When a municipality recodifies
its ordinances or adopts a new section of a code, does the municipality
have to publish the entire code or section thereof in the newspaper?
Generally speaking, no. Section 66.0103
allows a common council or village board to enact a code or a portion of
a code of ordinances by publishing a single ordinance that incorporates
the code or portion thereof by reference. If this method is used, a
copy of the code or portion thereof must be available for inspection at
least two weeks before the code is enacted. After the code or portion
thereof is enacted, a copy of the code must be maintained and available
for inspection in the clerk’s office.
Using sec. 66.0103 in
situations where a municipality is adopting a new code of ordinances or
adding new sections to an existing code will save a municipality a lot
of money in publication fees. Although it does not appear that this
procedure can be used in lieu of full publication whenever a
municipality enacts a lengthy ordinance, secs. 61.50 and 62.11(4) were
amended by 2007 Wis. Act 72 to authorize publication of a notice
containing a summary of an ordinance as an alternative to publication of
an ordinance in its entirety. See Publications 126 for a sample notice.