(1) TOWN BOARD AUTHORITY. (a) The town board may establish one or more town sanitary districts under this section. (b) If a proposed town sanitary district is in more than one town, the town board of the town containing the largest portion of the equalized full value of taxable property within the proposed district has exclusive jurisdiction to establish the town sanitary district. (2) PETITION. (a) At least 51 percent of the persons owning land or the owners of at least 51 percent of the land within the limits of the territory proposed to be organized into a town sanitary district may petition the town board for the establishment of a town sanitary district. The petition shall be addressed to the town board and filed with the town clerk. The petition shall contain the following information: 1. The proposed name of the town sanitary district. 2. A statement of the necessity for the proposed work. 3. A statement that the public health, safety, convenience or welfare will be promoted by the establishment of the town sanitary district and that the property to be included will be benefited by the proposed district. 4. A legal description of the boundaries of the proposed town sanitary district. 5. A plat or sketch showing the approximate area and boundaries of the proposed town sanitary district. 6. A general description of the proposed improvements. (b) One or more of the petitioners shall verify that the petition was signed personally by the persons whose signatures appear on the petition, or a person who signs a petition may have his or her signature notarized. The petition is presumed to have been signed by the persons whose signatures appear on the petition. No petition with the requisite number of valid signatures may be declared void because of alleged defects in the information required to be included in the petition. The town board at any time may permit a petition to be amended to conform to the facts. (3) BOND. At least 15 days prior to the hearing under sub. (4), the petitioners shall file a personal or a surety bond with the town clerk, with security approved by the town board, sufficient to pay all of the expenses connected with the proceedings if the town board refuses to organize the district. The petitioners shall maintain the bond until either the town board issues an order to organize the district, the petitioners pay the costs of the town board under sub. (6) (f) or the proceedings are otherwise terminated. If the town board determines that a bond is insufficient, it may or- der the execution of an additional bond within a specified time, but not less than 10 days from the date of the order. If the petitioners fail to execute or maintain the bond, the town board may dismiss the petition. (4) HEARING. (a) The town board shall schedule and conduct a hearing within 30 days after receipt of any petition with the requisite number of valid signatures. (b) The town board shall publish a class 2 notice, under ch. 985, of the hearing. The notice shall contain an announcement of the hearing and a description of the boundaries of the proposed town sanitary district. The town board shall mail the notice to the department of safety and professional services and the department of natural resources at least 10 days prior to the hearing. (c) Any person may file written comments on the formation of the district with the town clerk. Any owner of property within the boundary of the proposed district may appear at the hearing and offer objections, criticisms or suggestions as to the necessity of the proposed district and the question of whether his or her property will be benefited by the establishment of the district. A representative of the department of safety and professional services and of the department of natural resources may attend the hearing and advise the town board. (5) TERRITORY COMPRISING A DISTRICT. (a) A town sanitary district may not include any territory located within a village or city. (b) A town sanitary district may include territory located within a metropolitan sewerage district or any other similar district outside of the boundaries of a village or city for the purpose of auxiliary sewer construction by the town sanitary district. (6) DECISION BY THE TOWN BOARD. (a) Within 30 days after the conclusion of the hearing under sub. (4), the town board shall issue written findings and a decision on formation of the proposed town sanitary district. (b) As part of its findings, the town board shall determine if: 1. The proposed work is necessary. 2. Public health, safety, convenience or welfare will be promoted by the establishment of the district. 3. Property to be included in the district will be benefited by the district. (c) If the town board’s findings required by par. (b) are all in the affirmative, the town board shall issue an order establishing the boundaries of the town sanitary district, declaring the district organized and giving the district a corporate name. After the district is established, the town board and the petitioners may submit to the commission certified bills covering their reasonable costs and disbursements in connection with the petition and hearing. The commission shall pay the expenses out of the funds of the district. (d) If the town board’s findings required by par. (b) are in the affirmative, except that part of the territory described in the petition will not be benefited by the establishment of the district, the town board shall issue an order under par. (c), but shall exclude such territory from the district. (e) If the town board determines that other territory not described in the original petition should be included within the town sanitary district, the town board shall continue the hearing for not more than 30 days and publish a class 2 notice, under ch. 985, of the continued hearing. The notice shall contain a description of the revised boundaries of the proposed town sanitary district. (f) Except as provided in par. (d), if any of the town board’s findings under par. (b) are partly or wholly in the negative, the town board shall dismiss the proceedings and order the petitioners to pay, within 30 days, all reasonable costs and disbursements of the town board in connection with the proceedings. (7) FILING AND RECORDING THE ORDER. The town board shall file copies of the order establishing the town sanitary district with the department of natural resources and record the order with the register of deeds in each county in which the district is located.
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