Executive committee amends Chapter 2 rules of the board; seating change and HHS voting clarified

The Dunn County Executive Committee on June 11, 2025, approved an amendment to Chapter 2 of the county rules of the board and forwarded a resolution updating committee appendices to the full County Board.

Corp. Counsel Jim (corporation counsel) explained three narrow changes since the last draft: a staff recommendation about seating arrangements in section 2.09; restoring the executive committee to the appendices; and adding a statutory reference that clarifies when votes taken in a committee must be counted only among elected county-board members. Jim described the intent as aligning the county’s rules with state statute and administrative practice.

Supervisor Kinnear said the seating-change language was intended to promote relationship-building among board members by allowing the chair discretion to reconfigure seating over time. As Kinnear explained, the change is “not an earth shattering” revision but could help new boards mix membership to foster relationships. Several supervisors supported restoring the executive committee language in the appendices and the statutory reference.

Supervisor Morehouse objected strongly to limiting vote-counting authority in Health and Human Services for certain items, arguing that citizen (non-board) members of the Health and Human Services Board often have more subject-matter knowledge—particularly on veterans’ services—and that excluding their votes may complicate committee work and undermine local expertise. Counsel and other supervisors responded that the change was intended to bring the county’s rules into alignment with the interpretation of state statute and to avoid procedural ambiguity or legal challenge.

The committee adopted the ordinance changes and moved the appendices update forward. Committee members asked that the resolution carrying the appendices be presented to the County Board in a manner that the board could postpone the appendix vote until the companion ordinance completes its first and second readings; staff advised bringing the appendices as a resolution timed to follow the ordinance so the two items remain coordinated.

Supervisor Kinnear moved to adopt the ordinance amendment; Supervisor Hedlund seconded. The motion passed by voice vote. The related resolution updating the appendices was also approved and will be presented to the County Board for final action, with staff planning that the board postpone the appendix vote to align with the ordinance process.