Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout03 13 2015 Rules and Bylaws Subcommittee Minutes MEETING MINUTES RULES AND BYLAWS SUBCOMMITTEE March 13, 2015 1:00 PM County Board Room-Government Center County Board Room - 1101 Carmichael Road, Hudson, Wisconsin CALL TO ORDER Attendee Name Organization Title Status Arrived Ron Kiesler St. Croix County Supervisor Present Roy Sjoberg St. Croix County Supervisor Present Jill Ann Berke St. Croix County Supervisor Present Others Present: Roger Larson, Dave Ostness, Cindy Campbell, Tim Ramberg, Pat Thompson, Scott Cox, Kristen Ziliak, Bob Mittet, Joan Sprain and Kathy Spott ROLL CALL APPROVAL OF MINUTES 1. Rules and Bylaws Subcommittee - Regular - Feb 13, 2015 8:00 AM The minutes of the February 15, 2015 meeting were accepted as presented. RESULT: ACCEPTED BUSINESS ITEMS Chair Sjoberg handed out and summarized an Order f Business for the meeting. 1. Continued Rules and Bylaws Review The committee discussed the effective date of the rules and bylaws in regard to proposed changes and compensation. Corporation Counsel Cox explained the only items that can’t be implemented immediately is the compensation/per diem rate of the Board members and the Chair and Vice-Chair. That has to wait until the next term. Everything else can be changed and adopted. Administrator Thompson questioned eligibility of Supervisors to fill the potential addition of a Supervisor on the Administration Committee. Cox confirmed only Supervisors currently on one committee could be elected to fill the slot. Cox addressed the annual March review requirement currently in the rules and bylaws. The Board can implement whatever review/time process it wants. The Committee moved on to the discussion items. Cox explained the new removal language. The procedure to remove a Supervisor from the County Board is spelled out by statute. Additional language was added to remove an unengaged member from a committee. After discussion, Cox confirmed that if a Supervisor member is removed from a committee and it is the only committee that Supervisor is on, the Supervisor would be on zero committees. Removal language to be added to requirement in Article IV that a Supervisor must serve on at least one but not more than two Standing Committees. Discussion of proposed language from Administrator Thompson and Corporation Counsel Cox in regard to the Board Chair’s attendance at Department Head meetings. The Committee agreed with the new language. Chair Sjoberg explained the four elements of the new language for forcing agenda items on a Board meeting. Sjoberg explained the procedures at a meeting, 10 days prior to the next meeting, less than 10 days to the meeting and refusal or lack of support to place an item on an agenda. Cox further explained that the a forced item would automatically be referred by the County Board Chair without discussion to a Standing Committee unless the Board has a two-thirds vote that they want to consider it that day. If the Committee takes no action, the Supervisor has the option to return to the County Board to ask that the item be considered. The Board would have to suspend the rules by a two-thirds vote. If not, the item is not heard. Sjoberg explained the elements are similar in forcing agenda items on a Standing Committee meeting except if the requested is made less than 10 days prior to the meeting the Chair has full discretion on whether or not to place the item on the next agenda. Sjoberg asked for clarification on the County Board Chair and Vice-Chair membership on the proposed 7 member Administration Committee. It was clarified that the County Board Chair would be a member and the County Board Vice-Chair could not be eligible to be a member unless it is necessary to establish a quorum at a particular meeting. Administrator Thompson asked that Circuit Court and Clerk of Court be removed as a designated department from the Administration Committee to the Public Protection Committee. Cox said other counties generally are set up this way. Consensus of the committee that since the Circuit Court and Clerk of Court are members of the CJCC and the CJCC reports to Public Protection, the switch should be made. Administrator Thompson will discuss with Public Protection Chair Brinkman. The Committee discussed the language and timeline for amending the rules and bylaws as well as the Administration Committee’s duty to review. It was decided to include in the Administration duties that changes to the rules and bylaws be considered each January in preparation for consideration by the County Board in March. Article VII will include language that the Rules and Bylaws shall be updated annually in March of each year. The Committee took a short break. The Committee discussed a majority vote versus the current two-thirds vote to amend the rules and bylaws. The Committee agreed on language that the rules and bylaws may be amended by a “majority vote of the Supervisors present” rather than a “majority vote of the quorum present.” 2. Follow Up: Amendments from 2-13-15 Meeting The Committee moved to item one on the Order of Business, review changes from last meeting and recommended changes offered by Sjoberg and Cox. Sjoberg suggested removing language from Article III, Section G. #3 regarding a Supervisor abstaining and stating the reasons why. Cox explained there is case law from the federal courts that this is a violation of an elected municipal authority’s first amendment rights. Committee agreed to strike #3. Language was changed in old #4/new #3 that a Supervisor, at the discretion of the County Board Chair, will be required to vote or abstain upon returning from a missed vote. Chair Sjoberg asked Paralegal Spott to explain the proposed changes in Article V. Article V is made up of the other committees and governmental bodies that are required by statute and require agendas. Minor typos were pointed out and direction given in the use of acronyms. Discussion of using Arabic numbering for Articles instead of Roman numerals. The Committee was in agreement to make the change. The Committee discussed placement of the Code of Ethics, Indemnification and Compensation in an Appendix. Cox said indemnification is covered by statute and recommended that the County stick with §895.46, Wis. Stats. And not have a separate item in the Appendix. Sjoberg suggested Cox and Management Analyst Ziliak bring this up at a later date with the Administration Committee. Supervisors and staff brought up other issues including ballot counting and ballots needing to be signed to be valid. Supervisor Berke brought up review of the Purchasing Policy. Consensus of the Committee to include purchasing policy review in the Administration Committee duties. Administrator Thompson asked that “Nursing Home” be replaced with “Health Center.” County Clerk Campbell questioned whether ADA language should be added to agendas as well as the rules and bylaws. Cox said regardless of language being in the rules and bylaws, language should be added to the agendas. Sjoberg said the language doesn’t need to be in the rules and bylaws. Paralegal Spott passed out a sheet showing the documents contained under the current County Board tab on the county website. Also included were items and forms used at the County Board orientation every two years. Spott suggested that these items could be included an electronic type appendix on the website to make the items more accessible for current and future County Board Supervisors. Sjoberg questioned whether these documents are part of the bylaws. It was agreed that compensation and ethics are but the other documents are not. It is desirable for the other documents to be available electronic. Cox suggested we distinguish between a formal appendix and reference materials. Sjoberg suggested that all the documents excluding compensation and ethics be included in an administrative guidebook and on the website. Discussion about using “addendum” or other words rather than “appendix.” Cox pointed out there is currently an addendum to the rules and bylaws for the Board of Adjustment rules. Consensus of Committee to “refer to” the Code of Ethics, the Compensation Plan and the Board of Adjustment Rules and Bylaws and take out “Appendix” in the rules and bylaws. Motion by Berke, second by Kiesler to refer the St. Croix County Rules and Bylaws including changes as proposed on today’s date to the March 18th Administration Committee meeting. Carried unanimously. Chair Sjoberg thanked everyone for their time spent and input on this project. Sjoberg entertained a motion to dissolve the Subcommittee. The Committee agreed to not do that at this time. The minutes of this meeting will be reviewed by the Administration Committee upon dissolution of the subcommittee. ADJOURN The meeting adjourned at 3:30 p.m.