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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPublic Protection Committee 02-10-06 ST. CROIX COUNTY NOTICE OF COMMITTEE MEETING AND AGENDA TO: Clarence Malick, County Board Chair FROM: Julie C. Speer, Chair COMMITTEE: PUBLIC PROTECTION COMMITTEE DATE: February 10th, 2006 TIME: 8:30 A.M. LOCATION: Government Center, Hudson, WI ROLL CALL: ACTION ON PREVIOUS MINUTES: January 13, 2006 DATE OF NEXT MEETINGS: March 7 th and April 13 2006. UNFINISHED BUSINESS: 1. Web Browser/Visions updates 2. Traffic Ticket Intercept /Resolution - Delinquent Fines NEW BUSINESS: 1. Bills and Vouchers* 2. Capital Outlay/Maintenance Items* 3. Springsted Study /Personnel * 4. Interim Medical Examiner Casey Swetlik a. Contract b. Autopsies 5. Child Support Administrator Katy Kapaun a. "Children First Program" 6. District Attorney Eric Johnson/Victim Witness Ann Gustafson 7. Sheriff Hillstead, Chief Deputy Bob Klanderman, Patrol Captain John Shilts, Jail Captain Karen Humphrey, Office Manager Mary Martell a. Expenditures: Drug Fund/Confiscated Acc't/ Jail Assessment b. Drug Court/Meth Committee/ AODA c. Special Events Programs, Patrol Captain John Shilts d. "Cats Meow Dogs Bark Animal Welfare Society" ANNOUNCEMENTS & CORRESPONDENCE *These items will be heard by each Department ** Additions /Changes /Corrections [Agenda not necessarily presented in this order.] SUBMITTED BY: Julie C. Speer DATE: January 23, 2006 COPIES TO: County Board Office News Media/Notice Board County Board Clerk Committee Members Respective Department Heads PUBLIC PROTECTION COMMITTEE MEETING February 10, 2006 Official MEMBERS PRESENT: Julie Speer, Lori Bernard, Mark Erickson and Denise Gunderson. Absent and excused: Chuck Mehls. STAFF PRESENT: Sheriff Dennis Hillstead, Sheriff's Dept. Office Manager Mary Martell, Jail Captain Karen Humphrey, Patrol Captain John Shilts, Interim Medical Examiner Casey Swetlik, Corporation Counsel Greg Timmerman, Procurement Specialist Dana Baker, Administrative Coordinator Chuck Whiting, Risk Manager Kristen Ziliak and Amy Geurkink. OTHERS PRESENT: None. Meeting called to order at 8:30 a.m. by Chairperson Seer. Next regular meeting will be March 7 th at 8:30 a.m. The meeting in April will be on the 13 at 8:30am. Motion by Erickson, 2 nd by Bernard to approve the minutes of January 13, 2006. Carried unanimously. MEDICAL EXAMINER'S REPORT: Swetlik presented January Medical Examiner bills in the amount of $261.60. Motion by Bernard, 2 nd by Gunderson to approve the bills. Carried unanimously. Swetlik presented a handout regarding budget activity and reported an increase in cremations. He indicated the office is ahead of pace and on budget. Bernard suggested Swetlik add a line - item column to the spreadsheet indicating where the budget should be at the present time. Swetlik presented and explained the handout regarding Release of Information from the Medical Examiner's office. He also presented a handout concerning his points to address for the future of the Medical Examiner's office. He reported there is no intern at the present time and thoughts were to hold off on hiring an intern during this transition time. MEDICAL EXAMINER POSITION: Discussion this committee may appoint the Medical Examiner because of it being a contract position. The goal is to have a recommendation to the County Board by March. Discussion regarding whether the committee has authority to recommend deputies. Corporation Counsel Greg Timmerman arrived in the meeting at 8:40 a.m. Timmerman outlined the process regarding the appointment of the Medical Examiner position: the Medical Examiner position candidate is recommended to the County Board by the Public Protection Committee and the County Board votes whether to approve its recommendation. The contract is signed after obtaining County Board approval. The Medical Examiner would then appoint the deputies. Brief discussion concerning the withholding of taxes, etc. Timmerman outlined options for the committee to pursue candidates and indicated the process ought to go through the county's Procurement Specialist not through the Human Resources Department. Timmerman explained there is no legal requirement to go after bids. If the committee already has a recommendation they may choose not to pursue further candidates. However, he suggested that before recommending it may be wise to determine who is out there. Discussion regarding over /under budgeted salary. Swetlik questioned the potential for a deputy to question the relationship between the Medical Examiner and the deputy. Timmerman indicated if the contract is properly written it does not make the deputy the Medical Examiner's employee. The contract would give the Medical Examiner control of the office but there would be five separate contracts (one for Medical Examiner and four deputies). The contracts would be different for the deputies. Discussion- regarding complications of advertising for the job vs. not advertising. Discussion whether any current deputies would be interested in the position. Procurement Specialist Dana Baker arrived in the meeting at 9:08 a.m. Discussion regarding whom is actually summoned to the death scene. Discussion regarding utilizing the contract to determine the Medical Examiner is generally an administrative position. Timmerman indicated because it is a contract position, the Medical Examiner decides how things get done and it's up to him/her to manage the office correctly and efficiently. Discussion regarding the control of the position, on -call pay, limits for on -call pay and the committee's involvement, etc. Timmerman explained the more control the committee puts on the office the more likelihood the position may be viewed or questioned as an employee position. Baker presented (as a springboard for discussion) a request for proposal concerning the Eau Claire County Medical Examiner. Baker outlined the distinctions between request for bids and request for proposals. Discussion regarding potential for questioning the contract /employee relationship and potential unemployment claims. Discussion regarding the Medical Examiner making a recommendation for deputy(s) at his/her discretion and the Medical Examiner is ultimately responsible for the deputies' quality of work. Discussion regarding insurance coverage and bond for the Medical Examiner position. Discussion regarding the proper approach for bids /proposals. Discussion regarding the publication of the vacancy, referring inquiries to the internet and the interview selection process. Baker outlined the Eau Claire county bid form and indicated she will review the Eau Claire county contracts for Medical Examiner and deputies. Baker requested the committee's direction regarding a timeline, scoring the candidates, as well as clarification concerning points of publication. Discussion regarding Timmerman and Baker drafting the request for proposal. Administrative Coordinator Chuck Whiting arrived in the meeting at 10:02 a.m.; Risk Manager Kristen Ziliak arrived at 10:16 a.m. Once finalized, Baker will post the proposed contract as well as a timeline for the position on the internet and the candidates may submit their qualifications. Appropriate ads in county papers will also be placed. Discussion regarding issues of past performance. Discussion regarding being cautious not to over - complicate the request for proposal. Whiting indicated the salary compensation for this position has been determined in advance and we ought to simply purse the best candidate for the money. Further discussion regarding liability coverage. Ziliak outlined the factors and explained all positions are covered (liability) by the county unless their contract states otherwise. Discussion regarding the educational qualifications, certification requirements, character references, etc. Discussion regarding the termination notice clause of the contract; the committee also suggested revising the termination notice to be thirty days instead of sixty days. RESOLUTION REGARDING DELINQUENT FINES: Timmerman expressed his concerns regarding the proposed draft of the "Resolution to Enable St. Croix County to Withhold Issuing of State Recreational Licenses Pending Payment of Delinquent Fines and Fees ". Discussion regarding a data base for the delinquencies and what is listed on a federal based system, etc. Discussion regarding the actual number of violators who purchase recreational licenses. Short break taken at 10:50 a.m. reconvened at 10:55 a.m. CHILD SUPPORT REPORT: Child Support Administrator Kapaun was not present at the meeting but provided bills in the amount of $2,193.36. Brief discussion regarding the headset amount. Motion by Gunderson, 2 " by Bernard to approve the bills as presented. Carried unanimously. Speer reported Kapaun notified the committee of a resignation of a part-time employee in the Child Support Department. DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S REPORT: District Attorney Johnson was not present at the meeting but provided January bills in the amount of $17,905.03. Motion by Gunderson, 2 "d by Bernard to approve the bills. Carried unanimously. SHERIFF'S REPORT: January Sheriff Department bills in the amount of $113,496.59 were presented. Hillstead clarified the entries concerning the police institute training, drug grant monies and the veterinary expenses. Motion by Bernard, 2 nd by Erickson to approve the bills. Carried unanimously. Hillstead stated he will follow -up with the Cat's Meow Dogs Bark Animal Welfare Society concerning the proposed contract. However, in reading through the contract he indicated it doesn't seem to be in the county's best interest. Brief discussion regarding counties owning their own facility. Martell reported on the new computer software implementation. Computer servers, etc. are being set up. Information Technology will be upgrading all personal computers. Eight new computers will be installed and the plan is to go live on February 23 Martell reported other counties have shared their ideas concerning the new system. Shilts reported the entire system has functions they hope to utilize (i.e. field base reporting, paperless reporting system). Hillstead reported Bob Klanderman, as deputy sheriff is spending approximately half of his days supervising in the jail. PATROL CAPTAIN'S REPORT: Shilts reported Timmerman is still reviewing the proposal concerning response to public requests for the department's presence at special events. Hillstead reported on researching the cell phone system; current phones are failing. Hillstead reported there has been one county traffic fatality so far this year. Hillstead read a statement from an article in the Milwaukee Journal concerning state and local government overspending. Brief discussion regarding the statement. Hillstead reported his department will take $1,000 from asset forfeiture fund to purchase forty new plat books at twenty -five dollars apiece. He indicated the plat books are routinely used by officers and they are in need of updated editions. JAIL REPORT: January bills in the amount of $52,222.62 were presented. Hillstead and Humphrey clarified charges concerning Hudson Hospital treatment charges incurred by an inmate. Humphrey also clarified the charges concerning HSED testing. Motion by Gunderson, 2 °a by Bernard to approve the bills. Carried unanimously. Humphrey reported on the Jail Nurse situation and indicated the new employee knows her job and things are going fairly well. Hillstead reported on the jail fire last month caused by the clothes dryer and indicated insurance monies will replace the cost of the dryer. Hillstead also reported they are having problems with the other washers and dryers and have decided to replace all four units. Hillstead has consulted the county Finance Director concerning this issue and because of the department historically coming in under budget he was given the nod to go ahead and replace all four units. Hillstead reported the fire inspection is scheduled for February 22 °a . Hillstead reported on and commenced discussion concerning the fact that some jails have reduced their prices to house inmates for other counties. Hillstead indicated St. Croix County should consider reducing its costs because the jail population is down. Discussion regarding the costs and the right to limit who is accepted. Hillstead reported the fulltime AODA counselor person has started and is being orientated at the health center at the present time and will start in the jail in a week or two. Hillstead reported on the methamphetamine issue and indicated there is a much more pure and thus more expensive crystal form of meth coming in from Mexico and being channeled through the Twin Cities area. Hillstead also reported there has been an increase in cocaine use and summarized there is a great deal of drug addiction in St. Croix County. As a result burglary rates, etc. continue to increase. Hillstead reported the department had its first seizure of liquid meth. Humphrey reported the door painting in the jail is almost done and the next painting project will be the walls. Humphrey and Hillstead reported on the water system, indicating it is in very poor shape and of serious concern. Meeting adjourned at 12:14 p.m. Lori Bernard, Secretary Amy Geurkink, Recording Secretary