By LeAnn R. Ralph
MENOMONIE — Gary Stene of Colfax, District 5 representative on the Dunn County Board, has been elected as vice-chair of the county board.
Stene, who was the only nominee for the vice-chair position, was elected during the Dunn County Board’s organizational meeting April 21.
The Dunn County Board met by teleconference using the online platform called Zoom so that the 29 county board members, county staff, members of the public and members of the media did not have to crowd into the county board room in the basement of the Community Services Building on Highway 12 East because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Stene was first elected as supervisor for District 5 in 2012 as a write-in candidate and was elected to his first term as vice-chair of the Dunn County Board in 2016. After Stene’s first term as vice-chair, James Tripp, county board supervisor from Menomonie, served as vice-chair for two years.
Stene ran unopposed for the District 5 position in the April 7 spring election.
During the Dunn County Board term that just expired, Stene served on the Aging and Disability Resource Center Advisory Council as a representative for elected officials; on the Civil Service Rating Committee representing the county board at large; on the Dunn County Economic Development Corporation Board of Directors as the Dunn County representative; on the Emergency Medical Services Committee as the county board supervisor at large; as the county board representative on the Colfax Public Library Board; on the Library Planning Committee representing the Colfax Public Library; and as chair of the Health and Human Services Board.
Stene also was elected as a trustee on the Colfax Village Board in the April 7 election. Stene has formerly served as village president on the Colfax Village Board and has served previous terms as a trustee on the village board as well as having served on the Colfax Board of Education in years past.
David Bartlett of Boyceville, District 2 representative on the Dunn County Board, was re-elected as chair of the county board.
Six new county board supervisors were welcomed to their first meeting April 21.
New supervisors included Jody Kromrey of Menomonie, District 13, which was formerly represented by John R. Calabrese, who moved into District 14 and was elected to that position in the April 7 election; Ann Vogel, District 16, formerly represented by Robin Sweeney of Menomonie; Tim Niehoff of Menomonie, a registered write-in candidate for District 20, formerly represented by Mary S. Solberg; Steven Jenson, District 25, formerly represented by Elton J. Christopherson of Elk Mound; Robert Bauer, District 27, formerly represented by Dale Harschlip of Mondovi; and Joe Hartung, registered write-in candidate for District 29, formerly represented by Gary Seipel of Eau Galle.
Bartlett said he was looking forward to a time when he would be able to meet the new board members in person.
Bartlett also said he planned to invite those supervisors who had left the board to come back to be recognized for their service when the county board is able to meet in person again.
