Story originally printed in the La Crosse Tribune or online at www.lacrossetribune.com
Published - Saturday, September 06, 2008
Personnel appointment marks City Hall first
City Hall is poised to have its first-ever female department head as Wendy Oestreich nears confirmation as La Crosse’s next director of human resources.
Oestreich, a nine-year city employee, has been interim department head since Jim Geissner retired in March.
She declined to comment on the appointment until after the Common Council’s confirmation vote Thursday evening.
The Finance and Personnel Committee this week unanimously backed the appointment, and the selection committee will brief the full council on its decision before votes on Tuesday and Thursday.
“It’s nice to know that at City Hall we’re keeping abreast of changing times, in which we recognize the positive contributions of women in the workforce,” said Audrey Kader, chairwoman of the Finance and Personnel Committee and screening committee member.
“Wendy is extremely well-qualified, with hands-on experience and a great personality to serve as our HR director,” she added.
Before her city position, Oestreich spent 10 years as a human resources generalist in the private sector.
Council member Doug Farmer called it one of the council’s more significant appointments.
“I consider personnel to be 90 percent of the ballgame,” Farmer said. “It all begins and ends with personnel. Everything.”
With council approval, Oestreich’s appointment will apply retroactively to the beginning of the month.
Though Kelly Krieg-Sigman has been at the helm of the La Crosse Public Library since 2003, she is not considered a department head. That post is neither appointed, confirmed nor reviewed by the mayor and city council.
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