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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPersonnel Committee - Agenda - 8/5/2021 Bayfield County Administrator 117 E 5th Street, PO Box 878, Washburn, WI 54891 Ph: 715-373-6181 Fx: 715-373-6153 Mark Abeles-Allison, County Administrator Kristine Kavajecz, Assistant Paige Terry, Clerk BAYFIELD COUNTY PERSONNEL COMMITTEE MEETING Brett Rondeau, Chair Fred Strand Tom Snilsberg, Vice Chair Dennis Pocernich Marty Milanowski Dear County Board Members: This letter is written to inform you of the Bayfield County Personnel Committee Meeting scheduled for 4:00pm Thursday, August 5, 2021. This meeting will be held Remotely and In Person at the Bayfield County Board Room, Bayfield County Courthouse, Washburn, WI. The public will be able to participate in the Meeting via voice either by using the internet link or phone number below. Join on your computer or mobile app Click here to join the meeting Or call in (audio only) +1 715-318-2087,,310760269# United States, Eau Claire Phone Conference ID: 310 760 269# Please contact Bayfield County at 715-373-6181 or 715-373-6100 if you have access questions prior to the meeting. During the meeting if you have connection issues please email mark.abeles-allison@bayfieldcounty.wi.gov Notice is hereby given that a majority of the Bayfield County Board may be present at the meeting to gather information about a subject over which they have decision-making responsibility. This constitutes a meeting of the Bayfield County Board pursuant to State ex rel. Badke v. Greendale Village Bd., 173 Wis. 2d 553, 494 N.W.2d 408(1993), and must be noticed as such, although the County Board will not take any formal action at this meeting. AGENDA 1. Call to order 2. Discussion and Possible Action Regarding Approval of Minutes of June 3, 2021 3. Public Comment 4. Discussion and Possible Action Regarding County Facility COVID Guidelines. 5. Discussion and Possible Action regarding Personnel Policy Section IV. Employee Conduct, Performance Evaluation, Discipline and Separation From Employment 6. Discussion and Possible Action Regarding 2022 Cost of Living Adjustment, WEDC 7. Discussion Regarding 2022 Staffing Requests: i. Two Jailers ii. One Deputy Sheriff iii. Reclassification of the Confidential Secretaries for the Sheriff’s Office and Jail iv. One Aging Services Staff v. Convert contract employee to county employee-Land Conservation vi. Part-time Addressing Technician-Land Records vii. Maintenance Summer Intern viii. Forestry Recreation Technician ix. Fairgrounds Maintenance x. Human Services Intern 8. Discussion and Possible Action Regarding Health Insurance 2022 9. Reports a) Human Resources Report b) Personnel Financial Report as of June 30, 2021 10. The committee may enter in and out of closed session pursuant to Wisconsin Statutes §19.85(1)(c,e) to consider 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 purchase of public property, vesting of public funds or conducting other specified business whenever competitive or bargain reasons require a closed session. i. Approve Closed Session Minutes of June 3, 2021 ii. Reclassification Request for Heather Gilbertson 11. Adjourn Should you have any questions in the meantime, please do not hesitate to contact the County Administrator’s Office at 715 373-6181, mark.abeles- allison@bayfieldcounty.wi.gov Sincerely, Mark Abeles-Allison Mark Abeles-Allison Bayfield County Administrator MAA/kak Enc. Any person planning to attend a Bayfield County meeting that has a disability requiring special accommodations should contact 373-6100, 24-hours before the scheduled meeting, so appropriate arrangements can be made. cc: Ms. Lynn Divine, Bayfield County Clerk Bayfield County Board of Supervisors The Daily Press, via email PERSONNEL NARRATIVE, AUGUST 5, 2021 Item 4: Based on updated CDC recommendations and increased transmission in our region we issued updated RECOMMENDATIONS for courthouse employees this past week. The update includes a recommendation for county employees to wear masks. We are hearing that this is a pandemic of the unvaccinated. Many organizations and groups are encouraging staff to get vaccines. This can be done with incentives, requirements (vaccinate or testing). This is a difficult topic but a real and costly one for the county and residents. Updated sections are highlighted. Item 5. Changes to Section IV Employee Conduct, Performance Evaluation, Discipline and Department from Employment was on the last agenda but not listed as an action item. Multiple changes, clarifications and corrections are included after receiving department head and committee input. Corrections are in red. Item 6. Budget 2022 planning is underway. Wage adjustments. The latest calculations are shown below for the past two years. Figures for January 1 are not yet available but are anticipated very shortly. The latest rate shown is 1.5% as of November 2021. We have penciled in 2% for 2022 at this point. In the past the committee has used the State of Wisconsin, CPI-U. 7. Multiple departments and some committees have discussed and proposed staffing changes in 2022, below is a short list of positions discussed to date. This is a discussion item with more information and analysis to follow. A full listing of all position request summaries will be included in the budget personnel section. i. Two jailers: writeup in the packet, Sheriff Committee approved. Focus is on more full-time fewer part time due to retention issues. ii. Sheriff Deputy, Sheriff Committee approved, writeup attached. iii. Reclassification for the Sheriff’s Office Staff. We will work with the Sheriff’s Office to write these proposed changes up for the Personnel Committee to review. iv. Aging Services Staff: County Board acted on this with ARPA funds at last meeting. v. Land Conservation Position, writeup in packet. Goes before Land Conservation Committee this month. vi. Part time addressing tech: Will go before Exec later this month. vii: Maintenance summer intern, we have done this in the past. Is a good idea to allow staff to work on more complex projects. viii. Forestry Rec Tech, writeup in packet, will go before Forestry later this month ix: Fairground’s maintenance, we struggled this year with a part time maintenance assistance. Will discuss in more detail. x. Human Services intern, we have done this in the past, key goal is to help attract future employees. 8. Health Insurance: We are anticipating updates on health insurance rates for 2022 very shortly. The County is on the State Health Plan and the Teamster Health Plan for Highway Employees. No action anticipated, just an update at this time. 9. • Attached is the HR Report for July. 12 positions were filled over the months of June and July. Currently recruiting or 10 positions. • The attached personnel report shows overall personnel financials at 44% at the mid- year mark. The 20% health insurance premium reduction in 2021 contributes to a portion of this. Minutes of the Bayfield County Personnel Committee Meeting 4:00 PM, June 3, 2021 Meeting was Held Remotely through Microsoft Teams and In Person in the Bayfield County Board Room Members Present: Dennis Pocernich, Tom Snilsberg, Fred Strand (remote), Marty Milanowski, Brett Rondeau Others Present: Mark Abeles-Allison County Administrator, Kristine Kavajecz-Human Resources Director, Elizabeth Skulan-Human Services Director (remote), Gail Reha (remote), Kim Mattson (remote), Lynn Divine (remote) Meeting called to order at 4:00pm by Chairman Rondeau Approval of Minutes of April 1, 2021: Motion Milanowski, Snilsberg to approve minutes of the April 1, 2021 Personnel Committee meeting. Motion Carried (5-0) Public Comment: None Received Tourism Clerk Hour Increase in 2021: The Tourism Committee has recommended a temporary hours increase for the PT Clerk in the Tourism office in response to increased demand for information. The request is to increase the position to 59%, from 18.75 to 22.5 hours per week. Motion Milanowski, Snilsberg to increase the PT Clerk position in the Tourism Office to 59% through the end of 2021. Motion Carried (5-0). Personnel Policies: a. 3.1.9 Vacation Allocation for employees that transition from Regular Part-Time to Full-Time. b. 3.3.12 Sick Leave Allocation for employees that transition from Regular Part- Time to Full-Time Motion Pocernich, Milanowski to approve the policy modification for sick and vacation allocations for employees transitioning from Regular Part-Time to Full-Time employment effective March 1, 2021. Motion Carried (5-0) Personnel Policy Section Review, Section IV. Employee Conduct, Performance Evaluation, Discipline and Separation From Employment: The item was noted as discussion only. The committee will take action on this item in July. County Facility COVID Guidelines: Abeles-Allison shared a draft recommendation regarding masks in county facilities. Current policy is that masks are recommended in public areas of county facilities. Court requires masks and will be reviewing these guidelines later in June. Wartman reported that the county is in the top 5% of vaccinations nationwide. CDC has stated that fully vaccinated persons do not need to wear masks indoors except in detention centers, congregate housing, etc. No vaccine available to those under age 12 currently. CDC has stated that there is no need for anyone to wear masks outdoors. OSHA has deferred to the CDC for mask guidelines. They have stated that reasonable accommodations must be provided in certain circumstances where available. Several options were discussed for county policy with regard to masks in county facilities. Wartman reported that variants are present in WI and the surrounding states. Consensus of the committee is to support option 2. County Board Chairman, County Administrator and Health Officer may establish a revised policy. Goal will be to provide guidance and encourage the use of masks in public areas, but they will not be required. Employees that have concerns will be encouraged to share those concerns with management so that accommodations can be considered. Reports a) Human Resources Report: The committee has requested to receive more details regarding employees that leave employment and contents of Exit Interviews. b) Personnel Financial Report as of May 31, 2021: Wages and benefits are on track with budget so far for the year. Motion Pocernich, Milanowski to enter into closed session pursuant to Wisconsin Statutes §19.85(1)(c,e) to consider 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 purchase of public property, vesting of public funds or conducting other specified business whenever competitive or bargain reasons require a closed session. i. Approve Closed Session Minutes of April 1, 2021 ii. Reclassification Request of Melissa Huempfner from Social Worker I to Social Worker II Motion Carried (5-0) Elizabeth Skulan was permitted to remain in the closed session. Entered closed session at 5:04 pm. Motion Milanowski, Pocernich to return to open session. Motion Carried. Return to open session at 5:10 pm. Meeting adjourned at 5:10 pm Minutes respectfully submitted by Kristine Kavajecz 07/28/2021 1 Bayfield County Administrator 117 E 5th Street, PO Box 878, Washburn, WI 54891 Ph: 715-373-6181 Fx: 715-373-6153 Mark Abeles-Allison, County Administrator Kristine Kavajecz, Human Resources Director Paige Terry, Clerk TO: Bayfield County Employees FROM: Mark Abeles-Allison, County Administrator Kristine Kavajecz, Human Resources Director DATE: July 28, 2021 RE: July 28 Policy Revision- Bayfield County COVID-19 Personnel Guidance and Scenarios. On Tuesday, July 27, 2021, the CDC updated their recommendations to state that ALL persons, whether vaccinated or not, who are in an area of substantial or high transmission, wear a mask when in indoors public areas. Due to the recent spike in cases, Bayfield County has been identified as an area of substantial transmission (this also includes more than half of all US counties). As a result, effective immediately, Bayfield County recommends that all staff and visitors to County facilities wear masks when in indoor public spaces including hallways, restrooms, meeting rooms, and when interacting with others that are not from your household. Fully vaccinated people should be tested 3-5 days following a known exposure to someone with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 and isolate if they test positive. Considering getting a COVID-19 vaccine for you or a family member? Contact your healthcare provider or pharmacist and schedule an appointment today. There’s no shortage of COVID-19 vaccine currently in northern Wisconsin. In most situations, you can get an appointment for the same day. Examples of COVID vaccinating sites in northern Wisconsin include: • Brownstone Pharmacy - Call (715)373-5588 • St. Luke’s Chequamegon Clinic – Call (715)685-6600 • Essentia Health – Ashland Clinic – Call (715)685-7500 • Walgreens in Ashland – Call (715)685-0202 • Walmart in Ashland – Call (715)682-3660 • NorthLakes in Iron River – Call (715)372-5001 • The Red Cliff Health Center is having a vaccination clinic on August 3, 2021 from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the Legendary Waters Resort and Casino, 37600 Onigamiing Dr, Bayfield, WI 54814. For more information contact the Red Cliff Health Center at 715-779-3707. Want to know more about the different COVID-19 vaccines? 07/28/2021 2 There are currently three approved COVID-19 vaccines. 1. Janssen (Johnson & Johnson) is a one-shot vaccine series that protects against COVID-19 (efficacy is 66% globally and 72% in the U.S.; about 85% protective against severe disease). Women younger than 50 years old should be aware of the rare risk of blood clots with low platelets after vaccination. This is for persons age 18 and older currently. 2. Moderna is a two-shot vaccine series that protects against COVID-19 (efficacy about 94.1% after both doses). Second dose is 4 weeks after 1st dose. This is for persons age 18 and older currently. 3. Pfizer is a two-shot vaccine series that protects against COVID-19 (efficacy about 95% after both doses). Second dose is 3 weeks after 1st dose. This is for persons age 12 and older currently. Why Should I Get Vaccinated? • Getting vaccinated protects you against severe disease and death. While occasionally persons who have been vaccinated may still get sick, they are not as sick nor for as long. And, in nearly all cases, being vaccinated protects against hospitalization and serious illness. • Being vaccinated protects those who are medically vulnerable in your community and in your life. If you are vaccinated, you are less likely to become sick. The more people in a community who are vaccinated against COVID-19, the fewer cases of disease the circulate as a whole. • There are some people who cannot be vaccinated for medical reasons such as allergies or underlying illness. Getting vaccinated helps to protect them from becoming exposed to illness. • If you are at least 14 days post-vaccination (complete series), you no longer need to quarantine if exposed to a person who is sick with COVID-19 (so long as you have no symptoms). This means fewer missed days of work, school, etc. POLICY REMINDERS: Bayfield County is committed to providing a safe workplace. If you have specific concerns, please bring them to your supervisor so that additional precautions or measures can be considered/implemented where applicable. 1) MASKS: a. Wearing of masks in public areas of county facilities is recommended whether fully vaccinated or not. b. Staff that enter private homes and businesses are also recommended to wear a mask. 2) TELECOMMUTING: Most staff have returned to on-site work. Telecommuting continues to be an option when needed and as approved by the Department Head. 3) PROTOCOL IF AN EMPLOYEE IS SICK (applies whether vaccinated or not): a. If an employee exhibits symptoms of illness, they should stay home or may be directed to go home if working on-site. Use the CDC Symptom Checker to help you make decisions about seeking medical care. Click here to access the CDC Symptom Checker 07/28/2021 3 The website address is: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/symptoms- testing/coronavirus-self-checker.html Symptoms include: • Fever of 100.4 or higher or chills • Persistent Dry Cough • Shortness of Breath or Difficulty Breathing • Fatigue • Muscle or Body Aches • Headache • New loss of taste or smell • Sore throat • Congestion or runny nose • Nausea or vomiting • Diarrhea b. Employee should stay home and contact a medical provider or teledoc at (1-800- Teladoc.) c. Notify the Human Resources Office of the illness. NOT VACCINATED: Employees that have not been vaccinated and are experiencing symptoms consistent with COVID-19 may not return to work until ALL of the following conditions are met: • 10 days from the onset of the symptoms • 24 hours after the fever ends (without the use of a fever reducer such as Tylenol) • Symptoms have improved. VACCINATED: Employees that have been vaccinated and are experiencing symptoms consistent with COVID-19: • Stay Home and away from others. • Get Tested • If your test is positive, isolate at home for 10 days. • If your test is negative you may return to work. d. Where you can get tested (not all-inclusive): • Your personal Physician’s Office • Walgreens (drive thru by appointment) • Essentia Health (drive thru by appointment) https://www.essentiahealth.org/covid-19/covid-19-testing/ • Request an At-Home Test Kit https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/covid- 19/testing.htm • Community Testing Site (dates and locations vary) https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/covid-19/testing.htm • UW Superior Testing Site by appointment: https://www.uwsuper.edu/ehs/coronavirus/covidtestingsite.cfm 07/28/2021 4 4) PROTOCOL FOR CLOSE CONTACT: Close Contact is defined as: • You were within 6 feet of someone who has COVID-19 for a total of 15 minutes or more • You provided care at home to someone who is sick with COVID-19 • You had direct physical contact with the person (hugged or kissed them) • You shared eating or drinking utensils • They sneezed, coughed, or somehow got respiratory droplets on you If an employee has had exposure to someone that has symptoms of, or someone that has a confirmed case of COVID19: NOT VACCINATED: • The quarantine period is 14 days from the last contact with the person. • Daily symptom monitoring with the Health Department must be in place for 14 days. Quarantine can end after Day 10 without testing and if no symptoms have been reported during daily monitoring and demonstration of good compliance in monitoring. • Daily symptom monitoring with the Health Department must be in place for 14 days with demonstration of good compliance in reporting. Quarantine can end after Day 7 if no symptoms have been reported and after receiving a negative test result (test must occur on day 5 or later). VACCINATED: If you’ve been around someone who has COVID-19, you should get tested 3-5 days after your exposure, even if you don’t have symptoms. You should also wear a mask indoors in public areas. Isolate for 10 days if your test result is positive. 5) PROTOCOLS RELATED TO TRAVEL: Out of county work related travel for conferences, meetings and trainings may resume provided CDC and DHS recommendations are followed. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/your-health/large-gatherings.html The CDC recommends avoiding attendance at large events and gatherings. If an alternative to in-person attendance is available (such as virtual participation), that option should be utilized. Departments are encouraged to limit participation in large events unless necessary. Department Heads are responsible for verifying if an event has adequate COVID protocols in place prior to authorizing an employee’s participation in the event. Employees that have not been vaccinated are discouraged from participating in large events. 07/28/2021 5 Employees that are travelling using commercial transportation such as planes, buses, trains, cruises and other forms of public transportation are asked to notify Human Resources before returning to work in a county facility. Following are the guidelines when commercial transportation is used: NOT VACCINATED: Take the following steps to protect yourself and others from COVID-19: • Before you use commercial transportation: o Get tested with a viral test 1-3 days before your trip. • While you are traveling: o Wear a mask over your nose and mouth. Masks are required on planes, buses, trains, and other forms of public transportation traveling into, within, or out of the United States and in U.S. transportation hubs such as airports and stations. o Avoid crowds and stay at least 6 feet/2 meters (about 2 arm lengths) from anyone who is not traveling with you. o Wash your hands often or use hand sanitizer (with at least 60% alcohol). • After you use commercial transportation: o Get tested with a viral test 3-5 days after travel AND stay home and self- quarantine for a full 7 days after travel. ▪ Even if you test negative, stay home and self-quarantine for the full 7 days. ▪ If your test is positive, isolate yourself to protect others from getting infected. o If you don’t get tested, stay home and self-quarantine for 10 days after travel. o Avoid being around people who are at increased risk for severe illness for 14 days, whether you get tested or not. o Self-monitor for COVID-19 symptoms; isolate and get tested if you develop symptoms. o Follow all state and local recommendations or requirements. 07/28/2021 6 VACCINATED: Take the following steps to protect others if you use commercial transportation: • During Travel o Wear a mask over your nose and mouth. Masks are required on planes, buses, trains, and other forms of public transportation traveling into, within, or out of the United States and in U.S. transportation hubs such as airports and stations. o Avoid crowds and stay at least 6 feet/2 meters (about 2 arm lengths) from anyone who is not traveling with you. o Wash your hands often or use hand sanitizer (with at least 60% alcohol). • After Travel o Self-monitor for COVID-19 symptoms; isolate and get tested if you develop symptoms. o Follow all state and local recommendations or requirements. You do NOT need to get tested or self-quarantine if you are fully vaccinated or have recovered from COVID-19 in the past 3 months. You should still follow all other travel recommendations. CDC recommends delaying travel until you are fully vaccinated, because travel increases your chance of getting and spreading COVID-19. If you are not fully vaccinated and must travel, follow CDC’s recommendations for unvaccinated people. This guidance applies to travel within the United States and U.S. territories. 6) PAY OPTIONS FOR QUARANTINE WHEN UNABLE TO TELECOMMUTE: If an employee is quarantined (either by a medical provider or Human Resources) or ordered to isolate (by a medical provider), and is unable to telecommute, they may choose from the following options for payroll purposes: 1. May use available vacation or comp time. 2. May use available sick leave: ▪ If the employee has been a close contact of an active COVID case ▪ The employee is experiencing symptoms consistent with COVID19 and is awaiting test results ▪ The employee is diagnosed with COVID19 ▪ The employee is caring for an immediate family member that is quarantined/isolated because of COVID19. Note: If an employee is unable to telecommute during the quarantine period following travel or participation in events or activities, they are not eligible to use sick leave (unless during first year of employment). Unpaid leave will only be approved if all other eligible paid leave time has been exhausted. 07/28/2021 7 Scenarios for Bayfield County Employees during COVID-19 Pandemic (Effective 7/28/2021) This following chart contains answers to common questions and scenarios for employees and was prepared using data from the Wisconsin Department of Health Services and the Centers for Disease Control. Responses below are in accordance with guidance provided to Bayfield County employees as of July 28, 2021 and are subject to change at any time based on new or clarified Federal, State, or local administrative guidance. If you have additional questions, please contact your supervisor or Human Resources. Scenario 1: I am feeling sick and experiencing symptoms consistent with COVID-19 as identified by the CDC. These provisions apply even if an employee has a negative COVID test. Questions Answers 1 What should I do? Employees feeling sick and experiencing symptoms consistent with COVID-19 should notify their supervisor immediately and stay home from work. Your supervisor may inquire about your symptoms for further information. Employee is required to telecommute if physically able to. Employees will likely be referred to Human Resources to determine whether quarantine/isolation is applicable and the related timeline. Employees are advised to speak with their health professional and should continually monitor their symptoms. 2 What are my options for reporting my time? Employees have several options for reporting time for work missed as outlined below. Please reach out to HR with any questions. 1) Eligible to use leave as outlined in Item 5. Once able to return to work or telecommute, these options are no longer available. 2) After all paid leave is exhausted, employee is eligible to use Unpaid Leave and may file for unemployment. 3 I have NOT had my COVID Vaccination. When am I able to return to work? Employees that have not been vaccinated and are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19, may return to on-site work ONLY after these three things have all happened: • You have no fever (less than 100.4°F) for at least 24 hours without use of medicine that reduces fevers, AND • Other symptoms have improved (for example, cough has improved), AND • At least 10 calendar days have passed since your symptoms first appeared I have had my COVID Vaccination. When am I able to return to work? Employees that have been vaccinated and are experiencing symptoms consistent with COVID-19: • Stay Home and away from others. • Get Tested • If your test is positive, isolate at home for 10 days. • If your test is negative you may return to work. Scenario 2: I have tested positive for COVID-19. 07/28/2021 8 1 What should I do? Employees who have tested positive for COVID-19 may telecommute if physically able. Please let your supervisor know if you have tested positive for COVID-19. 2 What are my options for reporting my time? Employees have several options for reporting time for work missed as outlined below. Please reach out to HR with any questions. 1) Eligible to use leave as outlined in Item 5. Once able to return to work or telecommute, these options are no longer available. 2) After all paid leave is exhausted, employee is eligible to use Unpaid Leave and may file for unemployment. 3 When am I able to return to work? Employees that have tested positive for COVID-19, may return to on-site work ONLY after these three things have all happened: • You have no fever (less than 100.4°F) for at least 24 hours without use of medicine that reduces fevers, AND • Other symptoms have improved (for example, cough has improved), AND • At least 10 calendar days have passed since your symptoms first appeared Scenario 3: I am feeling sick but am NOT experiencing symptoms related to COVID-19. 1 What should I do? Employees who are ill must notify their supervisor and stay home. If working remotely, employee may continue to do so if physically able to. The employee may be asked to participate in a screening with Human Resources to determine whether quarantine is applicable. 2 What are my options for reporting my time? Employees should report time not worked as normal sick time on their timesheet. 3 When am I able to return to work? Generally, employees should be symptom free before returning to work. Please consult with your supervisor and follow the Sick Leave section of the Employee Handbook. 4 Examples Toothaches, Migraines for persons that have a history of them, Consistent Menstrual Symptoms, backache. Employees must contact Human Resources for a screening if they are experiencing symptoms consistent with COVID19, even if they seem to be normal occurring symptoms. Scenario 4: I have had close contact with a person that has symptoms consistent with COVID-19 or has been diagnosed with COVID-19. 1 What should I do? Employees who have had close contact with a person with COVID-19 or that has symptoms consistent with COVID-19 must immediately notify their supervisor. What counts as close contact? You were within 6 feet of someone who has COVID-19 for a total of 15 minutes or more. This time does not need to be all at once, it can be over the course of a day. • You provided care at home to someone who is sick with COVID-19 • You had direct physical contact with the person (hugged or kissed them) • You shared eating or drinking utensils • They sneezed, coughed, or somehow got respiratory droplets on you 07/28/2021 9 Employees that have been in closed proximity to a confirmed case of COVID-19 for any period of time are encouraged to report/discuss this with Human Resources and/or the Health Department. I have had my COVID Vaccination: Vaccinated persons with an exposure to someone with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 • Get tested 3-5 days after your exposure, even if you don’t have symptoms. • Wear a mask indoors in public for 14 days following exposure or until your test result is negative. I have NOT had my COVID Vaccination: These employees should quarantine for 14 calendar days from the date of exposure, or longer if necessary, during which they should monitor their symptoms. Employee may telecommute if physically able to. Quarantine can end after Day 10 without testing and if no symptoms have been reported during daily monitoring. Quarantine can end after Day 7 after receiving a negative test result (test must occur on day 5 or later) and if no symptoms have been reported during daily monitoring. 2 What are my options for reporting my time? Employees have several options for reporting time for work missed as outlined below. Please reach out to HR with any questions. 1) Eligible to use leave as outlined in Item 5. Once able to return to work or telecommute, these options are no longer available. 2) After all paid leave is exhausted, employee is eligible to use Unpaid Leave and may file for unemployment. 3 When am I able to return to work? Employees may return to on-site work once they complete a screening and are authorized to return to on-site work by Human Resources. Scenario 5: I have been advised by HR that I must quarantine because of using commercial transportation: 1 What do I need to know? If it is determined that the employee was at higher risk for exposure to COVID-19, they may be required to telecommute or quarantine for up to 10 days upon return. If able to work remotely, employee may do so with approval from your supervisor. Employee may be allowed to quarantine on-site in certain circumstances. 2 What should I do? Employees are asked to notify their supervisor and Human Resources if they travel somewhere using public transportation (plane, train, bus, cruise, ferry. If an employee knows they plan to travel, they are asked to notify their supervisor as far in advance as possible so that arrangements can be made if telecommuting or quarantine are required. Employees should monitor their temperature and watch for COVID-like symptoms daily for at least 10 days upon return. 3 What are my options for reporting my time during the quarantine period? Must use earned paid leave balances, such as Vacation, and/or Comp Time. Employees are able to take the time unpaid if they do not have any remaining applicable paid leave balances. 4 How long is the quarantine period if I have NOT had my COVID Vaccination: • Get tested with a viral test 3-5 days after travel AND stay home and self-quarantine for a full 7 days after travel. 07/28/2021 10 o Even if you test negative, stay home and self-quarantine for the full 7 days. o If your test is positive, isolate yourself to protect others from getting infected. • If you don’t get tested, stay home and self-quarantine for 10 days after travel. • Avoid being around people who are at increased risk for severe illness for 14 days, whether you get tested or not. How long is the quarantine period if I have had my COVID Vaccination? • Self-monitor for COVID-19 symptoms; isolate and get tested if you develop symptoms. • You do NOT need to get tested or self-quarantine if you are fully vaccinated or have recovered from COVID-19 in the past 3 months. Section IV. Employee Conduct, Performance Evaluation, Discipline and Separation From Employment. 4.1 Standards of Employee Conduct The purpose of this policy is to state Bayfield County’s general approach to administering equitable and consistent discipline for unsatisfactory conduct in the workplace. Bayfield County’s own best interest lies in ensuring fair treatment of all employees and in making certain that disciplinary actions are prompt, uniform, and impartial. In addition to the procedures, rules and standards outlined in this Manual and any departmental policies and procedures, the following work rules and standards for work at Bayfield County provide a basic outline for expected employee conduct while employed with the County. This list of work rules and standards is not meant to be all inclusive nor exclusive, but is an indication of what the County expects from its employees. Work rules and standards are also found in numerous other documents, e. g. collective bargaining agreements, the County's safety manual and Departmental materials. Violations of any of the County’s rules or standards found in this Manual or any other source will be considered employee misconduct and will subject the employee to disciplinary action up to and including discharge from employment. 4.1.1. Property and Premises. It is expected that employees will: a. Use county property and equipment only for work purposes unless, in limited circumstances, there has been prior approval from employee's supervisor. b. Follow all rules, regulations, and practices relating to the safe use and security of County property and premises. c. Use county keys, fobs, cards, and access codes properly. and will duplicate them only as directed and/or is reasonably expected. Employees may not duplicate keys or share access codes unless authorized. d. Observe traffic and/or parking regulations and directives on County premises and/or work time. e. Charge only work-related telephone expenses on County telephone equipment. f. Use County postage for work purposes only. g. Not negligently or willfully damage County property and equipment. 4.1.2. Attendance. It is expected that employees will: a. Be allowed only excused absences and excused late arrivals. b. Be at the assigned work area at the start and end of shifts, breaks, and meal periods. c. Leave the place of work during working hours only as authorized and will not waste time or loiter. d. Not work any hours outside of their schedule without prior approval. e. Not misuse or abuse paid sick leave. f. Employees will provide documentation in a timely manner from a qualified medical practitioner when requested by the employer. 4.1.3. Performance. Without limitation, it is expected that employees will: a. Adequately perform the duties of the assigned position; b. Perform all assigned duties in a competent and efficient manner. c. Not restrict output or engage in any intentional slowdown, work stoppage, or unauthorized strike. d. Not engage in any activity which distracts or disrupts other employees on the performance of their duties. e. Not engage in any pursuit which may interfere with the proper discharge of his/her duties and responsibilities as an employee of Bayfield County. f. Maintain all licenses and certifications required of their position. 4.1.4. Conduct. Without limitation, it is expected that employees will: a. Follow all supervisory written and/or oral directions. b. Comply with the departmental work rules and expectations. c. Not use offensive language toward or threaten, intimidate, coerce, abuse, or harass employees, supervisors, the public, other providers, etc. d. Maintain appropriate, well-groomed appearance and dress. e. Report to work sober and not under the influence of alcoholic beverages, narcotics, drugs, or other controlled substances or have possession of the above. f. Be awake and attentive during work hours. g. Not promote, or participate in, indecent, criminal, or inappropriate conduct including, without limitation, fraud, dishonesty or theft. h. Not possess unauthorized weaponsComply with the prohibited weapons policy. i. Not engage in personal or outside business activities during work hours. j. Not gamble on County premises or engage in illegal gambling activities during work hours. k. Not engage in horseplay or scuffing. Not engage in physical activities on county property that are inconsistent with the employee’s regular job duties or county-sponsored activities that could result in injury to self or others l. Represent the county appropriately and at all times treat co- employees and the public in a courteous manner. m. Not be insubordinate or engage in willful misconduct. n. Not engage in any conduct which violates the rules, policies or procedures in this Manual. o. Report any arrests, charges and/or convictions to the Human Resources Department. Not be convicted of a felony or misdemeanor the circumstances of which are substantially related to the duties performed. p. Be honest and truthful in all matters relating to his/her employment including, without limitation, securing employment with the County. q. Cooperate with all County investigations. r. If the employee’s position involves using a county vehicle, employee must report any traffic violation (on or off duty) to their Supervisor. 4.1.5. Records. Without limitation, it is expected that employees will: a. Be truthful and accurate in preparing any employment related documents including, without limitation, job applications, resume’s, time cards and leave requests. b. Be truthful and accurate when preparing County records and will not falsify, modify, or make other unauthorized alterations to any County record. c. Maintain the confidentiality of records and information per statutes, rules, and/or directives and will not make unauthorized disclosures of such information. d. Shall not attempt to or request access to confidential information or records unless necessary for the work being performed and is within the scope of the position. 4.1.6. Code of Ethics. It is the intention of Bayfield County to inspire persons covered under this policy to secure and maintain the respect and confidence of the people of the County. State statutes set forth various forms of conduct, which are deemed to be unlawful. This policy is not intended to outline these forms of prohibited conduct. The items in this policy do not require a specific intention to do wrong; rather they are the mere acts themselves which in doing, cast substantial doubt upon the integrity of the County and the person involved. The following conduct on the part of a person covered under this policy will be deemed unethical: a. No person shall use his/her position to obtain preferential treatment or obtain financial gain for himself or herself or his or her immediate family or for any business or organization with which he or she is associated. b. No person shall disclose or use inside information concerning Bayfield County to promote a private financial gain. c. No person shall receive or offer to receive, either directly or indirectly, any gift (as defined by CFR 2635.203), gratuity or thing of value which they are not authorized to receive from any person if such person: 1. Has or is seeking to obtain contractual or other business or financial relationships with the County or subunits of the County; or 2. Conducts operations or activities which are regulated by the County or its subunits; or 3. Has an interest, which may be substantially affected by the County. Gift includes any gratuity, favor, discount, entertainment, hospitality, loan, forbearance, or other item having monetary value. It includes services as well as gifts of training, transportation, local travel, lodgings and meals, whether provided in-kind, by purchase of a ticket, payment in advance, or reimbursement after the expense has been incurred. The definition of Gift EXCLUDES: (1) Modest items of food and non-alcoholic refreshments, such as soft drinks, coffee and donuts, offered other than as part of a meal; (2) Greeting cards and items with little intrinsic value, such as plaques, certificates, and trophies, which are intended primarily for presentation; (3) Loans from banks and other financial institutions on terms generally available to the public; (4) Opportunities and benefits, including favorable rates and commercial discounts, available to the public or to a class consisting of all Government employees or all uniformed military personnel, whether or not restricted on the basis of geographic considerations; (5) Rewards and prizes given to competitors in contests or events, including random drawings, open to the public unless the employee's entry into the contest or event is required as part of the employee's official duties; (6) Pension and other benefits resulting from continued participation in an employee welfare and benefits plan maintained by a current or former employer; (7) Anything which is paid for by the Government or secured by the Government under Government contract; (8) Free attendance to an event provided by the sponsor of the event to: (9) Any gift accepted by the Government under specific statutory authority (10) Anything for which market value is paid by the employee. Examples of Gifts and applicable scenarios are detailed in Appendix G of this manual. Any violation of this section will result in disciplinary action being taken against the person(s) involved up to and including discharge. 4.1.7 Fraud Prevention Policy. Bayfield County must protect the county organization, taxpayers, employees and assets against financial risks, operational breaches and unethical activities. Management must clearly communicate fraud prevention policies to internal and external customers, vendors and employees. The impact of misconduct and dishonesty includes: • Loss of public confidence • Financial losses • Damage to the reputation of the county and its employees • Negative publicity • The cost of investigation • Loss of employees • Damaged relationships with contractors and suppliers • Litigation Bayfield County’s goal is to establish and maintain an environment of fairness, ethics and honesty for employees, citizens, suppliers and anyone else with whom Bayfield County has a relationship. To maintain such an environment requires the active assistance of every employee and manager every day. Bayfield County is committed to the deterrence, detection and correction of misconduct and dishonesty. The discovery, reporting and documentation of fraudulent acts provides a sound foundation for the protection of innocent parties. Disciplinary action against offenders including recovery of assets, dismissal and where appropriate, referral to law enforcement agencies shall be the norm. POLICY STATEMENT Bayfield County has adopted a policy regarding fraud. Employees shall not misuse County assets for personal gain, or willfully misappropriate any Bayfield County asset. Evidence supporting fraud, theft or embezzlement of Bayfield County assets and equipment may be subject to suspension, termination, restitution and criminal charges. Any Bayfield County employee who is aware of fraud being committed against the County by anyone shall report such activity to their Department Head, the County Administrator’s Office or Sheriff’s Office. PROHIBITED ACTS Fraud is defined as intentional deception, misappropriation of resources or the manipulation of data to the advantage or disadvantage of a person or entity. Some examples of fraud include: • Authorizing or receiving compensation for goods not received or services not performed • Alteration or falsification of records • Theft or misappropriation of cash or fixed assets • Falsification of expenses and invoices • Failure to account for monies collected • Knowingly providing false information on job applications • Authorizing or receiving compensation for hours not worked • Embezzlement, bribery or conspiracy • Obtaining or giving of any county property without going through proper sale /purchase procedure. REPORTING OF FRAUD a. Employees shall read and understand this policy. Additionally, suspected or known fraudulent acts by employees shall be reported to their respective Department Head. If the employee has reason to believe that a Department Head may be involved, the employee shall notify the County Administrator or Sheriff’s Office directly. b. Supervisors shall a) communicate the provisions of this policy to all staff; b) take no action without consulting the Administrator; c) recommend appropriate disciplinary action when there is evidence of wrong-doing; and d) if suspension or termination is recommended, consult with the County Administrator’s Office. c. Department Heads shall communicate any suspected or known fraudulent act to the County Administrator or Sheriff’s Office. The Sheriff’s Office will notify the County Administrator of criminal incidents and keep the County Administrator abreast of the investigation. d. Participants in a fraud investigation shall keep the details and results of the investigation confidential. e. Employees reporting an act of fraud; or assisting, testifying or participating in a fraud investigation, acting in accordance with the requirement of this policy, shall not be subject to any adverse employment action unless it is determined the employee is culpable for such action and/or made an allegation knowing it was false. Examples of adverse employment action include, but are not limited to, discipline, suspension, threatening to discipline or suspend, coercion, acts of intimidation and firing. f. Complaints of Fraud should be in writing and can be anonymous. All fraud accusations, whether in writing and signed or not, shall be documented and shared with the County Administrator. g. Complaints of Fraud may be submitted to Lighthouse Services: i. Phone: 800-216-1288 ii. Fax: 215-689-3885 iii. Email: reports@lighhouse-services.com i.iv. On-Line Form: https://www.lighthouse- services.com/_StandardCustomURL/LHIReportingPage.asp FALSE ALLEGATIONS False allegations of suspected fraud with the intent to disrupt or cause harm to another may be subject to disciplinary action up to and including termination of employment. DETERRING FRAUD AND CORRUPTION The County has established internal controls, policies and procedures in an effort to deter, prevent and detect fraud and corruption. It is the responsibility of Department Heads and the County Administrator to ensure that adequate controls are in place at all times within their departments. All new full-time employees are subject to background investigations including a criminal background check(s). Periodic background checks, driver license checks, and licensing verification may be conducted throughout the duration of employment. Vendors, contractors, and suppliers may be subject to screening, including verification of the individual or company’s status as a debarred party. When necessary, contractual agreements with the County may contain a provision prohibiting fraudulent or corruptive acts and will include information about reporting fraud and corruption. County employees will periodically receive fraud and corruption awareness training. New employees will receive this policy as part of their training at orientation. Annually department heads will review internal fraud prevention policies and control mechanisms and make any required updates to internal controls. These discussions shall include: • Issuance of cash receipts in all situations • Tracking of petty cash • Tracking of all county bank accounts through the Treasurer’s office. • Separation of duties • Credit card procedures • Counter signing of checks, at least two signatures on all checks. • Mandatory vacations • Annual reporting of auditor findings to the county Executive Committee • Separation of cash and accounting records at all times. CORRECTIVE ACTION Determination regarding action against an employee, vendor, recipient or other person found to have committed fraud or corruption will be made by the County Administrator and Personnel Committee with notification to the appropriate law enforcement entity as required. Offenders at all levels of the County will be treated equally regardless of their position or years of service with the County. Determinations will be made based on a finding of facts in each case, actual or potential damage to the County, cooperation by the offender and legal requirements. Depending on the seriousness of the offense and the facts of each individual case, action against an employee can range from written reprimand to legal action-either civil or criminal in addition to termination. In all cases, involving monetary losses to the County, the County will pursue recovery of losses. PERSONNEL MANUAL REVIEW SECTION IV Employee Conduct, Performance Evaluation, Discipline and Separation From Employment Sections 4.1 Standards of Employee Conduct and 4.2 Performance Evaluation Comments : 4.1.1 C. Fobs\cards will be returned upon termination of employment maybe a $5.00 charge for each one not returned? Fobs\cards immediately will be reported missing if lost. $5.00\charge for tat as well? Would come from final paycheck. (To be added in the General Policies section of the manual, perhaps Section 11) 4.1.1.E. Need to find a work\life balance for personal phones. Many employees use personal phones for business and some use county cell phones for personal. There has been discussion in the past about employees paying a few bucks a month to use a county phone for personal use. Or vice versa. (Can be clarified in 2.12.2 (2) Telephone use policy) 4.1.4 Remote work that doesn’t require you work specific hours makes this a challenge. Some jobs just need to put in the time and time of day does not matter. This seems to be referring to work hours and possibly telecommuting. 1.) Attendance - does not include or refer to telecommuting. Recommend adding the telecommuting policy to Section V. Hours of Work, Breaks and Attendance. 2.) Conduct – may want to include traffic violations Added 3.) Records – should include inappropriate access to information not necessary for the employee to know in the scope of their employment is also a violation. Doesn’t matter is the information was disclosed (or the employer can prove that it was), accessing it is a violation. Added 4.) Code of Ethics – does not speak to discrimination, diversity (ethnic, racial, gender, etc.) or racial equity. Given the current political environment around this, would be a good addition. This is covered in the Equal Employment Opportunity Policy and Harassment, Discrimination and Retaliation Policy. 5.) Code of Ethics – does not speak to gifts of nominal value (e.g. door prizes), although I think employees have been advised at times they could retain them. If added should place a dollar amount on what is considered nominal, Added 6.) Deterring Fraud and Corruption – include after hire employees may be subject to subsequent intermittent background checks and/or driver’s license reviews Added 7.) I did not see any reference to drug or alcohol testing, there should be if employees are ever subject to them (This is in the Drug Free Workplace Policy Section 2.3) 1. We could update the Fraud Prevention section to identify Lighthouse Services and how to submit a concern. Added 2. Section 4.1.1.c. We could clarify the statement about county “keys” to include cards/fobs/codes. I would like to see a policy/procedure developed for the issuance of the electronic key Fobs/Cards. Who can authorize that a card/fob be activated for a specific door. This would also include a policy for issuance of temporary/guest access for contractors. The policy should include and process and any fees related to replacement of lost, damaged or not returned cards/fobs. A policy/procedure should also be issued for access to the courthouse security system. The purpose would be to have a process for authorizing someone to have access to the code, keep track of who has access to the code, and when the code should be changed, such as if a key employee with the code leaves employment. To be added in the General Policies Section of the Manual. 3. Section 4.1.2. Add an item that states that employees will provide documentation in a timely manner from a qualified medical practitioner when requested by the employer as it relates to sick leave or leave of absence situations. Added 4. Section 4.1.1.e Update the telephone reference to include county work done using personal telephones/cell phones. This would need to be worked on with the IT department from the standpoint of security and with input from Departments, particularly those that rely heavily on cell phones for field work. (Can be clarified in 2.12.2 (2) Telephone use policy) 5. Include a reference to the telecommuting policy and parameters of that policy. Recommend adding the telecommuting policy to Section V. Hours of Work, Breaks and Attendance. 6. Expand the statement “Not possess unauthorized weapons”. Maybe just state “Must comply with the Prohibited Weapons Policy” Added 7. Section 4.1.4.j Modify to not allow illegal gambling on County premises. This could address the situation where we have observed football pools, baby boards, lottery pools, etc… Added 8. Section 4.1.4.k Change the statement “Not engage in horseplay or scuffing” to something like “Not engage in physical activities on county property that are inconsistent with the employee’s regular job duties or county-sponsored activities that could result in injury to self or others.” Added Dear Personnel Committee Members, This proposal was recommended to move on to the Personnel Committee by the Sheriff’s Committee on 7/19/2021. The jail is a main component in the law enforcement system. We are currently battling staffing issues. We propose that two more full time jail staff positions be added to our current staff. Currently, we are having problems recruiting applicants and retaining those hired after the training process is completed. Since 2017, we have been underbudget regarding full time jailer wages. In 2017 and 2018, we were over budget in our part time jailer wages. In 2019, we finished the year on point with our part time wage budget after an amendment. In 2020, we finished the year underbudget. We attribute this to the COVID-19 pandemic and our inmate numbers being lower than normal. For this year, we are on track to go over our part time jailer wage budget. We are already over half of our budgeted amount with five and a half months left in the year. The jail operates with 3 eight hour shifts each day and an 8am-4pm power shift Monday through Friday. One person in the central control pod, and 2 jailers to work the floor. 28,360 hours annually are needed to fully staff the jail. This is roughly 14.54 full time 1950 hours positions. We currently have 14 full time positions. So even before considerations for earned benefit time, we currently require part-time jailers to fill 1,053 hours to maintain daily staffing the jail each year. We have 4 part-time positions in the jail but have not been able to consistently staff these positions over the last 7 years or so. Part time and full-time jailers also do many transports for warrant pick-ups in other counties, to the hospital, mental health facilities, and juvenile detention facilities. Jail staff will take 37 total weeks of Vacation time in 2022. This is equal to 1,480 hours. 14 full time jail staff will also have 154 total days of Holiday Comp. time 1,232 hours each year. Sick time coverage is also a consideration. Below is the total number of sick hours taken that required shifts to be filled. 2019 - 1,068 2020 - 409.5 2021- 564.75 Another thing we need to consider is the training cost when we are unable to retain jail staff. Jail staff need to complete 12 weeks of field training in the jail and 5 weeks of training at jail academy. We will spend $9,456 per jailer during field training. We will also spend $3, 940 per jailer to attend jail academy. This is a total training cost of $13, 396 per jailer. In the last three years, we have lost 8 jailers of whom we have trained and sent to jail academy. This is a total cost to the county of $107,168 in just training. This is an average loss of $35,722.67 per year for the last three years. We have lost an additional 8 employees in the last 3 years that we have not sent to jail academy. Retaining jailers is a huge struggle currently. We feel we can combat this trend with the addition of more full-time staff. Thank you for your consideration in this matter. Proposal for additional Patrol Deputy The Sheriff’s Office is requesting to add one additional deputy to its staffing. 13 Deputies are currently employed and assigned primarily to patrol. The Sheriff’s Office and the community would benefit from the addition of one more patrol Deputy being employed. In March 2021, Deputies began working a 24hr coverage schedule. The additional hours of coverage (3am-7am) have shown an increase in enforcement actions during the hours that were normally not patrolled in the years past. The results of the 24hr coverage have also shown a reduction in response time to violent crimes and reduced the amount of overtime in wages. 2020 Officer Initiated activity (Mar-Aug 3-7am) 10 incidents 2021 Officer Initiated activity (Mar-Aug 3-7am) 110 incidents Over the past year, the Sheriff’s Office has greatly increased its response to the Red Cliff community. This is because several Red Cliff Police Officers resigning, and the agency is unable to fill the vacancies. To provide adequate 24hr service for the entire county, 6 Deputies should be scheduled in a 24hr period. 3 per shift. This demand, based on the 1,950 contractual hours of work, shows 13.47 required personnel employed. This demand does not consider. -Paid time off = 1360Hrs -Average amount of Sick Leave taken and needing to be filled by OT = 348Hrs -24Hrs/Year/Deputy in Training hours = 312Hrs January-March 2021 AVG Response Time 30 minutes (Longest response 110 minutes) March-August 2021 AVG Response Time 18 minutes (Longest response 62minutes) 2020 O.T. Callouts March- August 254 Hours of O.T. 2021 O.T. Callouts March- August 81 Hours of O.T. *(NOT OFFICER INITIATED CALLS) * Total Calls of Service in the County Calls of Service to Redcliff 2020 5406 80 2021 (Jan-August) 3169 163 Due to the current staffing numbers, it is difficult to consistently provide adequate staffing on each shift. 13 deputies work two 12hr shifts each day to provide the 24hr coverage. The rotation of those employees results in most shifts only being staffed with 2 deputies. By adding one additional deputy, scheduling would better accommodate 3 deputies scheduled per shift. When 3 deputies are on shift, they are better able to respond to the needs of the county. Often, deputies respond to violent, complex disturbances. Particularly in the Red Cliff community, where the presence of substance abuse and violence increases during nighttime hours. For the safety of the employee and citizens, more than one deputy needs to respond to these types of calls. If a 3rd deputy is on shift, that deputy can respond quickly and efficiently to any other part of the county, while the other 2 continue to investigate the disturbance. The Sheriff’s Office is hopeful to add 1 additional patrol Deputy in 2022 to lessens the strain on current staffing and continues to improve its quicker response to the community. Land Conservation AIS / Shoreline Specialist Position The Bayfield County Land Conservation Office is requesting moving the current contract position to a full-time position with Bayfield County. The current position is currently .5-time Aquatic Invasive Species Tech and .5 time Shoreline Specialist. Funding is 50% grant and 50% county funded. The current positions is contracted through PREMIER GROUP. The Department has leveraged approximately $750,000 in grants for AIS and Shoreline restoration work. Three years ago, the county began funding 50% of the position due to State AIS grant cutbacks. Water quality continues to be a top priority of the Board and public as showing in the annual county budget survey. In 2022 State AIS Grant funds will be reduced from $30k in 2021 to $20k leaving a $10k shortfall. As a department, Land Conservation will receive $147,000 this year for our DATCP staffing grant in 2022, up $28,000. Request for Land Conservation Committee: Transition the position to .33 full time equivalent AIS and .66 fte Shoreline Specialist as a county employee. Additional Background: Multiple events over the past several years have impacted the workload in Land Conservation. These include: • Record high water levels on both inland lakes and Lake Superior. • Two extreme flood events causing millions of dollars in damage. • Continuing high levels of concerns with inland and Lake Superior water quality issues. • Increased frequency of extreme weather conditions and storm events. • Record number of mitigation requests in 2021. These issues have increased the workload of the department’s shoreline restoration / mitigation efforts. Weekly calls for both inland and Lake Superior erosion assistance have resulted in a backlog of project requests. Inland requests are provided technical assistance including site visits. The current shoreline Specialist Position makes visits weekly to project areas, zoning violation shoreline sites, mitigations, and follow up compliance checks. Compliance verification visits can go back multiple years. The workload is there now and will be for years to come, the budget impact is minimal, and there seems to be a lot of support from the board and the community for this work to become a permanent part of the department. July 29, 2021 Request: New Recreation Position and Re-Structure of Existing Positions Department: Forestry and Parks Start Date: Winter 2022 Summary of Need Background The Forestry and Parks Department continues to evolve. Over the past decade, a significant amount of growth has occurred within the Department. The management of all county owned parks and campgrounds was added in 2010; management of the state funded motorized trails program (snowmobile and ATV) was added in 2013; and various recreation focused properties were acquired, including Jolly/Pike’s Creek (in 2009/2010), Siskiwit Falls (in 2018), and Fire Hill (in 2019/2020). During this same time, numerous recreational enhancements and/or improvements were targeted on county forest lands as well, including: the construction and management of three rustic yurts (in 2015 and 2018); significant investments in the Lost Creek Falls hiking trail (ongoing); and the development of an improved lake access program (starting in 2019, which targets improving public accessibility to various lakes throughout the ownership). The Department also maintains use agreements with various groups, clubs and other non-profit organizations for the development and maintenance of recreational trails/opportunities on the county forest. To date, some of the more prominent agreements are with: the American Birkebeiner Ski Foundation, Chequamegon Area Mountain Bike Association (CAMBA), North End Ski Club, North Country Trail Association, Ashwabay Outdoor Education Foundation (in progress), the Bayfield Chamber (Apostle Islands Sled Dog Race) and various Townships (i.e. Town of Barnes for the Tomahawk Lake trail system). In addition to the use agreements, the Forestry and Parks Committee approves, on average, over 20 organized events per year, where a portion of the activity utilizes the county forest. A Recreation Forester position was created in 2013, primarily to help address the general workloads associated with managing the parks and motorized trail programs. But, since then, the rapid expansion of recreation and associated responsibilities has resulted in a rec program that is now significantly understaffed. Current Workloads Over the past 6 to 7 years, a substantial emphasis has been placed on developing additional recreational opportunities on county owned lands. Improvements to the Lost Creek Falls hiking trail, construction of the three rustic yurts, continued support of third parties on the development and/or expansion of trails/rec opportunities on county forest lands and the creation of an improved lake access program are good examples. New Rec Position – Forestry cont. 2 Since improvements were made to the Lost Creek Falls hiking trail (starting in 2015), recreational use of that location has increased significantly, from an average of roughly 2 users per day (pre-2015) to over 40 users per day in 2020! The total use at Lost Creek nearly topped 15,000 in 2020 (based on a trail counter at that location). General maintenance of this trail system has also increased dramatically. The yurts have been a tremendous success story and have lived up to the County’s tag line (exceeding expectations). They remain exceptionally popular and have received rave reviews. Occupancy rates of the three rustic yurts continues to average roughly 70% per year (the two Bayfield locations are generally 95-100% during the summer months). When considering all nights rented in 2020 and assuming roughly 3 to 4 people per yurt, per night, a total of nearly 2,200 people “yurted” on county forest lands last year. The Bayfield location could easily support at least one more yurt. However, this sustained amount of use requires a significant level of resources dedicated to upkeep and renter support. Collaboration and sustaining partnerships with the various organizations that maintain trails on county lands has also significantly increased over time. Third party requests for more trails and/or improvements to existing infrastructure are also at an all-time high. The Department regularly and routinely provides an assistance role in third party rec development and/or improvement projects that occur on county owned lands. The Department also regularly invests in the development and maintenance of the various trail networks, either through direct monetary contributions and/or with in kind labor and support. Maintaining these relationships are critical to the success and continued growth of the rec networks, but demand more and more time and resources every year. Below is a table that summarizes the resources (time) required to maintain a productive parks and rec program, per primary program/activity, as currently structured, on county owned lands: Table 1: Summary of Rec Related Workload Activity Total Time (hrs) Motorized Trails 840 Campgrounds & Day Use Parks 767 Recreational Properties 709 Yurts 654 Non-Motorized Trails 537 Access Management (County Forest Roads)496 Lake Access Projects 278 Forest Management/Rec Interface 176 Planning 136 Grants 134 Professional Development 94 Total Hours 4,822 FTE's Required 2.62 Current FTE's 1 FTE Need 1.62 New Rec Position – Forestry cont. 3 To arrive at the workload summaries listed above, a detailed analysis of each program was completed over the past year. As part of that analysis, all major activities/duties, required to accomplish the goals of each program, were identified. A time value was assigned to each activity, based, in part, on current experience or anticipated long-term need. In addition, value was given to future growth and development, as many of the rec properties that have been recently acquired are still only in the planning stages. The Forestry and Parks Department is structured as part of a 40 hour work week. After considering the average number of holidays, vacation days and sick leave, there is roughly 1,840 hours of available to time, per person, to address the various workloads. In summary, its estimated that nearly 3 full time employees are required to accomplish the goals of each rec program. Currently, there is 1 full time rec position, with much of the additional workloads being absorbed by a combination of the Administrator (when possible) and other staff members. However, every hour spent by another staff member on recreation related activities, pulls them away from other core responsibilities, and is not sustainable over the long term. Future Workloads Recreation and providing recreational opportunities has long been viewed as a priority for Bayfield County. Tourism/outdoor recreational activities is a major economic driver for this region. As recreational opportunities expand, so too does the need to manage and maintain them. In addition to accomplishing the major goals of our current recreational footprint, there is a tremendous amount of opportunity for growth. Hiring another full time person dedicated to managing/maintaining the existing activities/workloads will also be an investment in future rec related growth and development. Improvements/enhancements to existing rec properties, fleshing out other potential opportunities on county forest lands, collaborating with various partners on the development of interconnecting infrastructure and expanding use agreements with various third parties will help take the parks and rec programs to the next level. There is a tremendous amount of untapped potential for rec expansion in Bayfield County. And the public appetite for outdoor recreation related activities has never been stronger. An investment in outdoor recreation provides additional nature based opportunities for residents and non-residents alike. Proposal To address the current recreation based workload and prepare for future responsibilities, I’m proposing the following changes to the Forestry and Parks Department: 1. Add one new FTE. Recreation Specialist. Starting at the K1 or K2 Wage Schedule (or slightly higher, depending on qualifications). 2. Add Assistant Recreation Specialist to the Office Manager position. After restructuring the workloads and prioritizing responsibilities, the result would be a time allocation of roughly 85% - 90% Office Manager and 10% - 15% Assistant Rec Specialist (and is very close to the way the position is being managed now). Move the position from the I Wage Schedule to J (so, one step up). New Rec Position – Forestry cont. 4 3. Change the title of the current rec position (Recreation Forester) to Recreation Specialist, to better reflect duties (there is no longer a forest management component to this position). Update the position description to more accurately reflect current responsibilities. No other changes. These changes would result in 2 FTE’s dedicated to the recreation program (2 Recreation Specialists). And, in addition, up to roughly 0.15 of an existing position being formally assigned recreation related duties. These changes would address most of the increases in rec related responsibilities realized over the past 6+ years. The remaining work would continue to be absorbed by the Administrator and other staff members. Moreover, addressing the core workloads with dedicated professional staff will help free up resources to target other pressing needs, which will include planning and assessments for further program growth and development. Roughly 10 to 15% of the more generalized recreation workload would be addressed by the Assistant Rec Specialist. While the adjustments to the Office Manager position are intended to provide a general level of assistance in addressing the more basic rec related workloads, it is still a very important part of the process and critical to the success of the program. Economic Impacts As we are all aware, Tourism is a major economic driver for Bayfield County, as well as much of northern Wisconsin. Bayfield County’s wealth of natural resources and abundance of public lands provide an ideal medium for the development of diverse outdoor recreational opportunities. These recreational opportunities can, and do, create a substantial local and regional economic impact. For example, as part of a recent economic impact study commissioned by CAMBA, it was estimated that CAMBA users boosted the economies of Bayfield and Sawyer County by a total of nearly $8.0 million in 2019. A significant portion of the CAMBA trail networks exist on public lands, primarily Bayfield County Forest, Sawyer County Forest and the Chequamegon Nicolet National Forest. Without these public lands, dedicated recreational organizations, like CAMBA, and the small army of volunteers needed to make it all work, this opportunity does not exist. Combine the CAMBA trails with the 15,000 uses at Lost Creek Falls, 2,200 people staying overnight at the yurts, the cross country ski trails that are maintained by Ashwabay in the Bayfield Peninsula, as well as the North End Ski Club in Cable and Town of Barnes at Tomahawk Lake, the Apostle Islands Sled Dog Race, the thousands of people visiting Siskiwit Falls and the Jolly Trails, the hundreds of miles of snowmobile and ATV trails, the 20+ events that are approved on Bayfield County Forest lands every year, the hundreds of thousands of acres of public lands (more public land, by acreage, than any other county in this state) available for hunting, fishing, trapping, hiking, nature viewing, berry picking, fall color leaf rides, peace and quiet, fill in the blank, etc., and the economic impact of outdoor recreation in Bayfield County is, and can be even more, substantial. The above are examples of third parties establishing and maintaining recreational opportunities on public land, with approval and support of the landowner. Maintaining these relationships, as well as New Rec Position – Forestry cont. 5 fostering growth and development of similar partnerships have the potential to significantly impact local economies. A new position will help address the ever growing workloads associated with recreation, as well as put us in a better position to facilitate future growth. Alternatives The recreation program has been growing annually over the past decade. With growth comes a need to evolve, as well as a necessity to produce a regular and consistent assessment of future requirements. Various options have been considered to help address the growing and evolving workloads, including: a full time recreation coordinator, which would have consisted of a more significant planning/strategizing role and less boots on the ground; a recreational technician, which would have a stronger field emphasis and focused on more repair and maintenance type activities; one or two LTE’s and/or summer interns, which would have addressed the more pressing or immediate field related needs of the day, but have limited potential or capacity for growth. In the end, after an extensive analysis of existing workloads/needs and anticipated future growth and development, a Recreation Specialist was considered the highest priority. This professional level position combines the best of both worlds. The ability to accomplish the required field goals/tasks, the skillsets/foundation to address the plethora of technical issues that are so common throughout the program, and the ability to anticipate and address future challenges and opportunities for growth. Summary of Anticipated Accomplishments Table 1 listed above best describes the primary needs of the rec program, in terms of time/resources required to effectively accomplish various goals/tasks. Another full-time Recreation Specialist and adjustments to the Office Manager position will put this Department in a much better position to meet the goals and objectives of the rec program. The new position will also help the Department achieve goals in other programs as well, including forest management. For example, the Rec Specialist position would assist in the access management program, which primarily involves the regular inventory and maintenance of roughly 1,500 miles of county forest roads. With increases in recreation and recreational use of the county forest, there will be more of a need to address forest management related concerns, especially when and where the two activities interact. This position will help collaborate with and convey forest management related information to various rec user groups, as well as the general public, including the development of an informational and/or interpretive sign initiative or similar method of sharing relevant material. In addition, the rec specialists will consult with the foresters to ensure recreation related concerns/issues are being considered/incorporated as part of future forest management planning strategies and timber sale design. New Rec Position – Forestry cont. 6 Summary of Costs Estimated Cost (position – operating budget): ~ $80,000. Grade K. Assumes hiring at Step 1 or 2, with family health insurance plan. Estimated Costs (equipment – capital budget): ~ $76,000. This includes a new truck, snowmobile, UTV, trailer, desk, chair, field equipment and workstation (computer). Though the snowmobile, UTV and trailer would be shared with the forest management program. 2022 Budget Actions: a combination of increased stumpage returns and anticipated increases in other program revenues by a total of roughly $175,000; decreases in spending within other accounts when possible. 2022 Net Budgeted Cost to the County: $0.00. As currently written, which includes all of the proposed changes listed above, the draft 2022 budget would produce a net levy contribution of roughly $1.78 million, or an increase net contribution of approximately 3% when compared to the 2021 amended budget. Additional Notes on Costs The Department recently enrolled a significant portion of the county forest into a forest carbon offset program. As part of this program, the Department is expecting a significant new annual source of revenue. Likely, this new source of forest carbon revenue is expected to arrive starting in 4Q 2022. However, there is a chance that funding won’t arrive until early 2023. As a result, and primarily to be extra conservative, revenue from forest carbon will not be part of the 2022 budget. However, when revenue from forest carbon offsets does arrive, it is expected to average around $1.0+ million per year, annually, into the foreseeable future. The Department is also in the process of summarizing the forest carbon offset program, with an emphasis on anticipated revenue. The summary would also include a proposal to allocate a certain percentage of those revenues to address various program needs and anticipated future developments. Addressing the various components of the recreation program is expected to be one of the primary use requests of forest carbon revenue. Status Of Proposal The Forestry and Parks Committee preliminarily approved the development of the new recreation position during their June meeting. The Bayfield County Economic Development Corporation has also formally supported the development of a new rec position. The draft 2022 budget and details regarding the proposed staff changes, including the hiring of another Recreation Specialist and modifications to the Office Manager position, will be presented to and addressed by the Forestry and Parks Committee during the August 9, 2021 meeting. Human Resources Report / Kris Kavajecz July 2021 ACTIVITY MONTH YEAR-TO-DATE Retirements 0 13 Worker’s Comp Claims 3 14 Resignations 4 10 Terminations 0 1 Other 1 1 HIRES MONTH YEAR-TO-DATE Full-Time 0 13 Part-Time 0 4 Temporary/Seasonal 1 23 Interviews 8 96 Recruitment / New Hire Snapshot o Several positions were filled with start dates in June and July: ▪ McKenzie Tuura, Fair Assistant June 14 ▪ Dean Karr, Seasonal Highway Assistant June 1 ▪ Carlos Rosales, Seasonal Highway Assistant June 1 ▪ Sheree Collins, Seasonal Highway Assistant June 7 ▪ Carolyn Gurske, Clean Boats Clean Waters June 3 ▪ Haley Heller, Clean Boats Clean Waters June 3 ▪ Brynna Watters-Moffitt, Adult Protective Services Social Worker June 14 ▪ Alexander Westlund, PT Jailer June 19 ▪ Alexander Gedemer, Fairgrounds Caretaker, June 30 ▪ Anakin Lampson, Scanning Assistant July 6 (4 hrs per week) ▪ Jordan Miller increased from PT to FT Jailer ▪ Jennifer Poppe increased from PT to FT Jailer o Hayley Weyers will start Aug 4 as Youth Support and Services Coordinator o Alannah Belanger transfer from DHS to Criminal Justice. o Currently recruiting for: ▪ PT Jailers ▪ Youth Justice Social Worker ▪ Pre-Charge Diversion Case Manager/Jail Re-Entry Coordinator ▪ Treatment Court Case Manager ▪ PT Cook ▪ Behavioral Health Social Worker ▪ CCS Service Facilitator ▪ PT CCO ▪ Mechanic ▪ Human Services Clerks • Other Activities: • Minutes for Executive Committee meeting. • Worked through several Leave of Absence/FMLA situations. • Conducted eleven new-hire/benefit orientations. • Completed five exit interviews. • Participated in an unemployment appeal hearing. • Coordinated six whole life insurance benefit open enrollment meetings (virtually) • Facilitated two budget input refresher trainings • Assisted with Federal grant application and submittal • Met with Loss Control Specialist to review Bayfield County claims. • Assisted with coordination of the crowd participating in the Board of Adjustment hearing. • Participated in a Department Head meeting. Adopted Budget Amended Current Month YTD YTD Budget - YTD % Used/ Organization Budget Amendments Budget Transactions Encumbrances Transactions Transactions Rec'd Prior Year YTD Fund 100 - General EXPENSE Department 00 - General Fund .00 .00 .00 .00 .00 404.54 (404.54)+++187.05 Department 01 - County Board 46,128.00 .00 46,128.00 3,318.52 .00 23,893.88 22,234.12 52 18,002.34 Department 02 - Clerk of Courts 354,045.00 .00 354,045.00 27,532.85 .00 161,925.10 192,119.90 46 167,513.50 Department 04 - Criminal Justice 179,141.00 .00 179,141.00 10,143.80 .00 64,792.51 114,348.49 36 63,875.90 Department 06 - Coroner 14,393.00 .00 14,393.00 527.49 .00 4,429.81 9,963.19 31 6,321.73 Department 07 - Administrator 277,521.00 .00 277,521.00 23,019.17 .00 134,431.06 143,089.94 48 129,982.29 Department 08 - District Attorney 172,292.00 .00 172,292.00 13,005.91 .00 78,492.47 93,799.53 46 80,413.33 Department 09 - Child Support 226,248.00 .00 226,248.00 15,272.26 .00 89,071.46 137,176.54 39 106,553.28 Department 10 - County Clerk 379,336.00 .00 379,336.00 28,105.83 .00 165,500.59 213,835.41 44 175,454.27 Department 12 - Treasurer 157,880.00 .00 157,880.00 12,304.81 .00 74,123.91 83,756.09 47 68,146.34 Department 13 - Land Records 408,641.00 .00 408,641.00 34,672.81 .00 189,720.27 218,920.73 46 171,234.46 Department 14 - Court House 262,591.00 .00 262,591.00 19,962.40 .00 116,311.66 146,279.34 44 113,042.87 Department 15 - Register of Deeds 170,851.00 .00 170,851.00 9,887.16 .00 68,255.00 102,596.00 40 76,973.32 Department 17 - Sheriff 3,847,480.00 .00 3,847,480.00 279,830.45 .00 1,680,830.22 2,166,649.78 44 1,807,539.73 Department 18 - Emergency Management 118,987.00 .00 118,987.00 8,500.66 .00 73,493.32 45,493.68 62 70,726.45 Department 19 - Veteran's Services 96,741.00 .00 96,741.00 6,137.47 .00 41,008.30 55,732.70 42 61,834.87 Department 20 - Health 960,747.00 .00 960,747.00 60,748.21 .00 313,091.68 647,655.32 33 402,295.20 Department 22 - Fair .00 .00 .00 .00 .00 .00 .00 +++.00 Department 23 - Tourism 190,386.00 .00 190,386.00 14,294.19 .00 70,814.18 119,571.82 37 72,196.72 Department 25 - UW Extension 92,478.00 .00 92,478.00 7,801.92 .00 41,421.92 51,056.08 45 40,568.03 Department 26 - Zoning 386,350.00 .00 386,350.00 30,596.41 .00 176,691.11 209,658.89 46 178,212.92 Department 28 - Land Conservation 264,472.00 .00 264,472.00 27,191.65 .00 121,314.76 143,157.24 46 114,576.76 Department 29 - Land Use Planning .00 .00 .00 .00 .00 .00 .00 +++.00 Department 31 - Information Services 309,839.00 .00 309,839.00 24,089.16 .00 140,486.93 169,352.07 45 143,804.96 Department 34 - Forestry 935,716.00 .00 935,716.00 73,335.15 .00 414,208.07 521,507.93 44 424,699.19 EXPENSE TOTALS $9,852,263.00 $0.00 $9,852,263.00 $730,278.28 $0.00 $4,244,712.75 $5,607,550.25 43%$4,494,155.51 Fund 100 - General Totals EXPENSE TOTALS 9,852,263.00 .00 9,852,263.00 730,278.28 .00 4,244,712.75 5,607,550.25 43%4,494,155.51 Fund 100 - General Totals ($9,852,263.00)$0.00 ($9,852,263.00)($730,278.28)$0.00 ($4,244,712.75)($5,607,550.25)($4,494,155.51) Fund 235 - Human Services EXPENSE Department 00 - General Fund .00 .00 .00 326.66 .00 975.56 (975.56)+++891.47 Department 47 - Comprehensive Community Support .00 277,235.00 277,235.00 17,904.69 .00 109,747.03 167,487.97 40 .00 Department 48 - Community Support Program (CSP).00 .00 .00 .00 .00 .00 .00 +++.00 Department 51 - Regional Crisis Initiative 3,850.00 .00 3,850.00 .00 .00 .00 3,850.00 0 .00 Department 52 - AMSO 612,005.00 .00 612,005.00 45,683.16 .00 298,915.05 313,089.95 49 288,087.06 Department 53 - Family Services 990,500.00 (277,235.00)713,265.00 45,396.86 .00 260,892.17 452,372.83 37 340,464.07 Department 54 - Economic Support 390,909.00 .00 390,909.00 30,903.63 .00 186,920.76 203,988.24 48 191,508.92 Run by Paige Terry on 07/14/2021 02:10:45 PM Page 1 of 2 Personnel Financial Through June 30, 2021 Through 06/30/21 Prior Fiscal Year Activity Included Summary Listing Adopted Budget Amended Current Month YTD YTD Budget - YTD % Used/ Organization Budget Amendments Budget Transactions Encumbrances Transactions Transactions Rec'd Prior Year YTD Fund 235 - Human Services EXPENSE Department 55 - Aging and Disabilities 202,268.00 .00 202,268.00 20,501.06 .00 144,974.46 57,293.54 72 140,984.17 Department 56 - GWAAR 298,744.00 .00 298,744.00 21,537.49 .00 118,843.25 179,900.75 40 134,810.79 Department 58 - ADRC-Bayfield Co 108,508.00 .00 108,508.00 9,400.03 .00 48,488.36 60,019.64 45 48,196.51 Department 59 - ADRC-North 118,268.00 .00 118,268.00 9,290.36 .00 54,634.63 63,633.37 46 56,557.14 EXPENSE TOTALS $2,725,052.00 $0.00 $2,725,052.00 $200,943.94 $0.00 $1,224,391.27 $1,500,660.73 45%$1,201,500.13 Fund 235 - Human Services Totals EXPENSE TOTALS 2,725,052.00 .00 2,725,052.00 200,943.94 .00 1,224,391.27 1,500,660.73 45%1,201,500.13 Fund 235 - Human Services Totals ($2,725,052.00)$0.00 ($2,725,052.00)($200,943.94)$0.00 ($1,224,391.27)($1,500,660.73)($1,201,500.13) Fund 710 - Highway EXPENSE Department 71 - Highway Dept 2,258,443.00 .00 2,258,443.00 151,387.64 .00 1,048,305.93 1,210,137.07 46 1,093,491.36 EXPENSE TOTALS $2,258,443.00 $0.00 $2,258,443.00 $151,387.64 $0.00 $1,048,305.93 $1,210,137.07 46%$1,093,491.36 Fund 710 - Highway Totals EXPENSE TOTALS 2,258,443.00 .00 2,258,443.00 151,387.64 .00 1,048,305.93 1,210,137.07 46%1,093,491.36 Fund 710 - Highway Totals ($2,258,443.00)$0.00 ($2,258,443.00)($151,387.64)$0.00 ($1,048,305.93)($1,210,137.07)($1,093,491.36) Grand Totals EXPENSE TOTALS 14,835,758.00 .00 14,835,758.00 1,082,609.86 .00 6,517,409.95 8,318,348.05 44%6,789,147.00 Grand Totals ($14,835,758.00)$0.00 ($14,835,758.00)($1,082,609.86)$0.00 ($6,517,409.95)($8,318,348.05)($6,789,147.00) Run by Paige Terry on 07/14/2021 02:10:45 PM Page 2 of 2 Personnel Financial Through June 30, 2021 Through 06/30/21 Prior Fiscal Year Activity Included Summary Listing