County Board amends policy on public comment at meetings

SHELL LAKE — The Washburn County Board amended its new policy on public decorum and comments at open meetings on Tuesday, July 16.

At their June meeting, the board approved a new policy on public comment that included a chair statement to be read before meetings, a signup sheet persons would have to sign beforehand to be able to speak, stating their full name and place of residence, a time limit of three minutes to talk unless sponsored by a board supervisor and that everyone conduct themselves in a manner that doesn’t resort to shouting or personal attacks.

The policy was amended by the Executive Committee after people voiced concerns that they believed public comment was limited only to items on the meeting agenda and that they could not request future agenda items, and that they could not speak to public concerns. The amendment reads that “public comment is intended to give members of the public an opportunity to address items on the meeting’s agenda, public concerns, items for future agenda, as well as to comment on other topics relating to County services without interruption by others, and there will be no questions or arguments between Speakers and the members of the public and the members of the Board or committee. The members of the Board or committee will not offer response to public comments during the period for Public Comment. Public comment is not allowed during other portions of the meeting’s agenda.”

During Tuesday night’s public comment period, Linda Zillmer of Birchwood said she hoped they would mention during discussion the fact that if someone wants to speak but did not have a chance to sign up, they still could be recognized, and to figure in non-residents speaking.

During discussion, Supervisor Brian Melton, who is on the Zoning Committee, said that though some of the amendment is good, a lot of it is not. He said he didn’t agree with a committee chair having to read the policy before each meeting, especially since during a Zoning public hearing it would likely have to be read twice.

He said he did some digging and the statute says officials are bound to uphold the Constitution and First Amendment, and public interest must be their primary concern. He said this amendment seems like it is putting the county first, even though they are here to assist people with individual issues. He felt the board should take more time to look at this amendment.

“We’re giving the citizens a lot of rules to have to abide by,” Melton said.

Supervisor Sandy Johnson said that this policy could take away citizens’ rights to peacefully protest, such as silently holding up a sign like one individual did at a recent meeting.

“I don’t really think we should be limiting our public,” she said, adding that there haven’t been any problems in the past.

Supervisor Stephen Smith said the Senate and Assembly do not allow cheering or signs from the gallery while conducting public business.

“The point is … our time here is valuable,” he said.

Smith added that asking for townships of residence from speakers is important to know if people come from, for example, Dane County.

Supervisor Clint Stariha said he felt this amendment was better than the original policy, but people take the time to come to these meetings and they need to feel welcome.

“I have no time for disruptive people,” but the board needs to listen to everyone, he said.

Stariha suggested shortening the chair speech at the beginning of the meeting and make it “warmer.”

Supervisor Ben Dryden asked what brought this amendment forth. Though he agreed it was an improvement, he wondered if people could talk about whatever they wanted for three minutes.

Corporation Counsel Bill Johnson said without this policy, comments could become disruptive and nothing would be set forth for what’s expected from the public. He said the public concern is in the eye of the beholder, though it cannot be something personal such as a traffic ticket.

“(Three minutes) is a pretty common time limit across the state,” Johnson said.

He said the committee chair has the discretion to sponsor people to speak for more than the allotted time.

Supervisor Joe Hoy said the amendment could be improved and moved to postpone it to the next meeting.

Supervisor Bob Olsgard said this amendment is an improvement, but there was a process issue that needed to be separated from public comment — the chair having to read the policy at every meeting, which “seems excessive.”

He said it seemed to take five minutes to read the policy and also puts a burden on the chair. He suggested putting the public comment policy next to the signup sheet.

County Clerk Alicia Swearingen said Hoy’s motion was frustrating because it limits what the board can discuss unless all 21 supervisors are present.

Smith said if the board wanted to continue the debate, they would have to defeat the original motion by a majority vote.

Supervisor Travis Odegard said this amendment is still better than the previous one.

The motion to postpone failed 19-2.

Back to the original motion, Smith said the board could put further amendments on the policy if the time came. He said that these days, the public doesn’t utilize newspapers’ letters to the editor as much as a forum, but rather social media, and a government meeting is where many like to speak.

Chair Tim Kessler said that some of the public may not read or see well, so putting the policy next to the signup sheet may not be the best action. Bill Johnson agreed, saying reading the policy aloud puts it on public record so it cannot be disputed.

If someone forgets to sign in or comes to the meeting late, the chair has the discretion to let them speak, Bill Johnson said.

“The chair should not forbid that person from talking,” he said.

Kessler said that what he was hearing is this amendment is an improvement and it can be sent back to the Executive Committee if there need to be changes. If the board denies this amendment, there is no progress made.

Hoy moved to refer the amendment to the Executive Committee with suggestions to be emailed to the committee within a week.

Melton suggested passing the amendment and bringing it back at next month’s meeting.

Smith suggested making the chair reading start with the words “welcome” and “your comments are respected.”

Kessler said the Executive Committee will take it up and anyone who voted that night in the affirmative could request the policy have another look.

The board passed the amendment unanimously.

Mosaic

The board also passed a resolution that night endorsing a partnership between itself representing county residents and businesses and Mosaic Technologies on broadband installation.

The cost to install broadband in all of the county is $6.9 million. Mosaic will invest half of the cost, and the Public Services Commission (PSC) will cover the other half. The grant requires a letter of endorsement.

Some supervisors were concerned with the resolution for the partnership saying the fiscal impact was unknown, as well as the word “partnership,” and whether everyone in the county will be served.

Mosaic Public Relations Manager De Anna Westphal said they are concerned with the fact that the majority of Washburn County is underserved or unserved, and they will make sure everyone’s questions are answered. She said this partnership does not preclude other broadband providers from being a part of this project.

Westphal said millions of dollars have been invested in Washburn County and the PSC is not done yet. If the grant is received, the entire county will be served.

Smith said this solution goes into the grant application, and if it said there was no fiscal impact at all, that may have a negative impact on the county receiving it. The board would have to have a two-thirds majority vote if money was involved.

First Vice Chair Dave Wilson said Washburn has been a broadband-first county for a long time, and this organization, Mosaic, has delivered on everything it has promised thus far.

Supervisor Linda Featherly said Mosaic’s intention from the beginning was to service the entire county.

The resolution passed 19-2, with Supervisors Featherly, Odegard, Olsgard, Wilson, Hoy, Dryden, Melton, Stariha, Kessler, Lolita Olson, Jerry Smith, Brian Berg, Hank Graber, Miles Macone, Cristina Masterjohn, George Cusick, Kelly Cupp, Jocelyn Ford and Kasey King voting yes and Supervisors Johnson and Stephen Smith voting no. Youth representatives Serena Lu and Hailey Stariha also voted yes.

Other action Tuesday night included:

Approval of a letter of support to Polk County on inpatient behavioral health services (see other article).Two full-time service facilitator positions for the Health & Human Services Department, a full-time cook position at the Washburn County Wellness Center 50+ and a full-time custodian for 2025.Transfer of funds from the Solid Waste Fund to the Recycling Fund and payout to the Town of Sarona in 2024.Approval of a request that the state of Wisconsin’s 2025-27 biennial budget provide state GPR funding to cover the full non-federal share of crisis services.A presentation by University of Wisconsin-Extension Director Lori Baltrusis.Appointment of Bonnie Carlson and Barb Peterson to the Washburn County Housing Board of Commissioners, Macone to the Industrial Development Agency and Ford to the Indianhead Community Action Agency.