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Resident presses county for transparency on closed sessions, attorney hires and speaker‑form options
Summary
A resident told supervisors she received no response to questions about an executive session on voting equipment, asked when the county hired outside counsel Mick Rusing for $20,000, and requested the county add a speaker‑form option allowing position statements without attending meetings.
During the board's public comment period Allison Wirce raised several transparency and procedural concerns, asking the board to clarify past executive session topics, the timing and purpose of hiring outside counsel, and the county's speaker request form.
Wirce said she had emailed County Attorney Lori Zuko after concerns about the June 19 executive session related to voting equipment but had received no reply. She said a 14‑page document titled "TC handout" appeared on the county website only recently and asked why it was not posted earlier.
She also asked about the county's payment of $20,000 to attorney Mick Rusing. "When the board hired Mick Rusing for $20,000 the check was written to him on May 1, which was over 2 months before his letter to ACIP was made public on July 10," she said. Wirce asked whether the $20,000 payment was intended to pay for Rusing's letter to ACIP and for potential litigation. She contrasted that with a prior engagement for other election‑related counsel in 2022, which she said was discussed and posted publicly.
Finally, Wirce asked the board to add a third option to the bottom of the speaker request form so residents may register support or opposition to an agenda item without attending the meeting; she noted Planning & Zoning uses that option and suggested it would help people who cannot attend due to work, medical or family commitments.
The board acknowledged the comments; the transcript shows no immediate staff response or board vote on Wirce's requests. Wirce said she provided her suggested form language to staff and asked for the hiring documentation for Mr. Rusing be made public if available.
