Dane County Board of Supervisors to Have Large Changeover in Supervisors Following April Election
March 08, 2024
County Board Chair Patrick Miles, (608) 886-9167
County Board
County Board Supervisors serve a two-year term, with elections falling in even-numbered years. With the April election just around the corner, ten current County Board Supervisors have decided not to run for the board again. These ten supervisors collectively represent 86 years of experience. Supervisors leaving the County Board include: Hynes (District 5), Pellebon (District 33), Wright (District 17), Hatcher (District 26), McGinnity (District 37), Palm (District 12), Ratcliff (District 36), Schauer (District 21), Kiefer (District 25), and Ripp (District 29).
Outgoing Supervisors were asked what their proudest accomplishments were during their time on the County Board. Over the next few weeks, some of the outgoing supervisors will share their responses.
Supervisor Jeff Hynes, representing District 5, which includes portions of the University of Wisconsin campus area in the City of Madison said, “I have always had a passion for helping the underdog, and during my time on the board I made that desire a reality. During my two-year term, I worked on many great causes ranging from homeless shelters to criminal justice reform. In my first year, I proposed a budget amendment that helped the nurses at Badger Prairie Nursing Home have more FTE (full-time employment) Dane County jobs. This amendment replaced the recurring cost of agency contract nurses and ultimately benefited the patients by reducing the nurses' stress. Implementing this amendment allowed nurses to take care of patients more quickly and more efficiently. In addition, I was appointed to the brand new criminal justice reforms committee along with five other supervisors. I was very excited to be a part of this subcommittee. We were tasked with making as many criminal justice reforms as possible with around $500,000 to invest. One of the things we did was create a data analysis for the jail to collect important missing data. We also gave as much money as we could to the Community Restorative Court. This allowed them to reach out to more people and make the transition from jail or prison back to society as smooth as possible. Lastly, this past budget season, I signed on with Supervisor Kigeya to supply the 911 call centers with more operators for faster response times. In places like this, seconds can be the difference between life and death. Overall, I am proud of what my fellow supervisors and I have accomplished. I believe we all share the common goal of making Dane County one of the best counties in Wisconsin. It has been an honor to work with a group of amazing supervisors and serve the citizens of District 5.” Hynes served on the Board from 2022–2024.
Supervisor Holly Hatcher has represented District 26, which includes the City of Middleton from 2020–2024. When asked what her proudest accomplishments included she said, “As a nurse serving on the Board of Health, I played a vital role in protecting our community during the pandemic. I supported Dane County nurses and health care workers and helped secure funding for the Workforce Mental Health and Trauma Recovery program. I secured funding for additional nursing staff for the Nurse Family Partnership Program, which will eliminate critical wait lists for the program. I also secured additional funding for the Saving Our Babies initiative. I also advocated for funding for increased staff for Public Health Madison and Dane County to expand sexual and reproductive health. On the Environment, Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee, I championed investments to combat climate change and flooding, and supported improvements to our Dane County parks, trails, and lakes. I helped secure additional funding for the North Mendota bike trail. Finally, I supported families experiencing food and housing insecurity and advocated for broadband infrastructure in Dane County. All of these efforts were essential to meeting our community's basic needs and ensuring survival during a global pandemic.”
Supervisor Kate McGinnity has represented District 37 on the County Board from 2020–2024. District 37 covers a large portion of the southeastern part of Dane County. McGinnity indicated her proudest accomplishments include, “My work on the broadband taskforce, where we diagnosed the obstacles to broadband expansion and addressed them one at a time. We took our own data, completed our own engineering study and secured a broadband coordinator at the county who will work with our municipalities to increase the accessibility to and affordability of broadband. Additionally, I helped to create two public lands, one in the Town of Dunkirk along the southern Yahara and another in the Town of Albion, which will soon have an added boat launch on Lake Koshkonong. I also assisted in realizing the first of two bike trails that connect Dane County's CamRock Park to the Glacial Drumlin State Bike Trail. Additionally, I assisted in bringing Computer Buddies, a program linking elementary school students to older adults through technology, to two school districts in District 37. Through the Youth in Governance Program, we've created a Youth Equity Curriculum, which was presented to UW Extension in February, and have planned the launch for the pilot in Summer 2024. Finally, I've assisted in recruiting five people to be trained in the Strong Bodies program so that we can increase the places and times this worthwhile program is offered to our older adults in District 37.”
Additional outgoing Supervisors’ accomplishments will be highlighted in the coming weeks.
“Public service is a noble and worthy calling. I’m proud to have worked with these Supervisors over the years, and wish them the best in their future endeavors,” said County Board Chair Patrick Miles (District 34).