HomeMy WebLinkAboutFinance 04-10-02
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ST. CROIX COUNTY
NOTICE OF COMMITTEE MEETING
TO: Chairman Thomas Dorsey
St. Croix County Board
FROM: Tom O'Connell, Chair
COMMITTEE TITLE: Finance
DATE: Wednesday April 10, 2002 8:30 A.M.
LOCATION: Government Center
CALL TO ORDER
ROLL CALL
ADOPTION OF AGENDA
DATE OF NEXT MEETING: May10, 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. Preliminary 2001 Year End Review*
b. Resolution Regarding State Loan Poo?
5. Corporation Counsel Report
6. Clerk's Report
a. Pop Machine Fund
b. Security Committee Report
7. Risk Manager's Report
a. Fire Evacuation Plan and Bomb Threat Plan*
8. Approval of the Financial Assistant job description - Clerk of Court
9. Administrative Coordinator's Report
a. Approve 2003 Budget Schedule/Timeline
b. Proposal for Health Insurance Claims Audit
c. Status of Personnel Study
10. Community Support Program Social Worker
11. W-2 Status Report
12. Appointment to Loan Review Committee*
CORRESPONDENCE:
ADJOURNMENT (Agenda not necessarily presented in this order)
Date: April 8, 2002
COPIES TO: County Board Office News Media/Notice Board
County Clerk County Board
County Departments
**ADDITIONS/CHANGES/CORRECTIONS
Finance Committee April 10, 2002
FINANCE COMMITTEE
Regular Meeting April 10, 2002
Meeting called to order by Vice Chair Swenson. Present: Tom
Dorsey, Stan Krueger and Ralph Swenson. Absent and excused were
Tom O'Connell and Nancy Bieraugel. Staff present:
Administrative Coordinator Chuck Whiting, Finance Director Rich
Loney for part of meeting, Corporation Counsel Greg Timmerman and
County Clerk Sue Nelson. Others present: Supr. Esther Wentz,
Supr. Julie Speer. Judy Wiff, media, arrived at 10:45 a.m.
Motion by Krueger, 2nd by Dorsey to adopt the agenda. Carried.
Next meeting is May 10, 8:30 a.m. Motion by Dorsey, 2nd by
Krueger to approve the March minutes. Carried.
Vouchers: Dorsey reviewed the bills earlier and moved to approve
the vouchers, 2nd by Krueger. Carried.
Building Maintenance: Facilities Manager Ralph Robole reported a
savings of $5,540 for the month of March at Human Services and
Nursing Home buildings by switching to interruptible rates for
natural gas. The initial cost was $35,000 so payback should be
in a year plus a few months.
Savings from generator "Peak Shaving Program" for 2001 was
$11,645. Robole did some comparisons of Henry Hub natural gas
prices. Henry Hub receives the raw gas in New Orleans.
Interstate pipeline charges are added to the cost to deliver gas
to local distributors. Local companies then add delivery charges
to your home or business. Jan. 2002 the price was 2.55, .24
cents higher than Dec. 2001 but 75% below last Jan.
The Excel Energy Monitor software has been installed and
preliminary findings show various possibilities for reducing
electrical load.
Natural gas prices raised to .51 cents a therm in the fall and
dropped to .32 this spring. 2001 prices were .86 cents in the
fall and .55 cents a therm in the spring. The fuel budget
situation is good.
Information Services: Director Tom Boron is working on the final
contract for the Time and Attendance software. The escrow issue
needs to be resolved. The program is from a small start-up
company that wants to get into County Government. Whiting noted
the product looks good, Boron checked references and Loney
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Finance Committee April 10, 2002
indicated their financial record looked fine. Committee approved
continuance of the project.
Finance Director: Rich Loney did an overview of the Resolution
to Approve the State Trust Fund Loan. Previously the County
Board approved the application for the loan; this is the final
document for Board action. Motion by Krueger, 2nd by Dorsey to
bring final application to the Board for approval at the April
meeting.
Four more projects were approved for borrowing in the 2002
budget: $100,000 for Courtyard at Health and Human Services,
$35,000 for Parks playground equipment, $22,000 for dam alarm
system and $60,000 for computer access wiring in the Gov. Center.
Borup has indicated the Courtyard will probably not be contructed
this year.
Loney said the cash reconciliation is completed through Feb.
2002. The Finance Dept. is doing the reconciling of outstanding
checks rather than the Treasurer's office where it previously was
done.
Loney reviewed the Nursing Home operations report for 2002
through February. He noted a change in the basic format of the
report to reflect discussions regarding the 2002 levy held last
fall that split the levy into two parts: operations at
$1,282,965 and cash replenishment at $250,000.
The 2001 budget revenues exceeded what was budgeted and expenses
were less than budgeted. The General fund will be higher the end
of the 2001 than it was in 2000. Sales tax collections are ahead
of last year. The budgeted figure was 2.5% over the 2001 amount
and the actual for the first three months of 2002 was 9% over and
this included holiday spending.
Supr. Speer asked why the 2002 budget line items are not added in
yet for the Sheriff's Department and Jail. Loney said they
should be in next week. Swenson commented the Finance Dept. has
been working on reconciliation that had not been completed back
to February of 2001 and it needed to be done.
Corporation Counsel: Greg Timmerman reported a future plan for
the Corporation Counsel office would be codifying all the County
Ordinances in one book. The only cost would be for number of
books published with the codified ordinances. The web site would
offer the ordinances also.
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Finance Committee April 10, 2002
County Clerk: Sue Nelson thanked the Committee for their past
support of ballot on demand. It was very helpful for the Spring
election when several municipalities ran low or out of ballots.
The system was used to print all the ballots for the Primary
Election for County Supervisor in the City of Hudson.
Nelson requested a postponement on the pop machine money. More
time is needed to develop a proposal.
Security Committee Report: Nelson said the Committee has
determined the intercom system needs to be updated in five areas
at a cost of $405. Later this year the Government Center doors
will be re-keyed and new keys issued. Building Services is
responsible for distribution of keys and a signed copy of the
Employee Key Policy form will be forwarded to both Personnel
Dept. and Building Services by the Department Supervisor.
Cost for re-keying is about $800 and will be covered by Building
Services. Nelson requested the intercom be upgraded soon because
it is used as a warning for tornados, bomb threats, and fire
warnings. The Committee asked Whiting to obtain funds for this
upgrade.
Risk Manager Dawn Budrow presented the proposed Emergency
Evacuation plans and procedures. She asked for approval of: the
Emergency Evacuation Procedures and maps, the Bomb Threat
Procedures and Checklist, training and a copy of procedures for
all employees in the event of a bomb threat, fire or other
emergency evacuation of the Government Center, training for all
identified Floor Leaders, conducting a fire drill, posting
emergency evacuation routes and providing a copy of procedures to
all new employees.
Motion by Krueger, 2nd by Dorsey to approve the plan as presented
by the Security Committee. Carried.
Risk Manager: Budrow distributed Work Comp numbers as of 4-10-
2002. This year 32 claims have been filed which is 7 below last
year. Payments so far this year are $106,808 which includes a
large settlement. Committee requested monthly reports and this
information should be sent to all Departments.
Community Support Program Social Worker: H&HS Director John
Borup, Mental Health and AODA Coordinator Ron Kiesler and W-2
Coordinator Mary Squyer present. Borup explained Kiesler has
obtained a grant for $48,211 which may be used to make the LTE
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Finance Committee April 10, 2002
CSP position full time. The position has been approved by the
Personnel Committee and H&HS Board.
Kiesler said the State indicates funding will continue for this
position. Total costs are $87,381 with the State grant providing
$48,211 and revenues from insurance, Medicare and Medicaid making
up the remainder.
Both Kiesler and Borup agreed there would be a sunset clause that
would apply to both the State funds for the position and to the
billing collections if they do not meet the budgeted numbers.
Motion by Krueger, 2nd by Dorsey to approve the full time CSP
position with the sunset clause if money from the State or
billing collections fails to fund the position. Carried.
Borup reported the W2 program is doing fine. There was a year
end carry over of $300,000. There has been no report card from
the State so far this year and he is concerned about 2003.
Squyer said up to $29,000 will be coming from the State with some
restricted for W2 only and some unrestricted for equipment. She
is surprised with the declining economy, the W2 payments are down
and actual customers are down to four, excluding child care
cases. Squyer will report back in July when more numbers are
available.
Clerk of Clerk Financial Assistant Job Description: This
position was approved in the 2002 budget and will start July 1.
Motion by Dorsey, 2nd by Krueger to approve the job description.
Clerk of Court Lori Meyer Frascht said this is a combination
bookkeeper/collections clerk. Collections of fines and
forfeitures should improve by using tax intercept, implementing a
more stringent payment plan and demanding payment on the spot.
Carried.
Administrative Coordinator: Chuck Whiting said the State Senate
Democrats have offered their budget revision plan which doesn't
touch Shared Revenues, uses the tobacco settlement and offers
early retirement to State employees. Whiting is not sure where
they stand on levy limits. A conference committee will make
final state budget proposals.
Motion by Krueger, 2nd by Dorsey to approve the County's 2003
budget time line. Carried.
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Finance Committee April 10, 2002
In regard to a Health Insurance claims audit, Whiting noted there
were problems with how some insurance claims were handled in the
past. We have not had any lately. A proposal has come from a
Peggy Braatz, Key Benefits Concepts, for an audit costing $3000
to $4400 for the procedural part and $13,500 to $15,500 for the
contractual portion. The County never has done a Health
Insurance claims audit and probably should at some point.
Krueger said the cost was very expensive and Swenson said cost is
too high but should conduct one from a fiduciary standpoint.
Timmerman advised we do have an obligation to check occasionally
but not necessarily annually.
Whiting said the Insurance Fund balance is $700,000 plus.
Swenson encouraged Whiting to check further options and costs
prior to setting the 2003 budget.
Whiting presented an overview of the Personnel Study status. The
mission statements and core requirements are completed using
consistent language. This information is in one data bank
located in one place.
Loan Review Commiittee Representative: This is postponed to the
next meeting to determine if Finance wishes to have a represented
on the Revolving Loan Fund Committee.
Krueger and Swenson thanked Dorsey for his years of service to
St. Croix County.
Motion to adjourn by Dorsey, 2nd by Krueger. Meeting adjourned at
11:05 a.m.
Stan Krueger, Secretary
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