Richland County board adopts multiple zoning, personnel and finance measures; appointments confirmed

The Richland County Board of Supervisors on a July 2025 meeting approved a bundle of ordinances and resolutions covering zoning changes, appointments, county personnel policy updates, capital borrowing, and service contracts.

The board adopted several rezoning ordinances affecting small parcels in Ridgewood, Richwood, Dayton and Westford and approved a town-initiated rezoning for 10.9 acres in the Town of Ithaca under Wisconsin Stat. § 60.623. The board confirmed appointments to county bodies, including Randy Spoonover to the campus reconfiguration committee and short-term appointments in emergency services. It also approved a new pharmacy provider for Pine Valley Community Village, changes to the personnel handbook (sick leave, vacation accruals and a wage-scale step), a short-term borrowing authorization for capital improvements, and other administrative resolutions.

Votes at a glance (items and outcomes)

- Appointment: Randy Spoonover to the campus reconfiguration committee. Motion carried (motion: Manning; second: Gil). Evidence: agenda item 9. - Appointment: Barbara Scott as emergency services director (three-month commitment). Motion carried (mover: Cooley; second: Severson). Evidence: agenda item 10. - Appointment: John Heinen as interim emergency management director through Dec. 31, 2025. Motion carried (mover: Severson; second: Cosgrove). Evidence: agenda item 11. - Ordinance 25-13 (amendment 624): Rezoning ~6.23-acre parcel in Town of Ridgewood from Ag Forestry to Ag Residential — adopted. (mover: Manning; second: Cooley). Evidence: agenda item 12. - Ordinance 25-14 (amendment 625): Rezoning 2.3633-acre parcel in Town of Richwood to Residential — adopted. (mover: Schoonover; second: Cooley). Evidence: agenda item 13. - Ordinance 25-15 (amendment 626): Rezoning ~6.9-acre parcel in Town of Dayton to Residential — adopted. (mover: Manning; second: Cosgrove). Evidence: agenda item 14. - Ordinance 25-16 (amendment 627): Rezoning 0.6-acre parcel in Town of Westford from Residential to Ag/Forestry — adopted. (mover: Bakke; second: Kramer). Evidence: agenda item 15. - Resolution 25-51: County approval of Town of Ithaca rezoning (10.9 acres from Farmland Preservation to Residential) under Wisconsin §60.623 — adopted (mover: Severson; second: Kramer). Evidence: agenda item 18. - Resolution 25-52: Approve HealthDirect as pharmacy provider for Pine Valley Community Village — adopted (mover: McKee; second: Cosgrove). Evidence: agenda item 21. - Resolution 25-53: Approve changes to sick leave, vacation accrual and wage-scale language in county personnel handbook (effective 04/21/2025 for departments except Pine Valley effective Sept. 1) — adopted (mover: Cooley; second: Williamson). Evidence: agenda item 22. - Resolution 25-54: Approve 2026 Capital Improvement Plan and authorize administrator to initiate short-term borrowing (approx. $1,064,000 requested for multiple projects) — adopted (mover: Manning; second: McKee). Evidence: agenda item 23. - Resolution 25-55: Delegate authority under Wisconsin Statute 48.09 to corporation counsel for enumerated juvenile matters — adopted (mover: McKee; second: Gill). Evidence: agenda item 24. - Resolution (employee assistance program): Approve implementation of an employee assistance program effective Aug. 1 (county to pay ~ $2.58 per employee per month; pro-rated through year-end) — adopted (mover: Cosgrove; second: Bridal). Evidence: agenda item 25. - Resolution: Approve sale of platinum items recovered from campus property; proceeds to fund 32 (campus) — adopted (mover: Kramer; second: Manning). Evidence: agenda item 26. - Ordinance 25-17 (payments/coins): Adopt ordinance authorizing departments to refuse payment in impractical coin or contaminated currency — adopted (mover: Veil; second: Cooley). Evidence: agenda item 27. - Ordinance 25-18 (underpayments/overpayments): Adopt rounding threshold and administrative rules on small under/overpayments (adopted; mover: Williamson; second: Cooley). Evidence: agenda item 28. - Ordinance 25-19 (dishonored checks): Adopt post-payment fee for dishonored checks and provide departments authority to assess administrative fee (adopted; mover: Manek; second: Kramer). Evidence: agenda item 29. - Resolution 25-58: Free admission to the Richland County Fairgrounds for the annual county fair (grandstand events still charged) — adopted (mover: Kramer; second: Cosgrove). Evidence: agenda item 30 (labeled 30/31 in packet). - Resolution 25-59: Pay grooming and maintenance bills to local snowmobile clubs from 2024-25 snowmobile maintenance grant (DNR funds) — adopted (mover: Manning; second: Severson). Evidence: agenda item 31.

What the votes mean: Most approvals were routine governance matters — parcel rezones for small residential splits, short-term staffing appointments to cover transitions in emergency services, vendor/provider approvals (pharmacy, EAP), and housekeeping changes to personnel policy and financial procedures. Several votes authorize short-term borrowing or delegate legal authority necessary for specific county functions.

Sources and provenance: Each item above is recorded on the board agenda and appears in the meeting transcript at the locations noted in the evidence lines. Excerpts from the transcript where each item was introduced and where the board completed the vote are retained as provenance for audit (see transcript segments).