Background: Hayward held its annual town meeting in April, and pursuant to a somewhat obscure statute, was not required to provide public notice (Wis. Stat. § 60.11(5)). Since no notice was provided, the town took advantage of this statute and passed three controversial resolutions. These resolutions resulted in approving a $15 million building project and reorganizing the town board. Only 32 town members were present at this meeting.  Notably, in a 2019 advisory referendum, Hayward citizens expressed disapproval for a similar $5 million building project.

 

After hearing about those resolutions, our client, Ms. Dettloff, and over 270 other citizens organized and collected signatures to call a “special town meeting” to have the resolutions reconsidered under Wis. Stat. §§ 60.12(1)(b) and 60.14(b). They have submitted three separate petitions, but the town clerk has refused to call the meeting. Their latest petition met basic requirements, plainly stating the time, date, and purpose of the proposed special town meeting, which is all that is required by statute, yet the town clerk is still refusing to organize the meeting or explain her reasons for failing to comply with the law.