HomeMy WebLinkAboutFinance 03-25-97ST. CROIX COUNTY
***SPECIAL SESSION*** NOTICE OF COMMITTEE MEETING
TO: Robert M. Boche, Chairman
St. Croix County Board
FROM: Don Brown, Chairman
COMMITTEE TITLE : FINANCE
DATE: Tuesday, March 25, 1997
TIME: 8:00 A.M.
LOCATION: St. Croix County Government Center
CALL TO ORDER
ROLL CALL
ADOPTION OF AGENDA
DATE OF NEXT MEETING: April 9, 1997
ACTION ON PREVIOUS MINUTES
NEW BUSINESS:
1. Ag. Services Building
a. Lease and/or Purchase of Building
b. Moving Costs for LCD/University Extension
C. Equipment Costs Associated with LCD/University
Extension Move
2. Request for Funding to Hold Transmission Tower Meeting
ANNOUNCEMENTS & CORRESPONDENCE
POSSIBLE AGENDA ITEMS FOR NEXT MEETING:
ADJOURNMENT
(Agenda not necessarily presented in this order)
SUBMITTED BY: Don Brown
DATE: 3/20/97
COPIES TO: County Clerk
News Media/Notice Board
Committee Members
FINANCE MEETING
Special Session
March 25, 1997
Meeting called to order at 8:07 a.m. by Chair Brown. Members present:
Don Brown, Robert Boche, Thomas Dorsey, John Bradley was contacted via
speaker phone. Absent - Tom O'Connell, excused. Brown announced
Bradley was hospitalized at the River Falls Hospital with lung problems.
Staff present: Administrative Coordinator John Krizek, Finance Director
Rich Loney, Corporation Counsel Greg Timmerman and County Clerk Sue
Nelson. Others present: Suprs. Berenschot, Standafer, Dowd, Giese,
Jensen and Mortensen, Kim Reaman, UW-Extension; Dave Sander and Chuck
Christenson, Land Conservation; Richard Kruschke, neighbor of Boche's;
and Wayne Peters, developer from Eau Claire.
Motion by Boche, 2nd by Dorsey to adopt the agenda. Carried. Next
meeting is April 9 and minutes will be approved at that time.
Chair Brown acknowledged and thanked the following for their
participation in this project. Kim Reaman and Lee Milligan, UW-
Extension; Chuck Christenson and Dave Sander, Land Conservation;
Supervisors Chris Bethke, Tom Dorsey, Vern Dull, Art Jensen, Ron
Raymond, and Daryl Standafer; John Schottler, Jim Cody and Louise
Peterson, Farm Service Agency Committee, Dick Gade, FSA Director, Wayne
Peters, developer; John Krizek, Greg Timmerman and Rich Loney, County
Personnel.
Brown reported he, Krizek, Loney, Dorsey and Standafer met with
developer Wayne Peters on Saturday, March 22nd to work out a lease
purchase and option to purchase from Peters.
Krizek stated the reality of the situation is the county can build a
better building that would last more than 20 years. The goal is to
A
mprove on the idea and design to build a good working facility. The
air flow would meet with the new DLHR air codes, the building would be
built of brick and stone and may include storage space for vehicles.
Supr. Standafer advised any comments on the proposed county building in
no way is crcism of the building proposed by Peters. It is a given
the agencies should be co -located at the central site south of Baldwin
and the present building is no longer a viable location. This would
save rental costs to the county over time and the lease from the Federal
agencies can be worked into a benefit for the county.
Chair Brown said the offer to assign includes a $51,000 payment to
Peters which is a standard development fee. The Village of Baldwin
would be paid $95,000 for the building site and $5,000 earnest payment
would be given back to Peters.
Wayne Peters noted the county can build cheaper because of paying no
property tax or tax on materials. He figured property taxes as 1/3
third of the operating budget. His interest costs are 8 1/2 to 90 while
the county can borrow from 5% to 60. Peters indicated he would not have
used the new air codes and would have built a less expensive building.
The offer to assign would have the understanding the county would take
over his obligations to the Federal Ag Agencies. It is important to
Peters to have his commitments fulfilled. Brown appreciated Peters
being a gentleman with whom to work.
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Berenschot asked if the Federal agencies will still pay for installation
of phones, wiring, and moving the satellite under this new agreement.
Reaman said this offer would remain. Giese asked if the Federal Agency
contract allowed for an offer to assign. Corporation Counsel Timmerman
said there was no prohibition to assign, and, in fact, such an
arrangement is discussed in the original lease. Brown said the county
would honor the lease already signed by the Federal agencies and this
would be a good lease from the standpoint of the county.
Giese also asked if there is any problem with a government entity
building in a TIF district. Timmerman had researched this issue and
there is no problem with the county building in a TIF district.
Presently the Village of Baldwin owns the land and pays no property tax
so with the county owning the land, there would be no change. In answer
to Giese's question about plans and cost of the building, Krizek
recommended hiring Ayres and Associates as architects because they know
the type of building to meet the county's expectations. The building is
to be ready by September 2nd. Krizek suggested using the Highway Dept.
for excavation and black topping.
Brown said costs have not been determined and we will have some rental
income with which to work.
Motion by Boche, 2nd by Dorsey to make a recommendation by the Finance
Committee to the County Board to sign the lease with Peters and accept
the offer to assign. Bradley complimented Chair Brown for his long
range vision and contributions made that are always in the best interest
of the county. Brown thanked Bradley for his comments. Roll call vote:
Bradley - yes, Dorsey - yes, Boche - yes; Brown yes. Carried
unanimously.
Moving Costs for LCS and UW-Extension: Krizek said about $16,000 will
be needed for moving costs such as room dividers, shelving, tables,
chairs, and work stations. The Federal agencies have committed $4500
for actual moving costs.
Chair Brown said financing of this project will use General Fund monies
being designated for this purpose. Loney said the reserve in the General
Fund may cover the bulk of the cost of the building.
Transmission Tower Meeting: Dorsey requested up to $500 to hold an
informational meeting at WITC with a consultant from Ward Montgomery
speaking on how many towers are needed their the effect on the county.
Motion by Dorsey, 2nd by Bradley to approve up to $500 from the
Contingency Fund for this meeting on cellular phone towers. Jensen
said he would like to see approval of this expenditure because the Board
of Adjustment and the Towns need clarification of this FCC mandate. Roll
call vote: all yes. Carried.
Motion by Bradley, 2nd by Boche to adjourn. Meeting adjourned at 9:12
a.m.
Sue E. Nelson
Recording Secretary