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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAdministration 09-16-13 AGENDA ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE September 16, 2013 8:30 AM County Board Room - Government Center 1101 Carmichael Road, Hudson, Wisconsin *If allowed by the Chair per the Rules and Bylaws of the Board of Supervisors. A quorum of the St. Croix County Board of Supervisors (County Board) may be present at this meeting. Therefore, this notice also serves as notice of a meeting of the County Board for the purpose of obtaining information relating to subjects listed above for use at future County Board Meetings. CALL TO ORDER ROLL CALL APPROVAL OF MINUTES 1. August 19, 2013 8:30 AM PUBLIC COMMENT* BUSINESS ITEMS 1. Financial Reports 2. Tax Deed Bid Opening - Bids Due September 12, 2013 3. Corporation Counsel Position Update 4. Liability Fund Presentation 5. Capital Projects Update 6. Library Tax Exemption Applications 7. 2014 Budgets - Administration Departments ANNOUNCEMENTS & CORRESPONDENCE ADJOURN DATE OF NEXT MEETING: OCTOBER 21, 2013 MINUTES ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE September 16, 2013 8:30 AM County Board Room - Government Center 1101 Carmichael Road, Hudson, Wisconsin CALL TO ORDER The meeting was called to order by Chair Peterson at 8:30 a.m. ROLL CALL Attendee Name Title Status Arrived Agnes Ring Supervisor Present 8:33 AM Tim Hood Secretary Present Daryl Standafer Supervisor Present Tom Hawksford Vice Chair Present David Peterson Chair Present Others present: County Administrator Patrick Thompson, Human Resources Director Tammy Funk, Finance Director Tabatha Hansen, Management Analyst Kristen Ziliak, County Clerk Cindy Campbell, County Treasurer Laurie Noble, Veteran’s Service Officer Merlin Blaisdell, Supervisor Dave Ostness and Paralegal Office Manager Kathy Spott. APPROVAL OF MINUTES 1. August 19, 2013 8:30 AM The minutes of the August 19, 2013 Administration Committee meeting were accepted as distributed. RESULT: ACCEPTED PUBLIC COMMENT* None. BUSINESS ITEMS 1. Financial Reports Finance Director Hansen presented financial reports for administrative and elected departments through July, 2013. Supervisor Hawksford asked if departments were on budget and if Hansen was tracking the liability and workers comp line items. Hansen explained the budget is based on a year and not tracked by the month but line items are monitored as necessary. All departments are tracking and within budget. Supervisor Ring questioned how often fees are reviewed. Hansen will be looking at fees and investigating ways to do more to maximize fees in the future. County Treasurer Laurie Noble asked if there were any questions on her report. Supervisor Standafer questioned why there are charge backs on the Baldwin rent. Administrator Thompson explained the charge back is due to lease issues with the Federal agencies. There should be resolution to the issue at the end of the year. Noble explained the LGIP transfer. Noble gave the committee a handout highlighting delinquent real estate taxes activity and the recent September sale book. Noble explained the different scenarios the Treasurer’s Office deals with in delinquent tax collection and the tax deed process. Supervisor Hawksford questioned if the audit concern on reconciliation has been addressed. Noble said that she is working with staff from Finance to move amounts to correct accounts at the right time. 2. Tax Deed Bid Opening - Bids Due September 12, 2013 County Clerk Cindy Campbell was directed at the last meeting to re-advertise the three remaining tax deed properties. Campbell received and opened one bid for one of the three remaining tax deed properties. The bid was $6000 for the Town of Richmond parcel. Campbell read reasons the bidder gave for bidding less than appraised value of $25,000. Discussion by Committee. 1. Oakwood Land Appraisal-T of Richmond-026-1158-00-64 - Appraisal of $25,000 BID: $6,000 2. Yang Appraisal-T of Somerset-032-2181-02-000 - Appraisal of $21,000 NO BID RECEIVED 3. Frey Appraisal-T of Springfield-034-1072-40-150 - Appraisal of $20,000 NO BID RECEIVED Motion by Hawksford, 2nd by Standafer to decline the bid as received for the Town of Richmond tax deed property. Carried unanimously. Clerk Campbell requested input on how to proceed on the three remaining lots. Additionally, Campbell advised the Committee she is waiting for releases on 100’s of subdivision lots in New Richmond. Motion by Hawksford, 2nd by Hood to leave the three current properties on the website and wait until next spring for further action. Carried unanimously. RESULT: APPROVED [UNANIMOUS] MOVER: Tom Hawksford, Vice Chair SECONDER: Daryl Standafer, Supervisor AYES: Agnes Ring, Tim Hood, Daryl Standafer, Tom Hawksford, David Peterson 3. Corporation Counsel Position Update County Administrator Thompson reported 17 applications were received for the Corporation Counsel position. Administrator Thompson, County Board Chair Standafer and Human Resources Director Funk conducted four interviews last Friday. Negotiations have commenced with one candidate with a potential recommendation to the County Board on October 1st. Supervisor Hawksford questioned the position compensation in comparison to former Corporation Counsel Don Gillen. Human Resources Director Funk explained the position was reclassified up one step prior to advertising. She explained internal promotions are handled differently than external hires. The position went through a vacant position review. The review revealed the current salary was not competitive with neighboring Wisconsin and Minnesota counties and was in need of a market adjustment. Other positions will also be reclassified in 2014. Funk added there is a potential to save on external costs for human resources legal issues. 4. Liability Fund Presentation Management Analyst Kristen Ziliak presented a power point on the County’s insurance programs and funding which includes all insurance coverage except for employee health insurance. The liability fund is made up of two internal funds -workers compensation and liability insurance. She explained what types of insurance the County has and the types of claims that are covered and what is excluded. Ziliak explained the impact on premiums from large claims such as the strip search claim. She gave an overview of the County’s history, relationship and financial overview with WMMIC. The Risk Management Mission & Programs is set up to preserve county assets from the effects of loss through a loss protection program and risk financing. Ziliak gave an overview of worker compensation and liability claims for the past ten years and measures that have been taken to reduce future claims. For budgeting purposes, the goal is to set department allocations consistently and proportionately. Ziliak updated the committee on recent claims. Chair Peterson called for a five minute break at 10:00 a.m. Meeting resumed at 10:05 a.m. 5. Capital Projects Update A capital projects update sheet was provided to the committee. County Administrator Thompson summarized the status of projects underway including the 911 expansion and relocation of EOC, HHS relocation/County Market building closing and the HHS deconstruction. A 911 merger feasibility study contract has been signed with PSC Alliance and workgroup meetings are scheduled. Thompson explained the cost of the 911 project is a guaranteed amount subject to agreed upon change orders. The closing on the former County Market building was on September 6th. Cleanup of the property has begun and will continue. Hoffman design is working on the interior build-out. A Construction RFP process will be complete in November with construction starting in January 2014. An anticipated staff move will be in June 2014. Deconstruction of the current HHS building will begin late summer of 2014 after staff has been relocated. Other projects in the works include the Agricultural and Education Building sale, nursing home and County Board Room. An RFP for a real estate broker for the Baldwin building will be posted on the County website site and advertised in newspapers. An Ag Building stakeholder’s meeting is scheduled for September 25th in Baldwin. Administration will give a report and will take input from the public. The State has given conditional approval to the Nursing Home property incentive application. The State is skeptical of the submitted projections and presented two options to resubmit or to conditionally approve. The Health and Human Services Board addressed the issue last week. It asked for additional financial information and took no position at that time. Finance Director Hansen explained the State’s issues with the application. The County will engage two firms to develop a financial plan to determine future feasibility/future direction towards operating the current or new nursing home without requiring unbudgeted funding. Administrator Thompson reported the County Board Room is being evaluated for technology updates and a more flexible seating arrangement option to allow for staff training. This is a new Capital Project stemming from current projects and meeting room needs. If funding is available, this project will move forward next year. 6. Library Tax Exemption Applications Finance Director Hansen handed out an updated library tax exemption worksheet. All municipalities that applied to be exempt have met the exemption requirements. Action on the funding will be taken at the County Board Budget session under the Consent Agenda. 7. 2014 Budgets - Administration Departments Finance Director Hansen offered the 2014 proposed budgets for the following departments: Administrator, Circuit Court, Clerk of Court, Corporation Counsel, County Board and Committees, County Clerk, Elections, Facilities, Finance, Human Resources, Information Technology, Risk Management, Treasurer and Veterans. The budgets include a 5% increase in health insurance as a placeholder until final figures are available. The County’s portion of retirement increased .35%. Employee salaries have been entered as is until P4P base steps have been calculated. New position requests/costs are still under review and not yet included. Supervisor Hawksford asked Hansen to explain the column structure of the budget sheets. Hansen explained the columns and summarized changes in the budget process to include how each department’s budget ties in with the strategic plan, its initiatives and LEAN management. Hansen gave examples of how the State budget factors in with the County budget. Supervisor Ring questioned the county’s staff development strategy. Hansen is addressing staff development by consistent use of object codes. Hansen addressed Supervisor Hawkford’s question regarding why there is a swing in wages and benefits from year to year in some departments. Hansen highlighted improvements made in the budget software for this year. The budget must be published by October 10th and sent to the Committee of the Whole. Supervisors will be asked whether they want a paper or electronic version of the budget. ANNOUNCEMENTS & CORRESPONDENCE The next meeting is scheduled for October 21, 2013. Committee of the Whole meets October 23, 2013. WCA Conference starts Monday, September 23. ADJOURN The meeting was adjourned at 11:06 a.m. Respectfully Submitted: Kathy Spott