HomeMy WebLinkAboutCommittee of The Whole 08-16-11
NOTICE OF COMMITTEE MEETING AND AGENDA
ST. CROIX COUNTY
COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE
August 16,2011 - 1:00 P.M.
County Board Room
St Croix County Government Center
1101 Carmichael Road, Hudson, Wisconsin
CALL TO ORDER
ROLL CALL
APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETINGS
ANNOUNCEMENTS & CORRESPONDENCE
1. Strategic Planning
DATE OF NEXT MEETING
ADJOURN
REVIEWED AND APPROVED BY: Committee Chair and County Administrator
DATE APPROVED: August 10, 2011
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 715.386.4610.
8/11/2011 8:11 AM
OFFICIAL MINUTES
COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE
August 16,2011 - 1:00 P.M.
County Board Room, St. Croix County Government Center
Meeting called to order at 1:00 p.m. by Vice Chair Wentz.
Present: 15 members; absent and excused: Fred Horne, Robert Shearer, Joe Hurtgen, and Bill Peavey
Others Present: Pete Kling, Art Tobin, Bill Rubin, Dave Fodroczi, John Shilts, Tim Ramberg, Fred
Johnson and Greg Timmerman
No action on previous minutes.
1. Strategic Planning - County Administrator Patrick Thompson highlighted his work on strategic
planning and working with key people to create a plan.
Proposed County Priority Areas
• Community Development
• Public Safety and Criminal Justice
• Protecting At-Risk Populations
• Transportation
• Economic Development
• Financial Health of County
Community Development: Discussion regarding measuring application processing, commencing
enforcement, doing the best with land use, include recreational and agricultural activities, timely
responses to citizens and measuring results.
Public Safety and Criminal Justice: Discussion regarding reduction in crime in St. Croix County and
improving public safety and be more proactive in terms of the County's engagement in the community
to prevent and reduce crime, improve statutory requirements of the sheriff to enhance security and
efficiency in the jail, establishing alternatives to measure incarceration, underutilization of the Huber
facility, increase community policing, implement programs with youth, neighborhoods, and civic
organizations and obtain input from the public to identify issues to be worked on before they become a
problem. Discussion regarding tracking drug court progress and doing a cost benefit analysis.
Protecting At-Risk Populations: Discussion regarding Health and Human Services' agencies working
in the whole realm with the at-risk population, processing benefit applications and meeting
performance measures set by the State of Wisconsin, enforcement obligations, meeting case planning,
reduce occurrences and recidivism, meeting family needs, measuring 24/7 behavioral health needs,
accessing emergency services, and asking if the programs the County is participating in actually is
reducing recidivism. Discussion regarding low income housing or having a countywide housing
authority and WestCAP programs.
Transportation: Thompson highlighted the overall transportation system in St. Croix County. What the
conditions of the infrastructure, roads and bridges are and how the County is going to maintain the
infrastructure to improve economic development. Discussion regarding Highway Department services.
Economic Development: Thompson highlighted equalized values in St. Croix County, sales tax, home
sales, and the unemployment rate. Discussion regarding the importance of economic development.
Financial Health of the County: Thompson highlighted potential cost saving measures: share services
between municipal government entities, shared functions and purchases, and lower utility costs by
sharing operations. Discussion regarding maintaining facilities and evaluate depreciation schedules,
overall cost of government services, staying within budget, maintaining the County's bond rating, and
staying within guidelines with the mill rate. Discussion regarding reducing spending and establishing
this as a goal. Discussion regarding excess county-owned real estate and getting it back on the tax roll.
St. Croix County Mission Statement: Thompson suggested a mission statement that:
• Aligns what the County says it does with what it actually does
• Provides ground to key decisions
• Defines who we are and what we do
Thompson asked for suggested mission statements.
• Norton-Bauman - St. Croix County provides essential services for safety, health and welfare in a
fiscally responsible way as we prepare for the future.
• Malick - The mission of St. Croix County government is to efficiently provide necessary services.
• Rebholz - St. Croix County government prioritizes efficient and effective services for St. Croix
County residents with fiscal responsibilities.
• Hermsen - Freedom minded to reach individual goals.
• Sather - St. Croix County's goal is to provide essential services, maintaining safety, health and
welfare in a fiscally responsible manner, striving to meet the community needs now and in the future.
• Marzolf - Consistent with its motto "Service is Our Purpose", St. Croix County strives in a fiscally
responsible manner to ensure the safety, health and welfare of its citizens by meeting their needs while
preparing for the future.
• Thompson and Kling's suggested mission statement - St. Croix County government exists to
promote feteet the safety, health and welfare of our citizens through innovation and cooperation while
providing services in a fiscally responsible and accessible manner.
Thompson summarized St. Croix County's government priorities/values and noted the next steps will
be to work with county staff to identify tasks and develop an operational work plan and develop an
executive level dashboard using community indicators. Discussion regarding completion towards the
end of January or February 2012 and bring to the County Board in March. Malick noted the election
cycle and newly elected County Board Supervisors.
Vice Chair Wentz reminded supervisors of the meet and greet at The Orchard on August 25th at 5:00
p.m.
Adjourned at 3:10 p.m.
Vice Chair Esther Wentz
Cindy Campbell, Recording Secretary