Creation and organization

Wis. Stat. § 229.842
in effect
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(1) A sponsoring city may create a special purpose district that is a local governmental unit, that is a body corporate and politic, that is separate and distinct from, and independent of, the state and the sponsoring city, that has the powers under s. 229.844 and the name of which includes “Cultural Arts District”, if all of the following occur: (a) The mayor issues a written proclamation declaring the need for establishing a district. (b) The sponsoring city’s common council adopts a resolution that approves the mayor’s proclamation, and delivers a copy of the resolution to the governor. The resolution under this paragraph may contain a procedure that the mayor must follow in appointing persons to the board under sub. (2) (c). (c) If the sponsoring city is not a 1st class city, the resolution under par. (b) specifies the area of the district’s jurisdiction, as described in s. 229.843 (1), within which the district board may exercise its power of eminent domain. (2) A district is governed by its district board. If the sponsoring city is a 1st class city, sub. (4) applies but pars. (a) to (d) and sub. (3) do not apply and the 1st class city’s common council shall determine the membership, structure, qualifications and selection procedures for the district board. If the sponsoring city is not a 1st class city, the district board shall consist of the following members, subject to sub. (4): (a) The following persons, or their designees, shall be ex-officio members of the board, except that a designee serves at the pleasure of his or her appointing authority: 1. The governor. 2. The mayor. 3. The county executive. (b) Three persons appointed by the governor, one of whom shall be selected from a list of 3 to 5 names that is submitted by the Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System. Of the remaining 2 appointees under this paragraph, at least one of the appointees shall have a demonstrated interest in cultural arts activities and one of the appointees may be an elective state official. A person appointed under this paragraph may take his or her seat immediately upon appointment and qualification. (c) Subject to sub. (1) (b), 6 persons appointed by the mayor, one of whom shall be selected from a list of 3 to 5 names that is submitted by the school board of the school district in which the greatest percentage of the sponsoring city’s territory is located. Of the remaining 5 appointees under this paragraph, at least 2 of the appointees shall have a demonstrated interest in cultural arts activities and not more than 3 of the appointees may be elective city officials. A person appointed under this paragraph may take his or her seat immediately upon appointment and qualification, subject to any procedures specified by the common council under sub. (1) (b). (d) One person appointed by the county executive, who may not be a county official. A person appointed under this paragraph may take his or her seat immediately upon appointment and qualification. (3) (a) The persons appointed under sub. (2) (b) to (d) shall serve staggered terms of 4 years expiring on July 1, except that: 1. The initial term of the director appointed by the county executive shall expire on July 1 of the 3rd year beginning after the year of creation of a district. 2. The initial term of one director appointed by the governor and 2 directors appointed by the mayor shall expire on July 1 of the 4th year beginning after the year of creation of a district. 3. The initial term of one director appointed by the governor and 2 directors appointed by the mayor shall expire on July 1 of the 5th year beginning after the year of creation of a district. 4. The initial term of one director appointed by the governor and 2 directors appointed by the mayor shall expire on July 1 of the 6th year beginning after the year of creation of a district. (b) The governor and mayor shall each designate with their initial appointments the terms to which directors have been appointed. (c) Persons appointed under sub. (2) (b) to (d) must have resided within 25 miles of the sponsoring city’s city hall for at least one year before their appointment. Persons appointed under sub. (2) (b) to (d) may be removed from the district board before the expiration of their terms by the appointing authority but only for cause, as defined in s. 17.001. Vacancies shall be filled by the appointing authority who appointed the person whose office is vacant. A person appointed to fill a vacancy under sub. (2) (b) to (d) shall serve for the remainder of the unexpired term to which he or she is appointed. The appointing authorities shall confer with one another regarding their appointments with a view toward achieving diversity on the district board. (4) If the sponsoring city’s common council determines that another city or a village or town having territory located within 25 miles of the sponsoring city’s city hall provides substantial support to the district, the council may increase the size of the district board to include as a member the mayor, village president or town board chair of that city, village or town, or the designee of such a mayor, village president or town board chair. If the sponsoring city’s common council subsequently determines that the other city or the village or town no longer provides substantial support to the district, the council may decrease the size of the district board to exclude that member. (5) The district board shall elect from its membership a chairperson, a vice chairperson, a secretary and a treasurer. A majority of the current membership of the district board constitutes a quorum to do business. The district may take action based on the affirmative vote of a majority of those members of the district board who are present at a meeting of the district board. (6) The members of the district board shall be reimbursed by the district for their actual and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their duties. (7) Upon the appointment and qualification of at least 7 of the members of a district board, the district board may exercise the powers and duties of a district board under this subchapter. (8) At its first meeting, the district board shall name the district, and the name shall include “Cultural Arts District”.
Source: WI Statutes (Official Site)URL: https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/document/statutes/229.842Fetched: 10/7/2026