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HomeMy WebLinkAboutFinance 03-08-02 ST. CROIX COUNTY NOTICE OF COMMITTEE MEETING TO: Chairman Thomas Dorsey St. Croix County Board FROM: Tom O'Connell, Chair COMMITTEE TITLE: Finance DATE: Friday, March 8, 2002 8:30 A.M. LOCATION: Government Center CALL TO ORDER ROLL CALL ADOPTION OF AGENDA DATE OF NEXT MEETING: April 10, 2002 8:30 A.M. ACTION ON PREVIOUS MINUTES UNFINISHED BUSINESS: NEW BUSINESS: 1. Review of Vouchers 2. Building Maintenance Report 3. Information Services Report 4. Finance Report a. Reconciliation Update 5. Corporation Counsel Report a. Lot 9, Block 1, Village of Cylon - tax deed issue* 6. Clerk's Report a. Letter of Interest in Baldwin Property-Francis Ogden/Habitat for Humanity 9:00 A.M. b. Dog Damage Claims 7. Risk Manager's Report 8. Administrative Coordinator's Report a. State Budget Status and County Options b. Letter of Interest in Ag Center Property c. Letter of Interest in Kinnickinnic Property d. Update on Personnel Study - Review of Mission Statements e. 2003 Budget Calendar f. Review of Life and Disability Insurance Renewals* g. Approval of Glen Hills Relocation Agreement Amendment #2 to Extend Agreement to June 30, 2002** 9. Review of 2002 Borrowing Pool Projects and Consideration of Resolution to County Board a. Emergency Communications - Master Logger b. Parks - Perch Lake Project 10. Joint Meeting with Public Protection Committee -10:30 a.m. a. Review of Huber Facility Planning b. Resolution encouraging the State Legislature to enact legislation that would allow additional court costs be used to establish court security funds statewide 11. Consideration of Donation of Building to be Placed on County Fair land - Greg Warner 9:30 A.M. CORRESPONDENCE: ADJOURNMENT (Agenda not necessarily presented in this order) Date: February 28, 2002/1%larch 5, 2002 COPIES TO: County Board Office News Media/Notice Board County Clerk County Board County Departments **ADDITIONS/CHANGES/CORRECTIONS Finance Meeting March 8, 2002 FINANCE COMMITTEE Regular Meeting March 8, 2002 Meeting called to order by Vice Chair Swenson. Present: Ralph Swenson, Tom Dorsey and County Board Vice Chair Jacobson. Absent and excused: Stan Krueger, Chair Tom O'Connell and Nancy Bieraugel. Swenson thanked Jacobson for filling in to make a quorum which is allowed in the Board's Rules and By-laws. Staff present: Administrative Coordinator Chuck Whiting, Corporation Counsel Greg Timmerman and County Clerk Sue Nelson. Media: Judy Wiff. Motion by Dorsey, 2nd by Jacobson to adopt the agenda. Whiting removed the item regarding letter of interest on Ag. Center property. Carried. Next meeting is April 10, 8:30 a.m. Motion by Dorsey, 2nd by Swenson to approve the January 10 minutes. Carried. The February meeting had been canceled. Vouchers: Dorsey reviewed prior to the meeting and found no problems. Motion by Dorsey, 2nd by Jacobson to approve payment of the vouchers. Carried. 2002 Borrowing Pool Projects, Homestead Park and Master Logger for Disptach: Planning, Zoning, and Parks Comm. Chair Ron Raymond and member Clarence Malick, Parks Director Joe Grant, Assistant Director Dave Larson and Homestead Park Project Manager Pete Kling present. Raymond noted $277,793 is the amount requested from borrowing pool to complete the Perch Lake project. Bids came in last year way over budget. Whiting and Finance Director Loney had developed four options for borrowing $322,169 from the State Trust Fund for both Perch Lake and the Master Logger for Dispatch. Whiting recommended the five-year loan repayment plan at 4% interest. Kling indicated the McCabe bid was $438,751 which is $244,000 lower than the bid received last year and $75,000 lower than the next closest bid. If the bid is not accepted, the County will loose $336,000 in grant money. Bid must be signed by March 15. Discussion on signing contract without full Board approval, however but the borrowing concept was approved in the 2002 operating budget. Consensus of committee was to approve $277,793 from the borrowing pool to complete Perch Lake. 1 Finance Meeting March 8, 2002 Emergency Communications Director Gary Kollman requested $44,376 for the Master Logger in Dispatch. He noted there is no law requiring one but most all Communication Centers have one. The Voice Logger is a good prosecutorial tool for local police in court cases. The present logger is unstable and has been surpassed by technology. Jacobson questioned if the logger was needed right now. Whiting said loan money could not be banked for use later. Kollman said the hard drive capacity would go from 3 months to 6 months with a new logger. The discs would also cost less. Motion by Jacobson, 2nd by Dorsey to approve application for a State Trust Fund Loan for Homestead Park and the Master Logger for a total of $322,169 borrowed over 5 years at 4% interest and recommend adoption by the County Board. Carried. County Clerk: Clerk Nelson reported a tax deed property had been advertised for sale in the Village of Baldwin. During this time, it was discovered a land contract was held on this property by Wayne Peterson from Emerald. Francis Ogden representing Habitat for Humanity said this group would be interested in purchasing this lot or having it donated for building a Habitat home. Corporation Counsel Timmerman said Mr. Peterson was not notified of the tax deed procedure. He has been contacted for a quit claim deed but no response received. At this time the County cannot give a clear deed to the property. No action taken. Dog Damage Claims: Norman Mante, Town of Star Prairie, had previously submitted a claim for loss of registered Belgium colt at $2500. Mante sent a letter noting he sold the brother of this colt for $2500. The Town Chairman had indicated a value of $1000 on the claim. Motion by Swenson, 2nd by Jacobson to pay $1000 for loss of the colt per the affidavit of the Town Chairman. Carried. Claim for lost sheep submitted by Francis Obermueller, Town of Glenwood. Motion by Dorsey, 2nd Jacobson to pay $515 for one ram and four feeder lambs. Carried. Donation of Building for County Fairgrounds: Greg Warner, member of the Fair Board, distributed pictures of the former Cenex Tire Center that needs to be removed. Skoglund Oil, owner of the 60, wide, 120, long building, would donate it to the County Fair 2 ♦ r Finance Meeting March 8, 2002 Assoc. Cost estimates to dissemble and load on a truck would be $15,000 to $18,000. Warner would like permission from the County to proceed with further negotiations. He is not requesting any County dollars at this time. Swenson stated he would not support any additional county funds for this project. Warner said a new building would cost about $205,000. Finance Committee would like more numbers for cost of moving and reassembling the building. Maintenance Report: Manager Ralph Robole had no report at this time but was available for questions. The gas and electric costs for this winter are way below budget. Information Services: Director Tom Boron had no report. Whiting noted Boron's request for additional PTO time was denied by the Personnel Committee. Corporation Counsel: Timmerman reported a parcel in the Village of Cylon (Lot 9, Block 1) was taken by a tax deed in May of 1945. Previous and present owners are paying taxes on this lot but the County has never issued a deed. The County Board needs to approve a deed being issued to the present owners, Keith and Barbara Christopherson. Motion by Swenson, 2nd by Dorsey to recommend approval of resolution on issuing a deed to the County Board. Carried. Extension of Glen Hills Relocation Agreement: Whiting said plans are underway to get the home moved from the flood plain but an extension in time is needed. Motion Dorsey, 2nd by Jacobson to approve an extension until June 30, 2002. Carried. Life and Disability Insurance Renewals: Whiting reported the Life and Disability renewals are due May 1st. There sill be a $.04 per thousand increase. Risk Manager: Dawn Budrow distributed the total Work Comp claims for 2001 which were $334,598. So far this year there have been 19 claims which is lower than last year. Seventy people attended the Awareness Series featuring self defense with Deputy Jim Mattila. Plans for fire drills, bomb threats and emergency evacuations will be presented at the next meeting. Swenson thanked Dawn for her reports. 3 Finance Meeting March 8, 2002 Joint Meeting with Public Protection: Chair Julie Speer, members Esther Wentz, Tom Rose and Bob Gunderson, Sheriff Dennis Hillstead, Chief Deputy Ron Volkert, Jail Captain Karen Humphrey, State Jail Inspector Scott Morris and Brian Larson from Ayes and Associates present. Humphrey reported 40 on the waiting list to serve Huber time. The Judges believe electronic home monitoring is too close to probation. Brian Larson said there is a Huber capacity of 32 presently. The proposed addition on the southwest corner of the jail would use three of the four present dorms. The total planned capacity is 62 men and 12 women. The project includes a separate entrance and visiting area, men and women prisoner search and processing areas, an officer work and control area, prisoner laundry and a program room. Cost estimate for construction is $1,237,000 and total project would be $1,474,714. An enclosed outside storage building is proposed for confiscated vehicles, large evidence items and the County owned boat and trailer and emergency comm. van. Total cost for the unheated garage would be $687,456. Sheriff Hillstead said in the past 10 years the Huber population has doubled. It should be 10 years before the new addition reaches capacity. Chair Speer said all three Judges are sentencing to Huber and see it as a good alternative to jail or electronic monitoring. Inmates can earn income toward family expenses, child support and paying fines and restitution. In response to Vice Chair Swenson's question on electronic monitoring supervisor, the Sheriff said the person is not hired yet. Consideration is being given to having an inmate serve half time in Huber and half time on monitoring and would keep 15 to 20 on monitoring. Hillstead said one problem with monitoring is the person is sentenced to be incarcerated but is allowed to live at home where sentencing guidelines such as no drinking, no contact, etc. could be violated. The Jail population trend has switched from more rentals to more County inmates. The average daily population is 103 and last year it was 84. Pierce County rents 10 to 15 cells per day. The jail has a capacity of 120. 4 ~1 f Finance Meeting March 8, 2002 Jail Inspector Morris said inmate population will increase and there is a waiting list for Huber. If the County does not build, other county jail space could be rented which is very costly. Construction costs increase each year. The proposed design and number of beds is good. Monitoring is part of the solution but not all. This is an easy addition to the present jail; no additional support areas are needed such as a new kitchen. The fastest growing area in the jail is the female population. It is not practical to house Huber inmates in other counties due to the long distance to their employment. Vice Chair Swenson said this is a quality plan and likes the concept but this should be part of the full budget process. He is reluctant to do anything right now not knowing the financial condition of the County. Information given to these committees should be shared with all County Board members in May or June. Swenson thanked the Public Protection Committee and Brian Larson for the fine presentation. Resolution on Additional Court Costs: Speer said this resolution is based on one adopted in Polk County and allows for extra fees to be charged and used for Court and Courthouse security. It proposed a $5 fee if convicted of a felony and $3 for a misdemeanor. Motion by Jacobson, 2nd by Wentz that Public Protection and Finance Committees adopt the resolution and refer it to Administration for consideration. Timmerman will edit the Polk County resolution. Administrative Coordinator: Kinnickinnic Youth Forest - Whiting received a letter from Steve Cudd requesting to purchase the Kinnickinnic County Youth Forest. Consensus of the committee was to refer this to Land and Water Committee and to provide a recommendation back to Finance. Personnel Study - Whiting said nearly all departments, mission statements are completed. Swenson commented as follows: Corporation Counsel had no staff listed; Maintenance was lengthy and not concise, Treasurer was too sketchy and no duties of Treasurer were listed; County Clerk outlined Clerk duties. Timeline for 2003 budget process: Whiting distributed a proposed time line for development of 2003 operating budget. The WCA Convention is scheduled later in September so budget review 5 fir Finance Meeting March 8, 2002 meetings were moved to September 18 and 19. Time frame for distribution of budget books to Committee will be compressed. State Budget - The Governor's proposal to cut shared revenue would mean a $935,312 loss to the County. Whiting, using an overhead, showed suggested cuts from several County funds in order to meet the loss of revenue. A second option showed using most of the Contingency Fund for less reduction for departments. He listed reduction numbers for each General fund budget. If the shared revenue scenario remains a factor, Whiting will give this presentation to the County Board. The State Budget Finance Comm. has proposed using the full tobacco settlement rather than eliminating shared revenue this year. Finance Report: A report written by Finance Director Loney showed the preliminary closing for 2001 budget balance was $245,283. The bank accounts have been reconciled up to February of 2002. Motion by Dorsey to adjourn. Meeting adjourned at 12:50 p.m. Sue E. Nelson, Recording Secretary 6