(A) Creation and membership generally.
(1) There is hereby created a department of the village to be known as the Pepin Volunteer Fire Department.
(2) This Department shall consist of a Chief, Assistant Chiefs, and such other officers and members as may be needed and as are authorized under this section.
(B) Chief. There is hereby created the office of Chief, who shall be elected and shall have the duties as provided in the bylaws of the Volunteer Fire Department, as set forth in §§ 31.15 through 31.23 of this chapter. He or she shall attend and be in command at all fires, supervise all members of the Fire Department, assign duties, prescribe regulations, and be responsible for all property connected with the Fire Department subject to the general supervision of the Village Board.
(D) Orders to be obeyed. It shall be unlawful for any firefighter or other person to neglect or refuse to obey an order or direction of the officer in command at a fire, when such order or direction is given in and about the management, control, or extinguishing of the fire.
(E) Qualifications of members. The membership of the Department shall be limited to citizens who have attained the age of at least 18 years. The Fire Department shall be organized in accordance with the provisions in divisions (F) through (J) below and in accordance with the bylaws of the Volunteer Fire Department, as set forth in §§ 31.15 through 31.23 of this chapter.
(F) Name of organization. This organization shall be known by the name and style of the Pepin Volunteer Fire Department.
(G) Persons eligible for membership. Any citizen of the village who has attained the age of 18 years and whose application has been represented at a previous meeting may be elected as a member of the organization in the manner set out in its bylaws; provided, that no person shall be elected to membership if, at the time of his or her application, the roll of members contains as many as are permitted by the village ordinances.
(H) Officers. The officers shall consist of a Chief, First and Second Assistants, and a Secretary/Treasurer, all of whom shall be elected annually in the manner prescribed in the bylaws of the Fire Department.
(J) Bylaws.
(1) The bylaws of this Department may make provisions as to the time of holding meetings and the manner of calling and conducting the same, may fix the amount of fees and dues of members, may define offenses to be punished by penalties and forfeitures and fix the amount of such penalties and forfeitures, may prescribe the manner in which persons may become members and in what cases and in what manner members may be suspended or expelled, and may provide for such other regulations as are necessary and proper for the efficient operation of the Volunteer Fire Department.
(2) Such bylaws shall in no way conflict with the village ordinances.
(1999 Code, § 32.01) Penalty, see § 10.99