Dane

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Hello world!  Here's a little round up of things that have come up in the last week you may be interested in - all local government or community related.

So, after waiting 64 days for a response I was informed that my open records request was denied.  So I wrote a new one!  I'm determined to find out who makes the final budget approved with little to no discussion or debate.

Lame duck session in effect, last week the full county board cancelled their meeting, this week Public Protection and Judiciary and no agenda for Health and Human Needs.

More illegal meetings? Some county board members, not a committee with open meetings, but a group appointed by Chair Sharon Corrigan came up with a report on how to increase public engagement, without engaging the public.  Or the rest of the county board.  Who even knows about the report?

So, I'm trying to figure out how the Personnel and Finance Committee hears a whole bunch of information about all kinds of budget amendments then goes away and comes back with a tidy package exactly balanced and has no discussion.  Where is that discussion happening?

I bet they were really busy during this time that the County Executive and the Zoological Society were fighting over $8 million dollars and the sheriff was investigating the theft!  Not.  So who does make decisions about the Zoo?

Why does the county board need to hire an outside expert? The county board is planning to hire Pines Bach LLP as a consultant for $15,000 and if things can't be solved they will go to the Wisconsin Attorney General as a "neutral arbiter."

Dane County is getting feedback on how it provides mental health services, Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway is talking transit and the search for a new superintendent for the Madison public schools continues.

Sigh.  There is a huge problem with the way I do the "county week ahead".  I only include meetings available electronically on-line . . . but there is a whole other set of meetings that don't show up unless you drive to the city-county building and look at the bulletin board.

The County Board and City Council both pass the department budget, and from time to time you see ordinances changes, but who is in charge the rest of the year?  Looks like no one.

County Board meeting cancelled, public hearing on gaps in mental health and AODA treatment, parks plans and more.