Land Use
The League's April 2021 E-Muni
American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Information

Your municipality must have a DUNS Number before you are able to receive your disbursement. Learn more about how to get a DUNS Number in the sidebar here.


The next League Membership Virtual Roundtable is Tuesday, May 11, at 12PM to 1PM unless the US Treasury provides guidance on ARPA before May 11, then we will schedule a call earlier. Stay tuned to the League's Legislative Bulletin for ARPA information. Zoom Information for all Roundtable calls.
#TakeYourLeggieToWork
April, The Municipality, Jerry Deschane's column, pg. 3

As you know, I’m a longtime advocate of bringing legislators behind the curtain of local government. It’s the best way I know to help them understand the opportunities, needs, and challenges of serving citizens locally. Whether it’s a behind the-scenes look at election management or a private tour of the sewer treatment plan (don’t ask me why that fascinates me…it just does), the people who represent your citizens in Madison can only benefit by understanding “how things work.” 
Contact Jerry Deschane at email for more information.
Have Policing and the Polls Lost Priority?
Jerry Deschane, Executive Director, League of Wisconsin Municipalities
April, The Municipality, pg. 19

One of the League’s primary legislative efforts is to reverse the decades-long slide in state support for municipal services such as police and fire protection, elections, and parks. While state financial support for these services, known as “shared revenue,” remains in the top 10 of “state programs,” it has struggled to maintain its place. Read the article. (PDF)
Did your municipality adopt the Resolution?
See the ever-growing list of municipalities that have taken action!
Did we miss you? Contact Gail Sumi.
"Do the biggest little thing to amend your code and get the impact that you want," is how Mallory Baches, Director of Strategic Development at the Congress for the New Urbanism (CNU) described their project in a conversation with Jerry Deschane, Executive Director on the League's April Local Perspective.

Thanks to KSUN for hosting us!
Landmark Housing Partnership
Seeks Missing Middle
April, The Municipality, pg. 7

The League has partnered with the nationally known Congress for the New Urbanism (CNU) and several Wisconsin organizations on an exciting new zoning guide to help communities create more workforce and “missing middle” housing. It will take a full year to develop, but the process has already begun.

Project Partners: 
Wisconsin Realtors Association 
Wisconsin Builders Association 
AARP-Wisconsin
Wisconsin Housing & Economic Development Authority (WHEDA)
The National Association of Industrial and Office Parks (NAIOP)-Wisconsin 
American Planning Association – Wisconsin
Local Comprehensive Plans:
The Constitution for Community Development
Brian W. Ohm, Professor, Department of Planning and Landscape Architecture, University of Wisconsin-Madison
April, The Municipality, pg. 4

Wisconsin Dept. of Administration Comprehensive Planning Resources
Historic Lakebed Fill:
Challenges and Opportunities
April, The Municipality, pg. 9
April, The Municipality, pg. 10

BONUS!
Parks & Recreation When You’re Running Out of Space
Becky Binz, AICP and Ria Hull, AICP, MSA Professional Services
April, The Municipality, pg. 14

Read the article on MSA's website.

Additional Resources from the article:
Bonus Land Use Resources

The Surface Water Data Viewer (SWDV), is a Wisconsin DNR data delivery system that provides interactive web mapping tools for a wide variety of datasets including chemistry (water, sediment), physical, and biological (macroinvertebrate and fish) data.

Center for Land Use Education at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point 

Leading with Humility - Todd Schmidt Talks with Chris Polzer about Volunteers, Leadership & Humility

Chris Polzer, Poynette Village Trustee is Todd's guest. Chris worked with his fellow board members and initiated an Annual Community Volunteer Recognition in 2020. Watch the video.

You can learn more about Poynette's volunteer recognition program.
Wisconsin Urban Wood: Trees First. Wood Next.
Dwayne Sperber, Founding Member, Wisconsin Urban Wood, Urban Wood Network
April, The Municipality, pg. 22


Mark Freberg, Green Bay City Forester, Jeff Treu, WE Energies Regional Forester (Retired), and the Species Diversity Issue Group, Wisconsin Urban Forestry Council, DNR

Opportunity: With support from the DNR and WEDC, Governor Evers designated the Wisconsin Council on Forestry to lead the collaboration with the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) and convene a Regional Economic Development Summit Process (REDS) later this year. The WEDC provided further details here.

To lay the ground work, the Council on Forestry is hosting virtual public listening sessions on May 6th from 2-4 pm and May 11th from 6-8 pm. Register for either listening session.
HOT OFF THE PRESS
So You’ve Been Elected...
The League’s new booklet for newly elected officials has been described as
“Pithy yet entertaining and very insightful.”

Two free copies have been mailed to each League member municipality.

Legal Articles
Land Use Decisions and the Rule Of Law
April, The Municipality, pg. 25

Powers of Municipalities 941 Article by attorney Matt Dregne (Stafford Rosenbaum LLP) emphasizes importance of rule of law, particularly in context of land use decisions, and distinguishes how it applies when making legislative decisions versus when making quasijudicial decisions that require an impartial decision-maker to decide a particular matter after making factual findings based on evidentiary record and applying existing legal standards.  Read the article. (PDF)
Zoning or Subdivision Regulation? It Can Matter!
Claire Silverman, Legal Counsel, League of Wisconsin Municipalities
April, The Municipality, pg. 28

Platting 174 Zoning 526 Article provides overview of Wis. Stat. § 62.23(7) zoning authority and § 236.45 local subdivision regulation authority and summarizes Wisconsin Supreme Court decision in Anderson v. Town of Newbold, 2021 WI 6, which reviews functional analysis. Read the article. (PDF)
Legal Risks of “100% Healed” Policies
Lisa Bergersen, Principal Attorney at EngageHR Law, Former HR Director, City of Pewaukee
April, The Municipality, pg. 31

Employees 370 HR Matters article by Attorney Lisa Bergersen explains how “100% Healed” policies, requiring employees to be released by their health care provider with no restrictions prior to returning to their jobs, can violate state and federal disability discrimination laws. To minimize legal liability such policies should be eliminated or rewritten to be flexible and allow an employee to return to work, even with restrictions, if the employer can accommodate those restrictions without undue hardship or posing a direct threat to safety. Read the column. (PDF)

All HR Matters columns are posted on the League's website for reference.
Electronic Meetings Under the New Robert’s Rules of Order
April, The Municipality, pg. 33

For the first time the Robert’s Rule of Order Newly Revised expressly contemplates electronic meetings for a parent body such as a common council or village board. Read the article.

Read all of the "For the Good of the Order" columns.
The Latest Covid-19 Information
WEDC has updated their employer guidelines and resources. Hmong and Spanish language information is included.

VaccineFinder.org (a tool through the CDC) has additional features for finding vaccines, including information on:
  • Vaccine type at each location (e.g., for 16-17 year olds who can currently only receive Pfizer) 
  • Whether the vaccine is in stock and available
  • Days and hours of clinics 

If you or your networks linked to or embedded the DHSMap of Vaccine Providers on your website, this page is being retired and any links/pages will need to be updated to VaccineFinder.org. Please share this new resource with your networks. 

The following print and video resources are available to share with your members, partners, networks, and staff: 
 
Additionally, DHS staff are available to host webinars to discuss vaccination concerns and questions, or to train employers and community leaders to speak more confidently with employees and community members about vaccination. If you are interested in scheduling an event or vaccine confidence training, email DHSCOVIDVaccinator@wi.gov

  • Register for the DHS weekly newsletter
Join Us!
League Membership Virtual Roundtable
Tuesday, May 11, at 12PM to 1PM
Unless the US Treasury provides guidance on ARPA before May 11, then we will schedule a call earlier. Stay tuned to League newsletters for ARPA information.

Zoom Information for all calls.
Local Government 101:
For New & Experienced Local Officials and Staff
May 7, May 21 and June 4 via Zoom

$70 - All online & may attend any LG 101 Webinar(s)

Take one, take a part, take all. Sign up now for the online webinar version and have the option to take the course all in one day or mix and match the four different modules during any of the webinars over a 12 month period following your registration. In addition to the online training, participants have the option of receiving a workbook in hard copy or as a USB. (More dates may follow in the second half of 2021.) Register NOW

Please thank our sponsors!
Clerks, Treasurers & Finance Officers Institute 
June 9-11, 2021 via Zoom
2021 Agenda (PDF)

Thank you to the CLERKS, TREASURERS & FINANCE OFFICERS INSTITUTE
COMMITTEE OFFICERS for putting together a great agenda.

$100 member; $125 non-member


Please thank our sponsors!
This workshop is Wisconsin Municipal Clerks Association credit eligible.
Chief Executives Summer Workshop
August 19 & 20, 2021 – Hotel Retlaw, Fond du Lac

Please thank our sponsor! MPIC
2021 Municipal Attorneys Institute 
Monday -Wednesday!
August 30 – September 1, 2021
Osthoff Resort, Elkhart Lake