Colfax woman appointed as Dunn County treasurer

By LeAnn R. Ralph

MENOMONIE  —  Doris Meyer of Colfax has been appointed by the Dunn County Board as treasurer for Dunn County.

Meyer was appointed during the Dunn County Board’s September 20 meeting to fill the unexpired term of Dunn County Treasurer Megan Mittlestadt, who resigned in July.

The Committee on Administration is recommending Doris Meyer for the position, said James Tripp, county board supervisor from Menomonie and chair of the Committee on Administration.

Meyer has experience with the county and with the county’s Systems Application Products (SAP) computer software system, Tripp said.

Meyer has “demonstrated ability and aptitude,” he said.

“We did our due diligence… Doris rose to the top,” Tripp said.

Mittlestadt’s term will expire in 2020, and Meyer can then run for election if she chooses, he noted.

Prior to being appointed as county treasurer, Meyer worked with the Finance Division of the Dunn County Administration Department.

Gary Bjork, county board supervisor from Colfax, said he had heard two part-time workers in the treasurer’s office were going to be laid off.

Based on evaluations of the treasurer’s office and an exit interview with Mittlestadt, the treasurer’s office has a need for a full-time deputy treasurer, said Paul Miller, county manager.

The treasurer’s office currently has a part-time deputy treasurer who works in the county clerk’s office and in the treasurer’s office, he said.

Instead of two part-time employees, one full-time employee will be hired as deputy treasurer, Miller said.

The two part-time employees have been encouraged to apply for the full-time deputy treasurer position,  he said.

“We tried to hire (Doris Meyer) in Colfax, but we were not successful,” noted Gary Stene, county board supervisor from Colfax and Colfax village president.

The Dunn County Board unanimously approved appointing Doris Meyer as the county treasurer.

Meyer began her duties as county treasurer the day after the Dunn County Board meeting.

Public works

The Dunn County Board at the September 20 meeting also appointed John J. Sworski as the director of public works and the highway commissioner to replace Jesse Rintala, who resigned as director of public works and highway commissioner effective September 8.

The highway committee is recommending Sworski, who is well-qualified for the position, said Gary Seipel, county board supervisor from Eau Galle and chair of the highway committee.

Sworski has an civil engineering degree, has worked for Chippewa County and is now a project manager for Durand Builders, Seipel said.

Sworski “has experience in engineering and in the construction of roads and buildings,” he said.

According to the resolution for appointing Sworski, the impact for the 2017 budget will be a decrease of $5,418.

Sworski is expected to begin in the position of director of public works and highway commissioner October 2.

The Dunn County Board unanimously approved appointing Sworski.