Wisconsin Statutes & Annotations
Chapter 49 - Public assistance and children and family services.
49.325 - County department budgets and contracts.

49.325 County department budgets and contracts.
(1) Budget.
(a) Each county department under s. 46.215, 46.22, or 46.23 shall submit its final budget for services purchased or directly provided under this subchapter or ch. 48 and for community-based juvenile delinquency-related services purchased or directly provided under ch. 938 to the department by December 31 annually.
(b) The department shall submit a model of the contract under sub. (2g) (a) to each county department under s. 46.215, 46.22 or 46.23 by May 1 annually.
(2) Assessment of needs. Before developing and submitting a proposed budget for services purchased or directly provided under this subchapter or ch. 48 and for community-based juvenile delinquency-related services purchased or directly provided under ch. 938 to the county executive or county administrator or the county board, the county departments listed in sub. (1) shall assess needs and inventory resources and services, using an open public participation process.
(2g) Contract.
(a) The department shall annually submit to the county board of supervisors in a county with a single-county department or the county boards of supervisors in counties with a multicounty department a proposed written contract containing the allocation of funds for services purchased or directly provided under this subchapter or ch. 48, for community-based juvenile delinquency-related services purchased or directly provided under ch. 938, and for such administrative requirements as necessary. The contract as approved may contain conditions of participation consistent with federal and state law. The contract may also include provisions necessary to ensure uniform cost accounting of services. Any changes to the proposed contract shall be mutually agreed upon. The county board of supervisors in a county with a single-county department or the county boards of supervisors in counties with a multicounty department shall approve the contract before January 1 of the year in which it takes effect unless the department grants an extension. The county board of supervisors in a county with a single-county department or the county boards of supervisors in counties with a multicounty department may designate an agent to approve addenda to any contract after the contract has been approved.
(b) The department may not approve contracts for amounts in excess of available revenues. The county board of supervisors in a county with a single-county department or the county boards of supervisors in counties with a multicounty department may appropriate funds for community-based juvenile delinquency-related services. Actual expenditure of county funds shall be reported in compliance with procedures developed by the department.
(c) The joint committee on finance may require the department to submit contracts between county departments under ss. 46.215, 46.22, and 46.23 and providers of services under this subchapter or ch. 48 or of community-based juvenile delinquency-related services under ch. 938 to the committee for review and approval.
(2r) Withholding funds.
(a) The department, after reasonable notice, may withhold a portion of the appropriation allocated to a county department under s. 46.215, 46.22 or 46.23 if the department determines that that portion of the allocated appropriation is any of the following:
1. For services under this subchapter or ch. 48 or community-based juvenile delinquency-related services under ch. 938 that duplicate or are inconsistent with services being purchased or provided by the department or other county departments receiving grants-in-aid or reimbursement from the department.
2. Inconsistent with state or federal statutes, rules, or regulations, in which case the department may also arrange for the provision of services under this subchapter or ch. 48 or community-based juvenile delinquency-related services under ch. 938 by an alternate agency. The department may not arrange for the provision of those services by an alternate agency unless the joint committee on finance or a review body designated by the committee reviews and approves the department's determination.
5. Inconsistent with the provisions of the county department's contract under sub. (2g).
(b) If the department withholds a portion of the allocable appropriation under par. (a), the county department under s. 46.215, 46.22 or 46.23 that is affected by the action of the department may submit to the county board of supervisors in a county with a single-county department or to its designated agent or the county boards of supervisors in counties with a multicounty department or their designated agents a plan to rectify the deficiency found by the department. The county board of supervisors or its designated agent in a county with a single-county department or the county boards of supervisors in counties with a multicounty department or their designated agents may approve or amend the plan and may submit for departmental approval the plan as adopted. If a multicounty department is administering a program, the plan may not be submitted unless each county board of supervisors which participated in the establishment of the multicounty department, or its designated agent, adopts it.
(3) Open public participation process.
(a) Citizen advisory committee. Except as provided in par. (b), the county board of supervisors of each county or the county boards of supervisors of 2 or more counties jointly shall establish a citizen advisory committee to the county departments under ss. 46.215, 46.22 and 46.23. The citizen advisory committee shall advise in the formulation of the budget under sub. (1). Membership on the committee shall be determined by the county board of supervisors in a county with a single-county committee or by the county boards of supervisors in counties with a multicounty committee and shall include representatives of those persons receiving services, providers of services and citizens. A majority of the members of the committee shall be citizens and consumers of services. At least one member of the committee shall be chosen from the governing or administrative board of the community action agency serving the county or counties under s. 49.265, if any. The committee's membership may not consist of more than 25 percent county supervisors, nor of more than 20 percent services providers. The chairperson of the committee shall be appointed by the county board of supervisors establishing it. In the case of a multicounty committee, the chairperson shall be nominated by the committee and approved by the county boards of supervisors establishing it. The county board of supervisors in a county with a single-county committee or the county boards of supervisors in counties with a multicounty committee may designate an agent to determine the membership of the committee and to appoint the committee chairperson or approve the nominee.
(b) Alternate process. The county board of supervisors or the boards of 2 or more counties acting jointly may submit a report to the department on the open public participation process used under sub. (2). The county board of supervisors may designate an agent, or the boards of 2 or more counties acting jointly may designate an agent, to submit the report. If the department approves the report, establishment of a citizen advisory committee under par. (a) is not required.
(c) Yearly report. The county board of supervisors or its designated agent, or the boards of 2 or more counties acting jointly or their designated agent, shall submit to the department a list of members of the citizen advisory committee under par. (a) or a report on the open public participation process under par. (b) on or before July 1 annually.
History: 1995 a. 27; 2007 a. 20; 2015 a. 55.

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