Shaking things up

Supervisor calls for consolidation of county committee structure

Taylor County is showing the first signs of moving toward a more streamlined and centralized power structure.

County board members on Tuesday approved on an 11-6 vote a resolution calling for the reorganization of the county board to “commit to the development of goals through a strategic plan, restructuring and consolidations within the next 12 months.”

Opposed to the resolution were board members Catherine Lemke, Rollie Thums, Lester Lewis, Scott Mildbrand, Ray Soper and Jim Metz.

The proposal was brought forward by county board member Lori Floyd. She noted that the county currently has 37 different committees several of which have overlapping areas. She said that in 2022, the county spent $110,000 on per diem and mileage for board members attending the committees. She said that in February the county had 16 committee meetings spending $5,395 in per diem and mileage and in March there were 17 meetings with the county spending $5,395 in per diem and mileage. She said See COUNTY on page 12 at a time when they are calling on departments to make cuts, she said the county board must also be willing to make cuts to be more fiscally responsible.

“I love the concept,” said board member Mike Bub. He said his question is who would come up with how it would be done. “We pass these resolutions with great intentions and there they sit,” he said, questioning if it would be the full county board or a select committee to review and make recommendations.

Mildbrand said that while he was in favor of combining some of the committees, he cautioned against the county mirroring other counties too much. He also said he did not feel it needed to be done by resolution and instead suggested it would be set up as a special committee. “How am I supposed to vote for a reorganization plan if I don’t know what the plan is,” he said, Board member Greg Knight said they needed to view this action as starting the process to come up with a plan and in the process hopefully realize some cost efficiencies. “The resolution helps get the process going,” he said.

Knight described the current committee structure as being “highly siloed” with very little overlap or interaction outside of those committees. “How do we get all the members involved in these policy questions?” Knight said, noting the lack of ability for people not on committees to be able to have an impact on county operations in those areas.

Lewis said his first instinct was to vote yes on the resolution, however he said the problem he has is the timeline saying it had to be done in 12 months. He said he strongly supports developing a strategic plan noting he has been involved with creating them for several organizations. “It is a good, messy, complicated way of doing things,” he said.

He said any strategic planning committee would have to be under nine board members to avoid having a board quorum and that it needs to include not just supervisors but the heads of the major county departments. He said it is important for every board member to have a say in how the plan would be developed.

“I strongly believe in creation of a five year strategic plan, I don’t think it should be committed to a timeline,” he said.

Board member Sue Swiantek said she was strongly in favor of the resolution and noted that other counties have gone through this process with success.

“I want Taylor County to commit to doing this,” Floyd said.

“It isn’t going to happen overnight,” she said, noting that it would likely be a smaller committee doing the work but bringing it back frequently to the full board. “This is for our kids and grandkids after we are gone,” she said.

“I think this a great start,” said board member Lynn Rosemeyer.

Board member Rod Adams noted that both the counties that were presented as examples of doing this had county administrators.

“I am not requesting Taylor County go to an administrator,” Floyd said, instead she said she is focusing on improving how they are working now.

In a related action, Floyd also proposed a change to the rules of the board to set quarterly meeting dates for the county board on the third Tuesday of the designated months.

She noted that the county board met as a body on average five times a year over the past three years. She said having scheduled quarterly meetings would save costs and make it easier for board members to schedule and attend the meetings.

The meeting dates for the October budget meeting would continue to be the last Wednesday in October as spelled out in the code.

Lewis said he was supportive of the scheduled meetings, but said it looked as if it would eliminate the ability to have additional special meetings between those scheduled meetings. Floyd noted her proposal would only affect the four scheduled meetings and any others could be called at the discretion of the chair as they are currently.

There was a discussion on if the board meetings should start at 10 a.m. or at 9 a.m. A vote to change the default times to start to 9 a.m. passed 15-2 with Lewis and Thums opposed.

Board members voted to approve the rule change scheduling four meetings per year.

Veterans Service Officer

On a unanimous vote, board members approved hiring Sheila Wundrow as the Taylor County Veterans Service officer to replaced Dan Judnic who resigned effective March 24.

Wundrow completed a 20-year career with the United States Navy including four seas duty tours and three shore duty tours. Wundrow also recently graduated from UW-Eau Claire with a bachelor’s degree in social work. She was scheduled to begin working for the county starting on April 19 and will be up for review and reappointment in January 2025.

Wundrow introduced herself to the board and the audience which included a number of area veterans. She highlighted her service experience and the places and ships she served on during her military career.

During the rules discussion portion of the meeting, Rosemeyer presented a proposal to require the county to seek input from area veterans organizations when there is a veterans lay member position open on the veterans service committee.

Bub said he welcomed getting input from the veterans organizations, but objected to having outside groups appointing someone to serve on a county committee.

Rosemeyer said the intent would be for the county board chairman to make the final appointment.

Lewis said he did not like the wording Rosemeyer used and suggested that it should instead say all the VFW and American Legion posts may make recommendations to the county board chair for someone to be appointed to the veterans service committee.

Board members agreed to the rule change to invite county veterans groups to recommend people to serve in the designated veterans seats on the veterans service committee.

Following the rules revisions, the county board went into recess for members of the committee on committees and rules to discuss the filling of vacancies on the veterans service committee due to the resignations of Steve Voss and Lewis from the committee. Brian Carey was appointed to fill the seat previously held by Voss and Rod Adams was appointed to fill a county board member position. Catherine Lemke was appointed to serve as the new committee chairman for the veterans service committee replacing Lewis in that position. Other members remained the same.

Land Information Department

In a move that is projected to save the county at least $50,000 a year in ongoing labor costs, board members approved on a 13-4 vote the creation of a land information department in the county.

The new department merges the existing land information office, which had been under the county treasurer with the surveyor’s office which had been a standalone two person department.

With the upcoming retirement of county surveyor Bob Meyer, the employees in the two offices had proposed the

County board member Mike Bub (left) makes a point in support of a resolution calling for the board to do strategic planning including potential consolidation of committees. Board member Scott Mildbrand (right) said he supported looking at planning and the goals sought after, but didn’t feel it needed to be done by a board resolution.Brian Wilson/The Star News

Sheila Wundrow is the new Taylor County Veterans Service Officer.