Kewaunee County board approves revised case‑manager job description and authorizes filling vacancies

Kewaunee County Board of Supervisors members on Jan. 6 approved revisions to the job description for a children’s long‑term support case manager that will allow candidates with an associate degree to be eligible and will list bilingual ability as desirable, and they authorized filling several county vacancies including one in the highway department left open by a recent employee death.

The change to the job description was presented during the personnel portion of the meeting. The board voted to adopt the edits after brief discussion; the motion passed with members indicating their approval by voice vote. The board later approved motions to refill vacant positions identified in the personnel report.

The job‑description revision replaces a strict requirement for a bachelor’s degree in a social‑work‑related field with language permitting an associate degree, while continuing to state that a bachelor’s degree is preferred. The presentation noted that much of the position training is provided after hire and that the county will research whether state credentialing will accept foreign credentials for applicants. The revision also adds that fluency in a language in addition to English is desirable.

Presenters said a line referring to the ability to maintain strict confidentiality was removed in one spot because the requirement already appears elsewhere in the document. Board members confirmed the change was intended as a cleanup and to reflect current program structure; the presenters said the role is no longer split between the children’s long‑term support program and the birth‑to‑three program as it once was.

Separately, County Administrator (name not specified in the transcript) told the board the county faces continued recruitment challenges in the sheriff’s office and related public‑safety positions. The administrator said the county has another round of interviews scheduled and hopes to fill several openings, but that hiring remains difficult and the county is ‘‘treading water’’ compared with previous months. The transcript identified one officer by name, Jared Thargent, when discussing internal movement and backfilling needs.

Board members were also notified of other upcoming committee activity, including meetings of a highway shop subcommittee, a ‘‘veil study’’ committee, and a broadband subcommittee. The county administrator opened the meeting by welcoming the board back for service in 2025 and noted several major projects are expected to move forward this year.

The meeting record also included an announcement that Jamie Faze, a long‑time highway department employee, died last week; speakers asked the board to keep the highway department in their thoughts.

Votes at a glance - Approval of agenda (with a correction): approved by voice vote; seconded by Baker (transcript). Tally not specified. - Approval of Dec. 2 minutes: motion by Poppy, second by Augustine; approved by voice vote. Tally not specified. - Approval of revisions to the children’s long‑term support case manager job description: motion to approve presented by board member (name not specified in the transcript) “as presented by Ed and Sherry,” seconded by Poppy (transcript); approved by voice vote. Tally not specified. - Authorization to fill listed county vacancies (including highway department opening): motion seconded by Lubanski (transcript); approved by voice vote. Tally not specified. - Adjournment: approved by voice vote. Tally not specified.

The board set its next meeting for Feb. 3 at 6 p.m., per the meeting record.