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HomeMy WebLinkAboutFinance 01-08-09 NOTICE OF COMMITTEE MEETING AND AGENDA ST. CROIX COUNTY FINANCE COMMITTEE DATE AND TIME: Thursday January 8, 2009 — 8:30 A.M. LOCATION: Room 1281, St. Croix County Government Center, 1101 Carmichael Road Hudson, Wisconsin CALL TO ORDER ROLL CALL ADOPTION OF AGENDA DATE OF NEXT MEETING: February 12, 2009 APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETINGS: December 4, 2008 OLD AND NEW BUSINESS: 1. Review of Vouchers 2. Treasurer Report a. Monthly Reconciliation 3. County Clerk a. Owner's Claim for Damages to Animals — David Goodrich, Town of Cylon b. Review of Publishing County Board Proceedings in the SCAN and availability of internet access at Senior Centers c. Review of Official County Newspaper Rotation 4. Human Resources report a. Staffing Study Options b. Review of 2009 Wages for Positions not on Wage Grid 5. Building Services Report a. Request for Building Facilities Long -Term Planning Work Group 6. Risk Management Report 7. Finance Director Report a. Financial Reports b. Finance Department Position and Structure c. PTO Donation Application ** d. LAW Contract ** 8. Administrative Coordinator Report a. Letter of Interest in Acquiring County Property b. County Projects and Possible Economic Stimulus Proposals 9. Consideration of Resolution Requiring Board Action Before Filling of Personnel Vacancies during 2009 10. Short and Long Term Planning Goals — Follow Up to Board Goal Setting Session 11. Closed session pursuant to Wis. Stats. § 19.85(1)(c) to consider performance evaluation data of the following public employees over which the committee exercises responsibility: a. Building Services Director b. Information Technology Director c. Corporation Counsel d. Administrative Coordinator Reconvene in open session. ADJOURN (Items may be taken in different order) * *Additions /Changes /Corrections Items for County Board approval must be submitted to the County Clerk's office by Wednesday morning preceding a County Board meeting. 4:13 PM 1/5/2009 MINUTES OF THE ST. CROIX COUNTY FINANCE COMMITTEE January 8, 2009 Official Meeting called to order by Chair Standafer at 8:30 AM MEMBERS PRESENT: Daryl Standafer, Esther Wentz, Clarence Malick, Dave Peterson & Sharon Norton - Bauman. MEMBERS ABSENT: None OTHERS PRESENT: Administrative Coordinator Chuck Whiting, Finance Director Michelle Pietrick, Corporation Counsel Greg Timmerman, Coldwell Banker Real Estate Executive Mike Sager, Krentz Law Firm Attorney Kristopher Krentz, County Clerk Cindy Campbell, Carlton DeWitt Publisher Glenwood Tribune & Shawn DeWitt, Steve Dzubay Publisher representing the Hudson Star - Observer, River Falls Journal and New Richmond News, Human Resources Administrator Tammy Funk, Manager Department on Aging Brad Beckman, Director of Building Services Art Tobin, Director Health & Human Services Fred Johnson, Risk Manager Kristen Ziliak, Accountant /Financial Manager Jennifer Pempek, Supervisor Julie Speer, Supervisor Lorin Sather, Norman Matzek, Recording Secretary Amy Sabelko, Media Present: Judy Wiff (left meeting at 12:10 P" ADOPTION OF AGENDA: Standafer stated that the agenda was adopted. DATE OF NEXT MEETING. February 12, 2009 APPROVAL OF MINUTES FROM PREVIOUS MEETING: Motion by Wentz to approve the minutes from December 4th Committee meeting, 2nd by Malick, motion carried unanimously. OLD and NEW BUSINESS: 1. Review of Vouchers Wentz reviewed the vouchers and stated no issues to report. 2. Treasurer Report Monthly Reconciliation from Slind reviewed by Committee, no exceptions noted. 3. County Clerk Owner's Claim for Damages to Animals - David Goodrich, Town of Cylon The Committee stated that they reviewed the information provided by Goodrich prior to the meeting. Motion by Malick to approve claim as recommended by County Clerk, 2nd by Wentz, motion carried unanimously. Review of Publishing County Board Proceedings in the SCAN and Availability of Internet Access at Senior Centers The County is required to publicize proceedings, not minutes, in one newspaper, however, not all newspapers in the County. Campbell and Beckman discussed the questions posed at December's Finance Committee meeting with Paul Seeling from the SCAN. Approximate circulation of the SCAN is 3,750 copies with 600 copies distributed via mail and the re mainin g copies distributed to various hospitals, nursing homes and restaurants. The SCAN is published at no cost to the County, however the SCAN sells the ads. The senior center sites which have Internet access are Deer Park, Woodville, Baldwin, Somerset and Glenwood. The cost to place the County proceedings in the SCAN would be $350 a page. Campbell provided information regarding current costs of publishing the minutes in all papers to the Committee along with information regarding how the publication process works. Official proceedings are posted on the County's website. DeWitt provided information regarding usual advertising rate per ad in comparison to what the County's current cost is. Standafer asked if current costs would continue should the process remain status quo. Dzubay stated that the papers would honor current agreements, however, would like the opportunity to revisit the current cost structure. The State requires that papers use a font size of 7, 8 or 9. The Conunittee has no intention to limit public access to information regarding the County and /or the committee meetings. The issue is being reviewed for financial purposes only. For next 1 month the Committee instructed Campbell to put together a cost comparison between what is being paid now and what could be paid in the future. Review of Official County Newspaper Rotation Rotation is in alphabetical order and Hudson Star Observer is currently the paper. The process in place will continue. 4. Human Resources Report Staffing Study Options Funk indicated that there is nothing to report at this time and that additional direction from the Committee is needed. Whiting has referred to other Counties for information and asked whether or not the Committee wanted a consultant brought in to complete a staffing study. Wentz stated that the Committee wants information regarding cross - training to make sure that efficiencies are being achieved. The Committee would like to see metrics for each department which compares the number of transactions to the number of employees. Norton - Bauman said that additional information is needed to make sure that the County is utilizing finances accurately. The Committee discussed their view of the study and how to create efficiencies in the County and each department. The Committee directed Funk and Whiting to look for service standards and metrics per department, compare St. Croix County to other Counties of similar size, and prepare organizational charts by department. Review of 2009 Wages for Positions not on Wage Grid Part-time employees in Department on Aging have not received the $520 increase provided to non - represented employees. There are 30 temporary employees working 19 hours or less. Malick asked when the information will be finalized from Springsted and Funk stated that there is no final date at this time other than that the full study will be completed in 2009. Malick made a motion to pro -rate the $520 increase based on the number of hours worked for the Department on Aging employees and that payment be taken from the contingency fund, 2nd by Peterson, motion carried unanimously. PTO Donation Application Funk presented donation requests for a Highway employee who has utilized all of their PTO and a second request for a Health & Human Service employee to take care of their spouse who has exhausted their PTO. Motion by Malick to approve applications, 2nd by Wentz, motion carried unanimously. Funk to bring information to next meeting regarding changing of the procedure. LAW Contract A tentative agreement has been established with the LAW union which will be taken to the LAW members for a vote on the 16th of this month. This is a 2 year contract putting LAW and AFSCME on the same timelines. The LAW PTO program has also been changed to match the AFSCME program. Malick made a motion to move the contract with LAW to the County Board, 2nd by Wentz, motion carried unanimously. 5. Building Services Report Request for Building Facilities Long -Term Planning Work Group Tobin spoke with Rebholz and others regarding what next steps should be taken for the County's buildings and what future needs may be. Tobin wants to discuss what the next 15 years may bring with energy savings, possible new buildings, etc., so that the County and the Building Services department can be proactive rather than reactive on these issues. The Committee discussed options for putting together a work group to handle long -term planning for building services. Malick made a motion to request the County Board to approve a resolution for the creation of a Building Facilities Long -term Planning Work Group chaired by the County Board Chairman, led by members of the Administration Committee, staffed by the Administrative Coordinator and Director of Building Services, and that the group report to the County Board with progress, 2nd by Peterson. Whiting was instructed by the Finance Cominittee to put together draft of resolution for Timmerman in time for the January County Board meeting. The Committee discussed the motion and options for the long -term planning group. Motion carried unanimously. 6. Risk Management Report Ziliak provided information regarding training for the Linz system to be conducted by the IT department on the 22nd and 23rd of January in New Richmond, and the 28th and 29th of January in Hudson. 7. Finance Director Report Financial Reports Finance reports were submitted to the Committee prior to the meeting and there were no concerns noted. Pietrick requested the release of $6,400 from the contingency fund, Probate /Judicial Assistant remodeling as it can be absorbed by the Circuit Court budget, and approve the list of potential costs out of the contingency fund - see Financial report for details. Malick made a motion to approve Pietrick's recommendations, 2nd by Wentz, motion carried unanimously. Finance Department Position and Structure 2 Johnson, Pietrick, Whiting and Funk met to discuss options for Pietrick's department regarding the addition or changing of staffing in the Finance department, and Whiting explained that additional time is needed. Pietrick stated that an agreement was reached to try a pilot program which would bring Pempek's position to the Government Center for 3 - 6 months. This would allow for staff from Pempek's area to cover for Pietrick's department when a need arises. The Committee discussed the options provided and Pietrick stated that her need is to fill the position with an Accountant, not a Financial Assistant. Malick made a motion to allow Pietrick to hire temporary employees if necessary during the 3 - 6 month pilot program, 2nd by Norton- Bauman, motion carried unanimously. S. Administrative Coordinator Report Letter of Interest in Acquiring County Property Whiting received letter of interest in the property north of Hwy 64 from Sager. Sager wants to know if the County will sell the property for commercial retail development. Whiting suggested that it is better for the County if information is provided ahead of time regarding what kind of future development there will be on the property. Malick stated that this may be a good time to develop property but not necessarily a good time to sell the property. Standafer said that the County is not encouraging or discouraging Caldwell Banker to move forward, but there is not enough information at this time for the Committee to make a decision. Additional information is needed, such as Caldwell Banker's plan for the property. The Committee, Sager and Krentz discussed options regarding the land and what additional information should be provided to the County, however, no encouragement to sell the property was made by the Committee. County Projects and Possible Economic Stimulus Proposals Governor's office requested that the County accumulate municipal capitol projects that may be considered for a Federal economic stimulus package. Ramberg already sent information to the State for the Highway department. Whiting suggested that the County put together information regarding the projects that should be completed or that the County needs stimulus money for and present this to the County Board in January and the Committee agreed. 9. Consideration of Resolution Requiring Board Action Before Filling of Personnel Vacancies During 2009 Standafer indicated that by raising the issue the Committee has already raised awareness to the Department Heads regarding the filling of positions. Funk explained that there are options available to show what positions are left vacant or what positions are being filled and why. Malick made a motion that the resolution not be acted on, however, that a report be provided to this Committee on a monthly bas is showing what vacancies there are and whether or not they are being filled, 2nd by Norton - Bauman, motion carried unanimously. 10. Short and Long -Term Planning Goals - Follow up to County Board Goal Setting Session 11. Closed Session Pursuant to Wis. Stats. § 19.85 (1) (c) to Consider Performance Evaluation Data of the Following Public Employees Over Which the Committee Exercises Responsibility: Building Services Director Information Technology Director Corporation Counsel Administrative Coordinator The Committee went into Closed Session at 12:25 PM Wentz made a motion to reconvene into Open Session, 2n byNorton - Bauman, motion carried unanimously. Meeting adjourned at 2:52 PM Sharon Norton - Bauman, Secretary Amy Sabelko, Recording Secretary 3