[HISTORY: Adopted by the Town Board of the Town of Ottawa as Ch. 2 of the 1987 Code. Amendments noted where applicable.]
A. 
Order and decorum, deliberations of the Board and decisions on all questions of order and conduct in the proceedings of Town meetings shall be in accordance with the parliamentary rules contained an Robert's Rules of Order, Newly Revised, unless otherwise provided by statute or these rules. No person other than a member shall address the Board, except by permission from the Chair. No ordinance, resolution or other motion shall be discussed or acted upon unless it has been seconded. No motion shall be withdrawn without the consent of the person making the same and the person seconding it.
B. 
Nothing herein prescribed concerning the conduct and procedure of regular and special Town Board meetings shall apply to the Annual Town Meeting as prescribed in § 60.11, Wis. Stats., or Special Town Meetings as prescribed in § 60.12, Wis. Stats.
[Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. II)]
A. 
Open Meeting Law requirements. Notice of every meeting of the Town Board, and every board, commission and committee thereof, shall be given to the public, to those news media who have filed a written request for such notice and a news medium likely to give notice in the area at least 24 hours prior to commencement of the meeting. If such notice is impossible or impractical, shorter notice may be given for good cause shown, but no notice shall be given less than two hours in advance of the meeting. Every public notice of a meeting shall contain the time, date, place and subject matter of the meeting. See § 19.84, Wis. Stats.
B. 
Regular meetings. Regular meetings of the Town Board shall be held on the second Monday of each calendar month at 6:00 p.m. Regular meetings falling on a legal holiday shall be held on such day and at such time and place as set by the Town Board in advance of such meeting. Prior notice to the public in compliance with the provisions of Subsection A of this section shall be provided whenever a regular meeting is not held on the usual day.
C. 
Special meetings. Special meetings of the Town Board may be called by the Town Chair or by any two Town Supervisors by filing a request with the Clerk at least 48 hours prior to the time specified for such meeting. The Clerk shall immediately notify each Supervisor of the time and purpose of such meeting. No business shall be transacted at a special meeting except for the purpose stated in the notice thereof. Anything to the contrary herein notwithstanding, no meeting shall be held unless notice thereof shall have been given as provided in § 19.84, Wis. Stats.
D. 
Place of meetings. All meetings of the Town Board, including special and adjourned meetings, shall be held in the Town Hall unless otherwise designated by the Board. Notice of a change of place shall be posted at the Town Hall at least 24 hours prior to the meeting.
E. 
Quorum. Any three Supervisors or two Supervisors and the Chair shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business, but a lesser number may adjourn from time to time.
F. 
Meetings to be public. All meetings of the Town Board and subunits thereof shall be open to the public as provided in §§ 19.81 to 19.89, Wis. Stats. Public notice of all such meetings shall be given as provided in § 19.84, Wis. Stats.
The business of the Town Board shall be conducted in the following manner:
A. 
Call to order by presiding officer.
B. 
Roll call. If a quorum is not present, the meeting shall thereupon adjourn, which may be to a specified date.
C. 
Reading, correction and approval of minutes of previous meeting.
D. 
Committee reports, if any; treasury report, if requested; approval and payment of bills.
E. 
Communications from the public.
F. 
Comments from the floor.
G. 
Unfinished business from previous meeting.
H. 
New business, including introduction of ordinances and resolutions.
I. 
Reports of Town officers; communications and other business.
A. 
Control of meeting. The Town Chair shall preserve order and conduct the proceedings of all meetings and hearings, whether on petition or regular or special meetings. A member may appeal from the decision of the presiding officer; such appeal is not debatable and shall be sustained by a majority of the members present, exclusive of the presiding officer.
B. 
Absence of Chair . If the Town Chair is absent at any meeting, the duties of the Town Chair at the meeting shall be performed by a Supervisor who is appointed by the Town Board.
C. 
Presiding officer to vote. The presiding officer shall vote as a Supervisor on all questions properly before the Board. He may make motions or second motions before the Board.
[Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. II)]
A. 
Committee appointments. The Town Chair shall designate and appoint all members of any standing and special committees established by the Town Board and shall designate the committee chair for each such committee. All committee appointments except designation of chair shall be subject to confirmation by a majority vote of the Board.
B. 
Committee reports. Each committee shall at the next regular meeting submit a written report on all matters referred to it. Such report shall recommend a definite action on each item and shall be signed by a majority of the committee. Any committee may require any Town officer to confer with it and supply information in connection with any matter pending before it.
Ordinances, resolutions, bylaws, communications and other matters submitted to the Board shall be read by title and author and referred to the appropriate committee, if any, by the Chair. The Clerk shall read and record each such reference by title. Any Supervisor may require the reading in full of any matter when it is before the Board. Unless requested by a Supervisor before final vote is taken, no ordinance, resolution or bylaw need be read in full. Any ordinance, resolution or bylaw may be adopted by the Town Board at the same meeting it was introduced by majority vote of all Town Supervisors.
These rules or any part thereof may be temporarily suspended in connection with any matter under consideration by a recorded vote of 2/3 of the members present.
[Amended 12-11-2023 by Ord. No. 12-23]
The Town of Ottawa does not have an official newspaper. When newspaper publication is required by law, the publication shall be made in a newspaper with general circulation in the area.
[Amended 12-11-2023 by Ord. No. 12-23]
Whenever § 985.02(2)(a), Wis. Stats., applies, the Town may post all notices, ordinances and other documents at the Town Hall located at W360 S3337 State Hwy 67, Dousman, WI 53118, and placed electronically on the Town's official internet site, in lieu of posting in three public places in the Town. The Town Clerk shall be responsible for all posting and shall separately certify in the Town records the date and places where such posting took place.