ELLSWORTH – The Pierce County Board of Supervisors passed a resolution 12-3 on Tuesday, April 20, amending Pierce County Code to allow remote and in-person attendance of board and committee meetings for quorum and voting purposes, with the exception of closed sessions.

“This would provide a reasonable compromise, to allow for remote attendance while still protecting the sanctity and confidentiality of closed sessions,” the board packet states.

“In a nutshell, there’s no way of knowing who else is in the room, who else is in the house,” said County Administrator Jason Matthys of closed session meetings attended remotely.

County Board Chair Jeff Holst suggested the change, according to the county board meeting packet.

Since 2011, Pierce County has required supervisors and committee members to be present in-person to be considered in attendance. The only exception has been for those portions of the meeting that are not closed session.

However, COVID-19 presented new challenges, led to equipment upgrades and forced alternatives for conducting meetings. Remote attendance was allowed for closed sessions, in order to conduct county business and follow state mandates.

Contentious issues are sometimes discussed during closed sessions, Supervisor Mel Pittman admitted. But he feels it’s the supervisor’s responsibility to isolate himself or herself from others when attending remotely. He did not support the in-person closed session requirement.

Holst said he’s heard three or four people in a car while a member was talking on a mobile phone. One time, he said, a board member (though it wasn’t clear which board or committee) had Chinese food delivered in the middle of a closed session meeting, and he paid the delivery person without disengaging from the meeting.

“He left it on while dickering with the tip and such,” Holst said. ‘I can understand both sides of this story.”

The final vote was 12-3, with supervisors Kris Sampson (Prescott), Mel Pittman (Plum City) and Jeff Bjork (River Falls) voting no. Supervisors Mike Kahlow (River Falls) and Bjork did not attend.

Town of Union map amendment

The board unanimously approved a map amendment for a 6.887-acre parcel in the Town of Union, Section 18, rezoning it from ag-residential to commercial.

The parcel, in the Grange Hall / Ono area at Highway 10 and County Road CC, will be used by JM Watkins LLC for a business expansion. The parcel is owned by Fetzer Farms, Inc.

Applicants proposed the rezone in order to move JM Watkins, LLC, a local, family-owned meat processing business from Plum City to Ono/Grange Hall, a memo states.

“Mr. Clare plans to continue the Watkins’ tradition of quality, value and good recipes, while adding more meat varieties including chicken, lamb and seafood,” the memo explained.

Land Management Director Andy Pichotta said the zoning change is consistent with Pierce County’s Comprehensive Plan. The Union Town Board recommended its approval at its Nov. 9, 2020 meeting. The Land Management Committee held a public hearing April 7, also recommending approval.

The area consists of several homes, Ono Methodist Church, Grange Hall Auto Body & Glass, Western Wisconsin Nutrition, a park-and-ride and a Muskie Proppant frac sand processing facility.

Other takeaways:

•The board unanimously approved county board meeting dates for May 2021 through April 2022.

•The board unanimously approved the 2020 annual department reports.

•The board unanimously approved a resolution (upon first reading) to amend fees for county medical examiner and deputy medical examiner services. The fees will see a slight increase.

•The board convened to closed session for about 50 minutes to discuss a personnel-related issue and to receive legal advice. No action was taken.

•The board unanimously approved a resolution (upon first reading) to support and encourage the Joint Finance Committee and the Wisconsin legislature to approve all $116.73 million in construction funding for UW-River Falls Science & Technology Innovation Center in the 2021-2023 state capital budget.

•The board unanimously approved a resolution (upon second reading) to transfer $75,066.86 from the general fund to the 2020 Pierce County Fair budget to cover a deficit. The 2020 Motocross and Pierce County Fair were cancelled due to the pandemic.

•The board unanimously approved spending $4,192 to repair the Pierce County Jail’s padded cell, which an inmate damaged. It also approved spending $35,604 to add 10 cameras and upgrade nine in the jail for improved safety operations. Additional equipment upgrades were approved for an amount not to exceed $5,000. All spending is coming from the Jail Assessment Fund.

•The board unanimously approved an ordinance (upon first reading) transferring the Ellsworth Demonstration Forest management and supervision from the Agriculture & Extension Committee to the Parks Committee. The adjacent countyowned cemetery supervision and management will be transferred from the A& E Committee to the Buildings Committee.

•The board heard a first reading to amend an ordinance which would transfer the dispatch center’s supervision and management to the emergency management director from jail administration.