Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutCommittee of The Whole 11-23-10 Y NOTICE OF COMMITTEE MEETING AND AGENDA ST. CROIX COUNTY, WISCONSIN COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE Tuesday, November 23, 2010 — 9:00 A.M. County Board Room St. Croix County Government Center 1101 Carmichael Road, Hudson, Wisconsin CALL TO ORDER ROLL CALL ADOPTION OF AGENDA DATE OF NEXT MEETING APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETINGS — September 14, 2010 OLD AND NEW BUSINESS: 1. Discuss county management structure — administrative coordinator vs. administrator ADJOURN Items may be taken in different order. *Additions /Changes /Corrections • A quorum of County Board members may attend this meeting. In that event, this is also notice of a County Board meeting at which members may obtain information on subjects listed above for use at future County Board meetings. • Items for County Board approval must be submitted to the County Clerk's office by Tuesday preceding a County Board meeting. • Every effort will be made to honor requests for reasonable accommodation made by individuals with disabilities to attend this meeting. If possible, make requests a week before the meeting. Direct requests to Cindy Campbell at 715.3864610. Page 1 of 1 11/17/2010 1:46 PM OFFICIAL MINUTES — approved 04 -14 -11 COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE Tuesday, November 23, 2010 — 9:00 A.M. County Board Room, St. Croix County Government Center Meeting called to order by Vice Chair Wentz at 9:00 a.m. Present: 16 members; absent and excused: Roger Larson, Ryan Sicard, Fred Horne Others Present: Administrative Coordinator Chuck Whiting, Corporation Counsel Greg Timmerman, Charlie Carlson of Carlson Dettman Consulting, Eau Claire County Administrator Tom McCarty, Eau Claire County Board Chair Greg Moore, Polk County Board Chair William Johnson, Polk County Administrator Dana Frey, County Clerk Cindy Campbell. Motion by Schrank 2nd by Sather to adopt the agenda. Carried unanimously. Date of next meeting is January 10, 2011 at 7:45 a.m. Chair Standafer indicated this will be a reception for area legislators with a meeting to follow. Motion by Malick, 2nd by Shearer to approve the minutes of September 14, 2010. Carried unanimously. Old and New Business: 1. Discuss County Management Structure — Administrative Coordinator vs. Administrator. Chair Standafer explained the proposed change from administrative coordinator to administrator. Standafer reported the Administration Committee voted unanimously to consider changing from a coordinator form of government to administrator form of government. Standafer introduced Charlie Carlson of Carlson Dettman Consultants to facilitate the discussion. Standafer also introduced guests invited to the meeting who have experienced this structure — Greg Moore, Eau Claire County Board Chair, Tom McCarty, Eau Claire Administrator, William Johnson, Polk County Board Chair and Dana Frey, Polk County Administrator. Carlson provided his experiences with changes in county government and compared Administrative Coordinator duties to County Administrator duties. Carlson stated Department Heads report to the County Administrator. The County Administrator is responsible for proposing the annual budget to the County Board. Carlson suggested getting County Board approval to study this change at the December County Board meeting which would authorize the Administration Committee to do the legwork including review of several internal organizational changes. He suggested the changes be adopted before recruitment of a County Administrator, approximately a 60 — 90 day process. In February or March adopt a resolution approving the position and engaging in recruitment. The final step is to finish the recruitment and come forward with a candidate, or two, however the selection process is set -up. The County Board would make the appointment of the County Administrator. Representatives from Polk and Eau Claire counties provided a history of the County Administrator positions. Moore provided a handout containing duties and statute information. Both County Administrators present indicated they were hired by contract. Carlson stated County Administrators serve at the pleasure of the County Board. Committee of the Whole November 23, 2010 Page 2 of 3 Discussion regarding committee appointments. McCarty indicated he has nothing to do with County Board committee appointments. He indicated his office recruits Board and Commission appointments of citizen members and brings this information to the Administration Committee and County Board for appointment and confirmation. Frey stated he has no appointment authority in Polk County. He added the County Administrator has the authority to appoint citizen members but he is currently working on formalizing the process by implementing an application process. Discussion regarding establishing county priorities. McCarty stated in 2004 the Eau Claire County Board, through the Administration Committee, went through this process to define programs and priority of the programs. Every department worked with a panel made up of County Board members and county citizens that met once a week and set point values for each program and published the document. Priorities are fairly similar from county to county. McCarty stated this provided the County Board with direction when allocating funds during budget time. Discussion regarding the budget process. McCarty stated the budget process is a team approach. Budget guidelines are set. Department Heads prepare their budgets and submit to the department's oversight committee then to the County Administrator. McCarty stated the Department Head and oversight committee must agree on the budget. The County Administrator puts together a proposed budget that needs to be balanced and reviews the budgets with Department Heads before it goes to the Finance Committee and County Board. Frey explained in Polk County ground rules are set immediately. Budgets are reviewed by the County Administrator and then the budget goes to the County Board. During the budget process the Finance Committee met twice a month with the County Administrator. Johnson recommends having Department Heads involved in recruitment and the decision process for the County Administrator. Discussion regarding county nursing homes. McCarty indicated Eau Claire got out of the business in 1996 when the County Board made the decision that the needs were met by other facilities in the community. Johnson stated Polk County has had success in operating the Golden Age Nursing Home in Amery when they decided to add an Alzheimer's unit. He indicated there are good years and bad years. Discussion regarding making changes to county department structure. McCarty stated they have reviewed how staff and departments do business in a number of areas. Frey stated Polk County has made minor changes in the last six months. They no longer have a Finance Director but rather a Finance Manager. Frey advised not to go into department re- structuring with the idea it will save money. Discussion regarding the number of Department Heads reporting to the County Administrator. McCarty stated there are approximately 25 Department Heads and 17 report to the County Administrator. Frey indicated Polk County is about the same. Carlson highlighted the impact a County Administrator would have on the collective bargaining process. McCarty stated in Eau Claire County the Human Resources Committee is the negotiating group and the chief negotiator is the Corporation Counsel. Frey explained he has not been through this process in Polk County yet. He stated the County Administrator can provide resource information on how much money is available, noting increases in health insurance. Committee of the Whole November 23, 2010 Page 3 of 3 Discussion regarding administrative staff support for the County Administrator. McCarty stated he has less staff today than when he arrived. He currently has an assistant who is a non - represented confidential staff person and a three- fourths administrative assistant who works the front desk. Both provide clerical support to the County Board Chair. Frey indicated he has part time administrative support staff. Carlson suggested asking candidates for the position of County Administrator or Administrative Coordinator, what they see as a future organization of the Finance Director and Human Resource Administrator. Discussion regarding the current structure in which committees oversee departments and relinquishing that control to the County Administrator. Moore indicated the County Administrator does not rule the County Board but there's respect between the two. The County Board makes policy and the County Administrator does the day -to -day operations. Frey indicated the policy and implementation line is sometimes fuzzy. The County Board needs to make policy decisions. Committees implement goals and review the financial portion. Discussion regarding changes to expect in having a County Administrator. McCarty stated he provides Department Heads with updates on activities and he may or may not attend committee meetings, unless requested. Frey stated he reviews resolutions and makes recommendations to the County Board. He attempts to make as many meetings as possible. Frey stated the County Administrator can bring anything to the County Board as the County Administrator deems expedient. Motion by Malick, 2nd by Sather to recommend to the County Board at the next meeting that we start down the steps, as outlined by our consultant, towards moving in the direction of the County Administrator form of government. Timmerman stated it's appropriate for the Committee of the Whole to make motions and make recommendations to the County Board and use the language of Administration Committee to sponsor a resolution from the Committee of the Whole. Marzolf asked Whiting for his opinion regarding Administrative Coordinator vs. County Administrator. Whiting stated everything discussed is accurate noting the difference in the personnel management side. He added most people will not notice a difference from Administrative Coordinator to County Administrator. Whoever will be hired will need support because they will be dealing with difficult things. Whiting felt going to a County Administrator is a move in right direction. Johnson stated in Polk County Department Head performance evaluations are done by the County Administrator which is set up as an objective structure for wage increases. Malick stated at the last Administration Committee meeting there was a discussion regarding an interim Administrative Coordinator. If the County Board decides to go with a County Administrator, at the Administration Committee meeting there was a general feeling that the interim should not be a current supervisor, or a current Department Head or employee of St. Croix County or a candidate for the County Administrator position. Carried unanimously. Adjourned at 11:35 a.m. Vice -Chair Esther Wentz Cindy Campbell, Recording Secretary