[HISTORY: Adopted by the Town Board of the Town of Trenton 11-7-1989
as Title 2, Ch. 7 of the 1989 Code. Amendments noted where applicable.]
A.
Fiscal year; annual budget. The Town fiscal year is the
calendar year. The Town budget shall be adopted annually.
B.
Preparation. The Town Board is responsible for preparation
of the proposed budget required under § 65.90, Wis. Stats. In preparing
the budget, the Town Board may provide for assistance by any person.
C.
Estimates. When requested by the Chairperson, Town Board
or Town Clerk, each officer, department and committee shall annually file
with the Town Clerk an itemized statement of disbursements made to carry out
the powers and duties of such officer, department or committee during the
preceding fiscal year, and a detailed statement of the receipts and disbursements
on account of any special fund under the supervision of such officer, department
or committee during such year, and of the conditions and management of such
fund, and also detailed estimates of the same matters for the current fiscal
year and for the ensuing fiscal year. Such statements shall be presented in
the form prescribed by the Town Clerk and shall be designated as "Departmental
Estimates" and shall be as nearly uniform as possible for the main division
of all departments.
D.
Form of proposed budget. The proposed budget shall include
the following information:[1]
(1)
The actual experience of each department and activity
for the expired portion of the current year, and last preceding fiscal year,
and the estimated expense of conducting each department and activity of the
Town for the remainder of the current year and ensuing fiscal year, with reasons
for any proposed increase or decrease as compared with actual and estimated
expenditures for the current year.
(2)
An itemization of all anticipated income of the Town
from sources other than general property taxes and bonds issued, with a comparative
statement of the amounts received by the Town from each of the same or similar
sources for the last preceding and current fiscal year.
(3)
An estimate of the amount of money to be raised from
general property taxes which, with income from other sources, will be necessary
to meet the proposed expenditures.
(4)
All existing indebtedness of the Town, including the
amount of interest payable and principal to be redeemed on any outstanding
general obligation bonds of the Town and any estimated deficiency in the sinking
fund of any such bonds during the ensuing fiscal year.
(5)
Such other information as may be required by the Board
and by state law.
E.
Copies of budget. The Town shall provide a reasonable
number of copies of the budget thus prepared for distribution to citizens.
F.
Hearing. The Town Board shall conduct the budget hearing
required under § 65.90, Wis. Stats.
G.
Adoption. The Town Board shall adopt the Town budget.
The Town Meeting may either retain authority to approve any tax levy needed
to support spending approved by the Town Board or may delegate the authority
to approve a tax levy to the Board.
H.
Amendment. The Town budget may be amended by the Town
Board under § 65.90(5), Wis. Stats.
The adopted budget shall not be changed after approval of the budget
except upon the recommendation of the Chairperson and upon a two-thirds vote
of the entire membership of the Town Board. Notice of such transfer shall
be given by publication within eight days thereafter in the official Town
newspaper.
No money shall be drawn from the treasury of the Town, nor shall any obligation for the expenditure of money be incurred, except in pursuance of the annual appropriation in the adopted budget or when changed as authorized by § 55-2 of this chapter. At the close of each fiscal year, any unencumbered balance of any appropriation shall revert to the general fund and shall be subject to reappropriation, but appropriations may be made by the Board, to be paid out of the income of the current year, in furtherance of improvements or other objects or works which will not be completed within such year, and any such appropriation shall continue in force until the purpose for which it was made shall have been accomplished or abandoned.
The Town Board annually shall prepare a statement of the financial condition
of the Town and present the statement to the Annual Town Meeting. In preparing
the statement, the Town Board may provide for assistance by any person. The
statement shall include the previous year's revenues and expenditures and
the current indebtedness of the Town.
The Town Clerk shall maintain a finance book under § 60.33(3),
Wis. Stats.
The Town Board may provide for financial audits under § 66.0605,
Wis. Stats.
A.
Claims for money against the Town or against officers,
officials, agents or employees of the Town arising out of acts done in their
official capacity shall be filed with the Town Clerk as provided under § 893.80(1)(b),
Wis. Stats.
B.
The Town Board shall allow or disallow the claim. Notice
of disallowance shall be made as provided under § 893.80(1)(b),
Wis. Stats.
Disbursements from the Town treasury shall be made under § 66.0607,
Wis. Stats. Each check representing a disbursement or transfer of Town funds
must be signed by both the Clerk and Treasurer, unless the Town Board adopts
a resolution, which is filed with each public depository holding Town funds,
requiring only two signatures. Each check must also be signed by the person
who chairs the Town Board.
In lieu of the personal signatures of the Town Treasurer, Clerk and
Chairperson, there may be affixed on order checks the facsimile signatures
of such persons adopted by them and approved by the Town Board, but the use
of the facsimile signature shall not relieve such official from any liability
to which he is otherwise subject, including the unauthorized use thereof.
The Town Board shall designate one or more public depositories for depositing
funds of the Town. The Treasurer and the Treasurer's surety are not liable
for loss, as defined under § 34.01(2), Wis. Stats., of money deposited
in the name of the Town in a designated public depository. Interest accruing
from Town money in a public depository shall be credited to the Town.
The Town Treasurer may invest any Town funds not immediately needed,
pursuant to §§ 66.0603(1m) and 219.05, Wis. Stats.
A.
PUBLIC CONTRACT
RESPONSIBLE BIDDER
Definitions. Terms used in this section are defined as
follows:
A contract for the construction, execution, repair, remodeling or
improvement of any public work or building or for the furnishing of materials
or supplies with an estimated cost greater than $10,000.
A person who, in the judgment of the Town Board, is financially responsible
and has the capacity and competence to faithfully and responsibly comply with
the terms of the public contract.
B.
Advertisement for bids. Except as provided in Subsections D and E, the Town may not enter into a public contract unless the Town Board, or a Town official or employee designated by the Town Board, advertises for proposals to perform the terms of the public contract by publishing a Class 2 notice under Ch. 985, Wis. Stats. The Town Board may provide for additional means of advertising for bids. Pursuant to Subsection A(1) above, this advertising requirement does not apply to the purchase of equipment; it applies only to the purchase of materials or supplies expected to cost more than $10,000.
C.
Contracts to lowest responsible bidder. The Town Board shall let a public contract for which advertising for proposals is required under Subsection B to the lowest responsible bidder. Section 66.0901, Wis. Stats., applies to public contracts let under this section.
D.
Contracts with governmental entities. This section does
not apply to public contracts entered into by the Town with a municipality,
as defined under § 66.0301(1)(a), Wis. Stats.
E.
Exception for emergencies. Section 60.47(5), Wis. Stats.,
and this section are optional with respect to public contracts for the repair
and construction of public facilities when damage or threatened damage to
the facility creates an emergency, as declared by resolution of the Town Board,
that endangers the public health or welfare of the Town. This subsection does
not apply when the Town Board declares that the emergency no longer exists.
F.
Application to work by Town. This section does not apply
to any public work performed directly by the Town.
A.
The Town Treasurer shall not receive any money into the
treasury from any source except on account of taxes levied and collected during
the fiscal year for which he or she may then be serving without giving a receipt
therefor in the manner specified by the Town Board.
B.
Upon the payment of any money (except for taxes as herein
provided), the Treasurer shall make out a receipt in duplicate for the money
so received. The Treasurer shall charge the amount thereof to the treasury
and credit the proper account. The payment of the money to any receiving agent
of the Town or to the Town or to the Treasurer shall be safeguarded in such
manner as the Town Board shall direct.
A.
Bond eliminated. The Town of Trenton elects not to give
the bond on the Town Treasurer provided for by § 70.67(1), Wis.
Stats.
B.
Town liable for default of Treasurer. Pursuant to § 70.67(2),
Wis. Stats., the Town shall be obligated to pay, in case the Treasurer shall
fail to do so, all state and county taxes required by law to be paid by such
Treasurer to the County Treasurer.
The Town Clerk is authorized to prepare a statement of real property
status form to be used to provide information often requested for transfers
of real property, such as the amount of outstanding special assessments, deferred
assessments, changes in assessments, amount of taxes, outstanding water, electric
and sewer bills, current water, electric and sewer bills, contemplated improvement,
floodplain status, violation of the building and health codes and similar
information. Any such information sought shall be provided to the person requesting
it on said form. The Town Clerk shall collect a fee as set forth in the schedule
of deposits, bonds and fees for furnishing said information.[2] The Town Clerk shall have a minimum of five business days to respond
to requests for information not including a request for a copy of a paid tax
bill. The Town Clerk shall have a minimum of 10 business days to respond to
requests for information including a request for a copy of a paid tax bill.
A.
Mileage. Town Board members, officers, employees and
personnel may be reimbursed for their ordinary and necessary expenses relating
to travel beyond the limits of the Town of Trenton at the current Internal
Revenue Service standard business mileage rate when relating to Town business,
including but not limited to attendance at seminars, institutes, workshops
and other meetings sponsored or called by any department or agency of the
State of Wisconsin, the County of Washington, the Wisconsin Towns Association
or similar organizations for the purpose of training and information if previously
authorized by the Town Board. When two or more people travel in the same vehicle,
reimbursement shall be paid to the owner of the vehicle. Mileage determinations
will be set according to the Rand-McNally Road Atlas and the Wisconsin Official
Highway Map. Since the Town assumes no responsibility when private vehicles
are used beyond making a mileage reimbursement allowance, it is the car owner's
responsibility to protect against damage to his vehicle and legal liability
in such form and amount as the employee deems adequate. In particular, the
car owner should consult with his insurance carrier and consider carrying
liability insurance in such form and amount as the employee deems adequate
to avoid a potential situation which could be a financial burden to the car
owner.[1]
B.
Meals allowance. When Town Board authorized functions
away from the Town include one or more meals, the maximum allowance per diem
will be the following amounts for meals involved: $4 for breakfast, $5 for
lunch and $12 for dinner.
C.
Lodging.
(1)
Hotel or motel reservations for conference attendance
approved by the Town Board are expected to be made well in advance to ensure
that lodging is secured at moderate rates. Receipts for lodging are required.
Reimbursement for lodging shall be limited to the minimum number of nights
required to conduct the assigned Town business. If a conference, for example,
opens on Sunday evening and closes Thursday noon, reimbursement for Sunday
through Wednesday night would be allowed. If the traveler chooses to arrive
earlier or stay later, the additional lodging and other expenses related to
this decision are personal expenses and will not be reimbursed.
(2)
There is no objection to a spouse and/or other family
members traveling on an official trip, but no expenses attributable to them
will be reimbursed by the Town of Trenton. If a spouse and/or other family
member travels on an official trip, reimbursement shall be limited to the
single rate for the room occupied. In the absence of accounting on the travel
expense report, the Town Clerk will determine the single room rate and deduct
the difference between the rates on the bill for lodging submitted as a receipt.
(3)
No lodging expense shall be reimbursed for meetings or
conferences held within reasonable driving distance of the Town unless prior
approval is obtained from the Town Board.
D.
Receipts. Receipts, to be filed with the Town Clerk within
one week of incurring the expense, are required for the following expenses
in order to receive reimbursement:
