[HISTORY: Adopted by the Town Board of the Town of Rome as Secs. 2.01(1) and (2); 2.03 of the prior Code. Amendments noted where applicable.]
The Town of Rome is a body corporate and politic, with those powers granted by law. The Town shall be designated in all actions and proceedings by its name, the Town of Rome.
The Town Meeting having, by resolution, directed the Town Board to exercise all powers relating to villages and conferred on village boards by Chapter 61, Wis. Stats., the Town shall have said powers through its Board. This is a continuing grant of powers.
A. 
The Town Board consists of five Supervisors of the Town of Rome, one of whom is the Chairperson.
B. 
Three supervisors constitute a quorum of a five member Town Board.
[Amended 10-4-2018 by Ord. No. 18-12]
Regular meetings of the Town Board shall be as scheduled and noticed by the Town Board. All meetings of the Town Board shall be held at the Municipal Building of the Town of Rome unless specified otherwise in the minutes of the preceding meeting or by written notice posted at the regular meeting place at least three hours prior to any meeting. Pursuant to § 60.24(1)(a), Wis. Stats., the presiding officer at meetings of the Town Board is the Town Chairperson. If the Town Chairperson is not present at the time for the call to order, the senior member of the Town Board present, based on date of original election as a member of the Town Board, shall call the meeting of the Town Board to order, and call the initial roll call. The Town Board shall then, by motion, elect an acting Town Chair for the meeting.
[Amended 8-15-2024 by Ord. No. 24-09]
A. 
At all meetings, the following order may be observed in conducting the business of the Town Board:
(1) 
Call to order by presiding officer;
(2) 
Roll call;
(3) 
Reading and correcting the financial report and the minutes of the last preceding meeting or meetings;
(4) 
Presentation of petitions, memorials, remonstrances, and communications;
(5) 
Reports from officials of the Town;
(6) 
Reports from committees;
(7) 
Unfinished business remaining from preceding sessions in the order in which it was introduced;
(8) 
New business; ordinances and resolutions may be introduced and considered;
(9) 
Business may be presented by the Chairperson and Supervisors;
(10) 
Establish next agenda.
(11) 
Adjournment.
B. 
Agenda preparation. The Town Administrator shall provide oversight to the Town Clerk in the preparation of an agenda incorporating the matters comprising the order of business, with final approval of the agenda by the Town Chairperson.
C. 
No business shall be taken out of order unless by majority consent of all Supervisors and in the absence of any debate whatsoever. The Chairperson or presiding officer may impose a time limit on the length of time citizens may address the Town Board.
D. 
As soon as the Town Board meeting is called to order roll call shall be taken, noting who are present and who are absent, and the same shall be recorded in the proceedings of the Board. If it shall appear that there is not a quorum present, the fact shall be entered on the journal and the Town Board shall adjourn.
[Amended 8-15-2024 by Ord. No. 24-09]
A. 
Ordinances, including amendments to existing ordinances, shall be adopted pursuant to §§ 60.80 and 66.0103, Wis. Stats., and as provided for in Subsection B herein.
B. 
The procedure for adoption of an ordinance or an amendment to an existing ordinance shall be as follows:
(1) 
An ordinance or amendment may be submitted to the Town Clerk by any Town Board member, the Town Administrator or department head.
(2) 
Proposed ordinances or amendments shall either be drafted by the Town Attorney or submitted to the Town Attorney for review prior to submission to the Town Clerk. In order to ensure this requirement is met, the Town Clerk shall forward all submitted ordinances and amendments to the Town Attorney for review unless the proposed ordinance or amendment includes verification that the Town Attorney has already reviewed the same.
(3) 
Upon receipt of the proposed ordinance or amendment, the Town Clerk shall provide a copy of the same to each Town Board member as well as the Town Administrator. The Town Clerk shall further consult with the Town Administrator and Town Chairperson about placement of the proposal on the agenda for a future Town Board meeting.
(4) 
Upon being placed on the agenda, a proposed ordinance or amendment shall be considered and acted upon according to the standards and procedures outlined in this section.
(5) 
If approved by the Town Board, an ordinance, amendment to an existing ordinance or resolution shall become effective as set forth in § 95-9 herein.
(6) 
Additions and amendments to Chapter 360, Zoning, of the Town Code are not subject to this section and shall be governed by the procedures outlined in that Chapter.
C. 
Every petition or other writing of any kind, addressed to the Town Board, Town Administrator, Clerk or other Town officer/employee for reference to the Town Board, shall be delivered to the Chairperson as soon as convenient after receipt of same and, in any event, prior to or at the opening of the next meeting of the Town Board following the receipt of same.
A. 
A roll call shall not be necessary on any questions or motions except as follows:
(1) 
When the ayes and nays are requested by any member.
(2) 
When required by the Wisconsin Statutes or this Town Code.
B. 
All aye and nay votes, when taken, shall be recorded in the official minutes.
C. 
The Town Board shall, determine the rules of its procedure, which shall be governed by Robert's Rules of Order, which is hereby incorporated by reference, unless otherwise provided by state statute and except when otherwise limited or modified by the Town Code.
(1) 
No person other than a member shall address the Town Board except under public comment time, if any. Provided, however, citizens may address the Town Board with the permission of the presiding officer as to matters, which are being considered by the Board at the time.
(2) 
No motion shall be discussed or acted upon unless and until it has been seconded. No motion shall be withdrawn or amended without the consent of the person making the same and the person seconding it.
A. 
The Chairperson shall call on those persons who wish to speak for the proposition. Each person wishing to speak for the proposition shall give his or her name and address.
B. 
Each person speaking on behalf of the proposition shall be limited in time to five minutes.
C. 
The Chairperson shall then call on those persons who wish to oppose the proposition. Each person wishing to speak in opposition to the proposition shall give his or her name and address.
D. 
Each such person wishing to speak in opposition to the proposition shall be limited to five minutes.
E. 
Any person wishing to speak in rebuttal to any statements made may do so, with the permission of the Chairperson, provided such rebuttal statement shall be limited to three individuals and not more than three minutes per person.
F. 
When the Chairperson, in his or her discretion, is satisfied that the proposition has been heard, he or she shall entertain a motion from the Town Board to close the public hearing.
[Amended 8-15-2024 by Ord. No. 24-09]
A. 
An ordinance or amendment shall take effect as follows:
(1) 
If the ordinance or amendment does not impose forfeiture, it may either be posted in three public places or published pursuant to § 60.80(1), Wis. Stats. After posting, the Town Clerk shall complete and file an affidavit of posting as required in § 60.80(4), Wis. Stats.
(2) 
If the ordinance or amendment imposes forfeiture, it shall be published as a Class 1 notice pursuant to § 60.80(1) and (2), Wis. Stats. In lieu of publication of the ordinance or amendment in its entirety, a summary may be published pursuant to § 60.80(1) and (5), Wis. Stats.
(3) 
Unless a later date is set forth therein, the ordinance or amendment shall take effect the day after it is posted or published. An ordinance or amendment, after publication or posting, shall be inserted into the Town Codes.
B. 
All resolutions shall be posted and shall take effect the day after posting unless a different date is stated in the resolution. The Town Clerk shall sign an affidavit attesting that the item was posted as required by this section and stating the date and place of posting. The affidavit shall be filed with other records under the jurisdiction of the Town Clerk.
[Amended 10-4-2018 by Ord. No. 18-13; 5-16-2019 by Ord. No. 19-07; 4-16-2020 by Ord. No. 20-05; 8-20-2020 by Ord. No. 20-15; 8-15-2024 by Ord. No. 24-09]
Contacting the Town Attorney shall be limited to the following authorized persons: the Town Clerk, Town Finance Director/Treasurer, Town Administrator, Town Chairperson, Police Chief, Fire Chief, Director of Public Works, Water Utility Director, Town Assessor, Building Inspector, Zoning Administrator, President of the Lester Public Library Board of Trustees and the Chairperson of the Police and Fire Commission.
Any of the provisions of §§ 95-6 through 95-9, inclusive, of this chapter may be suspended temporarily by a majority of the Town Board members present at any meeting.
A. 
Consistent with the spirit and intent of Wisconsin's open meetings law (§ 19.85, Wis. Stats.), each member of the Town Board and the members of all other Town bodies (hereinafter, "member"), including, without limitation, the Plan Commission, Board of Appeals, Police and Fire Commission, Library Board and Community Development Authority, shall refrain from engaging in communication, regardless of form, that would involve, directly or indirectly, a quorum of the membership of such body.
B. 
Other communications. The policies and standards set forth in Subsection A herein shall be applied to all other forms of communications, as applicable, outside of a duly noticed meeting of a body.
For the purpose of this chapter, the following terms, phrases, words, and their derivations shall have the meaning given herein. If not defined herein, the word, term or phrase shall have the definition commonly accepted including a relevant definition contained in the Wisconsin Statutes. When not inconsistent with the context, the words used in the present tense include the future, words in the plural number include the singular number and words in the singular number include the plural number. The word "shall" is always mandatory and not merely directory:
PERSON
Includes a corporation, firm partnership, association, organization and any other group acting as a unit as well as individuals, including a personal representative, receiver or other representative appointed according to law. Whenever the term "person" is used in any section of this chapter prescribing a penalty or fine, as to partnerships or associations, the work shall include the partners or members thereof, and as to corporations, shall include the officers, agents or members thereof who are responsible for any violation of such section.
TOWN
The Town of Rome, Adams County, Wisconsin, or any duly appointed designate thereof, including, but not limited to, the Town Board and Town committees.
TOWN BOARD or BOARD
The present governing body of the Town or any successors to the legislative power of said body, or any duly appointed designate thereof.