HomeMy WebLinkAboutExecutive Committee - Minutes - 7/11/2019Minutes of the
Bayfield County Executive Committee Meeting
4:00pm, July 11, 2019
Emergency Operations Center (EOC), Bayfield County Annex, Washburn, WI
Members Present: Brett Rondeau, Jeff Silbert, Jeremy Oswald, Dennis Pocernich, Fred Strand,
Tom Gordon
Members Excused:
Others Present: Mark Abeles-Allison, County Administrator, Kristine Kavajecz-Assistant,
Cole Rabska-BCEDC, Craig Parks-Maintenance Supervisor, Paul Houck-IT Director, Kay
Cederberg-Clerk of Court, Honorable John Anderson-Circuit Court Judge, Deidre Zifko-Deputy
Clerk of Court
Meeting Called to Order at 4:00pm by Rondeau.
Public Comment: None received.
Motion Pocernich, Silbert to approve minutes of June 13, 2019 Executive Committee
meeting. Motion Carried
Motion Strand, Pocernich to approve minutes of the July 2, 2019 Executive Committee
meeting. Motion Carried
2020 Department Budget Review
a. Clerk of Court, Circuit Court, Kay Cederberg, Judge Anderson: Cederberg
and Anderson presented the preliminary 2020 budget request for the Circuit Court.
Budget requests will include capital improvement requests in the amount of
$31,000. Anticipated revenues for 2020 are $264,000. Total expenses requested
are $491,159 resulting in a proposed levy of $257,000. Postage costs are expected
to increase due to the additional collection notification requirement. Court
appointed attorney fees will increase on January 1. Priority for the CIP is the
software issue to prevent/block “robocalls” to the video-conferencing equipment.
b. Information Technology: Houck reported that the CIP request is still being
compiled. Project requests will include replacement of the Surveillance cameras in
the jail and addition of about 20 more. This project would require rewiring the jail
with Cat6 cabling. Request to increase the PT Help Desk position to a FT position.
Discussions are in place to have Dag Bystrom serve as PT NOVUS tax system
developer. Other items proposed in the budget include renewal of the Cyber
Awareness training program and Laserfische scanning solutions.
c. Maintenance: Parks reported that the repairs and maintenance line item may need
to be increased a couple thousand dollars. Solar revenue is projected at about
$18,000. Replace fire alarm panel in the courthouse which is about 30 years old
and is no longer supported. Replace a couple of air conditioners. Annual wood
refinishing. Continue the LED replacement project. Rescue Chair for County
Board Room. Carpet for EOC. Replacement of valves if grant funding not
awarded for it. Annex Generator upgrade to serve entire Annex Building.
d. Administrator: Abeles-Allison explained that the overall the budget includes the
standard step increase and recommended .5% cost-of-living adjustment. It will
also include $200k contingency. New auditor costs will reflect an increase in the
audit line item. Workers Compensation premiums will increase as a result of
claims. BART initiative to encourage employee ridership. Standard annual Clean
Sweep contribution, although the service has been reduced to 1 collection
site/date. Continue to reduce CIP allocations. The Committee /County Board will
need to decide whether to do a Highway transfer or consider short term borrowing
for highway reconstruction projects. Budget proposes to continue the Youth
Scholarship program. Any modifications to the County Board compensation
structure for the upcoming term should be determined before the budget is
completed. A County-wide training is being planned to take place on the Martin
Luther King Jr holiday. The budget also includes funding for the Fraud Hotline
and for rural Broadband expansion support.
The County Administrator budget may see and adjustment as a result of the
Contractual item for NeoGov.
The Motor Pool 3-year replacement initiative will continue in 2020as will the
initiative to incorporate multi-function machines in place of desktop printers.
e. Other Departments: County Clerk budget was provided in the drop box for
review.
Consensus of the committee was to move the Bayfield County Economic Development
Corporation quarterly report up on the agenda.
Bayfield County Economic Development Quarterly Report: Rabska reviewed the printed
report that was provided in the meeting packet.
Cervid Study Report : Motion Strand, Silbert to suspend the rules and allow Cervid Study
Committee Member John Gilbert to address the committee. Motion Carried.
Gilbert read from a document, which was also provided to the committee. Strand reviewed the
recommendation from the Cervid Study Committee, which were provided in written format as well.
Motion Strand, Silbert to recommend that the County Board implement recommendations # 1 &
2 by:
• Creating a Limited Term or Intern position in the Land Conservation or Extension
Department.
• With the employee/Intern working from about mid-August to about mid-January 2020
• For about 720 hours of time in 2019. Estimated labor cost at $15/hour is about $11,000, plus
expenses of about $3,000 for travel, material, etc., for a total estimated cost of $14,000.
• And that all possible sources of grants, cost-sharing, donations, etc. be sought and applied
for to reduce the cost to the county.
• And urging all county departments to cooperate and support this effort to keep county costs
to a minimum
Funding could come from UW, or would be needed from County Contingency funds. Motion
Carried (5-0)
Motion Strand, Gordon to recommend that the County Board approve the 2 Resolutions and to
share the report with our State Legislators, other counties in northwest Wisconsin, the Red Cliff
Tribal Nation and the Great Lakes Indian Fish & Wildlife Commission. Motion Carried (5-0)
Motion Strand, Gordon to recommend to the County Board to postpone implementation of
recommendation #7 until their October meeting. Motion Carried (5-0)
The committee thanked Strand and Gilbert for their work on the Cervid Study Committee.
Public comment was closed by Chairman Rondeau
UniverCity Program Phone Conference: Gavin joined the meeting by phone to
provide an overview of the program. Matches a need in the community with a UW
Program/Course, or professor. It is a 3-year process. Yr 1: Planning, Yr 2: Solidify
Plan/Recommendations Yr 3: Implementation Support. Abeles-Allison provided a list of
potential projects. Suggestion was made to have the County Administrator inquire with
the counties that have utilized this program to gauge effectiveness/potential.
Linear cell, steel gate reconfiguration: Statement from the Sheriff was read. The
project will be added as an alternate on the bid for the new padded cells. Removal of the
steel gates and replacement with conventional doors with pass-through.
Motion Gordon, Strand to recommend to the county board that they authorize the use of
up to $5,000 of contingency funds for the design related to the replacement of the steel gates.
Motion Carried (5-0)
Pigeon Lake, Highway and Lake Levels: Both sections of CTH N have been opened,
however, water levels are still rising. DNR estimates that the water levels could rise a maximum
of 6 feet. Meeting was held with several entities, including the DNR to brainstorm ideas to
relieve the water level, including pumping waters to another location. Up to 60 structures could
be lost as a result of the water levels.
Pigeon Lake Camp Hearing: Potential public hearing to receive comments on the state’s sale of
this property. Consensus of the committee is to allow the County Administrator to set up a public
hearing on this topic.
Complete County Census 2020 Resolution: Motion Gordon, Silbert to forward the resolution
to the County Board for consideration. Discussion: This would be a volunteer committee, not
compensated, and would be subject to the open meetings law as a county constituted committee.
Motion Carried (5-0)
Financial Policies
a. County Food Reimbursement Policy:
b. Fixed Assets minimum, $500: Proposal will be to increase the fixed asset amount from
$250 to $500. Request to have the County Clerk talk to the committee on this topic.
Fee adjustments in 2020: Proposal to ask departments to consider annual cost of living
adjustments to fees.
Cost Center Review-Five Year Analysis: 85% of county levy is utilized by Sheriff, Human
Services and Highway departments. Various 5-year trends related to these departments were
reviewed.
Reports:
a. Financial Report, end of June: Revenues steady with this time last year. Expenditures in
the General fund are down about $600,000 from this time last year. Highway Expenditures are
up about $530,000 from this time last year. Revenues are up over $200,000.
b. Treasurer Report, end of June: Bank balance is down about $700,000 from this time last
year.
Abeles-Allison reported that the Highway Department is struggling with their older quad-
axle trucks. This item was removed from the budget in 2019.
Inquiry on the World Class payment.
Request was made for a Fund Summary Report (less detail).
Motion Pocernich, Gordon to move into Closed Session pursuant to §19.85(1)(c)(g),
Considering employment, promotion, compensation or performance evaluation data of any
public employee over which the governmental body has jurisdiction or exercises
responsibility and deliberating or negotiating the purchasing of public properties, the
investing of public funds, or conducting other specified public business, whenever
competitive or bargaining reasons require a closed session.
a. Approve Closed Session Minutes of May 9, 2019
b. Opioid Litigation Update
Motion Carried Entered Closed session at 6:01pm
Motion Gordon, Silbert to return to open session. Motion Carried. Returned to open session at
6:05pm
Meeting Adjourned at 6:05 pm.
Minutes submitted by Kristine Kavajecz