MINUTES OF THE INFORMAL MEETING OF THE JOHNSON COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS:
SEPTEMBER 2, 2009
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
Executive Session: Pre-Evaluation and Goal Setting of Executive Assistant Andy Johnson. 1
Site Visit – Discussion: Veteran Affairs Director Leo Baier, 855 South Dubuque Street, Iowa City 1
Chairperson Neuzil called the Johnson County Board of Supervisors to order in the Johnson County Health and Human Services Building at 9:02 a.m. Members present were: Terrence Neuzil, Sally Stutsman, and Rod Sullivan; absent: Pat Harney and Larry Meyers.
Motion by Stutsman, second by Sullivan, to enter into Executive Session at 9:02 a.m. for an annual evaluation of Executive Assistant Andy Johnson 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: Stutsman, Neuzil, Sullivan; absent: Harney, Meyers.
Meyers arrived at 9:13 a.m.
Motion by Stutsman, second by Meyers, to leave Executive Session at 9:55 a.m. Roll call: aye: Stutsman, Neuzil, Sullivan, Meyers; absent: Harney.
Recessed at 9:55 a.m.; reconvened at 10:11 a.m. in the Office of County Veteran Affairs Director Leo Baier in the Health and Human Services Building. Members present were: Terrence Neuzil, Sally Stutsman, and Rod Sullivan; absent: Pat Harney and Larry Meyers.
Veteran Affairs Director Leo Baier introduced newly appointed Veteran Affairs Assistant Erin Good. Baier said Good staffs the office from 8:00 to 10:00 a.m. daily.
Baier said the primary issue for the Veteran Affairs Office is rental assistance in Johnson County. The cost of housing is very high. Neuzil asked if Baier prioritizes rental assistance over other assistance. Baier said yes, that is the greatest demand. Rental assistance was 45.5% of the total budget in 2008, and it is not letting up.
Meyers arrived at 10:13 a.m.
Baier said having Good staff the office is working out very well, though there is not much activity between 8:00 and 10:00 a.m. Sullivan asked if Good has received any training for the job. Veteran Affairs Assistant Erin Good said she will go to the accreditation school in Des Moines for training in mid October. Baier said this accreditation school will be conducted by the National Association of County Veteran Service Offices, and he too will attend.
Neuzil asked if the legislature gave money to support Good's salary. Baier said they received $10,000, which is not enough. Furthermore, this funding is not guaranteed in future years. Neuzil asked if the Board should lobby for funds to support the position. Baier said yes, the state mandated that the office be open full-time. Stutsman added that despite Board efforts to persuade the legislature that there was no need in Johnson County to staff the office 40 hours a week, the legislature still insisted the office be open full-time. Sullivan said Iowa City is in a unique situation with the Veteran's Affairs Hospital in town. Baier agreed, adding that Polk County is the other county in Iowa with a VA Hospital.
Baier said Johnson County's veteran population is 6,701, the 8th highest in the state. There are a lot of veterans here, but not indigent veterans. Stutsman said if the legislature decides they can't fund this every year, they should at least give the County the flexibility to decide how many hours the office should remain open. Baier said the full-time operation was mandated because at one time, there were five counties in the state with no veteran offices at all, and that's not right. Now, there are about two counties with no VA offices. Sullivan asked if he has ever discussed sharing services with Cedar or Iowa County. Baier said no, that is not a possibility because the Cedar County Veteran Affairs person also works in the General Assistance office. The same holds true in Washington County and many other counties with smaller populations.
Baier said that by July 1, 2010, the legislature approved this office to assist not only war time era veterans, but also peace time era veterans. This will certainly have an impact on the budget, but it is unknown how much of an impact. Baier said because of this, his office will ask for an increase in next year's budget. Good said their office will continue to serve veterans with dishonorable discharges.
Baier said he is concerned about Good's safety while she is working in the office. Last week, a veteran came in the office and he had had too much to drink. He was making general threats, and specifically threatened to "kill anybody he saw." Baier said that no one deserves this kind of treatment. Then, a few days later, the same guy came in and was totally sober after spending several days in the VA Hospital. Baier talked to Facilities Manager David Kempf about the possibility of installing a panic button in the office that would ring into the Sheriff's Office.
Baier recalled that several years ago, when his office was in the Federal Building, the arrangement of furniture vis-à-vis the door did not allow for a safe exit if a staff person was threatened. He said he does not want anything to happen to Good. Sullivan said the Board feels the same way. He said he thinks a panic button can easily be installed. Baier said security is a main concern of his now. Good said the situation is different upstairs in the General Assistance Office where she also works. There, more people are around and they can check in on each other. This door to the Veteran Affairs Office must be kept closed because there is so much public traffic, and when the door is left open, the noise level is so high it prevents her from getting work done.
Good said that when clients who are under the influence do come in, she asks them to come back when they are sober. This client in particular had another person accompanying him, so she was not too concerned about letting him leave the building after he had made those threats. His chaperone verified that he was taking him to an appointment at the VA Hospital. Had that not been the case, Good said, she would have called her supervisor for help immediately.
Sullivan asked if veterans from the two current wars are beginning to seek services. Baier said they have seen only a few veterans from current wars. However, those veterans have free medical coverage guaranteed for five years. Sullivan said he asked the question in order to know if it was time to budget for newly eligible veterans.
Baier said things are going well in the office, but he is disappointed they have already used 27% of the budget only two months into the fiscal year. Stutsman asked why. Baier said that more veterans are coming in for service during these tough economic times. There is an increase in demand for services because people are getting laid off and temporary jobs are not available.
Neuzil complimented Baier on his smooth transition to the new building and the professional appearance of the office. Stutsman asked about the Veteran Affair's Commission. Baier said that R.J. Moore has been a great addition to the Commission. Sullivan asked if Good has attended any Commission meetings. Good said she hasn't had the time yet. She also said she can't schedule any General Assistance clients until 10:45 a.m. because she needs time to review the morning case load with Baier when he comes in at 10:00 a.m. Baier said he has now moved the monthly Commission meeting to the second Thursday of the month at 11:00 a.m.
Adjourned at 10:30 a.m.
By Nancy Tomkovicz, Recording Secretary