HomeMy WebLinkAboutFinance 10-02-08 r
NOTICE OF COMMITTEE MEETING AND AGENDA
ST. CROIX COUNTY
FINANCE COMMITTEE
DATE AND TIME: Thursday October 2, 2008 — 8:30 A.M.
LOCATION: Room 1281, St. Croix County Government Center,
1101 Carmichael Road Hudson, Wisconsin
CALL TO ORDER
ROLL CALL
ADOPTION OF AGENDA
DATE OF NEXT MEETING: October 9, 2008
APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETINGS: September 17, 2008
OLD AND NEW BUSINESS:
1. 2009 Budget Review and Preparation
ADJOURN
(Items may be taken in different order)
*
*Add itions /Changes /Corrections
Items for County Board approval must be submitted to the County Clerk's office by Wednesday morning
preceding a County Board meeting.
4:59 PM 9/17/2008
MINUTES OF THE ST. CROIX COUNTY FINANCE COMMITTEE
October 2, 2008
Unofficial
Meeting called to order by convener Standafer at 8:34 AM
MEMBERS PRESENT: Daryl Standafer, Esther Wentz, Clarence Malick, Dave Peterson & Sharon Norton -
Bauman. Absent: None
OTHERS PRESENT: Administrative Coordinator Chuck Whiting, Finance Director Michelle Pietrick,
Administrative Secretary Amy Sabelko, County Board Chair Roger Rebholz,
Supervisor Julie Speer, Director Health & Human Services Fred Johnson, Human
Resource Administrator Tammy Funk, Corporate Counsel Greg Timmerman,
Director of IT Tom Boron, Director of Building Services Art Tobin, Sheriff Dennis
Hillstead, Supervisor Dave Ostness.
ADOPTION OF AGENDA: Motion by Wentz, 2nd by Peterson to adopt the agenda, motion carried unanimously.
DATE OF NEXT MEETING: October 9, 2008
APPROVAL OF MINUTES FROM PREVIOUS MEETING:
September 17th minutes will be reviewed and voted on at next meeting.
OLD & NEW BUSINESS:
1. 2009 Budget Review and Preparation
As of today's meeting the County's budget deficit is approximately $1.3 million dollars. The reason the deficit has changed
from $2.4 million to $1.3 million is because of the following: 1) removed prior service retirement of approximately $400,000,
2) employee & employer retirement rates for WRS are now correct, 3) the correct health insurance numbers have been
entered, 4) revenues were adjusted for some departments, 5) HHS provided additional revenue of approximately $150,000
dollars, 6) revised numbers on State shared taxes, and 7) corrections on expenses which were overstated. The major dollar
contributors were health insurance and the prior service retirement.
Standafer stated that there are three areas that need strategic cuts, they are: 1) The Sheriffs department, 2) HHS, & 3)
Highway. In addition staffing and additional cuts could be made in Planning & Zoning & Register of Deeds. One other
area the County could look at is the Nursing Home and downsizing it to 50 beds should the referendum question come back
stating that the County should no longer use tax levy dollars to pay for it. Wentz stated that downsizing the Nursing Home
would not happen immediately and that this could take up to 4 months to accomplish. Malick said another option is to
move the HHS staff from the building they are in now to the Nursing Home building rather than spending money to fix up
the old building. Another area for cost savings in the Nursing Home if downsized would be to eliminate contracted staff
and lure regular staff at a lower rate of pay.
Committee discussed downsizing the number of beds at the Nursing Home and how reimbursement from the State works.
Johnson indicated that there isn't any revenue from the State for downsizing. Wentz said the County could get about $8 or
$10 more per bed per day from Medicaid. For information purposes only, Norton - Bauman made a motion requesting that
Johnson bring information to the Finance Committee on Thursday, October 9th from WIPFLI regarding reducing the
number of beds in the Nursing Home from 72 to 44 or 50, with comprehensive information regarding expenses, cost
savings and the levy dollar amount that would be implemented with either scenario, 2nd by Peterson. Malick indicated that
the motion should also include approval for Johnson to utilize consultants. Motion carried 4 —1 with Wentz voting no.
Standafer asked for input from Committee regarding where strategic cuts should /could be made. Norton - Bauman said that
she first looked at non - mandated services which the County is not required to provide, then the big 4 and ask these
departments to decrease their budgets. Peterson said that he received very little feedback from Supervisors but one thing
that seems the County should be able to save on is the purchase of computers. The County does not currently have a
standard for replacement of computers. Boron indicated that computers are driven by software applications and
replacement is based on that issue, not the number of years the County employees have used them. Pietrick will provide
Boron with a list of departments that are requesting computers and Boron will provide the Committee with a list of when
computers and printers need to be replaced. Malick made a motion that Boron provide the Committee a proposed
matrix /policy by Thursday, October 9th for replacement of computers and printers, that he review the list provided by
Pietrick and provide Committee with recommended replacements 2nd by Wentz, motion carried unanimously.
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Wentz brought up going to 4 X 10 hour days or 4 X 9 hour days, perhaps some positions which are currently part-time or
full-time benefits eligible going to temporary, each capital outlay items need to be reviewed and justified. In addition, have
court one day in New Richmond to decrease staff and travel time. If the County did go to 4 X 10 hour days Tobin stated
there is a possible savings of 15% on electrical & gas & 8 — 10 % on water usage. In addition the Building Services
department would save on overtime which is approximately $12,000. Malick made a motion that Whiting pull together by
next Thursday's meeting, what savings the County would receive if full County staff work 4 X 10 hour days or decrease
employee pay by 6 ' / %, and how this will affect the County's savings on the levy, 2 °d by Peterson. This would affect the
24/7 facilities which means that overtime would increase. The Committee came to an informal agreement on this motion.
Discussion regarding salary increases for non -union and union employees. Non -union employees should receive some type
of increase, perhaps a flat dollar amount and LAW union is still negotiating. These dollar amounts are not in the budget.
If the referendum states that the County stay in the Nursing Home business then the contract persons would be cut and the
County would hire staff to replace them. For Health & Human Services (HHS), added revenue and came up with
approximately $300,000 in cuts, including staff positions and service contracts. Johnson believes that HHS could decrease
their budget by $350,000. Johnson said that if something were to occur HHS may need to come back and ask for money if
necessary.
Rebholz stated that Highway should be able to make budget cuts of $400,000; some roadwork will not be completed.
Standafer requested that Highway provide a revised budget at the next meeting.
Sheriff's & Jail department requested to reduce budget by $350,000. Sheriff offered budget decrease options of
approximately $173,000 and will bring additional cuts to the Finance meeting next week. Law negotiation salary increases
have not been put into the budget.
Number of copiers in County is 47 — 13 in New Richmond, 5 in Jail, 4 in Baldwin, 4 in Sheriffs department, 1 Highway, 1
Parks, 2 in Emergency Communications, 1 in Emergency Management and remainder are in various departments in the
Hudson facility. Estimated expense for service contracts is $34,500. 20 purchased in last 5 years, 11 need replacement
according to EC) Johnson because of usage, wear, service calls, etc., 12 no longer on maintenance agreements due to age of
machines.
Started the day with a deficit of $1.3 million dollars. From the Highway, HHS & Sheriff's departments the deficit has been
reduced by $1.1 million dollars. Next week the Committee has to approve the budget that has to be published. Committee
agreed that the following departments will be asked by Whiting to decrease their budgets by the following dollar amounts:
DA /Victim Witness - $20,000
County Extension - $10,000
L & W - $20,000
Planning & Zoning - $100,000
Parks - $50,000
Register of Deeds - $50,000
Norton - Bauman made a motion to take the Baldwin AgExtension center bathroom out of the Building Services budget
totaling $29,400, 2nd by Wentz, motion carried unanimously.
$50,000 for capital outlay from various departments
Meeting adjourned at 1:20 PM.
Sharon Norton - Bauman, Secretary
Amy Sabelko, Recording Secretary
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