2012 WTA District Meetings Announced

(1/30/12)  The 2012 WTA District Meetings are now scheduled.  There will be 16 meetings around the state from February through March featuring the biennual Board of Review training required by s. 70.46(4), the effects of electronic data and USPAP requirements on assessment, highway weight limit regulations and of course time for your questions.

Please CLICK HERE for a listing of the dates, locations and directions.  Also CLICK HERE for a registration form to be mailed or faxed to the WTA office.  Finally, CLICK HERE for a copy of the day's agenda.

Sample Ordinance to Extend Officer Terms
Due to Election Law Changes

(1/30/12)  CLICK HERE for the sample ordinance to extend town officer terms for an extra week as necessary due to recent changes to election law. 

2012 Scholarship Application Now Available

(1/18/12)  CLICK HERE for a brochure describing the rules for the 2012 Wisconsin Towns Association Scholarship Program, funded together with our scholarship partners Rural Mutual Insurance Company and Scott Construction, Inc.  All applicants must be graduating from a Wisconsin public or private high school in 2012 and plan to attend a Wisconsin public or private college or vocational technical institute in 2012.  Several prizes will be awarded.  This year's topic is:  "What is the appropriate role of recall elections in Wisconsin at the state and local levels?"  The deadline for submisssions is May 30th, 2012.  Good luck to all applicants!  CLICK HERE for the application form to be sent in together with the essay.

Presentation Materials from January Frac Sand Workshops
& WTA Convention Presentation BELOW

(1/3/12)  CLICK HERE for a copy of the mining presentation given by Geologist Bruce A. Brown of the Wisconsin Geological and Natural History Survey at the 64th Annual WTA Convention. Wisconsin continues to see very high interest in both metallic and non-metallic mining. Thanks for coming to Convention!

Workshop Materials are posted below, click on each item to see it.  Packet Instructions (overall materials list)

Right side of folder:
1. Agenda
2. Harnisch Local Government Guide Table of Contents
3. Harnisch Local Government Guide
4. DNR Handout
5. DOR powerpoint re: taxation assessment
6. Bruce Stelzner Power Point 
7. Chippewa County Preferred Road Use Agreement
8. WI Transportation Bulletin on Highway Weight Limits
9. Rules Petition on crystalline silica
10. Presenters and Resources

Left side of folder:
1. Toolbox for Towns Table of Contents: Handouts
2. Sand Mine Poster
3. Bedrock mining map
4. Bedrock stratographic column map
5. McCurdy Powerpoint - Frac Sand Processing - Why & Where
6. Resolution for town to adopt village powers
7. Sample Moratorium Ordinance
    Memorandum on Moratorium Authority for Towns
8. Town of Howard Ordinance
    Addendum to Howard Ordinance (other resources)
9. Key Paragraph for Licensing Ordinance
10. Town of Howard Developers Agreement
11. Town of Howard Blasting Ordinance
12. Sample Citation Authority Ordinance
13. Sample Resolution to Establish Fees and Forfeitures
14. Ericheck Study
15. Link to Hite Study
16. WI Open Meetings Law Summary
17. Avoiding a Common Violation of Open Meetings Law
18-19. Sample Form for recording minutes while in closed session & Motion to go into closed session
20. Town Ethics Ordinance
17. Citizens Guide to Standards of Conduct for Local Officials
18. Mitigating Private Interests v. Public Duties

Agriculture Community Engagement (ACE)
Educational Seminar Announced for Feb. 23rd

(1/3/12)  ACE will be holding a day-long educational seminar in Madison on Thursday February 23rd.  ACE events are a collaboration of the Professional Dairy Producers of Wisconsin, the Wisconsin Counties Association and WTA.  Please CLICK HERE for a copy of the brochure with program and registration details.  The registration fee includes lunch and the following sessions:

"Follow the Money" by Ben Brancel, Wis. Secretary of Agriculture
"The Road Results Are In" by Kevin Erb, Conservation Professional Development & Training Coordinator, UW-Extension
"Built to Work, Built to Last" by Steve Pudloski, Director of the Wisconsin Transportation and Information Center, UW-Madison
"Ag Equipment on Our Roads: What Regulations Apply?" by Sgt. Michael Klingenberg, Wis. State Patrol
"The Effects of Animal Welfare" by Gary Conklin, Ohio Dairy Producer

Grievance Procedure Information & Samples

(8/2/11)  The Budget Repair Bill, or 2011 Wisconsin Act 10, created the new requirement in
s. 66.0509(1m) that each local governmental unit in the state must adopt an employee grievance procedure by October 1st, 2011 if the local governmental unit did not already have something equivalent in place last June 29th. Please click on each of the items below to see the information and samples:

WTA Newsletter Article explaining this topic

Follow up WTA Newsletter Article Answering More Questions

Sample Employee Grievance Procedure

Sample Resolution to Adopt an Employee Grievance Procedure

Sample Forms for Use with an Employee Grievance Procedure

Analysis and samples from the League of Municipalities  (WTA thanks the League for permitting us to also link to their materials.  For another take on the subject, read this article by Attorney Nancy Pirkey and Buelow Vetter Buikema Olson & Vliet, LLC.  The article contains a link at its top for samples too.)

Concealed Carry Information & Samples

(10/6/11)  CLICK HERE for a lengthy Department of Justice FAQ on Wisconsin's new concealed carry law.  You may also CLICK HERE for a copy of the article on this topic from the last WTA newsletter.  Finally, see below for sample sign images in .JPEG format.  Remember that if your board decides to disallow weapons that signs must be posted in at least an actual size of five by seven inches.

No Weapons Allowed Inside This Building             No Weapons Allowed Inside This Event

Sign Retroreflectivity Has Proposed Changes

 2013 Electronic Filing Requirements for Assessement

(8/29/11)  The Department of Revenue (DOR) has sent a letter to all municipal clerks in Wisconsin outlining changes in reporting data electronically by local assessors to the DOR in 2013 and the possible requirements for USPAP for assessors in 2013 being pushed by DOR. A Q&A explanation of the electronic filing requirements has also been prepared by the DOR. The Wisconsin Towns Association's position on these matters is outlined in the following article from Executive Director Rick Stadelman. Please click on the below documents to view.

DOR Letter to All Municipal Clerks

DOR Frequently Asked Questions on this topic

Rick Stadelman's Newsletter Article Outlining WTA Positions on this topic