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Executive Committee hears updates on finance recruitment, IT, leadership training and local projects
Summary
County leaders reviewed administrative priorities — staffing, recruitment and training — and heard updates on human services programs and local development projects, including a proposed data center in Beaver Dam and a 50‑year lease for the Juneau town square.
Dodge County’s Executive Committee received a series of administrative and project updates, including finance and IT recruitments, leadership training, human services program notes and an economic development brief.
Finance recruitment: County administration summarized a multistage search for a full‑time director of finance and administration. The county had reopened and revised the position after recent candidates withdrew; the administrator said the county will pursue direct outreach to qualified candidates and solicit proposals from recruitment firms. Supervisors urged that recruitment be prioritized, including possible engagement of an outside firm to determine competitive salary and candidate outreach. One supervisor noted the county has been without a full‑time finance director for more than two years and called the vacancy a top priority.
IT and leadership updates: The county has an interim IT director (Kevin Nikhilski) and reported more than 50 applications for the permanent IT director position; interviews were being scheduled. The county discussed the UW Extension/WCA Certified Public Manager (CPM) leadership program (often referred to as the WCA Leadership Academy); the program cost cited was $1,200 per participant and some supervisors recommended budgeting for two participants annually as an investment in succession and recruitment.
Human services and local projects: Human Services staff highlighted Calm Harbor, a regional crisis stabilization facility operated by Elevate, reporting an 86% diversion rate from emergency detention in 2024 (14% of crisis contacts resulted in an emergency detention). County staff also provided an update on a data center project in Beaver Dam (announced for a large site annexed into the city); public materials estimate roughly 100 jobs associated with the project, but the county noted most assessed value may be in installed computer equipment rather than building improvements. The county also reported the City of Juneau lease for a portion of the courthouse square has been finalized and circulated for signatures: a 50‑year lease, $1 per year, for a town‑square style plaza for events and downtown revitalization.
Why it matters: The finance and IT vacancies are key administrative priorities with near‑term consequences for operations. Leadership training and human services program capacity were presented as strategic investments. The Beaver Dam data center and the Juneau plaza lease may affect local economic development and property-use planning.
