WIS. A.G.'S OPINION COULD HAVE IMPACT ON CLARK CO. GOVERNMENT
Friday, October 28th, 2011 -- 12:17 PM
[url=http://www.doj.state.wi.us/news/files/lawrence-bradley-20111027.pdf]An opinion from 'Wisconsin's' Attorney General[/url] could have a big impact on the structure of Clark County?s government.Responding to an inquiry from Pierce County, J.B. Van Hollen concludes a sitting County Board member cannot serve as the county's permanent administrative coordinator.
Clark County has had a longstanding practice of annually appointing the County Board Chairman as administrative coordinator, a statutory position tasked with ??coordinating all administrative and management functions of the county government not otherwise vested by law in boards or commission, or in other elected officers.?
The request seeks clarity because two sections of state statute seem to contradict.
Section 59.19 states that counties that don?t have administrative coordinator or county executive must appoint an elected or appointed official to serve as administrative coordinator, and section 66.0501(2) seems to specifically forbid county board members from holding the position.
Van Hollen says, because the county board selects the administrative coordinator, a supervisor must resign from the board before accepting the position.
In Clark County, the administrative coordinator is paid a salary of around $6,000.
Clark County Corporation Counsel Lyndsey Brunette is unavailable for comment today. We have contacted the Attorney General?s Office, and are waiting for an opinion on whether this ruling will effect Clark County.
Feel free to contact us with questions and/or comments.