
UNIFORM RESOLUTION
CREATING A LAKE MANAGEMENT AGENCY UNDER AND PURSUANT TO
SECTION 66.0301 WIS. STATS.
The City of Lake Geneva, the Villages of Williams Bay and Fontana-on-Geneva Lake, and the Towns of Linn and Walworth enter into this agreement with each other under and pursuant to Section 66.03 of the Wisconsin Statutes to create an inter-municipal agency to be known as Geneva Lake Environmental Agency.
1. Composition
(a) The Agency Board of Directors shall be made up of one (1) representative from the governing body from each of the foregoing municipalities, who in the case of the City, shall be appointed by the Mayor; in the case of the Villages, shall be appointed by the President; and in the case of the Towns, shall be appointed by the Town Chairman. These appointments shall be approved by the governing body.
(b) Each municipal governing body of each municipality shall designate one (1) citizen representative who shall have the same powers and duties and shall act together with the municipal representative appointed in 1a above.
(c) Each municipality shall have one (1) vote. There shall be no fractional votes. In the event that the two representative from a given community can not come to an agreement, then it is the vote of the representative from the governing body whose vote shall be counted.
2. Purpose
The Geneva Lake Environmental Agency shall organize for the purpose of managing Geneva Lake. As a managing agency it shall have the following responsibilities:
(a) Conduct the necessary studies to collect quality data needed for making lake management decisions. This may include but not be limited to information on the Lake’s
1. Physical characteristics
2. Water quality
3. Resources
4. Lake use
5. Land use
6. Protective measures
7. Recreation and resource-related problems
8. Recommendations to protect resources
9. To provide for the dissemination of information on lakes issues and to provide a common voice to local and state governments, local organizations and interested private parties.
10. To assist in establishing lake policies.
3. By-Laws.
The following by-laws are hereby adopted:
(a) The main office of the agency shall be located within the watershed.
(b) The Agency Board shall meet regularly once a month or at a frequency needed to carry out the functions and programs as set out in paragraph 2, all under and pursuant to authority from and guidance of the Agency, at such time and place within the watershed area as may be designated by the Board or by the Chairman, upon giving each member not less than twenty-four (24) hours notice. All meeting notices shall be posted. .
(c) The Annual meeting shall be held at such place and time as designated by the Chairman, for the report of the year’s accomplishments and future plans. In place of an annual meeting the Agency shall offer to make an annual report to each municipality that financially supports the Agency.
(d) A majority of municipalities shall constitute a quorum. Proxy voting shall not be permitted.
4. Officers.
(a) The Board members shall annually elect a Chair, Vice-Chair and may elect a Secretary and Treasurer.
(b) The Chair shall preside at all meetings. The Chair has authority to sign, execute an d acknowledge, on behalf of the Agency, all contracts, leases, reports and all other documents or instruments necessary or proper to be executed in the course of the Agency’s regular business, or which shall be authorized by the Board, and shall perform such other duties as may be prescribed by the Board from time to time.
(c) The Vice-Chair, in the absence of the Chair or in the event of the Chair’s inability to act, shall perform the duties of the Chair, and when so acting, shall have all the powers of and be subject to all the restrictions upon the Chair. The Vice-Chair shall perform such other duties and have such other authority as from time to time may be assigned to him by the Agency’s Chair.
(d) The Secretary shall keep the minutes of all meetings, see that all notices are duly given in accordance with the provisions of these By-Laws or directions of the Chair or the Board, be custodian of all records; and in general, perform all duties incident to the office of Secretary. If the Agency chooses not to have a secretary, then these responsibilities shall be the Director’s or such staff as he designates.
(e) The Treasurer shall give bond for the faithful discharge of his duties in such sum and with such surety or sureties as the Board shall determine. The treasurer shall have charge and custody of and be responsible for all funds of the Agency, receive and give receipt for monies paid to the Agency from any source whatsoever, deposit all such monies in the name of the Agency in a bank as shall be selected, and in general, perform all of the duties incident to the office of Treasurer, and have such other duties and exercise such other authority as from time to time may be delegated or assigned to him by the Chairman or the Board. If the Board chooses not to have a treasurer then these responsibilities shall be the Director.
(f) The Board may at its discretion appoint the following standing committees each of which shall have three (3) members:
(1) Finance
(2) Public Relations
(3) Program Development
(g) The Board may appoint ad hoc committees as are deemed necessary to support the efforts of the Agency.
(h) Committees may be dissolved by a majority vote of the Board.
5. Contracts, Loans, Checks and Deposits.
(a) Contracts. The Board may authorize any officer or agent to enter into any contract or execute or deliver any instrument in the name of and on behalf of the Agency. Such authorization shall be confined to specific instances. Each contract must be specifically authorized.
(b) Loans. No loan shall be contracted on behalf of the Agency and no evidences of i indebtedness shall be issued in its name unless authorized by or under the authority of the Board. Such authorization shall be confined to specific instances. No loan shall be valid unless approval is secured from the municipalities that have formed the Agency. Each loan must be specifically authorized.
(c) Checks, Drafts, etc. All checks, drafts or other orders for the payment of money, notes or other evidences of indebtedness issued in the name of the Agency shall be signed by such officer or officers, agent or agents, and in such manner as shall from time to time be determined by or under the authority of the Board.
(d) Deposits. All funds of the Agency not otherwise employed shall be deposited from time to time to the credit of the Agency in such bank as may be selected by or under authority of the Board.
6. Fiscal Year. The fiscal year of the Agency shall be the calendar year.
7. Professional Assistance.
(a) The Board may hire such professional assistants as shall be necessary to carry out its duties and functions, such as:
(1) Attorney
(2) Engineer
(3) Limnologist
(4) Public Relations Advisor
8. Staff
(a) The Board shall hire a Director whose duties shall be to direct and carry out the functions and programs as set out in paragraph 2, all under and pursuant to authority from and guidance of the Agency.
(b) The Director’s salary shall be established annually by the Board and paid by the Agency.
(c) The Director, with Board approval, may hire additional staff as necessary to carry out the functions and programs.
9. The Chairman, with the advice and consent of the other members of the Board, may appoint a Public Advisory Group made up of permanent or seasonal residents of the watershed area to be consulted on any matters concerning the Agency’s purposes which it may seek.
10. Each municipality shall share equally in the financial support of the Agency’s annual budget as established by the Board except the Town of Walworth, which shall not be obligated to pay.
11. This agreement shall continue in force annually, without further notice, unless the Agency is provided with a 12 month written notice. If such notice is given by a municipality this agreement shall no longer be binding to the other communities.