213.10 Fire Fighters Relief Association.
(1g) In this section, “members of the paid fire department" means all fire department personnel who are engaged in the duties of fire fighting, fire fighting training and directly related skills, including fire prevention, investigation and inspection.
(1m)
(a) The members of the paid fire department in any city, who comply with the constitution and bylaws of the fire fighters relief association organized in that city, are constituted a body corporate in that city under the name of “The Fire Fighters Relief Association of the City of ....". Except as provided in par. (b), the purpose of a fire fighters relief association shall be giving relief to the sick and disabled members of the association and their families and to any other persons for whom the constitution and bylaws of the association may provide.
(b) If a member in good standing at the time of the member's death leaves no person entitled to relief under the constitution and bylaws of the association, the board of trustees of the association is empowered to pay the expenses of the last illness and funeral costs of the deceased member, limited to a sum to be fixed by the constitution and bylaws of the association.
(2)
(a) A member of a fire fighters relief association for a city who ceases to be a member of that city's fire department after a period of 10 consecutive years of service shall be entitled to all of the advantages and benefits of the fire fighters relief association as long as that member pays dues and complies with the rules, regulations and bylaws of the association.
(b) A member of a fire fighters relief association for a city who has not served as a member of the city's fire department for 10 consecutive years shall be entitled to all of the advantages and benefits of the fire fighters relief association as long as that member pays dues and complies with the rules, regulations and bylaws of the association and meets one of the following criteria:
1. The member is retired on a pension by reason of permanent disability due to injuries suffered while in the performance of duties as a member of the fire department.
2. The member has been granted a duty disability for injuries suffered while in the performance of duties as a member of the fire department and the member's actual term of service in the fire department, together with the period of time while on duty disability, equals 10 or more years.
(3) Each person on becoming a member of a fire department whose members have formed a fire fighters relief association shall be required to pay the association an initiation fee and annual dues so long as the person remains a member of the fire department. A person shall become a member of the association when that person's name is placed on the payroll of the fire department.
(4) Every fire fighters relief association shall have all of the usual powers of a corporation necessary and proper for the purpose of its organization, and may take by gift, grant or purchase, real and personal property, and hold, enjoy, lease, convey and dispose of its property subject to the association's bylaws and regulations. All of the real and personal property belonging to an association and the rents, issues and profits from that property shall be devoted solely to the purposes and objects of the association.
(5)
(a) The control and disposal of the funds, property and estate and the direction and management of all of the concerns of a fire fighters relief association, subject to any directions and restrictions that may be imposed by the bylaws of the association, shall be vested in a board of trustees. The board of trustees shall consist of a president, vice president, treasurer, secretary and executive committee of 3, who shall be elected at such time and place and by such members of the association entitled to vote as is provided by the bylaws of the association. The officers so elected shall hold their respective offices for one year, unless the bylaws provide otherwise, and until their successors are elected and qualified. An association may elect or appoint such other officers for such terms as its bylaws may prescribe. The officers of an association shall give bonds for the faithful performance of their respective duties when required to do so by the association's bylaws.
(b) No person shall be elected to or hold any office in a fire fighters relief association unless the person is a member of the fire fighters relief association. If a person's membership in the association is terminated while the person holds any office of the association, the person's term of office shall thereupon be terminated, and the members of the association who are entitled to vote, as provided in the association's bylaws, shall immediately elect a successor.
(6) The board of trustees of a fire fighters relief association may purchase group life insurance for the members of the association.
(7)
(a) All members of a fire department who do not qualify as members of the paid fire department shall, upon commencement of their employment with a city department, have the option of joining the fire fighters relief association in that city.
(b) The employees described in par. (a) who are, together with others who are transferred to or are, on March 27, 1969, performing duties other than fire fighting, fire fighting training and directly related skills, including fire prevention, investigation and inspection, shall have the option of continuing their membership in the fire fighters relief association.
History: 1983 a. 242; 1991 a. 316; 1997 a. 254; 2005 a. 321.