198.12 Corporate powers of district.

(1) Same as municipalities. Any district organized under the provisions of this chapter, shall have the right of perpetual succession, may sue and be sued, may take by eminent domain, grant, purchase, gift, devise, or lease or otherwise acquire and hold real and personal property of every kind within or without the district necessary to the full or convenient exercise of its powers, and may make contracts and do such other acts as shall be necessary and proper in the exercise of the powers and privileges granted and in the performance of the duties charged upon it and exercise such other or different powers as shall be conferred by law.

(2) Service of process on, personal injury claims, venue. The district shall sue or be sued in its corporate name and service of process upon the district shall be by service upon the chairperson of the board and the clerk of the district, but no action shall be brought or maintained against a district upon a claim or cause of action unless the claimant complies with s. 893.80. Compliance with s. 893.80 is not required under this subsection in actions commenced under s. 19.37, 19.97 or 281.99. All actions by or against the district, except condemnation proceedings and actions to which the state or any officer or commission thereof is a party, shall be brought in the circuit court for the county in which its principal administrative office is located.

(3) Subject to chapter 102. From the time when any district shall first operate any utility, it shall be held to be an employer, subject to ch. 102.

(4) Mode of exercising powers. The district shall act through and by ordinance, resolution or vote of its board of directors, or by its other duly constituted officers or agents acting within the scope of such authority as may be conferred upon them by law, or by lawful ordinance, resolution or vote of the board of directors.

(5) Chapter 196 applies. Any utility operated by a district shall be held to be a “public utility" within the meaning of that term as used in and subject to ss. 196.01 to 196.53 and 196.59 to 196.76.

(6) Utilities, acquire, construct, operate; water power; sale of service; use of streets. The district shall have power and authority to own, acquire and, subject to the restrictions applying to a municipality under s. 196.50 (4), to construct any utility or portion thereof to operate, in whole or in part, in the district, and to own, acquire and, subject to ss. 196.01 to 196.53 and 196.59 to 196.76 where applicable, to construct any addition to or extension of any such utility, and to own, acquire and construct any water power and hydroelectric power plant, within or without the district, to be operated in connection with any such utility, and to operate, maintain and conduct such utility and water power and hydroelectric power plant and system both within and without the district, and to furnish, deliver and sell to the public and to any municipality and to the state and any state institution heat, light and power service and any other service, commodity or facility which may be produced or furnished thereby, and to charge and collect rates, tolls and charges for the same. For said purposes the district is granted and shall have and exercise the right freely to use and occupy any public highway, street, way or place reasonably necessary to be used or occupied for the maintenance and operation of such utility or any part thereof, subject, however, to such local police regulations as may be imposed by any ordinance adopted by the governing body of the municipality in which such highway, street, way or place is located.

History: 1975 c. 147 s. 54; 1979 c. 89, 323; 1981 c. 390; 1993 a. 184; 1995 a. 158; 1997 a. 27.