Dane County  
Minutes - Final Unless Amended by  
Committee  
Equal Opportunity Commission  
Consider:  
Who benefits? Who is burdened?  
Who does not have a voice at the table?  
How can policymakers mitigate unintended consequences?  
Tuesday, January 10, 2023  
A. Call To Order  
Present  
5:30 PM  
Virtual Zoom Meeting: See top of agenda for  
instructions on how to join the webinar or call in by  
phone.  
Meeting called to order at 5:32pm  
Present: ANNIE WEATHERBY-FLOWERS  
6 -  
SHIA FISHER, SAMUEL KATZ, APRIL KIGEYA, Supervisor DANA PELLEBON,  
Supervisor RICK ROSE, and CHELSEY TUBBS  
2 - JENNA BOYD, and SERGIO HERNANDEZ  
Absent  
Staff: Carrie Braxton  
Brief introduction from Commission members, due to some being newer.  
B. Public Comment on Items not on the Agenda  
C. Consideration of Minutes  
EOC Minutes 10-13-2022  
2022  
MIN-355  
Attachments: 2022 MIN-355  
A motion was made by ROSE, seconded by KIGEYA that the Minutes be adopted.  
The motion carried unanimously by voice vote.  
D. Action Items  
1. Vote Chair and Vice-Chair for 2023  
Discussion from WEATHERBY-FLOWERS wanting to suspend rules and accept  
previous election with current Chair WEATHERBY-FLOWERS and Vice-Chair  
FISHER from election held on 10/13/22. She said she would not submit her  
name for consideration, as she didn’t get to serve in role, would be an At  
Large member. A motion was made by KATZ, seconded by PELLEBON to  
reconsider election of 10/2022, by unanimous consent for current Chair and  
Vice Chair. FISHER felt this should be done by roll call. Friendly amendment,  
motion by roll call vote, carried by roll call, 5- 1 FISHER voted nay.  
WEATHERBY-FLOWERS discussed having a Secretary for the EOC. FISHER  
discussed being previous Secretary and read rules about EOC from Chapter  
1, regarding electing officers at the first meeting of the year etc. Stated  
secretary is helpful in running Executive Committee meetings and ensuring  
Staff has necessary preparations from monthly meeting and in preparing  
agenda to upload to Legistar. WEATHERBY-FLOWERS discussed revisiting  
Secretary position ROSE motioned, seconded by KIGEYA that the motion be  
on hold until next meeting. The motion carried unanimously.  
2. Vote meeting dates for 2023 - Options Tuesday or Wednesday  
There was a discussion about hybrid meetings with the option of meeting in  
person, clarifications about which days to accommodate Supervisors who  
had standing meetings, scheduling opposite PP&J meetings. A motion was  
made by PELLEBON, seconded by TUBBS to move the meetings to Tuesdays  
before the first County Board meeting of the month. The motion carried  
unanimously. This is effective February 2023.  
E. Presentations  
1. PowerPoint orientation for new commissioners facilitated by Chair or Vice-Chair  
tentatively.  
WEATHERBY-FLOWERS discussed knowing roles and responsibilities, create  
policies and procedures. Discussed wanting to have Director Sparkman  
attend a meeting to walk through the EOC roles and responsibilities, etc.  
Some members expressed not receiving the Power point and want to view to  
later discuss.  
Chair WEATHERBY-FLOWERS submitted to Vice Chair FISHER to continue  
meeting. FISHER discussed parts of the EOC Powerpoint, suggested  
commissioners view it, wanted to highlight area about OEI and what the  
Chair does so OEI can get analysis and make recommendations to County  
Board of Supervisors. FISHER discussed quorum, technology and supports  
meeting in person if that will help. Staff was asked to make sure a copy of  
the Power point is sent out prior to next meeting, staff concurred.  
F. Reports to Committee  
1. Chair’s Report  
The EOC Chair will summarize meeting and other related activities on behalf of the  
Commission since the last Commission meeting. For information only. Any item raised  
for future discussion will be posted on the next agenda. Update from County Executives’  
Office.  
FISHER discussed areas covered from last year such as Dane County  
investigations that included the Zoo, wanting to know what was going on,  
how to assist, and ongoing quorum issues. Also, discussed previous EOC  
Executive meetings where staff was asked to present methodology for  
investigations, strategizing on how to increase quorum etc. FISHER asked if  
staff was prepared to present at current meeting, was optimistic about  
momentum and the new appointees. FISHER discussed the EOC Executive  
Committee not having a secretary and Director Sparkman inquiring about  
EOC Executive meeting sun setting. FISHER didn’t have an answer but stated  
EOC has the authority to have an Executive Committee if there is a Secretary.  
KATZ discussed his participation via Zoom versus in person, what we do as a  
body, how he e-mails OEI’s Clerk Reyna news clipping about events  
happening, and he would like to change from advisory to giving advice on  
policy. FISHER discussed meeting functions, being clear of what sections and  
what is being done e.g. reports and other information in the other parts of the  
meeting.  
2. Staff's Report  
EOC currently has 9 Commissioners  
a. Staff Carrie Braxton and Reyna Vasquez, attended a 1 ½ day Committee  
Academy Training. This included reviewing many ordinances, rules etc. The  
plan is to possibly open it up later in 2023 for others serving on Dane County  
committees.  
b. The EOC Executive Committee, a sub-committee – ended on sunset  
December 31, 2022. The concern was to put more focus on the Equal  
Opportunity Commission.  
c. Follow up regarding collaborating with OEI Advisory and City EOC  
-
The OEI Advisory is staffed by the Policy and Program Improvement  
Manager and focuses on Equity Plans, Pie Food Grant, etc. The EOC Chair  
who also attends the OEI Advisory meetings can share information from those  
meetings with EOC. In addition, Dane County EOC commissioners are  
welcome to sit in on these meetings. There will not be any collaboration at  
this time.  
-
The City EOC is under the City’s jurisdiction, with different handbooks,  
employee groups, and Administrative Practices. Dane County does not have  
jurisdiction over City information and/or functions. There will not be any  
collaboration at this time.  
d. OEI follow up regarding discrimination complaints of Highway and Zoo.  
i. Highway update - There was a Highway Department investigation  
conducted from May 9, 2022 to June 2, 2022, by myself and Kabura Mukasa -  
Human Resources Manager from Employee Relations Division. We presented  
a summary of our findings at the Highway Department’s all-staff training on  
October 4, 2022. We covered areas that included – themes and suggested  
improvements. We included management’s feedback, encouraged, and  
received some employee feedback. We have begun scheduled visits to the  
different Highway garages.  
ii. Zoo update - There was a Henry Vilas Zoo Department  
investigation conducted by myself and Kabura Mukasa from April 14, 2022 to  
April 26, 2022. We presented a summary of our findings at the Zoo’s all-staff  
department meeting on May 5, 2022. We covered areas that included –  
themes and suggested improvements. We included management’s feedback  
and encouraged and received employee feedback.  
iii.  
In June 2022, the Dane County Board of Supervisors requested an  
independent investigation of the Zoo. Retired Judge Valerie Bailey was hired  
and her findings were similar to the initial findings. The Zoo is currently  
working on the suggestions that myself and Kabura suggested.  
e. Highway workplace discrimination, number of complaints from people of  
color  
i. For 2022 - 2  
f. Zoo workplace discrimination, number of complaints from people of  
color.  
i. For 2022 - 3  
g.  
What is County's stance/consorted conversation regarding  
Employee Group Representation (EGR) on following up on these  
discrimination matters?  
i. The County supports following up on any and all discrimination  
matters – this includes EGR.  
WEATHERBY-FLOWERS discussed EOC being quasi-judicial body, can  
investigate, look at outcomes e.g. complaints, having an Executive Branch is  
part of ordinance, expressed having power limited by having Executive  
Committee sunset. This should be looked at as body and pursued, requests  
annual report of complaints, looking at procedures, knowing authority, being  
involved, getting information late, directing staff to give monthly reports on  
the number of complaints, resolutions, concerns in front of Board of  
Supervisors. Encourage Supervisors to inform of items that may need to go  
on the agenda to support work, OEI, community etc.  
KATZ discussed in reference to staff’s report, that the zoo investigation was  
handled correctly. KATZ and FISHER request to have the judge's report  
attached in next meeting agenda under Report section.  
FISHER discussed that Chair asked him about notifications about Equity Plans  
being on line and up-to-date. During a joint OEI and EOC meeting, there were  
out of date Equity Plans, wants to make sure public can access.  
Staff responded commenting on the lack of quorum but not for lack of effort  
on her end regarding submitting reports.  
G. Future Meeting Items and Dates  
Next EOC meeting - February 2023 - actual date TBD  
Next meeting February 28, 2023  
KATZ discussed Wall Street Journal, Journalist being arrested while being  
black while trying to report on a story, how would Dane County handle this,  
what are the protections?  
H. Such Other Business as Allowed by Law  
I. Adjourn  
Meeting was adjourn at 6:58pm.  
Minutes respectively submitted by Reyna Vasquez, pending EOC approval.