Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutFinance 07-09-1996ST. CROIX COUNTY NOTICE OF COMMITTEE MEETING TO: Robert M. Boche, Chair St. Croix County Board FROM: Donald Brown, Chair COMMITTEE TITLE: FINANCE DATE: July 9, 1996 9:00 A.M. LOCATION: St. Croix County Government Center CALL TO ORDER ROLL CALL ADOPTION OF AGENDA DATE OF NEXT MEETING: August 9, 1996 ACTION ON PREVIOUS MINUTES UNFINISHED BUSINESS: 1. Review of Vouchers *2. Kinnickinnic County Land NEW BUSINESS: 1. Citizen Input 2. Finance Director Report A. Investment of County Funds **B. 1997 Budget Instructions 3. County Clerk Report A. Response on TIF $#4, City of Hudson B. Contingency Fund Request for Intercom System C. Open Bids for Tax Deed Property 4. Judges A. Request for One -Half Time Position as Judicial Assistant 5. Kinnickinnic County Forest - Two Appraisals G. Discussion with Standing Committee Chairs 10:30 A.M. 7. Tour of Library and Kinnickinnic County Forest 8. Consideration of Fee for Marriage Ceremonies Performed in the Government Center **9. Closed Session per WI Statute 19.85 (1)(g) to Confer with Legal Counsel Regarding Alice, Inc. vs. St. Croix County (Large Assembly Ordinance and Junker Landfill Trust Lawsuits) 10. Reconvene Into Open Session per WI Statute 19.85(2) 11. Dog Damage Claim POSSIBLE AGENDA ITEMS FOR NEXT ADJOURNMENT (Agenda not necessarily DATE: 6/27/96, 7/2/96 COPIES TO: County Board Office County Clerk County Departments *ADDITIONS/CHANGES/CORRECTIONS MEETING: presented in this order) News Media/Notice Board County Board ST. CROIX COUNTY NOTICE OF COMMITTEE MEETING TO: Robert M. Boche, Chair St. Croix County Board FROM: Donald Brown, Chair COMMITTEE TITLE: FINANCE DATE: July 9, 1996 LOCATION: St. Croix County Government Center CALL TO ORDER ROLL CALL ADOPTION OF AGENDA DATE OF NEXT MEETING: August 9, 1996 ACTION ON PREVIOUS MINUTES UNFINISHED BUSINESS: 1. Review of Vouchers NEW BUSINESS: 1. Citizen Input 2. Administrative Coordinator Report A. Report on Juvenile Intake 3. Finance Director Report A. Investment of County Funds 4. County Clerk Report A. Response on TIF #4, City of Hudson B. Contingency Fund Request for Intercom System C. Open Bids for Tax Deed Property 5. Judges A. Request for One -Half Time Position as Judicial Assistant 6. Kinnickinnic County Forest - Two Appraisals 7. Discussion with Standing Committee Chairs 10:30 A.M. 8. Tour of Library and Kinnickinnic County Forest 9. Consideration of Fee for Marriage Ceremonies Performed in the Government Center 10. Closed Session per WI Statute 19.85 (1)(c) Evaluation of Administrative Coordinator, Finance Director and Corporation Counsel 11. Return to Open Session per WI Statute 19.85 (2) 12. Dog Damage Claim POSSIBLE AGENDA ITEMS FOR NEXT MEETING: ADJOURNMENT (Agenda not necessarily presented in this order) DATE: 6/27/96 COPIES TO: County Board Office News Media/Notice Board County Clerk County Board County Departments *ADDITIONS/CHANGES/CORRECTIONS FINANCE COMMITTEE Regular Meeting July 9, 1996 Meeting called to order by Chair Brown at 9:05 am. Members present: Don Brown, John Bradley, Robert Boche and Bill Oemichen. Absent: LuVerne Burke (excused). Staff present: Finance Director Rich Loney, Corporation Counsel Greg Timmerman, County Clerk Sue Nelson. Others present: Suprs. Berenschot, King, Dowd, Standafer, Dorsey, Raymond, Luckey, Dull, Sinclear and Horne. Members of the press. Agenda: Motion by Oemichen, 2nd by Boche to adopt the agenda. Carried. Next meeting date is August 9. Minutes: Motion by Bradley, 2nd by Boche to approve the June minutes with the following correction: page 3, next to last paragraph, revised to read, Motion by Bradley, 2nd by Boche to approve the revised job descriptions and refer these to the Personnel Committee with a recommendation for change in pay grade and classification. Carried. Vouchers: Chair Brown reviewed the bills prior to the meeting and had questions on three: $500 contribution by Land Conservation to WI Rural Leadership Program for participant Pete Kling, Lake Cluster Project Manager. Supr. Dorsey explained the county pays $500 towards this program, funds are requested from other organizations and Kling pays part of the tuition. Glen Hills Park tee shirts: Supr. Dorsey advised the staff will wear these to identify them as Park employees. Dept. on Aging: 26 tickets ordered from Ordway Music for $429. This cost is reimbursed to the Dept. by people attending the musical event. Motion by Boche, 2nd by Oemichen to approve the vouchers. Carried. Citizen Input: Town of Somerset resident Bob Pierce noted that St. Croix County is the sum of its parts. Cities, Villages and Towns are tied to the County and rely on it. He asked that when things come up which affect Towns that the County be judicious and generous. Judges Request for Part Time Position: Judge Richards and Judge Needham appeared. Needham said since a third judge has been added, more help is needed for scheduling. Traffic cases are behind and sometimes the courts are not running due to lack of time to schedule. The Judges are requesting a 20 hour per week person starting January 1. This person would use the space and equipment of the Family Court Commissioners half-time secretary. Chair Brown said Finance is the parent committee but this should be referred to the Personnel Committee for evaluation and then brought back to Finance. Motion by Bradley, 2nd by Boche to send this request to Personnel. Carried. Fee for Marriage Ceremonies: Rich Loney indicated a new law allows for Counties to pass an Ordinance to charge a fee for use of the Government Center for marriage ceremonies. Discussion held 1 regarding Court Commissioners using the GC for marriages on county time. More information is needed. Motion by Boche, 2nd by Bradley to postpone this issue until the August meeting. Carried. Kinnickinnic County Land: Two appraisals had been done on this property; one requested by the County, the other requested .by Kinnickinnic Town Chairman Jerry Larson. Chair Brown said there has been a misunderstanding and tabled this until the committee views the property. Larson noted the County can give land to the Town and doesn't have to charge for it. Brown stated County land belongs to all residents; not just the Town in which it is located. Oemichen said we are obligated to get the best dollar value for all taxpayers. Closed Session: Motion by Oemichen, 2nd by Bradley to move into closed session per WI Statute 19.85 (1) (g) to confer with Legal Counsel regarding Alice, Inc. vs. St. Croix County and Junker Landfill Trust Lawsuits. Roll call vote: all yes. Motion by Oemichen, 2nd by Bradley to come out of closed session. Roll call vote: all yes. Action from closed session: Regarding Alice, Inc. vs. St. Croix County. Motion by Oemichen, 2nd by Bradley to approve an allocation of $3,000 from the Contingency Fund to the Corporation Counsel to retain an outside legal counsel to review the court file, review Large Assembly Ordinance and advise on legality of the ordinance as it is presently drafted and what, if any, changes may be made to it to bring it into compliance with the law. Carried. Discussion with Committee Chairs: Brown distributed a handout showing current tax climate, recent history of property taxes in St. Croix County and 1997 projections. Brown said the Board set mill rate goals the last five or six years but open ended budgeting didn't work. The County is in good financial shape for 1997. Legal fees did not have to be used for the incinerator problem. Brown noted the Dept. on Aging has the same block grant for two years and Health and Human Services is committed to the same budget for 1997. The mill rate is not affected by equalized evaluation, sales tax and shared revenues. Brown would like input from Committee Chairs on 197 budget goals. He would like to keep the same levy ($11,183,488) in 1997 if the Board wishes to do so. Oemichen, member of WCA Taxation and Finance Committee, stated the Legislators are watching county increases. If increases are over 49s or 4.1%, a limit will most likely be enforced. The State average for county increases was 70-. in 1996. Brown thanked Rich Loney for the financial report and commended him for reducing two full time positions from the Finance Dept. Computer automation has made financial information available in a few minutes time. Supr. Horne suggested using any excess funds to pay off debt. Brown commented that perhaps county land assets could be turned into tax paying property or trading assets such as, if the county 2 purchases Perch Lake property, sell other county property to pay for it. Supr. Dorsey noted Extension and Land Conservation offices may face increased rent costs either by remaining in present location or moving in with the Federal offices. Supr. Sinclear advised the Highway Dept has problems, namely expecting State aid to decrease and with the self insured insurance account. The Board will have to determine what level of transportation services the county wishes to provide. Sinclear estimated another $100,000 in county funds will be needed in addition to the $2.5 million already provided. He asked the committee to review the insurance policy and determine if it is a proper policy for the Highway Dept. Supr. Krueger said the Personnel Committee will meet on July 16 to consider a total freeze on hiring, hiring only self funded positions or no freeze. Of the total county budget, 72% is wages. Supr. Raymond does not want the levy cut. There have been numerous complaints about the Zoning Office regarding no enforcement of zoning laws. Sinclear added the Towns will not support a new Zoning Ordinance if problems in the Zoning Dept. are not solved. Bradley commented there is a need for reorganization and reevaluation in the Zoning Dept. Dorsey and Raymond commented on the $2.7 million needed to implement the Land Information program. Supr. Dowd reported Health and Human Services is operating within their budget. Nursing Home count is 109 and there won't be a decertification of beds in 1997. Brown asked Sheriff Burch if he is in favor of credit cards for patrol officers. Burch replied nothing is gained because people who have credit cards do pay fines. People without cards usually do not pay. There is another problem with card information broadcast over the radio in order to verify payment of over $50. Supr. Standafer suggested raising the floor limit on credit cards to over $116 which is the minimum fine. Committee chairs agreed this discussion was a good idea. Motion by Boche, 2nd by Oemichen to maintain the same operating levy as 1996, ($11,183,488) or less, as a goal for the 1997 budget. Carried. County Clerk: Sue Nelson announced Clerk of Court Lori Meyer had a baby boy earlier this morning. Nelson distributed the letter from Hudson City Administrator Brian Gramentz in regard to the City of Hudson TID District #4. Brown asked Oemichen to summarize the contents of the letter at the August meeting. Intercom System: Emergency Communications Director Bruce Brantner had obtained another bid for an overhead paging system. Motion by Oemichen, 2nd by Boche to accept the Baldwin Telecom bid of $3944.50. Carried. Tax Deed Bids: Motion by Boche, 2nd by Bradley to accept the bid of $6710 from Patricia Johnson for Outlot #1 in Prairie Rich Subdivision, Town of Star Prairie. Carried. 3 Motion by Boche, 2nd by Bradley to accept bid of $541,994.00 by City of Hudson for 12 A. on So. Carmichael Rd. (former Bienimen property). Carried. It was noted many dollars of special assessments are owed on this property to the City and the County will only retain back taxes and expenses of about $80,000. Motion by Boche, 2nd by Oemichen to reject the Constant bid on the Old Mill Rd. property, Town of Star Prairie and Luepke's bid on Lot 5 in the City of Glenwood because their bid was under the appraised value. Carried. No bids were received on the SPA property. Dog Damage Claim: Motion by Bradley, 2nd by Boche to pay dog damage claim of $700 to Robert Peterson, Town of Hammond. Carried. Tour: Committee decided to cancel tour of Library and Kinnickinnic County Forest. Finance Director: Rich Loney compared Certificate of Deposit rates with the State Investment Pool. Most Financial Institutions have higher CD interest rates and would yield more revenue. Loney cautioned not to put too much in CD's to safeguard liquidity. A certain portion of money would be deposited monthly to have rotating expiration dates. Committee did not recommend any changes to the 1997 budget instructions. Guidelines will be given to Department Heads on July 18 and budgets will be due August 23. Finance Committee review of budgets is September 24 and 25th. Corporation Counsel: Greg Timmerman mentioned Treasurer Mary Jean Livermore has received several complaints regarding semi trucks parking on the SPA property in Hammond. Chair Brown delegated this problem to Administrative Coordinator John Krizek. Motion to adjourn by Bradley, 2nd by Boche. Meeting adjourned at 1:00 P.M. Sue E. Nelson Recording Secretary 4