Votes at a glance: Chippewa County Board approves staff positions, DA secretary and nonmetallic-mining ordinance

The Chippewa County Board took a series of votes on Aug. 12 on personnel additions, an ordinance second reading and administrator appointments. The actions below were taken during the regular meeting; most items were forwarded by the executive committee.

Votes at a glance

- Resolution 28-25 (create one full-time social worker in DHS/CLTS): Approved, ayes 17, nays 1. The resolution creates a full-time social worker position in the county Department of Human Services for the Children’s Long-Term Support (CLTS) program, to be funded by Medicaid revenue generated by the position. The resolution notes that if state or federal support is not available or is substantially reduced, the position will not be filled or may be eliminated by the county administrator. An amendment proposed to change the phrase “may be eliminated” to “will be eliminated” failed on a 5–13 vote; the resolution then passed as originally written.

- Resolution 29-25 (create one part-time elder benefit specialist in DHS/ADRC): Approved, ayes 17, nays 1. The part-time (1,500-hour) position is intended to expand elder-benefit assistance in the Aging and Disability Resource Division and is expected to be funded by an anticipated increase in the ADRC base grant and federal Medicaid-match dollars. The resolution includes the same contingency language that the position may not be filled or could be eliminated if state or federal support is not available.

- Resolution 30-25 (create a part-time legal secretary in the District Attorney’s office): Approved, ayes 16, nays 2. The board voted to create the position; staff said levy dollars already included in the DA’s budget would fund the role and the position is not a new levy ask.

- Ordinance 6-25 (second reading; amend Chapter 30, Article 2 of the code regarding nonmetallic mining): Approved at second reading (committee vote reported as unanimous 8–0 during the meeting). Project engineer for LCM Film attended the second reading and answered questions; the board approved the second reading without further amendment.

- County board chair appointment (District 5 supervisor): Dennis Bachman appointed and sworn in; appointment approved by vote, ayes 17, nays 1. Bachman briefly introduced himself to the board after the appointment.

- County administrator appointments: Highway Commissioner (Chris Elstrand) approved, vote 18–0; Health and Human Services Board appointment approved unanimously.

What the votes mean and funding notes

The social-worker and elder-benefit positions are described by staff as demand-driven requests tied to caseload increases and demographic shifts. The CLTS social-worker role is to be funded by Medicaid billings generated by the position; the ADRC elder-benefit specialist is expected to be supported by an anticipated increase in the ADRC base grant plus federal Medicaid match funds. Both resolutions include contingency language that the county administrator may eliminate the position if funding is reduced or unavailable.

The board debated the CLTS-position contingency language: one supervisor sought to replace “may be eliminated” with the stronger “will be eliminated” to remove discretion from the administrator; that motion failed and the resolution passed as written.

Administrative appointments approved were routine and accompanied by short introductions or staff remarks; the highway commissioner appointment drew unanimous support.

Items not voted or held for further action

Several policy revisions and facility-use changes (including concealed-carry and HR handbook housekeeping language, care-navigation/preferred-provider incentives and a pets-in-the-workplace update) were introduced as first readings and were not voted on at the meeting; staff said those are housekeeping or first-reading matters that will return to the board.