• Discussion: Appointments of Board Members to Various Boards and Committees
• Report (Thompson): Attended United Way Budget Hearings
• Report (Stutsman): Upcoming Washington D.C. Legislative Meetings; Possible Presentation by Coralville City Engineer Dan Holderness
• Report (Neuzil): Appreciate Support
• Report (Harney): Appreciate Support
• Carol De Prosse: Dan Holderness Presentation; Jail Alternatives Committee; Spoke with State Jail Inspector

Chairperson Lehman called the Johnson County Board of Supervisors to order in the Johnson County Administration Building at 9:40 a.m. Members present were: Pat Harney, Mike Lehman, Terrence Neuzil, Sally Stutsman, and Carol Thompson.

Lehman: Business from the County Attorney? Reports or inquiries?

Assistant County Attorney Janet Lyness: Nothing.

Lehman: Business from the Board of Supervisors, Discussion/Action Needed Appointing Board Members to Various Boards and Committees. We have a list of those in our packet, and maybe we can go through those. With the departure of Charlie Duffy and Jonathan Jordahl, we’ll have a few reassignments here.

Thompson: Last year, we started by going through the list and looking to see if we still need to appoint someone to each one of these. Can we do that again?

Lehman: Yes. Some of them may not be pertinent anymore

Stutsman: Maybe we can just do that as we go on down.

Lehman: The first one is Chatham Oaks, and I was the representative there. That meets the 3rd Thursday, and sometimes that became a problem with the meetings being combined now. That’s a non-voting member.

Stutsman: And it was more of a liaison, wasn’t it?

Lehman: Yes.

Stutsman: Did you feel it was worth your time?

Lehman: I enjoyed going out there. I was able, when I first started, to get there a lot more often. That was before we joined our meetings. It brought me up to speed. A phone call to one of the Chatham Oaks board members serves its purpose also, if I can’t get out there. But it’s kind of nice to physically get out there, and sometimes there would be a little tour, activities that they’re doing and improvements they’ve made.

Thompson: I think it’s a good chance to have a relationship with Chatham Oaks.

Stutsman: I do too. And it seems like when we haven’t had a liaison, there’s always been issues that come up that it would have been helpful if a Board member… I guess, because you’re chair, I would suggest that somebody else be the liaison this year. I don’t think it should be me, because my husband serves on the board. Unless we have lunch together…

Lehman: I don’t mind staying on it, but…

Stutsman: You don’t? OK.

Lehman: Someone else might have the some problem with the meeting being a little late. And I’d think you could always have an alternate to go if there was a problem.

Neuzil: Yes. You just let us know, if you can’t make it.

Harney: If you can’t, I wouldn’t mind alternating with you.

Stutsman: Yes, and I wouldn’t mind either.

Neuzil: Just let us know.

Lehman: OK. It might be good to switch around just a little bit, too.

Stutsman: That’s a good idea.

Lehman: You can get a little background on the facility out there and the personnel.

Stutsman: Should we say Mike Lehman and then alternate, all?

Lehman: Yes.

Stutsman: That’ll confuse Jo Hogarty who puts this list together.

Lehman: OK. Next is the Citizen’s Advisory Board

Thompson: Do we still get invitations to that?

Stutsman: Yes, we do. I have been getting those, because I used to be the representative that went. There again, it’s a long ways to go. Independence is a long drive, and it seems like whenever I went, because Johnson County doesn’t have a lot of people at the Mental Health Institute at Independence, I don’t know if it was really worth the time to go. It was always interesting to go, because you always had an overview of one of their programs up there. I guess, maybe, when that comes in, it should be circulated and then whoever has the time or is interested in going. I think every Board member should go at least once.

Thompson: Is this the one that has, also, membership from the Alliance for the Mentally Ill?

Stutsman: I know that they had other County Supervisors. I don’t remember representatives from the Alliance for the Mentally Ill. It was other County Supervisors, from Black Hawk County, from Benton County.

Thompson: It’s not something we could appoint someone else to go to?

Stutsman: No, I think this is the County Supervisor Representative. There again, because we don’t have a lot of placements there, our role wasn’t as important as the Supervisors from Black Hawk County or from Buchanan County.

Thompson: So we’re going to circulate it, and try to get someone…

Lehman: Yes.

Stutsman: Yes. Like what we said before, whoever can go.

Lehman: OK. Next organization will be the City Assessor’s Conference, and that’s everyone. Basically, it meets 3 times a year, and I believe we’ve received the notice from Dan Hudson.

Neuzil: Yes, there’s one sent for February 5.

Lehman: Yes. Everybody be aware of that. It does need to be a quorum.

Stutsman: I was thinking, what was the deal on that, because we all didn’t have to go, but there needs to be at least a quorum, so we kind of talk among ourselves, who’s going to go? All 5 can go, but it’s not necessary if somebody else has a conflict, then, if at least 2 or 3 go.

Lehman: OK. Be aware of that. Clear Creek Watershed. Charlie Duffy was that, and that met monthly, and I know Charlie wasn’t able to get to all of them.

Stutsman: Do they still ask for a Board of Supervisors to serve on that? Are they still in need?

Lehman: That’s what we might check on, because I hadn’t heard Charlie really speak about it too much, even getting the correspondence.

Neuzil: I hadn’t either. I did do some research on that issue throughout the last few years. I’d be happy to look into that.

Lehman: We’ll put your name there as a correspondent.

Neuzil: That’d be fine.

Lehman: Then the County Assessor Conference Board. I talked to Jerry Musser in the past and he will, this year, try to schedule it the same night as the City. The City’s is at the Civic Center and ours is held here in the building, so they usually give enough leeway so, if 3 of us go, we have time to get here and to the hearings. Decategorization.

Stutsman: We are required to appoint Supervisors to the Decat Executive Board. I have served a number of years, and I would like to continue on the Decat Board, and I think for continuity, Jan Peterson would like me to serve on that again. Jonathan, of course, was the other Board Representative, so we will need to replace him.

Lehman: And he was more as an alternate?

Stutsman: No, there has to be 2 Supervisors on that Exec Board.

Lehman: OK. Anyone else have a space?

Neuzil: When do they meet? It says it varies.

Stutsman: Yes, we always meet at least monthly, and usually the meetings are an hour and a half to 2 hours, and usually it’s late afternoon, 3:30, something like that. Usually at the Juvenile Court Office or the County Attorney’s Office, or occasionally here at the Board office. But what the Decat Project does is that there’s Child Welfare monies that are used for various programs in the community, and so the Executive Committee usually takes a recommendation from the Planning Committee and makes final authorization for how these monies will be spent. Are you interested?

Neuzil: Sure.

Stutsman: Now, you have to be careful not to get yourself overloaded on this.

Neuzil: Yes, hate to do that.

Stutsman: If all these are so interesting and they’re so valuable learning…

Neuzil: This is one of these things where we’ll get on it one year, and then share it around.

Lehman: Part of the education process.

Thompson: Yes, it’s a good chance to get familiar with Decat.

Neuzil: I’m somewhat familiar with decategorization.

Lehman: Next is Diverse Studies Team. Jonathan was on that. I’m not sure what duties…

Stutsman: I don’t think they met very regularly.

Lehman: No.

Stutsman: I think that was set up in response to diversity issues in the community, especially if there’s a racial incident, or whatever. It was a team that was set up. And Jonathan was particularly interested in it.

Neuzil: We could just do the alternative thing again.

Thompson: We could delete that, maybe?

Stutsman: I wonder if we couldn’t delete it, unless they did specifically ask for a Board representative.

Neuzil: If they do, then we can circulate it around, and one of us can get over there.

Lehman: E911. I’ve been the representative on that. I guess I’d kind of like to continue, but I would certainly be open for other Supervisors to attend. It meets about 4 times a year to decide on budget, and I would definitely invite other Supervisors to attend. I talked to Pat a little bit about it. With his background, it might be something he’d like to take over in the future.

Harney: I wouldn’t mind attending some of their meetings.

Lehman: OK.

Stutsman: 2 Supervisors can go.

Lehman: Next is East Central Iowa Council of Governments Board of Directors, and JTPA Work Force Development Board.

Stutsman: We already did that, didn’t we?

Lehman: Yes, I think we had to have that in last week, so the way it stands there, I would be the rep and Sally would be the alternate.

Lehman: And then the East Central Council Governments of the ISTEA Policy Committee.

Stutsman: So we need to appoint 2 people on that, don’t we?

Lehman: Yes. Charlie and Jonathan were both on that.

Stutsman: That has to do with transportation issues.

Neuzil: I’d be interested in that.

Lehman: Terrence?

Neuzil: Yes.

Thompson: Do the same people do the both of those, the ISTEA and the Policy Committee and the Technical Advisory?

Stutsman: Yes.

Lehman: Yes.

Neuzil: It looks like we both have Jonathan and Charlie with different expiration terms, but I’d be happy to be on that. I’m interested in transportation issues.

Harney: I wouldn’t mind doing that. I don’t want to get too many here, but…

Lehman: If you find out something’s a conflict with other meetings that you have, bring that back up for discussion, and we’ll rotate around a little bit.

Stutsman: Terrence, are you going to take the term that expires?

Neuzil: Yes, I’ll probably take Jonathan’s, if that would be all right with Pat. Then Pat can take Charlie’s for a couple of years.

Stutsman: All right.

Lehman: Maybe you want to do the opposite on the Technical Advisory, then, maybe Pat want to take the lead there, and Terrence as the alternate. OK, next the Deer Committee was Charlie Duffy.

Stutsman: I think we can delete this one.

Lehman: Yes.

Stutsman: That was a special committee that the City put together to address the deer issue within the City limits, and they did ask for Board of Supervisor representation. And Charlie was a faithful member of that committee, but I don’t think they’ve met for a long time.

Lehman: OK. If that becomes an issue again, we can reinstitute that. The FEMA Board, I’ve been a representative on that. It meets very seldom, but we do get literature that comes across the desk. I could stay on that, or if someone else has an interest, Federal Emergency Management. I guess later on we’re going to have the Emergency Management, I talked to Pat about having an interest in that. This may go a little bit with that. Very seldom are there meetings on that, but you’ll see some literature come across if you have an interest in the contract work.

Harney: Yes, I’ve dealt with them before.

Stutsman: So, who’s going to do that?

Lehman: Put Pat as the FEMA Board. The HACAP Board. Carol Thompson was the contact rep there.

Stutsman: This always goes to new Board members.

Thompson: Yes. This entails quite a few meetings. You’re a member of the Board of Directors of the Agency, the district-wide agency. It’s sort of like being on the Corporate Board of a company. It’s a very big operation, and in addition, there’s a local management for the Head Start and the ALERT programs that they offer. Those also have a meeting each month. We delegate that to Linda Severson now, so really the only responsibility the Board retains is to attend the monthly corporate operations meeting. We can delegate someone else to do that, or one of us can do it. It’s an evening meeting; they serve dinner and then go in to the Board meeting. Sometimes they have it at different places, so you get to see different parts of their operation. Also, it’s a good way to meet people from other counties, and networking with them. There also is an annual meeting that HACAP sponsors nationwide that they will sponsor you to go to. I was never interested, but it was kind of a nice thing.

Stutsman: Jonathan went.

Thompson: Yes.

Stutsman: HACAP doesn’t have a big as role in Johnson County as it does in other counties, for instance, Washington or Jones County.

Thompson: One of the functions, I think, of one of us being on the Board is to keep our foot in the door and make sure that we get our fair share of the money from HACAP.

Lehman: Does anyone have an interest?

Neuzil: Yes, I do. And I kind of talked to Carol a little bit about that, as well.

Lehman: OK. Next is Heritage Agency on Aging Task Force. Carol was on that.

Thompson: I will continue.

Lehman: Next organization is the Highway 965 Extension. That hasn’t been a big item. It kind of came up during our joint meetings with North Liberty.

Stutsman: Can we delete that one?

Lehman: Yes, I think so. If it comes back as an issue…

Neuzil: When that comes back, we’ll all have to be a part of that, because it’ll be Coralville, Iowa City, and Johnson County.

Lehman: Maybe more of a Board issue of dollars.

Stutsman: Right. All of us serve on that. And this was just a study, some different alternatives.

Lehman: Housing Task Force. Carol was on that.

Thompson: I don’t mind continuing that one.

Lehman: OK. ICAD, Iowa City Area Development. I’ve been the rep on that, it’s the third Friday. I don’t mind staying on that unless someone else has an interest, and I’m sure someone else could attend as an other.

Neuzil: Yes, I’ve attended some of those, so I can be your backup.

Lehman: And that’s something that we’ve talked about is going to be a real issue for economic development for us, as we try to write some policies and stuff. OK. Iowa City Area Chamber. I’ve been the rep on that, and I guess

Neuzil: We’ll get that worked out.

Lehman: I think Terrence was going to be, you would be attending those. Iowa City Fringe Area Agreement Study Committee.

Thompson: We don’t need that anymore, do we?

Lehman: No.

Neuzil: That was approved December, right?

Thompson: Yes.

Lehman: The Iowa Valley Resource and Conservation and Development Board of Directors. That was Sally and Charlie.

Stutsman: When this was first started, they did ask that a Supervisor serve on the Board of Directors from each of the counties that were involved with this. But Supervisors, because they were busy, didn’t always get to those meetings. Ed Williams, who is on the Soil and Water Conservation, does go and represents Johnson County. It’s an interesting Board. The problem is that they meet once a month and it’s in different locations, so sometimes you’re driving up to Vinton, Williamsburg. I enjoy being on it. I don’t know if it’s necessary for a Board member to be on it or not.

Lehman: Do we need anybody to have an appointment? Or notify Ed that he could come back and give us reports if needed?

Stutsman: Yes. I think that would be...

Thompson: That’s a good idea.

Harney: I wouldn’t mind going to one or 2 of those if I knew when they were, just to attend.

Stutsman: Yes, and I think it would be good if you did go, because they’re doing some really interesting things. They have a wonderful Director. It’s a fairly new project in this area, but it’s interesting. Should we put Pat on that?

Lehman: Yes. OK.

Thompson: Yes, that’s a good idea.

Harney: So we’re going to keep it, then?

Lehman: Yes.

Stutsman: And go as needed, because you always (inaudible).

Harney: If not, I could just go once in a while on my own.

Lehman: And make contact with Ed.

Thompson: They’ll like it if one of us comes. Really, it means a lot to them.

Lehman: Next is Johnson County Council of Governments Board of Directors, 2 appointments. Jonathan and I were representatives on that. I wouldn’t mind staying on that.

Thompson: I’d be willing to do it.

Lehman: That’s somewhat in connection with ECICOG, some overlap there. Next is Johnson County Council of Governments Rural Policy Board, 2 appointments. Sally and myself have been on that.

Stutsman: I’d like to stay on that. It only meets once a year.

Thompson: And the other one has to be either you or me? I would do it. I don’t mind.

Lehman: OK.

Stutsman: Carol, there is a meeting set up, so I’ll let you know when that is. It’s in January.

Lehman: Next is the Johnson County Emergency Management, and that was Charlie. I spoke to Pat and Tom Hanson about that. Maybe you had some interest?

Harney: Sure, that would be fine.

Lehman: OK. In all these, if you have a conflict, we’ll send an alternate if they’re available, just to be able to bring a report back and get things firsthand. Next is Johnson County/Iowa City Airport Zoning Commission. It’s the Chair and all Board members are alternates, and I don’t think that’s been real active.

Stutsman: Well, it hasn’t, but this past year it has been more active, because they’re redoing their zoning map, and so there will be more meetings on that. They’ve hired a consultant who’s working on it, it will be just a matter of reviewing it. So you’re not going to get out from any meetings this year Mike, sorry.

Lehman: OK. Next is Johnson County Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Planning Council. That’s everyone.

Stutsman: That meets at 4:30, doesn’t it, instead of 4?

Lehman: Yes, 4:30-6 normally. OK. Get that correction made. Next are the sub-committees of the Mental Health and Disabilities. Executive Committee has normally been Board Chair. I talked to Sally about it. I would probably change places with her. She would go to the Finance and I would be Executive.

Lehman: And Carol is on Continuous Quality. You want to stay on that?

Thompson: Yes.

Lehman: OK. And Charlie was Advocacy.

Stutsman: I thought Elaine had a good suggestion of putting Terrence on that.

Neuzil:. Yes, I’d be happy to serve on that, help with some public relations.

Lehman: And then Pat would attend the Research and Development Committee. I don’t know if you have a schedule of that. They give you a schedule if you haven’t seen it yet. There’s a regular meeting schedule, so you can put those in your calendars and make sure you attend those. OK, next is Juvenile Justice Youth Developmental Program. That’s been Carol and Jonathan.

Thompson: I’m willing to continue, but I need a new partner here.

Lehman: All right. Anyone else have an interest in that?

Stutsman: I wouldn’t mind doing that, if there’s nobody else. I’ve done it before, if there’s somebody else that’s interested.

Lehman: OK. Labor and Negotiations, that’s Charlie and myself. We’re welcome to attend, but normally the County Attorney’s Office and Human Resources take care of that.

Stutsman: Didn’t we have different… Like I served on the DHS Labor Management Committee.

Lyness: That’s the Labor Management Committee. This is different. This is for negotiations.

Thompson: Do we still need to appoint someone?

Lehman: What’s you feeling there, Janet?

Lyness: I don’t know if you necessarily do. If one of you wants to come to the negotiations, you certainly can.

Lehman: You give us reports and we would know when they are?

Lyness: Right. I’ll be glad to let you know. The next one is, they actually have one scheduled all day on the 17th of this month for the Admin unit, so if anyone wants to come…

Stutsman: I think that it has made a difference now that Lora is involved in the Human Resource department. I don’t think it’s as important for the Board members to go.

Lyness: Yes.

Lehman: Yes, let’s delete that.

Lyness: If you want to come, you’re certainly welcome to attend. Admin unit is up this year, and Secondary Roads are the 2 contracts we’re negotiating right now.

Lehman: OK. Next organization is MECCA and Sally has been on that.

Stutsman: I would like to continue on that unless there’s somebody else that wants to go.

Lehman: Any objections? Keep Sally there. Next is Mid-Eastern Mental Health Center Board of Directors. Carol has been on that.

Thompson: We don’t need to do that anymore. They’ve changed their bylaws. They will be sending us their minutes, like the Library Boards do, on the email.

Stutsman: Good. It’s made a difference now that we no longer block grant funding to the Mental Health Center, that it’s all done by contract, so it’s not so important for a Board member to be on there.

Lehman: OK. Nutrition Advisory Board. Jonathan was on that.

Stutsman: Carol, do you want to be on that?

Thompson: Yes, I’d like to volunteer for that.

Stutsman: I think that’s a good connection with Heritage, and being on that.

Lehman: Random Cash Counts, I don’t think that’s been done. Maybe that’s been switched.

Stutsman: It has. Wait a minute, no.

Lehman: I know I haven’t been a part of that. Are you familiar with that, Janet?

Lyness: I don’t know if we’ve done it for awhile.

Stutsman: Yes. You know, it was interesting. Traditionally, it was always the first day of the New Year, and then the Fiscal Year, that we all went out, and Supervisors took different departments and did the cash counting. Then we decided it was kind of silly to do it when it was so programmed, that it needed to be done randomly, and so the Auditor was just going to decide which day, and take the Chair and the Vice-Chair and do the cash counts.

Lehman: Since it’s the Chair and Vice-Chair, let’s leave it that way, but I mentioned something to Carol Peters one time, and she said she thought that had changed, and maybe she meant by the random part of it.

Lyness: We could check with the Auditor’s Office, too, and see.

Stutsman: Yes, because that does need to be done.

Lyness: Yes, Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson is probably adequate.

Lehman: Next organization is REAP. Charlie was on that. Those met as announced.

Neuzil: I’d be interested in that. Or Pat, either way.

Harney: I could too, either way.

Neuzil: I did a lot of study up there with the Legislature.

Lehman: We’ll put Terrence as Pat as an alternate there?

Harney: That’s fine.

Neuzil: Yes.

Lehman: Regional Trails and Bicycling Committee. That was Jonathan.

Neuzil: I’m interested.

Lehman: Terrence had expressed an interest in that. Secondary Roads liaison was Charlie and myself.

Thompson: Did you ever do anything with that?

Lehman: We used to go out there every 2 weeks. They meet when they turn in their time cards and have basically their staff meetings. It was kind of interesting to get to know the people a little bit, and to learn how their management is.

Stutsman: I think the way it used to be done too, somebody had an issue in like saying I want more gravel on my road, or the bridge isn’t right, the Secondary Roads Department would work with these 2 Supervisors first before working with the rest of the Supervisors. I don’t know if you still did that or not?

Harney: I wouldn’t mind doing that.

Lehman: You have in interest in that, Pat?

Harney: Sure.

Stutsman: OK.

Lehman: We all make contacts with them, and if you have questions, they’ve very willing to…

Thompson: Do you want to continue?

Lehman: I don’t have a problem if someone else would rather. I enjoyed it, but I’ve had a little bit of the background there. Unless you want to call Pat first.

Stutsman: Yes, especially on those hot summer days when it’s so dusty.

Lehman: OK. Next organization is the SEATS Advisory Committee. That’s been Sally and Charlie.

Stutsman: That doesn’t meet monthly; it meets quarterly, so we need to change that.

Thompson: Do we need 2?

Stutsman: Yes, I think that’s what’s required in the bylaws or whatever. I served on that because I also was the liaison with Lisa Dewey from the Board. I don’t mind, unless somebody else wants to… Well, somebody else does need to do it. I don’t know if anybody else…

Lehman: Basically it sets up criteria for the ridership.

Harney: I’ll do it.

Lehman: Pat? OK. Next is the SEATS Operational Committee, and that was myself and Jonathan. We did meet a little bit when we got into relocation, and this will be a bigger item as we get into the negotiations, the contracts with different entities, the cities and stuff that we provide as far as the financing and the numbers.

Stutsman: Carol, do you want to serve on that?

Thompson: Yes, I’d do that.

Lehman: OK. I’ll stay on that with Carol. 6th Judicial District, Department of Corrections Service of the Board of Directors. We had Pat appointed to that last week, before he knew any better. Next we’ve got the Study Committee Onsite Waste Water Systems, Lots of Less than 1 Acre.

Thompson: I think that’s been completed.

Stutsman: I think so too.

Neuzil: I think so, yes. Because Jonathan had left me some information on that, and said that it was done.

Lehman: OK. United Way Joint Funding and Hearings, and that’s Carol and myself, and we’re in the midst of those hearings now, so I guess there wouldn’t be a need to change there.

Stutsman: No need to change now.

Thompson: But for next year, I’ve done it two years. I’d be willing to…

Stutsman: It’s a good learning experience. Really, it’s valuable to learn.

Thompson: It’s about 5 meetings, usually in the evening in November and December, now we’re in January because we had 2 snow days in December.

Lehman: You get to hear the requests, and the questioning and answering periods.

Neuzil: I was on that side of the table one time, a while back.

Thompson: They organize it so you only hear the ones that the County funds.

Lehman: They group them together, so you’re not… We want to readdress that, maybe, next fall?

Thompson: Yes, that’s a good idea.

Lehman: OK. In-house Committees, Economic Development Committee. That was Charlie and myself. I guess I’d like to stay on that, and Terrence expressed an interest in that.

Neuzil: I’m interested in that.

Lehman: Fiscal Management and Planning, that’s been Carol and myself, and I guess I’d like to stay on that if possible.

Thompson: So would I.

Lehman: OK. Public Information is Sally and Jonathan.

Stutsman: I’d like to stay on that. Terrence, could you?

Neuzil: That’s probably something I can help you out with, yes.

Stutsman: OK. Yes. That’d be great. We’ve got a meeting scheduled, I think it’s January 12th, I’ll let you know on that.

Neuzil: Great.

Lehman: OK. Technology Plan was Sally and Jonathan.

Stutsman: You want to go on that, Mike? You’ve been working on GIS.

Lehman: Yes.

Stutsman: I wouldn’t mind staying on that.

Lehman: Yes, I was on it earlier, and I think with the GIS Coordinator being on the table here. Facilities Plan, that was Jonathan and Carol.

Stutsman: That’s Space Needs, right?

Thompson: Yes. I’d continue.

Harney: I can go on that.

Stutsman: Pat, going to go on that?

Harney: Sure.

Stutsman: OK.

Lehman: Comprehensive Plan and Land Use Plan. That was all 5 members.

Stutsman: Yes, and these came out of our strategic planning, so this might change after we go through our strategic planning process in January.

Lehman: OK, we’ll leave that. The Hills Fringe Area is Mike Lehman and Charlie. There hasn’t been anything done, but we knew that was on the table because Hills has expressed some interest in sitting down with us.

Thompson: But we really only need one member.

Stutsman: Yes, I think so too.

Thompson: I signed up to do Oxford.

Lehman: OK, you have Oxford. Shueyville was Jonathan.

Stutsman: I think that’s done, isn’t it?

Lehman: That’s done, yes.

Lehman: Iowa City. That was Jonathan and myself, and that’s done at least for the time being, I guess, it’s been revisited. Next is Minimum Wage Study Committee, it’s Carol and myself. I know Carol real interested in that. I’ve been indoctrinated a little bit.

Stutsman: Do we need to do that anymore?

Thompson: Well, we haven’t resolved it yet, so I suppose we do.

Stutsman: Are you still studying it. I thought maybe it just hadn’t come to the Board. OK.

Thompson: We need to bring it to the Board. Should we continue?

Lehman: Yes, I think with our background.

Thompson: OK.

Stutsman: Yes.

Lehman: Staff Liaison with the Board of Supervisors, our staff here, was Carol Thompson and myself. We’ve kind of reorganized with our Budget Director being responsible, it’s kind of taken some of that burden off of Carol Peters.

Thompson: We have a system where 2 of us mentor new employees, and Mike and I have also been mentoring Jeff.

Lehman: We could stay with that?

Thompson: Yes, I’m willing to.

Lehman: OK. Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities, that was Jonathan…

Stutsman: I’d like to stay on that.

Lehman: OK. I’d like to maybe sit in on that. And Elaine Sweet had expressed a desire to continue that contact. SEATS has been Jonathan and Sally.

Thompson: Do we need to continue? She’s been here more than a year.

Stutsman: I think so.

Lehman: Yes, with a new location, we’ve got some things that still need to be worked out, and I think if she’s…

Stutsman: Who was on that Advisory Committee?

Harney: I think I was.

Stutsman: Pat, so do you want to work with me on that?

Harney: Sure.

Lehman: Physical Plant. Carol and I have been working on that, I guess maybe we want to continue.

Thompson: Yes.

Stutsman: And how about Human Resources. I think we decided that we wanted to have a liaison. I guess I wouldn’t mind doing that.

Thompson: Something I was thinking about is if we went to this system where we used random pairs for doing evaluations. Maybe the 2 people who were going to evaluate the department head could meet with them throughout the year, more for the newer ones and less for the more experienced ones. Do you think that would be a good idea, Sally?

Stutsman: Let me think. The random pairs, will that change?

Thompson: Yes, to give us all a chance to get familiar with the different departments.

Stutsman: OK. Yes, that might work. In other words, then, we wouldn’t have any consistency with any of these; we’d all be switching.

Thompson: Well, we could leave these like they are do the others ones and add on.

Stutsman: I see. Yes, that might work. So you’re talking about that for Human Resource and all the other departments?

Thompson: Yes. We could tell them, in July when we assign the random pairs, we could tell the department head who they are, and they could know that those are going to be their contact people.

Lehman: OK. And they would be doing the evaluations, at 6 months if they were new and at a year if they were…

Stutsman: OK, we could try that. See how that works. In other words, Human Resource isn’t going to have… We’re just going to…

Thompson: We have to cover the time from now until then. You and I were doing it; do you want to keep on?

Stutsman: OK, that’s fine.

Lehman: Next is the Chamber of Commerce Ag Committee, that was Charlie and myself. I’d like to stay on that.

Harney: I wouldn’t mind doing that one, myself.

Lehman: Pat. OK.

Neuzil: There’s a meeting coming up, too.

Lehman: Yes, next Tuesday morning at 7:30. I got a card on it.

Neuzil: If you want to go to that, give that to Pat.

Stutsman: These are kind of a list of committees that we serve on. That doesn’t necessarily mean that they have to be served on.

Lehman: Yes. A lot of times, like the Ag Committee, they like to have a report from the Supervisors, just give them a heads up at things that we’re looking at, maybe the things we’ve accomplished in the short past. They may have some questions for us if they didn’t get information on some things.

Neuzil: I currently and have for a number of years now served on the Chamber of Commerce Economic Development Committee and the Chamber of Commerce’s Local Government Affairs. So I’ll continue to do that, I’d like to anyways.

Stutsman: Yes, so we need to add that to the list, that you’re on.

Neuzil: Yes, I’m on Economic Development and Local Government Affairs. I’m also in some of the Legislative one with the University of Iowa in Economic Development.

Stutsman: Why don’t you make a list of those.

Neuzil: All right.

Stutsman: It’s just helpful.

Thompson: It does take up your time.

Lehman: It’d be good for Jo or Carol if someone calls and wants to know who the contact person is, they can look at the chart.

Neuzil: OK.

Thompson: I’m on the Senior Center Commission, too, that’s not on here.

Stutsman: But that’s a Board appointment, isn’t it, Carol?

Thompson: The City Council appoints, but we recommend, and it’s a 3-year term, ends next year.

Lehman: National Water Quality Assessment, and that was Charlie, it met yearly.

Stutsman: We don’t need to appoint somebody, that’s just something he served on. That can be deleted.

Lehman: OK.

Stutsman: And I serve on this ISAC DHS Cabinet.

Lehman: OK. You’d like to stay on that, then. Iowa Rural Development Council, that was Charlie. Bimonthly, I don’t know how active a group that is.

Stutsman: I think, there again, that’s something he just served on, so I don’t think we need to… I have been involved in the Chamber of Commerce Human Service Committee, and their Legislative Committee, and I still serve on the MH/MR/DD Risk Pool Board at the State level. But I no longer serve on the Medicaid Rehab Optional Group or the Treatment Component of the Child Welfare Task Force. That work has been completed.

Lehman: OK, so we can eliminate those last 2, and you want to stay on the…

Stutsman: Yes, I don’t think anybody else wants to do that one.

Lehman: On the Empowerment Board? You’ll stay on that?

Stutsman: Yes. And then I also want to add that I’ve been appointed to the State County Case Management Committee. Well, actually, I’m on the State County Management Committee and this State Case Management Committee. How’s that for confusing?

Lehman: You’ve got yourself coming and going, there.

Stutsman: Yes. Is that it?

Harney: There’s an additional one, here, I got a letter here from the Department of Correctional Services. They wanted me to remain on the Batterer’s Education Program Advisory Board. I’m going to try to do that. We’ll see how the time commitment goes.

Lehman: You’d be sitting on that as a member of our Board, or just as a….

Harney: It would be separate. They wanted representation from the Board, but we’ll try it and see what it (inaudible).

Lehman: That’d be valuable, in light of our circumstances here, with our jail question.

Harney: Yes, that’s what I thought. It’d tie in with that.

Stutsman: Do we want to add Carol and Pat as kind of the Jail Alternative Committee?

Neuzil: That’s what I was just wondering. I think that’s where it starts, but all of us are going to have to… As we start to divide this up

Stutsman: I think it’s kind of the same as with the Space Needs. Pat and Carol are the point people on it. We’re all involved with it. Should we add that, do you think?

Lehman: Yes, that would be a good idea. Jail Alternatives will be Carol and Pat.

Neuzil: And going back to the Roads Liaison. That’s probably something, Mike, I’d be interested in going as well.

Lehman: OK.

Neuzil: Between the 3 of us, 2 of us go over there.

Lehman: OK, that takes care of the committees and boards.

Stutsman: Do you have a pretty good master list to give to Jo Hogarty?

Thompson: I don’t think I do. Do you?

Stutsman: Why don’t I work with this, and try to update this.

Lehman: OK.

Stutsman: Then we can try to pass it out to see if I got it all down right.

Neuzil: Now wasn’t that exciting?

Lehman: Now into Reports and Inquiries from the Board members. I don’t know if anybody explained the gag order to the new members, but they’re only allowed a certain amount of time. Carol, did you have anything to report?

Thompson: Just the United Way Budget meeting last night. It was the next-to-the-last one. It was another interesting meeting.

Lehman: OK. Sally, did you have anything?

Stutsman: Yes, I had a couple of things. One thing is that I received a phone call from Linda St. Claire, who is the Chamber of Commerce Government Affairs Director. She called to see if there would be any interest from a member of the Board of Supervisors going in to Washington, D.C. when they have their legislative meeting there. It’s February 25, 26, and 27. She really doesn’t have anybody from the government entities going. She said that Steve Atkins had planned to go, but then he wasn’t going. She was going to make some additional phone calls. Anyway, it would cost $1,200 for someone to go, and that includes air, hotel, breakfast, shuttle, some dinners, and lunch. I just throw it out. I don’t know if there’s anybody interested in going. We really don’t have money in the budget to do this, although we have put money aside for someone to attend the NACO meeting in Washington, D.C. Usually it’s the Chair that does that. We haven’t sent anybody for a long time.

Lehman: What are the dates on it, again?

Stutsman: February 25, 26, and 27.

Neuzil: These meetings in Washington, these are fairly new for the Chamber of Commerce. They started these last year, and primarily they take a few of the issues that are important, obviously, to the local area. They’re probably going to be taking some issues in regards to immigration, also transportation, in particular the trains, and a few others, hot issues. Then they take those to the local congressman and such.

Stutsman: Is there interest to pursue it? Maybe we could put on the agenda next week, and talk about…

Lehman: Talk about it, and look at your schedules. It’s $1,200, so how direct an impact we would have…

Stutsman: That’s what I think we need to discuss.

Neuzil: Yes, it’s one of those issues…

Stutsman: But we can’t discuss during Report, so why don’t put it on next week, and then we can just see if there’s anybody interested. The other thing, I don’t know if all of you got that announcement about that meeting by Chet Culver, Secretary of State, talking about elections, input into the election process? Unfortunately, it’s next Thursday, when we have our evening Board meeting. I didn’t know if anybody was planning to go, or if we should try to send somebody. And the other thing, I belong to a Kiwanis group, and last week, Dan Holderness, who is the Engineer from Coralville, was the program. It was so interesting what he had to talk about, about the projects that are happening in Coralville. I didn’t know if the Board was interested in either having him come to a Board meeting and maybe give the same presentation, because so much of what they’re doing has a direct impact on the County, and it was just good information. Maybe it’s something that we could think about for our next Cities Meeting. I just throw that out, to see if there’s any interest in having him.

Neuzil: He’s got a lot of projects.

Stutsman: A lot of projects. It was very, very informative, very informative. Think about that, if we want to ask him to come to an informal meeting, or put it on for a Small Cities Council Meeting. I don’t know when the next one of those is scheduled for, or who’s hosting it, or whatever?

Lehman: I’ll check on that, too.

Stutsman: That’s it.

Lehman: OK. Terrence, did you have anything?

Neuzil: Well, just thanks everyone, around the community, and all the people that I’m meeting around the Administration Building. They’ve been very, very kind, and really appreciate them, and look forward to working with everyone in the building. Got lots to learn. The learning curve’s doing one of these right now. It’s been pretty great.

Lehman: Thank you. Pat?

Harney: Well, I think that falls under the inquiries portion. You’re going to hear a lot out of me, asking questions, looking for help. I’ve appreciated all the support I’ve gotten, and there’s a lot to learn. I’m looking forward to serving the community.

Stutsman: One of the best pieces of advice I got when I first served on the Board was that there is no dumb question. If you won’t ask it, someone else is thinking it, so don’t hesitate to ask lots of questions.

Lehman: I don’t have anything major to report, just welcome to the Board of Supervisors.

Neuzil: Thanks, Mike.

Lehman: I think you’ll be busy reading your emails, and stuff. We did get one from Jeff Horne, Budget Director, just a heads-up on a couple of the departments that we’re going to have to really look at, and do a little research yourself, and if you have any questions, to contact him. Inquiries and Reports from the Public. Carol?

Carol DeProsse: Yes, I have 3 questions. In reference to Sally’s remarks about Dan Holderness, did he make any comments to you about the Iowa Child Project?

Stutsman: Yes, that was listed, of course, as one of the projects that they’re working on.

DeProsse: What did he have to say about that, in terms of where it is right now?

Stutsman: Right. You mean, as far as… He talked about that, the whole project is dependent on the State monies, and that’s to be determined in February or so.

DeProsse: I know because I have been going back and reading through some newspaper reports, and I thought that either you or someone on the old Board expressed concerns that it could have impact on the County budget. It’s a project that I want to track rather closely and I’m sure the Supervisors do as well. Now, at the very end of your list of appointments of things, I heard something come up about Jail Alternatives Committee, so of course my ears perked up. What is this Jails Alternative Committee, now, that Carol and Pat Harney, I think, are serving on?

Lehman: That’s what we discussed earlier. That would be them pursuing a course of action for the Board and the County to take.

DeProsse: OK. So, I guess, in terms of a citizen who’s interested in having some input on that, I can direct comments and so forth to the 2 of you specifically, and you would, I hope, pass them on to the rest of the Board, or conversations would actually be most appropriate to be initiated with the 2 of you? Would that be the way (inaudible)?

Harney: Yes, everyone’s going to be a participant in this, all the Board members however, we’ll be the primary lead to send those things to, yes.

Stutsman: It always works better for the Board to do their work to have at least 2 Supervisors who are the point people, beings that we do not have a County Manager or a City Manager, then it just serves better for communication.

DeProsse: I was just sitting here thinking about 5 minutes ago how happy and glad I am you guys don’t have a County Manager, just to inject another issue on the subject, from my point of view. OK, I just want to understand the process, so that… Can 2 of you meet, in the absence of it being a public meeting? How many can you….

Lehman: 3, we need an agenda posted.

Stutsman: And then it would become a public meeting. But 2 people can meet and it doesn’t have to have an agenda posted.

DeProsse: OK. And then, my other question is, as I was talking last week to Mike Richardson, the State Jail Inspector, and he said that January is the month he comes for his jail inspection. When I had spoken to him a number of weeks ago, when I was making inquiry about several matters, one had to do with Incident Reports at the Jail that are filed by the Sheriff. Also the question that was under discussion at the time about whether or not there would be him mandating a reduction in jail population, he indicated to me in a conversation why he did not mandate a reduction in the jail population. I found that to be a rather interesting discussion. But at that time, he said he would be happy to meet with the Supervisors when he came down here, one or all of you, or perhaps the Jail Alternatives Committee, to explain why he did not do that. I think it would be much better for him to explain in his own words why he did not do that, than it be for me to try to recreate that conversation, although I did briefly, I think, on a (inaudible) . So anyway, I just throw that out. Do you know when he’s coming? When I spoke to him last week, he said he didn’t know yet when this visit was going to be.

Neuzil: I’m not aware of it.

Thompson: I don’t think we get a lot of advance notice about the visit

DeProsse: OK. Well, I can give him a call and see if he knows yet, and then I’ll let you and Pat know, and then you guys can decide if you want to do anything about that.

Neuzil: And Carol, as far as the Iowa’s Child, I’m going to be meeting with Ted Townsend next week, so if there’s some questions you want to email me.

Lehman: He will be presenting on January 18, a presentation to the Board here.

DeProsse: He will be? Thank you so much for that. Yes, I went to a presentation of this out in Coralville, and it was quite interesting, to say the least. I will be here on the 18th for that. I might provide you with this background information. I went down to the library on Sunday, and went through all the Des Moines Registers since 1991. I get the impression that he’s been trying to promote a project of this nature for quite some time around the state, so I think there’s background information, and you might find that interesting.

Neuzil: OK. Great.

DeProsse: If I have time, I’ll pull it together and get it to you.

Neuzil: And on the 18th, I’ll be calling in, for that meeting, so you’re aware of that.

Stutsman: Oh, OK.

Neuzil: I’ll be in Washington, D.C.

Lehman: Any other inquiries or reports from the public? Yes, please identify yourself for us.

Eve Casterly: My name is Eve Casterly. Just one comment, a suggestion rather. If you have Dan Holderness to come to speak, I would encourage you to consider asking Kelly Hayworth, the City Manager there as well.

Stutsman: Great.

Lehman: Anything else?

Stutsman: I’m sure Kelly wasn’t there at that meeting, because we meet at 7:00 in the morning, so he was glad to delegate that to Dan.

Lehman: Anything else from the public? If not, I guess we’ll adjourn.

Adjourned at 10:25 a.m.

Attest: Tom Slockett, Auditor

By Casie Parkins, Recording Secretary