Dane County Exec update

Today State Representative Joe Parisi, threw his hat into the ring and declared his candidacy for Dane County Executive.

At a news conference Tuesday at Sustainable Engineering in Middleton, Parisi, D-Madison, with his two daughters and wife by his side, announced he would be running for outgoing Dane County Executive Kathleen Falk’s seat. The news comes nearly a month after Parisi was re-elected to his fourth term in the Assembly and weeks after putting together a study committee to determine whether or not he would run for office.

“One of the things I looked at was whether or not I could win this race,” Parisi said in an interview prior to making his decision to run public. “My ideas and vision for the county are aligned with what people are looking for in a leader. I feel like I’m strong going in.”

Also recently Verona Mayor John Hochkammer, announced his desire to run for the open position.

Jon Hochkammer, a moderate Republican, said in a news release Monday that he will hold a news conference at 2 p.m., Tuesday, at the Verona City Hall, 111 Lincoln St., to outline his reasons for running for office.

Hochkammer has been mayor since 2006. Prior, he was a Verona City Council member and the Manitowoc County board chair and administrator coordinator, a position similar to that of Dane County executive.

Finally today, there was news of the transition and how it will work.

According to county statute, Falk’s resignation automatically makes Dane County Chair Scott McDonell the acting county executive, a position that allows him to appoint an interim county executive.

In a twist that allows Falk to stay in office until her successor is chosen during the April 5 spring election, McDonell announced at the same news conference that he would appoint Falk as the interim county executive. The move would need to be approved at the county board’s Jan 6 meeting.

Falk will not receive a paycheck until the board approves McDonell’s decision. She is expected to return to work as county executive Jan. 7. On that day she will resume collecting compensation.

Kudos to Kathleen Falk for stepping down and making this work so that Dane County would be able to elect her successor!

For the record: I am still supporting Scott McDonell. I like and respect Joe Parisi and what he has done in the legislature. However now that the democrats are in the minority, is NO time to run away. Now is the time when the minority party needs its strongest voices and unfortunately Parisi must of felt he was not one of them.