Jackson County postpones hire of interim County Administrator

BLACK RIVER FALLS - The Jackson County Board of Supervisors held two meetings in the month of June at the County Government Center.

A special meeting of the Board was held back on June 22. On its agenda was to hire an interim Administrative Coordinator. , Cindy Altman, former County Clerk and Administrative Coordinator, was to be voted to fill this position on a temporary basis. However, there was also tacked onto the hiring resolution a paragraph that stated "(the) Executive, Finance & Personnel Committee is authorized to work with Corporation Counsel to finalize the necessary appointment documents consistent with this resolution."

This caused considerable discussion over the proper procedure of the hiring process, even on an interim basis, for county code states: that "the Board shall designate an elected or appointed official to serve as the Administrative Coordinator," meaning the person designated unless there is a Resolution to create a stand-alone position must be an elected or appointed official within the County." There was also the questions of fiscal compensation and how it affected the current county budget. Thus a motion to table the hire until the July meeting on the 20th was approved by a 14-5 vote.

The regular June meeting of the Board took place on the 15th and had a small agenda which it went through quickly.