[HISTORY: Adopted by the Village Board of the Village of Richfield 8-4-2009 by Ord. No. 2009-8-2 (§§ 2.04 and 2.05 of prior Code). Amendments noted where applicable.]
A. 
Duties of Assessor. Whenever the Assessor, in the performance of the Assessor's duties, requests or obtains income and expense information pursuant to § 70.47(7)(af),Wis. Stats., or any successor statute, then such income and expense information that is provided to the Assessor shall be held by the Assessor on a confidential basis; except, however, that the information may be revealed to and used by persons in the discharging of duties imposed by law; in the discharge of duties imposed by office (including, but not limited to, use by the Assessor in performance of official duties of the Assessor's office and use by the Board of Review in performance of its official duties); or pursuant to the order of a court. Income and expense information provided to the Assessor under § 70.47(7)(af), Wis. Stats., unless a court determines that it is inaccurate, is, per § 70.47(7)(af), Wis. Stats., not subject to the right of inspection and copying under § 19.35(1), Wis. Stats.
B. 
Preparation of tax roll and tax statements; aggregate tax stated on roll. Pursuant to § 70.65(2), Wis. Stats., the Village Clerk or designee shall, in computing the tax roll, insert only the aggregate amount of state, county, school, and local taxes in a single column in the roll opposite the parcel or tract of land against which the tax is levied, or, in the case of personal property, in a single column opposite the name of the person against whom the tax is levied.
[Amended 8-15-2013 by Ord. No. 2013-8-2]
C. 
First installment payment deadline. Pursuant to § 74.09(3)(h), Wis. Stats., the last day of January is established as the final day for the payment of the first installment of real estate taxes.
[Amended 8-15-2013 by Ord. No. 2013-8-2]
D. 
Delinquent personal property taxes. The Village Board hereby imposes a penalty of 1.5% per month or fraction of a month in addition to the interest imposed on any overdue or delinquent personal property taxes.
E. 
Statement of real property status. A statement of real property status shall be provided upon request by the Village Treasurer or designee for a fee set by the Board by resolution.
[Amended 8-15-2013 by Ord. No. 2013-8-2]
[Amended 8-15-2013 by Ord. No. 2013-8-2]
A. 
All disbursements of the Village shall be by check, written wire transfer, telephone wire transfer, or other money transfer techniques, and, in the case of savings accounts, by savings withdrawal forms, as provided in § 66.0607, Wis. Stats. Written and telephone wire transfers shall only be made by authorized personnel. In accordance therewith all check and savings withdrawal forms, effective July 1, 2016, shall be signed by all of the following individuals:
[Amended 7-21-2016 by Ord. No. 2016-07-01]
(1) 
Village President.
(2) 
Village Administrator/Clerk/Treasurer.
B. 
In lieu of the personal signature of the persons listed in Subsection A, the facsimile signature adopted by the person and approved by the governing body may be affixed to the check and savings withdrawal forms. The use of a facsimile signature does not relieve an official from any liability to which the official is otherwise subject, including the unauthorized use of the facsimile signature. A public depository is fully warranted and protected in making payment on any check bearing a facsimile signature affixed as provided by this subsection notwithstanding that the facsimile signature may have been affixed without the authority of the designated person or persons:
(1) 
Village President.
(2) 
Village Administrator.
(3) 
Village Treasurer or designee.
[Amended 8-15-2013 by Ord. No. 2013-8-2]
A fee set by the Village Board is imposed upon the payer of any insufficient funds check returned to the Village. The Village Treasurer or designee is directed to post a notice of such charge at the Village Hall.
A service charge of 15% shall be added to all invoices for services or user fees assessed, and the charge shall be collected by the Village Treasurer or designee at the time such services are delivered.
[1]
Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. II).
A. 
Annually, on or before October 1, each officer, department, or board shall file with the Village Administrator an itemized statement of disbursements made to carry out the powers and duties of such officer, department, or board during the current fiscal year to date, and a detailed statement of the receipts and disbursements on account of any special fund under the supervision of such officer, department, or board during such year, and of the condition and management of such funds; also detailed estimates of the same matters for the remainder of the current fiscal year and for the ensuing fiscal year. Such statements shall be presented in the form prescribed by the Village Clerk or designee and shall be designated as the departmental estimates and shall be as nearly uniform as possible for the main divisions of all departments.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. II).
B. 
The Village Administrator shall consider such departmental estimates in consultation with the department head and shall then determine the total amount to be recommended in the budget for such department or activity.
C. 
As per the budget calendar as determined by the Village Administrator and Village President, the Village Administrator, with the assistance of the Village staff, shall prepare and submit to the Village Board a proposed budget presenting a financial plan for conducting the affairs of the Village for the ensuing calendar year.[2]
(1) 
The budget shall include the following information:
(a) 
The expense of conducting each department and activity of the Village for the ensuing fiscal year and corresponding items for the current year and last preceding fiscal year, with reasons for increase and decrease recommended as compared with appropriations for the current fiscal year.
(b) 
An itemization of all anticipated income of the Village from sources other than general property taxes and bonds issued, with a comparative statement of the amounts received by the Village from each of the same or similar sources for the last preceding and current fiscal year.
(c) 
An itemization of the amount of money to be raised from general property taxes which, with income from other sources, will be necessary to meet the proposed expenditures.
(d) 
Such other information as may be required by the Village Board.
(2) 
The Board shall publish a summary of the budget as required by law and provide a reasonable number of copies of the detailed budget thus prepared for distribution to citizens.
[2]
Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. II).
D. 
The Village Administrator shall submit to the Board, at the time the annual budget is submitted, the draft of an appropriation resolution providing for the expenditures proposed for the ensuing fiscal year. Upon the submission of the proposed resolution to the Board, it shall be deemed to have been regularly introduced therein. The Board shall hold a public hearing on the budget and the proposed appropriation resolution, as required by law. Following the public hearing, the proposed appropriation resolution may be changed or amended and shall take the same course as other resolutions.
E. 
The Village Board may, pursuant to § 65.90(5), Wis. Stats., by a two-thirds vote of the entire membership, transfer any portion of an unencumbered balance of an appropriation to any other purpose or object.
F. 
No money shall be drawn from the treasury of the Village, nor shall any obligation for the expenditure of money be incurred, except in pursuance of the annual resolution, or of such resolution when changed as authorized by Subsection E of this section. At the close of each fiscal year, any unencumbered balance of an appropriation shall revert to the general fund and shall be subject to reappropriation, but appropriations may be made by the Village Board, to be paid out of the income of the current year, in furtherance of improvements or other objects or works which will not be completed within such year. Any such appropriation shall continue in force until the purpose for which it was made shall have been accomplished or abandoned.
[Amended 4-4-2013 by Ord. No. 2013-4-2]
A. 
Purpose. It is the declared intent of this section that the Village Board delegate to the Village Clerk the power to authorize routine payments of certain claims, without prior Village Board approval, under the limited circumstances described in this section, while retaining the Village Board’s authority to approve claims in all other circumstances.
B. 
Authority. This section is adopted pursuant to the authority granted to Village Boards under § 66.0609, Wis. Stats., to adopt an alternative claim procedure for approving financial claims against the Village which are in the nature of bills and vouchers.
C. 
Limited claims.
(1) 
Payment of routine bills, routine professional service fees, regular payroll expenses and contracts. Routine bills of the Village, as determined by the Village Clerk, which are in an amount of $5,000 or less, routine professional service fees, regular payroll expenses and contracts previously approved by the Village Board shall be paid by the Village Treasurer, in accordance with Subsection D, in time for payment prior to such claims due date.
(2) 
All other claims. Claims not specified in Subsection C(1) above, or which do not meet the requirements of Subsection D, shall be recommended by the Village Clerk for approval or denial to the Village Board, prior to payment being made.
D. 
Procedure.
(1) 
Payment of the types of claims described in Subsection C(1) may be made from the Village treasury in the manner described in § 66.0607, Wis. Stats., without prior Village Board approval, upon the Village Clerk’s audit of each such bill or voucher, and the Village Clerk’s approval, in writing, that each is a proper charge against the treasury. The Village Clerk’s approval shall not be granted unless the Village Clerk first determines that:
(a) 
Funds are available under the Village budget to pay the bill or voucher.
(b) 
The item or service covered by the bill or voucher has been duly authorized by the proper official, department head, board or commission.
(c) 
The item or service covered by the bill or voucher has been supplied or rendered in conformity with the authorization.
(d) 
The claim appears to be a valid claim against the Village.
(2) 
Village Clerk may choose to require the claimant to submit proof, to aid the Clerk in determining whether the claimant has complied with these conditions, prior to payment of the claim.
(3) 
Village Clerk shall file with the Village Board at least monthly a list of the claims showing the date the claim was paid; the name of the claimant; the purpose of the claim; and the amount of the claim.
E. 
Annual audit. As required by § 66.0609(3), Wis. Stats., the Village Board shall obtain an annual detailed audit of its financial transactions and accounts by a certified public account licensed or certified under Ch. 442, Wis. Stats., and designated by the Village Board.
F. 
Bond. As required by § 66.0609(4), Wis. Stats., the Village Clerk shall be covered by a fidelity bond of not less than $5,000.
A. 
Definitions. As used in this section, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
PUBLIC CONTRACT
A contract for the construction, execution, repair, remodeling, or improvement of any public work or building or for the furnishing of materials or supplies, with an estimated cost greater than $5,000.
RESPONSIBLE BIDDER
A person who, in the judgment of the Village Board, is financially responsible and has the capacity and competence to faithfully and responsibly comply with the terms of the public contract.
B. 
Notice; advertisement for bids.
(1) 
No public contract, the estimated cost of which is more than $5,000 but not more than $25,000, shall, as required by § 61.54, Wis. Stats., be let unless the Village Board or designated Village official or employee gives Class 1 notice under Ch. 985, Wis. Stats., before execution of the contract.
(2) 
All public construction contracts exceeding $25,000 shall, to the extent required under § 61.54, Wis. Stats., be let by the Village Board to the lowest responsible bidder in accordance with § 66.0901, Wis. Stats., insofar as said section may be applicable.
(3) 
Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Code, the Village Board may approve the purchase of any goods or supplies from any other unit of government, including the state or federal government, without the intervention of bids, to the extent permitted by § 66.0131(2), Wis. Stats.
C. 
Village regulation manual. See the Village Regulation Manual for the complete Village public purchase policy.
[1]
Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. II).
[Added 7-5-2012 by Ord. No. 2012-6-1]
A. 
Definitions. As used in this section, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
PUBLIC WORKS PROJECT
Any capital project which includes the construction, expansion, or improvement of public facilities or infrastructure, including the cost of land, and including legal, engineering and design costs to construct, expand or improve public facilities.
B. 
Authority.
(1) 
The Village Board shall have the sole and exclusive power to determine whether to authorize expenditures on behalf of the Village pertaining to public works, specifically including the sole and exclusive power to determine whether to approve public works projects, and to borrow funds and enter contracts for public works projects, and no referendum is required except as may be required by state statute, or as described in § 40-10 below.
(2) 
Prior to exercising this authority, the Village Board shall ensure that it is well informed and fully advised in order to best serve the government and the good order of the Village, for the Village's commercial benefit, and for the health, safety, and welfare of the public.
(3) 
To ensure that the Village Board is well informed and fully advised, the Village Board shall conduct all investigations as may be necessary, which may include:
(a) 
Authorizing the preparation of studies related to planning, engineering, and architectural rendering and feasibility.
(b) 
Referring the matter to Village staff for report and recommendation.
(c) 
Submitting the matter to review by the Village committees and commissions.
(d) 
Investigating financing, such as possible bonding, grants or cost sharing with other public or private entities.
(e) 
Submitting the matter for review by other governmental entities having jurisdiction, including Washington County, the Southeastern Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission (SEWRPC), Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WIDNR) and others.
(f) 
Seeking such additional information and advice as the Village Board deems necessary and appropriate.
(g) 
Public hearings, listening sessions, and other forums may be conducted as the Village Board deems necessary and/or as required by state statutes.
[Added 7-5-2012 by Ord. No. 2012-6-1]
A. 
Definitions. As used in this section, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
FINANCIAL THRESHOLD
When the cost of the public works project exceeds 0.33% of the equalized value of the community.
B. 
Referendum required.
(1) 
The Village shall not enter into any contract for the construction of any public works project which includes the initial installation of public sanitary sewer, potable public water and/or any combination of the same which meets the following criteria without first submitting the project to the electorate for a referendum:
(a) 
The public works project is funded by Village property tax dollars;
(b) 
The public works project is located west of any property with frontage on State Highway 175, which is located in the corporate boundaries of the Village of Richfield as of the date of this section;
(c) 
The public works project requires the immediate connection of all property owners in a residential subdivision and the Village does not have the express written consent of 50% or more of the residential lot owners in the subdivision, or the public works project requires the immediate connection of any residential property that is not located in a subdivision, or that is in a subdivision but not all properties in the subdivision are required to connect, for which the Village does not have the express written consent of 50% or more of such property owners; and
(d) 
The public works project is not required by any federal, state or county ordinances or rules and/or court orders.
(2) 
The Village shall not enter into any contract for the construction of a nonemergency public works project when the cost of the public works project exceeds the financial threshold, except as defined in Subsection B(1), and which meets the following criteria without first submitting the project to the electorate for a referendum:
(a) 
The public works project is funded by Village property tax dollars in an amount above the financial threshold listed above;
(b) 
The public works project is not a roadway project;
(c) 
The public works project is not in a tax incremental financing (TIF) district; and
(d) 
The public works project is not required by any federal, state, or county ordinances or rules and/or court orders or previously approved agreements.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. II).
(3) 
The wording of any referendum shall provide the specific purpose, location and estimated cost of the public works project.
C. 
Exceptions.
(1) 
For all public works projects that do not meet all of the specific criteria listed in this section no referendum shall be required.
(2) 
Emergency projects are also excluded from the requirement of a referendum, and the Village Board shall determine if the situation qualifies as an emergency situation.
(3) 
Nothing in this section shall be construed to preclude the Village from exercising its role in the planning or design of any such public works project.
A. 
Whenever the Village Board, Village Clerk or designee has authorized a property owner in the Village of Richfield or a property owner's representative to contact the Village Attorney, Village Engineer or any other of the Village's professional staff or the Village Board, Village Clerk or designee contacts said Village Attorney, Village Engineer or any of the Village's professional staff regarding a specific person's property or development in the Village of Richfield, or a property owner or a property owner's representative contacts the Village Attorney, Village Engineer or any other of the Village's professional staff, if said contact results in a charge to the Village of Richfield for that professional's time and services and said service is not a service supplied to the Village of Richfield as a whole, then and in that event the Village Treasurer or designee shall, pursuant to the provisions of § 66.0627, Wis. Stats., charge that service to said property owner for the fees and costs incurred by the Village.
B. 
The Village Treasurer or designee shall give each property owner billed for current services as provided for herein notice that they shall have a specified period of time not less than 30 days to pay. Said notice shall also state that within 15 days of the date of notice, the property owner may request a hearing before the Village Board regarding the charges against the property. Said notice shall also include an itemized statement of the professional service fees and costs to be charged. Thereafter, if the property owner requests a hearing within the proper time period, the matter shall proceed as described in Subsection D below.
C. 
If a hearing is not requested within the required period, if that charge remains unpaid, the Village Treasurer or designee shall automatically charge that delinquent bill against the current or next tax roll as a delinquent tax against the property as provided by law. In the event the statement rendered to the property owner or the time given for the property owner to pay or following a hearing if the Village Board approves all or part of the charge, it is too late in the current year for the charge, when it becomes delinquent, to be extended on that year's tax roll, then the delinquent charge shall be extended to the following year's tax roll.
D. 
Upon receipt of a timely request for hearing, the Village Board shall hold a hearing regarding the property charges at its next scheduled meeting or as soon as feasible. Such hearing shall be preceded by posted public notice and reasonable notice, via first-class mail, to the property owner. In the event a hearing is requested, no charges shall be placed on the tax roll unless and until such hearing has been held and a decision has been rendered by the Village Board to approve the charges against the tax roll in whole or in part. If approved only in part, only that part of the charges that are approved may be charged against the tax roll.
[1]
Editor's Note: Added at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. II).
[Added 11-16-2017 by Ord. No. 2017-11-01]
A. 
The Village elects not to require the bond on the Treasurer provided for by § 70.67(1), Wis. Stats.
B. 
Pursuant to § 70.67(2), Wis. Stats., the Village shall be obligated to pay, in case the Treasurer shall fail to do so, all state and county taxes required by law to be paid by such Treasurer to the County Treasurer.