Sawyer County committee approves minutes, confirms administrator and allows six-month dual role trial

Sawyer County administration committee members approved several routine and personnel actions at their meeting, including confirming Mike Markran as county administrator and authorizing him to retain the county finance director duties for a six-month trial period.

The actions bundle matters the committee handled quickly but that carry administrative consequences: approval of three sets of meeting minutes, confirmation of the county administrator candidate, appointment of a county representative to the Northwest Regional Economic Development Fund Administrative Committee, and formal approval for the administrator to continue as finance director with a six-month review in December.

The committee approved the draft minutes for May 8, the administrative meeting minutes for May (date not specified in the packet), and the minutes from May 20 by voice vote with no recorded roll-call tallies.

The committee then voted to confirm Mike Markran as county administrator. The motion to confirm was made by Stacy Hessel and seconded by Ron Buckholtz; the committee approved the confirmation by voice vote.

The committee also appointed Markran to represent Sawyer County on the Northwest Regional Economic Development Fund Administrative Committee. The motion to appoint was made by Miss Cecil and seconded by John Regheimer; the committee approved the appointment by voice vote. Markran indicated he would be willing to serve.

After discussion about workload and oversight, the committee approved a motion to allow Markran to continue as finance director while serving as county administrator, with the arrangement to be reviewed by the committee in six months (December). The motion as recorded: the committee accepted "Mike Markran as the county finance director in the dual role of finance director and county administrator, for 6 months to be reviewed in December by this committee." Markran stated he was "willing to take on the role of administrator, continue the role of finance director at the pay negotiated for the administrator role." The motion carried by voice vote.

The motions passed by voice vote during the meeting; no roll-call vote counts were recorded in the committee transcript provided. The dual-role arrangement and the confirmation will proceed to the full board for final action where required.

Votes at a glance

- Approve minutes (May 8): approved by voice vote. Motion presented by Stacy Hessel. (See provenance.)

- Approve minutes (administrative meeting — May, packet): approved by voice vote. Motion presented by Ron Buckholtz. (See provenance.)

- Approve minutes (May 20): approved by voice vote. Motion presented by John Regheimer / second by Stacy Hessel. (See provenance.)

- Confirm county administrator — Mike Markran: motion by Stacy Hessel; second by Ron Buckholtz. Outcome: approved by voice vote; goes to full board as required.

- Appoint county representative to Northwest Regional Economic Development Fund Administrative Committee — Mike Markran: motion by Miss Cecil; second by John Regheimer. Outcome: approved by voice vote.

- Authorize dual role (county administrator and finance director) for six months with committee review in December: motion by Stacy Hessel; second by Ron Buckholtz. Outcome: approved by voice vote.

The committee recorded no detailed roll-call tallies in the transcript for these items; minutes and the full-board packet will reflect any formal recorded votes required by county policy. The committee chair and staff indicated they will send the administrator confirmation and related items to the full board for final action.