Finance Committee

finance_committee_minutes_09-29-15_budget.pdf (23 KB)

Members present:      Tommy Lee Bychinski, Wally Czuprynko, Joan Fordham, Marty Krueger and Andrea Lombard

Others present:           David Armstrong, Judy Ashford, Brent Bailey, Kerry Beghin, Cindy Bodendein, Dan Brattset, Kevin Calkins, Brian Cunningham, Jim Daniels, Patrick Dederich, John Dietz, Jennifer Endres, Judge Evenson, Tom Fandry, Leo Grill, Greg Hahn, Lynn Horkan, Tom Kriegl, Janelle Krueger, Lewis Lange, Jessica Machovec, Sheriff Meister, Vicki Meister, Brentt Michalek, David Moore, Sue Nagelkirk, Rob Nurre, Yvonne Neumann, Steve Pate, Jeff Spencer, Donna Stehling, Peter Vedro, William Wenzel, Tracy White  and media

The meeting was called to order by Chairperson Bychinski at 8:30 AM.  Certification of open meeting compliance was given.  Motion to adopt the agenda by Fordham, second by Lombard.  Motion carried.   Motion by Czuprynko, second by Lombard to allow supervisors and public to comment for 3 minutes after functional group presentations.  Motion carried. 

Public Comment:  Rob Nurre spoke in support of the parks budget.

Discussion and consideration of the 2016 County Budget.

UW-Baraboo/Sauk County:  Armstrong noted the operating budget remains same for operation of facilities and maintenance.  The science building was funded in 2015.  Armstrong reviewed happenings at the campus including the Bachelor of Arts degrees.  Armstrong reviewed the delays in opening the new science facility.  Enrollment is slightly down this fall by 3%.  White commented the state budget cuts will be absorbed through consolidation/regionalization in administration. 

Libraries:  Ashford reviewed the library request and the statutory formula.  Library visits have increased and are providing expanded community programs.  Use and resources for English as a second language was discussed.  The continued rise in electronic formats was discussed. 

Arts, Humanities & Historic Preservation:  Ashford reviewed the requested budget with no levy changes.  She commented the grants vary widely across the county. 

Land Resources departments

Pate commented the departments common connection is land or land use in the county.  He reviewed the functional groups goals including sharing resources and customer service.    

Conservation Planning & Zoning (CPZ):  Michalek reviewed the budget request and highlights.  He reviewed the clean sweep and ag plastics programs and their funding.  The Committee discussed the impacts of holding only one clean sweep.  The county farm budget is adjusted for 2016 to reflect an increase in rental revenue.  The county cost share funding is reduced in the 2016 budget.  Cunningham highlighted the increase in levy and the sources.  Permit revenues are expected to continue to increase.  Operating costs were decreased in several areas.  Michalek commented the carryforward dollars are decreased and the 2016 budget represents a true cost to operate the department.  The outlay vehicle replacement was reviewed.  The Sauk County Development Corporation (SCDC) administrative support by CPZ staff will end with 2016.  Michalek commented the staff planner in CPZ is working on the Great Sauk State Trail partially funded through comprehensive plan carryforward and levy. 

Land Records Modernization (LRM):  Pate reviewed the GIS labor cost transferred from the MIS budget to the LRM budget.  This gives a better picture of the function in land records.   LRM are funds retained from recording documents in Register of Deeds.  Dollars are used to support the plan to modernize land records for government and public.  Pate commented the capital outlay should be increased by $45,000 to total $100,000, all funded through LRM fund balance.  Committee consensus to correct the outlay request and move it forward in the budget. 

Parks:  Matt Stieve reviewed the requested budget.  He noted the 2015 timber sales revenue.  He reviewed his new position request for a Program Specialist position while maintaining six limited term equivalent (LTE) positions.  He commented the budget also includes increased maintenance costs to improve and update the park infrastructure.  He shared a list of additional maintenance projects for park facilities that are not in the budget:  major repairs such as roofs, resurface parking lots, demolition of buildings, electrical/plumbing, roads, signage, picnic tables, improving trails, beach erosion, Man Mound viewing platform, expand camping sites.  Committee consensus was the infrastructure needs more care and maintenance.  He also commented dams need general maintenance.  Discussed camping reservations process and improvements.  Most park fees will increase in 2016.  The Committee discussed the benefits of infrastructure improvements and additional staff.  The use of the timber sales revenue for prioritized one time park maintenance was discussed.  Committee consensus the additional $13,000 maintenance budgeted to be funded through allocated timber sales fund balance for one time maintenance and infrastructure. 

Register of Deeds:  Bailey reviewed his 2016 budget request.  MIS costs are increased slightly for credit card processing ability online and receipt printer purchase.  Revenues are up for 2015 and are increased for the 2016 budget. 

Surveyor:  Dederich commented on his budget request with very minimal change. 

UW-Extension:  Nagelkirk reviewed the budget request and highlighted changes.  She noted currently the department is without an Ag Agent; however the budget includes increased dollars to attract a qualified new agent.  She noted the Committee is thoughtfully considering rehiring this position.  She commented on effects of the state budget cuts are still unknown.  Regionalization is a possibility.

The Committee reviewed items that could be taken out of fund balance.   Maximizing levy limits was discussed.  Employee appreciation and health and wellness were discussed.  Placemaking funding and the location of the budget line items was discussed. 

Recess at 12:05 until 1:00 PM.

Resumed at 1:00 PM

Bychinski reviewed the motion made in the morning to allow supervisors and public to comment for 3 minutes at the beginning and the end of today’s presentations. 

Public Comment:  None

Justice and Public Safety departments:

Vicki Meister reviewed the functional group’s mission, vision and goals. 

Child Support:  Fandry reviewed the budget noting the federal match remains the same at 66% and revenues remain steady.  A cooperative agreement has been added between the Clerk of Court and Child Support, gaining 66% federal reimbursement for the Clerk of Courts services related to IV-D cases.  Fandry noted caseloads have increased over 500 cases in the last five years. 

Circuit Courts:  (previously presented 9/08/15)

Clerk of Courts:  Vicki Meister reviewed goals and objectives for the department.  She noted there continues to be a decrease in case numbers which in turn affects revenues.  The department is the process of restructuring staff.

Coroner:  Hahn commented on his budget request and highlighted the expenses are difficult to forecast.  The budget maintains the expenses at the same level for 2016.

Court Commissioner / Family Court Counseling Service:  Grill noted current request does not differ from previous years; revenues are stable.  Programs will remain the same and the office will be part of the e-filing system.  Family cases have not decreased; fewer divorces, but more placement issues between never married parents. 

Criminal Justice Coordinating Council (CJCC):  J Krueger updated the Committee on budget request changes by her Committee.  The CJCC reduced the original request, contracting a dual diagnosis mental health drug/alcohol therapist as case manager for the drug court cases.  This contract would begin as a part time case manager moving towards a full time for 2017.  J Krueger reviewed the potential benefits of the drug court and cautioned they will not be immediate.  She reviewed programs currently in place:  court appearance notification system and community connections for resources to children in community whose parents are incarcerated.  Brattset commented on the treatment dollars in Human Services for use with the CJCC program.

District Attorney (DA)/ Victim Witness:  Calkins reviewed the budget request.  He noted that the felony caseload is up about 25% in 2015 in drug and drug related crimes.  However there has been a decrease in operating while intoxicated (OWI) cases.  Calkins commented on the timeline for cases moving through the courts. 

Drug Seizures:  Sheriff Meister reviewed the drug seizure funds and noted they can on only be used for drug related activities. 

Jail Assessment:  Sheriff Meister commented the jail assessment funds are down due to the decreased collections related to decreased citations. 

Register in Probate:  Daniels reviewed the 2016 budget and highlighted staffing changes and fluctuation of revenues.  Budgeted revenues are based on current trends and operating expenses were reduced in some areas. 

Sheriff Department:  Sheriff Meister commented request is a 2.2% increase including the additional requested two new patrol deputies and one vehicle.  He reviewed the need for adding the two additional patrol deputies.  He highlighted software updates.  Huber center revenues, expenses and employment were discussed.  The decrease in civil process was discussed.  The revenue for jail rental beds, volatility of number of rental beds and alternate incarceration programs were discussed.  The Committee and the Sheriff discussed adding revenue for four bed rentals, just over $75,000.  The Sheriff commented that this is a volatile revenue source and could disappear without warning.

Public Comment:  None

Motion by Czuprynko, second by Lombard to adjourn the meeting.  Motion carried. 

Respectfully submitted,  

Andrea Lombard

Finance Committee Secretary