VIROQUA, Wis. — The Vernon County General Government Committee moved to amend county board rules regarding committee quorums and public disturbances during its meeting on Jan. 7, 2026. The committee debated how to balance open meetings laws with the practical need to hear from scheduled presenters when a committee lacks enough members to vote.
Supervisor Wayde Lawler initiated the discussion regarding board rules amendments. Lawler expressed frustration with instances where professionals traveled hours to present to a committee only to be turned away because a quorum was not present.
“I really just want to avoid the situation where we have somebody taking their professional time to present to us and we’re like ‘thanks, come back next month’,” said Lawler. “That’s all I’m trying to avoid.”
The committee discussed the legal risks of holding a meeting without a quorum. Corporation Counsel Nikki Swayne advised that while hearing a speaker might not strictly violate open meetings laws it could create an appearance of impropriety if members later used that information to form policy outside of a public meeting. Administrative Coordinator Cassandra Hanan emphasized the need for strict procedure to protect the county.
“My biggest thing is the appearance of us violating the law,” said Hanan. “If we’re going to do it we’re going to do it the right way I want it in the rules and I want it in minutes.”
The committee unanimously approved a motion to amend the board rules. The new rule states that if a quorum is not present the meeting shall be called to order and immediately adjourned. Members may then remain to receive information but no action shall be taken.
Defining Public Participation and Protest
The committee also addressed rising tensions involving public participation at county meetings. The Board of Supervisors meeting agendas currently have a line item toward the end of the meeting to hear “remonstrances”. The recent use of that item for additional public comment caused Supervisor Lawler to ask that the item be clarified.
County Clerk Jerry Pedretti proposed inserting specific language to require that formal protests be put in writing and submitted 14 days in advance.
“We want to insert including remonstrances and petitions in paragraph four on page three,” said Pedretti. “Shall be reduced to writing and presented to the clerk at least 14 days before the published date of the county board meeting.”
Corporation Counsel Swayne provided a legal definition to ensure the rule was enforceable. She clarified that a remonstrance is not a general grievance but a specific procedural tool.
“Remonstrance refers to a formal written objection or protest raised by individuals or entities against a proposed action or decision,” said Swayne. “It is a procedural mechanism that allows affected parties to voice their concerns and potentially influence the outcome of a decision.”
Sheriff Roy Torgerson contributed to the discussion regarding security and the removal of disruptive individuals. He noted that clear written procedures often help deescalate tense situations with specific members of the public who may feel unheard.
Cybersecurity Funding
In technology business IT Director Conner Simon requested approval to apply for the State Local Cybersecurity Grant Program. Simon explained that the department is seeking substantial funding to bolster the county’s digital defenses against data loss and intrusion.
“I’m seeking funding up to $100,000 to cover in expense categories of backups and professional penetration testing,” said Simon. “There was a few services that the county could benefit from that would have been sought out of (tax) levy so if we can succeed grant funding for it it would be most advantageous to do so.”
The committee unanimously authorized Simon to apply for the grant.
Looking Ahead to Elections
County Clerk Pedretti provided a brief update on the upcoming spring election cycle. With the deadline for incumbents to file non-candidacy papers passed the focus has shifted to ballot preparation for the April 7 election.
HR System Goes Live
Human Resources Director Trisha Lepke reported that the county’s new time and attendance system officially went live on Dec. 21. The implementation marks a major milestone in a years-long effort to modernize the county’s digital infrastructure.
Lepke credited the Information Technology department for ensuring the transition happened on schedule.
“I don’t think I would have survived the last few months without them,” said Lepke. “We went live with the time and attendance system on the 21st.”
The department is currently processing its first payroll under the new system. Lepke noted that staff across the county have been patient as glitches are resolved in real-time.
“Everyone has been very grateful,” said Lepke. “There’s been a lot of things that may have worked yesterday and aren’t going to work tomorrow.”
The rollout represents the first phase of a broader Enterprise Resource Planning or ERP implementation by vendor Tyler Technologies. The county prioritized this upgrade to replace legacy software described by officials in previous meetings as being a DOS based computer system likely from the 1980s.
Supervisor Mary Henry expressed relief that the project had finally crossed the finish line.
“This has been like a hot topic… we were so far behind that I just feel so much gratitude,” said Henry. “Our old system was like 1984 if not older.”
The county utilized hundreds of thousands of dollars in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds over the last several years to upgrade several county wide computer systems including accounting, payroll and budgeting systems.
IT Department Report on Printing Savings
Vernon County also undertook a printer centralization and management system that reduced the overall number of printers in the county but also increased security while cutting waste. The new print management system prevented the use of about 56,000 pages last year, saving taxpayers roughly $1,200 in printing costs, according to a year-end report from the Information Technology Department. The software tracks and holds print jobs until users release them, allowing staff to cancel unnecessary documents. County IT Director Conner Simon said the reduction also translates into environmental benefits, cutting paper waste and the equivalent of several trees’ worth of paper that would otherwise have been used.
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