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 near West High School. 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 chaired the Public Protection & Judiciary Committee from 2022 to 2026, 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. I now serve as Vice-Chair of the Personnel & Finance Committee which has primarily jurisdiction over important budget decisions.
A few of my "success stories" on the Board include navigating the complex jail consolidation project, improving constituent outreach by encouraging implementation of a successful blog system for Supervisors, and budget amendments to improve the pay structure for staff attorneys to support the timely service of justice, expunge Birth Recovery Costs (learn more about this policy issue here), and fund a local Food System Action Plan.
When I’m not at work or engaged in Board activities, you can find me on a walk enjoying the oaks in the Speedway cemetery with my rescue pup, Roux, or paddling my kayak on the Yahara. 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 –
On October 2, the County Executive released his budget proposal. Over the next month the County Board will propose and consider amendments, then ultimately vote on the budget by mid-November. There are many opportunities for engagement at upcoming public hearings.
Budget resources:
I will primarily be working on amendments regarding the proposal to expand non-law enforcement response to behavioral health crises county-wide, implementation of the Sheriff’s proposed body worn camera pilot, and language access for county services. Ideas or input for the budget process? Please reach out! I look forward to helping develop a budget that prioritizes our pressing needs while also looking to the future.
Also, this week County Executive Parisi announced his retirement for May 2024, which is pretty big news. Exec. Parisi assumed the role in 2011, and his current term doesn’t expire until 2025. What happens next? This means that we’ll have a few significant decision-points for next year based on election timing. The County Board Chair (currently Patrick Miles of Mcfarland) will appoint an interim Executive from May to November 2024. There will be a special election in November 2024 coinciding with the Presidential General, and then in April 2025 there would be another election, the general for County Exec. Yowza. Chair Miles has publicly stated that he would appoint someone who would not intend to seek the permanent position. However, there could be a change in Chair and there is no prohibition against an interim appointee running for the role. Should be a very, very interesting year.
See you around the neighborhood!
Richelle Andrae
Dane County Board Supervisor District 11
