BY MIKE WARREN

EDITOR

STEVENS POINT – Those looking to fill an empty seat on the Portage County Board of Supervisors will not be interviewed for the job.

During its monthly meeting July 18, the board voted in favor of appointing someone to fill the unexpired term of Mike Olson in District 16, without first hearing from the potential candidates.

District 8 Supervisor Joan Honl suggested interviews with any hopefuls who show interest in the position.

“I think it’s important that this process be very, very transparent and that everybody who applies gets an opportunity for an interview,” Honl said during debate on what process would be used to find a new supervisor. “I think it’s a courtesy almost for a county citizen, and I’m wondering if we could make that modification.”

No such provision currently exists for compelling or requiring an interview process.

“I want to put forth my full confidence in the Executive/Ops (Operations) board,” said Scott Soik, District 19 representative. “We did elect this board, this body did, so I am fine with the way the ordinance reads. I’m fine with our Executive/Operations Committee making the appointment.”

“If people are going to come forward in their community to serve on the board, we should at least give them a five-minute interview in front of the Executive/Ops and let them state their case and why they think they would be a good fit on the county board, rather than just have people go through all the hassle of applying and everything, and then find out, ‘Well, geez, it looks like they had somebody else in mind before they even started their meeting.’ I think it just opens up a good fairness and openness to the process,” stated District 12 Supervisor Mike Splinter. “I mean, we get five minutes here to state our case and I think five minutes is at least the amount we should give someone, just to state their case in front of Executive/Ops. That way, when we come back here to approve the person, at least everybody had their day in court.”

“We do allow public comment, which would allow anyone who is putting their hat in the ring to speak,” Soik pointed out. “So there is already a vessel for this.”

Splinter and Honl were the lone “no” votes, as the board approved and authorized filling the vacant District 16 seat “by search and appointment.”

The seat was left vacant by the recent resignation of Mike Olson.

Generally, the options for Portage County to consider with an open seat are to leave it vacant, to hold a special election, or to fill it by appointment, and the Executive/Operations Committee is mindful of the vacancy length of time for the remainder of the unexpired term as well as the cost, logistics, and timing of filling the vacancy by special election.

County Board hopefuls in District 16 can now file applications with the County Clerk. Qualified candidate applications will then be submitted to the Executive/Operations committee for review, discussion, and possible recommendation to the County Board for its consideration to confirm the appointment of an applicant.