VERNON COUNTY COMMITTEES & COMMISSIONS STRUCTURE, ROLES, & RESPONSIBLITIES
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Updated & Approved 03/02/2022
VERNON COUNTY COMMITTEES & COMMISSIONS
STRUCTURE, ROLES, & RESPONSIBLITIES
Pursuant to Wisconsin State Statutes Chapter 59, counties are authorized to organize under one
of three forms of County government: 1) Executive; 2) Administrator; or 3) Administrative
Coordinator. Specific statutes define the relationship between the legislative and executive roles
of county government. Vernon County is organized under the County Administrator form (Wis.
Stat. § 59.18) to insure clarity in roles and appropriate delegation of authority under the powers
given a County Board. Committees created by the County Board are organized pursuant to Wis.
Stat. § 59.13(1). Some committees are authorized under separate statutes and are referenced
later in this document.
Supervisors serve primarily a legislative function. The legislative function is largely limited to
policymaking, lawmaking, budgetary approval, and cooperative decision making. The County
Board has overall budget approval authority. The role of a County Board is that of being
“visionary.” No operational control resides with individual supervisors. Supervisors’ authority is
collective versus individual. Direction and decision-making by the Board of County
Supervisors shall occur as a Board. Individual members of the Board shall not attempt to exercise
independent authority over the County Administrator, Department Head, director, official, or
employees thereof.
Committees, Commissions, and Boards establish priorities. Committees have policy oversight
for departments, offices, and other entities. They monitor performance, review and participate
in development of the budget, and draft ordinances and resolutions. Committees develop
policy which in turn is recommended to the County Board for action. When elected to a
committee chair position, a supervisor has the authority to set the agenda for committee
meetings, preside at meetings, and make reports and recommendations on the committee’s
behalf. In Vernon County, committees of the Board are separated into elective committees,
where Supervisors are selected by ballot, and appointive committees whose members shall be
appointed by the Administrator pursuant to Wis. Stat. § 59.18(2)(c), subject to confirmation by
the Board.
The role of the County Administrator is defined by WI Stat § 59.18. County administrators have
the following authority (source: UW Ext. Local Government Education Fact Sheet No. 21):
• Serve as “chief administrative officer” for county
• Coordinate all administrative and management functions of the county government
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• Appoint and supervise department heads subject to county board confirmation, unless
confirmation waived or the county is under a civil service system.
• Appoint members to boards and commissions, where statutes give this authority to county
board or its chairperson, subject to board confirmation
• Annually communicate to the Board on the condition of the county.
• Submit the annual budget.
Department heads and/or other staff members provide input, make recommendations, and
serve as a resource for committees. The County Administrator, Department Heads, and Staff do
not vote. Staff members should be allowed an opportunity to provide input or clarification in a
committee or board meeting, but it is not an appropriate role for staff to engage in committee
debate or for a committee member or Board members to assign tasks to a staff member. As a
collective body, a committee/board/commission may assign tasks to a department head/staff
member.
Committees of the Board are separated into elective committees, where Supervisors are selected
by ballot to serve as members; and appointed committees whose members shall be appointed
by the Administrator and subject to confirmation by the Board pursuant to Wis. Stat. §
59.18(2)(c). No committee shall have more than five elected County Board Supervisor members
except the Human Services Committee.
Elective Committees:
Vacancies on the following committees shall be filled after the Spring election. Supervisors are
nominated to these committees and selected by ballot for the term outlined in the committee
definition. Elective committees shall nominate and elect a Chairperson and Vice Chairperson at
the first committee meeting following a Board of Supervisors Organizational Meeting or when a
vacancy in these roles occurs mid-term.
Supervisors may serve on only one elective committee.
Human Services: This committee is required by Wis. Stat. § 46.23(4) and shall have
responsibility for all Human Services programs as specified in the several subsections of the
above-mentioned statute. Additional responsibilities are to supervise all County programs for
senior citizens, including nutrition and transportation; and to provide policy guidance for the
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work of the Veterans Service Officer and monitor proper administration of all programs of
benefit to veterans in the County.
• Size of committee: 6 supervisors and 3 citizen members
• Term: Two Board members and one citizen member shall be elected each year for a
three-year term, with no one serving more than two terms without a one-year
absence before another term
• Frequency of meetings: Monthly
• Departments reporting to this committee include: Human Services, Aging & Disability
Resource Center, Veteran Service Office
Infrastructure: This committee is required by Wis. Stat. § 83.015, and shall have
responsibility for all matters pertaining to County highways as specifically detailed in the
above designated statute and not otherwise the purview of the Administrator; all zoning
related matters, including making recommendations where appropriate and addressing such
other zoning matters as the Board may from time to time direct; and developing and
supervising a County-wide solid waste management program.
o Size of committee: 5 supervisors – one member from each of the Western (Districts 1-
6), Central (Districts 7-13) and Eastern (Districts 14-19) districts of the County and two
at large members.
o Term: 2-year term
o Frequency of meetings: Monthly
o Departments reporting to this committee include: Highway, Solid Waste & Recycling,
Zoning
Conservation & Education: This committee is required by Wis. Stat. § 92.06, and shall also
function as the Agricultural and Extension Committee. It shall have responsibility for all
matters not otherwise the purview of the Administrator pertaining to land conservation, as
outlined in the above-mentioned statute, and all matters pertaining to the University
Extension program in the County. This committee shall also have the responsibility to
supervise the County’s park system and recommending improvements and budgetary needs
to the County Board.
o Size of committee: 5 supervisors and one member appointed by the Farm Service
Agency pursuant to Wis. Stats. § 92.06
o Term: 2-year term
o Frequency of meetings: Monthly
o Departments reporting to this committee include: Land & Water Conservation and UW
Extension
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Vernon Manor Board of Trustees: This committee oversees the policy & vision of the county
owned Vernon Manor Nursing Home and Vernon Acres Assisted Living facilities.
o Size of committee: 3 supervisors and 2 citizen members
o Term: 3-year terms which expire on the third Tuesday in April
o Frequency of meetings: Monthly
o Departments reporting to this committee include: Vernon Manor Nursing Home and
Vernon Acres Assisted Living facilities
Appointive Committees:
Appointive Committees are appointed by the Administrator and subject to confirmation by the
Board pursuant to Wis. Stat. § 59.18(2)(c). Members comprising appointive committees shall be
appointed before June 1st following County Supervisor elections and will serve for two-year
terms. Vacancies on appointive committees shall be filled by appointment of the County
Administrator and subject to Board approval.
General Government: This committee provides policy oversight, organizational vision, and
general governance where no other committee has jurisdiction, or where committee
jurisdiction is in question, or on the recommendation of the County Board Chair, the Chair of
a Committee, and/or the County Administrator. Responsibilities of the General Government
committee include:
o Oversight of the County Board Rules and Municipal Code of Ordinances, with
recommended changes requiring approval by the full County Board
o To serve as the grievance committee pursuant to Wis. Stat. § 59.26
o Negotiation and maintenance of insurance programs, including but not limited to
property, liability, workers compensation, and health insurance
o Consideration in matters of labor relations regarding County employees which fall
outside the duties of the County Administrator, including but not limited to union
negotiations, salary scales & wages, personnel policy guidance, and hiring &
assessment of the County Administrator
o To monitor the County’s legal affairs and consult with the County Administrator,
County District Attorney, County Corporation Counsel and courts as the Board or
individual committees deem necessary
o To assist the County Treasurer in the collection of delinquent taxes, to sell at public or
private sale all the lands and properties acquired by the County by tax deed or pension
liens. To review the equalized valuation of both real and personal property of towns,
villages and cities in Vernon County upon the recommendation by the Wisconsin
Department of Revenue and recommend appropriate action to the Board.
o Size of committee: 5 supervisors
o Term: 2-year term
o Frequency of meetings: Monthly or as needed
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o Departments/resources reporting to this committee include: Administration, IT, Buildings &
Facilities, Grants, Corporation Counsel
Finance: To audit all accounts of the County not otherwise provided for, to make the tax
levy, to present recommendations on matters involving County finances, to review and
authorize, in cooperation and consultation with the County Treasurer, all investments of
County funds, and to perform such other duties as the County Board may from time to time
prescribe.
o Size of committee: 5 supervisors
o Term: 2-year term
o Frequency of meetings: Monthly or as needed
o Departments reporting to this committee include: Finance
Health: To supervise matters pertaining to all areas of County health. This committee also
acts as the County Board of Health pursuant to Wis. Stats. § 251.04.
o Size of committee: 5 supervisors and 4 citizen members
o Term: 2-year term (unless statute dictates otherwise)
o Frequency of meetings: Monthly or as needed
o Departments reporting to this committee include: Vernon County Health Department
Land Information Council: This committee is organized pursuant to Wis. Stats. § 59.72 The
committee provides general guidance and planning for land record modernization and
related GIS development activities. The committee ensures that the County is complying
with its Land Record Modernization Plan as required by the Wisconsin Land Information
Program (WLIP). The committee establishes and recommends County policies pertaining to
land records, approves budgets and expenditures from WLIP retained recording fees,
related grant funding and other land record and mapping funds that may be available. The
committee shall also assist in coordinating all activities with other County departments
which may be affected by the land information system, as appropriate. The committee shall
deal with other concerns involving land information or records which may arise or be
assigned.
o Size of committee: According to Wis. Stats. §(3m)(a)(a) this council shall consist of not less
than 8 members and must include the treasurer, and, if one has been appointed, the real
property lister or their designees and the following members appointed by the board for
terms prescribed by the board:
A member of the board
A representative of the land information office
A realtor or a member of the Realtors Association employed within the county
A public safety or emergency communications representative employed within the
county
The county surveyor or a professional land surveyor employed within the county
Any other members of the board or public that the board designates
o Term: 2-year term
o Frequency of meetings: As needed
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o Departments reporting to this committee include: GIS
Public Safety: To act with the Sheriff relative to matters pertaining to the Sheriff’s office
and to provide general guidance for County Emergency Management.
o Size of committee: 5 supervisors
o Term: 2-year term
o Frequency of meetings: Monthly or as needed
o Departments reporting to this committee include: Sheriff’s Department and Emergency
Management
Tourism and Economic Development: To work with other public and private entities to
promote the County in a coordinated manner and to provide guidance to Vernon County
Tourism Council or other entities working in the areas of tourism and economic
development. To develop, administer and approve loans for promotion of economic
development for the benefit of the County. Supervisors appointed to federal state or
regional committees shall report to this committee a minimum of two times per year.
o Size of committee: 5 supervisors and 4 community representatives; reasonable efforts shall
be made to appoint a community representative from each of the following: the banking
industry, real estate industry and a local business owner
o Term: 2-year term
o Frequency of meetings: Monthly or as needed
o Departments/resources reporting to this committee include: Tourism & Economic
Development Coordinator
Zoning Board of Appeals: To act pursuant to Wis. Stat. § 59.694.
o Size of committee: 3 supervisors plus 1 alternate
o Frequency of meetings: As needed
Non-county Board Committees & Commissions:
These are committees and commissions organized outside of the Vernon County Board of
Supervisors that require Supervisor appointment & participation by their own rules & charter.
This list is subject to update as these committees & commissions change.
• ADRC Advisory Committee – 1 supervisor and 4 citizen members
• Commissioner of Condemnation – Appointed by the court as needed according to Wis. Stat.
32.08
• Coon Prairie Trail Committee
• Coulee Cap – 2 supervisors
• County Library Committee – 2 supervisors
• Hidden Valleys Tourist Organization Representatives – 1 Supervisor
• Highway Safety Committee – 3 supervisors, 1 citizen member, and representation from: Vernon
County Sheriff, WI State Patrol, Vernon County Emergency Management, Viroqua Police
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Department, Highway Commissioner, media, WI DOT, BOHS Law Enforcement Liaison, Vernon
Memorial Hospital, Viroqua Area Schools
• Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC) – One representative from each of the groups
listed below as defined by EPCRA Section 301 and from the Federal code for committee
makeup:
Group 1: Elected State Official
Elected Local Official
Group 2: Law Enforcement
Civil Defense
Firefighting
First Aid
Health Service
Hospital
Transportation
Location Environmental Organizations
Group 3: Broadcast Media
Print Media
Group 4: Community Groups
Group 5: Owners/operators subject to the requirements of EPCRA
• Mississippi River Regional Planning Commission – 1 Supervisor; 2 Citizens Appointed by Governor
• Mississippi Valley Health – 2 supervisors
• Transportation Coordinating Committee – 1 supervisor and representation from: Vernon County
Human Services, Viroqua Cab, Coulee Cap Inc., Gunderson Coulee Trails, Bethel Home and
Services, Veterans Services, Vernon Manor and MRRPC
• TIFF – Hillsboro – 1 supervisor
• TIFF – LaFarge – 1 supervisor
• TIFF - Viroqua – 1 supervisor
• TIFF - Westby – 1 supervisor
• TIFF - Viola – 1 supervisor
• Valuations Committee – Pending confirmation of statutory requirement
• Veterans Service Commission – 3 citizen members
• Viroqua Business Park Commission – 3 supervisors and one citizen appointee
• Winding Rivers Library Representative -1 supervisor and one citizen appointee
• Workforce Development Council – 1 supervisor
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