Terms Used In Wisconsin Statutes 66.0803

  • Acquire: when used in connection with a grant of power to any person, includes the acquisition by purchase, grant, gift or bequest. See Wisconsin Statutes 990.01
  • Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
  • Corporation: A legal entity owned by the holders of shares of stock that have been issued, and that can own, receive, and transfer property, and carry on business in its own name.
  • Land: includes lands, tenements and hereditaments and all rights thereto and interests therein. See Wisconsin Statutes 990.01
  • Lease: A contract transferring the use of property or occupancy of land, space, structures, or equipment in consideration of a payment (e.g., rent). Source: OCC
  • Lien: A claim against real or personal property in satisfaction of a debt.
  • Municipality: includes cities and villages; it may be construed to include towns. See Wisconsin Statutes 990.01
  • Person: includes all partnerships, associations and bodies politic or corporate. See Wisconsin Statutes 990.01
  • Property: includes real and personal property. See Wisconsin Statutes 990.01
  • Town: may be construed to include cities, villages, wards or districts. See Wisconsin Statutes 990.01
  • Village: means incorporated village. See Wisconsin Statutes 990.01
  • Week: means 7 consecutive days. See Wisconsin Statutes 990.01
  • Year: means a calendar year, unless otherwise expressed; "year" alone means "year of our Lord". See Wisconsin Statutes 990.01
   (1)   
      (a)    A town, village or city may construct, acquire or lease any plant and equipment located in or outside the municipality, including interest in or lease of land, for furnishing water, light, heat or power, to the municipality or its inhabitants; may acquire a controlling portion of the stock of any corporation owning private waterworks or lighting plant and equipment; and may purchase the equity of redemption in a mortgaged or bonded waterworks or lighting system, including cases where the municipality in the franchise has reserved right to purchase. The character or duration of the franchise, permit or grant under which any public utility is operated does not affect the power to acquire the public utility under this subsection. Two or more public utilities owned by the same person or corporation, or 2 or more public utilities subject to the same lien or charge, may be acquired as a single enterprise. The board or council may agree with the owner or owners of any public utility or utilities on the value of the utility or utilities and may contract to purchase or acquire at that value, upon those terms and conditions mutually agreed upon between the board or council and the owner or owners.
      (b)    A resolution, specifying the method of payment and submitting the question to a referendum, shall be adopted by a majority of all the members of the board or council at a regular meeting, after publication at least one week previous in the official paper.
      (c)    The notice of the referendum shall include a general statement of the plant and equipment proposed to be constructed, acquired or leased and of the manner of payment.
      (d)    Referenda under this section may not be held oftener than once a year, except that a referendum held for the acquisition, lease or construction of any of the types of property enumerated in par. (a) does not bar the holding of one referendum in the same year for the acquisition and operation of a bus transportation system by the municipality.
      (e)    The provisions of pars. (b) to (d) do not apply to the acquisition of any plant, equipment or public utility for furnishing water service when the plant, equipment or utility is acquired by the municipality by dedication or without monetary or financial consideration. After a public utility is constructed, acquired or leased under this subsection, pars. (b) to (d) do not apply to any subsequent construction, acquisition or lease in connection with that public utility.
   (2)   
      (a)    A city, village or town may by action of its governing body and with a referendum vote provide, acquire, own, operate or engage in a municipal bus transportation system where no existing bus, rail or other local transportation system exists in the municipality. A city, village or town in which there exists any local transportation system by similar action and referendum vote may acquire, own, operate or engage in the operation of a municipal bus transportation system upon acquiring the local transportation system by voluntary agreement with the owners of the system, or pursuant to law, or upon securing a certificate from the department of transportation under s. 194.23.
      (b)    A street motor bus transportation company operating pursuant to ch. 194 shall, by acceptance of authority under that chapter, be deemed to have consented to a purchase of its property actually used and useful for the convenience of the public by the municipality in which the major part of the property is situated or operated.
      (c)    A city, village or town providing or acquiring a motor bus transportation system under this section may finance the construction or purchase in any manner authorized for the construction or purchase of a public utility.

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