Jail committee members named

Talk about it

The names of the ad hoc committee assigned to study all alternatives in what to do with the Pierce County Jail were released Thursday.

Rod Rommel of River Falls, Jay Richardson of Spring Valley and Mike Hunter of Prescott will likely hold their first meeting in January, Administrative Coordinator JoAnn Miller said.

Rommel previously spent two terms on the county board, most recently from 2010-2012, and he was defeated in last spring's elections by Ruth Wood. He spent 30 years as an agricultural banker before retiring in 2001. The last 16 of those were as CEO of Farm Credit Services of Northwest Wisconsin.

Richardson is a dairy farmer and owner of Son-Bow Farms in Spring Valley. Hunter is the former mayor of Prescott, who served eight years before deciding not to seek another term earlier this year.

Finance and Personnel Committee Chair Jeff Holst said, when creating this committee, he wanted to find people who would bring a different perspective and “who aren’t at the whim of the electorate.”

Rommel, Richardson and Hunter were chosen by the executive committee, made up of Holst, board chairman, Greg Place, vice-chairperson, and Jerry Kosin, second vice-chairperson.

The finance and personnel committee also directed Miller to find a facilitator. She said she hopes to have a name for approval by the January meeting.

Holst said during the Dec. 5 meeting he hopes the ad hoc committee will make a recommendation to the finance and personnel committee within 12 months.

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