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?  
Wednesday, May 18, 2022  
5:00 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 18, 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_aunzl2H6T1ygmMKclGtKpA  
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: 960 6679 7708  
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 5:00 p.m. Also present: Supervisors Erickson,  
Kigeya, Doyle, Wright, Huelsemann, Kiefer; Kabura Mukasa, Carrie Braxton, Carlos  
Pabellon, Wes Sparkman, Greg Brockmeyer, Karin Peterson-Thurlow, Lisa MacKinnon.  
(See Registration report attached with minutes for full list of registrants/attendees).  
6 -  
Present:  
PATRICK MILES, MICHELE DOOLAN, ANTHONY GRAY, LARRY PALM, SARAH  
SMITH and MATT VELDRAN  
1 - ANDREW SCHAUER  
Excused:  
B. Consideration of Minutes  
MINUTES OF THE 5-5-22 EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETING  
1. 2022  
MIN-046  
Attachments: 2022 MIN-046  
REGISTRATION REPORT--5-5-22 EXEC COMM MTG  
Veldran abstaining from minutes vote.  
A motion was made by DOOLAN, seconded by GRAY, that the minutes be  
approved. The motion carried by a voice vote.  
C. Fund Transfers  
NONE  
D. Referrals (Resolutions & Ordinance Amendments)  
1. 2022  
RES-016  
ESTABLISHING AN INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATION OF THE HENRY  
VILAS ZOO  
KIEFER, HUELSEMANN, KIGEYA, WEGLEITNER, WRIGHT, YANG and CHAWLA  
Sponsors:  
Attachments: 2022 RES-016  
2022 RES-016 Fiscal Note  
Sub ____ to 2022 RES-016 [PROPOSED WRIGHT AND PELLEBON]  
ESTABLISHING AN INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATION AT HENRY  
VILAS ZOO  
PUBLIC COMMENT:  
Dan Lowndes, Dane County Risk Manager, spoke in opposition to the resolution and  
asked the committee to table the resolution to allow the departments to do their work and  
implement the workplace plan for the zoo.  
Shannon Maier, Dane County Employee Advocate Manager, spoke in opposition to the  
resolution and asked the committee to table the resolution.  
Discussion:  
Resolution sponsor, Supervisor Kiefer, spoke in support of the resolution, saying that the  
Wisconsin State Journal op-ed called for an independent investigation to restore public  
trust. Sup. Kiefer wants an independent investigation rather than an internal investigation.  
Committee members discussed the resolution and asked questions of the sponsor.  
Sup. Erickson asked about process and costs should an independent investigator be  
hired per the resolution.  
Sup. Gray Point of Order: Noted that this discussion was delayed until after several  
members of the committee had to leave the meeting. Agrees that an independent  
investigation is desirable.  
Chair Miles: After hearing other possible options (internal program evaluation, which  
would take months to launch, etc.) he is in favor of the resolution's approach as an effort  
to restore public trust.  
A motion was made by VELDRAN, seconded by GRAY, that the Resolution be  
recommended for approval. The motion carried unanimously 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  
Supervisor Veldran asked Corporation Counsel about their opinion issued to the County  
Executive on this topic . Corporation Counsel Pabellon indicated that if an  
external/independent investigation focused on employee misconduct, that it would be an  
overreach of the authority of the county board.  
Chair Miles asked Lisa MacKinnon about the County Board Office program evaluation  
process, which she outlined and indicated would take a couple of months at minimum  
from determination of evaluation scope to RFP and contract to beginning of an  
evaluation.  
F. Presentations  
NONE  
G. Reports to Committee  
STAFF REPORT ON INTERNAL WORKPLACE INVESTIGATION AT HENRY VILAS  
ZOO  
The Chair took this agenda item out of order and moved it to the first order of business  
for the committee before referrals and discussion items.  
Kabura Mukasa and Carrie Braxton presented regarding the internal workplace  
investigation of Henry Vilas Zoo from April 14-16, 2022.  
They asked the committee to give the zoo time to start implementing the workplace  
action plan that came out as a response to the internal investigation. They indicated that  
OEI/Employee Relations/Corp Counsel will work closely with the zoo to implement the  
workplace action plan. they will do follow-up surveying of all staff on a quarterly basis to  
gauge progress and take input on further changes needed. Will meet with the zoo  
director and all staff to determine if identified benchmarks are being achieved. OEI and  
ER will also provide an outlet for staff to reach out between contacts and surveys.  
Committee members and other supervisors asked questions of Ms. Mukasa and Ms.  
Braxton.  
Supervisors indicated they wanted the workplace plan to include a review of systemic  
concerns and also include comprehensive DEI training. Zoo Director Schwetz indicated  
that management was open to DEI training for all management. They have also  
contacted FEI Employee Assistance Program.  
Supervisors also asked whether the AZA could provide resources on DEI training and  
workplace planning given that the HVZ is a member of AZA. Chair Miles asked HVZ  
Director Schwetz about animal welfare and Schwetz indicated that the HVZ has an  
animal welfare committee, as well as a team of UW veterinarians who meet with zoo staff  
three times per week. Dir. Schwetz indicated she wanted to go on the record saying that  
the media coverage of animal welfare issues was inaccurate.  
Chair Miles asked Dir. Schwetz to provide a memorandum responding to the animal  
welfare charges in the media.  
Anne Ross, HVZ Commission chair indicated that the county needs to give time for HVZ  
to respond to these concerns and ensure public trust, and also indicated that the  
commission is asking zoo management to report to the commission regularly to give  
updates on the workplace plan progress.  
H. Future Meeting Items and Dates  
The next regular meeting of the committee is scheduled for 5 p.m. on Thursday, May 19.  
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 6:57 p.m.  
A motion was made by GRAY, seconded by VELDRAN, that the meeting 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  
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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