What is a charter ordinance?
A charter ordinance creates or
revises any part of the charter of a city or village and is used when a
municipality elects not to be governed by state laws relating to its
local affairs and government. Secs. 66.0101(1m) and 66.0101(5). In
Wisconsin the general city charter law applicable to all cities except
Milwaukee, which has a special charter, is chapter 62 of the Wisconsin
Statutes. The village charter law is chapter 61.
There are a number of different ways
municipalities can adopt a charter ordinance under sec. 66.0101.
However, a charter ordinance is originated in only two ways: by the
governing body or by petition of the electors.