Pritzl heading back to Brown County

Erik Pritzl is returning to his old job as Brown County director of health and human services.

Pritzl announced in November that he is stepping down as Oconto County administrator, a position he has held since the beginning of 2022, effective Feb. 7.

The Brown County Board on Dec. 20 approved County Executive Troy Streckenbach’s appointment of Pritzl to the position he held from April 2015 through December 2021, at an annual salary of $141,356 starting Feb. 19.

“I said I wasn’t going very far, I said you’d be able to find me,” Pritzl said during the Oconto County Board meeting Dec. 21. “You’ll have no trouble tracking me down if you ever need to … I have one more meeting with you all, and I’ll have some more parting words then.”

Oconto County is accepting applications for the administrator post through Jan. 5. The job entails overseeing a $50 million annual budget supporting 277 full-time equivalent employees, according to the job posting on the Wisconsin Counties Association website. The annual salary range is $127,00 to $132,000 plus benefits.

The job requires at least a bachelor’s degree in public or business administration or a related field, although the county said it prefers a master’s degree with “at least six years of progressively responsible administrative and leadership experience in a county or municipal organization(s).”

A strong background in budget development and long term-financial planning, capital improvement planning and execution, and strategic planning is also desired.

Human resources director Shelly Schultz told the county board that five applications had been received so far as of the date of the board meeting.

“We anticipate some more, just based on chatter, to come in before the deadline,” Schultz said.

wbluhm@newmedia-wi.com