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The program started in April and was set to expire in April 2026 if not continued.

Max Olson, junior at Milton High School, has been a participant in the Youth in Governance program. He was assigned to the county board staff committee.

“So far, the Youth in Governance program has given me several valuable insights into a number of different areas. I’ve been able to learn about the county’s organization, the county’s way of doing business and as a matter of fact just meeting and how something starts off as one supervisor’s idea and becomes policy and becomes an ordinance and something that gets added to the budget,” Olson said.

Olson said he was particularly interested with the county’s highway fund.

“It’s been interesting for me to sit back and observe as solutions are come up with as administration meets with supervisors, as solutions are devised and a way is found to find a solution to that problem because it is a very signficant problem,” Olson said.

Olson called the program “a positive.”

“I’ve learned so much. I think it’s an incredible opportunity for Rock County’s youth and I would urge you all to support the resolution to make a permanent program,” Olson said.

With the approval, a new ad hoc committee for the program will be established. Board member Mike Schwarz questioned the need for a separate committee for the program, saying it should

“We did interact with some of the standing committees and while they were supportive of the program they were not ready to take on the structure of the program in terms of carrying out recruitment and so on,” said board member Bill Wilson, who has been on the ad hoc committee for the program.

There will also be $5,000 allocated for the program in the 2026 budget to support costs related to the orientation for participants and supervisor mentors, a field trip to the state capitol and “other incidental program costs.” The field trip will consist of meeting with elected officials and Wisconsin Counties Association representatives.

“If we need to get by with less, we certainly will as well,” Wilson said.