HomeMy WebLinkAboutExecutive Committee - Minutes - 4/8/20211
Minutes of the
Bayfield County Executive Committee Meeting
4:00pm, April 8, 2021
Meeting was held Remotely through Microsoft Teams and in person in the
Bayfield County Board Room, Washburn, WI
Members Present: Brett Rondeau, Jeff Silbert, Dennis Pocernich, Fred Strand, Larry
Fickbohm, Mary Dougherty (4:05pm)
Members Excused:
Others Present: Mark Abeles-Allison-County Administrator, Kristine Kavajecz-Human
Resources Director, Kim Mattson, Larry Fickbohm, Marty Milanowski, Elizabeth Skulan-
Human Services Director, Sheldon Johnson-NW Regional Planning Commission, Gail Reha, Bill
Bailey, Charly Ray
Meeting Called to Order at 4:00pm by Rondeau.
Public Comment: None Received
Minutes of March 11, 2021: Motion Strand, Silbert to approve minutes of the March 11,
2021 Executive Committee meeting. Motion Carried (5-0).
Human Services Budget Adjustment: Budget Adjustment to create a new section for
the CCS Program. Moving the amounts from within the Family Services Section to a
separate section.
Motion Silbert, Strand to approve the Human Services budget adjustment as presented.
Motion Carried (5-0)
CDBG-CV Project and Budget Amendment: $776,500 in funding. Sheldon Johnson with
Northwest Regional Planning reported that a meeting was held today that explained what funds
can be used for and to gain ideas from other organizations on how the funds can be used.
Business must have 5 or fewer employees including the owner. $250,000 can be used for the
Business Assistance Grants. Up to $5,000 per business. Business has to have 51% or more of
employees as low to moderate income.
$260,000 available for rental/home assistance. Next week there will be a similar meeting
regarding the rental/home assistance program. Anticipated that is will assist with 3-6 months
worth of assistance.
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$258,000 available for Nursing home projects. These projects will require Davis Bacon wages.
American Recovery Funds Distribution: Bayfield County is scheduled to receive
approximately $2.94 million. Abeles-Allison reviewed a list of categories that funds could be
used for and some specific ideas of projects or items that have been suggested. More information
is being received as details are clarified.
“Community Projects” recommendations: Abeles-Allison explained that congress is accepting
suggestions for projects that could be included as Earmarks. He is working with Senator Baldwin
and Congressman Johnson offices.
Year End 2020 Final Budget Figures: Overall expenditures for general fund estimated to be
very close to budget. No funds are over budget. Highway ended the year better than the previous
year. Dog license Fund was slightly over budget.
2022 Budget Reduction Proposal: Many departments submitted suggestions for potential 2022
budget reductions. These were provided to committee members to review for future discussion.
2021 Contingency Expenditures:
a. Bonding: Reminder that issuance costs come out of contingency, estimated $15,000.
b. Desk Replacement: Emergency Management and Treasurer offices are requesting new
office furniture.
Motion Pocernich, Silbert to appropriate no more than $10,000 in contingency funds for office
furniture. Motion Carried (6-0)
Motion Pocernich, Fickbohm to appropriate approximately $15,000 for issuance costs related to
highway bonding. Motion Carried (6-0)
County Board Budget Line Items: Budget is running high because of additional staffing for
COVID food distribution and expense for wage analysis.
Purchasing Policy: Working with several departments to develop a purchasing policy as
recommended by the county’s auditor. The intent is to finalize a draft policy in the very near
future. The policy will outline when bids must be solicited, identify bid criteria, and outline
procurement policies, limits, and the process for purchases.
Energy Grant for Courthouse and Jail: Bayfield County was tentatively awarded a grant in
the amount of $273,000. The grant will assist with a replacement generator option for the Jail.
The project would install a new transformer to connect the existing courthouse generator and
solar installation to the jail rather than replacing the existing generator with another diesel
generator. Payback on the project is projected at just over 6 years. There is also a potential
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significant tax credit that may be available for this project. Project timeline would be to have the
project completed by Spring 2022. Battery life expectancy is 10 years.
Motion Strand, Silbert to approve the project and forward to the full county board for approval.
Motion Carried (6-0)
Reports:
c. Financial Report, end of March 2021: Revenues are approximately $350,000 ahead of
this time in 2020. Forestry revenues have been very positive. Expenditures are virtually
equal to this time last year in the general fund. Human Services revenues and
expenditures are down from 2020. Highway revenues and expenditures are both down
slightly from 2020.
d. Treasurer’s Report, end of March 2021: Balance is up approximately $2.5 million
from last year. Several large grants is several departments, forestry revenues have
contributed to the increased balance.
e. Mineral Rights: Abeles-Allison reviewed with the committee that when the county takes
properties through tax deed, when the properties were sold, the county would retain the
mineral rights. The county cannot sell the mineral rights to an individual, they can only
sell them through public auction.
f. Board of Adjustment Attorney: Board of Adjustment attorney, Craig Haukaas passed
away. Considering having Corporation Counsel serve as the attorney for the Board of
Adjustment. A separate attorney could be hired in cases where there would be a conflict.
The committee did not go into closed session.
Meeting adjourned at 5:41pm.
Respectfully submitted by Kris Kavajecz.