BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE
MINUTES
Committee meeting was called to order by Chairman Emig at
Present: Commissioners Brock, Hoaglund, Brooks, Sikkema, Faber, Tiedt and Emig.
Also present: Sheriff Jim Crawford, Russ Wayne-Jail Administrator, Judge Scott Hill-Kennedy, Michelle Kuz-Animal Control Director, Ed Nettle-EMS Director, Susan VanderPol-County Coordinator and Karen Bluhm-County Clerk.
Motion by
Commissioner Brooks, support by Commissioner Sikkema to approve the agenda with
additions. Motion carried.
Employee Comment:
Karen Bluhm,
Susan VanderPol,
Motion by
Commissioner Sikkema, support by Commissioner Brooks to approve the minutes
from
Courtroom
Recording Equipment Purchase
Judge Scott Hill-Kennedy was present to review and summarize information provided to committee members relating to the purchasing of courtroom recording equipment. He reported demonstrations from the various vendors have been provided and they are recommending the FTR recording equipment. Judge also talked about the importance of the installation of the sound system needed to make the equipment work at its’ highest level. He recommended installation be done by Central Interconnect and explained his reasoning. It was noted that the County’s Technology Coordinator, Jon-Thomas Burgess, has looked at the proposals and looked by internet at prices for “like” equipment and found the pricing to be in line with the bid. Discussion was held on the 2008 budget only designating $6800 for this purchase and possible payment options. After some discussion it was decided to take the balance of the money from court contingencies.
Recommendation by
Commissioner Tiedt, support by Commissioner Faber to use $2700 from contingencies
for the purchase of FTR recording equipment with Central Interconnect, Inc.
doing the installation and microphones for a total price of $9,487.22. Recommendation carried.
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Committee Minutes
Sheriff Crawford spoke to the committee about the
maintenance contract with Tele Rad for the
Recommendation by
Commissioner Tiedt, support by Commissioner Sikkema to discontinue service with
Tele Rad on the South Tower in the county providing there is no existing
contract in place with them for this service.
Recommendation carried.
Copier Purchase
for Sheriff’s Department
Russ Wayne, Jail Administrator, was present to request a new copier for the department. The old copier has unexpectedly broken and the service provider has advised it is just worn out. Jon-Thomas Burgess, Technology Coordinator, has researched a couple possible options and obtained quotes for the department. The first option is a black and white copier at a cost of between $5,089 and $6,044 with a copy price of 1.6 cents per copy and the second option is a color copier for a cost of $7,994.78 with a copy price of 6.9 cents per color copy and .0095 for black and white copies. The second option would eliminate all the color printers, through networking, in the department (numbering approximately 10) and greatly reduce the cost of the cartridges for those printers. Discussion was held on where funding might come from with Russ indicating revenue from housing out-of-county prisoners is above projected budget amounts.
Recommendation by
Commissioner Tiedt, support by Commissioner Faber to purchase a Konica-Minolta
color copier from Albin in the amount of $7,994.78 with money coming from the
Housing of Inmates within the Sheriff’s Department budget. Recommendation carried.
County Road
Commission Presentation
Cliff Youngs, County Road Commission, was present along with
all Road Commissioners to request the committee members reconsider making the
Road Commission a 5 member board. He
shared information from
Mr. Youngs also talked about obtaining some of the revenues generated from the tickets issued by the Weigh Master program. The Sheriff’s Department has given them a vehicle for this position, along with a part-time officer to work as Weigh Master. Indirect costs were once again discussed and Mr. Youngs was advised as they begin the 2009 budget process they will consider
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his request. Mr. Youngs then shared information on his 2007 budget explaining the difference between revenues and expenditures. He talked about the higher cost of fuel as well as the decrease in state revenue for the programs. Mr. Youngs, along with the Road Commissioners present, asked for the Board’s support in asking the voters for 2 mills on this year’s ballot. Discussion was held regarding the request noting that 2 mills might put some units of government over the statutory limitation of mills that are allowed by law to be spread on a parcel of property. Discussion was held on the timing to put something on the August ballot and County Clerk, Karen Bluhm, advised the committee that any ballot proposal they want to place on the August ballot would need to be adopted by this body no later than their May 2008 Board meeting. Mr. Youngs was advised to start drawing up proposed ballot language and they will consider the proposal, but they would not be willing, at this late date, to proceed until the November 2008 ballot.
Maintenance
Updates
Lance Cornelius, Maintenance Supervisor, reported the
Lance then reported that they have been allowed to haul salt and sand from the County Road Commission’s supply over the past few years. Next year we shall need to pay for the salt at a rate of $42.00/ton, however the Road Commission will still store the salt for us. The Road Commission has already had to place their order for next year’s supply ordering 50 tons for us at a cost of $2100.
EMS Department
Update
Ed Nettle, EMS Director, updated committee members of
department statistics and vehicle maintenance.
He spoke about the annual inspection.
He noted he has officially moved into
Recommendation by
Commissioner Faber, support by Commissioner Hoaglund to allow the EMS Director
to drive the Supervisor’s vehicle and use the vehicle for
Ed then spoke to the committee about putting the Unit Coordinator positions back in place for the EMS Department. He explained some of the responsibilities of the position and how these positions would help with “chain of command”. It was noted that is allowed within the union contract and pays an additional $2000.00 per year.
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Recommendation by
Commissioner Brooks, support by Commissioner Hoaglund to approve the Unit
Coordinator positions in the EMS Department and the proposed job
description as amended for up to 3 positions within
the department. Recommendation carried.
Ed also spoke about vehicle maintenance and noted he
continues to look at options for a new ambulance; however he thinks it would be
best to wait until after the August election to see if the voters will renew the
Scrap Tire
Disposal Options
Dan Massy, Economic Developer, spoke to the committee
regarding a possible option for removal of the scrap tires at the
Spay/Neuter Fee
Assistance Program
Michelle Kuz, Animal Control Director, reported $17,000 currently sitting in the budget from deposits made at time of adoption for spay/neutering of these pets. This money remains unclaimed and the auditors are advising us to use them for other means. Michelle explained legally how the funds may be used. She suggested a spay/neuter fee assistance program be adopted and shared information in regards to such a program.
Recommendation by
Commissioner Faber, support by Commissioner Brock to approve the proposed
policy and procedures for a Spay/Neuter Fee Assistance program with funding to
come from the forfeited Spay/Neuter fees paid at the time of adoption of pets
from the department. Recommendation
carried.
Michelle also spoke regarding a grant application, through Emergency Management, she would like to try to obtain.
Brief discussion was held on some possible renovations at
the Animal Control Department, such as tile and painting. Susan VanderPol,
Animal Control
Vehicle Purchase
Susan VanderPol,
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Committee Minutes
in order to save on fuel costs was held along with the possibility of looking at a smaller model truck with an 8 foot box to handle the box needed by the Department. Commissioners asked
Michelle to make contact with the vendors submitting prices on a full size truck, and ask questions about miles per gallon on other vehicles and bring this back to their Thursday Board meeting.
911 Appointment
Two people have expressed interest in writing to be appointed to the vacancy for 911. They were Gloria Eisenga and Mark Gregory.
Recommendation
by Commissioner Brock, supported by Commissioner Brooks to appoint Mark Gregory
to the 911 Authority Board. Recommendation carried.
No budget amendments were reported.
VitalChek Update
Karen Bluhm,
MSU Staffing
A letter has been received from MSU Extension advising the FIRM Education position has been moved to another location. Two employees in our MSU Extension office have been working an extra ½ hour per day in conjunction with this position and these work hours will no longer be needed.
Recommendation by
Commissioner Tiedt, support by Commissioner Hoaglund to reduce clerical staff
hours in MSU back to 37 ½ hours per week effective
911 Resolution
Legislation has been introduced regarding the sunset
language of the present 911 funding for cell phones.
Recommendation by
Commissioner Tiedt, support by Commissioner Faber to approve the following
Resolution:
WHEREAS,
Representatives Espinoza, Rick Jones, Polidori, Gonzales, Spade, Brown, Stahl,
Condino,
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House Bill 5892,
which seeks to amend Public Act 32 of 1986 entitled
the “Emergency
Telephone Service
Enabling Act” by extending the sunset of the Act from
WHEREAS, House Bill
5892 was introduced in the
WHEREAS, the
Emergency Telephone Service Enabling Act, as amended by 2007 PA 164 and 2007 PA
165, provides Michigan counties with a stable and equitable funding source for
public safety communications directly related to the delivery of 9-1-1
services; and
WHEREAS, the stable
funding methodology contained in 2007 PA 164 and 2007 PA 165 was developed with
input from all telecommunication service providers, public safety
communications personnel, and legislators, and requires
no substantive changes other than the extension of the sunset; and
WHEREAS, the stable
funding provisions of 2007 PA 164 and 2007 PA 165 take effect July 1, 2008 and
sunset on February 29, 2009, limiting Michigan counties to only eight months of
revenue for critical public safety communication 9-1-1 projects and operations;
and
WHEREAS, an
eight-month cycle of legislation does not provide counties with sufficient time
for long-range planning and may jeopardize critical
WHEREAS, the
NOW THEREFORE BE IT
RESOLVED, that the
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED
that copies of this resolution be transmitted to Governor
Recommendation
carried.
Employee Comment: Commissioner Brooks, who also currently serves as the President of the Osceola County Fair Board, asked if the Board would be in favor of accepting the assets of the Fair Board should it ever be dissolved. Under their current 501(3)c tax status, such a designation must be made in their by-laws.
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Committee Minutes
Recommendation by
Commissioner Tiedt, support by Commissioner Hoaglund to allow the by laws of
the Osceola County Fair Board to state their assets shall be disbursed to
Osceola County, on behalf of the 4-H Youth Program, should the Fair Board ever
dissolve. Recommendation carried.
Public comment: None.
Motion by Commissioner Faber, support by Commissioner
Hoaglund to adjourn at
_____________________________ _______________________________
Karen J. Bluhm,