Dear Editor,
It is with great disdain that we write this letter to the Dane County Board of Supervisors asking why Dane County Chairman Patrick Miles, Chairwoman Heidi Wegleitner of the Health and Human Needs Committee and Chairwoman Elizabeth Doyle of the Personnel & Finance Committee are all refusing to introduce a resolution to confirm Mrs. Shelia Stubbs to the position of director of Dane County Human Services Department. The community would simply like to understand the basis for such tactics.
As we understand the civil service process, there is an application process. Then a review of all applicant’s credentials and subsequently a certified list of candidates are sent to the hiring authority and next the interview process is held with the top candidates. The hiring authority, in this case, was Dane County Executive Joe Parisi. Once an applicant is chosen references are checked and an offer is made. As such, all the above was carried out and Mrs. Shelia Stubbs was selected and accepted the position.
Therefore, we are baffled after reviewing and knowing of Mrs. Stubbs’ exemplary credentials as to why these three Supervisors refuse to introduce the appropriate resolution to name this Black woman as director of Dane County’s Human Services Department.
A cursory review of Mrs. Stubbs resume reveals her academic achievement in many ways aligns with her accomplishments. She has obtained a bachelor of science degree in criminal justice and a bachelor of arts degree in political science, as well as a master’s of science and management degree. She graduated Magna Cum Laude and has taught at the college level on many subject matters, served as an adjunct professor, and was a special education teacher.
Mrs. Stubbs represented the south side of Madison on the County Board from 2006 to 2022. During that period, she authored key legislation, including a resolution creating what is now known as the Dane County Behavioral Health Resource Center, a central point to help individuals and families navigate barriers to accessing mental health and addiction treatment services. She also initiated Dane County’s Community Restorative Court which provides alternatives for those who commit non-violent crimes. Stubbs served five years as Chair of the County Board’s Health and Human Needs Committee, the oversight body for the Department of Human Services. Stubbs also served on the County’s budget-writing committee as a member of Personnel and Finance.
Mrs. Shelia Stubbs is definitely a trailblazer as she was elected and became the first Black from Dane County to serve in the Wisconsin State Assembly. Therein, she captured many firsts as a Black woman, namely: chair of a Dane County standing committee; chair of Wisconsin Counties Association Board of Directors; chair of the Judicial and Public Safety Steering committee; and the first Black woman to represent Wisconsin as Vice-Chair of Law Enforcement Committee. She has been assigned and served on numerous committees, such as: Colleges and Universities, Corrections, Criminal Justice and Public Safety, Insurance Board, State Affairs and Tourism; again to name a few.
For chronological sake, many of you might remember, Stubbs was elected as the Dane County Board of Supervisor for District 23-South Madison, on April 18, 2006, until 2022. Also, she is the representative for the Wisconsin State Assembly, District 77, which represents the South and West parts of the City of Madison. In 2008, she served as the chair of the health and human needs committee until 2012. She was elected as second vice-chair of the Dane County Board of Supervisors for the 2016-2018 term. Her Dane County Committee assignments then were as follows: Personnel & Finance Committee; UW-Extension Committee; Racial Disparities Sub-Committee; Greater Madison Convention & Visitors Board of Directors; The Tamara D. Grigsby Office of Equity and Inclusion Advisory Board; Alliant Energy Center Comprehensive Master Plan Oversight Committee.
Other committees Mrs. Stubbs served on include: Dane County’s Executive Committee; Monona Terrace Board of Directors; Land Conservation Committee; Alliant Energy Center Commission; Co-Chair, South Madison Fresh Market Project Team Committee; Alliant Energy Center Strategic Design Committee; Alliant Energy Center Master Oversight Committee; Poverty Commission; Public Protection & Judiciary Alternatives to Arrest Committee; Wisconsin Counties Association Board of Director and Chair of the Judicial & Public Safety Steering Committee; Secretary, National Association of Counties (NACo); Women of NACo; National Association of Counties Justice and Public Safety Steering Committee; Vice- President of Law Enforcement Sub-Committee for the National Association of Counties Justice and Public Safety Steering Committee; National Association of Large Urban County Caucus (LUCC); National Association of Healthy Counties Initiative Advisory Board (HCAB); Co-Chair; Wisconsin Speaker’s Taskforce on Racial Disparities; Co-Chair, of the Subcommittee on Law Enforcement Policies and Standards; and Former Chair; Wisconsin Legislative Black Caucus.
Rep. Shelia Stubbs is definitely a trailblazer as she was elected and became the first Black from Dane County to serve in the Wisconsin State Assembly. Therein, she captured many firsts such as: chairing a Dane County standing committee; chairing of Wisconsin Counties Association Board of Directors; chairing of the Judicial and Public Safety Steering committee; and being the first Black woman to represent Wisconsin as Vice-Chair of the Law Enforcement Committee, just to name a few. She has been assigned and served on numerous committees: Colleges and Universities; Corrections; Criminal Justice and Public Safety; Insurance Board; and State Affairs and Tourism, again to name a few.
Respectfully, we ask that Mrs. Shelia Stubbs name be moved expeditiously through the Dane County Board of Supervisors process for confirmation and that she be treated like all other appointees of the county executive, whether they be Black or White. By the way, are there any permanent Black women directors in Dane County?
Thank you in advance for your time given to this matter.
Sincerely,
Rev David Hart, Esq.
Kirbie Mack
Rev. Dr. Alex Gee
Rev. Dr. Marcus Allen
Rev. William Badger
Rev. Joseph Baring
Ray Allen
Tracey Caradine
Theresa Sanders
Kaleem Caire
Atty. Joshua Hargrove
Atty. Angela Arrington
Yvette Craig
Harper Donahue
Carola Gaines
Dr. Corinda Rainey Moore
Constance Miles
Annette Miller
Deirdre Morgan
Pam Soward
Teresita Torrence
Candace McDowell
Vanessa McDowell
Azure Fudge Hart
Verona Morgan
Ester Lowery
Maaina Mack
Jeff Mack, Jr.
Selina Owens
Deborah Garret Thomas
Otis Thomas
Mrs. Wayne Strong
Andrea Jones
Claudia Mosley
Tim Mosley
Yolanda Shelton-Morris
Rosa Thompson
Kimila Daniel
Gloria Hawkins
Stephanie Harris
Dr. Jamila Lee-Johnson
