66.0123 Recreation authority.

(1) In this section, “governmental unit" means a town board or school board.

(2) A governmental unit may, after compliance with s. 65.90, provide funds for the establishment, operation and maintenance of a department of public recreation.

(3)

(a) A governmental unit may delegate the power to establish, maintain and operate a department of public recreation to a recreation board, which shall consist of 3 members and shall be appointed by the chairperson or other presiding officer of the governmental unit. The first appointments shall be made so that one member serves one year, one serves 2 years and one serves 3 years. After the first appointments, terms are 3 years.

(b) When 2 or more of the governmental units desire to conduct, jointly, a department of public recreation, the joint recreation board shall consist of not less than 3 members selected by the presiding officers of the governmental units acting jointly. Appointments shall be made for terms as provided in par. (a).

(c) The members of a recreation board shall serve gratuitously.

(d) A recreation board may conduct the activities of the department of public recreation, expend funds, employ a supervisor of recreation, employ assistants, purchase equipment and supplies and generally supervise the administration, maintenance and operation of the department of public recreation and recreational activities authorized by the recreation board.

(4)

(a) A recreation board may conduct public recreation activities on property purchased or leased by a governmental unit for recreational purposes and under its own custody, on other public property under the custody of any other public authority, body or board with the consent of the public authority, body or board, or on private property with the consent of its owner. The recreation board, with the approval of the appointing authority, may accept gifts and bequests of land, money or other personal property, and use the gifts and bequests in whole or in part, the income from the gifts and bequests or the proceeds from the sale of any such property in the establishment, maintenance and operation of recreational activities.

(b) A recreation board shall annually submit to the governmental unit a report of the board's activities, including receipts and expenditures. The report shall be submitted not less than 15 days before the annual meeting of the governmental unit.

(c) An audit shall be made of the accounts of the recreation board in the same manner as provided for audits for towns or school districts as the case may be.

(d) The persons selected by the recreation board shall furnish a surety bond in an amount fixed by the governmental unit.

History: 1975 c. 233; 1993 a. 184; 1999 a. 150 ss. 32, 499, 500; Stats. 1999 s. 66.0123.