Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutFinance 12-08-95ST. CROIX COUNTY NOTICE OF COMMITTEE MEETING TO: Robert M. Boche, Chair St. Croix County Board FROM: Donald Brown, Chair COMMITTEE TITLE: FINANCE DATE: December 8, 1995 TIME: 9:00 A.M. LOCATION: St. Croix County Government Center CALL TO ORDER ROLL CALL ADOPTION OF AGENDA DATE OF NEXT MEETING: January 9, 1996 ACTION ON PREVIOUS MINUTES UNFINISHED BUSINESS: 1. Review of Vouchers 9:00 A.M. NEW BUSINESS: 1. Administrative Coordinator Report 2. Finance Director A. Overdrawn Accounts B. County Board and Finance Dates 3. County Clerk A. Small Tax Deed Parcels B. Update on the SPA 4. Personnel Report 5. Corporation Counsel Report A. Transcript Policy 6. St. Croix -Pierce Humane Society 9:30 A.M. 7. Moratorium on Sale of County Property 8. Dog Damage Claim - David Halstrom - Town of Hudson ANNOUNCEMENTS & CORRESPONDENCE: POSSIBLE AGENDA ITEMS FOR NEXT MEETING: ADJOURNEMENT (Agenda not necessarily presented in this order) DATE: 11/29/95 COPIES TO: County Board Office News Media/Notice Board County Clerk County Board County Departments *ADDITIONS/CHANGES/CORRECTIONS FINANCE COMMITTEE Regular Meeting December 8, 1995 Meeting called to order by Chair Brown at 9:00 a.m. Members present: Don Brown, Bill Oemichen, LuVerne Burke, Robert Boche Absent: John Bradley, excused. Staff present: Finance Director Rich Loney, Corporation Counsel Greg Timmerman, County Clerk Sue Nelson. Others present: Suprs. Jack Dowd, Ron Raymond and Tom Dorsey; Michele Lyksett, New Richmond News. Motion by Oemichen, 2nd by Boche to adopt the agenda. Carried. Date of next meeting is January 9, 1996. Motion by Boche, 2nd by Burke to approve both the November 9 and November 21 minutes. Carried. Vouchers: Vouchers were reviewed by Brown; motion by Boche, 2nd by Oemichen to approve payment of the vouchers. Carried. Administrative Coordinator: John Krizek was attending a WMMIC meeting in Madison. Chair Brown summarized the progress in 1995 the St. Croix Meadows Dog Track have paid their 1992 taxes, the ARR incinerator case has settled and the General Fund is in good shape. Rich Loney (reporting for Krizek) indicated the General Fund Undesignated Fund should increase, there is no outstanding money due from garbage haulers and the sale of County properties (the Public Health building in Hammond and the 1965 Courthouse) was completed. The impact of State and Federal funding is not yet known. Finance Director: Rich Loney presented proposed 1996 dates for Finance and County Board meetings. Committee agreed Co proposed dates and designated September 24 and 25 for budget review and Friday, November 1 for County Board Budget session. 4-H Youth Agent Kim Reaman and Ag. and Extension Committee member Ron Raymond requested a line item transfer for a larger computer in order for Extension to be compatible with the changing U. of WI communications system. Motion by Burke, 2nd by Boche to transfer $1800 from the 4-H fund line item to purchase a larger machine. Carried. Overdrawn Accounts: Committee received reports from Circuit Court, Sheriff's Department over $16, 000 in overtime but will. be funded by revenue from grants, Victim Witness over in salaries and fringes and Sundry Unclassified which paid expenses for removing the SPA building and checking contamination and the removal of fuel tanks at the former jail and public health building. Total of overdrawn accounts is approximately $60,000. Chair Brown noted the need to watch trends, wants no surprises at the end of the year and Departments should inform the Finance Committee of problems during the year. Oemichen stated employees should not think they have a blank check on the General Fund. Pierce-St.Croix Humane Society: Society representatives Mike Doyle, Judith Hilpert, Brian Kersten, DVM, Deb Iverson and Inez Wollan were present. Doyle requested the designation of the Pierce St. Croix Humane Society as the County Pound and the revenue 1 from excess dog fund monies. Sixteen St. Croix Co. municipalities presently use this Society. Pierce County designated the Humane Society as the County Pound four years ago. Area vets provide services to the Society; Doyle read a letter from Dr. Thomas Bloom. Dr. Brian Kersten stated the Humane Society provides welfare for stray and unwanted animals as well as health control in animals. The Society does a good job with few people and low resources. Loney said money is obtained from dog license sales and after expenses of dog damage claims, forms, and tags, the remaining funds are returned to municipalities at the end of the year leaving $1,000 in the account. The amount anticipated to be refunded in 1996 is $18,0000 Oemichen said the Towns were surveyed about five years ago and reaction was mixed toward giving excess dog fund money to the municipalities. The southern towns were more supportive due to a closer location to the Humane Society which is located one mile south of River Falls. There is a need to survey Towns again as the Pierce St. Croix shelter was not in place five years ago. Corporation Counsel Timmerman suggested designating part of the funds to Polk County, where they are just now establishing a Humane Society, and part to Pierce/St. Croix. Chair Brown requested this I ssue be addressed again at the January Finance meeting. Ag. Center Building: Ag. and Extension Committee members Tom Dorsey and Ron Raymond advised the Federal Agencies are combining into a Farm Service Agency (FSA) and staff from other counties will be moving to Baldwin. The Post Office will be moving but there will not be enough room to accomodate the FSA which will be looking for larger quarters. The Village of Baldwin may not wish to continue renting the building to Extension and Land Conservation. The report is for information only so the Finance Committee is aware of possible relocation. Burke said if new office space is built, lease costs would likely double. Computer Services: Director Bruce Callen reported he will present the Long Range Plan at the January Finance meeting. The Computer Advisory Committee is developing a software selection and acquistion policy. The tax processing is over half done. Callen stated Computer Services developed a check list to aid the Clerk of Court office staff for entering KIDS data. Entering and correctness of data is the responsibility of the Clerk of Court. County Clerk: Sue Nelson reported no underground tanks were found on the SPA property. There was some top soil contamination and Zoning Administrator Tom Nelson is working with the Highway Dept. to get this hauled to an appropriate burning site. There is interest in this property and it will be advertised for sale in the spring after the cement foundation is removed. Nelson requested a small committee be formed to deal with small tax deed parcels. Boche offered to serve along with the County Clerk and Treasurer. The Town Chairman where these parcels are located will be asked to help determine the value of these parcels and then they will be offered to adjacent landowners. Kathryn Beutel was commended by Nelson for her fine efforts in developing the Lotus budget program which will save many hours of preparation in future years. Chair concurred and requested this be part of the record. County Treasurer: Mary Jean Livermore noted she had banked over $81 million dollars in 1995 with over $.5 million in cash so she is pleased to have armored car service starting January 2. Livermore has sent tax deed applications on 115 parcels with delinquent 1992 taxes. A total of $247,869 is owed of which $89,000 is interest and $44,000 is penalty. The check for the delinquent Dog Track taxes was $1, 184, 695. 09 of which_ $24, 916.50 was paid to the City of Hudson for Special Assessments. The Hudson school district and the City were previously paid their share of the assessed taxes. Brown requested a list of county owned properties and asked for the Hudson Landfill issue to be placed on the January agenda. The Hudson Town Assessor has this 40 A. parcel valued at $20,000 on which the County pays taxes to the school and municipality. Corporation Counsel: Greg Timmerman presented a copy of the proposed policy for Payment of Transcript Costs. Motion by Oemichen, 2nd by Boche to approve this Transcript Policy. Carried. Policy is on file in the County Clerk's office. Timmerman noted the number of transcripts requested by the District Attorney will be reduced because the Public Defender's office will not automatically receive one for every case. Moratorium on Sale of County Property: Motion by Oemichen, 2nd by Brown to enact a moratorium on future sales of Boody Property and New Richmond Health Center/Farm property until Planning and Development completes a long range plan for both sites. Carried. Cellular Phone List: List from Facilities Manager Ralph Robole was distributed. An update on the new phone system was requested to be on the January agenda. Motion by Oemichen, 2nd by Boche to adjourn. Meeting adjourned at 11.20 a.m. C4 zlaot��Jrp &44000� LuVerne Burke, Secretary 3 Policy for Payment of Transcript Costs 1. If the District Attorney requests a transcript of a court proceeding, other than for an appeal of a case to the state Court of Appeals or Supreme Court, the cost of the original transcript and one copy will be charged to the District Attorney. (Under present budget structure, actual payment would be made by the Clerk of Court.) 2. If the District Attorney appeals a case to the state Court of Appeals or Supreme Court, the cost of the original and all copies, including copies for other parties, would be billed to the District Attorney. (This payment structure is required by statute. Under present budget structure, actual payment would be made by the Clerk of Court.) 3. If the circuit court orders that a transcript be prepared, the cost of the original only shall be paid by the County, unless otherwise required by statute. If the District Attorney desires a copy of a transcript prepared by order of the court, the original transcript shall be photocopied if less expensive than obtaining it from the court reporter. , Approved by the County Finance Committee -December 8, 1995.