Village of Sauk City, WI Chapter 80 Village Board

[HISTORY: Adopted by the Village Board of the Village of Sauk City as Ch. 2.01 of the 1970 Code. Amendments noted where applicable.]

§ 80-1 Meetings.

A. Regular meetings of the Board shall be held in the Village Hall or such other location as specified in the notice of such meeting at 7:00 p.m. or as designated by agenda on the second and last Tuesday of each month, except when the day so designated shall fall on a legal holiday, and in that event such meeting shall be held on a date determined by a majority vote of the Village Board at the same hour and place.

[Amended 10-14-2003 by Ord. No. 2003-6]

B. All special meetings of the Village Board shall be held at the place where regular meetings of the Board are held unless otherwise specified in the call and notice of the special meeting. Special meetings may be called by any two Trustees in writing filed with the Administrator, who shall thereupon reasonably notify all of the Trustees, including the President, of the time, purpose and place thereof.

C. All meetings shall be open to the public and held in accordance with the Wisconsin Open Meeting Law, § 19.81 et seq., Wis. Stats., as may be amended from time to time. Meetings or portions of meetings may be closed to the public or held in closed session pursuant to the Open Meeting Law exemptions contained in § 19.81 et seq., Wis. Stats., as may be amended from time to time.[1]

[1] Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. II).

D. No Village public official, employee, Trustee, committee member, board member, or commission member shall, without proper legal authorization, discuss or disclose closed session information, deliberations, data or material or discuss confidential information concerning the property, government, or affairs of the Village at any time with any third party, except as set forth herein. All information discussed in closed session is considered confidential information and shall not be disclosed until the information is determined to be an open record available to the public under the open records and/or open meetings laws. Remedies or sanctions may be imposed by the Village Board, including but not limited to a reprimand or other disciplinary action. Violations of this provision are subject to a forfeiture of up to $1,000 per offense.[2]

[2] Editor's Note: Added at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. II).

§ 80-2 Order of business.

A. The order of business for all meetings shall be as follows:

(1) Call to order by Village President.

(2) Roll call.

(3) Open Meeting Law compliance check.[1]

[1] Editor's Note: Added at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. II).

(4) Minutes of the preceding regular meeting, and special, if any, and approving the same if correct, and correcting any existing mistakes.[2]

[2] Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. II).

(5) Citizen comments per § 19.84(2), Wis. Stats.[3]

[3] Editor's Note: Added at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. II).

(6) Action items.[4]

[4] Editor's Note: Added at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. II).

(7) Any and all other business to come before the body as identified in the agenda.

(8) Trustee and committee reports.

(9) Communications and miscellaneous business.

(10) Adjournment.

B. The Board may take up business in any order it sees fit, unless there is objection by any member.

§ 80-3 Duties of presiding officer.

A. Presiding officer. The President shall preside at all meetings when present and shall at the stated hour call the meeting to order. In his absence, the members of the Board may elect any Trustee present.

B. Appointment of committees. The presiding officer shall appoint all members of committees, boards and commissions. All commission appointments shall be subject to approval of the Village Board.

§ 80-4 Special committees.

The Village Board may provide for such special committees as it may from time to time determine.

§ 80-5 General rules of order.

The deliberations of the Board while in session shall be governed by the manual of parliamentary practice commonly known as "Robert's Rules of Order." These rules may be suspended by a majority of the members present at any meeting, until the adjournment of the meeting at which such suspension occurs, or until the Board revokes the suspension.

§ 80-6 Ordinances.

All ordinances passed by the Village Board shall be signed by the President and countersigned by the Administrator and shall, before taking effect, be published as a Class 1 notice, unless otherwise provided by statute, in some newspaper having general circulation in the Village, or, in lieu thereof, copies shall be posted in at least three public places in the Village for at least one week before the same shall take effect.

§ 80-7 Method of voting.

A. Voting shall be as follows: When a motion is made and seconded, it shall be stated by the member making the same, or by the President, or be read by the Administrator before being debated. 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.

B. When a question is under discussion, no action shall be in order except the following, and these several motions shall have precedence in the order in which they stand:

(1) To adjourn.

(2) To lay on the table.

(3) The previous question.

(4) To postpone to a certain date.

(5) To refer to a standing or special committee.

(6) To amend.

(7) To postpone indefinitely.

C. Any member desirous of terminating the debate may move the previous question, in which event the President shall announce the question "Shall the main question now be put?" If a majority of the members present vote in the affirmative, the main question shall be taken without further debate, its effect being to put an end to all debate and bring the Board to a direct vote, first upon any pending amendments and then upon the main question.

D. A roll call shall not be necessary on any question or motion, except as follows:

(1) When the ayes and noes are requested by any member.

(2) On confirmation and on adoption of any measure assessing or levying taxes or appropriations or creating any liability against the Village.

(3) Whenever required by the State of Wisconsin Statutes.

E. Every member shall vote when a question is put, unless the Board shall for special cause excuse him.

F. A majority vote of all present members of the Board in favor of any proposed ordinance, motion, resolution, or appointment shall be necessary for passage or approval, unless a larger number is required by statute.

§ 80-8 Order at meetings; attendance.

The Village Board has the power to preserve order at its meetings, compel attendance of Trustees and punish nonattendance.

§ 80-9 Residency requirement.

Members of the Village Board shall be residents of the Village at the time of their election and during their terms of office.