Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutFinance 01-13-05 r AMENDED ST. CROIX COUNTY NOTICE OF COMMITTEE MEETING TO: Chairman Buck Malick St. Croix County Board FROM: Ralph Swenson, Chair COMMITTEE TITLE: Finance DATE: Thursday, January 13, 2005 8:30 A.M. LOCATION: Room 1281 and County Board Room, Government Center, Hudson CALL TO ORDER ROLL CALL ADOPTION OF AGENDA DATE OF NEXT MEETING: February 10, 2005 8:30 A.M. ACTION ON PREVIOUS MINUTES: December 8, 2004 December 14, 2004 UNFINISHED BUSINESS: NEW BUSINESS: 1. Meeting with WMMIC Representatives Re: County Risk Insurances — 8:30 a.m. 2. Review of Vouchers 3. Treasurer's Report 4. Maintenance Department Report 5. Computer Services Department Report 6. Risk Management Report 7. Corporation Counsel Report a. Status of Sheriff's Department Policies Review 8. Clerk of Court's Report 9. County Clerk Report a. Town of Cady Property — Request by Behling to grade driveway in the spring of 2005 10. Finance Director Report a. Continuing Appropriations b. Financial Reports 11. Administrative Coordinator Report a. Designation of Administrative Coordinator as County's Official WMMIC Representative b. Update on County Property Inventory c. Status of Nazca Solutions Project 12. Update on WisDoT Taking of County Land in New Richmond — 10:30 a.m. 13. Consideration of WCA Proposed Advisory Election Question 14. Request for Expense Reimbursement (Exceeding 90 Days) — Department on Aging 15. Consideration of Resolution re: Fourth Judgeship for St. Croix County 16. Reconsideration of Nursing Home Handrails Project — Non - Budgeted Item ** CORRESPONDENCE: ADJOURNMENT (Agenda not necessarily presented in this order) COPIES TO: County Board Office News Media/Notice Board County Clerk County Board County Departments * *ADDITIONS /CHANGE S /CORRECTIONS 12:08 PM 1/11/2005 OFFICIAL — approved 2110105 MINUTES OF THE ST. CROIX COUNTY FINANCE COMMITTEE Regular Meeting January 13, 2005 Meeting called to order by Chair Swenson at 8:30 a.m. Present: Esther Wentz, Stan Krueger, Clarence Malick, Daryl Standafer and Ralph Swenson. Staff present: Administrative Coordinator Chuck Whiting, Finance Director Michelle Pietrick, Risk Manager Rachel Rubin, Corporation Counsel Greg Timmerman and County Clerk Cindy Campbell. Media: Judy Wiff. Motion by Wentz, 2 by Krueger to adopt the agenda. Carried unanimously. Date of next meeting is February 10, 2005. Chair Swenson will not be in attendance at the February W h meeting. Motion by Malick, 2nd by Wentz to correct the December 8, 2004 minutes under the County Clerk's report, item 8. a. to read: "Motion by Standafer, 2nd by Krueger to amend the motion to increase the fees to $100. Carried." Motion by Malick, 2 by Standafer to adopt the December 8, 2004 minutes with the correction and the December 14, 2004 minutes. Carried unanimously. 1. Meeting with WMMIC Representatives regarding County Risk Insurances — 8:30 a.m. Kevin Murphy, Executive Director of WMMIC, Norm Cummings, Waukesha Finance Director and Kevin Houlihan, Risk Manager for the City of Madison, were present. Murphy thanked the committee members for inviting them and gave a brief history of WMMIC. Cummings gave a background and the purpose for creating WMMIC. Cummings provided a WMMIC Premium and Dividend History going back ten years and indicated WMMIC's loss control will have better years ahead. Cummings added that WMMIC is a great investment and the capital investment will continue to payoff. Cummings indicated St. Croix County will see money back in the form of dividends. Pietrick indicated St. Croix County's investment in WMMIC is approximately in the amount of $800,000. Murphy assured the premium approved in the amount of $398,000 is adopted on approved method for premiums and added the outlook for WMMIC is extremely good. Swenson thanked the WMMIC representatives for their information and for coming to St. Croix County and attending the Finance Committee meeting. 2. Review of Vouchers. Malick indicated there was nothing unusual to report. 3. Treasurer's Report. The Finance Committee reviewed the November 2004 reconciliation report as submitted by County Treasurer Cheryl Slind. Slind indicated the tax season is going well. Malick reminded Slind to send a letter to dog track owners. Slind explained the process when a person purchases property in St. Croix County and what happens with the deed and changes to the tax bills. Slind explained she received several calls from individuals who had received a tax bill for property they no longer own. Slind expressed concern regarding the property owner data not being up to date. Discussion regarding this process. Malick indicated this matter will be discussed at the next Planning and Zoning Committee meeting. 4. Maintenance Department Report. No report. 5. Computer Services Department Report. No report. 6. Risk Management Report. No report. Finance Committee January 13, 2005 Page 2 of 5 7. Corporation Counsel Report. Timmerman indicated he briefly reviewed the Nazca agreement and plans to discuss it further with Whiting. a. Status of Sheriff's Department Policies Review. Timmerman indicated Ray Polen has the top ten priority jail policies and expects to have a more thorough investigation done within the next thirty days. This will be placed on the next Finance Committee agenda. Polen indicated to Timmerman that review of the policies is an ongoing process and discussed establishing a process having a maintenance program on the jail policies. Swenson asked for a clear plan for what the next step is and indicated he will press this process monthly. Timmerman proposed he and Sheriff Hillstead report next month with a plan based on a discussion with Polen on other reviews, how to proceed, and money figures to accomplish that. Malick indicated review of all polices be placed on the agenda. 8. Clerk of Court's Report. Clerk of Court Lori Meyer indicated the folder /inserter equipment has arrived they are using it. They have had a couple high profile cases filed in her office with several media inquiries. Meyer gave an update to the Public Protection Committee regarding collection activity and indicated there was a suggestion to publish names in the newspaper for those individuals with delinquent fines. Discussion regarding putting names of those individuals whose day of conviction was the last three months of 2004 on the County's website. Motion by Standafer, 2nd by Krueger requesting the Clerk of Court to make available on the County's website information about delinquent fines, fees and penalties starting with the database created with the tax intercept program, and request the Clerk of Court to query whether Public Protection wants to take additional steps. Carried unanimously. Krueger suggested submitting a press release of the top ten to the newspapers. The committee discussed having a future agenda item regarding writing off fines /forfeitures over ten years old. 9. County Clerk Report. County Clerk Campbell indicated there is a Spring Primary February 15` with a statewide race for Superintendent of Public Instruction and three schools with school board primaries. a. Town of Cady Property — Request by Behling to grade driveway in the spring of 2005. Campbell indicated the transaction has been completed with the exception of two things. A steel cylinder remains on the property and Chad Peabody of Redneck Scrap indicated he would remove it in the spring. The Behlings have indicated the driveway has ruts from the removal of the scrap metal and requested the driveway be graded by the County. Motion by Malick, 2 by Wentz to authorize the County Clerk to engage the Highway Department to grade the driveway in the spring, by making one simple pass after the pipe has been removed with the cost being offset by the proceeds from the sale of the property. Carried unanimously. 10. Finance Department Report. a. Continuing Appropriations. Pietrick indicated the Finance Committee approved a 2004 Contingency Fund request for the Nursing Home emergency generator in the amount of $74,845. To date she has received approximately $20,000 of bills on that project and is requesting approval to rollover the difference to the 2005 Contingency Fund. Motion by Swenson, 2nd by Krueger to rollover the remaining amount ($74,845 less $20,000). Carried Finance Committee January 13, 2005 Page 3 of 5 unanimously. Pietrick requested a rollover in the amount of $5,000 from the Finance Department's budget for GASB 34 contractual services. Pietrick indicated Maximus was not paid in full because they did not fulfill their service to the County and would like to use these funds to hire an intern to complete the county-owned land inventory. Motion by Krueger, 2nd by Wentz to approve the rollover, not to exceed $5,000. Pietrick indicated the County has no further liability to Maximus. Carried unanimously. Pietrick indicated there is $5,000 in Administration Coordinator's 2004 budget for a personnel audit. Since the Management Systems Specialist did not start until November 1, 2004 she is seeking approval to rollover $5,000 to the 2005 Administrative Coordinator's budget. Motion to approve by Krueger, 2 by Wentz. Carried unanimously. b. Financial Report. General Fund Cash and investments balance as of November 30, 2004 of $18,784,405.05. 2004 Contingency Fund balance is $159,645.00. 2004 Sales Tax received in December for October sales is $441,700. Revenue and Expenditure Reports were reviewed. Pietrick indicated the general fund revenues exceed expenditures. Health and Human Services reports through November were distributed. Pietrick indicated the Nursing Homes numbers do not include 2004 Medicaid rates which should have more revenue coming. Swenson asked Pietrick to check on this. 11. Administrative Coordinator Report. a. Designation of Administrative Coordinator as County's Official WMMIC Representative. Whiting requested committee approval to be designated as the County's official designee to WMMIC. Malick extended his thanks to Corporation Counsel Timmerman for serving as the County's official WMMIC representative. Motion by Malick, 2nd by Wentz to approve the designation of Administrative Coordinator Chuck Whiting as the County's official WMMIC representative. Whiting will prepare a letter to Kevin Murphy of WMMIC stating this action. Standafer asked that this letter be signed by Swenson and Malick rather than Whiting. Timmerman and Rubin indicated they would like to remain involved with WMMIC as well. Carried unanimously. b. Update on County Property Inventory. Whiting indicated he has contacted Dr. Charlie Rader from the University of Wisconsin River Falls Geography Department regarding hiring an intern to work on the County property inventory. Whiting indicated the typical pay is $10 an hour at approximately 135 hours which is under $1,400 to have the work done. The intern hiring is not final but he plans to have this person begin after April. The intern would receive college credit for this project. C. Status of Nazca Solutions Project. Whiting indicated Timmerman has not had an opportunity to review this agreement yet. The Planning and Zoning Committee needs to talk to Nazca to see how this is going to work. Whiting indicated there is an advantage to being a pilot and the price is advantageous to St. Croix County. There are concerns with various departments, both county and state. Whiting has not seen the agreement between WCA and Nazca. Malick indicated it's clear that engaging in this activity will make demands on the Planning and Zoning Department and encouraged the committee to make a quick analysis of the revenue stream based on the assumption the Nazca product would replace the Laredo product in the Register of Deeds Finance Committee January 13, 2005 Page 4 of 5 office. Whiting indicated we will need to wait and see what the Planning and Zoning Committee decides. This matter needs to continue to be kept on the agenda for updates. 12. Update on WisDoT Taking of County Land in New Richmond —10:30 a.m. Attorney Stuart Krueger was present. Whiting indicated he has talked to the City of New Richmond. Attorney Krueger reported there is still uncertainty regarding the utilities. Attorney Krueger indicated now is the time to start thinking seriously on where the County should go from here. The first step is to update the County's appraisal because the price of land in New Richmond and surrounding area has increased. This would enable the County to present something with current values to the State. Motion by Malick, 2nd by Wentz to authorize an appropriate appraisal by Ted Morgan to be funded from the special fund. Carried unanimously. Attorney Krueger also explained the options in terms of going ahead with the assumption the second appraisal comes back with higher numbers. Krueger explained the procedure regarding the County's right of appeal from the condemnation award. The County has two options. One would be going through the County Condemnation Commission which consists of commissioners appointed by the circuit court judges, who would hear from both WisDot and the County on what the fair compensation for the taking is. They would make an award and if neither party appeals from that decision, that is the award and the State pays the additional amount. If there is a disagreement, then it moves forward to the Circuit Court to make a decision on awarding the costs to the County after having gone through the Condemnation Commission. If either party disagrees with the decision, they have a right to a jury trial or a trial with the judge. The other option is to skip the Condemnation Commission and go directly to Circuit Court and have a jury trial or trial with the judge. Attorney Krueger indicated that going directly to the Circuit Court gets to the ultimate end more quickly. Attorney Krueger indicated that within two years from March, which was the date of the initial taking, the County has to initiate either to the Circuit Court or the Condemnation Commission, an appeal from that award. Morgan should complete the appraisal no later than the March Finance Committee meeting. At that time, the Finance Committee will meet in closed session to instruct Attorney Krueger how the County wishes to proceed. 13. Consideration of WCA Proposed Advisory Election Question. Motion by Wentz, 2nd by Krueger to put on table. The WCA has forwarded a proposed resolution for counties to consider regarding two advisory referenda questions for the April ballot having to do with state responsibility for mandated services. The advisory questions are: "Should State of Wisconsin, not the county property taxpayer, pay for the cost of the state mandated court system in St. Croix County?" And; "Should the State of Wisconsin, not the county property taxpayer, for the cost of the state mandated human services in St. Croix County?" Malick indicated district WCA counties are in the process of reviewing this matter and the Administration Committee adopted it. Standafer suggested making "county taxpayer" plural. Motion by Standafer, 2nd by Malick to amend both questions changing "county taxpayer" to "county taxpayers ". Carried unanimously. Action on main motion carried unanimously. 14. Request for Expense Reimbursement (Exceeding 90 Days) — Department on Aging. Pietrick indicated she received mileage reimbursement from July from a gentleman who had been hospitalized and then admitted to a nursing home which created the delay in his mileage Finance Committee January 13, 2005 Page 5 of 5 request. Motion by Wentz, 2 by Krueger to submit to the County Board to suspend the rules for payment. Carried unanimously. 15. Consideration of Resolution re: Fourth Judgeship for St. Croix County. Motion by Malick, 2nd by Wentz to support the proposed resolution. Standafer questioned the language in the eighth "Whereas" paragraph regarding funding. Lundell stated this needs to be included or the state will not consider it. Malick suggested adding ",...if the state declines to supply sufficient funding; ... ". If this resolution passes the County Board it will go to the state for consideration. Lundell indicated no judgeships have been considered or created in Wisconsin for six years. Lundell explained the process if this resolution passes, and added it would likely be a four or five year process. Krueger asked for caseload statistics since the third judge was added. Motion by Malick, 2 by Standafer to add to the eighth Whereas after the word created, "if the state declines to supply sufficient funding ". Amendment passes 3 to 2. Action on main motion with amendment passes 3 to 2. 16. Reconsideration of Nursing Home Handrails Project — Non - Budgeted Item. Swenson indicated the initial Health and Human Services' budget included new handrails. Pietrick indicated the audio tapes from the Finance Committee budget review did not clearly state if the handrails were included or excluded from the budget. They were not included in the final budget. Swenson indicated the handrails need to be changed because the state said the oak handrails split and cause splinters and cleanliness is an issue also. The state could cite the County if the handrails are not replaced. The Maintenance Department will do the work. Discussion regarding reviewing capital projects in order of priority. Motion by Wentz, 2 by Krueger to take $8,600 from the 2004 Capital Fund to pay for the new handrails. Following a discussion Krueger and Wentz agreed to withdraw the motion. Motion by Krueger, 2 by Wentz to take funds for new handrails from the 2005 Contingency Fund in the approximate amount of $8,600. Carried unanimously. Correspondence: Malick indicated he compiled a list of 2004 per diem paid to the County Board Supervisors and has distributed the list to the Supervisors. Meeting adjourned at 12:11 p.m. Esther Wentz, Secretary Cindy Campbell, Recording Secretary