60.30 Election, appointment of town officers; general provisions.

(1) Elected town officers.

(a) At the annual spring election in odd-numbered years, each town shall elect:

1. Except as provided under par. (b), 3 town board supervisors. One of the supervisors shall be designated on the ballot as town board chairperson.

2. Except as provided in sub. (1e), a town clerk and a town treasurer or a person to serve in the combined office of town clerk and town treasurer under s. 60.305 (1).

3. A town assessor, if election of the assessor is required, or a person to serve in the combined office of town clerk and town assessor under s. 60.305 (2).

4. The number of constables established by the last preceding town meeting unless the office has been abolished and has not been reestablished by the town meeting under s. 60.10 (1) (b) 4.

(b) If the town board has increased the number of supervisors under s. 60.21, town board supervisors shall be elected at the annual spring election as provided in that section.

(1e) Appointed town officers.

(a) Notwithstanding sub. (1) (a) 2. and subject to pars. (b) and (c), a town board may enact an ordinance that provides for the appointment of a person by a majority of the members-elect of the town board, as defined in s. 59.001 (2m), to fill the office of town clerk, town treasurer, or both, or to fill the combined office of town clerk and town treasurer under s. 60.305 (1).

(b) An ordinance enacted under par. (a) may not take effect until it is approved in a referendum called by the town board for that purpose at the next spring or general election, to be held not sooner than 70 days after the referendum is called by the town board. The referendum question shall be: “Shall the person holding the office of ... [town clerk or town treasurer, or both; or the combined office of town clerk and town treasurer] in the town of ... be appointed by the town board?".

(c) If an ordinance is approved in a referendum under par. (b), the change from an elective office to an appointive office may not take effect until the term of office of the incumbent town clerk, town treasurer, or combined town clerk and town treasurer expires. If an ordinance is approved under par. (b) at a general election, the ordinance takes effect upon the expiration of the term or terms of the incumbent officer or officers. If an ordinance is approved under par. (b) at a spring election at which the office of town clerk or town treasurer is filled, the ordinance takes effect upon the expiration of the term or terms of each officer who is elected at that election. A person appointed to the office of town clerk or town treasurer, or to the combined office of town clerk and town treasurer, shall serve for a term, not to exceed 3 years, that is set by the town board. The person may be reappointed and may be dismissed by the board only for cause, as defined in s. 17.001.

(d) Not sooner than 2 years after an ordinance is approved in a referendum under par. (b), the town board may enact an ordinance to return to a system of electing the town clerk and town treasurer or the combined office of town clerk and town treasurer, under sub. (1) (a) 2., without a referendum. If the ordinance under this paragraph is enacted on or after the date of the spring election and on or before November 1 in any year, a town clerk, town treasurer or combined town clerk and town treasurer shall be elected to succeed the appointive officer at the next spring election following enactment of the ordinance. If the ordinance is enacted on any other date, a town clerk, town treasurer or combined town clerk and town treasurer shall be elected to succeed the appointive officer at the 2nd spring election following enactment of the ordinance.

(e) Notwithstanding sub. (1) (a) 2. and subject to pars. (f) and (g), a town board that is authorized to do so by a town meeting under s. 60.10 (1) (b) 2m. shall appoint, by a majority of the members-elect of the town board, as defined in s. 59.001 (2m), a person to fill the office of town clerk, town treasurer, or both, or to fill the combined office of town clerk and town treasurer under s. 60.305 (1). The town board shall make the initial appointment not less than 30 days nor more than 60 days after the annual town meeting at which the authorization is given.

(f) If a person is appointed to office under par. (e), the person initially appointed may not take office until the term of office of the incumbent town clerk, town treasurer, or combined town clerk and town treasurer expires. A person appointed to the office of town clerk or town treasurer, or to the combined office of town clerk and town treasurer, shall serve for a term, not to exceed 3 years, that is set by the town board. The person may be reappointed and may be dismissed by the board only for cause, as defined in s. 17.001.

(g) Not sooner than 2 years after a person is appointed to office under par. (e), the town board may enact an ordinance to return to a system of electing the town clerk and town treasurer or the combined office of town clerk and town treasurer, under sub. (1) (a) 2. without a vote of a town meeting. An ordinance enacted under this paragraph shall follow the procedures in par. (d).

(1m) Part-time supervisors. Town board supervisors shall be part-time officers, unless designated as full-time by the town meeting under s. 60.10 (1) (b) 6.

(2) Restrictions.

(a) Only an elector of the town may hold a town office, other than an assessor appointed under s. 60.307 or a town clerk, town treasurer or combined town clerk and town treasurer appointed under sub. (1e).

(b) No person may hold the offices of town treasurer and town assessor at the same time.

(c) No assessor may be elected in any town appointing assessors under s. 60.307 or in any town which is under the jurisdiction of a county assessor under s. 70.99.

(d) No person may assume the office of town assessor unless certified by the department of revenue, under s. 73.09, as qualified to perform the functions of the office of town assessor. If a person is elected to the office and is not certified by June 1 of the year elected, the office is vacant and the town board shall fill the vacancy from a list of persons certified by the department of revenue.

(3) Notice of election. Within 5 days after completion of the canvass under s. 7.53, the town clerk shall transmit a notice of election to each person elected to a town office.

(4) Term of office.

(a) Every elected town officer shall hold the office for 2 years.

(b) The regular term of elected town officers, other than the town assessor, commences on the 3rd Tuesday of April in the year of their election. The regular term of an elected assessor commences on June 1 in the year of the assessor's election.

(5) Temporary vacancy.

(a) If any elected town officer, other than a town board supervisor, is absent or temporarily incapacitated from any cause, the town board may appoint, if there is no deputy officer for the office, a suitable person to discharge the duties of the office until the officer returns or the disability is removed, except that the appointment procedures of this paragraph apply to a town board supervisor if he or she is absent because of entry into the U.S. armed forces. Appointees shall file the official oath and bond required under s. 60.31.

(b) If any elected town officer, other than a town board supervisor, refuses to perform any official duty, the town board may appoint a suitable person to perform those duties which the officer refuses to perform. An appointee shall file the official oath and bond required of the office under s. 60.31. This paragraph does not preclude a finding that refusal to perform official duties constitutes cause under s. 17.13 (3).

(6) Town officers residing in new incorporated municipality or annexed territory. Notwithstanding s. 17.03 (4), if, due to incorporation or annexation, any town officer, except a town board supervisor or a municipal judge, becomes a resident of a city or village, the officer shall continue in the town office and discharge the duties of the office until completion of the term for which elected.

History: 1983 a. 532, 538; 1991 a. 39; 1993 a. 246; 1995 a. 34; 1997 a. 27; 2001 a. 103; 2011 a. 75, 115.