1.5 hours of the county board doing committee work on the county board floor. Good to see some actual discussion at one of these meetings! Allowing committee meetings virtually, extending board terms if election postponed, jail phone calls and visitation, counseling services for homeless in hotels, benefits fraud investigators and farewells from the 9 outgoing supervisors.
You can watch along here
Here’s the agenda
GETTING STARTED
starts off with County Board Chair Annaliese Eicher saying . . . “ge of muting and unmuting your own microphones. We worked through a lot from our last meeting, a lot of our challenges, I think one of those was the mics at the beginning”
You’re in charge of your mic if you want to speak, drop that in chat box, reminder the chat box is a record it is not for side conversations. It will become a part of the minutes.
They will be moving through the agenda the same as on March 19th.
Roll Call
The clerk calls the roll, with a reminder to unmute yourself and say your name, then mute yourself and they move on to the next person.
County Clerk Scott McDonell asks “All right, are we ready”
Liz Doyle just has a noise, McDonell determines she is here because he can see Doyle. Dave Ripp they skip and come back to. Julie Schwellenbach seems absent but the chair says “it was quiet, Schwellenbach was here”. Matt Veldran is marked as absent. Heidi Weglietner they say “I think she’s here, I see her on there” – I thought I heard her say “Wegleitner” in the background. They pass on her. Kris Audet is marked as absent. Jerry Bollig marked as absent.
McDonell says that they will likely add some in, but right now its 31 present and they have a quorum.
Prayer/Inspirational Message/Pledge of the Allegiance
He wanted to read a prayer that was shared with him 3 weeks ago from an anonymous source. At the time he got it the coronavirus was just starting to show signs and it was unclear how our daily lives would be impacted by this deadly virus. The daily routine has changed considerably and he finds himself reading this prayer on many occasions and gets a new perspective and insight into many issues during self isolation and reflection. He hopes these words will provide focus and inspiration, guide our family friends and neighbors.
A prayer for a pandemic – Cameron Wiggins Bellm
May we who are merely inconvenienced
Remember those whose lives are at stake.
May we who have no risk factors
Remember those most vulnerable.
May we who have the luxury of working from home
Remember those who must choose between preserving their health or making their rent.
May we who have the flexibility to care for our children when their schools close
Remember those who have no options.
May we who have to cancel our trips
Remember those that have no safe place to go.
May we who are losing our margin money in the tumult of the economic market
Remember those who have no margin at all.
May we who settle in for a quarantine at home
Remember those who have no home.
As fear grips our country,
let us choose love.
During this time when we cannot physically wrap our arms around each other,
Let us yet find ways to be the loving embrace of God to our neighbors.
Amen.
Mostly you hear only his voice with a few others popping in and out.
Special Matters and Announcement
While Eicher waits for people to drop their name in the chat to speak, she announces the April Birthdays – Clerk Scott McDonell, County Board Staff Lisa McKinnon
She announces the additions to the roll call – Doyle, Wegleitner, Veldran, Audet and Ripp are also present.
Bollig announces he just joined.
Eicher reminds people to wash their hands, keep them off their face, stay home and stay safe.
No other announcements.
Approval of Payments
Bills over $10,000 – Paul Nelson announces he moves approval of payments. Someone says second, Eicher asks if that is Erickson, he says yes. No discussion, recorded as unanimous.
Minutes
Approval of Minutes – Nelson moves approval, Erickson seconds. No discussion, recorded as unanimous.
Consent Calendar
F1 – F8
Wegleitner votes no on F-5.
Yogesh Chawla says he’s like to vote no as well.
Eicher reminds them to drop that in the chat so they can see it.
Richard Kilmer is also no on this item.
She says it will be recorded as passing unanimously if there is no objection.
ORDINANCES – COMMITTEE MEETINGS BY TELEPHONE, EXTENDING TERMS OF COUNTY BOARD MEMBERS IF ELECTIONS POSTPONED
Eicher announces this is in the wrong place on the agenda and it requires a 2/3 vote. She’d like to take it up now and would like to have it recorded as having passed, if there is no objection, otherwise she is open to moving it. She asks them to chat if they ovjections to put it in the chat box. She says OA 40 and OA 42 both passed Executive Committee unanimously earlier this evening.
Wegleitner asks about the advance registration. She asks why it is needed to be 30 minutes in advance.
Karin Peterson Thurlow the County Board Chief of Staff asks if she should answer. She says they learned last board meeting that it takes 4 people to run the meeting and part of the biggest challenge was being able to appropriately deal with callers. In order to have a meeting where we could work it totally remotely without a couple people being together, it mean that this was an approach that would work. We tried to publicize that quite a bit, this is an emergency situation, we don’t see that as something that will go on forever, hopefully.
Wegletiner says she understands the practical issues, she doesn’t have a problem with the practice, her concern is putting it into ordinance at this time, she doesn’t object to continuing the practice. Is it necessary to put this into the ordinance when technologies may be improving and in the future we wouldn’t have to amend the ordinance if we were able to remove that barrier to registration if things get easier going forward.
Thurlow says it was on advice of corporation council that we make this specific, because they consulted with them extensively on how to facilitate the open meetings law and hold these meeting remotely effectively. They suggested we be specific about this in the ordinance.
Nelson says that there is not that much difference. If someone is planning to come to a board meeting to speak, they are going to make that decision before 6:30, there would be drive time involved. He doesn’t think there is much difference at all between the two and he can understand the need for at least a half hour lead time.
She asks for unanimous consent on passage. There are no objections.
Sheila Stubbs asks about an incumbent. She says that she understands that the incumbent continues to serve until someone is appointed. If an incumbent determines they no longer want to serve due to other job duties, at what point does someone make an appointment and at what point would it be a special election? She’s wondering who’s authority – is it the county board chair or the clerk.
Chair Eicher says this is only if the election is postponed. So they would serve until an elector is elected and qualified. This isn’t about appointments.
Susan Roudy(sp?) from the Corporation Council, she agrees with Chair Eicher, that is her understanding.
Stubbs says it doesn’t answer the question if the incumbent determines they don’t want to serve any longer after this person becomes certified, what happens? Does that mean the seat remains vacant? Can the county board chair appoint? We have a lot of new county board members and we need to stay at 2/3rds. She says it isn’t clear. If an incumbent decides not to continue, how will we have that be filled.
Corp. Council says she is not exactly sure. She isn’t sure if it would be appointed or what that process would look like, she doesn’t have a good answer for you.
Eicher says her understanding is that they would follow the same procedure that they would that is already in our ordinance regarding a supervisor vacancy.
Stubbs says that should be added with this ordinance amendment. It seems vague and she would like to know the process. In the past the chair has done it, and it needs to be clear for those on the outside reading the ordinance amendment. Can that be added?
Eicher says it can be added if you want to make an amendment, there is also other discussion if she wants to look at language and put something into the chat if you have an amendment. She says Shauer and Kuhn have asked to be recognized while she is doing that.
Andrew Schauer says that the ordinance language doens’t change the powers of the chair to appoint to fill a vacancy. They are almost two separate discussions. All this does is keep the people in those positions after the normal end of the term until their successor is elected and qualified. He says if he decided not to serve, there is nothing in this amendment that would stop him from resigning at the end of his actual term and at that point the chair would still have the ability to fill that on a temporary basis, until my seat was filled by the election. If the election was to be me they would still have a vacancy, if he had an opponent and that person won and then that person would fill the seat when their election was finalized. He thinks there are two separate areas and he is not convinced an amendment is necessary to get at this issue, he doesn’t think the amendment creates the issues Stubbs is concerned about. He understands the concern, but it doesn’t change the boards normal rules for filling a vacancy caused by a resignation. And it doesn’t stop a supervisor from resigning.
Jamie Kuhn asks about the word “postponement” and given the ruling today, she wants to know if postponement includes extension of the election.
Corp. Council says “I believe it would, yeah.”
Stubbs says that she didn’t hear Corp Council say that she had an answer, but I did have a colleague. She would like to hear from Corp. Council that it would not change county board process and she did not hear that. She would like to hear that as a supervisor for my assurance because again if the supervisor decides they are not going to continue, someone needs to fill the seat or we are going to have vacancies and she doesn’t think this ordinance does that. She asks Corp. Council if their county board procedure would go back to the way it is now.
Corp. Council says that what Mr. Schauer said is accurate. This doesn’t change appointing. They can still be appointed if there is a resignation. This just has a very specific goal if this current election is postponed, that there is an opportunity for someone to be in those seats after your term is out. She thinks that is the specific intention of this. She says that she thinks she is is being asked to say for certain that this ordinance amendment doesn’t change the other ordinance regarding appointing and yeah, this does not change the other ordinance about appointing vacancies.
Patrick Miles wants to echo what Corp Council said and be real clear that this amendment modifies chapter 6.07(3), the two preceding paragraphs in the ordinance clearly define, even in this type of situation, what the process would be in (1) for a vacancy. After the start of a term and before December 31st of an even number year, if time allows, obviously, then the chair could fill the seat by temporary appointment.
She asks if there is objection to passing this unanimously. She sees no objections.
AWARD OF CONTRACTS – JAIL VISITATION AND PHONE CALLS
I think Nelson moved approval and Erickson seconded.
Yogesh Chawla moves sub 2, Sub ____ to 2019 RES-357 (Proposed-Chawla), Supervisor Bayrd seconds it.
Chawla thanks sheriff and staff for keeping themselves and people in jail safe during COVID-19. He says the fees can be an economic burden and hardship to the inmates. He thanks the board for 2017 OA-21 that said that Dane County shall not provide services intended to generate revenues in excess of providing services to inmates. What the sub asks for is an annual report to PP&J for the transaction fees and services, such as the tablets and messaging programs. This will help confirm the spirit of that ordinance and show the community how we are doing everything we can to help inmates stay in touch with their family and support structures while still remaining revenue neutral.
Eicher calls for a vote, but there are more speakers.
Maureen McCarville asks the Sheriff Dave Mahoney what they are doing differently within the jail since the onset of COVID-19 with regards to the issue before them.
Sheriff Mahony says once they realized COVID-19 was an issue we were all going to be dealing with across the country, they reached out to the current provider which is not the awardee in this resolution. They asked them to increase phone capabilities for the inmates because we have had to end visitation and visits from volunteers. As a result everyone incarcerated receives 2 free phone calls a week and access to free texting on their computers. That is in effect as long as we are dealing with COVID-19 and the inability to visit community. We recognize the need to be in contact with family members and support and they stepped up to provide it.
She calls for a vote on Sub 2 – says it will pass unanimously, there are no objections.
Now Sub 2 is before them as the main motion, there is no objection to passing that unanimously.
She skips the second contract –
AWARDING CONTRACT TO FOCUS COUNSELING, INC. DCDHS – HAA DIVISION
And moves on to K
RESOLUTIONS
She says committees took action on these items earlier this evening. She says this is the only resolution (but there is a second one) – she says just kidding, the PWT (public works and transportation) recommendation is before them. They have a registration. Megan Schewitz is a registrant for information only, she asks if there are questions. They realize she skipped an item.
BACK TO CONTRACTS – COUNSELING FOR HOMELESS IN HOTELS
AWARDING CONTRACT TO FOCUS COUNSELING, INC. DCDHS – HAA DIVISION
She says Personnel and Finance passed this earlier this evening.
Someone says “fuck”. Eicher says “oh, ok, let’s remember to mute ourselves”
She says she sees no discussion and would like to have it recorded as having passed unanimously.
Matt Veldran says he is sorry for the expletive, he was trying to make a comment and he couldn’t get in. He apologizes again. Eicher says its in the public record. Veldran says sometime technology doesn’t (garbled) catch up with ya.
Veldran asks Shawn Tessman, Director of Human Services what the extension is and what the need is, and thanks the staff for being out there on the front lines dealing with what I”m sure is rough situations.
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Tessman says that they have been, as a major part of their goal to respond to the COVID pandemic, they have been trying to achieve social distancing in our homeless shelters. That has been a number of different strategies. One is working with city partners to identify all of our homeless population that has underlying health conditions and trying to get them out of the shelters and into hotels. To date we have agreements with about 6 hotels and we have moved over 325 people that have underlying conditions out of our shelters and into hotels. This contract, Focus Counseling is actually one of their current CCS providers and one of the needs we discovered almost immediately when we started moving people into hotels, is that they need on-site case management and support in the hotels to help provide comfort to the people who are there. To serve as a stabilizing influence for our people experiencing homelessness and to be available as a mental health resource to make sure that remains as positive of an environment as it can be. That is the contract before them, to authorize them having Focus Counseling do that work on behalf of the people in hotels experiencing homelessness while we ride out this pandemic.
Veldran says “Am I back on” – Eicher says yes. He says his mic is still red, oops, it just went green now. He says this extends through June 30th? Is it a possibility that we will have to come back and do this longer? I’m sure we’re all fine with that.
Tessman says they are trying to get it authorized and if they need to extend the service she believes the contract allows them to do that and they will continue to re-evaluate as circumstances change, they won’t have the obligation any longer than they need to, but they are anticipating needing it for at least a couple of months.
Veldran asks if there are enough people added to this contract that can handle the additional population?
Tessman says “perhaps?” The needs fluctuate every day, we have a good handle with our city partners on our homeless population, but of course it fluctuates. She believes this contract gives them flexibility to scale up or scale down as they need to. She believes Focus Counseling is prepared to scale up or scale down to meet the needs to make sure the services are provided.
Wegleitner says she is not famliar with Focus Counseling having any other contracts to serve the homeless population, do they have experience in homeless services?
Tessman says that they came as a recommendation from the CCS manager. Part of the issue that we are working through is that our existing network of providers of people who are familiar with doing this work in this arena are incredible taxed and very overwhelmed and are struggling to keep the staff they have. She has been encouraged and impressed by the response Focus Counseling has been given to us to this point, but they are not one of our typical providers that are in this space, so your observation on that point is correct. Essentially we are in a place where for us it was important for us to have someone that had good mental health background to be appropriate for this population and just understanding from hearing the providers that are doing the great work out there, they are not in a great place to be scaling up to be providing additional services. So they did feel like they needed to bring someone new into the mix to be able to add to that capacity overall.
Wegleitner says she is aware of the lack of capacity and realized that must have had something to do with this selection. She asks about the funding, services are not dependent in CCS? That has not always worked out as we had hoped, she’s thinking of Rehtke Terrace where it takes some time to engage people and not everyone is interested or may be eligible. She wants to confirm that this is dependent on that enrollment to provide services.
Tessman says there is not a requirement that people we involved in CCS to get the services in this environment.
Wegleitner asks if this is for all – individuals and families – that are being offered hotel rooms because of their vulnerability.
Tessman says that the focus for this provider is for single men, in large part. The families have other case manager resources. This is for the single population in particular because it is so large.
Wegleitner asks here the criteria for a single person to be placed in a hotel at this time, instead of at Warner Park.
Tessman says that the city partners who are responsible for the coordinated entry system – an intake system to screen an prioritize people for different housing and homeless programs in the community, that is led by the city. One of the benefits of that approach is that all the service providers use a system called HMIS where information about the homeless population is entered into this database and we use the information out of the database to get as best of what we could, to get an understanding of people who are over 70 (I thought she said 70, later they said 60 and different criteria), underlying conditions and otherwise at greater risk if they contract the virus and then they prioritize those people experiencing homelessness to move into the hotels so that other healthier people experiencing homelessness can be achieving social distance through our regular sheltering system.
Wegleitner asks if every single man over 60, do we have enough hotel rooms to place all of those, or are you saying among single men who are over 60 and have underlying conditions, among that population, then prioritize based on the number of rooms we have. She is trying to get a sense of how many people still aren’t able to get into hotel rooms or how we are meeting that need right now.
Tessman says she has not looked at the finer nuances of the actual criteria in a couple of days. But she believes the criteria was over 60 AND some other underlying health condition. So it is smaller subset of that popoulation and that it would require more than one of those factors. And for those people based on that criteria, we have placed everybody into hotels with the exception of about 20. Based on that criteria, that is the number of people they have moved to this point and they are still continuing to try to find hotels and rooms even as of today.
Wegleitner asks if this will be adequate to cover additions to the number of people as more rooms hopefully become available or will we need to appropriate more funds later?
Tessman says if they need to come back and ask for additional authority, they will do that, but she is hopeful this will get them what they need to get people stabilized as much as possible, but things fluctuate on a daily basis with this population.
Patrick Downing asks about the resolution, it estimates $134,000 over the next couple months, and the fiscal note says $134,000 but it goes on to ask us to approve a contract through the end of the year. Did you just tell us that if its going to go beyond $134,000 you will come back to us for further authorization?
Tessman says yes.
Jeremy Levin asks about unit cost of $46 and quite a high unit, so are we having someone in each one of those three locations, 24/7 for two months?
Tessman says that is correct.
Levin asks if that is the model that Supervisor Downing said if we need to extend it an additional 6 or 8 months.
Tessman says yes, or into additional locations.
Levin says “at that cost”
Tessman says “right.”
Eicher asks to have this item recorded as passed unanimously. There are no objections.
BACK TO RESOLUTION – PURCHASING LAND
Eicher says that the recommendation from Public Works and Transportation (PWT) is before them. There is the registrant she mentioned earlier, for information only. If there are questions for the registrant or if you need info they can get her called in to the meeting.
There is no discussion on this item. This required a 3/4 roll call vote. They call the roll on this one. This time Doyle just has the sound of static, the clerk says he still can’t hear Doyle. Doyle eventually votes aye. Nuygen Hilfilger chatted she is an aye. Everyone else votes Aye. There are not any “no” votes. It’s unanimous.
COURT CASES ON ELECTIONS
Eicher says this was only on the agenda pending Executive Committee – and that was postponed indefinitely in committee, it is not before them this evening. They did have on registrant had it been in front of them. Lindsay Johnson registering in support. But seeing as that is not in front of them she wanted to recognize that.
ITEMS REQUIRING 2/3 VOTE
M1 – M10. She says they have to separate M9. No one asks for others to be separated. Eicher says that Personnel and Finance did take action on M2 and M10 – it passed unanimously in Finance.
Wegleitner separates M6
Items M1 – M5, M7, M8 and M10 pass unanimously with no objections.
Wegleitner asks Tessman if its correct that this position is funded by recoupment money for this person to be investigating program fraud and recouping it and then paying for their position. So they are sniffing and hunting around and incentivized to find allegations of fraud. Is that accurate.
Tessman says this goes back to an additional fraud allocation that was approved in the state budget. Most of the funding that goes to support this position is actually from that additional state allocation. In the world of fraud as it relates to this position, the county does get some incentive, you are correct, for recoupments, but its not as direct as you described it. This person would not have a line of site on the work they are doing, and it gets wonky, but there are a few different functions – they have fraud investigators (2), and this position is automated data exchanges that happen in our automated systems that alerts to people who have unreported wages or income. Those over payments are recouped and that is where we earn the incentive. It’s not a direct line of site between finding fraud to fund you position. This position is dealing more with the successful resolution of people flagged through state automated systems and then we have to follow the state policy, statutes, guidelines, that govern us in the enforcement capacity. That is a small part of the incentives that go into funding this position. She doesn’t have the exact numbers, but she says it about 20% of the position, most of it is funded from the state allocation.
Wegleitner asks if the position is not authorized, what happens?
Tessman says they have enormous backlogs in this function. A lot of it is driven based off of automated data exchanges that we are obligated under state statutes under contract with Department of Health Services to try to recoup and there are lots of those over-payments or flags that take time to evaluate, we have to do our due diligence, to make sure people get a fair shot at explaining what might have transpired. The backlogs will continue to grow and essentially they are not maximizing the revenue they have, that was given to them but the legislature that was intended for this purpose.
Wegleitner asks if it would be fair to say that this covers a broad range of activities and only a small percentage is actual fraud?
Tessman says “absolutely” – that is true. Fraud has a negative connotation that allies that it is intentional and that is not true for the vast majority of the over-payments that we process. It’s complex ___, complex programs and that has a connotation.
Wegleitner asks to explain the process that this position goes through once the state flags the system. Can you explain their function in terms of is it generating notices, is it meeting with the individual people? What role does this person play in deciding whether fraud has occurred or what action the department is taking in response to the alert in the system of a potential overpayment of benefits.
Tessman says this function would first review the case record. Not all the automated state alerts are executed with perfection. First there is a case review, to make sure the flag was generated appropriately, then the staff person would draft a letter to the participant, indicating this is what our records shared with us, if you have additional information or material or want to call us and discuss this, there is a phone number provided. There is an opportunity for interaction and if that is not responded to, then there would be a formal notice issued notifying the participant of the overpayment that would then have all the appeal rights on that notice.
Wegleitner asks if anyone else is doing this right now?
Tessman says there is an existing team of people that do this work right now.
Wegleitner says that she is voting against the authorization of this position. While she appreciates that this is a duty of the department under state programs, that may be federally funded, she also feels like there is a large myth and negative connotation as Director Tessman said related to public benefits and people that utilize them. She says having more staff issuing more notices and looking at more of the cases means more people are going to be potentially losing benefits or having reductions in benefits without actually having a full understanding or the opportunity to get representation from an attorney or talk to another advocate and these are detailed regulations and policy manuals and obligations related to reporting and in her experience working in other types of benefits programs, in the housing world, often over-payment occur because of misunderstandings – sometimes there are honest mistakes, sometimes there is a mistake on the part of a department and she doesn’t think this should be a priority for us right now and the ultimate impact of this is that more people are losing benefits without having adequate access to council and a process which will impact their ability to meet their basic needs.
She asks if there is anyone besides Wegleitner that would like to vote no. She is joined by Richard Kilmer. No one else indicates in the chat that they want to be no votes.
2/3rd VOTE, HEALTH DEPARTMENT FEES
There is a substitute resolution on this item.
Miles moves, Doyle seconds. Miles says Erickson left.
There is no discussion. They record it as passing unanimously with no objections.
SMALL BUSINESS ASSISTANCE GRANT PROGRAM
They already voted on this above, but Eicher calls for it again. County clerk says it was covered in the earlier motion.
Weglietner says she missed it earlier and she would like to be recorded as abstaining and recusing herself from this matter.
Clerk says if there is no objection, he can note that. Eicher asks if there is an objection – there is none.
GOING BACK TO HEALTH DEPARTMENT FEES
Eicher says this is the last meeting for several folks.
Miles goes back to RES 574 – he says they passed the substitute, did that amend what was before them, so do they need to take action on 574 as amended.
Eicher says yes.
They go back to it, she says if there is no objection it will pass unanimously.
NOW THE FAREWELL
Eicher says this was a weird term and there was a lot of change and she was not expecting anything to be like this with the number of changes they have had to the fact that we wouldn’t actually be getting to do this meeting in person. She wishes they could be celebrating the service of this county board in person tonight. We had planned a number of things to make sure that we were able to celebrate the work that we did, this group of supervisors, as much as it has changed from when some of us were elected in 2018, we accomplished a lot and we did a lot of really good things. Two incredible budgets, a lot of other individual pieces of legislation and growth that we have done as a board, that this group did. We have so much to be proud of and she is so grateful that she got to do this with all of you and she wishes they could be together tonight in the county board chambers and not together but separate in our home offices across Dane County.
She calls on the supervisors leaving in alphabetical order if they wish to give remarks to the county board. If they don’t, that is also ok. She says if Supervisor Kun and her are any indication, you can always come back to the county board. Cuz I know how much so many of us care about the incredible work they do at Dane County. She thanks them and says it has been an absolute honor and privilege to serve with this group of what was at one point, 37 incredible people.
Tanya Buckingham – Says thanks to everyone who has been a mentor and who has helped over the last two years, it has been an incredible journey.
Bill Clausius – Thanks them, made good friends in past 10 years. Had a satisfying run on the county board, thanks staff. Says will see them and talk to them in the future, take care and farewell.
Kelly Danner says if the county board has taught her anything in this environment is that at least at the local level the power really does rest with the people and residents of Dane County. Thank you for letting me serve with all of you.
Nikki Jones says that it never crossed her mind to serve the area she lived. If it wasn’t for Abigail Wiest moving out of the district, she’s not sure what characteristic she saw in her, but it has been a great honor. She is crying and the audio seems to be breaking up. She says contemporaneously women across the county stepped up and out of the shadows in to change their neighborhoods and their futures and their country and she was privileged to be swept up in the wave representing District 28 and going door to door meeting people. It helped her realize the needs of rural Dane County – rural broadband, aging in place, updating the rural Dane County Zoning law and preserving our land and the bucolic beauty that makes Wisconsin special. Those are the areas she worked on to support people she represented. To those who are staying and those who are new, keep fighting for what is right and doing the great work that you do. To staff, you are heroes. To chair Corrigan and Eicher thank you for being great leaders and to her family thank you for you support and putting up with my funny dinner conversations about mineral extractions rights and on and on. She will miss her new forever friends and colleagues, but until we meet again.
Jason Knoll thanks them for the opportunity to work along side them, the mentoring and thanks to the staff and ZLR committee staff who were always willing to answer his questions.
Jamie Kuhn she says the first budget as chair of Health and Human Services (Needs?) Committee and how we go through the process and work on the things we care about and are thoughtful about it and move as quickly as we can. We talked about how easy and how quickly things can change. That is something to remember, times will always change and they will change quickly. It’s important to be kind, be flexible and recognize we are all very fortunate to be able to serve. I love you all, its been a wonderful experience and she if very sad to be leaving the board. Thanks the staff, especially Lauren for answering her questions sometimes at midnight. And she impolres us to remember at the end of the day there are so many people out there who lead different lives than we do and our job is to remember all of those folks.
Eicher says that one benefit of a virtual meeting is you can’t see me crying, I wish we were all in the same room together.
Nelson says what a dystopian way to leave the board. It certainly wasn’t what he envisioned just a month ago. 7 years ago being a county board supervisor wasn’t on his radar, it never came to mind until his wife, Joanne Richard, and he were out with Dianne Hesselbein and her husband at Capital Brewery Beer Garden and Dianne turned to him and said, Paul, you should run for my county board seat. At first I didn’t know what to say, and finally I just said, lets talk about it. Dianne was a wonderful mentor, gave me background and confidence to move forward. He thanks his wife, who knows a thing or two about how government works. Thanks board members for hard work, collegiality, friendship and hopes they keep in touch (metaphorically speaking of course) and he hopes its not too long before we can get together again and have a delayed celebration of what was a very unusual term. It almost feels like the 3rd term was as long asand more eventful than the 1st four years. To people staying on the board you have huge challenges in front of you, he won’t be there on the floor but will be with you in spirit and will keep tabs on what is going on. He knows there will be more hard work and you have his total support with that.
Huong Nguyen-Hilfiger thanks everyone for dedication to improving your communities and Dane County, when her family and her emigrated her over 20 years ago we were supported by leaders like you and the programs that the board and departments work so hard to offer. It’s been such an honor to give back. It’s been a tremendous learning experience, thanks for your mentorship and friendship and hopes they can keep in touch.
Bob Salov says its been a good experience and hopes he contributed. Things he’s proud of and some things he would still like to accomplish. He says you know how hard they worked on the regionalization of the EMS system. He thanks the staff. He’s proud of the Criminal Justice Council – it came to a vote 4 times and didn’t pass. He’s proud of the work of all the constitutional officers. He’s proud of the library funding. He thanks the staff for helping where he didn’t have the expertise like the Dunkirk Dam Lake District. Staff helped him get the damn rebuilt and fuctioning as a hydroelectric producer. He asks that they visit the rural areas. Our parks are well managed. Visit us out here, we’re just as viable as the large municipalities. The COVID-19 has now affected 50% of the people in the rural areas, 50% in the city. He thanks staff again – helping him to focus on what could be done. Many are small things – testing a ditch where there is water accumluating, weeds in the right of ways, etc. He thanks the folks in the district, maybe not all of them, but a large majority of them, appreciate the services of Dane County. He introduces his “bride” Gloria and she and his 5 children have all put up with this for 24 years. He represents 9 municipalities, and of course I didn’t go to all of their meetings, but I loved going to their monthly or bi-monthly meetings and hearing about the things they need help with. He is so proud of his relationships with them. He’s been given a good farewell and has been invited to engage with them on the Christmas parties and so forth. Thanks everyone. Proud to serve with you. Good luck to the person who takes my place, two excellent candidates running a good campaign and he wishes the winner the best of the best and he’s sure either one will carry on the work he has done. Farewell and he hopes they engage each other in some future endeavor.
Hayley Young says when she was first elected, she was just out of college, she had no real world experience and she didn’t know what she wanted to be when she became “grown up”. Serving on the board for the last 4 years has been an honor, her decision to go to graduate school and her pursuits have been deeply influenced by serving on the county board and it will continue for the rest of her life. Public service is where she belongs. She does not plan on going far. She will still be in Madison and will miss seeing your faces every other Thursday. She says staff are amazing, we’re going through unprecedented and strange times and they would not be able to do it without county staff.
Eicher asks if there are other comments, drop yourself in the chat if you want to speak. She says thank you to the collegues leaving them, thanks them for their service. It’s been an honor and privilege to serve with you and you will be missed greatly.
No other business the county board is authorized to conduct by law. They move adjournment.
