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Wright County commissioners approve minutes, add gambling permit to consent agenda and swear in new attorney; multiple resolutions pass
Summary
At its April 1 meeting the Wright County Board of Commissioners voted on several routine items: approving minutes (3–1), adopting multiple consent items, swearing in newly appointed attorney Rena Field and passing resolutions including a corrected variance for State Park Road and a proclamation recognizing National Public Health Week.
The Wright County Board of Commissioners on Tuesday, April 1, approved the minutes from its March 18 meeting by a 3–1 vote, added a Rockford Masonic Lodge gambling-permit application to the consent agenda, swore in a newly appointed county attorney staff member and passed a series of routine resolutions.
The votes were largely procedural but included one recorded dissent. Commissioner Sheets moved to approve the March 18 minutes, with Commissioner Moyna seconding. Commissioner Dietrich said she would "like the minutes to be more robust so that we have more transparency and accountability. Therefore I'll be voting no." The motion passed 3–1.
The board unanimously approved the day's agenda after placing the Rockford Masonic Lodge nonprofit gambling-permit application on the consent agenda because the application "has all information" and needed timely authorization to occur that week.
The board then approved the consent agenda unanimously. Items placed on consent included the gambling-permit authorization under finance/taxpayer services (item number 4 on that consent list), and the health and human services consent agenda was approved unanimously later in the meeting.
Brian Lutz of the County Attorney's Office introduced the board to Rena Field, described by Lutz as the office's newest attorney. Lutz said Field "has been a lawyer for about 8 years" and that she will handle CHIPS-related cases as part of the civil division. The board voted unanimously to administer and approve Field's oath of office.
In other formal actions the board unanimously approved a corrected resolution requesting a variance on the vertical curve for State Park Road with Kurna Township; Mark Mattice, filling in for Chad, said the correction addressed missing words in the prior resolution and that the township had been waiting two years to begin the project. The board also unanimously approved a resolution declaring April 7–13 as National Public Health Week; Sarah of the county public health staff asked commissioners to support recognition of the week and invited them to a departmental event.
All items that received formal motions and roll-call or voice votes during the session are recorded in the meeting minutes and are summarized in the actions list below. The board recessed before a scheduled public hearing and later reconvened for that hearing (see separate article on the body-worn camera policy).
Votes at a glance
- Approval of March 18 meeting minutes: motion by Commissioner Sheets; second by Commissioner Moyna; outcome: passed 3–1 (yes: Commissioner Sheets, Commissioner Moyna, Commissioner Shane; no: Commissioner Dietrich).
- Approval of meeting agenda (including adding Rockford Masonic Lodge nonprofit gambling permit to consent): motion by Commissioner Moynihan; second by Commissioner Shane; outcome: passed unanimously.
- Consent agenda (general county business): motion by Commissioner Dietrich; second by Commissioner Moynihan; outcome: passed unanimously.
- Oath and appointment of Rena Field to County Attorney's Office: motion by Commissioner Shane; second by Commissioner Dietrich; outcome: passed unanimously.
- Health & Human Services consent agenda: motion by Commissioner Shane; second by Commissioner Moyna; outcome: passed unanimously.
- Resolution declaring April 7–13 National Public Health Week: motion by Commissioner Shane; second by Commissioner Dietrich; roll-call vote recorded as unanimous.
- Corrected resolution requesting variance for vertical curve on State Park Road (Kurna Township): motion by Commissioner Dietrich; second by Commissioner Moyna; outcome: passed unanimously.
Ending
Most actions were routine, procedural approvals and all items that required board votes were completed before the board recessed for a public hearing on a separate agenda item. The meeting record reflects one recorded dissent on the March 18 minutes and otherwise unanimous votes on the day’s motions.
