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Home My WebLink About12-15-2017 Public Protection & Judiciary Minutes MEETING MINUTES PUBLIC PROTECTION & JUDICIARY COMMITTEE December 15, 2017 8:00 AM County Board Room-Government Center County Board Room - 1101 Carmichael Road, Hudson, Wisconsin CALL TO ORDER ROLL CALL Roll Call @ 8:02 AM. Attendee Name Organization Title Status Arrived Andy Brinkman St. Croix County Chair Present Christopher Babbitt St. Croix County Supervisor Present Roger Larson St. Croix County Supervisor Present Scott Nelson St. Croix County Vice Chair Present Judy Achterhof St. Croix County Supervisor Present Staff present: Emergency Support Services Director Stephen T'Kach, Emergency Communications Manager Terry Andersen, Community Justice Collaborating Committee Coordinator Mike O'Keefe, Medical Examiner Patty Schachtner, Operations Manager Ken Witt, Sheriff Scott Knudson, Clerk of Court Kristi Severson, meeting organizer Janet Smith. Other members of the public and staff. APPROVAL OF MINUTES 1. Public Protection & Judiciary Committee Regular Meeting October 13, 2017 8:00 AM Meeting minutes were accepted as presented. RESULT: ACCEPTED PUBLIC COMMENT No comments presented. BUSINESS ITEMS 1. Financial Reports Operations Manager Ken Witt reported on the budget status of reporting departments through the end of October 2017. Committee received hard copies of the report which was not attached to the agenda. 1. Financial Report As of October 2017 2. Community Justice Collaborating Council (CJCC) CJCC Coordinator Mike O'Keefe reported Michelle Zilka has been contracted as the COMPAS Court Assessor. On December 8th the CJCC hosted a Mark Carey, a renowned speaker, on Evidence based decision making. O'Keefe estimated there were 100 people who participated. O'Keefe and Sheriff Knudson reported the Crime Data Analyst interviews have been held and one candidate received a conditional offer of employment after a successful background check. Next will be a medical and psychological test. An offer of employment will be prepared pending a successful outcome of the tests. Tests are performed as they would be for any deputy. The Sheriff's Office is currently working on renovations and more office space will be available once complete. O'Keefe reported the Treatment and Alternatives Direction (TAD) grant ($146,517) have been received for 2018. O'Keefe detailed the programs and staff being funded by those dollars. The committee requested a summarized version of the CJCC subcommittee meetings and actions. O'Keefe will provide the members with a report on the subcommittee actions. RESULT: DISCUSSED 3. Medical Examiner's Office Medical Examiner Patty Schachtner reported on the recent "Top Secret" project with the Hazelden Group. The project has been working with the Somerset High School, New Richmond Police Department, Sheriff's Office, CJCC as well as speaking with the Baldwin School District, Glenwood City School District, St. Croix Central School District on bringing the project to their schools. Once logistics are figured out the program starts with a Community Supper, the schools provide daycare for parents to attend, there are lectures on technology and parenting (60 minutes) and Drug awareness and parenting (60 minutes). By the end of 2018 all schools should have the project in their districts. New Richmond and Somerset have already had some form of the Top Secret project in place. Schachtner reported with hunting, construction and population expansion in St. Croix County there has been increased calls from people finding bones in various condition. Each call requires the Medical Examiner and Law Enforcement to investigate. If there is question to the origin of the bones they are sent to our pathologist. If the pathologist cannot determine with 100% confidence the bones are NOT human a certified forensic anthropologist is contracted at a rate of $1,000 - $10,000 per case. Within the last two years we have received 2 - 5 calls. There is only one certified forensic anthropologist in a three state area. Most bones can be determined to be animal but the undetermined ones must be sent to a professional. Schachtner is wanting to get on Dr. Meisner's list from Hamline University. RESULT: DISCUSSED 4. 9-1-1 Infrastructure Phase II Emergency Support Services Director T'Kach reported on the current status of the Infrastructure Phase II project. Emergency Communications Manager Terry Andersen reported the FCC approval for all sites has been received and simulcast paging is operational on twelve towers. The work on building a Houlton Tower continues. MNDOT lease has been signed the NEPA process in progress. Partners on the Houlton project have committed $300,000 to the project. If the Houlton tower is built it is expected the building expenses could be included within the Phase II Budget. T'Kach continues to talk with other possible partners. Discussion. RESULT: DISCUSSED 5. 2018 Telecommunicator Staffing Report Operations Manager Ken Witt directed the committee to the Emergency Communications staffing report attached to the agenda packet. Manager Witt deferred to Steve T'Kach and Terry Andersen. Interviews have been held for the one open fulltime position. A background check has been completed and now the process of the medical and psychological testing is being performed on the selected candidate. One reserve dispatcher is in training now and should be ready to go late January. Training usually lasts eight weeks. Department is working on formalizing the part-time dispatcher schedules. Discussion. RESULT: DISCUSSED REQUEST FOR FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS January have a presentation from Drug Court (Mike O'Keefe) February meeting (Jail inspection) ANNOUNCEMENTS & CORRESPONDENCE Sheriff Knudson informed the committee Monday Night was the Stop Drug Abuse Calendar event. Over 1,200 submissions (200 more than 2016). He intends to continue with annual program. ADJOURN Adjourned at 8:55 AM DATE OF NEXT MEETING JANUARY 12, 2018