Eric Murphy
Shelia Stubbs and supporters at April 27 meeting of board’s Health and Human Needs Committee
Supporters wearing T-shirts and carrying posters urged committee members in testimony to advance the confirmation of Shelia Stubbs.
In a statement released today, Dane County Executive Joe Parisi calls the April 27 committee vote to reject Shelia Stubbs’ nomination to lead the county’s Department of Human Services “unprecedented.”
“Members of the Dane County Board last night went on record saying an African American woman with a master's degree in management and bachelor's degrees in criminal justice and political science, 16 years in county elected office, who has lived experience volunteering in community centers and working for decades to fight poverty and racism while advocating for those less fortunate is not qualified to lead the county's work in serving vulnerable populations,” Parisi said.
But members of the board’s Health and Human Needs Committee, who voted unanimously not to recommend Stubbs, said in their comments that they based their vote on “misinformation” they said Stubbs spread about the confirmation process, “bully pulpit tactics,” and her stoking of anger in the weeks since Parisi announced her appointment on April 13.
The meeting of nearly five hours included public testimony, questions posed to Stubbs, a state representative from Madison and a former Dane County board supervisor, and discussion.
“Stubbs engaged in misinformation about that process and continues to engage in misinformation about that process,” Supv. Heidi Wegleitner, the committee’s chair, said. “It’s really important that we have a leader of this department that helps to heal divisions within county government, not create them.”
Stubbs’ confirmation will be considered by the county’s Personnel and Finance Committee on May 1, and is expected to be taken up by the full board on May 4.
Just three days after the announcement of Stubbs’s appointment, on April 16, a letter signed by dozens of Black community leaders was published in Madison365 accusing Wegleitner, board Chair Patrick Miles, and Elizabeth Doyle, chair of the Personnel and Finance Committee, of “refusing to introduce a resolution to confirm Mrs. Shelia Stubbs to the position of director of Dane County Human Services Department.” Supervisors said they also started receiving messages from community members about the confirmation process then.
Supervisors defended the process Thursday night. Miles said that the resolution was introduced at the next possible board meeting, on April 20. Wegleitner said she needed to wait to introduce a resolution until receiving the results of her information requests about the finalists for the position. The current interim director of Human Services, Astra Iheukumere, had also been named a finalist, and Wegleitner said she had thought an internal hire might be likely.
“How come you didn’t accurately explain the county board process?” Supv. April Kigeya asked in her first question for Stubbs.
“It’s critical that we educate our constituents,” responded Stubbs, who did not directly answer how she explained the confirmation process to supporters.
In her opening comments and answers, Stubbs highlighted her professional and life experience and ability to connect with people as qualifications for the position. The director of Human Services would control an annual budget of $240 million and supervise about 800 employees.
“I’ve had to be as creative as I could be to help some of the most vulnerable people,” said Stubbs.
After questioning ended, Wegleitner returned to the issue of the confirmation process. “We were accused of blocking something that had not even been provided to us. The resolution and referral process was followed. There is no process for immediate confirmation. That’s not how it works.”
She said her own concern about the process was how the county executive’s office handled the appointment. “What was different about this process is that it was short, it was quick, and it wasn’t the sort of thorough vetting that we’ve seen previously.”
Supervisors also took issue with comments made by Stubbs in a video of her rallying support for her confirmation at her church, End Time Ministries International, where she is the pastor. In the video — which was posted to Facebook and then deleted and first reported by the Wisconsin State Journal — Stubbs says the board needs to be “shooken up” and that she and her supporters may take the position “by force.”
“That was taken out of context. That wasn’t what that meant,” Stubbs said when questioned about those comments. “I’m not what you think I am. I am a loving person.”
Stubbs also said at the committee meeting that, because of her race, she was being subjected to a different vetting process than previous agency directors. “I’ve never witnessed this process, and so I think the question should be why is this happening to this African American woman who is beyond qualified, with experience, who has served this county for 16 years. I am appalled,” Stubbs said.
Miles disputed Stubbs’ accusation that she was being unfairly treated because she is Black. He said her actions matched a pattern he observed while both served on the county board. “All too often when we've had some disagreement on some policy issue or budget matter, oftentimes the discussion turned to something other than the merits of the issue at hand,” he said. “I am not comfortable with that pattern...to me it was disqualifying to hear that.”
Dozens of Stubbs’ supporters filed into the City-County Building ahead of the committee meeting in matching white T-shirts reading CONFIRM SHELIA STUBBS in block letters, carrying printed signs and a banner large enough that multiple people were needed to hold it.
Most identified themselves as members of Stubbs’ church during hours of public testimony in support of Stubbs before questioning from the committee. Several speakers shared personal stories about how Stubbs had been someone reliable they could turn to in difficult times.
Some said it was God’s will that Stubbs be confirmed and others had harsh criticism for the board. "All you white racist Democrats do is beat up on Black Democrats," said one speaker.
Recent Madison mayoral candidate Gloria Reyes also gave public comment in support of Stubbs’ confirmation, saying she felt there were different expectations for people of color in the county. “I’m very concerned,” said Reyes. “There’s no doubt Shelia Stubbs is qualified.”
The job posting, confirmation resolution and applications of all four finalists for the position of county human services director are available as attachments to Thursday’s committee meeting agenda.
