HomeMy WebLinkAbout11-03-2022 Public Protection & Judiciary Minutes
MEETING MINUTES
PUBLIC PROTECTION & JUDICIARY COMMITTEE
November 3, 2022 8:00 AM
St. Croix County Government Center - Room 1284
Government Center - 1101 Carmichael Road, Hudson, Wisconsin
CALL TO ORDER
ROLL CALL
Attendee Name Organization Title Status Arrived
Cathy Leaf St. Croix County Supervisor Present
Paul Adams St. Croix County Supervisor Present
Bob Feidler St. Croix County Chair Present
Mark Carlson St. Croix County Supervisor Present
Tim Ramberg St. Croix County Supervisor Present
Others in attendance: County Administrator Ken Witt, Medical Examiner Patty
Schachtner, Clerk of Court Kristi Severson, Child Support Administrator Lisa Plunkett,
Justice Support Services Director Phil Galli, Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) Grant
Educator/Tracker LTE Cathy Borgschatz, Sheriff Scott Knudson, District Attorney Karl
Anderson, meeting organizer Janet Smith and other staff.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
1. Public Protection & Judiciary Committee – Regular Meeting – September 1, 2022
8:00 AM
RESULT: ACCEPTED
PUBLIC COMMENT
BUSINESS ITEMS
1. Financial Report for September
Administrator Witt reviewed the Financial report included in the agenda packet.
RESULT: DISCUSSED
2. Consideration of Public Safety Referendum Question in 2023
Administrator Witt reported to the committee a possible future referendum which
addresses the need for more staffing within Public Safety. The timetable for moving
this referendum forward is discussion today, resolution at next month's PPJ meeting,
Full County Board the following month and then a referendum for the public to vote
on in the April 2023 election. Discussion.
Leaf/Carlson motion to support the referendum. Passed.
Review of the individual staffing requests included in the referendum (included in
the agenda packet). Department Heads contributed information on the staffing
requests for their departments. Administrator Witt will bring a resolution to the
December meeting.
RESULT: APPROVED [UNANIMOUS]
MOVER: Cathy Leaf, Supervisor
SECONDER: Mark Carlson, Supervisor
AYES: Cathy Leaf, Paul Adams, Bob Feidler, Mark Carlson, Tim Ramberg
3. Resolution in Support of Increased County Child Support Funding
Child Support Administrator Lisa Plunkett presented a resolution which would increase
the Child Support budget statewide. A Leaf/Adams motion to support the resolution.
Passed.
RESULT: APPROVED [UNANIMOUS] Next: 12/6/2022 8:30 AM
MOVER: Cathy Leaf, Supervisor
SECONDER: Paul Adams, Supervisor
AYES: Cathy Leaf, Paul Adams, Bob Feidler, Mark Carlson, Tim Ramberg
4. Child Support Agency WINS (Wisconsin’s Network for Safety) grant award
Child Support Administrator LIsa Plunkett reported the WINS grant was awarded to the
Child Support agency. Encouraging and empowering parents. St. Croix County's award
is part of a statewide award. Plunkett will begin the process of managing the award.
RESULT: DISCUSSED
5. Medical Examiner's Office Update
Medical Examiner Patty Schachtner reported the Scanner is up and running and has
saved the county up to $6,900. ME Staff is being trained on the new system person by
person. Cooler space is being addressed, new coolers are scheduled for January 2023.
Increase in alcohol related deaths (Cirrhosis, chronic alcoholism). November 17th
burying first group of unclaimed decedents. Discussion.
RESULT: DISCUSSED
6. Medicated-Assisted Treatment (MAT) grant update
Justice Support Services Director Phil Galli reported on the use of Medicated Assisted
Treatment (MAT) grant program. The grant is $150,000. Cathy Borgschatz further
explained the details of the work done with MAT. The program works with HHS, JAIL
and medical community. Medication starts while in custody and then community
referral.
RESULT: DISCUSSED
7. District Attorney Staffing and Workload review
District Attorney Karl Anderson reported on the struggle with finding staffing for the
District Attorney's office. Prior to 1989 DA's were county employees, after 1989 all
prosecution staff became state employees. St. Croix County in 2022 has approximately
96,000 people with a District Attorney prosecutor total of 6. DA Anderson will bring
forth a resolution at a future meeting.
RESULT: DISCUSSED
8. Resolution to Support the U.S. Constitution and the Second Amendment
Supervisor Carlson expressed concern of 2nd Amendment rights. He would like to let the
state know St. Croix County supports the 2nd amendment. The resolution will be
brought forward at the December meeting.
RESULT: NO ACTION Next: 12/1/2022 8:00 AM
9. Sheriff's Office Update
Sheriff Scott Knudson reported on mental health issues in the jail. Currently, mental
health services are provided by an outside vendor. When the inmate gets released the
mental health resources are no longer existent. ARPA funds have been identified to
provide a county employee to provide mental health services to the jail. Sheriff Knudson
reported addressing the mental health issues in the jail in the cells available is a
challenge. Work will be done to provide gating from floor to ceiling on second levels of
the jail.
Drug take back program was last week. 642lbs of turned over drugs. This amount
was from all law enforcement agencies within St. Croix County.
Discussion on receiving cells and possible reconfiguring to improve receiving cells.
Chair asks Administrator Witt and Sheriff Knudson to come back to this committee
with action items.
RESULT: DISCUSSED
REQUEST FOR FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS
Referendum on Public Safety employee hiring. Resolution on supporting the 2nd
Amendment, future meeting dates of PPJ, review of mandated services.
ANNOUNCEMENTS & CORRESPONDENCE
ADJOURN
Adjourned at 9:33 AM.
DATE OF NEXT MEETING DECEMBER 1, 2022