Committee approves body-structure document changes on ADA membership, HHS/veterans voting and Land Conservation representation

The Rules and Strategic Planning Standing Committee voted on May 5 to forward several amendments to the county’s body-structure document for County Board action.

ADA committee membership: The committee recommended removing the automatic requirement that the County Board chair serve on the ADA compliance committee, replacing that seat with an additional supervisor. Committee members said the ADA committee meets infrequently and that removing the chair’s automatic assignment would avoid potential conflicts of interest if the committee must adjudicate a matter that would later come to the chair for broader board action.

HHS and Veterans: The committee approved language stating that veteran citizen appointees on the Health and Human Services and Veterans standing committee will not act on decisions that are matters of the local board of health. Committee members said the change responds to Department of Health guidance and the Wisconsin statute that limits local board-of-health membership to nine members; county counsel reviewed the approach and confirmed it would satisfy the membership limit while preserving veteran citizen participation on HHS matters that are not board-of-health decisions.

Land Conservation and FSA: The committee added a note to the body-structure document that, while state statute suggests an FSA representative on Land Conservation, federal guidance from FSA prevents an FSA employee or designee from serving in that capacity. The committee’s approach was to leave the seat recognized in the document but not fill it in practice to avoid conflict with federal code.

The committee voted to forward the recommended amendments to the County Board for formal adoption.

Ending

Staff will prepare the resolution language and updated body-structure document for County Board consideration at its next meeting.