MINUTES OF THE INFORMAL MEETING OF THE JOHNSON COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS:
FEBRUARY 20, 2003
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Budget Coordinator Jeffrey Horne: Monthly Report for January 2003
Discussion: Appointment to the Johnson County Housing Task Force
Report (Lehman): Toured Rural Areas; and Toured Veteran Affairs Office
Chairperson Harney called the Johnson County Board of Supervisors to order in the Johnson County Administration Building at 9:48 a.m. Members present were: Pat Harney, Mike Lehman, Terrence Neuzil, Sally Stutsman, and Carol Thompson.
Harney: Open the informal meeting for February 20, 2003. First item of Business is from the County Engineer, referencing weight embargoes on secondary roads. Al Miller.
Assistant County Engineer Al Miller: Morning. This time every year we come in to talk to you about placing embargoes on our secondary roads that are susceptible to damage due to heavy loading this time of year when the frost is coming out of the ground. Iowa Code allows local authorities to impose weight restrictions on vehicles for a period of time not to exceed 90 days on roads that are susceptible to damage by heavy loads. Last year, we came in about the exact same time. As you are probably aware, we didn’t have to place any embargoes last year. Generally, the way we do that is we have individuals in our maintenance department that check these roads, sometimes on a daily basis to see about damage and we only post those embargoes when the road actually needs it. Kevin is here if you want to have any questions for either one of us as far as what our plans are this year.
Lehman: I saw a notice that was received by a farm equipment business. You must have circulated those out. I want to compliment you on that. I don’t know if you have a list that you have been expanding such as the homebuilders, but I think you do a pretty good job. A little history of who you have notify those. Ahead of time warning people if you have projects or there are some ways to split loads and that type of stuff to get under the weight restrictions. Is that something you have done in the past or is that the first time I had seen that.
Maintenance Supervisor Kevin Hackathorn: We sent them out the last several years. I think they send out around 1,500 notices to contractors in Johnson and Linn County and the surrounding areas. We try to cover everyone we can.
Miller: We also have an area on the Johnson County web site that has a map showing, if a road has an embargo put on it, then it will show up on the maps. You could check it daily and it will show the date it got put on and when it got taken off. We did that last year and we didn’t need to use it. So, hopefully that is a good sign.
Stutsman: You can keep track of how many hits you have on that can’t you?
Miller: You probably can. I don’t know from our office. Probably from Information Services you can.
Stutsman: Yes, I think Information Services might be interested to see how many people do reference that because I think that is a great idea. Somebody else said you said you contacted would have been the waste haulers because they are a big player now too as there gets to be more development in the rural areas. That has been a big issue in the past.
Lehman: But your limit of 8 tons hasn’t changed.
Miller: That’s correct, a gross vehicle weight of 8 tons. I did want to bring up as well, we do have a number of oil roads, chip seal roads, that are maintained by the property owners. We maintain them and send them a bill. They are always obviously keeping very close track on the condition of those. We just want to give ourselves the ability to place that embargo when they are needed.
Stutsman: Do you think we will have 2 years in a row where we won’t have to put it on?
Hackathorn: Well, the frost has gone down here in the last probably month. So, I look for at least some embargoes, if not all of them. Usually it is hard to get by with just a couple, it seems like they’ll all get soft. Some of them will fall apart worse than others. I don’t think we are going to luck out this year.
Stutsman: Darn. I like not getting those phone calls.
Hackathorn: So do we.
Stutsman: Yes, I bet.
Thompson: Well, it’s another sign of spring though.
Lehman: You have some shared agreements with the municipalities where they take care of a portion of road and you maybe take care of them so that the vehicles aren’t turning around in the middle of a mile stretch or something like that. I think now Tiffin has a new agreement. I don’t know if this is the 2nd year, but they might be one you need to work with to let them know. Will they be the ones responsible since they have the maintenance on some of those roads that it will be their call whether it will embargoed or not?
Miller: Well, we do have some roads that are actually in the County that Iowa City takes care of. With the new annexation of Tiffin we are going to have similar roads with them. Kevin and I were talking about that this morning. Generally, I believe Iowa City has contacted us and asked us to put the embargoes on. I am not sure if they actually put the signs up or how logistically that took place. But, we have been taking care of that in the past. The other thing I was thinking about this morning is, we can put together those roads for you so that you are aware that maybe we don’t have any roads embargoed. But Iowa City has requested Sycamore be embargoed and that if you get a call from a waste hauler or somebody like that, that that is kind of under their jurisdiction, their maintenance, and they have requested the embargo.
Lehman: The one I was thinking of was maybe Tiffin. It may be a new ballgame to them. Some in this area, that they may think since they are going to be paying for the maintenance, if the road is tore up because an embargo wasn’t put on, it needs to be clear to them that maybe it is their call whether it should be embargoed or not. I appreciate some communication with them so that they know what the rules of the game are. If they have changed the jurisdiction, the mileage has changed and stuff because there are some shared agreements out there about their annexation now.
Hackathorn: As far as Tiffin goes, on the 28E Agreement we are working up with them, south of Tiffin there, there was a business that we were embargoing and they couldn’t get in and out. So, part of the deal is they wanted to take that in so they wouldn’t embargo it. So, we discussed those matters with them last year.
Miller: I’ll bring in the resolution next week for your consideration to pass that next Thursday. I believe the 90 days starts when you pass that resolution, too.
Lehman: This doesn’t mean automatically that you embargo it. If the conditions are right you won’t embargo it. This will allow you to do that.
Miller: You are just giving us the ability to place an embargo when we feel it is necessary.
Lehman: So, if we pass this next Thursday, it doesn’t mean next Friday you are going to go out and put the signs up. It just gives you a heads up to people and it allows you to do it as you feel needed. But, you are kind of giving fair warning that it is probably going to happen because of the weather and the depth of the frost and it has to come out. That’s when we have the problems with the frost heaving in the roads.
Hackathorn: Yes. If we wait until they are falling apart, then we have that 2-week lag in there that we wouldn’t be able to protect them. That is why we have everything in line and if need be we can post them.
Harney: Thank you.
Hackathorn: Thanks.
BUDGET COORDINATOR JEFFREY HORNE: MONTHLY REPORT FOR JANUARY 2003
Harney: Next item is Business from our Budget Director, Jeff Horne, on our monthly report for January 2003.
Budget Coordinator Jeff Horne: Now that I can bend my knee again, I can sit down a little easier. We made it through the 7 months of Fiscal Year 2003. Expenditures and revenues should now be about 58%. Revenues continue to come in above budget, but expenditures are in line with the correct levels. I think the 4% cut that we had for this year is making expenditures come closer than they have in previous years. So, there are a lot of departments that are right around the 58% level. I am pretty happy to report that no one is really over budget, but a couple of departments have concerns. There wasn’t much to report this month. The departments are doing a very good job I think, keeping their expenditures in line. Revenues have certainly come in very well still. I will just note a couple of departments here. The Ambulance Department continues to bring in revenues well above budget. It collected 72% of its budget year-to-date. So, they are 14% ahead of their budget. On the increase, there are 2 factors that increased, the call fees that you know about and there is also some call volume increase, too, that is accounting for that. So, it is a function of both of those. The County Attorney’s Office is running 1% over budget which isn’t a big deal in and of itself, but it’s got 2 components in this budget, a Court Services and a Public Safety component, which after this year the State is collapsing into one service area. So, I don’t think this will be as big of an issue for them in the future. The Public Safety component is currently 7%. It has been a consistent spread over the last couple of months and will need to be addressed before the end of the year. I have notified the County Attorney about this, so he is aware of it. The County Recorder is mentioned in previous reports this year. The Recorder continues to bring in revenues at a pace well above budget. You had a report today putting the fees on file. Before that they had already collected 94% of their budget. So, I think in their report you just had that will push them well over 100% of budgeted revenues and we still have 5 months left in the Fiscal Year. In the insurance department, the property, casualty and workman’s compensation insurance are at 107% of budget. We talked a little bit about this in the amendment. The budget amendment will cover the difference. A rapid change in the insurance market will necessitate careful monitoring of this budget, depending on such things as war and possible terrorist attacks. On the upside of this, if there is one, the County has received 174% of its budgeted revenues in this department year to date, for an additional $42,895. So, that helps to offset additional expenditure authority in the amendment.
Stutsman: Jeff, where do those revenues come from?
Horne: Well, we had a vehicle. The insurance company paid for it. We had a vehicle that was destroyed. We got some of that back. Things like, recovering insured losses basically reached the deductible. We get some funding back from the insurance company. That’s about it for the departments. Like I said, there isn’t too much to note. Veteran’s Affairs, which in other months had been an issue, is now within its budget. What I have to note is the County budget for Fiscal Year 2004 is nearly set. I think I had a note here that the Public Hearing will be March 11, but I sent out a note saying could we switch it to the 10th. Pat, maybe you had a meeting at 7:00.
Harney: That evening, yes.
Horne: That evening. Traditionally, it hasn’t taken… the presentation is probably about 20 minutes.
Stutsman: Yes. I was going to say too, I didn’t realize that the date had been changed to the 11th, so I couldn’t make it. But, if everybody kind of has their schedule set for the 11th that is fine, just to go ahead with that. I just won’t be here for that.
Horne: OK. I just want to finalize it so I can let the television people know.
Thompson: So, it’s at 5:30 on the 11th?
Stutsman: Yes, why don’t we just do that then. Then I just won’t be here for the budget hearing.
Harney: Well, we could start it a little early on the 10th.
Horne: We could set it for like 5:00 on the 10th.
Harney: 5:00, I think there would be plenty of time.
Thompson: It’s OK with me.
Lehman: I am fine either day.
Neuzil: I am fine either evening.
Thompson: So, now we are at 5 p.m. on the 10th?
Harney: Yes.
Stutsman: OK. Thank you.
Horne: We’ll set that. We’ll go ahead, we have a short brief meeting tomorrow morning.
Stutsman: I am not going to be able to be at that meeting tomorrow meeting.
Horne: That’s OK.
Stutsman: Are there 3 Board Meetings that will be here.
Lehman: I’ll be here.
Neuzil: I’ll be here.
Lehman: 3 of us or 4?
Horne: Basically all we would be doing tomorrow is setting the public hearing. That is all there is. Give me the authorization to publish the notice in the newspaper. That is my report today.
Harney: Thank you.
Horne: Thank you.
Harney: Next item is Business from the County Attorney.
Assistant County Attorney Janet Lyness: Nothing, thanks.
Harney: Nothing Janet, OK.
Harney: Business from the Board of Supervisors. Discussion on the following meetings for the week of March 16th, the Iowa State Association of Counties Spring School Instruction and the Spring Break. Other years we have cancelled our meeting on that week. Does the Board want to do the same this year or do they want to have the meeting?
Thompson: So, we’d cancel the meeting on the 20th?
Neuzil: Yes.
Stutsman: Terrence wants to come and meet that week.
Thompson: I plan to be out of town.
Neuzil: I am out of town.
Stutsman: Yes, I am going to be at ISAC, too.
Thompson: Well, then I guess we’d better cancel it.
Stutsman: No meeting on the 20th. Is that spring break week?
Neuzil: Yes.
Stutsman: OK. Thank you.
DISCUSSION: APPOINTMENT TO THE JOHNSON COUNTY HOUSING TASK FORCE
Harney: Next item is Appointment to the Johnson County Housing Task Force. Mike?
Executive Assistant Mike Sullivan: Sure. We have one resignation, I should say, that was Jerry Musser. He resigned earlier this month. So, we have 2 applicants for that position. That is a position that represented the incorporated, one of the incorporated areas of the County. That is kind of the composition of the Task Force itself. The first applicant, Ron Mavrias is an Iowa City resident. The 2nd applicant was Dennis Byrnes. He gives a primary address as Atalissa and a secondary address as Solon. You do have an incorporated representative from Solon already, Brandi Forbes. So, I just thought you might want to know that for consideration. Both applications did go through the Board, circulate through you to look at. One of these 2 should be appointed next week at your formal meeting.
Harney: Thank you.
Thompson: Is it limited to a certain number?
Sullivan: 24.
Thompson: So, we could actually appoint both of them if we wanted. There isn’t 24 is there?
Stutsman: No.
Thompson: Citizen members were so hard to get it seems like maybe we want to appoint both of them.
Stutsman: That’s a good idea. I have no problem with appointing both of them.
Harney: If there is room, yes, let’s do that.
Stutsman: I think that’s great. Especially when you have an interest and people that want to participate.
Harney: Do you want to double check and make sure there is…
Sullivan: Sure.
Harney: Next is Reports and Inquiries. Carol, do you want to start?
Thompson: Sure. Last Friday I attended the ICAD Meeting, a very interesting meeting. I just wanted to let everybody know that they are planning a career fair on April 5th, at the Old Capital Mall. This will be for local businesses to sort of display the kinds of jobs that they hire for. They are inviting recent graduates and others who might be looking for jobs to come and see what is available in the Iowa City Cedar Rapids area. On Tuesday we had an elected officials meeting. That was a good discussion. Also, the MH/DD Planning Council met on Tuesday and we had the meetings with the 2 Assessors to approve their budgets. That was pretty much my week.
Harney: Thank you.
REPORT (LEHMAN): TOURED RURAL AREAS; AND TOURED VETERAN AFFAIRS OFFICE
Harney: Mike?
Lehman: I spent a lot of my time in just basic fundamental things that all of us do. Pat and I spent part of that time up around the Swisher area looking at some driveways and roads, came back through the scenic route. Even walked across the Green Castle Bridge. Its’ kind of nice. This time of year there wasn’t a lot of snow but you could see where people had been ice fishing. Saw a few of the eagles and things like that. It was kind of interesting to refresh what goes on out in the rural area. People kind of feel they are forgotten up there in some of those areas sometimes as far as our roads and some of those services we try to offer to them. Pat and I also had a chance to visit with Leo Baier, of Veteran’s Affairs. The first time we had been over there to see his facility and he is very happy with it. He kind of gave us a brief tour of everything he had. There was a client there who was just finishing up and we came there. It was kind of refreshing to see how Leo really puts the individuals at ease and stuff. He said at his new location people have been able to find him. Although, I noticed being at the Post Office the other day that his heading and room number is still up at the Post Office. I thought maybe that might create a problem, but I am sure people ask and can get directions there. The rest of my time was really spent, as many of the other Supervisors are, visiting with people on zoning issues, people coming in the office having questions about our daily County business and stuff. So, business as usual.
Harney: Thanks Mike.
Harney: Sally?
Stutsman: Let’s see, just wanted to mention one thing. I have a flyer to pass around talking about the Chambers Ag Breakfast Series. We have already had one Ag Breakfast Meeting. That was January 31st. But, the one coming up on February 28th is going to feature Robert Walker, from Minneapolis, Minnesota. He is going to talk about bio energy and ag. I think this is going to be a real informative session. I have not met Mr. Walker before but I understand he is really an interesting speaker. There is going to be a special breakfast of corn barbecued steak and eggs on a corn fueled grill. So, I think that will be something fun. Anyway, you need to make R.S.V.P.’s through the Chamber Office. It is open to the public. 337-9637.
Harney: Anyone can attend. Just call in if you are going to stay for the meal.
Lehman: It’ll be corn fed beef and corn cooked beef.
Stutsman: Right. That’s right. Promoting those local products. I also want to mention to Supervisors, I think Mike and Pat already met with Rick Havel to talk about GIS and the contract for photographing. I am going to meet with him Monday morning at 9 a.m. if Carol or Terrence are free. It kind of helps to have another Supervisor there so he doesn’t have to repeat his spiel too many times.
Harney: Thank you.
Stutsman: That’s it.
Harney: Terrence.
Neuzil: I’ll have to be Carol, because I am going to be heading to Washington D.C. to be part vacation and hopefully, part let’s bring home some bacon. The Iowa City Area Chamber of Commerce is going to be there as well. This is a trip that, because of funding cuts last year we eliminated from County government. So, the taxpayers know, I will not be taking a dime from Johnson County government. This will come out of my own pocket. But, it is nonetheless I think an important trip to have County representation at. So, I will be in Washington, D.C. and also having a vacation, too. So, hopefully they won’t have 2, 3, 4 feet of snow or whatever they have there. So, that will be a fun time and if anyone locally or throughout the County has any issues you would like me to present, please let me know. I would be happy to do that. Last night I had the opportunity to meet with the Solon Facilities Task Force. That organization is affiliated with the Solon Community School District. They are getting prepared to put together a plan, a long range plan for their school district to kind of determine where enrollment is going to go. Because Johnson County has certainly an impact, because of the amount of area particularly in the North Corridor that is in the Solon Community School District, it is very important that they at least have an understanding of what the North Corridor is and the potential of where we will allow for growth and development to occur. What areas are already zoned residential, what areas are platted out and of primary concern as far as recency goes, where the roads are going to be built. So, I had the opportunity to give a presentation to that organization. To about 20-25 residents from the area of Solon and gave them a pretty good feel for where and why and the history of the North Corridor. Hopefully, it will help them in their planning as far as where they would like to see growth and development occur and how that is going to affect their schools. Besides that, it has been a very busy week. The Board of Supervisors is getting very close to its budget finalization, as you heard from Jeff Horne. We’ll be putting together the final touches tomorrow in a meeting and then beyond that then it is the public hearing. I hope everyone participates and gets a good look at where your County government and your tax dollars are going. So, thanks.
Harney: Thank you.
Harney: The Board has covered most everything here. I have a couple of issues here of things we did this last week. One was we had the elected officials meeting where all of the elected officials gathered. There was a lot of discussion on the HIPAA, Health Insurance Portability Privacy Act. There are some deadlines coming this April that we need to meet. They are pretty much on line. There will be others coming in April of ’04. Mike Sullivan has been doing a very good job of keeping up on that and getting it all in place. We also had meetings with the City, the City Assessor, adoption of their budget, the City Council and the Board of Supervisors and the School Board reps all participated in that. We also had the public hearing for the County Assessor’s budget, adoption of that budget. That is the small town mayors and the School Board and the Board of Supervisors. I also had a chance to visit with the Department of Transportation this week. There have been articles in the newspaper about the transfer of Highway 965 to the City of Cedar Rapids. That has not occurred yet at this point. They have made an agreement that they have an intent to do so. Their lock in is that Cedar Rapids will be taking over the maintenance of 965 from the Johnson County line to Cedar Rapids. They are also asking to take about a one-mile stretch from the Swisher interchange north to the County line. They haven’t met with the Johnson County Board of Supervisors or Planning & Zoning and Secondary Roads. They thought that there had been participation in them. They checked their records, they found that that had not necessarily occurred as they thought it had. So, they are really basically putting that on hold, that portion of the transfer. They are acceptable to have a meeting with the Board, a couple of the members as well as Secondary Roads and their staff to see if there is agreement to transfer that particular portion of the roadway. Personally, I don’t really see a good cause to do a transfer of Johnson County property to Cedar Rapids unless they would happen to want to take that property into the City. If they annex it, then I really don’t see a problem with it. But at this point I think the Board needs to sit down and discuss whether they want to allow that to occur it or not. They had 2 different decisions from the Attorney General’s Office. One says that they can’t, the City can’t necessarily take a road without annexation into their city. Another one says that they can. So, they are really up in the air as to whether it can occur or cannot. It appears as though they probably can. But, we are going to have to sit down and find out what the intent is.
Stutsman: So, are we going to put it on next week’s agenda to talk about?
Harney: I suppose we can or we can just go ahead and set up a meeting with a couple of Board Members and with them and then come back and make a report. It’s however the Board wants to proceed.
Lehman: I might just comment. I did talk to Jim Houser, the Linn County Supervisor. He said that the DOT doesn’t want to handle this portion of road. They are going to give it to somebody. But, they are going to, along with it, give the road maintenance money that they had allotted for this portion. If we are going to say we don’t want Cedar Rapids or some other entity to have it, they are going to find somebody to take it. So, it either needs to be us or someone else. So, that discussion, we need to sit down. I’ve talked to Jim Houser about it. It sounds like Linn County Supervisors weren’t that concerned about. They felt it was either going to be annexed by Cedar Rapids or somebody. But, there is funding with it. We need to sit down with our Secondary Roads and find out what the impact is.
Stutsman: I know we’re not supposed to talk about it, but Mike…
Lehman: I’m just reporting.
Stutsman: I’m just going to share a concern. Is this the hardball tactic that DOT will use to get us to take over these roads? Anyway.
HOLLY BERKOWITZ: RESOLUTION TO OPPOSE WAR IN IRAQ
Harney: Any reports or inquiries from the public? You have about 5 minutes. You need to identify yourself for the Auditor.
Holly Berkowitz: OK. I am Holly Berkowitz. I am contemplating running for public office in the next year.
Stutsman: Holly, can I ask which office?
Berkowitz: Either City or County.
Stutsman: OK. Mike and I don’t have to worry.
Berkowitz: If you observed the Iowa City City Council in the last week or so, a petition has come before them to draw up a resolution to oppose the war in Iraq. Connie Champion suggested a pro-peace statement instead. I urge you to also come up with a resolution to oppose the war in Iraq, in whichever words you want. But, some of the councilors reasons for opposing, not even putting it on the agenda, were that it was a national issue, not a local issue. But, frankly, I believe that is very, very, very wrong. You can watch the Council hearings discussions for the reasons of that, but I will outline several of them. One is, is that it is a local issue. It affects the health and safety and lives of almost everyone in this county and in this city. I urge other cities in this county and in this state and in this nation to draw up a resolution to challenge the Bush Administration that is sacrificing our rights at this very moment, both overtly and covertly. If the Bush Administration and the oil industry did threaten the Taliban with a carpet of gold or a carpet of bombs before 9/11, then some in the oil industry and those planning a carpet of bombs to eliminate the Taliban for profit are suspect in causing 9/11. I want an investigation. I want someone to stand up and speak out who has the moral authority to defend the innocent people of this entire world against the covert militarization that’s killing us. Think of a local system or a state system or a national system or a global system as a system, not as an authoritarian state. That I think is the key to what’s going on here. Is that the right wing that seized total control of all the branches of government, eliminated the balance of power in this country in November. That’s why this is such an urgent issue. They’re seizing control of the Judiciary, they seized control of the House and the Senate, they seized control of the Executive. The only thing to stop President Bush from writing Executive Orders to nullify the U.S. Constitution, end the legality of the U.S. Congress, is public opinion. That rests with every person in this county and it’s important for you to come to city councils, to county meetings and voice opposition to the war. I don’t know why President Bush is not listening.
Harney: Thank you. We’re running down on the 5 minutes.
Berkowitz: Before that they’ve also drawn up resolutions that you can model one after. Essentially the Patriot Act and the Executive Orders and Countal Pro threaten the U.S. Constitution, the Bill of Rights, that include freedom of speech, assembly, privacy, equality before the law and presumption of innocence, access to counsel and due process in judicial proceedings, protection from unreasonable search and seizures. Whereas, we believe these civil liberties are precious and are now threatened by the U.S. Patriot Act and the Executive Orders of George Bush, which all eliminate judicial supervision of telephone and internet surveillance, greatly expands the governments ability to conduct secret searches without warrants, grants unchecked power to the Secretary of State to designate domestic groups as terrorist organizations. I might mention that one of the prime techniques of the radical right to seize political control, to abuse religion is to use labels and stigmas for the political opposition, to destroy the political opposition. Grants power to the Attorney General to subject non-citizens to indefinite detention or deportation, even if they have not committed a crime. Grants the FBI broad access to sensitive medical, mental health, financial and education records about individuals without having to show evidence of a crime or without a court order. I might add that last, a couple months ago, there was an article that said a judge in the United States had authorized the CIA to assassinate American citizens if they are suspected to be associated with a terrorist organization. I don’t know if I have the exact details of that, but the facts that are clear that the Bush Administration Judicial Nominee authorized the CIA to assassinate someone on a rumor. I don’t know if it’s here or abroad, but I find that outrageous. I find that outrageous that more people aren’t here today to present this. The Democrats did draw up a resolution. They will be coming to you for you to request a resolution. Whereas, Federal Executive orders issued since passage of the U.S. Patriot Act may further endanger the rights and security of both citizens and non-citizens who speak and act legally in opposition to government policies through establishing secret military tribunals for terrorism suspects. Authorizing eavesdropping on confidential communications between lawyers and their clients in Federal custody, lifting Justice Department regulations against covert, illegal, counter-intelligence operations by the FBI that have in the past targeted domestic groups and individuals, which in Nixon’s day probably eliminated legal opposition.
Harney: We have to cut off, Holly.
Stutsman: Holly, we limit 5 minutes.
Harney: You’ve been almost twice that.
Stutsman: Can you wind it up?
Berkowitz: OK. So please start drawing up some kind of statement to at least speak back to the Bush Administration. The system is like a family, a parent and a child relationship where for the family to function, the parent has to listen to the smallest voice. It has to listen to the smallest child because the smallest child may be the one that has the most critical observation. Dictatorships sink because the captain refuses to listen to the smallest voice that may have seen the iceberg. Thank you.
Harney: Anyone else?
EVE CASSERLY: SENIOR CENTER FUNDING
Harney: Eve?
Eve Casserly: Hi, I’m Eve Casserly. I’m here. Actually why I want to speak right now is that I heard Terrence say that you’re going to be putting the finishing touches on the budget tomorrow and the next few days. I’m here as a representative of the Senior Commission. Just one brief thing to ask. That is to ask that you might give what consideration you can to a request that the $75,000 be increase to $100,000 for the Senior Commission as it was last year. That’s all I have to say. I hope that you will do what you can to look favorably. Thank you.
REVEREND BOB WELSH: SENIOR CENTER FUNDING
Harney: Anyone else? Bob?
Reverend Bob Welsh: My name is Bob Welsh. On Tuesday night I went to the City Council. I told them that I had in my possession… They had a public hearing on their budget. Page 78 of their budget, I’ve had a copy of this for at least a couple weeks and really had not looked at the first line of that, which shows a reduction in the City’s giving to the Senior Center. Their projected budget is $545,029, which is $83,737 less than what they contributed in Fiscal Year 03.
Stutsman: This is the City contributed less?
Welsh: Yes. Property tax receipts. The 80/20 formula, which the County and City has used for a period of time has really gone out the window, but that is their projection for Fiscal Year 04. Last year they actually contributed 85.57% of the budget. If they did that same amount that would be $580,000 that they would contribute. I told them that I was an equal opportunity person. That I was not only coming to them, but that I would come on Thursday to your meeting and request that you look at giving what you had given in Fiscal Year 03, which would be an increase of $25,000. I know where you are in your budget process. That means it’s a shifting from one to the other. I think that can be done. I’m one that greatly believes that it needs to be a partnership. I think there’s been real misunderstandings as to what is involved in a partnership. I haven’t given up on that concept and that philosophy. I will be coming for you shortly. I have a meeting today of the Committee of the Taskforce, which I chair. We have been addressing the Senior Center issue and will be bringing to you our feelings at that point. In terms of not just fiscal management, but in terms of basic things in relation to the Senior Center and it’s operation. Right now, I wanted to mention to you the request and hope you will consider that. The fact that I will not be at your meeting tomorrow does not mean I’m not interested in your budgeting process. As some of you may know I’m Chair of the Budget Program and Planning Committee of the Heritage Area Agency on Aging. We have our big budget meeting tomorrow, looking at the RFPs for programs in the 7 County area. That’s also why Eve will not be there, because Eve is the other representative from Johnson County on that committee. But I do trust in your deliberations, tomorrow you will give serious consideration to contributing $100,000 to the Senior Center budget.
Stutsman: Bob, I just wanted to clarify. Tomorrow all we’re doing is setting the hearing date. There’s not going to be any deliberations. It’s just setting the date for the public hearing.
Neuzil: Point of information. I think that at this point in the process that the only way of change will be to do so at the public hearing where there could be an amendment. Of course at that point, we would have to not be able to increase the amount of money we could tax at that point, but we could find another way to take it out and that could be something that the Board could then vote on.
Harney: I guess I have a comment to make too Bob. I’ve been wrestling with the Senior Center thing a long time.
Welsh: I know you have Pat.
Stutsman: Janet’s perking up.
Lyness: This is public inquiries and you don’t want to get into a big discussion here.
Welsh: No, no, no. Pat has said at a meeting that I was not at, because I was sick, but I did hear where you discussed this; was there can be exchange at this point. You cannot deliberate amongst yourself, was Pat’s judgment to you.
Lehman: Pat White is who you are referring to you. Our County Attorney.
Welsh: Yes.
Lehman: Not that you wouldn’t be authoritative too.
Harney: I guess the only comment I was going to make Bob, is looking at things… As the budget is and the way it’s set and the services are provided to many residents of our community. It’s usually on a needy basis. In some ways, increasing dollars to me is good for seniors. But at the same time, perhaps we need to take a second look at looking at a way to provide, maybe the County pay for the needy, provide they show that they are a needy person, such as they do for Human Services or things like that on the side rather then just our General Basic Grant. I’d just leave it at that.
Welsh: Let me make a comment. I think that the whole, at the present time, what the Senior Center Commission is doing is addressing a fiscal crisis. I think there are many more big issues at that point. I think it is important for the County to be a part of that whole process. I guess all I’m suggesting is almost a stop gap kind of a measure for this year and to keep that dialog going and change because I think you all can play a very significant role. The statement that I’ll share with you later is that we are calling on the City Manager to look at the whole organizational structure of the Senior Center administration. So I think there’s a lot of dialog, but I guess I’m just saying I think it is important that the County be a part of the dialog and a partner in that.
Harney: Thank you. Any other inquiries or reports from the public.
Berkowitz: Can I have one more comment?
Harney: I think you’ve already had your chance to speak.
Lehman: Is this on a different subject.
Harney: Is it something new?
Berkowitz: I’m just concerned that Bush wants martial law and soldiers lose their civil rights. That’s why he wants war. Thank you.
Harney: Meeting closed.
Adjourned at 10:30 a.m.
Attest: Tom Slockett, Auditor
By Casie Parkins, Recording Secretary