Dane County offices will be closed on Nov, 28th & 29th 2024
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 –
Today I’m providing updates on a few local items, including:
As always, please reach out if you’d like to connect. Thank you,
Richelle Andrae
Supervisor, District 11
Andrae.richelle@countyofdane.org
County Board Organizational Meeting Tues. 4/19
Tomorrow evening, we begin a new County Board term. All County Board members will take the oath of office beginning at 7PM. Agenda and details, including Zoom link, are here: https://dane.legistar.com/View.ashx?M=A&ID=903597&GUID=4EBC146F-3F78-4A1C-A699-6C98210F51B8. At tomorrow’s meeting, our first item of business will be electing the Board Chair; media coverage of the Chair election is available here. The Board Chair is a member of our 37-member legislative body who is responsible for coordinating Board business, Standing Committee assignments, liaising with staff and the Executive’s office, and “wrangling cats” (us, the Supervisors). It is an impossible and thankless job. We are fortunate to have two excellent candidates stepping up for the position, Sups. Eicher and Miles, each of whom I’ve been privileged to work with closely since being elected.
At tomorrow’s meeting, we will also vote on County Board and Committee rules of governance, such as when we accept public comment, standing items on our agenda, and other technical operations. You can see the proposed ordinance changes here. Of note, this proposal would change the current County Board agenda item at the beginning of our meetings from “Prayer/Inspirational Message” to “Inspirational Message”, while also defining that such a message could still include a prayer if desired. We have a unique and cherished practice at the County Board where each Supervisor has an opportunity to share a message at the beginning of a meeting. It provides insights to that person’s passions, background, and motivation for service. I support the change to remove the word “prayer” from our agendas, while continuing to honor those that would like to begin with a prayer if that is their selection. When I addressed the Board during my assigned meeting last year, I shared reflections from teens involved in our Youth Governance Program, highlighting their observations about local government and public service.
Our new redistricting maps will also be effective this week; a searchable map is available here: https://dcimapapps.countyofdane.com/supervisors/.
Earth Day & Dane County Parks
Earth Day is Friday, April 22. Check out upcoming Earth Day events this week from Dane County Parks! The “Trash Lab” is awesome – I highly recommend visiting with the family! Or, pick up a free Serviceberry Bush on Thursday! Find County Park maps here for activities including dog park play, camping, biking, and public hunting. Earth Day events this week:
Plus, here are 20 Practical Ways To Celebrate Earth Day, Every Day from Outward Bound. I’ll be brushing up on my 7 Principles of Leave No Trace as I begin to plan my summer hike of the Dane County Segment of the Ice Age Trail.
In the News: Dane County Sheriff’s Office Implements Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT)
I’m thrilled to see that the Dane County Sheriff’s Office is starting to implement MAT for individuals at the jail. This is an important step in advancing recovery and rehabilitation, and is an item I discussed with former Sheriff Mahoney when I was first elected. In my day job, I work with clinics that provide care for under-resourced individuals, often folks without health insurance or who are low-income. MAT is a proven practice that can increase opportunities for recovery. Read more:
Want to learn more about MAT? Visit https://www.samhsa.gov/medication-assisted-treatment.
~ Richelle
Andrae.richelle@countyofdane.com
