HomeMy WebLinkAboutPersonnel Committee - Minutes - 11/2/2023Minutes of the
Bayfield County Personnel Committee Meeting
4:00 PM, November 2, 2023
Meeting was Held In Person in the County Board Room and virtually
Members Present: Marty Milanowski, Mary Dougherty, Dennis Pocernich, Brett Rondeau, Fred
Strand
Excused:
Others Present: Mark Abeles-Allison County Administrator, Kristine Kavajecz-Human
Resources Director, Ruth Hulstrom-Zoning Director, Elizabeth Skulan-Human Services
Director, Gwen Daoust-Jail Lieutenant, Gail Reha-Bookkeeper,
Meeting called to order at 4:00pm by Chairman Rondeau
Public Comment: None
Approval of Minutes of August 9, 2023: Motion Milanowski, Strand to approve minutes of the
August 9, 2023 Personnel Committee meeting. Motion Carried (5-0)
Uniform Pay Policy: The 2024 budget included two requests for boot funds in the Land
Conservation and Planning and Zoning Departments. Neither were included in the budget.
The county’s current policy states: Highway Department Shop and Patrol Staff, Courthouse
Maintenance Staff, and Forestry Department employees shall receive a clothing allowance of
two hundred seventy dollars ($270.00) per year upon submission of receipts to the County.
Sheriff's Office staff utilize a quartermaster system for uniform purchases. The policy is defined
in a separate document. The Sheriff shall budget two hundred dollars ($200.00) per year for each
cook as a clothing allowance, which shall be administered by the Sheriff.
Data was shared regarding footwear allowances in other counties.
Hulstrom provided comments from Zoning staff supporting the request for a boot allowance.
Consensus of the committee is to draft a policy for the committee to consider at the next meeting.
Health Insurance Work Requirements: The county’s current policy states:
3.13.4 To be eligible for the county’s monthly contribution toward insurance premiums, the
employee must work their assigned schedule or be on paid leave for at least ten (10) workdays
that month.
If an employee resigns, retires or is terminated and they have not or will not achieve 10 paid
workdays, they are responsible for the full premium for health insurance (county and employee
share). The insurance cannot be cancelled mid-year without a qualifying event.
We have run into several instances of employees resigning, being terminated, or wanting to
retire, but do not meet the 10-work day requirement for county contribution to health insurance.
The employee cannot cancel the insurance, so they are required to pay the full premium for the
month. This causes issues for the employee and payroll.
Employees are not eligible for insurance initially until they complete one full calendar month of
employment. Premiums are paid one month in advance.
The committee discussed options including:
• Eliminating policy 3.13.4
• Pro-rating the employee/employer share based on the amount of hours worked in the month.
Motion Pocernich, Milanowski to eliminate policy 3.13.4. Motion Carried (5-0)
2025 Wellness Benefit: Bayfield County offers a Wellness Program that provides for up to a 5%
incentive (decrease) of Health Insurance premiums. (2.5% for employee, 2.5% for spouse, 5%
single). This is a popular program that most employees participate in.
At present 139 County employees take the State Health Plan and approximately 95% of these
employees participate in the county wellness plan.
The State will be implementing a new on-line benefits enrollment system in 2024 for 2025
benefits. The ETF system is required to have an unchanging percentage contribution of the State
plans. In addition, the percentage must be in whole percents, ie: 2.5% not allowed. The current
Bayfield County offers two Local Deductible Health Plans, one includes Uniform Dental. State
guidelines stipulate a maximum employer contribution of 88%. Bayfield County’s contribution
is 83% if employees do NOT participate in wellness and 88% if they do. This dual percentage
will not be supported in the new ETF benefits system. Employees currently pay the full premium
for the Dental portion of the P014 plan.
There are three main issues that cannot be accommodated:
1) Employee being responsible for the dental share of the P014 plan (At present dental is
voluntary, employee decision and employee paid).
2) The wellness incentive (health insurance premium reduction).
3) Half percents
In order to use the new ETF on-line system, Bayfield County will need to modify our
methodology for calculating & allocating health insurance premium incentives. The committee
discussed several alternatives including:
1. Make a payment to employees, equivalent to the 5% wellness incentive another way, ie
on payroll
2. Provide an incentive, equal to the 5%, to be used for other payroll deduct benefits.
3. Gift Cards equivalent to the premium reduction
4. FSA/HSA contributions
County Surveyor Position: Bayfield County has had a position of Surveyor Tech together with
a separate contract for County Surveyor Services. Our Survey Tech is now eligible to be
appointed as a Surveyor. The plan would be to eliminate the contract.
Motion Pocernich, Strand to create the position of County Surveyor at Grade M on the County
Wage Schedule. Motion Carried (5-0)
Reports
a. Jailer Protective Status, Act 4 Report and Update: 2 meetings were held with Jail
staff and an informational memo was distributed (included in the meeting packet)
detailing implementation of 2023 WI Act 4.
b. Personnel Financial Report as of October 31, 2023:
i. General Fund: 79%, up $844k from last year
ii. Human Services: 70%, up $200k from last year
iii. Highway: 76%, virtually even with last year.
c. Human Resources Report: The HR reports for the last couple of months were
included in the meeting packet.
Motion Pocernich, Milanowski to enter into closed session pursuant to Wisconsin Statutes
§19.85(1) ) (c) Considering employment, promotion, compensation or performance
evaluation data of any public employee over which the governmental body has jurisdiction or
exercises responsibility. (e) 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. Discussion and Possible action
Regarding: Negotiations with Teamsters Local 346; Closed Session Minutes of August 9,
2023; Reclassification Request-CCS Service Facilitator/SAC-IT. Motion Carried (5-0)
Entered closed session at 5:15 pm.
Motion Milanowski, Dougherty to return to open session. Motion Carried (5-0). Returned to
open session at 5:38 pm.
Meeting adjourned at 5:38 pm.
Minutes respectfully submitted by Kristine Kavajecz