HomeMy WebLinkAboutExecutive Committee - Minutes - 4/29/2010Minutes of the
Bayfield County Executive Committee Meeting
3:300 PM, April 29, 2010, Emergency Operations Center (EOC),
Annex Building, Washburn, WI
Members Present: Beth Meyers, Brett Rondeau, William Kacvinsky, Marco Bichanich
Kenneth Jardine , Dee Kittleson
Others Present: Mark Abeles-Allison-County Administrator, Kristine Kavajecz-Confidential
Secretary, Chief Deputy Paul Susienka
Rondeau, Bichanich, Jardine, Kittleson, Abeles-Allison and Susienka participated in a tour of the
Information Technology Server room from 3:30pm-4:00pm.
Meeting called to order at 4:05 pm by Abeles-Allison.
Motion by Bichanich, Jardine to nominate Rondeau for chairman. Motion by Kacvinsky, Jardine
to close the nominations and cast unanimous ballot for Rondeau. Motion Carried.
Motion Kacvinsky, Meyers to nominate Jardine for Vice-Chairman. Motion Bichanich,
Kacvinsky to close nominations and cast unanimous ballot for Jardine. Motion Carried.
Rondeau took over the meeting at this point.
Motion Kacvinsky, Bichanich to approve minutes of the March 11, 2010 Executive Committee
meeting. Motion Carried.
Server Room Improvements: Abeles-Allison provided a background on the March 22, 2010
incident which involved the failure of the air conditioning unit causing equipment to overheat
resulting in loss of emergency response paging capabilities. Three issues were discussed: Air
conditioning back-up, Fire Suppression & Alarm modification, and 911 server back-up. Abeles-
Allison explained that estimates have been received to install an alarm system connected to the
dispatch center and also an estimate for a 50watt portable back-up unit for the 911 server.
Estimate for these two items is approximately $7000.
Motion Kacvinsky, Bichanich to authorize up to $7000 be spent from the contingency fund to
purchase the back-up 911 unit and install the alarm system. Motion Carried.
Estimates for fire suppression and air conditioning back-up will be brought to the May or June
meeting for consideration.
Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE): Abeles-Allison explained that this is a pilot
program being considered by the state. It would allow mid-income homeowners to take low
interest loans for energy improvements and to repay the loans as an assessment on their property
tax bills as an assessment. Kelly Randelman of the Alliance for Sustainability was present to
answer any questions.
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Motioin Jardine, Meyers to authorize a letter be written to the US Department of Energy
regarding the Energy Efficiency Block Grant (PACE) stating that Bayfield County is interested
in learning more about the program and supports the concept. Motion Carried.
Randelman exited the meeting at this time
Energy Efficiency Conservation Block Grant: County has received approval of $153,000
grant for 12 projects. A list of projects was reviewed. Discussion took place regarding the
$15,020 reduction of lighting projects originally requested in the grant. Committee members
asked the Administrator to contact the Grantor requesting that the funds be re-allocated to
lighting projects for the Fair and Campgrounds and that the retrofit project at the Ag Station be
reduced instead. Abeles-Allison reviewed a list of projects and the oversight that will be
necessary for design specs, schematics, rfps, bids and grant monitoring.
GHT Representation: No discussion or action was taken on this item.
Clean Transportation Grant: Bayfield County was awarded $182,839. The committee
discussed the components of the grant including: 3 natural gas conversions for automobiles,
funding for pickup truck conversions, funding toward the purchase of hybrid vehicles and
funding for a compressed natural gas fuelling station. Bids for hybrid vehicles were reviewed.
Motion Meyers, Kacvinsky to authorize the purchase of two (2) Honda Insight hybrids from
Ashland Honda. Motion Carried with 1 opposed.
Superior Days Initiatives: Expansion of Highway 2 to a four-lane highway was discussed. In
order to move this issue forward there needs to be broad support from counties, cities, towns and
citizens. Legislators must be convinced to push the issue.
Motion Jardine, Bichanich supporting the expansion of US Highway 2 to a four-lane highway
and authorizing the County Administrator to draft a resolution for County Board consideration.
Motion Carried.
Drummond School Forest Easement: School Forest property was donated to the school by
Bayfield County with reversion to the county if the property is no longer use as a school forest.
School district has received request for an access easement across the property. School is looking
for clarification if this conflicts with the land grant terms. County Administrator has spoken with
Corporation Counsel, no conflict is perceived.
Motion Jardine, Kacvinsky to authorize Corporation Counsel to issue a letter to the school
district stating that no conflict is seen with granting an access easement. Motion Carried.
Excel Energy Field Survey:
Motion Kacvinsky, Bichanich to authorize permission to Excel Energy to access county property
as requested to conduct a field survey. Motion Carried.
Reports:
County Treasurer’s report was reviewed.
County YTD Budget report was reviewed. Expenditures are consistent with 2009 YTD figures.
Sales tax statistics were reviewed. Sales tax revenues are down $30,000 YTD from 2009.
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Bond Agency report was reviewed. Refinancing is not recommended at this time.
Copier bids were received. It is anticipated that 3-4 copiers will be purchased in the next month.
Report from AERC, Ag Station Lessees was reviewed.
Abeles-Allison and Kacvinsky reported that at the WCA District meeting, the WCA approached
Bayfield County about participating in the Joint Powers Agreement, Conduit Bond Commission.
This is a new program being considered by the state. It would allow private businesses to
combine borrowing to secure lower interest rates on bonds. The County Board will consider this
program at their next meeting.
Next Executive Committee meeting is scheduled for May 13 at 4:00pm.
The committee did not enter executive session.
Motion Jardine, Bichanich to adjourn at 5:50pm. Motion Carried.