HomeMy WebLinkAboutExecutive Committee - Minutes - 9/16/20241
Minutes of the
Bayfield County Executive Committee Meeting
2:00pm, September 16, 2024
Meeting was held Remotely through Microsoft Teams and in person in the Bayfield County
Board Room, Washburn, WI
Members Present: Dennis Pocernich, Jan Lee, Madelaine Rekemeyer, Fred Strand, Marty
Milanowski, Mary Dougherty
Others Present: Mark Abeles-Allison-County Administrator, Kristine Kavajecz-Human
Resources Director, Kim Mattson, Jake Benson-Highway Commissioner, Elizabeth Skulan-
Human Services Director, Steve Sandstrom, Sheriff Tony Williams, Charly Ray, Anthony Lang-
Great Divide Ambulance, Gail Reha-Bookkeeper, Larry Fickbohm, Meagan Quaderer-
Emergency Management Director, Jeff Olsen, Mary Motiff-Tourism Director, Jeff Bierhoff-
South Shore Ambulance Director, Joseph LeBoutin-Washburn Ambulance Service, Dana
Sechler-Strategic Management EMS Consultant, Anthony Lang-Great Divide Ambulance, Maria
Renz
Called to order at 2:00p.m. by Vice-Chairperson Strand
Public Comment: None Received
Discussion and Possible Regarding 2025 Budget:
a. Budget Changes Spreadsheet: This document used to track changes that have been
discussed throughout the budget meetings.
b. Budget Overview
c. Major Fund / Department Review
i. Highway: Projecting a 4% increase in expenditures for 2025. Will begin chip-
sealing program in 2025. County-wide bike and pedestrian plan grant is in the
works. Cable garage is completed, just needs parking area paving. 4 Plow
trucks included in budget. This would mean less trucks purchased in 2026.
$3.17 million in road improvement costs is budgeted. The board could do
short-term borrowing for the full amount, or use some fund balance to maintain
the traditional $2.67 million in short term borrowing.
ii. Human Service: $2.5 million expense increase. Two new staff persons that will
primarily be offset by program revenues. Levy will remain steady with no
increase over 2024. Plan is to implement an in-house mental health assessment
for Sheriff’s Office interactions. This is expected to reduce costs for
hospitalizations. $10.2 million in total expenses proposed with a $1.8 million
levy.
iii. Sheriff:
d. Emergency Communication Center (ECC): Joseph LeBoutin and Jeff Bierhoff.
Dana Sechler, consultant explained that if nothing is done, the issues with lack of
responders will continue to grow. Bierhoff reported that the South Shore service
2
has very few responders and supports an ALS service. Ashland Fire has expressed
interest in working collaboratively. There are some current EMTs that would be
interested in becoming BLS and/or ALS certified if financial support is available.
Statement from Great Divide that there will be times when they would also need to
access the county-wide ALS. The board was provided with a documenting
outlining the steps to implement a county-wide EMS system, which includes a
timeline. $400,000 of the EMS proposed budget has been paid through levy in the
past, but is proposed to be exempt from the levy lid in 2025 for Emergency
Medical Dispatch training.
e. County Wide Emergency Medical System: The 2-county dispatch budget is
proposed at $1.5 million. Some of the expenses were previously included in the
Sheriff or Emergency Management budgets. $400,000 is proposed as part of the
EMS Levy exemption and $240,000 of fund balance is being proposed to be used.
This is not recommended on an ongoing basis. The budget includes funding for 14
rather than 15 full-time positions and 4 rather than 5 part-time positions.
f. Capital Improvement Fund: $1.9 million budgeted. The committee reviewed the
list of items included in the budget proposal.
i. $270,000 Housing Initiative Support
ii. $90,000 Courtroom Technology Upgrades
iii. $2700 County Admin Tech for new staff
iv. $1500 County Clerk printer
v. $12,000 Treasurer scanning of records
vi. $198,650 various maintenance department projects/items
vii. $59,475 various Sheriff Office equipment
viii. $36,000 Emergency management equipment
ix. $20,500 Fairground improvements
x. $9,000 UW Extension kitchen and roof
xi. $27,225 Zoning Office expansions
xii. $303,396 Land Conservation projects (grant funded)
xiii. $98,500 IT licenses and equipment
xiv. $144,750 Forestry related equipment and improvements at parks/trails
xv. $94,700 Office renovation and equipment for new staff
xvi. $500,000 Northern Lights HVAC and Parking lot
Meeting adjourned at 4:00pm.
Respectfully submitted by Kristine Kavajecz