HomeMy WebLinkAboutExecutive Committee - Minutes - 10/16/2012Minutes of the
Bayfield County Executive Committee Meeting
4:00PM, October 16, 2012
Emergency Operations Center, Bayfield County Annex, Washburn, WI
Members Present: Brett Rondeau, Marco Bichanich, Dee Kittleson, Shawn Miller, Kenneth
Jardine, Beth Meyers
Others Present: Mark Abeles-Allison, John Bennett, William Bussey (via telephone), Neil
Schultz, Dennis Pocernich, Ben Dufford
Rondeau called the meeting to order at 4:00pm
Minutes of October 2, 2012: Motion Miller, Kittleson to approve the minutes of the October 2,
2012 Executive Committee meeting. Motion Carried.
Discussion and Possible Action Regarding 2013 Budget:
a. Land Conservation: Ben Dufford reviewed the Land Conservation Budget including
declining state funds for operations. Dufford noted the effort to capture administrative funds
from grant projects. Dufford described projects, staffing and levy history.
Schultz supported the Conservation Congress appropriation as listed in the budget.
b. Other Budget Items:
Motion Jardine, Kittleson to approve a policy that contingency funds left in the budget at the end
of the year will be put towards a non-lapsing highway department line item for specific projects
as approved by the county board. Motion Carried, 5-0.
Bussey inquired about transfers to highway. Increased General Transportation Aids in the
amount of $64k were added to the Highway Budget. Abeles-Allison reviewed the discussion
from the October meeting regarding putting additional levy dollars ($37k) towards a non-lapsing
line item for specific highway projects approved by the board. This item will be removed from
the highway budget and set in the designated fund.
Abeles-Allison reviewed the budget modification sheet noting the additional $12,500 put in
contingency. This is possible due to the reduction in Capital Improvement Plan expenditures for
the Generator and Pavilion projects. The committee also discussed the additional funding that
would be needed to pay the difference for bridge aide for the Town of Bayfield submittal.
Unused prior bridge aide balances ($55k) will be utilized to reduce the levy amount. Bridge Aid
is exempt from the levy lid so this is allowable but it will represent an increase in the levy.
Bussey inquired about how the county could justify an increase in the levy if end of year funds
from 2012 reflected a surplus. The estimated end of year 2012 is $105k in the black for the
General Fund, but $330k in the red for Human Services. This represents a net loss of over
$200k.
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Motion Jardine, Bichanich to approve the proposed budget with modifications as identified on
the spreadsheet and as discussed, with an estimated 3.55 mill rate and forward the budget on to
the full county board at the November 13 statutory county board meeting for approval. Motion
Carried, 5-0.
Bussey ended his call in.
Discussion and Report Items:
WCA Sales Tax: A copy of the WCA sales tax resolution for sales occurring in Wisconsin was
presented. Committee members stated that the committee had already reviewed this and did not
support it.
Judge Colas Decision: The Judge's decision found several aspects of Act 10 unconstitutional. If
upheld, the ruling would reinstate collective bargaining but not interest arbitration. Briefs filed
by the state in Dane County requested a stay of the court's decision.
Transition Committee: Meets tomorrow evening. A one hour executive session is planned at
4:00, with the opening meeting to begin at 5:00.
Cheqtel Towers: A request for assistance from Cheqtel was made regarding cellular tower
infrastructure in the county. Installation of 31 towers in the county would cost approximately
$7.1 million. Cheqtel is searching for financial assistance in the form of loans to install cellular
antennas and towers throughout the county. The Committee expressed little interest in a county
financed proposal.
AERC: Expressed interest in having a dialogue with the county concerning the future of the
agricultural station, an increased county involvement and extension of the lease agreement.
Committee members expressed an interest in the sale of the station or some other type of
organization at the site. Rondeau supported having AERC make a presentation to the Executive
Committee.
WCA/ICMA Conferences: Abeles-Allison reviewed sessions attended at the Wisconsin
Counties Association and City County Management Association meeting. Session topics
including nursing homes, performance management, priority setting and community engagement
were mentioned.
Budget Reports, 2012: Year to date budget reports as of Sept. 2012 were reviewed. All funds
are under 75% in expenditures with revenues above expenditures in all major departments:
General, Human Services and Highway.
Treasurers Report 2012: The County's overall cash position improved from August to
September in comparison with the previous year with the balance difference from the 2011 to
2012 year figures dropping to $2.1 million in August to $1.3 million in September. Abeles-
Allison estimated a year end figure to be approximately $1.3 million down from the previous
year of $12.7 or a bank account balance of approximately $10.4 million.
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Concrete Sidewalks: The committee reviewed the multiple repair projects around the
courthouse and jail. The committee discussed sending the project out to bid including options 1
for the annex and phase 1 for the health entry.
Motion by Kittleson, Bichanich to approve sending option 1 for the annex sidewalk and health
entry out for bid. Schultz noted that it would be better to do the project in warmer weather from
a sealing and curing perspective. Pocernich concurred. Motion Miller, Bichanich to amend the
motion to state that no concrete work be done until the Spring (warmer weather). Motion on the
amendment carried. Motion on the original motion, carried.
Motion Jardine, Bichanich to enter in and out of executive session pursuant to Wis. Stats.
19.85(1)(c,e,f,g) for discussion and possible action regarding approval of minutes from the
September 27, 2012 Executive Committee Meeting, to discuss personnel matters involving union
negotiations and personnel performance and to consider legal advice and strategy with regard
to litigation/potential litigation. Motion carried. 5-0. Entered Executive Session at 5:50pm.
Motion Miller, Kittleson to return to open session. Motion Carried. Returned to Open Session at
6:15pm.
Meeting adjourned at 6:15pm.