Regular
Meeting November 13, 2003
Meeting called to order by Chair
Swenson at 8:30 a.m. Present: Ralph Swenson, Clarence Malick,
Esther Wentz and Daryl Standafer. Absent and excused: Stan Krueger.
Staff present: Administrative Coordinator Chuck Whiting, Finance Director
Michelle Pietrick and County Clerk Cindy Campbell.
Motion by Wentz, 2nd by
Standafer to adopt the agenda. Carried unanimously. Date of
next meeting is December 11, 2003. Motion by Malick, 2nd
by Wentz to approve the minutes of October 9, 2003 and October 30, 2003
with the following corrections to the October 9th minutes: Page
1, item 2 under Treasurer’s Report. Slind’s conference was held
in Waupaca not Waukesha. Page 2, item 10.b. should read Standafer
clarified rather than Swenson clarified the Finance Committee’s
objective… Carried unanimously.
1.
Vouchers. Malick
continues to review weekly. No discussion.
2.
Treasurer’s Report.
County Treasurer Cheryl Slind submitted the September reconciliation
report showing a balance as of September 30, 2003 of $2,240,261.09.
a.
Discussion of Special Assessment Due – Rex Berg Property, Village of
Baldwin. Slind indicated she received a statement from the Village
of Baldwin for special assessments due on the Rex Berg property which is
currently owned by St. Croix County through the tax deed process.
Total due is $1,208.65. Slind will ask the village of Baldwin to put
this amount on the tax roll. This amount will be paid out of the
proceeds from the sale of the property.
b.
Discussion of Online Tax Payments. Slind indicated credit card
transactions cannot be made over the counter without having the County
absorb a fee. Slind has reviewed the option of tax payments over the
internet using “Same Day Pay” or “Official Payments Corp.” These
are two services which offer tax payments made through the internet either
by credit card with a charge due by the person making the payment, or
E-check which is an ACH debit with a $3.00 fee. Slind recommends we
proceed with getting a payment program in place. Slind indicated she
will insert payment information with the tax bills. The
Finance Committee concurs with proceeding with setting up this payment
method, subject to the review of the contract by Corporation Counsel.
The contract will need Finance Committee approval. Slind added the
money would be received by the County in approximately 48 hours after the
tax payment is made.
3.
Maintenance Department Report.
No report.
4.
Computer Services Department
Report. No report.
5.
Risk Management Report. Budrow
reported total workers compensation claims year to date is 85.
Breakdown as follows: General County – 3; Highway Department – 10;
Human Services – 11; Law Enforcement – 10; Nursing Home – 51.
Discussion regarding reporting minor vs. major claims.
a.
Insurance Report. 2004 renewal process. Budrow reported the
property renewal rate on the County buildings went up from .029 per 100 in
2003 to .077 per 100 in 2004, a dollar impact from 2003 of $68,000 to
$102,000 for 2004. Liability increased as well. The workers
compensation actuarial review by WMMIC will cost approximately $1,200.
Budrow is working on updating the current emergency evacuation and bomb
threat procedures for the Health and Human Services Department.
6.
Corporation Counsel Report.
No report.
7.
Clerk of Court’s Report. No
report.
8.
County Clerk Report.
a.
Owner’s Claim for Damages to Animals – Tamera M. Tornio, Town of Cylon.
Discussion regarding how the market value of an animal is arrived at and
obtaining the investigative report from the municipality. Motion by
Malick, 2nd by Wentz to pay as submitted contingent upon
receiving supplementary documentation of the $2,000 value of the
Registered Quarter Horse Gelding. Wentz would like to see
clarification on how they arrived at this amount and what investigative
steps were taken. Carried. Swenson voted no.
b.
Owner’s Claim for Damages to Animals – Thomas L. Miller, Town of
Somerset. Corporation Counsel Greg Timmerman indicated if we know
who the owner of the dog is that caused the damage and pay the claim, the
County is assigned the automatic right to pursue the owner of that dog for
the damages. However, there is no presumption that the claim is
valid when the County starts litigation, so the County would need to prove
the case. It was noted, Miller’s claim listed the fair market
value of said injured animal and the amount of the medical bills, were the
same amounts. Timmerman added the County is required to pay the fair
market value of the animal if it lives. The investigative committee
did not include an assessed value on the animal. Timmerman
indicated, by statute the County cannot pay the claim in excess of the
assessed value of the dog. Motion by Standafer, 2nd
by Malick to postpone payment and to refer back to the town officials to
provide assessed value information and request an investigative report
defining whatever value they conclude. Standafer suggested Timmerman
word the request indicating the County need to have the fair market value
of the dog in order to take action on the claim. Carried
unanimously.
Timmerman recommended the County Board
pass an ordinance limiting the amount of dog damage claims to a certain
amount.
c.
Fire Call Claim – Town of Emerald vs. Jeremy Schlosser. Based on a
memo prepared by Timmerman, Wisconsin Statutes §60.557(1) says, if a town
incurs costs for a fire call by responding to a vehicle fire on a county
trunk highway, the county maintaining that portion of the highway where
the vehicle was located at the time of the fire shall reimburse the town
up to $200 for the costs if the town submits written proof that the town
has made a reasonable effort to collect the costs from the person to whom
the fire call is provided. The Town of Emerald has a judgment
against Jeremy Schlosser in the amount of $1,286.85. Timmerman added
the town would need to return money to County if the judgment is paid in
full. Motion by Standafer, 2nd by Wentz to pay.
Carried unanimously.
d.
Per diem request. This is a request for reconsideration of a late
per diem request from Mary Ellen Brue, a citizen member of the Indianhead
Federated Library System Board. Standafer indicated this issue was
referred to the Administration Committee. He recommends this issue
get taken to the full County Board at its next meeting with a request the
rules be suspended and pay this request. Motion by Malick, 2nd
by Wentz to forward this matter to the full County Board and recommend the
rules be suspended and payment made. Wentz recommends voucher forms
be adjusted to reflect the County Board Rules and Bylaws. Carried
unanimously.
9.
Finance Department Report.
a.
Financial Report. Pietrick reported a General Fund balance as of
September 30, 2003 of $21,536,974.69 which includes unpaid bond proceeds.
The Contingency Fund has a balance of ($21,094.27) which includes a Health
Insurance payment of $214,100 that is subject to a final accounting.
Sales Tax collections are on course. Pietrick will create a
separate fund for the sales tax for 2004 which will enable the County to
track sales tax “ups and downs”.
Pietrick reported the expenditure
report reflects total expenditures at seventy-eight percent spent with
eighty-four percent of the year gone. This does not include the LAW
back pay.
Total Health and Human Services’
revenue through September 2003 is $15,920,887.65; expenditures through
September 2003 are $16,637,151.25. Pietrick requested she be allowed
to place a credit card machine in the Health and Human Services
Department. Wentz indicated several people using AODA, Mental
Health and other services have a credit card, but because the County does
not accept credit cards, once they are done with the services, they need
to be tracked down for payment. Finance Committee supports having a
credit card machine in place at the Health and Human Services Department.
Pietrick was approached by someone
from I Meridian Corporation which is part of the E-Trade Finance Network
regarding an ATM machine. He has agreed to purchase and install an
ATM machine in the Government Center at his own expense. Pietrick
will do a background check on this individual.
Discussion regarding Supervisor per
diem checks. A list of payroll dates will be sent to County Board
Supervisors. Pietrick also indicated she continues to work with the
new Jail bookkeeper.
10.
Administrative Coordinator Report.
a.
2004 Health Insurance Update. Whiting indicated renewal notices have
gone out with the splitting of the group. The Personnel Committee will be
submitting a resolution acknowledging wage increases and Health Insurance
Policy for 2004 for the non-represented employees. Whiting has met
with several employee groups regarding the splitting of the group.
Whiting reported letters were sent to retirees and has received several
calls. Some have received a $100 increase on health insurance.
Whiting indicated he will be looking into an alternative plan for
retirees. There are eighty seven retirees on the health insurance
plan.
11.
Follow up to WisDoT on County Land
in New Richmond. Whiting submitted drawings showing
original design and alternate design for the County Road K and Highway 64
intersection. Whiting indicated the design can be changed, but the
increase in cost would be the County’s responsibility. The alternate
design reconfigures County Road K and creates a potential entrance into
the County’s property. Utilization of this alternate would avoid
certain existing access constraints. Adoption of the alternate design at
time of construction may provide the County with the widest number of
options. The estimated increase in cost for the alternate design is
$213,868.
The County is estimating approximately
$8,000 per acre; DOT is at approximately $6,000. Whiting
reported County Road K is a city street not a county highway.
Whiting approached the city regarding this issue. Malick indicated
there is no Park and Ride currently in the design but this could be a
consideration for Parcel B. The Finance Committee agreed
to move forward and have Whiting continue to work with the city.
Malick indicated the time schedule for Parcel 31 (service road) is late.
The State delivered its appraisal on November 12th and the
County has sixty days to prepare its appraisal. Motion by Malick, 2nd
by Wentz to authorize the county’s appraiser, Ted Morgan, to do
corresponding appraisal for Parcel 31 (service road) at DOT’s expense.
Carried unanimously.
12.
Resolution Relating to County’s
Participation in the Wisconsin CDBG for Economic Development Program for
Haase Dairy, Inc., - Ann Raid, West Central Regional Planning. Ann
Raid indicated the Wisconsin Department of Commerce (WDC) established a
program called the Milk Volume Production Program to assist Wisconsin
dairy producers who are making capital improvements that make significant
increases in Wisconsin’s milk production. WDC has made a
commitment to Haase Dairy, Inc. of $100,000 for the purchase of 200 cows.
Haase will invest at least $1.5 million to expand the dairy and will
create at least four new jobs. WDC has asked St. Croix County to be
the applicant for the $105,000 grant. The County will loan $100,000
of the grant funds to the business and retain the loan payments to
capitalize the St. Croix County Business Loan Fund for area businesses.
The County will collect approximately $105,270 over a seven year period.
Motion by Standafer, 2nd by Wentz to approve acceptance of the
grant and lending of funds to Haase Dairy, Inc. under the terms
established by the Wisconsin Department of Commerce. Carried
unanimously.
Meeting adjourned at 12:23 p.m.
Esther Wentz, Secretary
Cindy Campbell, Recording Secretary
