Shaking things up

County looks to shift, expand committee assignments for board

NEWS EDITOR

There could be some major shakeups in the county board committee structure following next week’s county board reorganization meeting.

On Monday, members of the county’s committee on committee and rules met to develop a preliminary list of committee appointments to incorporate the four new members into the board and address concerns about committee make-up.

County board chairman Jim Metz emphasized several times through the more than two hour meeting that the plan was tentative with the final action to take place during the April 19 county board session. “Nothing is set in stone,” Metz said.

The most significant change being proposed for the committee structure is to increase the size of the remaining three-person standing committees to have five members. This will be done to increase the opportunity for more county board members to be involved in the decision making process. It will take county board action to make the change, but committee members said they would proceed with tentatively setting a committee list with the assumption increasing the committee sizes would pass in order to reduce the amount of time needed during the reorganization meeting next week.

Committee member Lester Lewis also reminded those at the meeting that the county board chairman has the authority to set the appointments to committees and while the county board as a whole provides input that is to advise the board chairman. “The chairman is the final appointing authority,” Lewis said.

In addition to the committee structure change to increase committees to at least five people, Lewis said he planned to bring a proposal forward to merge finance and personnel committees into one seven-member committee. Traditionally, there has been significant overlap between the two committees.

Some of the parameters for assigning committees was to review surveys given to all the current and incoming county board members for their interests. Even with no other changes, with the change of four county board members, there was going to be a shuffle as they are placed into board seats. Goals were to make the number of board appointments roughly equal among county board members.

Newly elected board member Lorie Floyd called on committee members to take into account the expertise and backgrounds of new board members in deciding committees. For example, she noted that she had a 34-year career as a state trooper and could bring that knowledge to a committee like law enforcement.

Lewis said there is a learning curve with service on the board and there are some committees that face issues requiring more experienced board members than others.

Committee members went through the list of committees one by one discussing potential appointments. Major changes proposed in the tentative recommendation were as follows: Law enforcement — Board member Scott Mildbrand offered to step down from that committee with Floyd and Chuck Zenner looking to be added to it.

Board of health - Mildbrand would be chairman with new board member Lynn Rosemeyer to be added along with Rollie Thums.

Human Services - Thums will continue as chairman with Rosemeyer as a new appointment.

Forestry — Mildbrand was tentatively named as chairman replacing Chuck Zenner. Zenner said he would like to stay on the committee to keep some continuity. “I don’t think you want to change the committee too much,” he said. Committee members discussed placing Jim Gebauer on the committee while keeping Myron Books and Gary Beadles. There was also discussion with Greg Knight, Thums and Ray Soper being named.

Zoning — This is one of the three-person committees that would be increased to give more board members input. Lewis would continue as chairman and in addition to the current members would add Mike Bub and Lynn Rosemeyer.

Land Information — Lewis would stay as chairman with Catherine Lemke, Rod Adams, Mike Bub and Ray Soper as tentative appointments. “This needs thoughtful people who will do their homework and study,” Lewis said, noting that this is the committee that decided to take property back for nonpayment of taxes. “You deal with heartbreaking situations in this committee,” he said.

Buildings and grounds — Diane Albrecht will stay as committee chair with Gebauer and Adams being joined by Lisa Carbaugh and Floyd.

Broadband — There were minimal changes proposed with Sue Swiantek to replace Gene Knoll and the request for Knoll to stay on as a lay member in place of Mike Schaefer.

Information technology — Bub as chairman with Floyd and Greg Knight joining the committee.

Airport Committee - Zenner as chairman with Albrecht and Swiantek as well as Russ Gowey and Mark Hoffman.

Housing — Sue Swiantek to replace Knoll.

Tourism — Albrecht to become the committee chair with Carbaugh and Floyd joining the current members.

Rail Trail — Sue Swiantek to replace Knoll.

Traffic Safety — Floyd added to the existing committee.

Veterans Service - There was discussion about this with the desire to include one to two lay members who are veterans in addition to the county board members. Mildbrand felt there should be five county board members on that committee. Lewis objected saying that he felt it would be unwieldy with that number and suggested having four county board representatives on it and a veteran lay member. He suggested Larry Peterson would be a good veteran member. Metz said he planned to appoint Steve Voss as the veteran member. After discussion the tentative plan is to have Lewis as chair with Thums, Swiantek, Floyd and Voss serving on it.