Dane County Board rejects Stubbs's appointment to lead Department of Human Services

MADISON, Wis. -- The Dane County Board of Supervisors on Thursday rejected Rep. Shelia Stubbs' appointment to the role of director of the county's Department of Human Services.

After roughly an hour of public and board comment, supervisors voted 27-2, with five members abstaining, against confirming Stubbs to lead the county's largest department.

County Executive Joe Parisi named Stubbs as his pick to lead the department last month. Since then, two county committees voted unanimously to recommend against her confirmation, putting into question whether Stubbs would have enough support to overcome the opposition to her appointment.

Board members voiced a number of concerns about Stubbs, including about initial indications she planned to continue serving in the Assembly while leading the department. Stubbs later said she would step down if confirmed.

Stubbs also drew fire for comments she made during a church event, where she said "God gave [her] that job" and that if her supporters prayed and believed, "I believe we'll take it by force." In a video of the remarks, a supporter stresses "it is very, very important" that attendees show their support for Stubbs, adding "if we have to storm the Capitol as one, as a Black Lives Matter movement, then we will."

In an interview, Board Chair Patrick Miles said "to stoke anger through misinformation, in my view, is dangerous," and in a statement, Sup. Yogesh Chawla said he was "disgusted" by what he heard in the video. In response, Parisi said "in no way was Shelia or anyone advocating violence."

Parisi also said at the time Stubbs made the comments, she was "very frustrated" because she felt she was being treated differently than other appointees. He took aim at board leadership, saying their actions "since the moment I made this recommendation have been unprecedented to any previous department nomination that I and other County Executives have offered."

Sup. Elizabeth Doyle, who chairs the county's Personnel and Finance Committee, responded on Monday by arguing Parisi's "handling of this process highlights a pattern of behavior in which any questions or requests for information by supervisors are seen as adversarial instead of the board completing its required oversight role."

Following Thursday night's vote, Stubbs told reporters she was facing a hostile body that mischaracterized her.

"They've been inconsistent in all of their ways, but again I want you to know that I'm optimistic. That's all you got? You take away one job? That's why I went to school -- I have three degrees -- I am more than qualified and I know God gave me this job," she said. "I won't stop, I've been fighting all my life."

Parisi blasted the board for rejecting Stubbs, saying its leaders "sought justification to say 'no'" to her appointment from the outset and that they "showed unprecedented hostility" toward her.

"Before one word was uttered publicly, County Board leadership told the administration privately they had serious concerns," Parisi said in a statement following the vote. "When pressed, those concerns were vague, generalized, and not supported by specifics. Their words clearly forecast their intent. Their subsequent actions sought to find justification for what quickly became a self-fulfilling, pre-determined outcome."

Moving forward, Parisi said he wants to review the county's hiring process to make sure "those with a desire to serve who step forward in the future aren't subjected to what has occurred and instead are evaluated on their education and experience—the objective merits that are supposed to guide an appointment process."

His full statement reads:

“From the moment County Board leaders were briefed on this appointment, they sought justification to say ‘no’ to State Representative Stubbs returning to Dane County service. Questions—not asked of previous appointees—inundated the administration in unprecedented scrutiny for any candidate for county service, much less one who had already given her time and talents for so many years.

“Before one word was uttered publicly, County Board leadership told the administration privately they had serious concerns. When pressed, those concerns were vague, generalized, and not supported by specifics. Their words clearly forecast their intent. Their subsequent actions sought to find justification for what quickly became a self-fulfilling, pre-determined outcome.

“The pursuit of Board leadership to seek rationale and reasons to oppose this appointment stood in contrast to private, lengthy conversations and even meetings Representative Stubbs had with members of this Board. What was said in private and then in public were very different.

“Representative Stubbs has served the south side of Madison for decades and has seen firsthand how processes and institutions can be utilized as barriers to opportunity. A public servant who has given to this community had her faith, character, and integrity questioned and even ridiculed while her friends and family absorbed this relentless display on the evening news. County Board leadership displayed unprecedented hostility toward Representative Stubbs, the damage of which has reverberated beyond these proceedings.

“This isn't how Dane County treats its own and will not be the new norm for future prospective county leaders. I will review options for the county's hiring processes to help minimize the risk that those with a desire to serve who step forward in the future aren't subjected to what has occurred and instead are evaluated on their education and experience—the objective merits that are supposed to guide an appointment process.

“How this was conducted will damage our ability to recruit talent. This will constrain the effectiveness of any future search; time is the only remedy. After allowing a reset for healing, I will announce next steps to fill the position and minimize the impact of what has occurred on county operations.

“To State Representative Stubbs, her family, and all who go to work every day with the goal of making life just a bit better for others—thank you. You all deserved much better. The past few weeks was not Dane County government at its best.”