Sawyer County committee approves PAA contract to assist administrator search after closed session

The Sawyer County Administrative Committee voted March 1 to authorize a contract with Public Administrative Associates (PAA) to help locate and screen applicants for the county administrator position. The committee entered closed session to discuss negotiating strategy and returned to open session to approve referring the contract to the full county board.

The committee convened a closed session under Wisconsin Statutes § 19.85 to discuss “deliberately negotiated purchase of public properties, the investment of public funds, or conducting a specific public business whenever competitive or bargaining reasons require the closed session,” specifically to negotiate terms for the PAA contract. After reconvening, a motion to approve PAA and to help with administrator applicants passed and was referred to the county board for final action.

County Administrator Andy Alvarado informed the committee earlier in the meeting that he submitted a written resignation and plans to begin a new position in Chippewa County April 28, with an intended last day in Sawyer County of April 24. The committee said it would use PAA to assist in recruiting his replacement and discussed using the administrative committee rather than forming a separate ad hoc panel to speed the search.

Committee members directed that the contract be forwarded to the county board; no wage terms were set at the committee level. The motion in open session passed on a voice vote; the minutes record the motion’s passage with “Aye” and the chair forwarded the contract to the full board.

The committee authorized the chair to proceed with the next steps, and the matter will appear on the county board agenda for final approval.