Resident urges Rock County to post legal notices on county website
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Summary
A Janesville resident asked supervisors to add required legal notices to the county website so residents could access them without subscribing to local newspapers.
Dennis Hilgendorf, a Rock County resident, asked the Board of Supervisors to publish required legal notices on the Rock County website in addition to the newspapers the county already uses.
Why it matters: Hilgendorf said current practice requires readers to purchase newspaper subscriptions to see legal notices and that posting notices on the county website would increase public access and transparency.
What was said: Hilgendorf told the board that the county currently publishes required legal notices in two newspapers and described the pattern he understands: the Janesville Gazette in even years and the Beloit Daily News in odd years. He asked the board to add a clearly labeled link on the county website. He provided supervisors a sample layout and said the online link would make notices “easy and in a timely manner” to find on desktop and mobile devices.
Board response and status: The transcript records Hilgendorf’s request during the public-comment period and shows no formal motion or vote to change publication practice during the meeting. No staff commitment or specific timetable for implementation was announced on the record.
Ending: Hilgendorf’s request was part of a broader public-comment segment that included multiple speakers on other topics. Any change to the county’s official publication practice (including legal requirements) would need formal action and should be reflected in minutes or a staff memo if adopted.
