As La Crosse County begins the search for its next administrator, board members have tapped associate administrator Jane Klekamp to serve as interim leader.
The Executive Committee approved the appointment of Klekamp at its meeting Wednesday morning. The appointment will need to be approved by the full La Crosse County Board next week.
Jane Klekamp
Current La Crosse County administrator Steve O’Malley publicly announced his plans to retire earlier this week after 19 years. He plans to work full time through the end of May, and officially retire sometime in August.
Klekamp has served as the county’s associate administrator since 2015. Prior to that she was the manager of the county’s Justice Support Services beginning in 1995.
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O’Malley
Officials said that Klekamp was up for the job, having already played the role of administrator many times when filling in for O’Malley.
“She definitely has the experience in the office to fill the position,” La Crosse County Board chair Monica Kruse said.
Supervisor Randy Erickson said, “I think we’re in good hands.”
La Crosse County Board chair Monica Kruse
If approved by the full board, Klekamp would become interim once O’Malley pumps the brakes on working full time, likely near the end of the month.
Having an interim administrator in place will allow the board a more flexible timeline to find O’Malley’s permanent successor, a process that is beginning now.
Staff will post the job description and opening and will focus on finding candidates for the position.
La Crosse County supervisor Randy Erickson
The La Crosse County Board will act as the hiring manager for the position, and the Executive Committee will be the group to recommend the candidate. The full board will need a majority vote to officially hire the selected candidate.
O’Malley served as the county’s first administrator after the role was created in place of a coordinator.
Supervisor Kevin Hoyer recommended on Wednesday that the full board reassess whether the administrator is the right position for the county.
Currently, the state allows counties to choose between three options for its leadership position.
An administrative coordinator — the role the county had in place prior to O’Malley — is an appointed position which has the least amount of power of the three. It plays a similar role to a county board chair, and helps coordinate county matters, but not supervise.
The position La Crosse currently employs is an administrator. This is an appointed position who has some power, including overseeing and supervising departments, county staff and the annual budget, but works alongside the board, not on top of it.
Finally, there is a county executive. This is an elected position with broad power over departments and the board, including veto power. It’s a role that can be compared to the mayor of a city in relationship to a city council, or a governor to a state legislature.
“I’m not suggesting we change,” Hoyer said. “But I’m suggesting that this is a time that we look at possible differences that would likely improve upon what we have.”
Supervisor Kim Cable cautioned against changing the position.
“I think our county has come so far under the administrator role and the work of Mr. O’Malley, that to go back to a lesser role could potentially be harmful to the county,” Cable said.
County board members will get a chance to review the job description of the position. An exact timeline for filling the role has not yet been set, but is being worked on.
In Photos: The Tribune's favorites from April
Under a new plan proposed by the School District of La Crosse, students at Central and Logan High Schools would attend a single school located at the Trane Technologies campus located at 3600 Pammel Creek Road on the South Side.
Beams are put into place by workers Monday at the construction site of a new Kwik Trip Store at the corner of Mormon Coulee Road and Ward Avenue. The store, at 9100 square feet, will be the company’s largest store to date.
The storefront at Leithold Music, at 116 Fourth St. S., is among five statewide recognitions earned by Downtown Mainstreet at the Wisconsin Main Street Awards on April 22 for its revitalization efforts and promotions. The facelift at Leithold earned the award for best façade rehabilitation.
Firefighters battle a blaze from the ground Thursday morning along Fourth Street near its corner with King Street downtown.
Firefighters battle a blaze from boom trucks Thursday morning along Fourth Street near its corner with King Street downtown.
Firefighters battle a blaze engulfing multiple buildings Thursday morning along Fourth Street near its corner with King Street downtown.
A firefighter climbs a boom ladder while working the scene of a blaze Thursday morning along Fourth Street near its corner with King Street downtown. The fire devastated the building occupied by India Curry House and Bar.
Dressed for a chilly day, Sparta's Ty Lietzau hits a tee shot last week during a Mississippi Valley Conference meet at The Golf Club at Cedar Creek in Onalaska. Tuesday's forecast from the National Weather Service calls for cloudy skies in the morning, gradual clearing in the afternoon and high temperature near 60 degrees in La Crosse.
Mylah Russell, left, a student at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse and a member of the Sigma Tri sorority, has her face wiped Wednesday on campus by fellow student and sorority sister, Emma Powless, during a fundraiser for the March of Dimes.
Aquinas' Estella Weisse
A Holstein cow feeds last week near an old farm house in rural Vernon County. Tuesday’s forecast from the National Weather Service calls for sunny skies and a high temperature of 48 degrees in La Crosse.
A prayer is said outside of St. Clare Health Mission on Friday during the Franciscan Spirituality Center’s annual Justice and Peace Stations of the Cross walk in recognition of Good Friday. The walk stopped for prayer at 10 stations throughout the city, including Lincoln Middle School, The Salvation Army and La Crosse County Jail.
The La Crosse Stars color guard team performs Wednesday at Logan Middle School. The team along with the La Crosse Stars Cadets, a junior varsity team, also performed at Longfellow Middle School and Lincoln Middle School as part of a recruiting tour to complete their season.
Logan's Kamryann Korish taggs out Onalaska's Marlee Walleen
A robin forages for food Friday in the snow-covered grass along Market Street, Much of the region received a measurable snowfall late Thursday and early Friday.
Jane and Paul Steingraeber hold hands Tuesday as they walk into the District 4 poling place at English Lutheran Church to vote.
Aaron Lapp, a mixer and operator at the Kwik Trip sweets bakery, scrapes Crème Dream Dunker batter from a mixing blade.
Olivia Herken
Reporter
Olivia Herken is the local government reporter at the La Crosse Tribune and a graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Journalism. She can be found on Twitter @oherken, and reached at 608-791-8217.
