Finance Committee

Finance Committee Minutes 08-29-16 (143 KB)

FINANCE COMMITTEE MINUTES   

Room 213, West Square Building, Baraboo WI                                                                   Tuesday, August 29, 2016

Members present:         Tommy Lee Bychinski, Marty Krueger, Eric Peterson

Members excused:        Mike Flint, Kristin White Eagle

Others present:             Kerry Beghin, Renae Fry, Buddy Huffaker, Charlie Luthin, Matt Stieve

The meeting was called to order by Chair Bychinski at 8:30 AM.  Certification of open meeting compliance was given.  Motion by Peterson to adopt the agenda, second by Krueger.  Motion carried.

Public Comment

Buddy Huffaker from the Aldo Leopold Foundation discussed the Foundation’s interest in utilizing funds for crane and wild bird migration habitat.

Charlie Luthin from the Sauk Prairie Conservation Alliance and Wisconsin Society for Ornithology discussed use of funds for natural habitat.

Communications

Krueger received a message from Kristen White Eagle noting a last minute conflict preventing her from attending today.

Discussion of ATC environmental impact fee use proposals.

The Committee discussed staggering use of funds across multiple years, consultation with related County committees, and use the General Fund balance.  Those present did not support the idea of dividing the ATC funds and assigning the administration of those funds to other oversight committees.  They considered the philosophies of “legacy” projects and their ongoing benefit to the county.  The committee also shared their concerns that some of the projects involved the purchase of properties that may be removed from the property tax rolls and may impose a hardship on the communities in which the project is located.

Motion by Krueger, second by Peterson to remove the following projects from further consideration:  4. nutrition and physical activity coalition for $10,000, 8.  geology study for $36,700, and 12. technology for education for $2,500, as well as “park” for later consideration 1. the visitor center at the Sauk Prairie Recreation Area for $900,000.  With regard to the visitor center at SPRA, the project was deemed to be premature and that other projects may be ready for funding now. If funds remain once the projects for funding are determined, the committee members believed that the visitor center request could be reconsidered at that time.   The motion as to the other projects was based on the fact that these projects scored the lowest, did not offer a return on investment and did not advance the legacy philosophy.  Motion carried.

Motion by Peterson, second by Krueger to remove from further consideration 10. the Baraboo Hills Land Acquisition for $178,000.  This project also scored among the lowest.  Motion carried.

Motion by Krueger, second by Peterson to remove from further consideration 16. Crane and Power Line Collision Mitigation for $25,000.  The project is important, but there are other projects intending the support the crane population and this project scored one of the lowest.  Motion carried.

Motion by Krueger, second by Peterson to move forward to the related committees 3. First Phase of Baraboo River Corridor Plan for $250,000, 6. Prairie Restoration Project for $55,000, 9. Expanding Crane Roosting Habitat and Crane Tourism for $98,250, 11. Baraboo Hills Bio Diversity Project for $70,000, 15. Sandhill Crane Project for $100,000, 17. Ornithology Preserve Honey Creek Land Acquisition in Baraboo Hills for $50,000, and 18. Land Management on Badger Lands with a Focus on the Great Sauk Trail for $60,000.  Further, 2. the Community Building at White Mound County Park and 5. Solar Power Installations projects will be blended into a high performance building design and construction project (promoting energy efficiency, green technology and other high performance design features that may result in increased design costs and construction costs) for $225,412.  Motion carried.

Motion by Peterson to adjourn the meeting, second by Bychinski.  Motion carried.

Respectfully submitted,  

Tommy Lee Bychinski

Finance Committee Chair