HomeMy WebLinkAboutAdministration 11-05-08 NOTICE OF MEETING AND AGENDA
ST. CROIX COUNTY ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE
November 5, 2008 9:00 a.m.
St. Croix County Government Center Room 1281
1101 Carmichael Road, Hudson
CALL TO ORDER
ROLL CALL
APPROVAL OF AGENDA
ACTION ON PREVIOUS MEETING MINUTES: October 1, 2008
DATE OF NEXT MEETING — December 3, 2008
OLD AND NEW BUSINESS
1. Veterans Services Director Department Report
2. Review of County Goal Setting Session — Short and Long Term Goals
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.
10/28/2008 2:57 PM
MINUTES OF THE ST. CROIX COUNTY ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE
November 5, 2008
Official
Meeting called to order by Chair King at 9:00 AM.
MEMBERS PRESENT: Esther Wentz, Richard King, Julie Speer, Daryl Standafer and Eugene Ruetz
MEMBERS ABSENT: None
OTHERS PRESENT: Administrative Coordinator Chuck Whiting, County Board Chair Roger
Rebholz, Veterans Services Officer Merlin Blaisdell and Amy Sabelko
ADOPTION OF AGENDA: Motion by Speer to approve the agenda with the correction of Veterans
Services Director to Veterans Services Officer, 2nd by Wentz, motion carried
unanimously.
DATE OF NEXT MEETING: December 3, 2008
ADOPTION OF MINUTES: Motion by Wentz, 2nd by Ruetz to approve the October 1, 2008 minutes,
motion carried unanimously.
REVIEW OF NEW and OLD BUSINESS
1. Veterans Services Officer Department Report
Blaisdell reported that the Veterans Services department is currently working on approximately 300 open medical
claims, is busy processing loan applications and education applications due to the WI State GI bill, and has
completed approximately 40 enrollments for health care each month primarily for Veterans who are Medicare
age looking to receive prescription benefits. The department transports an average of 15 veterans a week to the
VA Hospital in Minneapolis. The National Guard units from River Falls and New Richmond will be deployed
on the 9th of January. Veterans Day has been planned and Blaisdell has been asked to be the speaker at the
event.
King said he has received calls from veterans concerned that they needed an appointment to meet with Blaisdell.
The Committee wants veterans .to feel that they can come in at anytime without an appointment. Standafer
asked Blaisdell to provide background information regarding a letter from a veteran to Committee member
expressing the veteran's concerns about office operations. Blaisdell had met with the individual and reviewed
his concerns with the Committee. Standafer asked if the individual has come into the office since this letter was
written, and Blaisdell said that he has been in the office and has worked with Wanda Plourde. Blaisdell
addressed the issue of making appointments with the Committee stating that appointments allow him to be
prepared to assist veterans when they arrive, however, he is willing to assist any individual who comes into the
office whether they have an appointment or not.
Whiting verified that the Committee wants Blaisdell to provide a report each meeting and they agreed. Blaisdell's
term ends January 5, 2009 and he must be re- appointed by the County Board. The December agenda will
include a resolution to re- appoint Blaisdell. If appointed the new term starts January 5th. Blaisdell said that
Veterans Services is planning to hold another benefits fair the 2nd of January in Grantsburg.
Whiting explained that Blaisdell offered budget savings if the mileage rate were decreased. Whiting had
interpreted what Blaisdell stated resulted in a reduction in the Veterans Services budget. Whiting will correct this
with the Finance Committee. The Committee discussed mileage reimbursement rates. Blaisdell said that people
are happy to donate money but want to know that the amount is be held in a fund and used specifically for
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mileage reimbursement.
The Committee discussed that the Veterans Services office is Homing smoother and whenever there is change it
takes time for the transition to take affect.
2. Review of County Goal Setting Session — Short and Long -term Goals
Re- districting and re- writing of the bylaws will be coming up in the future since the Board size referendum
passed. The Committee discussed putting these issues on the agenda for future meetings. Whiting suggested
looking at Committee structures since there will not be enough people for each elected Committee. Standafer
said that a lot of the work has already been completed and the Committee needs to look at this first. Speer
suggested having Ellen Denzer bring information in to the Administration Committee for review. Speer asked
to have bylaws and re- districting on the agenda as an ongoing item.
The Committee discussed campaign signs in Hudson and the removal of same by the Highway department.
Meeting adjourned at 9:52 AM
Julie Speer, Secretary
Amy Sabelko, Recording Secretary