[HISTORY: Adopted by the Town Board of the Town of Vernon 3-15-2018 by Ord. No. 2018-02.[1] Amendments noted where applicable.]
[1]
Editor's Note: This ordinance also repealed former Ch. 9, Boards, Commissions and Committees, adopted 6-7-2007 by Ord. No. 2007-04, as amended.
A. 
Any person appointed by the Vernon Town Board or the Chairman of the Town Vernon must be an adult full-time resident of the Town of Vernon. A full-time resident is a person living in the Town of Vernon for a minimum of 10 months within each calendar year.
A. 
The Town Board may establish a Park and Recreation Committee and the Town Board may appoint up to five members from time to time to staggered terms of three years. The Town Board may, by majority vote, remove any member of the Town Park and Recreation Committee without cause. This shall be a committee created by the general powers of the Town Board and is not created pursuant to Chapter 27, Wisconsin Statutes.
B. 
The Park and Recreation Committee shall have powers and duties established by the Town Board from time to time. The Committee shall make periodic reports to the Town Board and an annual report to the Town Meeting. The Committee shall submit a proposed budget for its department to the Town Clerk at an exact date to be established from year to year by the Town Board and the Town Clerk.
A. 
The Town Board has the authority pursuant to §§ 60.10(2)(c), 60.62(4)(d), 61.35 and 62.23(1), Wis. Stats., and other laws to establish a Plan Commission consisting of five members. The Town Chairperson shall make the appointments subject to confirmation by the Town Board in the manner described in § 60.62(4)(d), Wis. Stats. The Plan Commission shall also act as the Town Zoning Committee under § 60.61, Wis. Stats. A maximum of three elected Town Board members may serve on the Plan Commission. The Town Board may, by majority vote, remove any member from the Plan Commission without cause.
B. 
The Plan Commission has the duties and powers established in §§ 60.61, 60.62, 61.35 and 62.23(1), Wis. Stats., plus any other additional powers and duties established by the Town of Vernon Zoning Codes and the Town Ordinances.
A. 
The Town Board may establish a Department of Public Works Committee and the Town Board may appoint up to seven members from time to time to staggered terms of three years. The Town Board may, by majority vote, remove any member of the Department of Public Works Committee without cause.
B. 
The Department of Public Works Committee shall have the duties and powers established by the Vernon Town Board.
A. 
The Town Board may establish an Ordinance Committee and the Town Board may appoint up to seven members from time to time to staggered terms of three years. The Town Board may, by majority vote, remove any member of the Ordinance Committee without cause.
B. 
The Ordinance Committee shall have the duties and powers established by the Vernon Town Board.
A. 
The Town Board may establish a Public Health and Safety Committee and the Town Board may appoint up to five members from time to time to staggered terms of three years. The Town Board may, by majority vote, remove any member of the Public Health and Safety Committee without cause.
B. 
The Public Health and Safety Committee shall have the duties and powers established by the Vernon Town Board.
A. 
The Town Board may establish a Finance Committee, and the Town Board may appoint up to five members from time to time to staggered terms of three years. The Town Board may, by majority vote, remove any member of the Finance Committee without cause.
B. 
The Finance Committee shall have the duties and powers established by the Vernon Town Board.
A. 
The Town Board may establish a Water Monitoring Committee and the Town Board may appoint up to five members from time to time to staggered terms of three years. The Town Board may, by majority vote, remove any member of the Water Monitoring Committee without cause.
B. 
The Water Monitoring Committee shall have the duties and powers established by the Vernon Town Board.
A. 
Appointment and term of office. The Town Board may establish a Board of Fire Commissioners pursuant to § 60.57, Wis. Stats.
(1) 
The Board of Fire Commissioners shall consist of five Commissioners.
(2) 
The members shall be appointed by the Town Chair, subject to the approval of the Town Board.
(3) 
No member of the Board of Fire Commissioners shall be in any capacity a member of the Fire Department or a member of the Town Board.
(4) 
No member of the Board of Fire Commissioners shall be related by blood or marriage to any member of the Fire Department as a spouse or significant other, parent, son, daughter or stepchild, grandparent, grandchild or step grandchild, brother, sister, brother-in-law or sister-in-law.
(5) 
The term of office of the members of such Board of Fire Commissioners shall be five years, except the terms of the Commissioners first elected shall expire successively one year on each succeeding May 1.
B. 
Duties and responsibilities. The Board of Fire Commissioners shall have the following duties and responsibilities:
(1) 
Duties:
(a) 
To elect a chairperson and vice-chairperson.
(b) 
To appoint a secretary of the Board of Fire Commissioners.
(c) 
To appoint the chief of the Fire Department who shall hold office, as set forth in § 62.13(3), Wis. Stats., if hired by the Town Board, subject to suspension or removal by the Board of Fire Commissioners for cause.
(d) 
All other duties and powers established by the Vernon Town Board.
(e) 
To ratify the appointments by the Fire Chief of subordinates.
(f) 
To establish rules for functions of the Board of Fire Commissioners.
(g) 
To hear appeals on disciplinary actions taken by the Fire Chief against subordinates with the authority to uphold, modify or overturn the action of the Fire Chief, pursuant to § 62.13(5) and as set in the rules for the functioning of the Board of Fire Commissioners.
(h) 
All other duties as required by §§ 60.57 and 62.13, Wis. Stats.
(2) 
The Board of Fire Commissioners shall have no management or operational responsibilities other than those outlined above and do not have the optional powers outlined in § 62.13(6), Wis. Stats.
C. 
Appeal. Appeal from a decision of the Board of Fire Commissioners shall be to Circuit Court.
A. 
The Town Board may establish a Personnel Committee, and the Town Board may appoint up to seven members from time to time to staggered terms of three years. The Town Board may, by majority vote, remove any member of the Personnel Committee without cause.
B. 
The Personnel Committee shall have the duties and powers established by the Vernon Town Board.
A. 
There shall be a Vernon Board of Appeals consisting of five members and two alternates who shall be appointed by the Town Board, but not more than one supervisor may be a member of the Vernon Board of Appeals. Vernon Board of Appeals members shall be appointed for terms of one, two, and three years respectively, dating from the first day of the month next following the appointment. Successors shall be appointed in like manner at the expiration of each term, and their terms of office shall be three years in all cases and until their successors are appointed or elected. The members of the Vernon Board of Appeals shall all reside within the Town. The Vernon Board of Appeals shall choose its own chair. The Town Board may compensate the members of the Vernon Board of Appeals. Vacancies shall be filled for the unexpired term of any Vernon Board of Appeals member or alternate whose term becomes vacant.
B. 
The Vernon Board of Appeals shall adopt rules for the conduct of the business, in accordance with the provisions of the Town of Vernon Zoning Code and § 62.23(7)(e), Wis. Stats. Meetings of the Vernon Board of Appeals shall be held at the call of the chair and at such other times as the Vernon Board of Appeals may determine. Such chair, or in his absence the acting chair, may administer oaths and compel the attendance of witnesses. All meetings of the Vernon Board of Appeals shall be open to the public. The Vernon Board of Appeals shall keep minutes of its proceedings, showing the vote of each member upon each question, or if absent indicating such fact, and shall keep records of its examinations and other official actions, all of which shall be immediately filed in the office of the Vernon Board of Appeals and shall be a public record.
[Added 2-7-2021 by Ord. No. 2021-01]
A. 
Virtual meetings and remote attendance. In exceptional circumstances, as determined by the President and/or Chair of the applicable Village board, authority, committee or commission, meetings may, on a case-by-case basis, be held on a virtual basis or otherwise with remote attendance as described in this section. Virtual meetings and remote attendance are only authorized when the President and/or Chair determines that health, safety, welfare, family, or work circumstances warrant a virtual meeting or remote attendance. Virtual meetings and remote attendance are not authorized solely for convenience, or due to vacation, travel, or seasonal relocation of one or more members of the body. For meetings that include quasi-judicial action requiring due process, the President and/or Chair must consult the Village Attorney before authorizing a virtual meeting or remote attendance. Virtual meetings and remote attendance are subject to the following:
(1) 
Remote attendance. When a meeting is held in person, the President and/or Chair of the applicable body may allow one or more members of the body to attend the meeting by telephone or other electronic means, subject to the requirements of this section. A member of the body seeking to attend remotely shall notify the Village Clerk of the request at least 48 hours in advance of the meeting. The Village Clerk shall immediately notify the President and/or Chair. The President and/or Chair shall decide whether to grant the request at least 24 hours in advance of the meeting. The President and/or Chair's determination shall be final. Members of the body attending remotely shall have all powers of participation, including counting toward a quorum and having the opportunity to vote. Such attendance is only permitted if systems allow the remote member to hear the proceedings and be heard in the meeting room. If visual information is presented at the meeting, the information shall be distributed, or systems must allow remote attendees to view what is presented. The Village does not warrant remote attendance system performance. If circumstances leading to one or more members of the body seeking to attend remotely are widely shared by others in the public, the President and/or Chair should consider providing a similar remote attendance option for the public. Such option must be provided to citizens in a timely manner as part of the meeting agenda notice.
(2) 
Virtual meeting. Upon direction of the President and/or Chair, a body may, on a case-by-case basis, conduct an entirely virtual meeting, in which no member of the body is present at Village Hall, or Vernon Fire Department, subject to the requirements of this section. Members of the body attending virtually shall have all powers of participation, including counting toward a quorum and having the opportunity to vote. If visual information is presented at the meeting, remote attendees must have the opportunity before or during the meeting to view what is presented or be prohibited from voting on the matter. The public shall be given access to the system implementing the virtual meeting platform. Information about access to the meeting shall be provided to citizens in a timely manner as part of the meeting agenda notice. Best efforts shall be used to ensure that members of the public lacking access to the virtual meeting platform are provided alternative reasonable methods to attend.
B. 
Open Meetings Law limitations. In no event shall a virtual meeting be convened or remote attendance be permitted, where a violation of the Wisconsin Open Meetings Law[1] would result.
[1]
Editor's Note: See W.S.A. § 19.81 et seq.