Richland County board approves rezones, staffing changes, union MOU, budget amendments and legal waiver

The Richland County Board of Supervisors approved a package of ordinances and resolutions at its November meeting addressing land use, personnel, labor agreements, budgets and legal representation.

Land-use actions: The board adopted three rezoning ordinances offered by the Natural Resources Standing Committee that convert small, legal nonconforming parcels to residential or agricultural-residential status: an 8.04-acre parcel in Westford (Ordinance 2523, amendment 631), a 14-acre parcel in the town of Marshall (Ordinance 2532, amendment 632), and a 4-acre parcel in Westford (Ordinance 2525, amendment 633). Each measure was moved, seconded and adopted by voice vote.

Personnel and job descriptions: The board approved six updated or new job descriptions for 2026, including converting several contracted positions to county positions and creating a radio tower technician to maintain recent tower investments. During debate members adopted an amendment to remove the emergency-management job’s fire officer certification requirement before approving the full package.

Labor agreement and employee benefits: The board approved an MOU amending the collective bargaining agreement with the Richland County Deputy Sheriffs Association to add paid holidays (the day after Thanksgiving and Good Friday) and to revise sick-leave accrual language for 8- and 12-hour employees.

Budget and fee items: The board approved budget amendments that clarify previously made transfers (including moving $5,006.25 from the parks fund to the ambulance fund and similar Pine Valley adjustments) and adopted fee-schedule revisions to remove improperly set open-records fees and to conform fees to Wisconsin public records law.

Legal services waiver: The board approved a waiver that allows the county’s current law firm to continue representing the county in core matters but disqualifies the firm from representing the county in matters related to emergency medical services (the firm disclosed a potential conflict related to ambulance services). The county administrator was authorized to sign the waiver; the resolution passed with one recorded opposition noted in the transcript.

Closed session: Using the statutory authority cited in the meeting (transcript references state statute "9 85 (1)"), the board entered a unanimous closed session for a six-month performance review of the county administrator and later returned to open session with no action reported from the closed session.

Votes at a glance: - Ordinance 2523 (Parcel 030-3224-4000 rezoning): adopted (motion: McKee; second: Perry). - Ordinance 2532 (Parcel in Marshall; rezoning): adopted (motion: Manning; second: Carol). - Ordinance 2525 (Parcel 030-2742-1000 rezoning): adopted (motion: Carol; second: Scoot over). - Resolution 25-103 (WDNR lake monitoring grant authorization, up to $7,000): adopted (motion: Manning; second: McKee). - Opioid-settlement allocations for treatment court ($5,000 incentive; $17,000 conference): adopted. - Resolution (MOU with Deputy Sheriffs Association amending holidays/sick-leave): adopted (motion: Madding; second: Scoot over). - Resolution (rural functional classification changes): adopted. - Resolution 25-107 (2026 job descriptions, amended to remove fire-officer requirement): adopted (amendment moved and seconded; passed). - Resolution 25-108 (2026 budget amendments clarifying fund transfers): adopted. - Resolution 25-109 (waiver permitting law firm representation except ambulance matters): adopted (one opposition noted). - Resolution 2005-110 (fee schedule amendments for public-records compliance): adopted.

The board adjourned after handling correspondence and future-agenda items including concerns about possible rural post office closures and campus building disposition.