MINUTES OF THE INFORMAL MEETING OF THE JOHNSON COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS:
JANUARY 28, 2009
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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Mental Health/Disability Services (46)
General Basic Block Grants (20)
Chairperson Neuzil called the Johnson County Board of Supervisors to order in the Johnson County Administration Building at 1:02 p.m. Members present were: Pat Harney, Larry Meyers, Terrence Neuzil, Sally Stutsman, and Rod Sullivan.
MH/DS Director Kris Artley said the property tax relief dollars had an initial base of $2 million. MH/DS is to reduce the base amount for FY10 by 1.5%. She said during the current year the Board is getting a bump of $23,000. Since 1996 prior to the bump it has been consistent every year receiving the same amount. She said the initial base amount 98.5% will be received in FY 10. They were told that DHS was doing a .51% cut on the mental health growth. That cut brought into the County $2,887,700 and community services was also adjusted. In FY 08 the County had over $7 million from those three pots of money.
Artley said for this current year, FY09, the County will get $6,657,044 if the4% Medicaid reduction is implemented on March 4, 2009. In FY10 MH/DS will be down to $6,608,944 until the new cost report preparation is learned. They are switching from a monthly billing to a 15 minute increment for billing purposes. She said there will be a reduction, but she is not able to project it at this time. They will try to capture as many costs as possible when they do the cost report. She held some internal small group staff meetings and the first things she asked was if any of their clients are receiving less service they need. Artley said the response was no. She said the groups did take note that some local providers have had staffing shortages, which resulted in clients not receiving the service that was initially authorized. In particular children on waiver, who needed nursing services, found they are at a premium to access. She said the groups then discussed what services could be provided to clients at a lesser degree without placing them in jeopardy. Other offered suggestions were to create a specific percentage amount to cut for services. Artley said cutting services is problematic because it can’t be done across-the-board because for residential service. Cuts have to be very specific on the service.
Artley said groups also suggested having a form for providers to complete explaining the actual need for the SCL services creating more accountability in that department. Before allowing clients to apply for rent they recommend people come in with proof they have applied for Social Security disability and/or Medicaid. The reason they encouraged proof of application to other services before is because criteria is that people taking advantage of this program have to be accessing one other unit of service per month. Sometimes people are only applying for the service because they want their rent paid. She said MH/DS wants to make sure people have applied for every other avenue prior to authorizing any rent payments. Harney asked if people proved that through a copy of their application. Artley said yes and any time a person puts in an application a response of some sort will be received. Artley said the groups also talked at length about encouraging natural supports, which are things that would be done as families, friends, or neighborhoods to help each other instead of paying for a service. She said they also talked about internal cost savings.
Artley said, after crunching numbers at the 200% and 175% poverty level, she doesn’t think the County has any other choice than to go to the 150% poverty level. Of the 190 this would impact, 82 are receiving 100% Johnson County funded services. Artley said the other 118 receive some Johnson County funded services based on their management plan but they are either children, live in another county or receive waiver services. There would be 190 people impacted, but of that 190 only 82 would cease to have any funding. Neuzil said this would have the most impact on current residents receiving funding. Artley said at the 100% County funded service level yes, because 82 would cease to receive services of any finds. Stutsman clarified County funded services. She said people would still be able to continue services, but the County will no longer cover the cost. Artley said yes.
R. Sullivan said the Board has always tried to balance services to people with mental retardation and people with mental health issues. It is hard to do, because they aren’t equal in number, needs or costs. He asked if this specific change to a guideline dramatically affect one group over the other. Artley said it would impact a little over 31% of people with a diagnosis of mental illness, 42.28% of people with a diagnosis of chronic mental illness, 15.5% of people diagnosed with mental retardation and 11% of people with developmental disabilities. Stutsman asked how is eligibility determined. She asked if income or assets are considered.
Artley said the first step to determining eligibility is getting a proper diagnosis for the patient. The second step is to look at the income guidelines, which consider both earned and unearned income, and that is compared with the poverty level guidelines. Today Johnson County is at a 250% poverty level. Third is the resources. Patients have to pass all three thresholds in order to access County assistance. She said the 82 clients are receiving 100% County funded services. The average savings on annual cost per client would be just shy of $7,500. Stutsman asked, if this poverty level reduction was implemented, would it go into affect July 1, 2009? Artley said yes, because the County would need to notify people and give case managers time to help make plans. The groups discussed the need to implement the 150% poverty level as well as the increased use of the Day Hab waiver. She noted that MH/DS Planning Council Member Mike Townsend talked to the Board about getting the pre-voc program started. She said Townsend indicated an $80,000 savings. She did not know where Townsend got that figure, but because of the economy there was a concern that there would not be jobs for people after completing the pre-voc program. She said the $80,000 estimate was reduced.
Artley said all three groups encouraged the County go back to the $1,250 maximum for the Vocational and SCL maximum. MH/DS would have to stop funding the homeless outreach program, which is a $10,000 grant. Artley said she will renegotiate the contract for the judicial process. After doing a six month analysis, it appears Johnson County personnel only take up 32% of the legal system's time. They are paying full price right not, which is not to exceed $30,000 a year. The County needs to find a better way to pay for judicial services for MH/DS, because the County shouldn’t be paying for every case. She discovered that substance abuse cases were going through the judicial process and are being paid by MH/DS, but those cases should come from a different budget. Stutsman said it was good Artley checked, because that program should be monitored to make sure the department is not paying for services it shouldn’t be. Artley said this program is for the court commitment for the judicial referees. She said MH/DS are paying for the department's services and a lot more. She said there is a need to renegotiate the contract.
Artley said provider rates will be negotiated soon. She said the Community Services Legislative Review Committee will request that the State not approve every waiver rate that comes in because there is no consistency. She said there are about three requests in the past three months that have decreased the overall need for payment, but generally requests are sky high. Artley said a savings could be realized for psychiatry, if it was used for medication balance or med check. There is already a savings incurred due to the reduction of people who would no longer qualify for the service. Case managers are encouraged to find natural supports if they can. She said the budget will be monitored and when necessary the waiting list will be implemented.
Artley said after the State's adjustments for FY10 revenues amount to $13,995,948. Neuzil asked if that was the revenues. Artley said yes and that is where the budget needs to be. Neuzil said the usual range is about $14,114,000. Artley said in 2008 it was $14,472,000. Neuzil asked when the last time they were at $13,995,000, if it was 2007-2008. Artley said it was before that she doesn’t know how long it's been. Neuzil said the legislature is changing the rules. Stutsman asked if Artley's suggestions would bring the budget to that amount. Artley said she hopefully, the individual numbers haven't been crunched yet. Stutsman said there is no longer a choice and Artley agreed. Aertley said, when the numbers were done at a 200% poverty level, they were over that amount. Neuzil said her recommendation is to make these changes and submit them to the State. Artley said yes. Neuzil said the numbers Budget Coordinator Rich Claiborne needs are all the line items soon. Artley said the problem is that Johnson County has split out the various services between a regular payment, payments for the State, payment clients, and payments for the waivers. She said a service needs to be looked at three different ways to figure the appropriate amount. Artley said the 150% poverty level reduction is the recommendation at this time, until the State takes away more money. If the first half of this fiscal year was replicated for the second half, there would be a 1.2% fund balance with no growth. She said based on the events of the past six months, she expects continued growth.
Stutsman said there doesn’t seem to be much of a choice. Artley said she hasn’t been in the position of having to take these kinds of reductions. Harney said the sad thing is that people need the help and it is getting cut. Artley said for many years Johnson County has been extremely benevolent in the service package offered to citizens. R. Sullivan said he assumed that there are a couple positions not being filled. Artley said they are left out of the budget. She did leave two case managers in the budget. She said caseloads are very high and there is a need for case managers to take care of people. Stutsman said Medicaid reimbursement is received for case managers. She asked if the system ever cut Medicaid reimbursement, so the County wouldn’t get funding for case managers.
Artley said March 1, 2009, there will be a 4% reduction in the Medicaid rate. She said in the budget she projected a $19,500 loss due to the reduction. She said as of July 1, 2009, MH/DS is converting from a monthly billing to a unit rate of 15 minutes and she does not know how that change will affect the budget. Harney asked if that loss is included in this budget. Artley said for this year it is included as $19,500 and she doesn’t have a projected figure for next year, because she doesn't know what the rate is going to be.
Founder and Executive Director of Life Skills Incorporated Gillian Fox said the providers have met and have made recommendations. Fox reiterated that SCL and Vocational Services were reduced when they were reduced to the max of $1,350 a month on the previous services management plan. Services were cut drastically from what current provider contracts were down to this $1,350 cap. She cautioned taking more service away from individuals who have already been cut. She encouraged the Board to consider the implementation of a waiting list for services sooner rather than later. So that people could continue to be kept in their homes as opposed to the hospital. She had questions about the provider accountability form for vocational and supported community living. Cox said contract referrals come from the department of MH/DS to providers. Eligibility is not determined by the provider but by the department. She asked what more accountability is expected from providers in terms of evaluating services provided. Cox said providers are providing the services they are contracted to provide as determine needed by MH/DS case managers. She has questions about additional accountability. Providers are required to be accountable to the State, MH/DS for contract negotiations, and to Medicaid who caps rates and do not reimburse at cost. She said providers have a very high level of accountability. She cautioned against making more administrative costs for providers in order to cut the MH/DS budget.
Cox said from a provider perspective this 150% poverty level reduction is a very discouraging budget recommendation. She encouraged the Board of Supervisors to look at the work done by the providers and the recommendations made. R. Sullivan agreed with Cox partially because having anybody do an additional form is a bad call. Each person has their own team and his or her own team will have to take this extremely seriously. Cox added providers of services are accountable to the individuals who need services in Johnson County and the people with disabilities. Cox said from a provider's perspective and a Johnson County MH/DS planning perspective it would be unethical and unprofessional to recommend more services that an individual needs thus making them more dependant on the system. If providers can encourage individuals to use their natural supports and save the County money, it will be done because it is the right thing to do. She said providers do not make the recommendation for number of hours a person receives. She said the recommendation is received by providers in a notice of decision or a contract. It is already within the $1,350 cap, which is already far less then what people were receiving under the previous services management plans.
Cox encouraged a wait list because a lot has been taken away and they need to continue to be viable providers. Continuing to cut reimbursements, increasing accountability or taxing staff more is not going to help. Only so much can be done with the cuts that have ready gone through in order to stay in business and make payroll. Stutsman said she agrees with the wait list. She is bothered about adding additional people and not serving anybody well. It doesn’t make sense to add people when they can barely address the needs of those who are already in the system. It is easier not to give in the first place versus to take a way when people are already receiving those services.
Artley wanted to clarify that they have providers in the room today, but they are not the only providers MH/DS works with and that is how the accountability issue arose. MH/DS has to pay for people for whom they are fiscally responsible and who live in a different county based on that county's management plan. It is because of not being close to the patient's providers, they have accountability issues. It is not the local providers the MH/DS is having issues with. They can take the position of starting a waiting list sooner rather than later. Stutsman said the judicial referees were a court responsibility and the Board felt it was in the County's best interest to take that over. She asked Artley if she still agreed or if the County should do away with it altogether. Artley said there isn’t a charge for magistrates or district court judges. Harney said except when the court was cutting that and it was picked up because it saved jail days. Artley said that could be, but she wasn't in the County then. Stutsman said she thought it was that way in every county. Artley said for numerous years she used a magistrate and she did have a mental health referee until that law went into effect. Stutsman said the Court was not going to pay, leaving people to wait for a week to get serviced. R. Sullivan said they would have to wait until Tuesday at a hospitalization cost. Stutsman that is an example of something the Courts had done and decided not to do anymore.
Artley said after analyzing the number of people who go through that commitment process only 32% are Johnson County's responsibility and yet the County is paying for the whole. Harney asked if two staff should be added if they are cutting services. Artley said she budgeted for two case managers but they will not add staff until such times are there is a workload for them. MH/DS is making as many internal efficiencies as possible to help the present case managers carry higher caseloads. When MH/DS asks for another person it would be because the Department would get a reimbursement from Medicaid at a reduced rate. Stutsman asked if having a waiting list would help moderate the new cases and new staff. Artley responded that what will help is telling the other counties that keep sending clients Johnson County will not take them anymore. Stutsman said that is not included in the list. Artley said that would be an internal decision. She said the department has not made that decision yet, but are close because it is not a reciprocal two way agreement.
R. Sullivan said the things that Artley is purposing would start on July 1, 2009, for FY10. Artley said yes. R. Sullivan said there was talk about starting things sooner than that and asked if there was a need to do that for the current fiscal year. Artley said based on the first six months, if it is duplicated that the budget will barely be over. If the growth continues the waiting list will start sooner. R. Sullivan said there is no reason to think growth wouldn't continue. Artley said MH/DS had a tremendous number of people go through the MHI in late fall and that hit the Department hard financially. R. Sullivan said since the FY10 budget is built upon the assumption that costly people will not be added in the last few months of FY09. Artley said they may have to start this sooner. Sullivan wonders if they should take steps to get this on an agenda. Artley said after February 5, 2009, she will have the stats for January and will be able to compare them. R. Sullivan said maybe they need to do it March 1, 2009. Stutsman said there are not a lot of choices besides almost completely reworking the County's service management plan.
Artley said that all these items presented can be done. Stutsman said it sounds like there aren’t many other alternatives. Artley said MH/DS analyzed the percent of the budget that was spent on people on any type of Medicaid reimbursed waiver at which MH/DS pays non-federal share of 38%. In January it was 47% of the budget and 100% County funded services were 40% of the budget. There is more on the waiver than at the 100% county funded level. Harney asked if the other counties reimbursed Johnson County for the services they provide for residents of those counties. Artley said if a person moves to Johnson County and they have a case manager, the case is moved to the county of residence. Artley said the Johnson County gets a reimbursement through Medicaid for handling the case, but other counties tend to be sending the most challenging clients. In turn, when Johnson County offers clients to other counties who have moved there, the response is no, because there is not enough staff to handle other cases. The County used to take whoever was here because of the convenience for the consumer.
Executive Director of the Community Mental Health Center for Mid-Eastern Iowa Stephen Trefz said, if all of these recommendations go through, they will be looking at staff lay-offs, specifically psychiatrists and the Department won’t be able to provide psychiatric service in a timely fashion. Trefz said one of the issues with getting people out of the hospital to save money, they have to see a psychiatrist. The Community Mental Health Center won’t be able to provide that service any longer if psychiatrists are not available. The psychiatric staff has already experienced challenges with the formulary that has been put in to place to save $500,000, which is reflected in this budget. A lot of the savings and costs are going to come from the Community Mental Health Center. The County has worked very diligently over the past three years to support psychiatry and establish a psychiatric system where people can be seen in a week to three weeks. If that psychiatric staff is not available the County will return to the system in which it took six months to see a psychiatrist. Trefz said the Board has a difficult decision due to the lack of money. The consequence everyone is concerned about is the effect on the people served. Staff would no longer be employed at providers that have provided those services. They are concerned about the individual and the effect the cuts will have on the provider, on payrolls and on the ability to provide services. Stutsman asked Trefz if he had any other thoughts on other places that could be cut. Trefz said when decisions are made, unintended consequences have long lasting effects. He said federal funds allow for the homeless outreach program and there will be more homeless without that program.
Trefz clarified that the staff is not going to be working at providers. He said as Cox has mentioned the staff providers have is already working to the max. He understood for the accountability form any Johnson County providers would be waived. Looking at psychiatry services, providers are the motor that provides the medical service to these people. R. Sullivan said there is no doubt in his mind that the Board wouldn’t allow this to happen if they had any ability through State law to do anything different. He said the State legislature is in session right now they could fix this easily but refuse to. People should be outraged, but they should be outraged not in Johnson County but in Des Moines.
Harney said the legislators need to hear from the providers, as well as the Board of Supervisors. R. Sullivan said the issue is less the people that who in Johnson County and more the people who live in other places in the State, but the message still needs to be propagated. Stutsman said the Board can't raise the levy, because it is capped. The legislature could allow the County to tax additionally for mental health services. Neuzil said in 1996 the State set a cap on the amount of money the County is allowed to draw from out of the Mental Health and Developmental Services line item in taxes. The State of Iowa stated in that particular levy said counties cannot increase beyond what that level was in 1996.
Claiborne said the levy keeps dropping as the population increases. Stutsman said what the State said they were going to put into this system to help with the costs has never been fully funded. Cox said that is what the waiting list will tell the State. She said it will be a waiting list with Johnson County Department as opposed to providers having wait lists. The waiting list is saying to the public and to the State that no more people can be helped in Johnson County. This is happening all over the country. Harney said the County is going to pay it, whether it is more in the justice system.
Livable Community for Successful Aging Policy Board member Bob Welsh said it is his understanding is that the State set a cap on the amount of dollars. Some people think the simple thing would be to set the cap on the percentage. If they would do that then the problem would not exist. The County would not be asking to do a larger share for this body of services than before. The cap is on the dollar amount and not the percentage of taxation and that is what needs to be changed.
R. Sullivan asked if the Red Cross is listed. Claiborne said the Red Cross is a continuing expense of $500 that has been done for numerous years. Neuzil said the Board gave direction to take it out of the General Basic Block Grant Fund. R. Sullivan said the East Iowa Tourism Association has a zero amount in the budget. This was a bill the County had difficulty getting paid. He didn't recall the exact amount, but it was in the $500 range. Neuzil said for this line item, what is spent in FY09 will be included in FY10. R. Sullivan asked what the Community Foundation of Johnson County is. Harney said that was a one time gift for flood relief that was channeled through them. M. Sullivan said that was in June. R. Sullivan said this is the business one done for the Chamber. Neuzil told Claiborne to take $30,000 out of FY10.
Claiborne said he was told that was a grant the County should budget for because of a match. Neuzil asked Claiborne to take it out of the budget. R. Sullivan said the Red Cross would be out and to add to the Eastern Iowa Tourism Association. Neuzil said under Sand Lake Park Iowa City Grant participation would not be $20,000 but $5,000 budgeted for a four year period. Harney said it is $5,000 a year for four years. He said this amount needs to be tracked somewhere in the budget to show the final $20,000 amount, because it only shows as a $5,000 line item. Neuzil said it hasn’t passed yet. He said the Shelter House Capital Campaign was eliminated from the budget. He said the Food Alliance was eliminated. He said the Board kept the $5,000 Rural Economic Development.
Social Services Coordinator Amy Correia said there is $25,000 budgeted for FY09 for the resource broker and aging specialist. Neuzil asked if a budget amendment for 2009 is anticipated. Correia said the expectation is that Social Services will not expend 100% of the $25,000. She said she does not have a figure on the amount anticipated. Neuzil asked what FY 10 has been adjusted at. Correia said it is a $6,500 adjustment.. Stutsman clarified that adjustment is to keep the web presence. Correia said that adjustment is to keep the website updated and operational as well as the potential for other small investments in things like printing of brochures. She said the aging specialist position is empty and there are no plans to fill that position because of the lack of sustainable funding. Correia said the initial funding in FY 08 was a two year match of the Heritage Area Agency on Aging grant. Her understanding was ongoing support would be at the $25,000 level. Neuzil said the only thing that needs to be adjusted is the $20,000 FY 10 change because it doesn’t equal the same. Neuzil said it is now $18,500 rather than $20,000.
Claiborne said the State form for publication is due in less than two weeks, so he needs the numbers for MH/DS immediately. Stutsman said in Artley's defense the budget kept changing. Neuzil agreed with Stutsman. Welsh said the Policy Board met on January 13, 2009. At that time, no one knew there was anything on the table other than the continuation of the $25,000. When the budget for FY 10 was projected in that budget was a carryover of $25,000. He first heard that there was a recommendation for less than $25,000 at the officers meeting on January 16, 2009. The next regularly scheduled Policy Board meeting is February 10, 2009, because the application to Heritage Area Agency on Aging needs to be made by 12:00 p.m. February 12, 2009. The board has arranged to have the meeting moved up to February 4, 2009 to discuss the budget. At that time recommendations will be given to the Board of Supervisors as well as Correia. Welsh said three of the officers met and discussed a budget that would require more than the $6,500 at the present time but less than the $25,000. He said the Policy Board on January 13, 2009, made a wise decision to ask Elder Services to house and service the whole community initiative. At the same time he wants to make sure the Policy Board should not ask Elder Services to do something without providing funding. He said Heritage Area Agency on Aging director Liz Selk will be at the meeting on February 4, 2009. Stutsman said Claiborne needs numbers today and the Board cannot wait till February 4, 2009. Neuzil said the next budget meeting is on February 6, 2009 and at that time all the numbers need to be in.
Neuzil said once they start looking at budget impact and tax impact there is still the option to move some things around. He said that meeting would give the Policy Board to give the Board of Supervisors a recommendation. There is a little flexibility, not all of the dollars have been spent in the existing current budget and there could be some room there. Welsh said there would be more that there. He said there are three pots of money and the one used first is money from the State. He said for FY 09 the State money is $23,000. In December only $9,000 of that had been billed. He feels that MH/DS will need a very small portion of the $25,000. Welsh said he and Secretary of the Livable Community for Successful Aging Policy Board Eve Casserly talked with R. Sullivan and gave him a budget that they had talked to Elder Services Director Mary Wiemann about.
Welsh said R. Sullivan felt the Board was overestimating the amount of time needed in relation to the website. He knows the Board has the final say and he hopes that the Policy Board can have some input, because they have not discussed this and it came as a shock to him. Neuzil asked if out of the three pots of money, State, Heritage Area Agency on Aging, and Johnson County, if Heritage Area Agency on Aging was done for FY10. Welsh said the Policy Board needs to submit an RFP by 12:00 p.m. February 12, 2009. There is no 100% assurance the RFPs will be funded. He said Heritage Area Agency on Aging is talking about flat funding.
Welsh said the budget he and Casserly discussed with R. Sullivan has not only a decrease in what is asked from the County but also a decrease in what is asked from Heritage Area Agency on Aging. Welsh said Selk is committed to this budget process and sees it as a partnership with Johnson County. He said Selk is supportive of the shift that has been made in looking to Elder Services. Neuzil recommended that Welsh have something to give the Board by February 6, 2009, when final adjustments are made. Welsh said he will have a recommendation from the Policy Board to M. Sullivan by early morning February 5, 2009. Neuzil said at this point the Board is taking the number recommendation of the Social Services Director Amy Correia. Welsh said Correia is also on the Policy Board. Casserly said the Policy Board can’t expect to get funding from Heritage Area Agency on Aging in excess of what is received from the County because Heritage serves a seven county area.
R. Sullivan said Heritage views funding as a match. Casserly reviewed the large number of hours volunteered. Three years ago she asked the Board for $500 for an activities director and that paid for 1,000 copies, AARP Iowa came up with money for another 1,000 copies. She said there is a demand for more copies from various places. She said the website will be updated, which is an ongoing benefit of the Board’s support.
M. Sullivan said there where ten decision packages on January 21, 2009. Ambulance had asked for two full-time paramedics and that was not approved. Ambulance also asked for an increase in part time paramedic hours. It was a .4 FTE increase that was also not approved. The County Attorney's Office wanted a legal assistant plus the technology aspects that go with the position and that was not approved. The Auditor asked for an Accounting Clerk II plus the technology and that was not approved. Public Health asked for a Clerk II position plus the technology and that was not approved. The Sheriff asked for two patrol deputies and that was not approved. Sheriff asked for $25,000 set aside per year for four years for a shooting range and that was approved for FY10. The remodel of the dispatch center was also approved for FY10. Claiborne asked if the remodel would be bonded. M. Sullivan said yes. Stutsman said the remodel is of the old Sheriff's dispatch center space. She said she does not want people to think the Board is pouring more money into the new Communication Center. M. Sullivan said the existing dispatch center is going to be remolded when it is vacated. The Medical Examiner asked for an administrative assistant position that was tentatively approved.
M. Sullivan said he met with Medical Examiner Administrator Mike Hensch to talk to him about some alternatives. M. Sullivan said Hensch would be willing to look at alternatives, but he didn’t think the initial alternatives discussed by the Board were going to work. M. Sullivan said Hensch can come back to the Board, but he is planning on the position being tentatively approved. M. Sullivan said if the Board doesn’t approve the position he told Hensch that if the position is dropped by the University under the direction of the new emergency room director, then he can look into amending that position into the budget for FY10. Stutsman said she isn’t surprised by Hensch's reaction and she is not ready to fund the position without looking at some alternatives. R. Sullivan agreed with Stutsman. Harney said he thinks the position needs to stay in the budget because the University is going to drop it. He said the Board has to be prepared to do something with it if there is not an alternative. Meyers said he thinks they need to keep it in because Hensch is over worked. It is a seven day per week job now and the Board isn’t asking any other departments carry that workload. Stutsman said the Board was looking at alternatives for billing things. Instead of hiring a new person is there someone already on board that has down time to do billing. Meyers said he talked to Hensch about it and there is a bit of a learning curve involved in the medical examiners work. There is a certain language involved and different types of forms. It sounds like it would become an issue quickly and may not be an efficient way to use somebody. Meyers said Hensch said he would discuss alternatives.
Stutsman liked M. Sullivan's idea of seeing how it goes without the position and then amend it into the budget without approving another position. She said the Board had said no more new positions. Neuzil said this is a unique situation because the County is already paying for a part-time individual from the University of Iowa. If the position is eliminated by the University, which seems to be the case, then the Board has to find a way to make it work. He thinks given the workload of the medical examiners and the current increasing trend, Hensch has proven that his department is going to expand. It also means that additional expenditures coming out of that budget will then be reverted and be put back. Neuzil said he thinks it is worthy of keeping it in the budget until Friday February 6, 2009. He said there are three members that want to keep it in the budget.
M. Sullivan said for Elections, the Auditor asked for precinct election officials and those were not approved. M. Sullivan said there was a Central Services request for an increase in the amount paid Township Clerks and Trustees, who do not have very many meetings, but it has been years since the rate has been raised. He said the new rate was approved for a total of $2,000 for the Township Clerks and Trustees. R. Sullivan he talked to Deputy Auditor Mark Kistler, who has yet to respond about this expenditure. R. Sullivan thought it should be a Rural Fund expenditure, but it is coming out of the General Fund. He asked if they could talk to Deputy Auditor Mark Kistler about this again. Stutsman said it is only $2,000. R. Sullivan said it is a $2,000 increase and would be an $8,000 expenditure. M. Sullivan said the line item is in Central Services and that is why it's spent from the General Basic fund. Neuzil said they need to double check.
M. Sullivan said Emergency Management asked to set aside $65,000 towards the replacement of the Rescue 52 truck that is in dire need of replacement. That would be about half of what the total cost of replacement would be and the Board decided to approve that. Like other capital replacement schedule with vehicles in other departments. Rather than look at one big expense next year. Neuzil said nothing is approved; it is just alive. M. Sullivan said these numbers are what they can plug into the budget. He said after February 11, 2009, the budget can only be reduced. M. Sullivan said SEATS Director Tom Brase asked for a training/maintenance coordinator to help save on repairs and services. The Board did not approve that.
M. Sullivan said last week after the meeting he contacted all the department heads and elected officials about the Board's decision on the decision packages. Brase has some more information to share with the Board about this position. Brase said the only reason that he comes back to the Board is because this is a position he feels is going to save money and not cost money. When he made the budget, he was very conservative and cut way back on the cost of maintenance because he thought the position would be filled. This may be amended because of the cost. There is $75 out of house cost per hours that is paid. This position with benefits is $26.34 an hour which is a savings of $48.66 each time the person is in the house.
Brase said a mechanic would only have to put in 800 hours to compare to what was paid in FY08. It would be 730 hours and it pays for itself at $75 an hour. Brase said SEATS has maintenance that is way behind. He held a staff meeting last night and the employees were bothered because they get so far behind on repairs. The pick up the vehicles and see a bill for $150 to work on something like trim. He said SEATS employees don’t think it is appropriate to spend more than needed. He said they could be saving money with a mechanic and get a lot more accomplished. R. Sullivan said the cost of the position is $49,000 and the total saving on repair fees of $28,000. Brase said that is compared to FY08. For FY10 with the same cost there would be $32,000 savings, using the FY10 rate.
R. Sullivan said when it says save on repair fees he actually meant the overall cost savings would be $28,000. Neuzil said that is different because he read it the same way which was this costs $48,000, but they save $26,000. After everything they still save an additional $26,000. Brase said this is the spreadsheet he got from First Deputy Auditor Chris Edwards. R. Sullivan said it doesn’t really say that. Brase apologized. On top of this $100,000 in grant funding for equipment was received and SEATS matched for $23,000. He said there is equipment in the garage that is not going to be utilized. Neuzil asked him to clarify what equipment. Brase said SEATS has a vehicle lift for oil changes that is not used. He said SEATS is changed $75 an hour for an oil change at a major shop. Through the grant they got the lift and other equipment that do oil and tire changes. Brase said SEATS will not completely exclude the shops because there are tools for some repairs that they don't have. Minor things like brake repairs and replacements, oil changes, light bulb changes add up quickly.
Harney asked if benefits were included when Brase calculated the wages. Brase said yes. He said the $49,000 is single and $54,000 would be if it was a family. Stutsman asked if there were three votes to put this in. R. Sullivan said he likes it better than the Medical Examiner position. Stutsman said agreed. M. Sullivan said after he talked to Brase he thought this was information the Board did not have or discuss. He thought Brase should have been given the opportunity to tell the Board about what kind of savings it really is going to be. Harney asked if the mechanic would provide their own tools or would SEATS have to buy tools. Brase said they would provide their own tools, but SEATS has plenty of tools purchased through the years. Harney said they would work in SEATS garage, not to be shared with Secondary Roads. Brase said no, because of federal regulations.
Neuzil said there is direction to add that position back in and Brase won’t have to readjust expenses. He asked Claiborne if he needed any other direction from the Board and if it is reasonable for everything to be in by February 6, 2009. Claiborne said he will see what he can do. Neuzil asked Claiborne what he anticipated for February 6, 2009. Claiborne responded it depends on the MH/DS budget and other unknowns. Neuzil said Claiborne has direction from the Board as well as information from the County Assessor and County Auditor. He asked the Board to look through notes and contact Claiborne with any questions or concerns.
Stutsman asked when is the last date the Board has to review the budget. Neuzil responded there will be a budget meeting February 9, 2009, at 1:00 p.m. He said there is also a meeting scheduled for February 6, 2009. Claiborne said the State form is due to Deputy Auditor Casie Kadlec by February 10, 2009 for publication. He said if the Board needs more time the publication date can be adjusted. Claiborne said he is on schedule and does not want anymore big changes as he gets the numbers put in.
Neuzil said on February 6, 2009, as they start to look at the numbers, they may have some changes and those changes likely would be ones that would reduce the budget. If they needed it the Board would have February 9, 2009. He asked Claiborne if the dates are set for public hearing and the official vote of the Board. Claiborne said yes. Neuzil asked if the dates comply with the requirements. Stutsman asked when the public hearing is scheduled for. M. Sullivan said March 2, 2009, at 5:30 p.m. Neuzil said the official vote is on March 12, 2009, at 5:30 p.m. R. Sullivan asked if Videographer Andy Small knows about that date. Claiborne said yes. Neuzil said they officially have four budget meetings scheduled.
Adjourned at 2:27 p.m.
______________________________________________________________________
Attest: Tom Slockett, Auditor
By:
On the _______ day of _____________________, 2009
By Meaghan Mercer Recording Secretary
Sent to the Board of Supervisors on August 26, 2009 .