richelle andrae
Thank you for the opportunity to serve District 11, which includes most of Hill Farms, Shorewood Village, and the neighborhoods immediately east of Midvale Blvd. I’ve lived in Madison since 2013, and reside just west of Hilldale. I’ve experienced our community through the eyes of a student, a young professional working in non-profit, an academic, and a volunteer. During the day, I am an advocate for safety net clinics in Wisconsin, working with state policymakers and partners to ensure that all residents have access to quality health care, regardless of income or insurance status. I’ve previously worked on local public health evaluation projects, rural workforce development, and Medicaid policy. After serving an AmeriCorps service term in California, I returned to Wisconsin and worked directly with underserved teens in Madison high schools, helping them find and keep their first jobs.
On the County Board, I Chair the Public Protection & Judiciary Committee, which has oversight for the Dane County Sheriff's Office, District Attorney's Office, Emergency Management, 911 Call Center, Courts, Pre-Trial Services, Medical Examiner, and more. A few of my "success stories" on the Board include navigating the complex jail consolidation project, improving constituent outreach by encouraging implementation of a blog system for Supervisors, and budget amendments to embed crisis expertise in emergency response and improve the pay structure for staff attorneys to support the timely service of justice. I also serve on the Dane County Food Policy Council and Greater Madison MPO, which administers transportation-related funding and programs across the region.
When I’m not at work or engaged in Board activities, you can find me at the Odana dog park with my rescue pup, Roux. I studied Spanish at UW-Madison during my undergrad, and earned a Masters in Public Affairs from the La Follette School, focusing on health policy and administration. Please reach out at any time and I look forward to working with you.
Neighbors –
April 2 Election: The non-partisan spring election is Tuesday, April 2. Please make a plan to vote! There have been changes in polling locations. My own poll was moved from its usual location on Whitney Way to Rennebohm Park just last week so definitely check the City of Madison’s voting website for the most updated, accurate info: https://www.cityofmadison.com/clerk/where-do-i-vote/.
Here’s a 101 on the April 2 ballot and what to expect: https://captimes.com/news/elections/what-you-need-to-know-to-vote-in-madison-and-dane-county-in-2024/article_f8766ff8-e7cd-11ee-a5f3-ffdfb058521c.html.
Don’t forget to learn about the 2 important constitutional amendments on the ballot Tuesday. Here’s a good article summarizing the ballot proposals. All 37 County Board Supervisor seats are on the ballot on April 2, 2024 (including me, district 11). Resources:
This is a transition time for the county, with significant turnover of the 37-member county board and new leadership (10 members decided not to run for re-election, and several other races are contested). With Exec. Parisi’s retirement in May, the County Board Chair will appoint an interim Executive to serve until after the November 2024 special election. There will be a general election for that same seat in April 2025, so be sure to check out the candidates hoping to earn your vote. Nearly one-third of the County Board will be new, which means fresh perspectives but also a potential lack of continuity to advance significant new initiatives.
I’m especially interested in our county-wide behavioral health system crisis assessment, due in mid-April, which will help us chart a path forward to make resources more accessible and connected. There will also be a body-worn camera pilot for the western area of the county, a budget amendment I worked on with the Sheriff, complete with public reporting and transparency measures. The county also broke ground on the long-awaited consolidated jail project, finally, in March. Seeing this to fruition, as the Chair of the county’s justice-related committee, is a priority for me to increase medical and mental health supports and close the outdated, unsafe facility.
Neighborhood Meeting on Friday, April 5: Please join me and Alder Regina Vidaver for an informal neighborhood meeting at The Heights on April 5 (see attached flyer). This is part of our efforts to engage with residents before there’s an issue, and build community with each other. Details:
Where: The Heights Community Room, 2206 University Ave (this is a new development over by the old Octopus Car Wash)
When: Friday, April 5, 5:30 – 7:30PM
What: Meet and Greet, Mingling, Food & Beverages provided – a great chance to build community together! No RSVP needed, and I hope to see you there!
Scam Alert from Dane County Sheriff’s Office: Scammers are getting more creative than ever, so I’m sharing the release from DCSO to remind us all to stay on our toes. It’s sad, but many folks being targeted are older residents.
Madison, WI- March 27, 2024 – The Dane County Sheriff’s Office is warning about the increasing advancements used by telephone scammers. The all too common “Grandparents Scam” has become even more believable with Artificial Intelligence (AI).
By taking online videos and using AI to create a recording using the person’s voice, scammers can make their victims believe their grandchild is in danger and need help. By playing on people’s emotions, these scammers are stealing thousands of dollars from unsuspecting senior citizens.
“We need to share this information far and wide to protect our most vulnerable community members from these callous scammers,” said Sheriff Kalvin Barrett. “The only way to deter this calculated criminal activity is to spread awareness of their ruthless tactics.”
Be cautious of how much is shared on social media accounts. Locking down privacy settings so that scammers cannot access video content is another way to lessen their prospects. If you receive one of these calls, hang up and call the family member directly to check on their welfare. Chances are, they are doing just fine, and you can sigh with relief that your bank account is still intact.
See you around the neighborhood (and hopefully at the Meet & Greet on Friday), and thank you for voting in local elections! Your vote matters!
Richelle Andrae
Dane County Board Supervisor District 11
