"Cities and Villages.
Wisconsin's 190 cities and 395 villages are incorporated under general
law. Based on a constitutional amendment ratified in 1924, they have
home rule powers to determine their local affairs. In general, minimum
population for incorporation as a village is 150 residents for an
isolated village and 2,500 for a metropolitan village located in a
more densely populated area. For cities, the minimums are 1,000 and
5,000, respectively, but an existing village that exceeds 1,000 population
may opt for city status. ...
Wisconsin cities currently use two forms of executive organization.
The vast majority have a mayor and a city common council, but 10 operate
under a council-manager system, in which the council selects the manager
to serve as chief executive. In those cities with the mayor-council
form of government, 75 have appointed full- or part-time city administrators.
In most villages, executive power is vested in the village president,
who presides over the village board of trustees and votes as an ex
officio trustee, but 10 villages use a village manager form of government.
An additional 78 have created full- or part-time village administrators.
Towns.
Town governments govern those areas of Wisconsin that are not included
inside the corporate boundaries of either a city or a village. Wisconsin
has 1,265 towns, including the entire County of Menominee, which is
designated as a town. Towns have only those powers granted by the
Wisconsin Statutes. In addition to their traditional responsibility
for local road maintenance, town governments carry out a variety of
functions and, in some instances, even undertake urban-type services.
The town board is usually composed of 3 supervisors, but if a board
is authorized to exercise village powers or if the town population
is 2,500 or more, it may have up to 5 members. (Menominee County has
7 town board members, who also serve as the county board of supervisors.)
Town supervisors are elected for 2-year terms in the spring election.
They perform a number of administrative functions, and the town board
chairperson has certain executive powers and duties. In addition,
the town board may create the position of town administrator.
Supervisors are expected to carry out the policies set at the annual
town meeting. The annual meeting is held on the second Tuesday of
April (or another date set by the electors), and during the meeting
all qualified voters of the town are entitled to discuss and vote
on matters specified by state law."
