Sparks fly as county considers administrative overhaul

Tensions were high at the Taylor County courthouse on March 21 as the members of the committee charged with recommending changes in the county’s day-to-day administration butted heads for nearly a hour and a half.

The agenda for the meeting was short, with the main order of business being to “prepare a packet to present to the county board regarding administrative structure in Taylor County.”

That didn’t happen. It will now be at least June before the members of the full county board will get their turn to dissect, discuss and debate the pros and cons of an administrator versus administrative coordinator and fulltime positions versus having those positions paired with other functions.

Taylor County has historically operated under a loose administrative structure with little in the way of formal centralized oversight. This has left the department heads and their various oversight committees to run day-to-day operations under general policies set down by the county board.

While the human resources director has also held the title of administrative coordinator, the position has little in the way of formal authority over departments and their staff.

As with most things, it works until it does not. There is a belief among some on the county board that a more formalized approach to day-to-day oversight of departments and staff could prevent missteps from occurring in the future and have the county avoid some of the high profile issues that it has been faced with in recent years such as past personnel issues in the Veterans See COUNTY on page 4 Service Office.

This belief impacted the county’s strategic planning process and led to the creation earlier this year of a special committee to look into administrative options and bring a recommendation back to the full county board. Friday was the committee’s third time meeting. They are being helped in the process by representatives from the Wisconsin County’s Association. Between meetings, the members have had homework in the form of reviewing job descriptions from administrative positions in other counties and reviewing the pros and cons of the different models.

Last week’s meeting started contentiously with members Lorie Floyd and Bud Suckow aggressively questioning why they were not hearing from other counties like they had expected to be at the meeting.

“We are doing this in a bubble,” Floyd said, of the need to look at and hear from how other counties have handled changes in day-to-day administration.

“We really don’t know any more than where we started,” Suckow said.

Committee member Chuck Zenner disagreed, saying that he felt the committee had ruled out going with an elected county executive and that he felt they were leaning toward an administrative coordinator/human resources model with a strong job description such as the one from Shawano County. “That was my interpretation,” Zenner said.

“It would have been good to talk to other counties,” Floyd said, stating she feels the administrative coordinator should be a full time position.

“I think we need to take it slowly,” Zenner said, highlighting a process of giving more authority to the position rather than dumping a long list on the person in the position all at once.

Suckow noted that he has talked with county board members in Rusk and Trempealeau Counties and the issues there have been with county board members wanting to run things. “Whatever we decide the county board has to work with it and still not micromanage it,” he said.

“I don’t know where the disconnect is,” Floyd said. She expressed frustration that things would apparently go on as they have been.

“You made it clear to me that you don’t want it to happen,” Floyd said, directing her comments at county board chairman Jim Metz who chairs the special committee. “If we are going to do it, we need to do it right,” she said.

“I think we are beating a dead horse,” Zenner said.

Committee member Scott Mildbrand said he thinks the committee is ready to bring it to the county board to see what they like better, an administrator or an administrative coordinator.

“I think we have to talk to other counties who have done this recently,” Floyd said, a point she made multiple times throughout the meeting.

She said the discussion needs to be whether it is a dual position with human resources and coordinator or with a fulltime coordinator. She said based on the responsibilities it is a full time job.

Zenner said he is not in favor of a full time position. “I think we have the right people in place,” he said, advocating for starting small and expanding as things go to bring in additional help for the human resources department as needed.

“I think we are not ready to take this to the county board in April,” Floyd said. “We need to talk to other counties and bring other counties in to talk to the county board,” she said.

Mildbrand questioned if it is a decision that should be made by just the county board or if something of this magnitude should go to the voters in a referendum. He noted that nine people can completely change a system of government. “Does that give you pause, because it does me,” he said.

He said the U.S. is based on representative democracy. “I fully realize it gets messy and slow,” he said, but he said that he thinks if the county will be changing drastically, the voters should have a say in it.

“How do you think switching over to a person in charge will actually affect the taxpayer?” Floyd asked.

Committee members have questioned how adding a dedicated full-time position would fit within the already-tight county budget.

Mildbrand said the board is looking “To completely undo a system the county has been operating under, I think fairly successfully.”

“I don’t think it is successful,” Floyd responded.

Zenner suggested they could schedule a meeting to have people from some of the counties but suggested keeping the number small to be more manageable.

County board member Mike Bub cautioned about paralysis by analysis where people study and talk about a problem without ever making a decision.

“Pretty soon you spend multiple years and you didn’t decide a thing,” Bub said. He expressed concern that it appears like the county “is backing up the bus again.” He noted that he has been watching the issue for more than a year and half.

“If you want something to get done, you have to get started,” Bub said.

Floyd objected. “We have only met three times, maybe four. Why are we rushing this?” she asked.

“People have been talking about this topic for longer than three months,” Bub replied.

At several points through the meeting, tensions came through. After Suckow made a statement referring to something Metz said outside a meeting, Metz replied, “I won’t call you a liar, I have more respect for you than that.”

Metz went on to state that he told Suckow the committee was working to either have a coordinator or administrator.

At multiple times in the meeting Zenner urged committee members to remember to be civil to each other. “We have to stop with the accusations,” he said.

In the end, the committee asked for the WCA to coordinate getting people from counties that have made the changes in administrative organization to come and talk to the committee.

“It is an important decision. We have to understand what we need to learn and what our role is,” Floyd said of why she felt it was necessary to talk with counties who have gone through the process.

County board member Catherine Lemke asked about giving more job responsibilities to human resources director/administrative coordinator Nicole Hager now rather than waiting. “Why are we putting it on the back burner?” Lemke asked.

Mildbrand said the county has given her more authority. Zenner noted that the county could not expect to give Hager more work without getting paid for it.

While at times the meeting discussion grew tense, the meeting ended on a positive tone.

“If we all settle down and work together, we will get it done,” Metz said.

The Taylor County Literacy Council in collaboration with Broadway Theatre presented a check to the Taylor County K9 Unit. Each month, the partnership hosts a Family Movie and Book event with 10% of concessions going to a different cause. In February they presented the movie Dog Man and children and families received a book, coloring book, and met Sheriff K9 Odie. MANDEE ELLIS/THE STAR NEWS