[HISTORY: Adopted by the Mayor and Common Council of the City of Reedsburg as Secs. 5.01 to 5.06 and 5.16 of the former Municipal Codebook. Amendments noted where applicable.]
The Department shall be known as the "Reedsburg Volunteer Fire Department" and shall consist of the Fire Chief and such subordinates as may be authorized by the Common Council.
The Department shall adopt bylaws for the control, management and government and regulation of business and proceedings of the Department.
[Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. II)]
The Fire Chief shall be appointed by the Police and Fire Commission and shall hold office during good behavior, subject to suspension or removal by the Commission for cause, and upon reaching age 65 shall be retired.
The members of the Fire Department shall be elected by the members of the Department subject to their bylaws existing at that time. Except the Chief, all members elected to the Fire Department shall be not less than 21 nor more than 50 years of age and all such shall automatically be retired from active membership in said Department upon attaining the age of 60 years, unless extended by the Common Council, but not to exceed 65 years.
Disciplinary actions against the Chief and subordinates shall be subject to § 62.13(5), Wis. Stats.
A. 
Supervisory and procedural responsibilities.
(1) 
The chief shall have general supervision of the Department, subject to this section and the bylaws of the Department and shall be responsible for the personnel and general efficiency of the Department.
(2) 
The Chief shall preside at all meetings of the Department, call special meetings, preserve order, decide all points of order that may arise and enforce a rigid observance of this chapter and the bylaws.
(3) 
The Chief shall have complete command of and entire responsibility for all firefighting operations, shall plan the control of the same, shall direct the action of the Department when at a fire, shall grant leaves of absence at a fire when he may deem it proper and shall see that fire apparatus is kept in proper condition at all times.
(4) 
Not later than August 15 of each year, the Chief shall file with the Clerk a detailed estimate of the appropriations needed for the conduct of the Department during the ensuing fiscal year.
[Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. II)]
B. 
Vacancy; residency requirements.
(1) 
A vacancy in the office of the Chief shall be filled by the Police and Fire Commission. Other officers shall be chosen in the manner provided by the Department bylaws. Upon creation of a vacancy in the office of Chief, the ranking officer shall perform the duties of the Chief until such vacancy has been filled.
(2) 
Upon appointment, the Chief shall immediately assume office and shall hold office until his successor is appointed and qualified in accordance with the bylaws of the Department. The Chief shall be a resident of the City and employed with the City.
C. 
Additional responsibilities.
(1) 
Any person desiring to be a member of the Fire Department may file with the Secretary-Treasurer of the Fire Department an application in such form as the Department may require. Each applicant shall also file a certificate of physical fitness from such physician as the chief may designate.
(2) 
Upon reaching the age of 60, active members may become honorary members and be relieved from firefighting duties.
(3) 
All resignations from the Department shall take the same course as applications for and appointments to membership.
(4) 
The election of the Secretary-Treasurer and such social officers as the bylaws may require shall be held at the annual meeting of the Department in such manner as is provided in the bylaws. In case of any vacancy, the Chief shall appoint a member in good standing to fill the office until the next annual election.
(5) 
The Chief shall submit a written report to the Common Council not later than December 15 of each year, and at such other times as he deems desirable, relating to the condition of the various pieces of apparatus and appurtenances, the number of fires occurring since the previous report, the date of same and loss occasioned thereby, the total number of active members in the Department and resignations and expulsions from the Department. He shall also report upon the drill and training program of the Department, together with other pertinent information, including recommendations of such improvements as he deems proper and necessary for the operation of the Department.
(6) 
He shall enforce all fire prevention ordinances of this City and state laws and regulations pertaining to fire prevention and shall keep citizens informed on fire prevention methods and on the activities of the Department.
(7) 
He shall keep a fire record book of every fire to which the Department was called and shall enter in such book the locality of fire, time alarm was received, cause of fire, where fire started, cause of delay, if any, in responding, method of extinguishment, equipment used, amount of insurance carried on building and contents, estimated fire loss, time fire was extinguished, names of men responding and general remarks.
(8) 
He shall keep an inventory of all apparatus and equipment and an inventory of all hose showing dates and results of tests on each length, which shall be individually identified.
(9) 
He shall perform such other duties as are incumbent on the commanding officer of the Fire Department.
[Added 1-26-2009]
A. 
Purpose. The purpose of this section is to authorize the deposit of certain funds into a Rescue Fund to be held and administered by the Fire Department. The City acknowledges that all of the funds which have been or will be deposited into this account are not generated from tax revenues and, in fact, represent assets that have been or will be generated through countless hours of volunteer work by Fire Department members, friends and family. The City expressly acknowledges that these funds may never be used for any purposes other than those approved by the Fire Department as outlined within the body of this section. If the Common Council ever amends this section, it will consult with the Fire Department. Under no circumstances may these funds be used for general City obligations or to offset or supplement the Fire Department's general operating budget without the Fire Chief's approval as outlined within the body of this section.
B. 
Authority. The Common Council adopts this section pursuant to § 66.0608, Wis. Stats., and it is to be interpreted in conformance with that section as it may be amended from time to time.
C. 
Definitions. As used in this section, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
FIRE CHIEF
The Fire Chief for the City of Reedsburg Fire Department.
FIRE VOLUNTEER FUNDS
Funds that are raised by members of the Fire Department through fund-raising activities, donations and similar sources, and/or donations to the City restricted to Fire Department use.
PUBLIC DEPOSITORY
Has the meaning given in § 34.01(5), Wis. Stats.
D. 
Description of accounts.
(1) 
Rescue fund. This fund shall be used for deposit of all fire volunteer funds.
(2) 
Deposit of funds. The Fire Chief or his/her designated representative shall deposit fire volunteer funds to the Rescue Fund, held in the name of the Reedsburg Fire Department. All such fund deposits shall be in a public depository in which other City funds are being held by the City Treasurer. All other funds shall be held in the Fire Department account to be administered by the City Treasurer in accordance with applicable provisions of the law.
(3) 
Control of funds. The Fire Department, through the Fire Chief or his/her designated representative, is granted exclusive control over the expenditure of the funds in the Rescue Fund, subject to any restrictions imposed by the donors or the organizational documents for the Fire Department. All of the funds comprising the Fire Department account shall remain under the control of the City.
(4) 
Limitations, requirements, and withdrawals. The following limitations and requirements shall apply to the handling and disbursement of funds from the Rescue Fund.
(a) 
Expenditures withdrawn from the Rescue Fund shall be made only upon majority vote of the Fire Chief and the elected officers of the Fire Department.
(b) 
Withdrawals and expenditures from the Rescue Fund may be made for any purpose that promotes the ability of the Fire Department to provide services for which it is organized.
(c) 
The monies in the Rescue Fund shall remain the property of the City until the funds are disbursed in accordance with this section.
(5) 
Accounting/audit. The Rescue Fund shall be maintained in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and shall be included in any annual audit of the City funds, and shall be audited in the same manner.