Human Services committee unanimously confirms Rebecca Dutter as DHS director and approves three board appointments

The Kenosha County Human Services Committee unanimously approved a slate of personnel actions on June 2, including a vote to appoint Rebecca Dutter as Director of the Kenosha County Department of Human Services.

Ashley Lutterman introduced the resolution to appoint Rebecca Dutter. In remarks recorded in the meeting, Dutter said she worked for the county as a contracted employee from 1999 to 2015 and became a county employee in 2015. She said she served as director of the Division of Aging, Disability and Behavioral Health in 2020 and became assistant director in 2023. During discussion, Chairman Stocker asked how staff planned to address tick-borne disease and other communicable-disease concerns; Dutter offered to arrange for the communicable disease team to brief the committee at a future meeting.

Supervisor Knezz moved to approve Dutter's appointment; Supervisor Decker seconded. The motion passed unanimously.

The committee also approved three additional appointments by unanimous voice or vote: Supervisor Guida Brown to the Kenosha County Human Services Board; Andres Gama to the Kenosha County Human Services Board; and Dr. Joseph P. Barta to the Kenosha County Board of Health. Each appointment was moved, seconded and recorded as passing. The agenda item for Human Services programs — Division of Aging and Disability Services — was skipped due to time constraints. The meeting adjourned at 6:43 p.m.