The Village shall operate under the Village Manager form of government, pursuant to Ch. 64, Wis. Stats., under a charter ordinance adopted in April 1939.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: See Ch. A70, Charter Ordinances.
(1) 
Adopted. The Seal described below and designed by Marshall Bartos shall be the Official Seal of the Village.
001 Seal.tif
(2) 
Explanation of symbols.
(a) 
Gear: industrial worker.
(b) 
Grain sheaf: agricultural worker.
(c) 
United States eagle: under government guidance.
(d) 
Book: cultural life.
[Amended 5-20-2008 by Ord. No. 840; 7-17-2013 by Ord. No. 863]
The Greendale NOW, shall be the official newspaper for the Village, except that the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel shall be the official newspaper in the event a daily newspaper is necessary. The Village Clerk-Treasurer shall publish in the newspaper condensed minutes of regular and special Board meetings and all ordinances, bylaws and notices that are required by law to be published.
[Amended 4-4-2000[1]]
(1) 
Elected officials of the Village shall consist of the President, six Trustees and the Municipal Judge.
[Amended 5-20-2008 by Ord. No. 840]
(2) 
Beginning in 2000, Village Board members shall be elected as follows:
(a) 
In 2000, one Trustee will be elected for a three-year term and two Trustees will be elected for two-year terms.
(b) 
In 2001, two Trustees will be elected for three-year terms and one Trustee will be elected for a two-year term.
(c) 
Commencing in 2002, and every year thereafter, two Trustees will be elected for three-year terms.
(3) 
The Trustee elected during the 2000 election year who receives the largest number of votes shall receive the three-year term pursuant to Subsection (2)(a). above. The two Trustees elected during the 2001 election year who receive the largest number of votes shall receive the three-year terms pursuant to Subsection (2)(b). above.
(4) 
The Village President who is elected at the annual election in April of 2000 shall hold office for a term of three years. The Municipal Judge who is elected at the annual election in April of 2000 shall hold office for a term of two years.
[Amended 5-20-2008 by Ord. No. 840]
[1]
Editor's Note: This amendment was adopted by charter ordinance.
[Amended by Ord. No. 620; Ord. No. 697; Ord. No. 698; Ord. No. 706; 12-17-2019 by Ord. No. 917]
The following appointed officials of the Village shall be appointed in such manner and for such term as indicated:
Official
How Appointed
Term
(1)
Village Manager
Village Board
Indefinite
(2)
Village Engineer
Village Manager
Indefinite
(3)
Director of Public Works
Village Manager
Indefinite
(4)
Village Attorney
Village Manager, subject to Board approval
Indefinite
(5)
Clerk
Village Manager, subject to Board approval
Indefinite
(6)
Treasurer/Finance Director
Village Manager, subject to Board approval
Indefinite
(7)
Assessor
Village Manager
Indefinite
(8)
Police Chief
Police and Fire Commission
Indefinite
(9)
Fire Chief
Police and Fire Commission
Indefinite
(10)
Medical Advisor
Village Manager
Indefinite
(11)
Director of Inspection Services
Village Manager
Indefinite
(12)
Plumbing Inspector
Village Manager
Indefinite
(13)
Electrical Inspector
Village Manager
Indefinite
(14)
Public Health Administrator/Health Officer
Village Manager
Indefinite
(15)
Sanitarian
Village Manager
Indefinite
Elected and appointed officials shall take and file the official oath within five days after notice of their election or appointment as provided in § 61.21, Wis. Stats., and shall execute and file the official bond as required by state statutes and this Code.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: See Ch. 3, § 3.09.
(1) 
Elected officials. Elected officials may be removed by the Village Board as provided in § 17.13(2), Wis. Stats., or by the Judge of the Circuit Court for cause pursuant to § 17.13(3), Wis. Stats.
(2) 
Appointed officials. Appointed officials may be removed as provided in § 17.13(1) and (3), Wis. Stats., and § 64.09(8), Wis. Stats., in the case of the Village Manager.
(1) 
How occurring. Vacancies in elective and appointive positions are caused as provided in §§ 17.03 and 17.035, Wis. Stats.
(2) 
How filled. Vacancies in elective and appointive offices shall be filled as provided in § 17.24, Wis. Stats.
The salaries of all elected and appointed officials, including members of boards and commissions, shall be as determined by the Village Board from time to time, provided that the salary of the President and members of the Board shall not be increased during their terms of office. (See § 66.0505, Wis. Stats.)
No Trustee shall, during the time for which he is elected, be appointed to any office or position of profit in service to the Village. No employee in the service of the Village shall continue in such position after becoming a candidate for nomination or election to any elective public office. No person shall either directly or indirectly give, render or pay any money, service or other valuable thing to any person for or on account of or in connection with any appointment, promotion or proposed promotion in the service of the Village.
Neither the Village Board nor any of its members shall direct or request the appointment of any person to or his removal from office by the Village Manager or take part in the appointment or removal of officers and employees in the administrative service of the Village except as may be provided in the charter ordinance organizing the Village under Ch. 64, Wis. Stats.[1] Except for the purpose of inquiry, the Village Board and its members shall deal with the administrative service solely through the Manager, and neither the Village Board nor any Trustee shall give orders to any subordinate of the Village Manager either publicly or privately. Conviction of a violation of this section shall be cause for removal from office under § 17.13(2) and (3), Wis. Stats.
[1]
Editor's Note: See Ch. A70, Charter Ordinances.
The Village Board, the Manager or any person or committee authorized by either of them shall have power to inquire into the conduct of any office or officer of the Village and to make investigations as to Village affairs and for that purpose may compel the production of books, papers and other evidence.
(1) 
Purpose. The proper operation of democratic government requires that public officials and employees be independent, impartial and responsible to the people. The purpose of this section is to establish ethical standards of conduct for all such officials and to direct disclosure by such officials of private financial or other interests in matters affecting the Village. The municipal officials and employees of the Village, whether elected or appointed, are "public officials and employees" within the meaning and intent of this section.
(2) 
Responsibilities of public office. Public officials and employees are bound to observe in their official acts the highest standards of morality and to discharge faithfully the duties of their office regardless of personal considerations, recognizing that the public interest shall be their primary concern. Their conduct in both their official and private affairs shall be above reproach. Public officials are bound to uphold the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State of Wisconsin and to carry out impartially the laws of the nation, state and Village.
(3) 
Dedicated service. Public officials and employees shall not exceed their authority or breach law or ask others to do so, and they shall work in full cooperation with other public officials and employees unless prohibited from doing so by law or by officially recognized confidentiality of their work.
(4) 
Fair and equal treatment.
(a) 
Unilateral communications. No public official or employee shall encourage, make or accept any application or communication from any party made out of the presence and without the knowledge of other parties in a matter under consideration when such application or communication is designed to influence official decision or the conduct of the official himself or other officials, employees or agencies in order to obtain favored treatment or special consideration to advance the personal or private interests of himself or others. Any written unilateral communication received by a public official or employee in matters where all interested parties should have equal opportunity for a hearing shall be made a part of the record by the recipient. Any oral unilateral communication received under such conditions shall be written down in substance by the recipient and also made part of the record.
(b) 
Use of public property. No public official or employee shall request, use or permit the use of Village-owned vehicles, equipment, materials or property for personal convenience or profit, except when such services are available to the public generally or are provided as Village policy for the use of such official or employee in the conduct of official business.
(c) 
Obligation of citizen. No public official or employee shall grant any special consideration, treatment or advantage to any citizen beyond that which is available to every other citizen.
(5) 
Conflicts of interest.
(a) 
No Trustee or other public official or employee, whether paid or unpaid, shall engage in any business or transaction within the Village or have a financial or other personal interest, direct or indirect, which is incompatible with the proper discharge of his official duties or shall tend to impair his independence of judgment or action in the performance of his official duties. Personal as distinguished from financial interest includes an interest arising from blood or marriage relationships or close business or political association.
(b) 
Specific conflicts of interest are enumerated below for the guidance of officials. This list is illustrative and not exclusive.
1. 
Incompatible employment. No Trustee or other public official or employee shall engage in or accept private employment or render services for private interests when such employment or service is incompatible with the proper discharge of his official duties or shall tend to impair his independence of judgment or action in the performance of his official duties. If a Trustee, official or employee possess a financial or personal interest in any business or transaction, any presumption of conflict of interest with his public duties shall be removed by his disclosure of the nature and extent of such interest to the proper authority for the records of that authority.
2. 
Disclosure of confidential information. No Trustee or other public official or employee shall, without proper legal authorization, disclose confidential information concerning the property, government or affairs of the Village, nor shall he use such information to advance the financial or other private interest of himself or others.
3. 
Gifts and favors. No Trustee or other public official or employee shall accept anything having a value greater than $25, whether in the form of service, loan, gift or promise, from any person who to his knowledge is interested directly or indirectly in business dealings with the Village, nor shall any such official or employee accept any gift, favor or thing of value that may tend to influence him in the discharge of his duties or grant in the discharge of his duties any improper favor, service or thing of value. Any Trustee or other public official or employee who accepts any gift, favor or thing of value shall, in the case of a Trustee, disclose the matter in the minutes of the next Board meeting and, in the case of other officials or employees, report the matter to the Board for disclosure in the minutes of the next meeting.
[Amended 9-7-1982]
4. 
Representing private interests before Village agencies or courts. No Trustee or other public official or employee whose salary is paid in whole or in part by the Village shall appear on behalf of private interests before any agency of the Village. He shall not represent private interests in any action or proceeding against the interest of the Village in any litigation to which the Village is a party.
5. 
Contracts with the Village. Any Trustee or other public official or employee who has substantial financial interest in any business entity entering into or proposing to enter into any transaction or contract with the Village or the sale of real estate, material supplies or services to the Village shall disclose such interest to the Village Board to be reported in the minutes of the appropriate Board meeting. In the case of a Trustee, he shall refrain from voting upon or otherwise participating (except in the performance of a ministerial act) in the transaction or the making of such contract or sale.
6. 
Disclosure of interest in legislation. A Trustee who has a financial or other private interest in any legislation before the Village Board shall disclose on the records of the Board the nature and extent of such interest. This provision shall not apply if the Board member disqualifies himself from voting. Any other public official or employee who has a financial or other private interest in such legislation and who participates in discussion with or gives an official opinion to the Board shall disclose on the record of the Board the nature and extent of such interest.
(6) 
Sanctions. Violation of any provision of this section shall raise conscientious questions for Trustees or any other official or employee concerned as to whether voluntary resignation or other action is indicated to promote the best interest of the Village. Violation shall constitute a cause for suspension, removal from office or employment or other disciplinary action.