MINUTES OF THE INFORMAL MEETING OF THE JOHNSON COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS:
AUGUST 5, 2009
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
Executive Session: Evaluation and Goal Setting of Mental Health/Disabilities Services Director Kris Artley 1
Site Visit: Discussion with County Treasurer Tom Kriz, 913 South Dubuque Street, Iowa City, Iowa 1
Chairperson Neuzil called the Johnson County Board of Supervisors to order in the Johnson County Administration Building at 9:02 a.m. Members present were: Pat Harney, Larry Meyers, Terrence Neuzil, and Rod Sullivan; absent: Sally Stutsman.
Motion by Harney, second by Sullivan, to enter into Executive Session at 9:03 a.m. for an annual evaluation of Mental Health/Disabilities Services Director Kris Artley under section 21.5(1.i), Code of Iowa, “to evaluate the professional competency of an individual whose appointment, hiring, performance or discharge is being considered when necessary to prevent needless and irreparable injury to that individual’s reputation and that individual requests a closed session.” Roll call: aye: Harney, Sullivan, Neuzil, Meyers; absent: Stutsman.
Motion by Sullivan, second by Meyers, to leave Executive Session at 9:38 a.m. Roll call: aye: Harney, Sullivan, Neuzil, Meyers; absent: Stutsman.
Recessed at 9:38 a.m.; reconvened at 9:51 a.m. at the Johnson County Treasurer's Office.
County Treasurer Tom Kriz said it has been an extremely busy year. Car sales in Johnson County have been better this year than any other year since he has been Treasurer. The economy has kept moving in this area. One area car dealer sold 192 cars in just one week. The motor vehicle section of the Treasurer’s office has been busy. Ten years ago, a goal was set to reduce the disparity between the amount of money the State provides for motor vehicle operations versus the amount of money it actually takes to run the program. Ten years ago, about $300,000 per year was lost by the County due to operation of the program. Currently, the program is close to breaking even. Kriz feels very good about that.
Kriz said tax statements are out already. A little over $2 million was collected in taxes in July 2009. The sooner the money comes in, the sooner the City and school districts can get their money. There is currently a trend involving people paying taxes for the full year at once, rather than dividing it into two annual payments. It is a positive trend. Harney asked if the money is dispersed immediately or if it is held and dispersed as one lump sum. Kriz said all money that is collected during a calendar month is dispersed on the 10th day of the following month. Harney asked if the schools realize they will receive a smaller check later in the year if they receive a larger check now. Kriz said they receive the same total amount, but it is better to get them the money right away.
Kriz said the department has been busy and has continued to operate with the same number of staff. One of the deputies in the department was gone for six months due to health reasons, and the other staff in the department pitched in to cover the extra workload. Fortunately, the staff member is now back to work half-time. It gave Kriz the opportunity to brush up on the components of the motor vehicle program. Kriz appreciates the freedom that is provided to him by the Board of Supervisors. He encourages people to walk through the department. It means a lot to the staff to be acknowledged.
Kriz said the employees in the department receive a lot of comments on the building from the public due to the large amount of people who come there. One common complaint over the past month has been the absence of a bike rack. He knows that Facilities Manager David Kempf is aware of it. Neuzil asked if anyone knows the status of getting a bike rack, because he also asked Kempf about getting one. Kriz thinks that a bike rack with spaces for at least 6 bikes is necessary. Neuzil asked if the Supervisor who is the liaison for Kempf would address it with him.
Kriz said the general overall look of the building is pretty good considering it is 23 years old. He encouraged the Board to walk around the building and to look closely at it. The window trim is faded, and many of the windows do not open. He is not sure what is going on with the remodeling, because the communication regarding the remodel has not been good. Harney said the windows are scheduled to be replaced. Neuzil said Kempf is working towards obtaining stimulus money to put towards replacement of windows, and they will be replaced next year. He agreed that the building looks weathered. Kriz said people comment on sand piling up in the parking lot. It is important to be good stewards of the taxpayer’s building. There are also a lot of comments on the backside of the building. The bushes have become tall and overgrown. With the amount of traffic going by, it should probably be addressed. It would not cost a lot of money.
Kriz said there are also complaints about people smoking by the back door and often the smoke comes inside the building. Harney said he has seen people smoking near the building too. Kriz said he knows there is a policy regarding smoking, but people have resumed smoking near the building. Neuzil said it would be good to remind people of the policy before winter. He asked Executive Assistant Andy Johnson to ask Human Resources Administrator Lora Shramek to remind people of the rules through email. There is now a state law concerning the issue. Kriz said the public sees it, and it influences their perception of the building. Neuzil said he agrees that it does not look good to have bikes leaning up against dated benches.
Neuzil said parking is also an issue that has not been resolved. Kriz said he is on the Parking Committee and wants to address the issue. Paid parking has not started, although it has been discussed for several months. He thinks that $5,000 to $6,000 per month could be collected from paid parking. The money could be used towards maintenance of the building. Kriz said the first step is to be able to test it to make sure everything works. The Treasurer’s Office and the Auditor’s Office have to make sure everything is in order to handle parking for State employees. Kriz estimated that it will be January 1, 2010 before it is in full operation. He has noticed that students have resumed parking in the County parking lots. He thinks the Car Quest parking lot will fill up with student vehicles when fall classes begin.
Kriz said he has noticed that the County vehicles are being parked in the first row of the National Guard Armory parking lot. It makes it difficult to find parking spaces in that lot at times. There was previous discussion about moving the County vehicles into the parking ramp where they would be covered. It would help to discourage students from parking in the ramp. Moving the vehicles would make parking easier for both the public and employees. Neuzil said the liaison for Kempf should write that down.
Kriz said it has been a good year, and he has a great staff. They do well with handling a fluctuating workload. Sullivan asked Kriz to update the Board regarding work he is doing with Assistant County Attorney Scott Finlayson. Kriz said Finlayson has been doing a lot of work on some of the flooded properties in the Napoleon and Driftwood areas. It appears that the County will take the deeds for six to eight of the properties. Some of the properties were previously sold on handshakes with few records, so Finlayson has had to search for people. The taxes will eventually be abated on the properties. There is a push that began six to eight years ago to collect back taxes on properties. They have recently been working on buildings located on leased lands. The County will probably be suing three people next month involving those types of properties. Sullivan asked if Kriz is prepared for potential public relations issues related to the lawsuits. Kriz said it will be nasty, and he is prepared for it. He has done it before. It is an issue of fairness, because everyone is required to pay taxes. Harney asked if Kriz is referring to foreclosure. Kriz said no, the people will actually be sued for the tax money, because the buildings are located on leased land. Harney asked if Marina 218 is one of the parties. Kriz said Marina 218 is involved. He said the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has not been helpful. They want a tenant, and they do not care if the tenant pays their taxes. The County does care, and Finlayson has done a great job. It is difficult to find descendants of people who might have a right to a property. Sullivan said he appreciates Kriz and Finlayson working on it. Kriz said he also needs to deal with mobile homes that people have moved out of, and he will eventually bring the issue to the Board.
Kriz said he is periodically sued due to his position as Treasurer. A person has filed suit regarding a tax sale deed. He is suing Kriz personally for allegedly violating his civil rights, which makes it a Federal issue. Kriz said part of the job involves being sued, and the lawsuits are eventually thrown out of court.
Kriz said he is happy that the remodeling of the Treasurer’s Office has begun. He knows that Medical Examiner Mike Hensch is ecstatic about it. Neuzil said the Space Needs Committee had discussed the possibility that the Medical Examiners Office would have office space in the Treasurer’s Office until they looked at the Ambulance facility, and then those offices would open up again. Kriz said he and Hensch have talked about it, and he is not opposed to having their administrative stuff located there. Neuzil said he thinks it may become an opportunity for additional office space. Kriz said a study was just done to determine how much money the State is losing by issuing driver’s licenses. Johnson County is one of only 12 counties that do not issue driver’s licenses in Iowa.
Kris is hoping that the climate, parking, and air movement problems in the building will be solved. He encouraged the Board members to walk around the building and consider how it can be made to look nicer. Neuzil said maybe the concerns involving the grounds could be addressed at a Key Issues meeting. Sullivan agreed. Kriz said these are comments his staff hears over the course of the year and have nothing to do with Kempf or his staff. Neuzil said he expects that a lot of people will start parking in the Administrative Building parking lot and then take the skywalk over to the Health and Human Service Building. Kriz said that is fine, but right now it is very dangerous to cross the street between the two buildings. People do not anticipate the speed of the traffic coming around the curve and do not see cars coming. He will be happy when the skywalk opens. Sullivan said he sees women crossing the street with children. Kriz said better signage will help, because people say they do not know how to get where they need to go. Kempf is currently working on it.
Neuzil asked if the full ramp will be available for employees to park. Kriz said the top section is supposed to be for employees to park. Neuzil said part of the bottom section will be taken up by the County vehicles. Kriz said the public will also be parking there. Sullivan said there will be quite a bit of space in the lower section of the ramp if the employees park on the top level. Kriz said there has been some testing done related to parking, but they need to determine how State employees will be billed for parking. It cannot be deducted from their paychecks. Payment for parking will involve coordination between the Auditor’s Office and the Treasurer’s Office. Neuzil said employees will need some notice before they begin paying for parking. Sullivan said they have not received their key cards yet. He likes the idea of addressing the concerns at a Key Issues meeting.
Adjourned at 10:18 a.m.
______________________________________________________________________
Attest: Tom Slockett, Auditor
By:
On the _______ day of _____________________, 2009
By Nancy Tomkovicz, Recording Secretary
Sent to the Board of Supervisors on August 20, 2009 at 2:15 p.m.