| FUND: GENERAL |
GOVERNMENTAL SERVICES |
Wendell E. Anderson, Chairman
The County Board of Supervisors is authorized in the Wisconsin Statutes (Chapter 59) to exercise powers for a wide variety of local government activities. There are twenty-three (23) members of the Board, elected every two- (2) years from separate geographic districts, each with a population of approximately 8,200.
The County Board is the Legislative Branch of Racine County Government, creating all ordinances and resolutions that enable County Government to operate. Its most important legislative activity focuses on reviewing and approving an annual Racine County Budget as proposed by the County Executive.
As part of the budget process, the Board, with the leadership of its Finance and Human Resources Committee, reviews operations and programming for all departments. The review includes staffing, salaries and benefits, capital expenditure, reserve funds, debt levels, and all other costs. To fund the annual budget, the Board must pass property tax levies (General, Lakeshores Library, Children with Disabilities Education Board, and County Bridge Aid) as well as set user fees and fines as allowed by State law.
In order to ensure that County Government functions according to the budget, the Board uses a Committee system to review all operations. The Committees are: Executive (9 members); Finance and Human Resources (7 members); Economic Development And Land Use Planning (7 members); Public Works, Parks and Facilities Committee (7 members); Health and Human Development Committee (6 members); Intergovernmental Relations (8 members); Public Protection and Justice System (7 members). The County Board Chair assigns committee membership.
All County Board members are representatives elected by the people of Racine County. Accountability to the public includes day to day responsiveness to citizen concerns, and the public’s decision to elect board members in April of every even-numbered year. Each supervisor strives to ensure that the citizens of the County receive excellent services at an efficient cost. The County Board, through its oversight functions, watches all County operations and participates with the County Executive in strategic planning, policy-making, and budget decisions.
