HomeMy WebLinkAboutFinance 03-08-01
ST. CROIX COUNTY
NOTICE OF COMMITTEE MEETING
TO: Chairman Thomas Dorsey
St. Croix County Board
FROM: Tom O'Connell, Chair
COMMITTEE TITLE: Finance
DATE: Thursday March 8, 2001 8:30 A.M.
LOCATION: Government Center
CALL TO ORDER
ROLL CALL
ADOPTION OF AGENDA
DATE OF NEXT MEETING: April 10, 2001 8:30 A.M.
ACTION ON PREVIOUS MINUTES
UNFINISHED BUSINESS:
NEW BUSINESS:
1. Review of Vouchers
2. Humane Society Request - Judith Hillert and Theresa Jonas
- 8.30 a.m.
3. Building Maintenance Report
4. Information Services Report
A. Review of Information Services Call Back Procedures
5. Finance Report
6. Corporation Counsel Report
7. Administrative Coordinator Report
8. County Clerk Report
9. A. Tax Deed Property
10. Administrative Assistant Job Description Revision and
Reclass Review
11. Maintenance Director Reclass-Review
12. Ag Center Air Pressure Status
13. Lambeau Field Resolution
14. Perch Lake Project Update and Funding Issue
15. Performance Evaluations - Closed Session per WI Statute
19.85 (1) (C)
A. Corporation Counsel
15. Reconvene to Open Session per 19.85(2)
CORRESPONDENCE:
ADJOURNMENT
(Agenda not necessarily presented in this order)
Date: 03/01/01
COPIES TO: County Board Office News Media/Notice Board
County Clerk County Board
County Departments
*ADDITIONS/CHANGES/CORRECTIONS
FINANCE COMMITTEE
Regular Meeting March 8, 2001
Meeting called to order by Vice Chair Swenson at 8:30 a.m. Present:
Ralph Swenson, Tom Dorsey and Stan Krueger. Absent and excused: Nancy
Bieraugel and Tom O'Connell. Staff present: Administrative
Coordinator Chuck Whiting, Finance Director Rich Loney, Corporation
Counsel Greg Timmerman and County Clerk Sue Nelson. Others present:
Suprs. Margaret Wolske, Julie Speer, Tom Rose, Ron Raymond and Art
Jensen; Bob Zientara, media.
Motion by Dorsey, 2nd by Krueger to adopt the agenda. Carried. Next
meeting is April 10. Motion by Dorsey, 2nd by Krueger to approve the
Feb. 9th minutes. Carried.
Vouchers: Dorsey had reviewed vouchers. Loney reported a bill from
the Pierce-St. Croix Humane Society for $9,976 for shelter fees for
dogs taken from an owner by the Sheriff's Department. He would like to
review this further. Motion by Dorsey, 2nd by Krueger to pay all
vouchers except the Humane Society. Carried.
Humane Society Presentation: Due to a mix up with the meeting date, Ms.
Hillert and Ms. Jonas were not present. They will be rescheduled for
April 10th or earlier if a special meeting is held.
Building Maintenance Report: Facilities Manager Ralph Robole reported:
Pro-Tech Design will install jail camera equipment this month, A.A.
Hanson Electric is correcting electrical problems at the Baldwin Ag.
Center, contractors are installing the jail washers and dryers, WI Gas
price dropped $.38 from the last bill and the fuel budget is estimated
to be $25,000 short.
Robole said cost for installation of fans at Baldwin is $17,895 payable
up front. HVP Design has offered to pay 10% and possibly Ayres and
Associates would make a partial refund due to faulty design plans.
Motion by Krueger, 2nd by Dorsey to authorize the fan installation at a
cost of $17,895 from the Contingency Fund. Carried. Robole should
make the initial contact with Ayres for a possible rebate.
Public Protection Chair Julie Speer reported Judges Lundell, Richards
and Needham came to the Public Protection Committee to request an
additional building to house Huber inmates. Persons sentenced to Huber
time must start serving within 60 days of their sentence. This cannot
be done because the Huber section is full.
Sheriff Hillstead said the Judges can convict but cannot sentence until
there is room. The Sheriff notifies the Judges on a daily basis
regarding space available in Huber. There is a liability issue if a
person harms another while waiting to serve their sentence. There is
more control over people while in Huber in regard to paying their fines
and, if relevant, their child support payments.
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Presently there is space for 32 Huber people - 24 male and 8 female.
The proposed expansion would house 50 or 60. The Sheriff noted a new
law requiring 70 square feet per inmate vs the 35 previously required.
Our present Huber section is grandfathered in to the 35 square feet.
The Judges also suggested including a juvenile detention center.
Juveniles are housed in Eau Claire at a cost of $120 per day plus
transportation costs. Hillstead said there are only three juvenile
facilities in the State and we could rent space to other counties.
Vice Chair Swenson requested Public Protection, Health and Human
Services, Chuck Whiting, Ralph Robole, Sheriff Hillstead and the Judges
formalize plans for this proposal.
Information Services: Director Tom Boron said there has been a request
for 24 hours, 7 days on call personnel for Computer Services. On call
staff would be paid $1.75 per hour plus time spent on the phone. He
estimates costs at $10,000 per year. Last year there were 19 calls
costing $1400. Staff members would have pagers and would guarantee
availability. Committee agreed Boron should proceed with this proposal
in the 2002 budget.
Administrative Coordinator: Chuck Whiting noted Supr. Margaret Wolske
had two questions for the committee. She asked why the .05% county
sales tax was still in place since it was implemented to pay for the
county incinerator. Dorsey explained at first it was designated for
the incinerator but the State advised it cannot be earmarked. It is
used for general levy reduction throughout the county. Wolske also
asked why St. Croix Industries pays rent to the County. Loney said
this is not actually a rent charge but rather an allocation of
maintenance costs. All HHS departments are charged a maintenance cost
to aid in recovery of funds through State programs or grants.
Whiting suggested a special Finance meeting be held the last week in
March. After the County Board acts on a Watershed Resolution, an
agreement with the home owner in the flood plain will need to be signed
in order to get the house moved.
Whiting is working on the Capital outlay plan with Public Protection.
The Nursing Home Steering Committee is signing an agreement with
Consultant John Keefe.
There have been only two responses to the letter to Committee Chairs
regarding department head evaluations. Dorsey said to send another
memo because Committees should be doing these evaluations.
Loney and Whiting met with John Borup and Judy Ziegler to develop an on
going financial report for Health and Human Services.
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Dorsey referenced a letter from Senator Harsdorf requesting a meeting
on March 26th with County representatives and Chiquita Processing in New
Richmond. Chiquita needs land to spread waste water from food
processing through an irrigation system.
Corporation Counsel: Timmerman had no report.
Finance Director: Loney explained the Dog License Fund averages
$20,000 yearly. Dog damage claims, supplies such as tags and
publications are paid from this fund. Remaining funds are returned to
the municipalities based on their number of dogs. A survey of
municipalities was done in 1996 and they did not want to change this
reimbursement procedure.
Loney distributed a pre closing 2000 financial report. He will have a
revenue report next month.
County Clerk: Sue Nelson said no bids were received on the tax deed
property in the Village of Baldwin. It was discovered a land contract
was held by another person on this property so the process will start
again.
Nelson requested $8,600 for the new election system. Motion by Dorsey,
2nd by Krueger to approve $8,600 from the Contingency Fund for election
software. Carried.
Perch Lake Project and Funding Issue: Present were: Planning, Zoning
and Parks Comm. - Chair Ron Raymond and Supr. Art Jensen; Highway
Commissioner Dan Fedderly and Engineer Jeff Durkee, Project Manager
Pete Kling and Donna Seim, Friends of Perch Lake.
Raymond said more funds are needed to complete Phase II of the Perch
Lake Project. Fedderly said the project was a matter of making good
decisions such as evaluating various access alternatives, sufficient
top soil to grow cover for erosion control including a major change in
erosion control scope.
Kling said Pember Excavating is on schedule for Phase I, Phase II
includes the beach access trail and $87,351 is left to complete the
road project. There is enough money for other work in Phase II except
for the road work. The Park is scheduled to open May 27, 2002. Kling
thanked the Friends of Perch Lake for their work to raise $400,000 for
a Visitors' Center.
Fedderly explained the non estimated costs that were not part of the
$369,135 May 2000 estimate: erosion repair was $8,021, wage settlements
cost $5,210, Perch Lake road cut - $20,000 and site visits - $1778
which totaled $35,010. The remaining road work will cost $172,500;
balance in fund is $87,351 so $85,149 is needed to complete the road.
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Raymond said we need to get the job done this year. Jensen noted the
County loses points for grants if projects are not completed on time.
Concensus of Committee was to go to the full board with the request.
Fedderly suggested getting bids first to see how much is needed; the
cost may be lower than anticipated.
Loney suggested three funding sources: 1. Contingency Fund, 2. General
Fund, or 3. 2002 budget.
Motion by Krueger, 2nd by Dorsey to recommend to County Board to borrow
$85,000 from the General Fund this year and include this in the 2002
budget. Carried.
Maintenance Director Job Evaluation Review: Committee needs to approve
updated job description at the April meeting and then refer this review
to the Personnel Committee.
Lambeau Field: Dorsey received a letter from Brown County asking
Counties to approve a .01% sales tax to raise funds so the naming
rights to Lambeau Field would not have to be sold. Discussion and no
action taken.
Nursing Home Study: Whiting stated $55,000 has been approved for the
study but another $10,800 is needed for architect fees. The County
Board had previously approved the $55,000 and Timmerman advised the
board should authorize the additional expenditure. Motion by Krueger,
2nd by Dorsey to recommend to the full Board the additional $11,000 for
Nursing Home Study Architect fees from the General Fund and keep the
total $66,000 in a segregated account in the General Fund. Carried.
(Note: After the meeting it was discovered the previous resolution did
not designate which fund would be used to cover costs of the study.
There was a motion in the January loth joint Finance and Health and
Human Services meeting that the money come from the General Fund.)
Closed Session for Performance Evaluation: Vice Chair Swenson asked to
postpone this until all committee members could be present. Timmerman
concurred.
Administrative Assistant Job Description: Whiting proposes changing the
nature of this position to more Workers' Comp and Risk Management
duties. This should reduce the amount of consulting work by the
outside firm hired. Motion by Dorsey, 2nd by Krueger to refer the job
description to Personnel for classification of position. Carried.
Motion to adjourn by Krueger, 2nd by Dorsey. Meeting adjourned at 12:02
p.m.
Stan Krueger, Secretary
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