[2016 Code]
The following rules shall be observed in the general use of this code:
(A) 
Every word in this code using the masculine or feminine gender may extend and be applied to the other gender and bodies corporate as well, and every word importing the singular number only may extend and be applied to several persons or things as well as to one person or thing, and every word importing a plural number may extend and be applied to one person or thing. These rules of construction shall not be applied to any provision that contains any express language excluding such construction or when the subject matter or context of such provision may be repugnant thereto.
(B) 
All words and phrases shall be construed and understood according to the common and approved usage of the language; but technical words and phrases and such others as may have acquired a peculiar and appropriate meaning in the law shall be construed and understood according to such peculiar and appropriate meaning.
(C) 
All words purporting to give a joint authority to three or more public officers or other persons shall be construed as giving such authority to a majority of such officers or persons unless it shall be otherwise expressly declared in the laws giving the authority.
(D) 
Explaining stated times:
(1) 
The word "month" means a calendar month unless otherwise expressed. The word "year" means a calendar year unless otherwise expressed.
(2) 
The word "week" means seven days; but publication in the newspaper of any notice or other matter for a stated number of weeks shall mean one insertion in each week, unless specifically stated to be for each day of the week or for more than one day in each week.
(3) 
The time within which an act is to be done as provided in any of the provisions of this code, when expressed in days, shall be computed by excluding the first day and including the last, except that if the last day be Sunday, it shall be excluded and when any such time is expressed in hours, the whole of Sunday shall be excluded.
(4) 
In all cases where any code shall require any act to be done in a "reasonable time," or "reasonable notice" to be given to any person, such reasonable notice or time shall mean such time only as may be necessary for the prompt execution of such duty, or compliance with such notice.
(E) 
The word "Preceding" and the word "following," when used by way of reference to any section of this code, shall mean the section next preceding or next following that in which said reference is made unless some other section is especially designated in such reference.
(F) 
When any section of this code requires an act to be done which may by law as well be done by an agent as by the principal, such requisition shall be construed to include all such acts when done by an authorized agent.
(G) 
All references to "Wisconsin statutes" or "Wis. Stats." shall mean the Wisconsin statutes as of the adoption of this code and as amended or renumbered from time to time. All references to "Wisconsin Administrative Code" or "Wis. Adm. Code" shall mean the Wisconsin Administrative Code as of the adoption of this code and as amended or renumbered from time to time.
(H) 
Intent to defraud. Whenever an intent to defraud is required in order to constitute an offense, it shall be sufficient if an intent appears to defraud any person.
(I) 
Liability of employers and agents. When the provisions of any section of this code prohibit the commission of an act, not only the person actually doing the prohibited act or omitting the directed act, but also the employer and all other persons concerned with or in aiding or abetting the said person shall be guilty of the offense described and liable to the penalty set forth.
[2016 Code]
In this code, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:
AGENT
Means a person acting on behalf of another.
ALLEY
Means a public thoroughfare which affords only a secondary means of access to abutting property.
CITIZEN
Means any person residing within the corporate limits of the city.
CITY
Means the city of Monroe, county of Green, state of Wisconsin.
COUNCIL
Means the common council for the city.
EMPLOYEE
Means an employee of the city unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.
FEE
Means a sum of money charged by the city for the issuance of a license or permit or for the provision of a service.
KNOWINGLY
Means a knowledge that the facts exist which brings the act or omission within the provisions of this code. It does not require any knowledge of the unlawfulness of such act or omission.
MERCHANDISE
Means any form of personal property offered for sale by a seller, and includes wares, goods, or materials provided by a seller that are incidental to services offered or provided by the seller.
NEGLIGENT
Means a want of such attention to the nature of probable consequences of the act or omission as a prudent man ordinarily bestows in acting in his own concern.
NUISANCE
Means mean anything offensive or obnoxious to the health and welfare of the inhabitants of the city; or any act or thing repugnant to, or creating a hazard to, or having a detrimental effect on the property of another person or to the community.
OCCUPANT
When applied to a structure or land means any person who occupies the whole or any part of such structure or land whether alone or with others.
OFFENSE
Means any act forbidden by any provision of this code or the omission of any act required by the provisions of this code.
OFFICER
Means an officer of the city unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.
OWNER
When applied to a structure or land means any person who has a lawful right to occupy such structure or land and includes any part owner, joint owner, tenant in common, joint tenant or lessee of the whole or of a part of such structure or land and any person who has charge, care or control of such structure or land as executor, executrix, trustee, receiver or guardian of any such person. Whenever the structure or land is subject to conditional sales contract, lease with option to purchase, or any other form of written contract under the terms of which any person is entitled to a conveyance of legal title upon payment of consideration, the term "owner" shall mean the person who shall have a contractual right, rather than the person who is holding the legal title. "Owner" when applied to personal property means any person who has a lawful right to possession of such personal property and includes any part owner, joint owner, tenant in common, joint tenant or lessee of the whole or of a part of such personal property.
PERMIT
Means a written approval issued by an authorized city official allowing a person to undertake a type of work, event or activity for which a permit from the city is required by this code.
PERSON
Means a natural person, partnership, limited partnership, joint venture, limited liability company, corporation, or other legal entity, and includes where appropriate to the context an association, society, institution, enterprise or governmental agency.
PERSONAL PROPERTY
Means every description of money, goods, chattels, effects, evidence of rights in action and all written instruments by which any pecuniary obligation, right or title to property is created.
RETAILER
Means a person who sells goods, merchandise, articles or things in small quantities direct to the consumer.
SELLER
Means a person who sells or contracts to sell real or personal property or services.
SEMITRAILER
Means a vehicle of the trailer type so designed and used in conjunction with a motor vehicle that some part of its own weight and that of its own load rests upon or is carried by another vehicle, but does not include a mobile home or a mobile recreational vehicle. A vehicle used with a ready-mix motor truck to spread the load is considered a semitrailer.
SPECIAL EVENT
Means a planned extraordinary occurrence or temporary aggregation of attractions, open to the public, that: a) is conducted on public property; b) is conducted on private property and has a substantial impact on public property; c) has activities that request special temporary food or liquor licenses; or d) requires special city services, whether open to the public or not, including, but not limited to, any of the following: street closures, provisions of barricades, garbage cans, stages or special no parking signs, special electrical services, or special police protection. Special events include, but are not limited to, neighborhood and community festivals, parades, processions, fairs, and bicycle or foot races. Farmers' markets and public assemblies are not special events.
STREET
Means a way or thoroughfare that is used for vehicular travel by the public, including both streets and avenues, but not including an alley.
STRUCTURE
Means any man-made object with form, shape and utility, either permanently or temporarily attached to, placed upon or set into the ground, stream bed or lake bed, including but not limited to, roofed and walled buildings, signs, gas or liquid storage tanks and culverts.
THIS CODE
Means this Monroe City Code.
TRAILER
Means a vehicle without motive power designed for carrying property or passengers wholly on its own structure and for being drawn by a motor vehicle, but does not include a mobile home.
WILLFULLY
When applied to the intent with which an act is done or omitted, means a purpose or willingness to commit the act or make the omission referred to. It does not require any intent to violate law, or to injure another, or to acquire an advantage.
WRITTEN, IN WRITING
Means any mode of representing words and letters, but when the written signature of any person is required by law to any official or public writing or bond required by law, it shall be in the proper handwriting of such person, or if he or she cannot write, by his or her proper mark.
[2016 Code]
The section and subsection headings of the several sections and subsections of this code are intended only to indicate the content of the section or subsection and shall not be construed to be titles of such sections, nor be construed to govern, limit, modify or in any manner affect the scope, meaning or intent of the provisions of any section or subsection thereto.