Wisconsin § 59.17 - County executive.

§ 59.17. County executive.

59.17(1) (1) Election and term of office. 59.17(1)(a) (a) In each county with a population of 750,000 or more, a county executive shall be elected for a 4-year term at the election to be held on the first Tuesday in April of each year in which county supervisors are elected, and shall take office on the first Monday in May following the election. The county executive shall be elected from residents of the county at large by a majority vote of all qualified electors in the county voting in the election. In any county which attains a population of 750,000 or more, the first election under this paragraph shall be held on the first Tuesday in April in the year following the official announcement of the federal census. 59.17(1)(b) (b) Counties with a population of less than 750,000 may by resolution of the board or by petition and referendum create the office of county executive or abolish it by petition and referendum. If the office of county executive is abolished, the person serving in the office shall complete the term to which elected. The county executive shall be elected the same as a county executive is elected under par. (a) for a term of 4 years commencing with the first spring election occurring at least 120 days after the creation of the office and shall take office on the 3rd Tuesday in April of that year. Such petition and election shall follow the procedure provided in s. 9.20 (1) to (6) , except that in case of conflict this subsection shall control. 59.17(2) (2) Duties and powers. The county executive shall be the chief executive officer of the county. The county executive shall take care that every county ordinance and state or federal law is observed, enforced and administered within his or her county if the ordinance or law is subject to enforcement by the county executive or any person supervised by the county executive. The duties and powers of the county executive shall be, without limitation because of enumeration, to: 59.17(2)(a) (a) Coordinate and direct all administrative and management functions of the county government not otherwise vested by law in other elected officers. 59.17(2)(b) (b) In any county with a population of 750,000 or more: 59.17(2)(b)1. 1. Appoint and supervise the heads of all departments except where the statutes provide that the appointment shall be made by a board or commission or by other elected officers. Notwithstanding any statutory provision that a board or commission or the county board or county board chairperson appoint a department head, except ss.