60.30 Election, appointment of town officers; general provisions.

685 words·~3 min read·/wi/chapter-60/60-30

A research copy — for the controlling text, always check the official state or federal source. Not legal advice.

(1)Elected town officers.

(a)At the annual spring election in odd-numbered years, each town shall elect:

1. Except as provided under par.

(b), 3 town board supervisors. One of the supervisors shall be designated on the ballot as town board chairperson.

2. Except as provided in sub.

(1e), a town clerk and a town treasurer or a person to serve in the combined office of town clerk and town treasurer under s. 60.305

(1).

3. A town assessor, if election of the assessor is required, or a person to serve in the combined office of town clerk and town assessor under s. 60.305

(2).

4. The number of constables established by the last preceding town meeting unless the office has been abolished and has not been reestablished by the town meeting under s. 60.10

(b)4.

(b)If the town board has increased the number of supervisors under s. 60.21 , town board supervisors shall be elected at the annual spring election as provided in that section.

(1e)Appointed town officers.

(a)Notwithstanding sub.

(a)2. and subject to pars.

(b)and

(c), a town board may enact an ordinance that provides for the appointment of a person by a majority of the members-elect of the town board, as defined in s. 59.001

(2m), to fill the office of town clerk, town treasurer, or both, or to fill the combined office of town clerk and town treasurer under s. 60.305

(1).

(b)An ordinance enacted under par.

(a)may not take effect until it is approved in a referendum called by the town board for that purpose at the next spring or general election, to be held not sooner than 70 days after the referendum is called by the town board. The referendum question shall be: “Shall the person holding the office of ... [town clerk or town treasurer, or both; or the combined office of town clerk and town treasurer] in the town of ... be appointed by the town board?”.

(c)If an ordinance is approved in a referendum under par.

(b), the change from an elective office to an appointive office may not take effect until the term of office of the incumbent town clerk, town treasurer, or combined town clerk and town treasurer expires. If an ordinance is approved under par.

(b)at a general election, the ordinance takes effect upon the expiration of the term or terms of the incumbent officer or officers. If an ordinance is approved under par.

(b)at a spring election at which the office of town clerk or town treasurer is filled, the ordinance takes effect upon the expiration of the term or terms of each officer who is elected at that election. A person appointed to the office of town clerk or town treasurer, or to the combined office of town clerk and town treasurer, shall serve for a term, not to exceed 3 years, that is set by the town board. The person may be reappointed and may be dismissed by the board only for cause, as defined in s. 17.001 .

(d)Not sooner than 2 years after an ordinance is approved in a referendum under par.

(b), the town board may enact an ordinance to return to a system of electing the town clerk and town treasurer or the combined office of town clerk and town treasurer, under sub.

(a)2. , without a referendum. If the ordinance under this paragraph is enacted on or after the date of the spring election and on or before November 1 in any year, a town clerk, town treasurer or combined town clerk and town treasurer shall be elected to succeed the appointive officer at the next spring election following enactment of the ordinance. If the ordinance is enacted on any other date, a town clerk, town treasurer or combined town clerk and town treasurer shall be elected to succeed the appointive officer at the 2nd spring election following enactment of the ordinance.