Dane County  
Minutes - Final Unless Amended by  
Committee  
Executive Committee  
Consider:  
Who benefits? Who is burdened?  
Who does not have a voice at the table?  
How can policymakers mitigate unintended consequences?  
Thursday, May 5, 2022  
5:30 PM  
Virtual Meeting: See top of agenda for instructions on  
how to join the webinar or call in by phone.  
Interpreters must be requested in advance; please see the bottom of the agenda for more information.  
Los intérpretes deben solicitarse con anticipación; consulte el final de la agenda para obtener más  
información.  
Yuav tsuam tau thov txog cov neeg txhais lus hau ntej; thov saib hauv qab kawg ntawm qhov txheej  
txheem rau cov ntaub ntawv ntxiv.  
The May 5, 2022 Executive Committee meeting is being held remotely. The public can access the  
meeting either with the Zoom application or by telephone.  
To register for the meeting in Zoom, click the following link (after you fill out the registration form, the  
meeting link and access information will be emailed to you):  
https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_0y3ZZcMDSmmM10XFZYXoTw  
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.  
This link will be active until the end of the meeting.  
To join the meeting by phone, use one of the following three toll-free phone numbers:  
1-833-548-0276  
1-833-548-0282  
1-888-788-0099  
When prompted, enter the following Webinar Meeting ID: 984 6784 7926  
PROCESS TO PROVIDE PUBLIC COMMENT: ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WISHING TO  
REGISTER TO SPEAK ON/SUPPORT/OPPOSE AN AGENDA ITEM MUST REGISTER USING  
THE LINK ABOVE (even if you plan to attend using your phone).  
If you want to submit a written comment for this meeting, or send handouts for committee members,  
please send them to: MacKinnon@countyofdane.com with subject "Executive Committee meeting  
comment/handout".  
In order to testify (speak to provide public comment), you must be in attendance at the meeting via Zoom  
or phone; you will then be promoted to a panelist or unmuted and provided time to speak to the body  
when the item(s) comes up on the agenda.  
**Registrations to provide public comment will be accepted until 30 minutes prior to the beginning of the  
meeting.**  
If you join the meeting with Zoom, when the item you have registered for is before the board/committee,  
you will be promoted to a panelist. Once a panelist, you can turn on your webcam and you will be able  
to unmute yourself.  
A. Call To Order  
The meeting was called to order at 5:31 p.m. Also present: Supervisors Kigeya,  
Erickson, Huelsemann, Kiefer, Wright, Wegleitner, and Andrae; Staff present: Carlos  
Pabellon; Wesley Sparkman; Carrie Braxton; Kabura Mukasa; Greg Brockmeyer; Jeff  
Kostelic; Scott McDonell; Kristin Moala; Brian Standing; Erik Andersen; Derek Wallace;  
Neil Rainford; Karin Peterson-Thurlow, Lindsay Menard; Colleen Clark-Bernhardt; and  
Lisa MacKinnon.  
6 -  
Present:  
PATRICK MILES, MICHELE DOOLAN, ANTHONY GRAY, LARRY PALM,  
ANDREW SCHAUER and SARAH SMITH  
1 - MATT VELDRAN  
Excused:  
B. Consideration of Minutes  
MINUTES OF THE 4-7-22 EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETING  
2022  
MIN-004  
Attachments: 2022 MIN-004  
A motion was made by SCHAUER, seconded by GRAY, that the minutes be  
approved. The motion carried by a voice vote.  
C. Fund Transfers  
NONE  
D. Referrals (Resolutions & Ordinance Amendments)  
ESTABLISHING AN EQUITY FOOD PROGRAM FOR 2022  
2022  
RES-001  
Sponsors: RITT, PALM, RATCLIFF, HATCHER, ENGELBERGER, ROSE, KIGEYA and  
HUELSEMANN  
Attachments: 2022 RES-001  
Supervisors asked questions re: the purpose of the proposed Food Equity Program and  
whether it was intended to add additional funds. OEI Director, Wesley Sparkman, replied  
that the program will fill the food security gap for recently identified classes of people  
(e.g., seniors, families, targeted geographic areas of the county, etc.). Related to the  
work of the PIE Grant administered by OEI over the last 5 years. There is no intention to  
increase funding for the Food Equity program, although additional funds could be utilized  
given the food security needs in the county.  
A motion was made by SCHAUER, seconded by PALM, that the resolution be  
recommended for approval. The motion carried by a voice vote.  
E. Items Requiring Committee Action  
DISCUSSION OF AND POTENTIAL COMMITTEE ACTION ON POSSIBLE COUNTY  
BOARD RESPONSES TO MANAGEMENT AND EQUITY CONCERNS AT HENRY VILAS  
ZOO  
NO COMMITTEE ACTION TAKEN ON ITEM. Chair Miles mentioned the likelihood of  
scheduling further discussion on the topic at a future meeting.  
Public Comment: **See attached Registration Report** for positions on agenda  
item.discussion.  
For detailed information about the committee and other comments, see the meeting  
audio/ video posted with the agenda in legistar.  
Those who spoke to the committee:  
- In support of an independent investigation of the Henry Vilas Zoo:  
Travis Thomas, Brian Standing, Erik Andersen, Derek Wallace  
- Neither supporting nor opposing:  
Neil Rainford  
Chair Miles opened up the discussion by enumerating a number of possible options for  
the County Board to address the recent workforce equity issues at Henry Vilas Zoo:  
1) Establish an independent outside investigation at the zoo  
2) Evaluate internally the management analysis completed by OEI and Human  
Resources in response to the personnel complaints at the zoo.  
3) Evaluate externally--with an outside reviewer--the management analysis completed by  
OEI and Human Resources in response to the personnel complaints at the zoo  
4) Conduct program evaluation/operational audit as a part of the County Board Office  
function.  
Supervisors Erickson, Kigeya, Gray, Palm, Doolan, Wright, Schauer, and Smith all  
spoke to the topic and indicated an interest in restoring the public trust in the zoo and/or  
supporting Dane County employees. Several argued in support of an independent  
investigation and others argued for first receiving more information about the jurisdiction  
of the County Board and a comparison of options presented. On this second point,  
Corporation Counsel indicated it would be available to analyze the options for action and  
weigh in from a legal perspective on the pros and cons of the various options  
enumerated.  
Corporation Counsel Carlos Pabellon indicated that the County Executive is charged with  
the management of county personnel and that this authority cannot be diluted by the  
County Board. His opinion is that the County Board cannot usurp the role of the  
Executive in managing and investigating specific allegations regarding personnel issues  
and that such a move would constitute a conflict that limits the County Executive's  
authority. There is also a question of how differing opinions from multiple investigations  
would be resolved.  
However, Pabellon indicated that the County Board does have authority to conduct  
investigations/analyses of county affairs and operations, e.g., a more general  
investigation of overall hiring and retention practices, policies, and work environment--just  
not specific personnel issues and active legal cases, which are in the purview of the  
Executive branch.  
Supervisors asked further questions and commented. See meeting recordings for  
detailed discussion.  
F. Presentations  
NONE  
G. Reports to Committee  
NONE  
H. Future Meeting Items and Dates  
Chair Miles will reach out to committee members re: scheduling a meeting to continue  
the discussion of the options for the County Board to respond re: Henry Vilas Zoo.  
The next regularly-scheduled meeting of the Executive Committee on May 19th will begin  
at 5:00 p.m. in order to accommodate the 6:00 p.m. Committee of the Whole.  
I. Public Comment on Items not on the Agenda  
NONE  
J. Such Other Business as Allowed by Law  
NONE  
K. Adjourn  
The meeting adjourned at 6:52 p.m.  
A motion was made by SCHAUER, seconded by GRAY, that the meeting b be  
adjourned. The motion carried by a voice vote.  
NOTE: If you need an interpreter, translator, materials in alternate formats or other accommodations  
to access this service, activity or program, please call the phone number below at least three business  
days prior to the meeting.  
NOTA: Si necesita un intérprete, un traductor, materiales en formatos alternativos u otros arreglos  
para acceder a este servicio, actividad o programa, comuníquese al número de teléfono que figura a  
continuación tres días hábiles como mínimo antes de la reunión.  
LUS CIM: Yog hais tias koj xav tau ib tug neeg txhais lus, ib tug neeg txhais ntawv, cov ntawv ua lwm  
hom ntawv los sis lwm cov kev pab kom siv tau cov kev pab, cov kev ua ub no (activity) los sis qhov  
kev pab cuam, thov hu rau tus xov tooj hauv qab yam tsawg peb hnub ua hauj lwm ua ntej yuav tuaj sib  
tham.  
County Board Office (608) 266-5758 TTY RELAY 711