[HISTORY: Adopted by the Town Board of the Town of Trenton 11-7-1989 as Title 2, Ch. 3 and Title 4, Ch. 1 of the 1989 Code. Amendments noted where applicable.]
A. 
Membership. The Town Board consists of two Supervisors of the Town of Trenton and the Chairperson.
B. 
Elections.
(1) 
There shall be elected one Supervisor from the Town at large who shall be designated as the "Chairperson" and whose term shall be for a period of two years.
(2) 
Biennially in odd-numbered years, at the annual spring election, there shall be elected three Supervisors, one of whom shall be designated on the ballots as "Chairperson."
A. 
Charge of Town affairs. The Town Board shall have charge of all affairs of the Town not committed by law to another body or officer or to a Town employee(s).
B. 
Charge of actions. The Town Board has charge of any action or legal proceeding to which the Town is a party.
C. 
Village powers. As authorized under § 60.10(2)(c), Wis. Stats., and § 62-2 of this Code, the Town Board shall exercise powers relating to villages and conferred on village boards under Ch. 61, Wis. Stats., except those powers which conflict with statutes relating to towns and town boards.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: Original § 2-3-2(d), which immediately followed this subsection and dealt with the Town Constable, was deleted at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. II).
D. 
Pursue certain claims of Town. The Town Board shall demand payment of penalties and forfeitures recoverable by the Town and damages incurred by the Town due to breach of official bond, injury to property or other injury. If, following demand, payment is not made, the Board shall pursue appropriate legal action to recover the penalty, forfeiture or damages.
A. 
Without limitation because of enumeration, the Town Board may:
(1) 
Acquire lands. Notwithstanding § 60.10(2)(e), Wis. Stats., acquire lands to lay, construct, alter, extend or repair any highway, street or alley in the Town.
(2) 
Streets, sewers and water mains. Provide for laying, constructing, altering, extending, replacing, removing or repairing any highway, street, alley, sanitary sewer, storm sewer or water main in the Town.
(3) 
Sidewalks. Provide for construction, removal, replacement or repair of sidewalks under § 66.0907, Wis. Stats.
(4) 
Lighting highways. Provide for lighting for highways, as defined under § 340.01(22), Wis. Stats., located in the Town.
(5) 
Lake improvement. Provide for making improvements in any lake or waterway located in the Town.
B. 
The Town Board may levy and collect special assessments and charges under § 66.0703, Wis. Stats., and Chapter 9 of this Code to pay for all or part of the cost of any public work or improvement. Special assessments may be paid under § 66.0713, Wis. Stats. Reassessments shall be under § 66.0731, Wis. Stats.
[Amended 5-2-2023 by Ord. No. 2023.05.01]
A. 
Regular meetings of the Trenton Town Board shall be held on the third Monday of every month at 7:00 p.m. local time. Any regular meeting falling on a legal holiday, which the Town of Trenton recognizes, shall be held the following Tuesday at the same time and place or at a time established by the Board. All meetings of the Board shall be held at the Town Hall of the Town of Trenton 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. A majority of Supervisors must consent to any change in the place of any meeting of the Town Board.
B. 
Special meetings may be called by the Chairperson or by any two Supervisors by notifying the Town Clerk no less than 24 hours prior to the specified time of the meeting. The Town Clerk shall immediately notify all Supervisors of the time and place of the meeting and shall cause public notice to be posted in at least one public place likely to give notice to persons affected and placed electronically on the Town's official website no less than six hours prior to the time specified for the meeting.
C. 
All Town Board and Town committee meetings shall be open to the public and be in compliance with Wisconsin's Open Meeting Law.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: See §§ 19.81 to 19.98, Wis. Stats.
D. 
The Town Board has power to preserve order at its meetings, compel attendance of Supervisors and punish nonattendance.
A majority of the Supervisors shall constitute a quorum, but a lesser number may adjourn if a majority is not present.
The Chairperson shall preside at all meetings of the Town Board when present. In his/her absence, the Town Board may select another Supervisor to preside and, in such case, the Town Clerk shall call the meeting to order and preside until the Town Board selects a Supervisor to preside.
A. 
Order of business. 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 minutes of the last preceding meeting or meetings.
(4) 
Presentation of bills, statements and vouchers.
(5) 
Unfinished business remaining from preceding sessions in the order in which it was introduced.
(6) 
New business; ordinances and resolutions may be introduced and considered.
(7) 
Business may be presented by the Chairperson and Supervisors.
(8) 
Reports from officials of the Town.
(9) 
Miscellaneous.
(10) 
Adjournment.
B. 
Agenda preparation.
(1) 
The Town Clerk shall prepare an agenda incorporating the matters comprising the order of business;
(2) 
There be included on said agenda a time for hearing citizens wishing to address the Board; and
(3) 
No matter requiring research, investigation or decision shall be placed on the agenda of the Town Board unless a request to do so is made to the Town Clerk at least four days prior to the meeting, nor shall the agenda be amended to include said matter, either prior to ordering the meeting, except when the members of the Board unanimously agree to the agenda addition.
C. 
Order to be followed; citizen comments. No business shall be taken up out of order unless by unanimous 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 Board.
D. 
Roll call; procedure when quorum not in attendance. As soon as the Board shall be called to order, the Clerk shall proceed to call the names of the members of alphabetical order, noting who is present and who is absent, and record the same 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 Board may adjourn.
A. 
Ordinances to be in writing. All ordinances submitted to the Board shall be in writing and shall include at the outset a brief statement of the subject matter and a title. All written material introduced shall be read and then discussed and acted upon as the Board deems appropriate.
B. 
Subject and numbering of ordinances. Each ordinance shall be related to no more than one subject. Amendment or repeal of ordinances shall only be accomplished if the amending or repealing ordinance contains the number and title of the ordinance to be amended or repealed, and the title of amending and repealing ordinances shall reflect their purpose to amend or repeal.
C. 
Notice.
(1) 
The Town Board may take action on an ordinance only if it appears on the written agenda for the meeting at which action is requested in order to provide proper legal notice.
(2) 
Ordinances will be placed on the agenda for Board action only if they are submitted to the Town Clerk in written form a minimum of four days prior to the meeting at which action is requested.
D. 
Disposition of petitions, communication, etc. Every petition or other writing of any kind addressed to the Board, Clerk or other Town officer for reference to the Town Board shall be delivered by the Clerk or such other Town officer to the Chairperson or to the presiding officer of the Board as soon as convenient after receipt of the same and, in any event, prior to or at the opening of the next meeting of the Board following the receipt of the same.
A. 
Standing committees. At the first regular meeting of the Town Board in each year following the spring election, the Chairperson may appoint Supervisors to special or standing subcommittees, subject to Board confirmation. The Chairperson shall state the number of members and designate what duties are assigned to the committee.
B. 
Committee appointments.
(1) 
Each Supervisor shall serve as appointed unless excused by a majority of the members of the Board.
(2) 
The Chairperson may declare the entire Town Board a committee of the whole for informal discussion at any meeting or for any other purpose and shall ex officio be Chairperson of the same.
(3) 
The Chairperson may, from time to time, appoint such special committee or committees as he may deem advisable or as provided for by motion or resolution stating the number of members and object thereof to perform such duties as may be assigned to them.
(4) 
Supervisors appointed to serve on committees, except Supervisors appointed to serve on boards or commissions for specific terms thereon pursuant to ordinance or statute, shall be limited to two consecutive annual full terms of committee membership, such Supervisors to be ineligible thereafter for reappointment to the same standing committee for a period of one year. It is the intention of this provision that the fulfillment of unexpired terms (i.e., less than full terms) by appointment shall not be counted in determining the maximum two consecutive terms.
C. 
Reference and reports.
(1) 
The Town Board shall refer new business coming before the Town Board to the appropriate committee of managing Supervisors, unless otherwise referred or disposed of by motion of the Board.
(2) 
Resolution, ordinance and formal committee recommendations involving Town policy will be placed on the agenda for a Board action only if they are submitted to the Town Clerk in written form a minimum of seven days prior to the meeting at which action is requested.
D. 
Cooperation of Town officers. All Town officers shall, upon request of the managing Supervisors, confer with the committee and supply to it such information as may be requested in connection with any matter pending before the committee and/or managing Supervisors.
A. 
A roll call shall not be necessary on any questions or motions except as follows:
(1) 
When the ayes and noes are requested by any member.
(2) 
On confirmation and on the adoption of any measure assessing or levying taxes, appropriations or disbursing money, or creating any liability or charge against the Town or any fund thereof.
(3) 
When requested by the state statutes of Wisconsin.
B. 
All aye and nay votes shall be recorded in the official minutes.
C. 
Except as provided below, the Town Board shall, in all other respects, 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 ordinance or statute, except when otherwise limited or modified by this Code.
(1) 
No Supervisor shall address the Board until he has been recognized by the presiding officer. He shall thereupon address himself to the Chairperson and confine his remarks to the question under discussion and avoid all personalities.
(2) 
When two or more members simultaneously seek recognition, the presiding officer shall name the member who is to speak first.
(3) 
No person other than a member shall address the Board except under order of business, except that citizens may address the Board with the permission of the presiding officer as to matters which are being considered by the Board at the time.
(4) 
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 then 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 of five minutes.
C. 
The Chairperson shall then call on those persons who wish to oppose the proposition.
D. 
Each such person wishing to speak in opposition to the proposition shall give his or her name and address and shall also be limited to five minutes.
E. 
Any person wishing to speak in rebuttal to any statements made may, with the permission of the Chairperson, do so, provided, however, that such rebuttal statement shall be limited to three minutes by any one individual.
F. 
When the Chairperson in his discretion is satisfied that the proposition has been heard, he shall announce the fact that the hearing is concluded.
It shall be in order for any member if, in the majority, to move for the reconsideration of any vote in question at the same meeting or at the next succeeding regular adjourned meeting. A motion to reconsider being put and lost shall not be renewed.
Any member desirous of terminating the debate may call the previous question when the question announced by the Chairperson shall be "shall the main question be put?" If a majority of the members present vote in the affirmative, the main question shall be put to a vote without further debate, and its effect shall be to put an end to all debate and bring the Board to a direct vote, first upon the pending amendment and then upon the main question.
[Amended 7-15-2024 by Ord. No. 2024.07.01]
A. 
General requirement., the Town Clerk shall give notice to the public, the following, within 30 days after passage or adoption:
(1) 
Resolutions, motions and other actions adopted by the Town Meeting, or in the exercise of powers, under § 60.10, Wis. Stats.
(2) 
Ordinances adopted by the Town Board.
(3) 
Resolutions of general application adopted by the Town Board and having the effect of law.
B. 
Method of notification. Except as otherwise provided by law, the Town Clerk shall give notice in one of the following manners:
(1) 
Publish as a Class 1 notice under Ch. 985, Wis. Stats; or
(2) 
Post in at least three public places in the Town likely to give notice to the public; or
(3) 
Post in at least one public place likely to give notice to the public and placed electronically on the Town's official website.
C. 
Requirement for forfeitures. If an ordinance imposes a forfeiture, posting may not be used in lieu of publication under Subsection A.
D. 
Effective date. An ordinance, resolution, motion or other action required to be published or posted under this section shall take effect the day after its publication or posting, or later if expressly provided in the ordinance, resolution, motion or action.
E. 
Affidavit of posting. If an ordinance, resolution, motion or other action is posted under this section, 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 Clerk.
The rules of this chapter shall not be rescinded or amended unless the proposed amendment or motion to rescind has laid over from a regular meeting, and then it shall require a vote of 2/3 of all the members of the Board.