County staff to review commission term alignment after executive office discusses renewal process

Dane County Arts commissioners asked the county executive’s office to help realign commission term dates to avoid having more than half of the commission’s seats expire in the same year.

At the meeting, a staff liaison said Jennifer Schultz in the county executive’s office will check with county council on how term expiration dates can be realigned. Commissioners said the current process differs from past practice: renewals and new appointments must be forwarded to the county executive for final approval, and the county office will determine whether staggered terms can be implemented.

Committee members described a scenario in which several terms could expire at once next year, creating a risk that more than half the commissioners would be new simultaneously. The staff liaison said the county executive’s office understands the issue and will return with guidance about whether and how the expiration dates can be shifted.

The committee also reviewed the application and interview process for new nominees: if someone applies directly to the county executive, the executive office will forward that candidate to the commission for interview and a recommendation to the executive.

Next steps: staff will follow up with the county executive’s office and county council and report back to the commission before the 2026 appointment cycle.