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Town of Rome, WI
Adams County
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Table of Contents
Table of Contents
[HISTORY: Adopted by the Town Board of the Town of Rome as Sec. 5.015 of the prior Code. Amendments noted where applicable.]
This chapter shall apply to an incumbent cable operator, as that term is defined in § 66.0420(2)(L), Wis. Stats. This chapter shall cease to be effective upon the last date of the term of said operator's existing franchise agreement.
It is the purpose of this chapter to delineate the rules, regulations, and requirements for a franchise to construct, maintain, and operate a cable television system in the Town of Rome, Wisconsin, and to set forth the obligations and rights of the Town and grantee accompanying said grant.
A. 
The grantee shall construct, operate, and maintain the cable TV system subject to the supervision of all authorities of the Town who have jurisdiction in such matters and in strict compliance with all laws and ordinances.
B. 
Notwithstanding any other provisions of this chapter or grantee's agreement, the grantee shall, at all times, comply with all laws and regulations of the State of Wisconsin and the federal government or any administrative agency thereof; provided, however, if any such state or federal law or regulation shall require the grantee to perform any service or shall permit the grantee to perform any service in conflict with the terms of this chapter or of any law or regulation of the Town, then as soon as possible following knowledge thereof, the grantee shall notify the Town Board of any conflict believed to exist between such regulation or law and the laws or ordinances of the Town or this chapter. If the Town Board determines that a material provision of this chapter is affected by such subsequent action, the Town Board shall have the right to modify any of the provisions herein to such reasonable extent as may be necessary to carry out the full intent and purpose of this chapter.
C. 
The grantee shall be excused from complying with any of the terms and conditions of this chapter or grantee's agreement by any failure of the Town upon any one or more occasions to insist upon or seek compliance with any such terms or conditions.
D. 
The captions to sections throughout this chapter are intended solely to facilitate reading and reference to the sections and provisions of this chapter. Such captions shall not affect the meaning or interpretation of this chapter.
Applications for a franchise to construct or operate a cable television system hereunder shall be filed with the Town Clerk/Treasurer in accordance with the filing instructions promulgated by the Town and shall contain the following written information and provisions. Each application submitted after the effective date of this chapter shall be accompanied by cash or check in the amount of $250, which sum shall be the fee required for any franchise granted under this chapter. In the event that the Town does not grant a franchise, such sum shall be returned to the applicant:
A. 
The name and business address of the applicant, date of application, and signature of applicant or appropriate corporation officers.
B. 
A general description of the applicant's proposed operation, including, but not limited to, business hours, operating staff, maintenance procedures, management, and marketing staff complement and procedures and place of local business office.
C. 
A statement of the television and radio services to be provided, including both off the air and locally originated signals.
D. 
A statement setting forth a description of the automated services proposed as well as a description of the production facilities to be made available by the grantee for the public, municipal, and educational channels required to be made available by the SCC regulation.
E. 
A statement of the applicant's proposed schedule of charges to subscribers.
F. 
A statement detailing the corporation organization of the applicant, if any, including the names and addresses of its officers and directors and the number of shares of stock held by each officer and director.
G. 
A current copy of the corporation's annual report filed with the Wisconsin Secretary of State.
H. 
A statement describing all intra-company relationships of the applicant, including parent, subsidiary or affiliated companies.
I. 
Suitable written evidence from a recognized financial institution addressed to the applicant and to the Town advising that the applicant's financial ability and planned operation have been analyzed by the institution and that the financing institution is prepared to make the required funds available to applicant if it is awarded a franchise under the terms of this chapter. If the planned operation is to be internally financed, a certified copy of a corporation board resolution or written statement of all partners shall be supplied authorizing procurement and expenditure of such funds as are required to construct, install, and operate the cable television contemplated hereunder.
J. 
A statement of existing franchises held by the applicant indicating when the franchises were issued and when the systems were constructed and the present state of the systems in each respective governmental unit, together with the name and address and phone number of a responsible governmental official knowledgeable of the applicant.
K. 
A statement as to whether the applicant or any of its officers or directors or holders of 5% or more of its voting stock has in the past 10 years been convicted of any felony.
L. 
A statement detailing the prior cable television experience of the applicant, including that of the applicant's officers, management, and staff to be associated with the proposed operation.
M. 
The application for franchise shall respond specifically and in sequence to the sections of this chapter and shall be bound separately from any additional information filed by the applicant. Two copies of the application shall be supplied to the Town; supplementary additional or other information that the applicant deems reasonable for consideration may be submitted at the same time as its application, but must be separately bound and submitted in the above number of copies. The Town may, at its discretion, consider such additional information as part of the application.
N. 
The Town reserves the right to require such supplementary, additional or other information that the Town deems reasonably necessary for its consideration of the application. Such modifications, deletions, additions, or amendments to the application shall be considered only if specifically requested by the Town.
O. 
Any existing grantee at the time this chapter becomes effective must supply all information set forth in this chapter upon any renewal application.
A. 
Any franchise awarded hereunder and the rights, privileges, and authority granted thereby shall take effect and be in force from and after the 30th day following the award thereof, provided that within 30 days from the day of such award the grantee shall file with the Town the following: a notarized statement by the grantee of unconditional acceptance of the franchise; certificates of insurance as required in § 154-9 herein; and written notification of the grantee's location and address for mail and official notification from the Town.
B. 
The grantee shall have no recourse whatsoever against the Town for any loss, cost, expense, or damage arising out of any provision or requirement of this chapter or its regulation or from the Town's exercise of its authority to grant additional franchises hereunder.
C. 
The grantee expressly acknowledges that, in accepting any franchise awarded hereunder, it has relied upon its own investigation and understanding of the power and authority to grant this franchise.
D. 
Grantee acknowledges by the acceptance of this chapter and any franchise agreement with the Town that it has carefully read the terms and conditions of this chapter, and it is willing to and does accept all the obligations of such terms and conditions, including future amendments. Grantee further agrees that it will not, prior to substantial completion of the system, set up as against the Town any claim that any provision of this chapter as adopted or any franchise granted hereunder is unreasonable, arbitrary, invalid, or void.
A. 
After the expiration of the term for which a franchise is granted, the Town, in its sole discretion, may determine whether the grantee shall continue to operate a cable television system pursuant to the terms and conditions of this chapter. If grantee intends to apply for a renewal term, the grantee shall submit an application to the Town not later than 90 days prior to the expiration of the terms stated in grantee's agreement with the Town.
B. 
In addition to all other rights and powers pertaining to the Town by virtue of this chapter, grantee's agreement or otherwise, the Town reserves the right to revoke, terminate, and cancel the franchise and all rights and privileges of the grantee hereunder in the event that:
(1) 
The grantee violates any provision of this chapter, any provision of the grantee's agreement, or any rules, orders, or determinations of the Town made pursuant to this chapter, except where such violation is without fault or through excusable neglect;
(2) 
The grantee becomes insolvent, unable, or unwilling to pay its debts, or has a bankruptcy judgment;
(3) 
There has been a change in the control of the grantee requiring the consent of the Town Board, pursuant to this chapter, and such consent has been denied or not given; or
(4) 
The grantee practices any fraud or deceit upon the Town.
C. 
Upon the occurrences of any of the events enumerated in this chapter, the Town Board may, after hearing upon 30 days' written notice to the grantee citing the reasons alleged to constitute cause for revocation, set a reasonable time in which the grantee must remedy the cause. If, during the thirty-day period, the cause shall be cured to the satisfaction of the Town, the Town may declare the notice to be null and void. If the grantee fails to remedy the cause within the time specified, the Town may revoke the franchise. In any event, before a franchise may be terminated, the grantee must be provided with an opportunity to be heard before the Town Board. The decision of the Town Board may be subject to judicial review.
D. 
If the Town determines not to renew the franchise for reasons other than a material breach of their franchise or reasons unrelated to the performance of the grantee or upon receipt of an application for assignment of the franchise, or upon a change of de facto control, the grantee shall first offer all of the grantee's equipment and property situated within the Town and used in conjunction with the operation of the cable television system to the Town at fair market value, which value shall include the fair market value of the system as a going concern, including the franchise itself and the rights and privileges granted by the Town. When a franchise is revoked pursuant to this chapter or expires and is not renewed because of a material breach of the franchise, grantee's said equipment and property within the Town shall first be offered to the Town at a fair market value, which value shall not include any value for the franchise itself or for any of the rights or privileges granted by the Town. If the determination of fair market value cannot be negotiated or determined, said value shall be determined by an impartial arbitration procedure pursuant to Chapter 298 of the Wisconsin Statutes, wherein the grantee and the Town shall each choose an arbitrator and the arbitrators shall choose a third arbitrator; the valuation determination by a majority of said arbitrators shall be considered the fair market value at which the system will be offered to the Town. The grantee and the Town shall share the cost of the arbitration procedure equally. The Town shall have 90 days to exercise the right of first refusal to purchase grantee's aforementioned property within the Town, said 90 days commencing on the day the fair market value of the equipment is determined either through negotiation or the arbitration procedure.
E. 
If the Town does not exercise its option to purchase and grantee's said property is not sold to a person who has obtained a franchise from the Town in a reasonable period of time, the grantee, upon request by the Town, shall not later than six months from the date of such Town request, remove its equipment from Town streets. If the Town determines not to exercise its right of first refusal, it shall not unreasonably refuse to renew or grant a cable television franchise during a reasonable interim period. While transfer of the system and franchise is being negotiated, arranged, or ordered, the grantee may be required to continue service to the public and its subscribers unless, for reasons beyond the control of the grantee, said operation will be economically unfeasible to the grantee.
F. 
If for any reason stated in this chapter the grantee is required to remove its plant, structures, and equipment from Town roads, the grantee shall fill, at its own expense, any excavation that shall be made by it and shall leave all public streets and places in such condition acceptable to and approved by the Town. During any period of removal, grantee shall be required to maintain the liability insurance required herein and the indemnity to the Town required herein. (Buried cable may be cut off below ground level and abandoned in place.)
G. 
If the grantee fails to complete any work required by this chapter or any work required by any other Town law or ordinance within the time established and to the satisfaction of the Town, the Town may cause such work to be done and the grantee shall reimburse the costs thereof within 30 days and after receipt of an itemized list of such costs.
H. 
Upon the expiration of the grantee's agreement, the Town may, by resolution, on its own motion or request of the grantee, require the grantee to operate the franchise for an extended period of time not to exceed six months from the date of the expiration of the original term of the franchise or any renewal term. All provisions of this chapter and grantee's agreement shall continue to apply to operations during any extension period. The Town shall serve written notice to grantee of its intent to extend under this section at least 90 days prior to expiration of the original franchise or any renewal term.
I. 
If, for a period of six continuous years following the termination of grantee's franchise for any reason, the grantee has failed to remove its equipment from Town streets or the grantee has not sold said equipment to a subsequent franchise holder or the Town has not exercised its rights to purchase such equipment, then any such equipment in any Town street shall be deemed abandoned and title to the same shall revert to the Town upon resolution of the Town Board.
The Town Board shall have the right to inspect all construction or installation work performed pursuant to the provisions of this chapter.
A. 
The grantee shall maintain its facilities, equipment, and service so that the CATV system is as advanced as the current state of technology with field-proven equipment will allow, consistent with good economic judgment of the grantee and service requirements of the franchise area. The grantee shall render efficient service in accordance with such rules and regulations as have been promulgated and may be promulgated by the FCC and other federal and state regulatory agencies.
B. 
It shall be the right of all residential subscribers, unless prohibited by any law, rule, or regulation, to receive all available services insofar as their financial and other obligations to the grantee are honored.
C. 
The grantee shall respond to all service calls and complaints and shall correct malfunctions in its equipment as promptly as possible. The grantee shall respond to requests for service within 48 hours after its reception of said request. If the grantee does not respond to a request within said 48 hours, the grantee shall refund 1/30th of its monthly charge to a subscriber for each 24 hours or fraction thereof following a request for service except to the extent that the grantee is prevented from responding to said request for service by strike, injunction, or other causes beyond the control of the grantee.
D. 
The grantee shall not be obligated to extend service in any area unless there are at least 20 residential structures per contiguous mile.
E. 
The grantee shall provide, without charge, three outlets to the primary Town municipal building. If more than three outlets are required in said building or if outlets are requested in any other municipal building within the Town, the grantee shall install the same at the cost of time and materials only. In no event will there be a monthly service charge at any of the said locations. The subsection shall apply only when service is available near the building location.
A. 
At all times during the term of the franchise, the grantee shall obtain, pay all premiums for, and file with the Town Board certificates of insurance for the following: A general comprehensive public liability insurance policy indemnifying, defending, and saving harmless the Town, its officers, boards, committees, commissions, agents, and employees from any and all claims by any person whatsoever on account of injury to or death of a person or persons occasioned by the operations of the grantee under the franchise herein granted or alleged to have been so caused or occurred with a minimum liability of $500,000 for bodily injury or death of any one person and $1,000,000 for any one occurrence; property damage insurance with the same indemnifications as previously stated in this subsection from and against all claims by any person whatsoever for property damage occasioned by the construction or operation of the grantee under the franchise herein granted or alleged to have been so caused or occurred with a minimum liability of $100,000 for property damage in any one occurrence. All of the foregoing insurance policies shall be in a form satisfactory to the Town Attorney, shall be approved by the Board, and shall be maintained by companies authorized to do business in the State of Wisconsin. Said insurance contracts shall require 30 days' written notice of any cancellation to the Town.
B. 
The grantee shall also, at its sole cost and expense, fully indemnify, defend, and hold harmless the Town, its officers, boards, committees, commissions, and employees against any and all claims, suits, actions, liability, and judgments for damages (including but not limited to expenses for reasonable attorneys' fees and disbursements) arising out of any claim for invasions of the right of privacy, for defamation of any person, firm, or corporation or for the violation or infringement of any copyright, trademark, trade name, service mark, or patent, or of any other right of any person, firm, or corporation, and arising out of the grantee's failure to comply with the provisions of any federal, state, or local statute, ordinance, or regulation applicable to the grantee in this business hereunder. The foregoing indemnity is conditioned upon the following: The Town shall give the grantee prompt notice of the making of any claim or the commencement of an action, suit, or other proceeding covered by the provisions of this chapter.
A. 
A person who willfully or maliciously damages, or causes to be damaged, any wire, cable, conduit, apparatus or equipment of the grantee, or who commits any act with intent to cause damage to any wire, cable, conduit, apparatus or equipment of the grantee, or who taps, tampers with, or connects any wire or device to a wire, cable, conduit or equipment of the grantee with intent to obtain a signal or impulse there from without authorization of the grantee, shall be subjected to a forfeiture of not less than $50 or more than $300 as determined by the court and shall be liable in a civil action for three times the actual amount of damages sustained thereby. However, this section shall not prevent the Town (or the designated employee and agents of) from removing, disconnecting, or otherwise rendering inoperable any of grantee's apparatus or equipment attached or in any way connected to the Town's facilities, if done for reasonable cause.
B. 
Whoever with intent to defraud obtains or attempts to obtain a signal or impulse from any wire, cable, conduit, apparatus, or equipment of the grantee by any of the following means shall be subject to a forfeiture of not less than $50 or more than $300 as determined by the court and shall be liable in a civil action for three times the actual amount of damages sustained thereby.
(1) 
Rearranging, tampering with, or making connection with any facilities or equipment of the grantee.
(2) 
Using any other contrivance, device, or means to avoid payment of the lawful charges, in whole or in part, or the services provided by the grantee's CATV System.
C. 
This section shall apply when the said CATV system service either originates or terminates or both in this state, or when the charges for said service would have been billable in normal course, by a person providing CATV service in this state, but for the fact that said service was obtained, or attempted to be obtained, by one or more of the means set forth in this chapter.
D. 
For purposes of determining the forfeiture set forth in this chapter, each day of violation of the provisions of said section shall constitute a separate offense.
A. 
Any franchise granted pursuant to this chapter shall not be assigned or transferred, either in whole or in part, or leased or sublet in any manner, nor shall title thereto either legal or equitable, or any right, interest, or property therein, pass to or vest in any person either by the act of the grantee or by operation of law without the express consent of the Town Board. The granting, giving, or waiving of any one or more of such consent shall not render unnecessary any subsequent consent or consents.
B. 
The grantee shall promptly notify the Town Board of any proposed change in, or transfer of, or acquisition by, any other party of control of or the business assets of the grantee. Within 60 days after receiving said notice, the Town Board shall hold a public hearing on this matter and, within 90 days, shall make its recommendations upon the matter. For the purpose of determining whether it will consent to such change, transfer, or acquisition of control, the Town Board may inquire into the qualifications of the prospective controlling party and shall require the prospective controlling party to submit all information and documentation as set forth in this chapter.
C. 
Every change, transfer, or acquisition of control of the grantee, with respect to which the consent of the Town Board is required, pursuant to this chapter, shall make this franchise subject to revocation unless and until the Town Board shall have consented thereto. If the Town Board denies consent and such change, transfer, or acquisition of control has been effected, the Town may revoke any franchise or permit given pursuant to this chapter unless control of the grantee is restored to its status prior to the change, or to a status acceptable to the Town Board.
D. 
For purposes of this chapter and the preceding subsection, a change, transfer, or acquisition of control shall not be effected where less than 30% of the shares of stock in the grantee is made within any calendar year. Changes or transfers of control resulting from the death of a stockholder shall be exempt from the requirements of the previous subsections.
E. 
Nothing in this chapter shall be deemed to prohibit a mortgage or pledge of the cable system equipment or any part thereof or a leasing by the grantee from another part thereof for financing purposes or otherwise. Any such mortgage, pledge, or lease shall be subject and subordinate to the rights of the Town under the grantee's agreement or this chapter and applicable law.
A. 
There is hereby granted by the Town the right, privilege, and franchise to construct, operate, and maintain a cable television system on the streets of the Town for a period of years as specified in any agreement between the Town and the grantee, subject to the rights, obligations, conditions, and restrictions as hereinafter provided. The right to use and occupy said streets for the purposes herein set forth shall not be exclusive, and the Town reserves the right to grant a similar use of said streets to any person at any time during the period of the grantee's franchise.
B. 
All transmission and distributions, structures, lines, and equipment erected by the grantee within the Town shall be located so as not to interfere with the proper use of streets, alleys, and other public ways and places, and to cause minimum interference with the rights or reasonable convenience of property owners who adjoin any of said streets, alleys, or other public ways and places, and not to interfere with existing public utility installations. All installations shall be underground in those areas of the Town where both of the public utilities providing telephone or electric service are underground at the time of installation. In areas where both telephone and electric utility distribution facilities are above ground at the time of installation, the grantee may install its facilities above ground; but in such case, the grantee, to the maximum extent possible subject to approval by the affected public utility, shall place its facilities on the poles of said public utilities. If, subsequently, said telephone or electric utility facilities go underground, the facilities of the grantee shall go underground simultaneously. The use of the grantee of any facilities or installations of a telephone or electric utility and the conditions of said uses shall be determined by negotiations between the grantee and said utility.
C. 
In cases of any disturbance of pavement, sidewalk, driveway, or other surfacing, the grantee shall, at its own expense, and in the manner provided by the Town, place and restore all paving, sidewalk, driveway, or other surface of any street or alley disturbed.
D. 
If, at any time during the period of grantee's agreement, the Town shall alter or change the grade or location of any street, alley, or other public way, or repair the same, the grantee shall, upon 45 days' notice by the Town, remove, relay, and relocate its poles, wires, cables, and underground fixtures at its own expense and, in each instance, comply with the requirements of the Town.
E. 
From time to time, the Town Board may prohibit placement of grantee's equipment, wires, or facilities from specified areas where the Town Board has determined the location of such equipment, wires, and facilities might or would interfere with or endanger any public or private utility or would violate any applicable safety statute, ordinance, or administrative regulation.
F. 
The grantee shall, on request of any person holding a moving permit issued by the Town, temporarily move its wires or fixtures to permit the moving of buildings, the expense of such temporary removal to be paid by the person requesting the same, and the grantee shall be given not less than 96 hours' advance notice to arrange for such temporary changes.
A. 
The grantee shall not deny service, deny access, or otherwise discriminate against any subscribers, programmers, or general citizens on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, creed, age, or sex. Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit the reduction or waiving of charges in conjunction with promotional campaigns for the purpose of attracting subscribers, nor shall this provision be interpreted to prohibit the establishment of a graduated scale of charges and classified rate schedules to which any subscriber or programmer included in a particular classification shall be entitled.
B. 
Except with written subscriber consent, neither the grantee, nor any governmental bureau, department, unit, agency, or entity at the federal, state, county, or town level, nor any other person or entity shall monitor or arrange for the monitoring of any subscriber cable, subscriber outlet or subscriber receiver for any purpose whatsoever.
C. 
Without the express written consent of a subscriber, the grantee shall not sell, or otherwise make available, lists of the names and addresses of the subscribers, or any lists which identifies, by name, subscribers' viewing habits, to any person, agency, or entity, for any purpose whatever.
A. 
The right is hereby reserved to the Town to adopt, in addition to the provisions contained herein and any existing applicable ordinances, such additional regulations as it shall find necessary in the exercise of the police powers, provided that such regulations, by ordinance or otherwise, shall be reasonable and not in conflict with the rights herein granted.
B. 
Nothing in this chapter shall limit the right of the Town to acquire the cable system of the grantee through the exercise of eminent domain, condemnation proceedings, or otherwise.
C. 
For the purpose of vacating streets, installing utilities and rerouting utilities, the Town of Rome may terminate grantee's rights to use the streets and the facilities of the Town upon resolution of the Town Board and two months' notice to the grantee. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in case of emergency or as a measure to safeguard the health, safety, and welfare of the Town or any of its inhabitants, the Town may, by resolution, prescribe a shorter notice. Any removal of equipment, wires, or facilities of the grantee required by this section shall be done at the sole cost and expense of the grantee. If removal is not made by the grantee in the time required or, in case of emergency, the Town or its lawful representatives may cause the same to be removed at the grantee's expense without notice.
D. 
Nothing contained in this chapter shall be construed to limit or in any other way impair the powers and authorities of the Town, except as expressly stated in this chapter.
A. 
Except as expressly provided in this chapter and grantee's agreement, grantee herein shall have no recourse whatsoever against the Town for any loss, cost, or expense or damage arising out of the provisions or requirements of this chapter or because of the enforcement of provisions set forth in § 1-5, General penalty.
[Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. II)]
B. 
Any grantee receiving a franchise from the Town pursuant to this chapter acknowledges by acceptance of a franchise that it has carefully read the terms and conditions hereof and is willing to and does accept all reasonable risks of the meaning of such terms and conditions, and agrees that in the event of any ambiguity thereon or in the event of any other dispute over the meaning thereof, the same shall be construed strictly against the grantee in the favor of the Town.
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:
ALLEY
A public right-of-way, which normally affords a secondary means of vehicular access to abutting property.
CABLE TELEVISION SYSTEM (CABLE TV SYSTEM or CATV SYSTEM)
Any facility that, in whole or in part, receives directly or indirectly over the air and amplifies or otherwise modifies the signals transmitting programs broadcast by one or more television or radio stations and distributes such signals by wire or cable to subscribing members of the public who pay for such service, but such terms shall not include any such facility that serves fewer than 50 subscribers or any such facility that serves only the residents of one or more apartment dwellings under common ownership, control, or management, and commercial establishments located on the premises of such an apartment house.
FINANCIAL INSTITUTION
A bank, credit union, savings and loan or other business providing conventional financial services that is regulated by the Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation.
GRADE
The average level of the finished surface of the ground adjacent to the exterior walls of the building or structure.
OPERATOR
Operator shall mean any person who has charge, care or control of a building, structure or premises or part thereof.
OWNER
Includes the plural as well as the singular and may mean either a natural person, firm, association, partnership, private corporation, public or quasi-public corporation, or combination of these who shall hold title to a building, structure or property, or who shall be in actual possession of, or have charge, or control of building, structure, or property as agent of the title holder, or who shall be trustee or guardian of the estate or person of the title holder.
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.
PUBLIC WAY
Any sidewalk, street, alley, highway, or other public thoroughfare.
STREET
Any public highway or alley and shall mean the entire width between the boundary lines of any public way where any part thereof is open to the public for purposes of vehicular traffic.
STRUCTURE
Anything constructed or erected, the use of which requires a more or less permanent location in or on the premises, or any other attachment to something having a permanent location on the ground, which includes, but is not limited to, objects such as buildings, mobile homes, gas or liquid storage tanks, bridges, culverts, decks, fences, satellite dishes or swimming pools.
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.
UTILITIES
Public and private facilities, such as water wells, water and sewage pumping stations, water storage tanks, electrical power substations, static transformer stations, telephone and telegraph exchanges, microwave radio relays and gas regulation stations, inclusive of associated transmission facilities but not including sewage disposal plants, municipal incinerators, warehouses, shops, storage yards and power plants.