BY JAMES KATES \/ The Capstone<\/p>\n
The Jefferson County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday denied more than $13,000 in claims for damage to motor vehicles blamed on county road work, but not before a spirited discussion on whether the county has a \u201cmoral obligation\u201d to make things right.<\/p>\n
On a voice vote, supervisors opted to forward the claims to the county\u2019s insurer, Wisconsin Municipal Mutual Insurance Co. In nine claims, motorists had asked the county to pay for damage caused by seal coat chips or fresh oil and tar on roads.<\/p>\n
Corporation Counsel J. Blair Ward told supervisors that the county has \u201cdiscretionary immunity\u201d against the claims and can deny any or all of them. Parties who are denied payment can sue, but they must do so within six months.<\/p>\n
In any event, motorists can still present any evidence they wish to the insurance company to show that the county was at fault, Ward said.<\/p>\n
Supervisor Greg David and a few others said warning signage along some roads was missing or inadequate, allowing motorists to travel too fast and kick up debris.<\/p>\n
In particular, they cited Ski Slide Road in the Town of Ixonia, where damage from fresh tar on a Dodge Ram truck generated the largest claim, for $6,687.76.<\/p>\n
\u201cI am wondering if we are not culpable for some of that\u201d damage, David said. He asked that the claims be sent back to the Finance Committee for further consideration, but that motion was rejected on a 20-6 vote.<\/p>\n
Supervisor Dick Schultz said the county had to be wary of motorists\u2019 claims.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere is some personal responsibility\u201d for drivers to slow down on roads that are being resurfaced, Schultz said. \u201cI\u2019m concerned that if we waffle on this, we are opening a can of worms for our Highway Department. \u2026 I don\u2019t think we can send that message.\u201d<\/p>\n
In another cautionary note on the legal front, Ward told supervisors to follow the Wisconsin Open Meetings Law very carefully to avoid even inadvertent violations that could lead to fines.<\/p>\n
Ward\u2019s warning stemmed from a case in Winnebago County, where members of two county\u00a0committees illegally attended meetings of the Courthouse Security Committee for about four years. The Wisconsin Department of Justice told Winnebago County supervisors the practice was illegal, but it did not issue fines or take other legal action.<\/p>\n
Supervisors must give 24 hours\u2019 public notice \u2013 even if they are attending meetings in which they are not directly involved \u2013 if their presence might constitute a quorum of any committee, Ward said. In most cases, a quorum would be three members of a five-member committee.<\/p>\n
If three members of a committee show up and no notice has been given, \u201csomeone needs to leave,\u201d Ward said.<\/p>\n
The law does not apply to social gatherings, but it does apply to any meeting of an educational nature, such as the annual conference of the Wisconsin Counties Association, he added.<\/p>\n
In other action Tuesday:<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
BY JAMES KATES \/ The Capstone The Jefferson County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday denied more than $13,000 in claims for damage to motor vehicles blamed on county road work, but not before a spirited discussion on whether the county … Continue reading