Trempealeau County will need new administrator

WHITEHALL - Trempealeau County will need a new county administrator as the current admin. Rebecca Glewen will be departing on Nov. 10 to take a similar position in Chippewa County.

The Trempealeau County Board has begun the process of finding a replacement, including setting up a timeline for finding prospective candidates and conducting interviews. But many members of the Board want to have or sit in on an exit interview with Glewen, who has been the county administrator for the past three years and the first since the position was created. They expressed this view at the most recent meeting of the Board back on Sept. 28. Board Chairman Andrew Todd objected to this but by a 12-5 vote the Board put aside those objections to set this interview.

At the same full County Board meeting, a one-year moratorium on development or construction of data centers was approved. The Board plans to establish a committee to study and possibly create rules and regulations on such projects.

The Board also agreed to a committee switch between two of its members. Scott Leonard will be moving from the Law Enforcement to the Property Committee while Renee Lyons will switch with him. This move was initiated by Chairman Todd in response to what he characterize as unfair attacks upon Leonard on social media degenerating to online harrassment, particularly from Board member Andy Parrish although Todd did not name Parrish directly during the meeting.

The Board is also debating, in the Personnel and Bargaining Committee whether to hire a new county "Finance Director" or "Finance Manager" in the 2027 budget. The difference in wording could mean an extra $25,000 in salary. The proposed position was included and debated for the 2026 budget but was voted down by the Board but the committee had voted last spring to reclassify the finance manager post in the county administrator's office to a director position which would mean the increase in salary to find qualified candidates.