Dodge County’s executive committee on a voice vote ratified a declaration of a local state of emergency tied to tornadic weather that affected the county on May 15, 2025.

The move formalizes an earlier action by the county board chair and authorizes ongoing oversight: the resolution says the executive committee will review the emergency and determine when conditions have subsided. The county clerk will submit the signed declaration to the State of Wisconsin, per the resolution.

County staff said the declaration serves two purposes: to ratify the chair’s initial action on May 15 and to establish the formal process for monitoring and terminating the emergency. A staff member told the committee that the clerk drafted the resolution and that the executive committee will decide when to end the declaration.

Committee members noted state interest in the county’s recovery needs, especially for small businesses. A staff speaker said county contact Joe Maher has been in touch with the state and is expected to recommend a status update to the executive committee at its next meeting.

Supervisor Guchenberger moved to approve the resolution; Supervisor Johnson seconded. The committee voted “aye,” and the motion carried.

Human Services and Health staff were asked to appear at the next county board meeting to describe the department’s tornado response and recovery actions.

The committee did not set an automatic end date in the resolution; instead it assigned the executive committee responsibility to determine when emergency conditions have subsided and to terminate the declaration at that time.