About

What the Council Does

Wisconsin’s homeland security advisor and 13 member council is responsible for advising the governor, coordinating state and local prevention and response efforts, and producing periodic reports on the state of homeland security in Wisconsin. The council works with local, state, federal, and tribal agencies, non-governmental organizations, and private industry to improve citizen and community preparedness. The governor is responsible for appointing council members. Additionally, a member of the governor’s staff is invited to attend and participate at each meeting.

The Council meets quarterly, on the third Wednesday of a designated month within each quarter. Meetings may last approximately 4 hours and include closed and open session portions. Members of the public are encouraged to attend the council’s open sessions.

Announcements of meetings are posted on this site, in the lobby of the Wisconsin Department of Military Affairs, and on the State Capitol’s bulletin board. Due to scheduling conflicts and real-world events, meetings may be scheduled on different dates or occur more frequently. Generally speaking, however, the Council meets four times over the course of a year.

History

In March 2003, the Wisconsin Homeland Security Council was created by executive order to address the state’s ability to prepare for and respond to threats to Wisconsin homeland security. Every non-statutory committee or council created by executive order of the governor expires at the end of each gubernatorial term of office unless the new governor, by executive order, provides for its continued existence. Thus, the Wisconsin Homeland Security Council was re-created by Governor Scott Walker’s Executive Order #6 in January 2011. New members have been appointed to fill vacancies; however, the structure – consisting of 13 members and chaired by the Wisconsin Homeland Security Advisor – remains the same.

In 2011, the council changed its meeting structure from monthly to quarterly and extended the meeting time to four hours. This longer meeting structure allows the council to discuss homeland security issues in greater depth. Additionally, the Council created work groups that meet in between regular meetings and focus on strategic goals. Often, officials from non-member agencies and non-governmental organizations attend to gather information about homeland security issues. Additionally, the council provides an official report to the governor each year during one of its public meetings.

A timeline of important events in the history of the Wisconsin Homeland Security Council.

Council Members


	Governor Scott Walker Governor of Wisconsin			Maj. General Donald P. Dunbar Wisconsin Homeland Security Advisor Wisconsin Adjutant General

	David Cagigal Department of Administration – Division of Enterprise Technology			Supt Stephen Fitzgerald Department of Transportation – Wisconsin State Patrol
	Chief Edward Flynn Wisconsin Chiefs of Police Association			Dr. Henry Anderson Department of Health Services – Division of Public Health
	Brian Satula Dept. of Military Affairs Wisconsin Emergency Management			Sheriff David Mahoney Badger State Sheriff’s Association
	Chief Brad Liggett Wisconsin State Fire Chiefs Association			David Woodbury Department of Natural Resources
	David S Matthews Department of Justice			Chief David Erwin Department of Administration – Division of Capitol Police
	Susan Buroker Dept. of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection			John Murray Office of Justice Assistance