Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Intergovernmental Relations topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
County approves second five-year MOU with DNR for shared wildlife crew and hires former DNR biologist
Summary
Dane County accepted a DNR-funded contribution and renewed a five‑year memorandum of understanding to maintain a shared wildlife LTE crew paid roughly 50% by the DNR and 50% by the county.
The Dane County Parks Commission accepted funds and continued a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to fund a shared wildlife and natural-resources LTE crew on a 50/50 basis.
A county staff presenter said the arrangement — now entering a second five-year term — funds joint hiring where each organization contributes approximately half of employee wages. The county serves as the primary employer and pays employees’ hours; the DNR provides reimbursement for its share. Staff said shared weeks on county properties and DNR properties give LTEs broader experience and create staffing capacity, particularly during prescribed burn season.
“Each of us funds each employee at 50%. They work a week within county parks, a week with the DNR,” a staff member summarized. The presenter and other participants described benefits including broader training, networking opportunities for early-career staff and operational capacity to conduct burns and field work.
Commissioners asked who hires the LTEs; staff said Dane County is the hiring entity for this shared crew. Questions about the background and makeup of the LTEs prompted the explanation that recruits include recent graduates, students and those with master's degrees.
The commission also introduced Andy, the county’s newly hired Natural Resources Manager, who had previously worked for the DNR and who described a long career in wildlife management and conservation programs. County staff said the deputy parks director position had been reclassified and the county recruited Andy from the DNR into the new manager role.
The resolution to accept DNR funds for the shared crew was moved and seconded during the meeting; no roll-call tally appears in the transcript excerpt.
