Sometime during the summer of 2016 The Local Government Center will take down and no longer use the “Local Call” blog. There is a new Local Government Center web site coming online soon and that along with the Center’s social media pages on Facebook and Flickr, will serve a similar function to “Local Call” of […]
UW-Extension’s Local Government Center is happy to announce the upcoming educational teleconference. Wisconsin Alcohol Beverage Regulation and Licensing will take place on Wednesday, May 25, 2016 from 9:30 am to 12:15 pm. This is a timely opportunity to learn more about the substantial changes made in legislation in the past year. Program Description: Wisconsin municipalities […]
In Wisconsin, like the rest of the U.S., studies have shown that women are less likely to run for elected office. And their reasons for staying out of the political arena often differ from those given by men, according to a new study by three University of Wisconsin-Extension educators. “We know that when women do […]
It is a “sign of the times” that local sign regulations raise many legal issues. Especially after recent court decisions about how the Free Speech under the First Amendment protections may affect local sign ordinances. The Local Land Use and Zoning WisLine Series from the Local Government Center begins January 20, 2016, by addressing this […]
The UW-Madison and the Local Government Center are looking for an individual to teach, research and provide leadership in the fields of public sector/local government finance and budgeting. This is a UW-Madison faculty position with a tenure home in the Department of Urban and Regional Planning. Continuing fiscal strain is transforming the dynamics of finance […]
A Spanish language fact sheet on Wisconsin’s Public Records Law , or Ley de Registros Publicos, became the most recent effort by the Local Government Center’s effort to inform on important local government laws and issues, as well as reach out to Wisconsin’s Spanish speaking residents. The Spanish language fact sheet joins the Open Meetings Law (Ley de […]
Since October 2011, all local government units are required to have a “grievance procedure that addresses employee terminations.” Wis. Stat. § 66.0509(1m), requires that this procedure be a written document and that it address discipline and workplace safety issues as well as employee terminations. A Wisconsin Court of Appeals decision from December 2013, gives local […]
Providing the public with information is an essential function of local government. But complying with public records requests take time and money. To provide some balance to this conundrum, the Wisconsin Public Records Law allows an authority to charge certain fees for complying with a records request. An authority may impose a fee for the […]
A new Extension Report summarizing Wisconsin planning-related case law and state legislative enactments for the past year. It is available at the UW-Madison Urban and Regional Planning Website website. Significant court cases over the past year eliminated the authority of towns to zone land within the shoreland area and further reduced the extraterritorial plat approval […]
Local Governments receive many questions about fireworks, and especially during the July 4 holiday. The Local Government Center has identified these online resources to help answer questions. Click the titles to connect to the information source. And Have a Happy and Safe Fourth of July! Wisconsin Department of Justice Fireworks Law Clarification State Bar Of […]
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