(1) (a) Except as provided in par. (b), a district formed under this subchapter shall be governed by a 5-member commission appointed for staggered 5-year terms. Except as provided in par. (b) and sub. (11), commissioners shall be appointed by the county board of the county in which the district is located. Except as provided in par. (b), if the district contains territory of more than one county, the county boards of the counties not having the greatest population in the district shall appoint one commissioner each and the county board of the county having the greatest population in the district shall appoint the remainder. Of the initial appointments under this paragraph, the appointments for the shortest terms shall be made by the counties having the least amount of population, in reverse order of their population included in the district. Commissioners shall be residents of the district. Initial appointments shall be made no sooner than 60 days and no later than 90 days after issuance of the department order forming a district or after completion of any court proceedings challenging such order. (b) A district that contains a 2nd class city with a population of 200,000 or more shall be governed by a 9-member commission appointed for staggered 3-year terms. The mayor of the 2nd class city shall appoint 5 individuals as members of the commission. An executive council composed of the elected executive officers of each city and village that is wholly or partly within the boundaries of the district, except the 2nd class city, shall appoint 3 members of the commission by a majority vote of the members of the executive council. An executive council composed of the elected executive officers of each town that is wholly or partly within the boundaries of the district shall appoint one member of the commission by a majority vote of the members of the executive council. (2) Each member of the commission shall take and file the official oath. (3) A majority of such commission shall constitute a quorum to do business; and in the absence of a quorum, those members present may adjourn any meeting and make announcement thereof. All meetings and records of the commission shall be published. (3m) All actions of a commission under sub. (1) (b) shall be approved by a majority vote of the members present, except that the following actions require the affirmative vote of three-fourths of the members who are entitled to a seat on the commission: (a) Any policy, rule, regulation, ordinance, rate, or charging structure that does not by its terms apply uniformly to all geographical areas of the district. (b) Any change in the methods in effect on May 1, 2015, that are used to finance capital projects or to finance operations of the district. (4) Such commission, when all of its members have been duly sworn and qualified, shall have charge of all the affairs of the district. (5) Such commission shall organize by electing one of its members president and another secretary. (6) The secretary shall keep a separate record of all proceedings and accurate minutes of all hearings. (7) A per diem compensation may be paid to commissioners in an amount the commission specifies by resolution. Any change in the per diem amount after its initial establishment applies only to subsequently appointed or reappointed commissioners. Commissioners shall be reimbursed for actual expenses incurred as commissioners in carrying out the work of the commission. (8) The treasurer of the city, village or town having the largest equalized valuation within the district shall act as treasurer of the district, shall receive such additional compensation therefor as the commission may determine, and shall at the expense of the district furnish such additional bond as the commission may require. Such treasurer shall keep all moneys of the district in a separate fund to be disposed of only upon order of the commission signed by the president and secretary. (9) Chapter 276, laws of 1971, shall apply to every metropolitan sewerage district that had been operating, prior to April 30, 1972, under ss. 66.20 to 66.209, 1969 stats. Commissioners for such districts who were in office on April 30, 1972 shall continue to serve until their respective terms are completed. The county board of the county having the greatest population in the district shall appoint 2 additional members to each such commission no sooner than 60 days and no later than 90 days after April 30, 1972. One such member shall have a 5-year term and one such member shall have a 4-year term. The county board of those counties having population within the district that did not appoint the preceding 2 members if any shall, each in turn according to their population in the district, appoint successors to each of the 3 commissioners who held office on April 30, 1972, until their allotted number of appointments, as specified under sub. (1) is filled. The governor may adjust terms of the successors to the 3 original commissioners in order that the appointment schedules are consistent with this section. (10) Sections 200.01 to 200.15 do not affect the continued validity of contracts and obligations previously entered into by a metropolitan sewerage district operating under ss. 66.20 to 66.209, 1969 stats., before April 30, 1972, nor the validity of the district. (11) (a) Notwithstanding sub. (1) the governing bodies of cities, towns and villages comprising a sewerage district may make the initial appointments of the commissioners under this section. (am) 1. If the governing bodies of each city, town and village comprising a district pass a resolution authorizing the election of commissioners to terms succeeding the initial appointments, commissioners shall be chosen to fill vacant seats at spring elections, as defined in s. 5.02 (21), of the district at large. Each commissioner may hold office until a successor is elected and qualified, except as provided in s. 17.27 (1m) . Any commissioner elected for a regular or unexpired term shall take office after filing the official oath on the 4th Monday in April. 2. No resolution passed under subd. 1. may authorize election of commissioners sooner than 6 months after the date of passage. The metropolitan sewerage district commission shall immediately notify the elections commission under s. 5.05 upon passage of a resolution under subd. 1. 3. If the governing bodies of each city, town, and village comprising the district pass a resolution to discontinue election of commissioners, each commissioner may hold office until a successor is appointed and qualified. The metropolitan sewerage district commission shall immediately notify the elections com- mission under s. 5.05 upon passage of a resolution under this subdivision. (b) This subsection shall apply only if all the governing bodies of the cities, villages and towns comprising the sewerage district agree by resolution to elect its provisions.
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