[HISTORY: Adopted by the Village Board of the Village of Greendale 12-16-2003 by Ord. No. 804 (Ch. 27 of the Code of Ordinances). Amendments noted where applicable.]
The following words, terms and phrases, when used in this chapter, shall have the meaning ascribed to them in this section, except where the context clearly indicates a different meaning:
DEPARTMENT
The Village Clerk's department or office.
[Amended 10-3-2023 by Ord. No. 956]
INCORRECT
As applied to weights and measures and commodities, includes any failure to comply with the requirements of this chapter.
PACKAGE
Any commodity put up or packaged in any manner in advance of sale in units suitable for either wholesale or retail sale.
SEALER
The Village Sealer of Weights and Measures.
SELL, SALE and SOLD
Includes barter or exchange and any offering or exposing for sale or possession with the intent to sell.
WEIGHT
Net weight when used in reference to a commodity.
WEIGHTS AND MEASURES
Weights and measures of every kind, instruments and devices for weighing and measuring, counting or pricing and any appliances and accessories used with any or all such instruments and devices, except meters for the measurement of electricity, gas (natural and manufactured) or water when the meters are operated in a public utility system, and scales under the control of the Grain and Warehouse Commission.
(1) 
Police power is hereby conferred upon the Sealer of Weights and Measures. He shall be provided with suitable badges or insignia of authority and in the exercise of his functions shall exhibit the badge or insignia upon demand to any person questioning his powers. He may make arrests, with or without formal warrant, of any persons violating any statute or ordinance relating to weights and measures.
(2) 
The Sealer may enter and go into or upon any structure or premises and may stop any person or vehicle for the purpose of enforcing this chapter. He shall inspect and test any weights or commodities which are sold or used commercially as often as necessary to secure compliance with this chapter. The Sealer shall approve for use and seal or mark with appropriate devices such weights and measures as found upon inspection and test to be correct and shall reject and mark or tag as rejected such weights and measures as found upon inspection or test to be incorrect but which in his best judgment are susceptible of satisfactory repair. Weights and measures that have been rejected or condemned may be confiscated and may be destroyed by the Sealer if not corrected as required by the Sealer or if used or disposed of contrary to this chapter.
(3) 
The Sealer shall have the power to issue stop (use) orders, stop sale orders and disposal orders with respect to weights and measures being, or susceptible of being, commercially used and to issue stop sale orders and disposal orders with respect to packages or amounts of commodities kept, offered or exposed for sale, sold, or in process of delivery, whenever in the course of his enforcement of the provisions of this chapter he deems it necessary or expedient to issue such orders. No person shall use, remove from the premises specified, or fail to remove from the premises specified any weight, measure or package or amount of commodity contrary to the terms of a stop use order, stop sale order or disposal order issued under the authority of this section.
(4) 
The Sealer shall investigate complaints made to him concerning violations of the provisions of this chapter and shall, upon his own initiative, conduct such investigations as he deems appropriate and advisable to develop information on prevailing procedures in commercial quantity determination and on possible violations of the provisions of this chapter and to promote the general objective of accuracy in the determination and representation of quantity in commercial transactions.
For the purpose of this chapter, proof of the existence of a weight or measure or a weighting or measuring device in or about any building, enclosure, stand or vehicle in which or from which it is shown that buying or selling is commonly carried on shall, in the absence of conclusive evidence to the contrary, be presumptive proof of the regular use of such weight or measure or weighing or measuring device for commercial purposes and of such use by the person in charge of such building, enclosure, stand or vehicle.
The Village Sealer shall be appointed by the Village Manager. The Department shall keep a complete record of its work and annually shall file a report thereof with the State Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection and the Board of Trustees. The Department shall also file such other reports as may be required.
The following federal standards, Wisconsin Statutes and state rules are adopted by reference and shall be enforced under this chapter, with violations of such provisions subject to the penalties set forth in § 27.07:
(1) 
Chapter 98, Weights and Measures, Wis. Stats.
(2) 
Chapter ATCP 90, Fair Packaging and Labeling, Wis. Adm. Code.
(3) 
Chapter ATCP 91, Selling Commodities by Weight, Measure or Count, Wis. Adm. Code.
(4) 
Chapter ATCP 109, Freezer Meat and Food Service Plans, Wis. Adm. Code.
(5) 
Chapter ATCP 92, Weights and Measures, Wis. Adm. Code.
(6) 
Sections of Ch. 97, Wis. Stats., pertaining to product labeling, specifically including the following:
(a) 
Section 97.03, Standards; misbranding.
(b) 
Section 97.07, Interpretation.
(c) 
Section 97.09, Rules.
(d) 
Section 97.12, Enforcement.
(7) 
Sections of Ch. 100, Wis. Stats., pertaining to advertising, specifically including § 100.18, Fraudulent representations, and § 100.183, Fraud, advertising foods.
(8) 
National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Handbook 44, United States Department of Commerce, Specifications, Tolerances and Other Technical Requirements and Commercial Weighing and Measuring Devices.
(9) 
Chapter ATCP 124, Price Comparison Advertising, Wis. Adm. Code.
(1) 
There shall be supplied by the Village such field standards and such equipment as may be found necessary to carry out the provisions of this chapter. The field standards shall be verified by the State Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection upon their initial receipt and at regular intervals thereafter stipulated by the state.
(2) 
The specifications, tolerances and regulations for commercial weighing and measuring devices issued by the National Institute of Standards and Technology shall apply in the Village except as modified by rules issued by the State Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection.
Whoever does any of the following acts shall be subject to the penalty provided in § 25.04 of this Code;
(1) 
Hinders, obstructs or impersonates the Sealer.
(2) 
Uses or has in possession for use in buying or selling any commodity or service or sells any incorrect weight or measure.
(3) 
Represents in any manner a false quantity or price in connection with the purchase or sale, or any advertising thereof, of any commodity, thing or service.
(4) 
Uses or disposes of any rejected weight or measure commodity or removes therefrom any official tag, seal, stamp or mark without written authority from the Sealer.
(5) 
Uses any weighing or measuring device in determining the quantity of any commodity or service to be sold or purchased without having the device approved and sealed by the Sealer and the proper certificate obtained in accordance with § 27.08.
(6) 
Violates any other provision of this chapter.
The owner, operator or user of any commercial weights and measures equipment, devices or associated equipment is responsible for the accuracy and maintenance of the equipment.
(1) 
It shall be the duty of every owner, operator or user to notify the Sealer in writing of the acquisition of any device, whether new, rebuilt or used, or of the major repair, conversion or calibration of any device already in use. The notification shall be accomplished within 72 hours of the introduction or reintroduction into use of the device.
(2) 
Commercial weights and measures devices regulated by this chapter shall bear security seals appropriately affixed to any adjustment mechanisms designed to be sealed. The security seals shall bear the mark or imprint of the Sealer or other weights and measures official or service persons authorized by the Sealer. The security seal may only be removed to facilitate repairs of devices. The Sealer shall be notified of the repairs and removal of the seal within 72 hours of removal or of the introduction of a new, rebuilt or used device in accordance with Subsection (1) of this section so that the devices may be sealed or resealed.
(3) 
Transient merchants purchasing or selling commodities or services by weight or measure either from bulk or in packaged form shall notify the Sealer and receive the approval of the Sealer before purchasing or selling activities may be commenced. At the Sealer's discretion the transient merchant may be approved for a calendar year and the subsequent notification requirement may be waived. Sellers of farm produce and seafood vendors operating from other than a continuous, permanent location shall also meet these requirements. Transients operating as part of a licensed Village farm market are exempted from this requirement.
(1) 
Commodities in liquid form shall be sold by liquid measure and commodities not in liquid form shall be sold by weight, provided that liquid commodities may be sold by weight and commodities not in liquid form may be sold by count or measure if such methods are in general use and give accurate information as to the quantity of commodity sold.
(2) 
Berries and small fruits may be sold by measure only if in containers having capacities of 1/2 dry pint, one dry pint or one dry quart.
(3) 
It shall be unlawful to advertise, offer for sale or sell within the Village firewood, fireplace wood, slab wood or stove wood in any other manner than by the cord, fractions of a cord, volumetric measure or by weight.
(a) 
Mill ends, lumber scraps, and irregular pieces when sold for fuel shall be sold by net weight.
(b) 
The cord is hereby defined for purposes of this section as the amount of wood, or a combustible, fibrous growth, which is contained in a space of 128 cubic feet, when the wood is ranked and well stowed.
(c) 
A single log and packages of such individual logs containing less than four cubic feet commonly referred to as "bundles" shall be sold by net weight.
(4) 
Per custom, "128 cubic feet" generally means a stack of wood four feet by four feet by eight feet. "Ranked and well stowed" shall be construed to mean pieces of wood placed in a line or row with individual pieces touching and parallel to each other and stacked in a compact manner.
(5) 
This section shall not apply to commodities sold in compliance with a state or federal law which prescribes another method of sale or to commodities for immediate consumption on the premises where sold.
(1) 
No commodity which is marked, tagged or labeled, or for which a sign is displayed, with a selling price based upon a price per unit of weight or measure shall be sold unless the weight or measure of the commodity is conspicuously declared on the commodity or on its tag, label or sign. If a commodity is wrapped or labeled in advance of sale with a price affixed to the commodity or wrapping, the quantity that determines that price shall appear on the package with the price even though the quantity may already appear on a counter card or sign.
(2) 
No commodity shall be wrapped or its container made, formed or filled so as to mislead the purchaser; nor shall the qualifying term "when packaged" or the terms "jumbo" or "giant" or "full" or words of similar import that tend to mislead the purchaser as to the amount of the commodity be used in connection with a declaration of quantity.
(3) 
In addition to the order declarations required by this section, any commodity in package form, the package being one of a lot containing random weights, measures or counts of the same commodity and bearing the total selling price of the package, shall bear on the outside of the package a plain and conspicuous declaration of the price per single unit of weight, measure or count.
The magnitude of permitted variations from declared quantity shall be determined as follows:
(1) 
The compliance of commodities sold, either in bulk or in prepackaged form, shall be based upon the results of the application of inspection procedures and tolerances as set forth by the State Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection.
(2) 
Commodities, both in bulk or prepackaged form, found in violation of this chapter after test and analysis of a random or statistical sample shall be acted upon either individually or on a by-the-lot basis.
Whenever a commodity in bulk or packaged form is advertised in any manner and the price of the commodity is stated in the advertisement, there shall be closely and conspicuously associated with such statement of price a declaration of the quantity, of contents offered in the case of packaged commodity, or of the price per unit and the unit based upon in the case of a bulk commodity.
(1) 
When the commodity is in packaged form, the quantity, as it appears on the package, shall likewise appear in the advertisement, provided that where the law or regulation requires a dual declaration only, that declaration setting forth the quantity in terms of the smaller unit of weight or measure (the declaration that is required to appear first on the package) need appear in the advertisement.
(2) 
Whenever any commodity is advertised as described, the appropriate method of sale as set forth in § 27.09 and in state statutes and rules adopted by reference shall also be applied in the advertisement.
(3) 
There shall not be included as part of the declaration required under this section such qualifying terms as "when packaged," "minimum," "not less then" or any other terms of similar import, nor any term qualifying a unit of weight, measure, or count, for example "jumbo," "giant," "full" and the like, that tends to exaggerate the amount of commodity in the package.
(1) 
Generally. Whenever any commodity or service is sold or is offered, exposed, or advertised for sale, by weight, measure or count, the price shall not be misrepresented, nor shall the price be represented in any manner calculated or tending to mislead or deceive an actual or prospective purchaser. Whenever an advertised, posted or labeled price per unit of weight, measure or count includes a fraction of a cent, all elements of the fraction shall be prominently displayed and the numerals expressing the fraction shall be immediately adjacent to, of the same general design and style as, and at least 1/2 the height and width of the numerals representing the whole cents.
(2) 
Cash registers and similar devices. Prices generated by a device such as a cash register or scanning system are also affected under this section. The Sealer shall inspect and test such systems and monitor pricing declarations made by a relative to them, such as pricing signs, shelf tags or individually price-marked units, to ensure agreement of all prices. Prices generated by these systems shall wholly agree with posted or premarked prices for the item being sold.
(a) 
Cash registers. Each cash register used in buying and selling transactions shall be maintained in proper operating condition by its owner. All components, attachments and functions of the register shall be operating correctly as designed. All pricing representations shall be accurate.
(b) 
UPC, scanning and point of sale systems. Pricing systems utilizing a scanning device such as a handheld gun or wand, or counter-mounted scanner units at retail checkouts which read universal product code systems or other bar code labels and the like, shall be maintained in proper operating conditions and be so calibrated to accurately read the intended systems and then generate the proper description and price for the given code.
(3) 
Price refunds; price information.
(a) 
A person who uses an electronic scanner to record the price of a commodity or thing at a price higher than the posted, tagged or advertised price of that commodity or thing at least shall refund to a person who purchases the commodity or thing the difference between the posted or advertised price of the commodity or thing and the price charged at the time of sale.
(b) 
A person who sells a commodity or thing and who uses an electronic scanner to record the price of that commodity or thing shall display, in a conspicuous manner, a sign stating the requirements of Subsection (1).
(1) 
All coal, coke and charcoal shall be sold by weight. Unless the fuel is delivered to the purchaser in package form, each delivery of coal, coke or charcoal to an individual purchaser shall be accompanied by duplicate tickets on which, in ink or other indelible substance, there is clearly stated:
(a) 
The name and address of the vendor;
(b) 
The name and address of the purchaser; and
(c) 
The net weight of the delivery and the gross tare weights, from which the net weight is computed, each expressed in pounds.
(2) 
One of these tickets shall be retained by the vendor and the other shall be delivered to the purchaser at the time of delivery of the fuel or shall be surrendered on demand to the Sealer, who, if he desires to retain it as evidence, shall issue a weight slip in lieu thereof for delivery to the purchaser. If the purchaser carries away his purchase, the vendor shall be required only to give the purchaser at the time of sale a delivery ticket stating the number of pounds of fuel delivered to him.
(1) 
As set forth in § 27.09(3), firewood, fireplace wood, slab wood or stove wood shall be sold only by units of a cord or fractions of a cord, by volumetric measure, or by weight. A delivery ticket or invoice shall be presented by the seller to the purchaser whenever any nonpackaged fireplace or stove wood is sold. The delivery ticket or sales invoice shall clearly and legible state in ink or other indelible substance at least the following information:
(a) 
Name and address of seller;
(b) 
Name and address of purchaser;
(c) 
Date of delivery;
(d) 
Quantity delivered and the quantity upon which the price is based, if this differed from the delivered quantity;
(e) 
The price of the amount delivered; and
(f) 
The identity of the wood in the most descriptive terms commercially practicable, including any quality representation made in connection with the sale.
(2) 
Units for firewood of less than four cubic feet, whether sold a single logs or in packages consisting of two or more logs commonly referred to as "bundles," shall be sold by net weight. No delivery ticket or invoice is required; however, each package of two or more logs shall be clearly and legible labeled, tagged or marked with the name, address and zip code of the packager or distributor, the net weight contained and the species of wood provided, for example "birch firewood" or "mixed hardwood."
All heating oils and motor fuels shall be sold by liquid measure or by net weight. In the case of each delivery of liquid fuel not in package form and in an amount greater than 10 gallons in the case of sale by liquid measure or 100 pounds in the case of sale by weight, there shall be rendered to the purchaser, either at the time of delivery or within a period mutually agreed upon in writing or otherwise between the vendor and the purchaser, a delivery ticket or a written statement on which, in ink or other indelible substance, there shall be clearly and legibly stated:
(1) 
The name and address of the vendor;
(2) 
The name and address of the purchaser;
(3) 
The identity of the type of fuel comprising the delivery;
(4) 
The unit price, that is, the price per gallon or per pound, as the case may be, of the fuel delivered;
(5) 
In the case of sale by liquid measure, the liquid volume of the delivery, together with the print meter readings from which such liquid volume has been computed, expressed in terms of the gallon and its binary or decimal subdivisions; and
(6) 
In the case of sale by weight, the net weight of the delivery, together with any weighing scale readings, from which such net weight has been computed, expressed in terms of tons or pounds avoirdupois.
Every wholesaler, retailer and every other person selling or distributing motor fuel, heating oil or solvents in the Village shall keep posted in a conspicuous place, accessible to the public, at his place of business and on every pump from which delivery is made directly into the fuel tank attached to a motor vehicle or into any other vessel brought into same premises by the user, a placard, sign or the like clearly stating the identity of each product dispensed, i.e., the grade, blend or mixture of the product, and the net selling price per gallon, along with the amount of all taxes per gallon thereon, except that no such placard shall be required on a computer pump whereupon the information described is legibly shown on the face.
[Amended 6-17-2025 by Ord. No. 977]
For purposes of this article, "commercial weighing or measuring devices" means those devices, including point-of-sale scanners, used or employed commercially in establishing the size, quantity, extent, area, or price verification and measurement of quantities, things, produce or articles for sale, hire or award, or in computing any basic charge or payment for services rendered on the basis of weight or measure, including those items listed in ATCP 92.04 of the State Administrative Code.
[Amended 6-17-2025 by Ord. No. 977]
(1) 
License required. No person, firm, or corporation shall operate or use any commercial weighing or measuring device within the Village of Greendale without first obtaining a license from the Village Clerk as set forth in this chapter.
(2) 
Compliance with state standards. All commercial weighing or measuring devices shall comply with the standards and requirements set forth in Chapter ATCP 92 of the Wisconsin Administrative Code.
(3) 
Inspection and testing. All commercial weighing or measuring devices shall be subject to periodic inspection and testing by the Village or its designated agent to ensure accuracy and compliance with applicable regulations.
(4) 
Fees. The Village Board shall establish licensing and inspection fees by resolution, which may be amended from time to time.
(5) 
Penalties. Any person, firm, or corporation violating any provision of this section shall be subject to a forfeiture as determined by the Village Board, in addition to any other penalties provided by law.
[Amended 10-3-2023 by Ord. No. 956]
(1) 
Licenses shall be required under this article commencing July 1. All licenses shall expire or terminate on June 30 of each year. No license fee shall be refunded if a license or permit is denied or revoked for cause.
(2) 
An annual processing fee shall be paid in addition to any license fee due. The amount of the annual processing fee and licensing fees shall be on file at the Clerk's office.
[Amended 10-3-2023 by Ord. No. 956]
The application for a weighing or measuring license shall be made in writing on a form provided for such purpose by the Village Clerk. Such application shall state the type and number of weighing and measuring devices to be licensed, the business address where the devices are located, the applicant's full name, signature, and post office address, and whether such person is an individual, firm, corporation or partnership. The names and addresses of all officers or partners shall be included.
[Amended 10-3-2023 by Ord. No. 956]
The Village Clerk shall issue a license under this article to the applicant based on the total number of weighing and measuring devices operated by the applicant if the requirements of this chapter have been complied with and upon payment to the Village of the applicable fee. The fee for licensing of weighing and measuring devices shall be on file with the Clerk's office.
Notwithstanding the provision for the requirement of an annual license for weighing and measuring devices, whenever a special request is made for consultation or the inspection or testing of a noncategorized weighing or measuring device, the actual expenses may be charged to the person or firm receiving the service. Such payment or charge shall be based on the current hourly rate.
All persons licensed under the provisions of this article shall immediately post their license upon some conspicuous part of the premises on which the business is conducted and the license shall remain posted for the period the license is in force.
Notwithstanding any other provisions of this chapter, whenever the Village Sealer finds that business on any premises licensed under this article is conducted or managed in such a matter that there are serious or repeated violations of this chapter or violation of any ordinances or regulations of the Village, the laws of the state or regulations of the National Institute of Standards and Technology relating to weights and measures, he may, without warning, notice or hearing, issue a written notice to the license holder, operator or employee in charge of the licensed premises in the Village of such condition and specifying the corrective action to be taken. If deemed necessary, such order shall state that the license is immediately suspended and that all weighing and measuring operations are to be discontinued. Any person to whom such an order is issued shall comply immediately but upon written petition to the Board of Trustees shall be afforded a hearing before the Board of Trustees within 20 days of such petition. Failure to allow an inspector immediate access to the premises to determine whether such grounds exist shall be grounds for suspension.
For serious or repeated violations of any of the requirements of this chapter or for interference with the Village Sealer in the performance of his duties, the Village Sealer may permanently revoke the license issued under this article. Prior to such action, the Village Sealer shall notify the license holder in writing, stating the reasons for which the license is subject to revocation, and advising that the license shall be permanently revoked at the end of five days following service of such notice unless a request for a hearing is filed with the Board of Trustees by the license holder within such five-day period.
The hearings provided for in this article shall be conducted by the Finance Committee of the Board of Trustees at a time and place designated by the Committee Chairperson. Based upon the record of such hearing, the Village Sealer shall be charged with enforcing the decisions of the Committee. A written report of a hearing decision shall be furnished to the license holder by the Committee Chairperson.