Authorized by Section 66.945 of the Wisconsin Statutes, the Wolf River Basin Regional Planning Commission was organized on July 12, 1962, following a public hearing held at the Shawano County Courthouse on December 19, 1961. By this statute, regional planning commissions were authorized to act in an advisory capacity and conduct research studies; make plans for the physical, social and economic preservation and development of the resources of the region; adopt such plans as its official recommendations for the development of the region; publicize its findings by distributing reports; and provide advisory services and act as a coordinating agency for local governmental units and public and private agencies within the region. Member counties included Forest, Langlade, Outagamie, Menominee, Shawano, Waupaca, and Winnebago. Waushara county became a member in 1964, and Florence county joined in 1967. Each member county was represented by three commissioners, one appointed by the county board and two appointed by the governor, one of whom must be nominated by the county board. The Secretary of the Department of Local Affairs and Development or his designee also served as an ex officio and non-voting member. The commission was financed by assessing members proportionate shares based on their equalized valuations and by supplementary federal funds granted under Section 701 of the Housing Act of 1954. Standing committees, comprised of Commissioners, were authorized to review problems referred to them by the commission and make recommendations. Advisory committees were created to promote citizen participation and functioned in conjunction with the standing committees.
Chapter 109 of the Wisconsin Statutes, gave the state Department of Resource Development (DRD) jurisdiction to develop an over-all comprehensive state plan, taking into account the plans of the various regional planning commissions of the state. Since the DRD was authorized to provide research facilities, technicians, and staffs to do the planning that was required in the Wolf River Basin, the planning commission entered into a contract with the DRD to conduct research studies, develop plans, programs and recommendations, and coordinate planning with other agencies on behalf of the regional planning commission.
At the quarterly meeting on April 27, 1967, the Wolf River Basin Regional Planning Commission voted unanimously to change its name to the Northeastern Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission, in the belief that the new name would add stature and give more meaning to its continuing research, advisory and planning services. Attempts to coordinate the Northeastern Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission and a competing organization, the Fox Valley Council of Governments, which included municipalities in Outagamie, Winnebago, and Calumet counties, failed. Although the functions of the two did not conflict, friction continued between them. The Fox Valley Council of Governments, which had been created under Section 66.30 of the Statutes, was disqualified as a regional planning authority by the Attorney General in August, 1971. (60 OAG 313) The opinion states that “sec. 66.30, Stats., is not envisioned as providing authority for regional planning in the sense that planning would include general comprehensive planning over an area which would include the territories of several municipalities.” (P. 315)
Section 66.30 was interpreted as allowing for cooperative planning of only a specific contractual nature, limited by the powers possessed by any single municipality. “Section 66.30 was not designed solely, or probably even primarily, as a regional planning statute.” (47 OAG 52, p. 52) “[T]he only cooperative planning activity envisioned under sec. 66.30, Stats., would be that planning which is collateral to the organization, implementation and administration of specific projects contracted for under the authority of that section. The grant of general regional or multi-jurisdictional planning authority appropriately falls within the scope of sec. 66.945, Stats.” (60 OAG 313, p. 320)
In 1972 the Northeastern Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission was succeeded by the East Central Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission, the sole regional planning authority in the region with the demise of the Fox Valley Council of Government. Its planning functions were broadened to serve a larger planning area and to respond to expanding federal programs and funding requirements. Later in 1972 the Secretary of the Department of Local Affairs and Development (the state agency created in 1967, to which were transferred the state, local and regional planning functions of the former Department of Resource Development) recommended that the urban planning technicians and programs of what was formerly the Council of Governments be consolidated with the East Central Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission. Member counties in the new commission included Marquette, Green Lake, Fond du Lac, Waushara, Winnebago, Calumet, Waupaca, Outagamie, Shawano, and Menominee.
