5) members, four (4) supervisors and a chairman, to be elected as follows: (a) three (3) supervisors, including the Town Chairman, to be elected in odd-numbered years and (b) two (2) supervisors to be elected in even-numbered years. (Adopted 10/08/90). Compensation for supervisors and the Town Chairman shall be established by the Town meeting prior to the time for filing nomination papers for Town offices (currently 5 p.m. on the 1st Tuesday in January, or the next day if the 1st Tuesday is a holiday. Ss 60.32(4) and 8.05(3)(a)). The Town Board may provide for reimbursement of expenses necessarily incurred by any Town officer in the performance of official duties, including costs associated with educational programs related to the officer’s duties.
3. Meetings. The Town Board shall meet at 7:30 p.m. on the second Monday of each month in the Town Hall or such other place as the Board shall designate and notice pursuant to the Wisconsin Open meetings law. Any regular meeting of the Town Board falling upon a legal holiday shall be held on the day designated by the Town Board. Special meetings may be called by the Chairman or any Supervisor by requesting the Clerk to call such meeting, stating the time and place for the meeting, by notifying each Supervisor and the public in accordance with the Wisconsin Statutes Open Meeting Law. Notice of all Town Board meetings shall be given in compliance with the Wisconsin Open Meeting Law, by posting written notice of the time, place and purpose thereof in three (3) public places in the town and by written or oral notice to the media which has requested such notice at least 24 hours prior to the meeting, unless in an emergency, when proper notice shall be posed and given to the media at least two (2) hours prior to the meeting. No business shall be transacted at a special meeting except for the purpose that was stated in the notice thereof.
4. Quorum. Three (3) Supervisors, Including the Town Chairman, shall constitute a quorum and the only business to be undertaken in the absence of a quorum shall be to adjourn from time to time or to compel the attendance of absent members.
5. Conduct of Meetings. Order of Business. The business of the Town Board meeting shall be conducted in the following order:
   1. Call to order by Chairman. If Chairman is absent, meeting shall be called to order by one of the supervisors present.
   2. Roll call. If a quorum is not present, the meeting shall be adjourned.
   3. Adoption of agenda and announcement of Wisconsin Opening Meeting Law posting and notice procedures taken.
   4. Reading, correction and approval of minutes of last meeting.
   5. Treasurer’s report, reading, correction and approval.
   6. Audit of general funds and allowance or disallowance of accounts or claims presented for payment.
   7. Audit of other special accounts.
   8. Petitions and communications.
   9. Reports of Town commissions, committees and other official advisory bodies.
   10. Introduction of ordinances and resolutions.
   11. Citizen’s comments and suggestions.
   12. Unfinished business.
   13. New business.
   14. Action on all business.
   15. Miscellaneous matters to come before the Board.
   16. Adjournment.
6. Notice: Agenda. The Town Clerk shall prepare a written agenda for each Town Board of committee meeting and distribute and post the same as provided by the Wisconsin Open Meeting Law, Ch. 19, Wis. Stat.
7. Ordinances and Resolutions. All ordinances, resolutions or bylaws shall be reduced to writing before final action by the Board. Ordinances, resolutions, bylaws, communications and other matters submitted to the Board for formal action shall be read in full before final vote is taken except by suspension of the rules. Except upon suspension of the rules, no ordinance or bylaw shall be adopted at the meeting at which it is first introduced.
8. Rules of Order. The meetings of the Board shall be conducted in accordance with the parliamentary rules contained in Robert’s Rules of Order, newly revised, or the most recent version thereof, except as otherwise specifically provided in these ordinances or by written bylaw adopted by the Board.

1.03 ANNUAL TOWN MEETING. There shall be an annual meeting of the Town of Vermont on the second Tuesday of April of each year at which all business shall be transacted which is required or permitted to be transacted by law at such meeting. Any annual Town meeting may set the date of the next annual Town meeting at a date within ten (10) days of the second Tuesday in April. Notice of the holding of the annual meeting shall be given by a class 2 notice under Ch. 985. The Chairman shall preside at Town meetings.

1.04 SPECIAL TOWN MEETING. Special Town meetings may be held for the purpose of transacting any lawful business which might have been done at an annual meeting on request in writing to the Town Clerk signed by a number of Town electors equal to not less than 10% of the vote cast in the Town for governor at the last general election or by action of the Town Board, specifying the purposes for which such meeting is to be held. The Town Clerk shall give notice of a special meeting purpose, date, time and place by a class 2 notice under Ch. 985 of the Wisconsin Statutes.

1.05 PLAN COMMISSION (Revised 8/12/02)

1. Creation. Pursuant to ss. 60.22(3), 61.35, and 62.23 of the Wisconsin Statutes, there is hereby created a "Plan Commission" for the Town of Vermont, Dane County, Wisconsin with the powers, duties and qualification as set forth in this Ordinance and in ss. 62.23, Wis. Stat., to the extent compatible with town government.
2. Membership. The Plan Commission shall consist of seven (7) members. Membership of the Plan Commission shall, at all times, consist of at least two members of the Town Board, and at least three (3) citizens who are not Town officials.
3. Terms. Once appointed, all members of the Plan Commission shall serve a three-year (3-year) term on the Commission, except as provided in sections 1.05(4)(c), and 1.05(7).
4. Appointment. The Town Chairman shall appoint all members of the Plan Commission at the June Town Board meeting. After the effective date of this ordinance, all Plan Commission terms shall begin on June 15 of the year of appointment, and run through June 14 of the final year of the three-year term.
   1. Letters of Interest. Citizens who wish to serve on the Plan Commission may submit a letter of interest to the Town Clerk not later than May 1. The Town Clerk shall provide the Town Chairman with copies of the letters of interest no later than May 15.
   2. Statement of Policy. To the extent practicable, the Town Chairman shall make appointments with an effort to maintain full gender and geographic representation of the Township
   3. Interim Appointments. If, for any reason, a Plan Commission member does not complete his or her three-year (3-year) term of appointment, the Town Chairman shall appoint an interim successor to the Plan Commission to serve out the remainder of the unfulfilled term. The Town Chairman shall ensure that the appointment will be consistent with the membership requirements set forth in sec. 1.05(2) of this section.
   4. Plan Commission Officers. The Town Chairman shall choose a Plan Commission Chairman to serve as the presiding officer of the Plan Commission. The Plan Commission shall elect a Vice-Chairman and Secretary. The Plan Commission Secretary may or may not be a member of the Plan Commission, and shall be paid as approved by the Town Board. The Plan Commission Chair and Plan Commission members shall be paid as approved by the Town Board.
5. Powers. The Plan Commission shall have the power and authority to pay for the services of experts and such other expenses as may be necessary and proper, not exceeding, in all the appropriation that may be made for such Plan Commission by the Town Board or placed at its disposal through gifts. Such power and authority is subject to any ordinances or resolutions enacted by the Town Board.
6. Functions.
   1. The Plan Commission shall maintain a comprehensive Land Use Plan compatible with the intent of the current Wisconsin Farmland Preservation Act. Upon adoption by the Town Board, such Land Use Plan shall serve as the basis upon which all development in the Town is permitted.
   2. The Plan Commission shall make reports and recommendations to the Town Board related to planning and development.
   3. The Plan Commission shall exercise such powers set forth in 62.23 of the Wisconsin Statutes as are compatible with Town government.
7. Transitional Provisions. Because the Town is reducing the number of Plan Commission members, and lengthening the terms of service, it is necessary to set forth the procedure by which this will be effected. The procedures set forth in this section shall only be used as necessary to reduce the number of members on the Plan Commission to seven (7) members, and to stagger the terms of appointments to ensure that no more than three (3) Plan Commission members are appointed in a typical year.
   1. Reduction in Numbers. If the number of Plan Commission members shall exceed that required by sec. 1.05(2), the Plan Commission shall continue to operate with the excess members until the expiration of the terms of two citizen members, whose terms expire soonest after the effective date of the ordinance that reduces the size of the Plan Commission.
   2. Staggered Terms. Once the Plan Commission has been reduced to the appropriate number under sec. 1.05(7)(a), appointments shall be made for the appropriate length of term, not to exceed three years, to allow the Town Chairman to stagger the terms of Plan Commission members so that the terms of no more than three (3) Plan Commission members expire each year.

1. Effect. The provisions of this section shall apply to all officers of the Town, regardless of the time of creation of the office or method of selection of the officer unless otherwise specifically provided by ordinance or resolution of the Town Board.
2. Oath of Office. Every officer of the Town, including members of Town boards and commissions shall, before entering upon his/her duties and within five (5) days of election or appointment or notice thereof, take the oath of office prescribed by law and file said oath in the office of the Town Clerk, except the Town Clerk who shall file his/her oath in the office of the Town Treasurer. Any person reelected or reappointed to the same office shall take and file an official oath for each term of service.
3. Bond. Every officer shall, if required by law or the Town Board, upon entering upon the duties of his office, give a bond in such amount as may be determined by the Town Board with such sureties as are approved by the Town Chairman, conditioned upon the faithful performance of the duties of his office. Official bonds shall be filed as are oaths as provided in sub. (2) of this section.
4. Salaries. All officers of the Town shall receive such salaries as may be provided from time to time by the Town Board by ordinance. No officer receiving salary from the Town shall be entitled to retain any portion of any fees collected by him for the performance of his duties as such officer in the absence of a specific law or ordinance to that effect. Payment of regular wages and salaries established by the Town Board shall be by payroll, as provided by statute. The regular payday shall be the last day of each month unless otherwise ordered by the Town Board.
5. Vacancies. Vacancies in elective offices shall be filled by appointment by a majority vote of the Town Board for the remainder of the unexpired term. Vacancies in appointive offices shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointment for the residue of the unexpired term unless the term for such office is indefinite.

1. In addition to other methods provided by law, special assessments for any public work or improvement or any current service may be levied in accordance with the provisions of this section.
2. Whenever the Town Board determines that any public work or improvement or any current service shall be financed in whole or in part by special assessments levied under this section it shall adopt a resolution specifying this intention and the time, either before or after completion of the work or improvement, when the amount of the assessments will be determined and levied, the number of annual installments, if any , in which assessments may be paid, the rate of interest to be charged on the unpaid balance and the terms on which any of the assessments may be deferred while no use of the improvement is made in connection with the property.
3. The provisions of Wis. Stats. ss. 66.60 shall apply to special assessments levied under this ordinance except that when the Board determines by resolution that the hearing on the assessments be held subsequent to the completion of the work or improvement or the rendering of the service, the report required by ss66.60(3), Wis. Stats., shall contain a statement of the final cost of the work, service or improvement in lieu of an estimate of the cost.
4. Except when waived by the owners of all property to be assessed, notice of the time and place of the public hearing on any special assessment proposed to be levied a notice of the final assessment and terms of payment thereof shall be given in the manner prescribed in ss.66.60(7) and (8)(d), Wis. Stats.
5. Any special assessment levied under this section shall be a lien against the property assessed from the date of the final resolution by the Board determining the amount of the levy.

Any person against whose property a special assessment is levied under this section may appeal therefrom in the manner prescribed by ss66.60(12), Wis. Stats., within 40 days of the date of the final determination by the Board.