The amount of the tax to be levied or certified, the amounts
of the various appropriations, and the purposes thereof shall not
be changed after approval of the budget except upon the recommendation
of the Village President and upon a 2/3 vote of the entire membership
of the Village Board. Notice of such change shall be given by publication
within 10 days thereafter in the official Village newspaper.
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 appropriation in the adopted budget or when changed as authorized by §
49-4 of this chapter. 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 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, and any such appropriation shall continue in force until the purpose for which it was made shall have been accomplished or abandoned.
The calendar year shall be the fiscal year.
The Village Board shall designate the public depository or depositories
within this state within which Village funds shall be deposited, and
when the money is deposited in such depository in the name of the
Village, Village officials and bondsman shall not be liable for such
losses as are defined by state law. The interest arising therefrom
shall be paid into the Village treasury.
The Village Administrator-Clerk/Treasurer may invest any Village
funds not immediately needed, pursuant to §§ 66.0609
and 219.05, Wis. Stats.
The Village Administrator-Clerk/Treasurer and his designees
are authorized to prepare a Statement of Real Property Status form
to be used to provide information often requested for transfers of
real property such as the amount of outstanding special assessments,
deferred assessments, changes in assessments, amount of taxes, outstanding
sewer bills, current sewer bills, contemplated improvements, outstanding
citations on building code violations and similar information. Any
such information sought shall be provided to the person requesting
it on said form. Requests for Statements of Real Property Status shall
be made to the Village Administrator-Clerk/Treasurer a minimum of
one business day in advance. There shall be a fee as set by the Village
Board for the preparation of such report.
Billings by the Village may be paid within 20 days after billing
without interest. Thereafter, interest may be charged at the rate
of 1 1/2% per month or any fraction thereof, until the following
15th day of November. Bills not paid on or before October 31 shall
have added to the total amount due 1 1/2% of said charges, shall
be entered on the tax roll as a special charge, and become a lien
upon real estate.
A firm of certified public accountants shall be employed each
year by the Village, subject to the Village Administrator-Clerk/Treasurer
confirmation of the Village Board to conduct a detailed audit of the
Village's financial transactions and its books and to assist
the Village Administrator-Clerk/Treasurer in the management of the
Village's financial affairs, including the Village's public
utilities. These auditors shall be employed on a calendar-year basis.
The books audited may, in addition to the Village's financial records
of the office of the Village Administrator-Clerk/Treasurer, include
the Village Administrator-Clerk/Treasurer's books, the Village's
public utilities, and any other books of any boards, commission, officers
or employees of the Village handling Village moneys.
No agent of the Village of Spencer having authority to employ
labor or to purchase materials, supplies or any other commodities
may bind the Village or incur any indebtedness for which the Village
may become liable without approval of the Board. Each such employment
or purchase order shall be drawn against a specific appropriation,
the money for which shall be available in the Village treasury and
not subject to any prior labor claims or material purchase orders
at the time when such employment is negotiated or purchase order drawn.
The Village Administrator-Clerk/Treasurer shall keep a record of such
employment and purchase orders and shall charge them against the proper
appropriation.