Perhaps the standing committees will start meeting next week? See who will be on which committees!
FIRST THINGS FIRST
Here’s the appointments, the first person is the person who calls the first meeting and usually (not always, there is a vote) ends up being the chair of the committee.
ENVIRONMENT, AGRICULTURE AND NATURAL RESOURCES
- Chawla
- Collins
- Downing
- Hatcher
- Smith
HEALTH AND HUMAN NEEDS
- Wegleitner
- Castillo
- Huelsemann
- Hynes
- Palm
- Xistris-Songpanya
- Yang
PERSONNEL AND FINANCE
- Doyle
- Bare
- Erickson
- McCarville
- Veldran
PUBLIC PROTECTION AND JUDICIARY
- Andrae
- Eicher
- Gray
- Kigeya
- Pellebon
- Rose
- Weigand
PUBLIC WORKS AND TRANSPORTATION
- Ripp
- Engelberger
- Glazer
- Joers
- Ritt
- Schauer
- Wright
ZONING AND LAND REGULATION
- Bollig
- Doolan
- Kiefer
- McGinnity
- Ratcliff
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
- Miles
- Doolan
- Gray
- Palm
- Schauer
- Smith
- Veldran
Land Conservation Committee:
- Downing
- Chawla
- Collins
- Hatcher
- McGinnity
- Smith
- (plus a citizen member to be designated by the Farm Service Agency county chair)
UW Extension Committee:
- McGinnity
- Kigeya
- Ripp
- Rose
- Yang
- Smith
City County Liaison Committee:
- Gray
- Huelsemann
- Schauer
Kassel – Dane County Task Force:
- Erickson
- Huelsemann
- Pellebon
- Veldran
AND HERE’S THE MEMO FROM THE NEW COUNTY BOARD CHAIR!
April 26, 2022
MEMORANDUM
TO: Dane County Board of Supervisors
Scott McDonell, Dane County Clerk
Department Heads
FROM: Supervisor Patrick Miles, Chair
Dane County Board of Supervisors
SUBJECT: Standing and Continuing Committee Appointments for the 2022-2024 Term
Today I am making the standing and continuing committee appointments as shown on the attached list. I considered several factors in determining the assignments including preference, continuity, and knowledge and experience. This was challenging as we have seen significant board member turnover in the last couple of terms. I gave the most consideration to members’ rank of committee preference. This too proved challenging given there was a significant concentration of preference in a few committees. Finally, I tried to balance the spread of gender and diversity between committees. On the latter point, there are imbalances given the concentration of members’ first and second choice committee preferences. In the end, I am pleased to report that I was able to provide 32 of the 36 supervisors (89%) with their first or second choice of committee assignment. Thank you for your input into the appointment process.
The first person listed is designated to call the first committee meeting. Committees will elect a chair and vice-chair from among their members at the first meeting (it has been our practice that all members be present to elect a chair). As with the organizational meeting, I anticipate the election of officers will be accomplished via Survey Monkey if there is interest in an anonymous ballot. Board Office staff will work with committee staff to make sure this process goes smoothly.
Committees should determine which night and at what time they will regularly meet, based on the preferences of the members.
In mid-June, county buildings will reopen to the public. Standing committees should anticipate meeting in person while offering a hybrid format for the public to participate either in person or virtually.
I had the opportunity to hear from many new and returning members and learn about their interests and priorities. I’ve also discussed the ongoing work of committees with current and former members. Based on that information and the priorities on which I ran for leadership, I am providing you with observations about each of the standing committees and the challenges and opportunities in the coming term. I am excited by our diversity and the unique experiences and interests each of you brings. I’m optimistic that we will have productive debates and work together for the collective good. Please reach out to me with any questions or wish to discuss a concern. I wish you all the best as you address the important county issues facing your committee.
Environment, Agriculture, and Natural Resources Committee (EANR)
The number and complexity of the county’s land and water resources programs are growing and are vitally important in preparing the county to adapt to and mitigate the effects of climate change. Among the committee’s challenges will be ensuring we commit to principles of climate justice in such efforts. There is an opportunity for the committee to work with the Office of Energy and Climate Change in working through the more than 100 program and policy recommendations of the Climate Action Plan. We must also work tirelessly to reduce the amount of sediment and waste entering our waterways. The economic health and quality of life in Dane County are linked to the quality of our lakes and streams. As a supervisor in a district with more shoreline than most, I know we must continue our investments and do more to reverse years of declining water quality if we are to prosper in the future.
Health and Human Needs Committee (HHN)
The Department Human Services has increased services related to housing needs and behavioral health in recent years. Housing stability is a key factor in helping people address other areas of concern such as mental health. Hotel sheltering during the pandemic was instrumental in protecting people experiencing homelessness. However, with the program ending this summer, the committee will need to ensure that people are transitioned to more permanent housing.
I know from my own lived experience what a profound effect having skilled, compassionate professionals can have on people’s lives and the ripple effects that can have throughout their families. The committee must confront the significant workforce challenges facing the department, our POS agencies, and our community health care providers, in attracting and retaining diverse and skilled staff. Our front-line workers have served our community with courage and commitment. We need to make sure they are getting the care, compensation, and consideration they deserve.
Many of the department’s behavioral health initiatives play an important role in justice reform and diversion efforts. The committee needs to monitor the success of increased tools available to law enforcement providing the ability to respond to mental health crises or AODA-related emergencies as medical emergencies rather than as law enforcement incidents. The committee should prioritize oversight of the planning and development of the Crisis Triage Center. The committee should coordinate with Public Protection & Judiciary to plan for a human services approach to work release and treatment.
Personnel and Finance Committee (P&F)
The Personnel & Finance Committee routinely addresses challenges in consideration of the annual budget. This coming year the committee is going to be faced with the effects of dramatic inflation as well as the challenge of retaining and recruiting a strong workforce to deliver the county’s wide array of services. An important part of maintaining that workforce is the “Dane County Way” of working with employees through a democratic process that allows their voices to be heard in determining workplace policies. The committee needs to ensure that systems designed to protect employees from arbitrary management decisions and discrimination are trusted and functioning.
Public Protection and Judiciary Committee (PP&J)
Addressing and reducing disparities in the justice system continues to be a critical priority for the committee while balancing public safety. It will continue to monitor and advocate for initiatives related to justice system reform, alternatives to incarceration, and diversion, including initiatives under the purview of the Clerk of Courts and pre-trial services, Dane County Sheriff’s Office, and District Attorney. Dane County’s 911 Center is also supporting the implementation of the City-Community Alternative Response Emergency Services (CARES) pilot, which could be expanded beyond the City of Madison in the future.
We must continue implementing criminal justice reforms that will increase efficiency and fairness, center the experience of individuals with lived experience in the criminal justice system, as well as minimize the growth of the jail population in order to meet the constraints detailed in the adopted version of 2021 Res-320 and broader equity goals. Among many reform efforts, a high priority should be to coordinate with the Health & Human Needs Committee in transitioning to a human-services-based alternative to Huber. Continued planning and implementation of a Community Justice Center with a court component should be a priority of the committee in partnership with the Criminal Justice Council (CJC).
Public Works & Transportation Committee (PWT)
The committee has a diverse portfolio of priorities. It will continue to play a critical role in
overseeing sustainability, energy efficiency, and renewable energy initiatives within county
government. The committee will continue its oversight of the prioritization of county highway projects, now with an eye toward opportunities to expand broadband infrastructure. Among the county facility projects, the largest project over which the committee will oversee is the jail consolidation project, the largest most expensive project in county history. The committee will be challenged with keeping the project proceeding while containing costs amid intense inflationary pressures.
Zoning and Land Regulation Committee (ZLR)
As the fastest growing county in the state and with rising housing costs, growth pressure on our rural communities will likely intensify. The committee faces the challenge of working with towns to balance the competing need for growth and the need for maintaining or even growing, the agricultural economy in Dane County. Agriculture is both an important economic driver and necessary for addressing food insecurity in a post-pandemic supply chain. Maintaining our rural character is also an important part of our quality of life. It will be more imperative than ever that the committee work with towns to ensure that changes to comprehensive plans are a result of careful deliberation and that land-use decisions are consistent with adopted plans.
Executive Committee (Exec)
The Executive Committee is an unusual standing committee in that it is the only one that you can be on in addition to your own standing committee. It is charged with developing and recommending policies and procedures related to the functioning of county government. As we return to in-person meetings, the committee will need to refine and evaluate policies and procedures for hybrid meetings. The committee should continue the board’s efforts to increase public access and engagement in the board’s policy and decision-making processes. The committee has the responsibility to identify areas for which the Board should commission studies to improve county operations. It also has oversight of the Office for Equity and Inclusion (OEI) which houses Equal Employment Opportunity. Given the recent news of management concerns at the zoo, the committee in collaboration with Personnel & Finance should consider recommending the board commission an independent review of zoo management and the accusations against it. Additionally, an analysis of how to improve the Office of Equity and Inclusion’s ability to address employees’ similar concerns and complaints may be warranted.
2022-2024 COUNTY BOARD STANDING COMMITTEES
ENVIRONMENT, AGRICULTURE AND NATURAL RESOURCES
Chawla, Collins, Downing, Hatcher, Smith
HEALTH AND HUMAN NEEDS
Wegleitner, Castillo, Huelsemann, Hynes, Palm, Xistris-Songpanya, Yang
PERSONNEL AND FINANCE
Doyle, Bare, Erickson, McCarville, Veldran
PUBLIC PROTECTION AND JUDICIARY
Andrae, Eicher, Gray, Kigeya, Pellebon, Rose, Weigand
PUBLIC WORKS AND TRANSPORTATION
Ripp, Engelberger, Glazer, Joers, Ritt, Schauer, Wright
ZONING AND LAND REGULATION
Bollig, Doolan, Kiefer, McGinnity, Ratcliff
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Miles, Doolan, Gray, Palm, Schauer, Smith, Veldran
Continuing County Board Committees
Land Conservation Committee:
Downing, Chawla, Collins, Hatcher, McGinnity, Smith
(plus a citizen member to be designated by the Farm Service Agency county chair)
UW Extension Committee:
McGinnity, Kigeya, Ripp, Rose, Yang, Smith
City County Liaison Committee:
Gray, Huelsemann, Schauer
Kassel – Dane County Task Force:
Erickson, Huelsemann, Pellebon, Veldran
The person listed first is designated to call the first committee meeting. Committee officers will be elected at the first meeting when all members are present.
