Gibbs appoints diverse leadership
Marathon County Board of Supervisors chairman Kurt Gibbs on Thursday announced committee appointments that he said supported making county government leadership more diverse. In a letter sent to supervisors, Gibbs said that through this year’s appointments “we have the the most diverse leadership group in my history on the board.” The chairman said his committee chair and vicechair appointments were:
_ Fifty percent held by women;
_ 67 percent held by members age 40 or under;
_ 33 percent held by members serving either their first or second term.
Gibbs told supervisors his emphasis on diversity followed a Tuesday rules debate statement by supervisor Ka Lo, Wausau, who said “you cannot have diversity unless diverse groups participate.”
The chairman said a more diverse county board needed to work hard to serve the public in troubled times.
“This is a meaningful first step in providing for diverse participation,” he said. “I am asking that we all rededicate ourselves to leading the county as a policy body. These are difficult times and we need to be at our best.”
County standing committees for 2020-22 are:
_ Extension, Education and Economic Development: Sara Guild, chairperson, Ka Lo, vice-chair, Becky Burch, Gary Beastrom, Rick Seefeldt, Chris Voll and Tom Rosenberg.
_ Environmental Resources: Jacob Langenhahn, chairperson, Sara Guild, vice chair, Rick Seefeldt, David Oberbeck, Allen Drabek, Bill Conway, Randy Fifrick, Arnold Schlei, Eric Vogel (Farm Service Agency representative) and Marilyn Bhend (Marathon County Towns and Villages Association representative).
_ Human Resources, Finance and Property: John Robinson, chairperson, Alyson Leahy, vice-chair, Jonathan Fisher, E.J. Stark, Kurt Gibbs, Yee Leng Xiong and Craig McEwen.
_ Health and Human Services: Tim Buttke, chairperson, Michelle Van Krey, vice-chair, Tom Seubert, Romey Wagner, Donna Krause, Dennis Gonnering and William Harris.
_ Infrastructure: Randy Fifrick, chairperson, Sandi Cihlar, vice-chair, John Robinson, Jeff Johnson, Alan Christensen, Richard Gumz and Chris Dickinson.
_ Public Safety: Matt Bootz, chairperson, Brent Jacobson, vice-chair, Bruce Lamont, Arenold Schlei, Kelley Gabor, Jean Maszk and Allen Opall.
_ Executive Committee: Kurt Gibbs, chairperson, Craig McEwen, vicechair, Sara Guild, Jacob Langenhahn, John Robinson, Tim Buttke, Randy Fifrick, Matt Bootz and member at large (to be determined by a county board vote).
In other appointments, Gibbs named members of the Capital Improvement Program Committee. They are supervisors E.J. Stark, Sandi Cihlar, David Oberbeck and Kelley Gabor, and citizen members Eric Budleski, Chuck Kornack and Barkley Anderson.
He named Arnold Schlei, chairman, Rick Seefeldt, vice-chair, and Thomas Rosenberg to the Forestry and Recreation Committee; Brent Jacobson, Sara Guild, Chris Dickinson and Kurt Kluck to the Airport Board; Michelle Van Krey, Gary Beastrom, Sara Guild and E.J. Stark to the McDevco Board of Directors; supervisors Ka Lo, Bruce Lamont, Jeff Johnson, Will Harris, vice chair, Tim Buttke, chairperson, and Romey Wagner and citizens Greg Seubert, Kathi Zoern and Ben Lee to the Transportation Coordinating Committee.
County administrator Lance Leonhard named supervisors Romey Wagner, Yee Leng Xiong and William Harris and citizens Christin Keele and Julie Bollman to the Social Services Board; supervisors John Robinson, Sandi Cihlar and Craig McEwen to the Board of Health; supervisors Yee Leng Xiongh, chairperson, Alyson Leahy, Bill Conway, Lada Xiong-Vang, La’Tanya Campbell, Jonathon Miller, Ann Saris and Julia Stavran to the Diversity Affairs Commission; supervisors Alan Christensen, Jean Maszk, Jonathon Fisher and Dennis Gonnereing and citizen Kerry Brimmer to the Solid Waste Management Board; and Lance Leonhard, Kurt Gibbs, Jeff Zriny and Dr. Gabriel Ticho to the North Central Community Services Program Board.
