Bolkcom: Just a couple brief things. Charlie and I attended a public hearing on Tuesday of the East Central Iowa Council of Governments on the Iowa in Motion Plan in part and on the Regional Transportation Plan and in both of those, or the Regional Transportation Plan was approved and sent onto the State. Also attended in part, Sally was also there. Johnson County Soil and Water Conservation District had a kind of a goal setting meeting on Tuesday evening, which was a very interesting process, broke up into small groups and kind of brainstormed how to do better conservation in Johnson County. So those were two good meetings this week. That's it.
REPORT (JORDAHL): ATTENDED SOCIAL WELFARE BOARD (CLUSTER BOARD) MEETING
Stutsman: Jonathan?
Jordahl: I am enjoying increasingly participating in what has been known as the Cluster Board. Kind of decided yesterday that we were going to go by the name of the Social Welfare Board, Cluster Board they thought sounded too much like a candy bar.
Stutsman: Uh-huh.
Jordahl: The goal here is that we're trying to put together a way of communicating with the entire community that under welfare reform, we face as a community, some real problems. We don't know how this is going to look in five years. Where are people who are not going to be eligible for welfare after 60 months going to go for the services that they now receive that provide them with food and housing and child care and so forth. We want to try and get this situation portrayed in terms of the real experiences of people now, on the front end, so that we can begin to address this situation whether by appealing to the government to change the rules, the Federal Government to change the rules, or by preparing whatever modifications of services are needed locally. The exciting thing about this is that rather than looking at welfare recipients and saying, OK, they are there and they have these problems and they are going to be in trouble, to look at this as a community problem in terms of economic development where we want to do job training for people to help them become gainfully employed and contributing members of the community, then we need to have training programs in place, we need to have jobs in place that will help them do that. So, seeing this as a seamless web, the idea is that the committee wants, the Welfare Board wants, to go out and visit various sites where people are welfare recipients, may be found. They're talking about Head Start parents meetings, free lunch programs. Salvation army, DHS, just hanging out in the office, just go where people are and talk to them about what their experience is and what their fears are and what they project is going to happen to them as this thing grinds itself through to limiting the terms of eligibility. Not only talk to them, but then ultimately get some sort of format together where we will have regular communication with community leaders, job providers, service providers, and so forth, instead of seeing this as one against another, as a web of community involvement, trying to address the problem of viable employment for people. So that was great and it's ongoing and I'll be reporting as this progresses.
Stutsman: Great, real good, Steve do you have anything to report?
REPORT (LACINA): ATTENDED JOHNSON COUNTY COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS MEETING
Lacina: Just had the JCCOG meeting last night, I think I said ECICOG, I meant JCCOG.
Stutsman: Oh, OK, I wondered if...
Lacina: Yes, sorry about that. I'd share that... The main thing is we amended some of our transportation plans, but then as far as the Board is most relevant, there was a reallocation of about $550,000 from Coralville that had constructed their earlier projects under bid, and thanked them for that. But the money was reallocated, $28,000 to the University of Iowa to retrofit a bus with lift assist, $62,000 roughly to North Liberty to extend the bicycle trail down into Coralville which will connect that under the interstate and get some of the kids able to bike to school as opposed to having to take cars over the interstate. $8,000 to Iowa City which basically made them whole as far as the earlier allocation they got all their money back, basically. The remainder roughly $447,000 will go to Coralville for the Oakdale extension on that.
Bolkcom: What's the time frame on that bike trail, Steve, in North Liberty? Going under the interstate, is that going to be done this summer?
Lacina: Good question, I don't know, and I...
Bolkcom: I should probably know.
Lacina: There is a time limit as to when those funds have to be expended and I think it is this construction season. If they don't use them, then they will have to go back.
Bolkcom: I didn't mean to put you on the spot about that, I'm part of the Regional Trails and Bicycling Committee, too, and I should know the answer to that question as well, I just wanted a point of information.
Lacina: Well, they have received other funds from that so that project is a go, but this will just help them make sure this is completed. They were short on their other applications so this will help them fill in. In fact, they're still short. The costly one, they're trying to do the alignment now on the Oakdale extension and because of wetlands and sensitivity to where they align it there will be a lot of studying and cost involved in that before they go out and construct it. But I think they're going to do it correctly by taking time and doing it right. That's all I have, thank you.
Stutsman: Charlie?
Duffy: I had a Johnson County Emergency Management Meeting last night. I think this has been brought up before, this time I brought envelopes and forms to fill out that anybody that wants to go to the Duane Arnold plant at Palo...
Stutsman: OK.
Duffy: ...on May 28th, and did indeed bring a some kind of information that has your picture like a driver's license or else you're not getting in. I mean if you have a driver's license that doesn't have your picture on it, some of those older ones are still around, I'm sorry, you're not going to get in, but here's the envelopes, the whole thing. So I'll see you after the meeting. We're going to have a... Well, the reason why we go up to Palo and have these meetings, we're a host county in case there's problems at Palo Atomic plant up there. I hope there never is, but we do have an exercise coming up at West High on July 31st. We changed the date, it was the 24th, but that's County Fair time. It starts at 6:00, and I think maybe you should put this down on your calendars that this is quite an exercise if you haven't been to one of these. The last one was tornadoes, but this one is for Duane Arnold. April 2, there's one we can't go to that because we're busy. There's another thing here that I did report before, but a lot of information has materialized since that there's a committee report on Hazardous Materials Checklist for Expanded Services into other Counties. There's a lot of information in here that is very, we're talking about serious things and of course this has to be reviewed by the County Attorney. There was a subcommittee that did a great job, I think they met about four times, but there's about four or five pages here. It really would be worth your time to read this. Sooner or later, it will come back to the Supervisors, but this is very intensive study on this, because some of the things, like the safety of the team, isolation of counties, lawsuits, claims, legal responsibilities, backup system for the County to cover an accident when you're in another County. There's page after page of this, so it was a very good committee last night.
Stutsman: Good, sounds like a lot of information. I am interested in going on that Palo tour.
Duffy: OK
Stutsman: Glad you brought that to our attention.
Duffy: Oh, if you want to bring anybody with you, they have to be over 18.
Bolkcom: I toured the Cordova Plant once over in Illinois when I was a kid and they gave us these little things of spent fuel, little plastic things, do they give that at Palo? Do they have the same kind of...
Jordahl: Are they radioactive?
Bolkcom: No, they're simulated.
Stutsman: Wait a minute.
Jordahl: They're these little black barrels.
Hayden-Strait: Let's hope that's been discontinued.
Bolkcom: I thought it was kind of neat as a kid.
Stutsman: I bet, as a kid it would be.
Duffy: I will make one more comment that some of these atomic plants and Palo will be the same, there's places where you can take a truck, probably a semi truck and ram it against the concrete, it wouldn't even scratch it. It's at... It's really something to see if you haven't been up there.
Lacina: It's interesting though, they all have a life and from the time they start it, and to the time it's completed, they have a rough idea and at some time the rebar in the concrete will become radioactive and then when they de-commission a nuclear site, you do one of two things, you either go in and chop it up and remove it, or you bury it in site, in concrete, just encapsulate it. Then from my experience with Chernobyl and the briefings that we got, it's an ongoing maintenance problem, because there continues to be free radicals floating around and the de-commissioning of those things will be ongoing expense for a long, long time.
Jordahl: You mean, keep burying it again and again?
Lacina: Depending on what they put in the concrete and the insulation and types of things, if they continue to add rebar and there's metal, those metal bars can continue to become radioactive over time. You're not real excited about being the crew that decides to go in and chop it up and move it somewhere else.
Bolkcom: Right, I know.
Stutsman: Charlie are you done?
Duffy: Yes, thank you.
Stutsman: OK, I have a couple of things. I attended Sixth Judicial District Department of Correctional Services meeting yesterday afternoon. One of the things that the Board agreed to do was to give the Director the authority to put an option on some additional land that is adjacent to the property up there. They are going to proceed with that. It doesn't obligate the Board, but at least it puts some framework in place and if at some future time they are interested in going ahead with buying that land, they will have first option to do that. Also they're looking into an open house for their 20th year anniversary. Already the Board has been in existence for 20 years, so they will be making plans for that. Went over some legislative things that once again are these things that's kind of what I call knee-jerk legislation where legislature wants to get tough on crime and they don't always think through what the ramifications will be to this. One of them is the probation revocation pilot project and what kind of money is involved with that and the pay for stay. We had quite a discussion on that, that there's additional legislation being proposed for people to pay while they are in the Court system. The ramification of this of who's going to collect this pay and if these people are the kind that have resources available to pay. You know it sounds like a good idea on paper, but in actuality is it worth putting it in place? So that legislation hasn't been passed and there's ongoing discussion about that, but that's some down side that the correctional services are concerned about. Attended a Chamber Board Meeting this morning. The Chamber decided to go ahead, the Board decided to go ahead to make an initial application for the ag plowing contest for the year 2006. This was done in what, 1984, 1986? The World Plowing Contest was held out in Amana. It was just a fun time, plus a profitable time for the Chamber. So, they're looking into maybe bringing that to the community again. Also, Indiana and Ohio are being looked at possible sites, so this is just a preliminary to go ahead with maybe making an application to bring it here. Their membership kick off will be April 24th and it will go to May 8th. Their goal is 80 new members to the chamber this year. It was discussed about the Recorder Committee and John Beckord made the request for people who are interested in applying. There seems to be interest from the Board members that were there and they were pleased that they were asked to participate in that committee. I'm hoping that he'll have some names for us by the end of the week of people that will be interested in that. The Public Arts Program proposal was presented to the Chamber and Carol Spaziani is on that committee. She was also there this morning, although she didn't talk about it. But it was just presented to the Board. It will be discussed at our next meeting, but it is something that will be brought to the various city councils as well as the Board of Supervisors. So I have a copy of that proposal if anybody's interested in looking at it. It was just a real initial introductory presentation on the proposal so I haven't had a chance to really look at it and it wasn't gone into depth, so I can't answer a whole lot of questions about it.
Hayden-Strait: How can the public get copies of that?
Stutsman: I would suggest you contact Carol and she might be able to get that information to you. But it's something that will be brought up to the Board, so if you want to take a look at that, I'll have it on my desk. The last item for discussion was what they are planning to do with that last piece of Urban Renewal Property. Unfortunately I had to leave the meeting early so I didn't get in on all the discussion, but that's kind of an update of what went on at the Board meeting. Anything else that needs to be...
Jordahl: Well, I think maybe there would be interest in people about what's going on, our time table and so forth for the Recorder's appointment? The committee study.
Stutsman: OK, I wanted to discuss that. For the committee and this is a committee to study the Recorder's Office and see about the feasibility of combining that with either the Treasurer or the Auditor's Office, and to get the facts on the table as to if there's efficiencies to be had, if there's costs to be saved, so that we can make an informed decision about whether to go ahead and proceed with a recommendation to combine that office or to leave as is. We've had a committee framework set up and we've asked people to apply and those applications are due in the Board Office by Friday.
Jordahl: Tomorrow?
Stutsman: Uh-huh. By tomorrow. I think we've had some real positive response to the committee. We set up a six month time frame to study this issue and then to bring a recommendation back to the Board and then we'll discuss and go from there.
Bolkcom: That's Friday, March 28th.
Stutsman: OK, thank you. I forget this may be delayed telecast.
Bolkcom: Uh-huh.
Stutsman: As far as interviewing for the interim Recorder position, we have set up interviews for Monday morning, March 31st, starting at 8:00 in the morning. We have six candidates that will be interviewing and so the Board will be reviewing those. Then hopefully we will be able to discuss those and make a decision by Tuesday morning. We will have a special formal meeting on Tuesday to make that appointment. Any other comments, discussion from the Board.
Jordahl: Is that Tuesday meeting, I'm wondering if that's going to be something that we can televise. Andy?
Videographer Andy Small: Tuesday evening?
Stutsman: No.
Jordahl: Morning.
Stutsman: Why don't you check with your schedule.
Small: What's the date again?
Jordahl: We'll talk about it.
Stutsman: 31st.
Jordahl: 1st of April.
Benge: : No, it would be the 1st.
Stutsman: Oh it would be the 1st.
Benge: : There's only one item on that agenda, it's that.
Small: I think that morning, we're editing the Festival of Trees video and that's been set up for a month and a half. So I''ll have to check, being that it's April Fool's Day and...
Stutsman: Actually, if it's just the appointment...
Jordahl: Well, isn't there an informal meeting that day as well?
Stutsman: Right, right.
Jordahl: So...
Stutsman: So we can certainly...
Small: Could we... It has to be on Tuesday?
Stutsman: Charlie's not going to be here on Thursday so that's why we were going to have the formal just to make the appointment actually...
Jordahl: But we're not doing the whole formal meeting for the week on Tuesday, that's what I understood.
Stutsman: No, no, just that part of it.
Jordahl: I see.
Stutsman: Anything else?
Bolkcom: I had one thing that I should have announced when I did my report.
Stutsman: OK.
Bolkcom: AARP and the Johnson County Task Force on Aging are going to be sponsoring a forum on whether or not it makes sense to privatize social security. That's going to be on Monday, April 7th at 1:30 p.m. at the Senior Center. So if you're a senior interested in that or if you're a baby boomer interested in that, come on out. Thanks.
Stutsman: OK, if that's it, we'll recess the meeting until Monday morning.
Recessed at 10:15 a.m.; reconvened on March 31, 1997 at 8:11 a.m. with Steven Lacina absent.
BOARD OF SUPERVISORS: INTERVIEWS FOR THE INTERIM COUNTY RECORDER POSITION
Stutsman: You've been handed out questions and I think it would be good for us to go through these questions and take turns asking them if that's OK with you.
Administrative Assistant Carol Peters: I did go ahead and take advantage of making extra copies of the questions in case you want a copy for each interview.
Bolkcom: Good idea.
Jordahl: Carol, I'm not going to be staying for dinner on Wednesday.
Stutsman: The other thing is...
Duffy: Where is the dinner supposed to be?
Stutsman: We'll talk about that later OK? Because it's already 8:10 and we're already 10 minutes behind. The other thing is that it's a pretty ambitious schedule, I went down and talked to Denise Shannon. It's a nightmare down there today, she is willing to be on call. She would prefer to stick on schedule or come in at 4:15. Is anybody interested in interviewing her at 4:15.
Jordahl: I'm interested in a longer schedule.
Bolkcom: She could come in after 10:30.
Stutsman: I think she would prefer to come in early, stick where she's at. But we will call her when we're ready.
Bolkcom: We'll just call her when we have her scheduled. Try and stay on schedule.
Stutsman: OK.
Bolkcom: In terms of the questions, there is obviously more questions here then we're ever be able to cover. Are we going to work off of the questions that we put together?
Stutsman: Right. I think number 2 was a good question on the Recorder's.
Jordahl: Well which are which? These are the...
Bolkcom: Those are submitted by John.
Stutsman: We didn't get these until Friday, so it was difficult after we had already put this other list together to incorporate those so we'll just... is that OK with everybody just to go down the list and take turns asking questions?
Bolkcom: That's fine.
Stutsman: Mr. Wolf is here.
Bolkcom: Bring him in.
Duffy: I've got one problem with one of the questions.
Stutsman: What?
Duffy: That would be G.
Stutsman: What's wrong?
Duffy: We are going to appoint a committee to study it, but maybe there won't be any changes or there might be more people hired instead of less.
Stutsman: I think...
JAMES D. WOLF: INTERVIEW FOR INTERIM COUNTY RECORDER POSITION
Stutsman: Do we need to call the meeting to order? Have we done that yet?
Peters: I assumed you had.
Stutsman: I'll make it super official and I'll call the meeting to order. This is the Board of Supervisors meeting for Monday March 31, 1997. This is for interviews for the interim Recorder position and we have with us Mr. James Wolf Jr. and he's the first one to be interviewed this morning and I wanted to briefly tell you Mr. Wolf that we are here to interview for an elected position. You do have the option to have an executive session if you would like. I think the Board prefers to keep this an open session being as that this is to fill a position for an elected office. But its up to you, you tell us. OK is it all right to go ahead with open session then?
James D. Wolf Jr.: I have no problem with that.
Stutsman: OK, alright. We have a number of question we'd like to ask you and the Board members will just take turns, but I think it would be good if we introduced ourselves first. My name is Sally Stutsman and I'm Chairperson of the Board of Supervisors this year. Charlie Duffy.
Wolf: We know each other already.
Stutsman: Oh, OK. Jonathan Jordahl and Joe Bolkcom.
Bolkcom: Good morning.
Stutsman: I will begin by first of all asking why did you apply for this position?
Wolf: I'm finishing up my masters degree and looking for a job and this job seemed both interesting and something that would use my skills.
Bolkcom: What administrative experience would you bring to this job especially in the area of supervising staff? There is 6 staff in that office now that would need supervision.
Wolf: Well as an editor over at Hybrid where I am now, I supervise a number of students who go down to the University and get to work as correspondents for us. I usually take over the operation of the newspaper when Brian leaves on vacation. In the past when I was working through college I was in charge of Kentucky Fried Chicken. When I was in college I was with the Student Programming Board which was one that brought in acts. I was president and then after President one of the board of supervisors, one of the ones that taught the younger kids, we had a budget of $27,000 that we were in charge of each year.
Bolkcom: Great.
Wolf: Also with the Student Programming Board I was one of the unofficial alumni advisors.
Bolkcom: OK, thanks.
Jordahl: You've begun to address this, but the question of personnel experience you know the question of we've got vital statistics coming into the Recorder's Office, we've got the question of how you'd do staffing so what personnel experience do you have and how many people have you supervised?
Wolf: At one time or over...
Jordahl: I would say maybe by job or something like that sensitive to the time issue.
Wolf: I can't say how many I've done at one time or over the years. I do most of the hiring for our correspondence for the newspaper. I did hiring at the Kentucky Fried Chicken. Most of them report directly to me. The correspondents do.
Stutsman: What are your most significant professional accomplishments?
Wolf: I would have to say what I've done with the North Liberty Leader. I was the first full-time editor on there and I think I've brought the quality of the paper up quite a bit.
Stutsman: Charlie, do you have a question?
Duffy: What are your strengths and what are your weaknesses? That's quite a...
Wolf: That's a very broad question. I'm quite dedicated, if you contact any of my former bosses they will tell you that. I get the job done. I like to do it right and I take a lot of pride in my work and make sure they come out with a decent product. I can't think of any weaknesses that come to mind right now.
Stutsman: Joe, do you want to?
Bolkcom: Yes. I'll go ahead. One of the issues of this department is becoming clear is the need to move to a more computer based handling of information. So my question is what experience do you have with database management if any?
Wolf: Database is probably not as strong as it could be. I've used it at work. I was a computer consultant at Purdue University at Calumet while I was there for my undergraduate degree so I think that goes up to ‘90 and so I'm very familiar with computers and how to use them. I'm also in charge of computers at the newspaper. As I said database could be a little stronger, but I do have the experience and I do know computers enough to pick them up very well.
Bolkcom: OK thanks.
Jordahl: It seems like personnel issues are dominating the questions. Do you foresee any changes in staffing in the Recorder's office? How would you handle staffing in general? There's some understandable anxiety in that office about what changes might occur with a new person in the position. How would you address this issue with the staff in the Recorder's office?
Wolf: That actually would be the hardest part is coming in and dealing with the staff that knows you're there as a hired gun. I do not foresee getting rid of any of the staff. I have talked to Mr. O'Neill and he says they are a crack staff and they should be kept intact. I agree with that. The controversy so to speak surrounding this office is whether or not the Recorder should remain or his job should be split up between 2 offices. I see this job as deciding that. I understand also that this is the only County office that's making a profit, so that's a matter of can you keep the profit as you split up the Recorder's job. Can you save the money both in the long run and in the short run rather than just the short run?
Stutsman: How will you work with the Recorder's Office Study Committee? I hope that you're aware and it sounds like you are that we are going to appoint a committee to study the Recorder's office and the impact of consolidation if it would be positive or negative.
Wolf: I would say that would be the main purpose of this. Again I use the term hired gun, that was the purpose of whoever you would appoint. I would work very well with the Committee. I believe my first job would be consolidation, not consolidation, but taking over the State Records April 1st and the second job would be to work with the Committee to decide whether or not this office should go on and 1998 is the final date for this term?
Stutsman: Right January of ‘98. Right.
Wolf: I'm looking at this as a temporary position. One where I could use my skills.
Bolkcom: It would actually be December of ‘98.
Wolf: December of ‘98.
Bolkcom: You would serve throughout the entire year of 1998.
Stutsman: OK.
Wolf: Did I answer your question?
Stutsman: Yes. Thank you. Charlie?
Duffy: Why are you preparing to accept a position that may be eliminated in 20 months? I got a problem with this question, but...
Wolf: I think it's a good question.
Duffy: Why are you preparing to accept a position that may be eliminated in 20 months?
Wolf: Because it sounds interesting, and honestly I think I will be able to use my skills in it. It's a little bit of the Dr. Seuss, if I ran the Zoo, I think every reporter has that in the back of his mind. To be quite honest I think I need a little bit of a break from reporting.
Bolkcom: Do you plan to seek election for the Recorder's Position at the end of this term, have you given that any thought?
Wolf: I don't plan to. I will not rule that out entirely, but I don't plan to. I'm honestly looking at grad school and going on for my doctorate.
Jordahl: Well that kind of leads right into the where do you see yourself in 5 years? I guess maybe to broaden that to how does this fit into your long range plan in view of your educational plans?
Wolf: I have been planning on working for about a year or 2 after graduate school, as I said I'm probably getting a little burned out on working and it will be a chance to work, to make money and I think it will be an interesting position and I think if I'm going to be teaching reporting it will be nice to have the government viewpoint too.
Stutsman: Describe your familiarity with the Recorder's Office.
Wolf: Mostly from using it as a reporter.
Stutsman: OK.
Jordahl: Well I'll follow up on that a little bit, how have you used it as a reporter?
Wolf: If there is growth happening in North Liberty which there really is I call and find out who owns land, who is building what. This is such a common thing for me I'm not even thinking it through. But it is either through the Assessor's office or the Recorder's office that I get a lot of my information. Unfortunately I don't always get the right information from the right ones at the right time. Something to look at with the Committee.
Duffy: My turn is it?
Stutsman: Yes.
Duffy: OK. What challenges do you see facing the interim Recorder? I think maybe we touched on that already.
Wolf: I think keeping the trust of the staff is very important. Also working with the Committee to find out whether or not this should be absorbed...
Stutsman: Along those...
Wolf: ...and dealing with media. This has gotten a lot of media attention.
Bolkcom: You'll be good at that.
Stutsman: I was going to say. You could handle that from your perspective. Along with this question is that one of the things that the Recorder's Office is dealing with right now is the vital records and that switch over from the State to the local level. Do you have any thoughts on how to implement that?
Wolf: Until I'm actually in the office I'd hate to come in and say this is how we're going to do it. Because every manager that I've ever had in every job has come in new and said this is how we're going to do it and has ended up shooting themselves in the foot. I'm sure he's got a very competent staff from what he says and from what I've heard from other County employees, they are a very competent staff and I'd have to talk to them before I made any decisions on that.
Bolkcom: When can you start?
Wolf: I'd like to give Brian 2 weeks notice, give my current boss 2 weeks notice.
Jordahl: We've read through the list of questions here other than the usual terminal question of do you have any questions to ask us, and I'd like to ask one since we still have few minutes here that has occurred to me, since this is an elected position if you were campaigning for this office what campaign issues would you define?
Wolf: I think a campaign issue has been defined on whether or not this should be absorbed. But from what I understand the office has run very well for the people who need to use it and that would be a campaign issue is keeping it running well.
Stutsman: Have you had a chance to look at the Recorder's budget?
Wolf: No unfortunately I haven't had a chance to do the research I wanted to.
Stutsman: OK. Did you say you had any experience putting budgets together?
Wolf: Yes and covering them for 8 years in government.
Stutsman: OK. Are there any other questions Board members would like to ask?
Bolkcom: Do you have any questions for us?
Wolf: I'm curious where you see this office going. What do you see as the role of the interim appointed official?
Duffy: I would say it's either going to go up with more things vital statistics is one. It will be a busier office or else it will probably be split up, but if it does some of it will go to the Treasurer and the Treasurer will have to get involved, because it looks to me like they're awfully crowded now down there and there will have to be more people hired, things like that so anyway it can go either way. That's the way it looks to me.
Stutsman: I guess I just see the interim Recorder working in the office and getting the work done until the end of the term. I'm waiting for the report from the study committee and see what their recommendation will be and then from there.
Jordahl: It's an interesting blend. I think you've addressed an important issue and that is that the office is functioning well now and so we don't want to disturb that, the question is maintaining the function at its current efficient level and then looking at efficiencies to be gained by possibly eliminating the Recorder's position and consolidating some of these functions, so I guess I would see myself as sort of midway between what Charlie and Sally have outlined. There's an importance of maintaining the current function, but there is also the importance of looking at what might happen through consolidation so I would hope that an important part of this would be as you have said if numerous times facilitating the study committee's work.
Bolkcom: I can't say it better than Jonathan just did but emphasizing the one point that having someone in this position on an interim basis is going to be helpful to us in the study and the like.
Wolf: Do you foresee keeping the staff pool even if the Recorder's position is eliminated?
Jordahl: That's a decision that will I think be somewhere down the road, I mean certainly the question right now is eliminating the Recorder's position and that's the question. It's not eliminating staff in the Recorder's office.
Stutsman: Or eliminating the work.
Jordahl: Exactly the work's not going to go anywhere. So there is still going to be people needed to do it. The question is under what administrative structure will they be doing that, so I certainly don't see eliminating staff in the office at this point. If in the future that seems possible it only be done I think in my mind by way of attrition and not through dismissal, but that would be a decision for the subsequent actual administrator of the office to make and not for the Board of Supervisors to make.
Wolf: OK, and what do you feel is the most important quality for whatever candidate you appoint?
Bolkcom: There's probably several for me.
Stutsman: I guess several for me too.
Wolf: And what they are.
Bolkcom: One that works well with other people, is cooperative, this is a big organization and from time to time I think it's been difficult for us to make sure that we communicate well with each other among elected officials and other departments so being open to being involved with that. Being able to deal with staff that are somewhat anxious about their future employment and be able to communicate well.
Stutsman: I guess I would agree with what Joe said. Being a team player, that we've got a big job to do to see that county government runs well. I guess somebody that's organized that has a good work ethic, because it's a big job and that works well with staff that can see that things run efficiently and well and give people lots of pats on the back, because people do work hard in that office.
Duffy: I would say one of the larger things would be how you would meet with the general public. I think any elected official or appointed official anybody that works for county government should meet the public well and sometimes it isn't always easy to do that and I think that is very important.
Jordahl: I would add one thing that hasn't been mentioned yet, not to deny any of the things that have been said to reinforce them actually, but to add the idea of something to do with computers. That we've got this big study of computerization and that going to be ongoing during this 20 month period and that's something that will be very important for the Recorder to be conversant with and supportive of.
Wolf: When do you see this study ending for the computers?
Jordahl: The study has been reported to the Board and formally accepted just this last week although it was reported sometime ago, but there is a meeting this Friday of the What-When committee to decide on implementation of some of their results so implementation will start fairly soon.
Wolf: Well I can't think of any more questions I have.
Stutsman: You've asked some very good questions.
Jordahl: Yes, you're a good interviewer.
Wolf: It's interesting to be on the other side of the interview.
Stutsman: Yes. Well if that takes care of from the Board and questions from you we'd like to thank you for your interest in the position and coming in and being flexible with your schedule too. We appreciate that.
Wolf: Thank you very much for the interview. I encourage you to contact any of my old bosses.
Stutsman: OK, your references were listed on your application.
Jordahl: We started a little bit late Sally could I...
Wolf: Those were personal references I believe.
Jordahl: Personal as opposed to employment?
Bolkcom: If you have references to give us you sure can.
Jordahl: I don't have here the application form, did you fill one of those out?
Stutsman: I don't either. OK, there it is.
Wolf: I did mail one in, but I wasn't sure it would come.
Bolkcom: Do you have that Carol?
Peters: Yes.
Jordahl: It does list the references there?
Wolf: Yes. I can give you another copy too.
Peters: That's OK Mr. Wolf. I'll make sure that they get one.
Stutsman: Those are the references we can contact that are on your application form.
Wolf: Right, I also presume that you would feel free to contact old bosses, Lyle Muller over at the Gazette, and Brian, you know Brian...
Bolkcom: Sure.
Wolf: ...because that would be fine to contact (inaudible). Please feel free to contact them.
Bolkcom: OK, great, thanks for coming in.
Stutsman: Thank you, you have a nice day.
Wolf: You too.
Stutsman: Carol do you want to call Denise? OK.
Recessed at 8:33 a.m.; reconvened at 8:38 a.m.
EXECUTIVE SESSION: DENISE SHANNON -- INTERVIEW FOR INTERIM COUNTY RECORDER POSITION
Stutsman: Hi Denise, thanks for coming up. Denise I wanted to before we get started I wanted to tell you that you do have to choice whether to go into executive session or open session. This is to fill an interim position for an elected office and so I think it is the Board's feeling that we'd like to do it in open session being as that it's for an elected position, but the choice is up to you whether you'd rather have a closed session or an open session.
Denise Shannon: In other words you're on the record and in the press.
Stutsman: I do need to say we're back in session.
Shannon: I guess my feelings about it were that it was a job interview and that that was private.
Stutsman: OK and so is that saying you want to be in executive session?
Shannon: Yes.
Stutsman: OK, all right. So do we have a motion to go into executive session?
Motion by Bolkcom, second by Jordahl, to enter into Executive Session at 8:38 a.m. to interview Denise Shannon for the position of Interim County Recorder 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: Bolkcom, Jordahl, Stutsman, Duffy; absent: Lacina.
Motion by Bolkcom, second by Jordahl, to leave Executive Session at 9:07 a.m. Roll call: aye: Bolkcom, Jordahl, Stutsman, Duffy; absent: Lacina.
MARLENE PERRIN: INTERVIEW FOR INTERIM COUNTY RECORDER POSITION
Stutsman: Before we interview Marlene Perrin do people want to take a short break?
Bolkcom: No, let's keep rolling.
Duffy: Let's keep rolling, I'll just go get some coffee.
Peters: Are you ready for the next one?
Stutsman: Hi Marlene, do you want to go ahead and take a seat? Thanks for coming in Marlene. First of all before we get started I wanted to tell you that you have a choice whether to have this interview in open session or executive session. It's the Board's feelings that being as this is to fill a position for an elected office that we would prefer the interviews to be in open session, but it's your decision.
Marlene Perrin: It's fine with me, that's no problem.
Stutsman: All right, real good. What the Board has done is that we've compiled a list of questions to ask the different candidates so we'll just go through that list of questions and go from there. And you know everybody up here?
Perrin: Yes.
Stutsman: OK, so we don't need to do introductions. First of all why did you apply for the position.
Perrin: The short answer is I guess I'm always looking for a job. But really it's something I've sort of always been interested in. I enjoy that kind of thing. I enjoy digging around in records and maintaining records and keeping information which I guess is what I've spent my life doing.
Bolkcom: Marlene, what administrative experience would you bring to this job?
Perrin: At the Press-Citizen I supervised a staff of 7 to 8 for several years, lesser numbers of people in earlier years. At the moment I'm office Supervisor at the H&R Block Office which we have a staff of 12 I believe now.
Jordahl: Let's see here, B and C kind of flow together for me, (inaudible) what are your most significant professional accomplishments?
Perrin: I think I spent a lot of years doing a good job at translating public policy into things that people could read that would be meaningful to explain public policy to the lay person I guess. I suppose in relation to this job that would be the most significant thing.
Stutsman: Can you tell me what you feel are your strengths and then also what your weaknesses are?
Perrin: I suppose again my strengths are I think I relate to the public. I think I can explain things to the public. I've dealt with the public all of my life. I'm the one who got the complaints and who got the compliments and I'm still dealing with the public. My weakness, I suppose my weakness as a manager is I tend to do things. I tend to want to be involved doing the work. I'm not a very stand-backish person. I want to do something too and I suppose sometimes I do too much and not delegate enough.
Duffy: Outline your experience with database management.
Perrin: I've used computers for many years. In terms of database management probably the Juvenile Crime Prevention program and the Sixth Judicial District research has been the largest database that I've been involved with keeping and interpreting. Basically that's collecting data and manipulating it if you'd want to call it that you know resorting them and trying to make statistics meaningful. If you're talking about that in relation to the Recorder's office I think it's a little different kind of system, but I'm very comfortable with computers. I've used a lot of different kinds. I find that every kind has a new thing to learn and I don't think you can say I know computers, because you don't. Every time you get to a new one you have learn something else.
Duffy: I can really appreciate that statement.
Perrin: So in the Auditor's office I did some mapping. I joked later, they started having the deputies learn the mapping and I joked that they figured if they could teach me they could teach anybody. I was the guinea pig, but I sort of just dig in and find out what's there and how to do it.
Bolkcom: Am I up again?
Stutsman: Uh-huh.
Bolkcom: Sorry. We shifted questions here, we've all been asking the same questions. Jonathan threw us off track.
Jordahl: Did I do that? It's my fault.
Stutsman: Creatures of habit.
Bolkcom: Understandably there is some anxiety among the staff in the Recorder's office about them having a new boss and I guess the question is how would you propose to handle that anxiety? Do you anticipate making any changes? And how would you address this with our staff?
Perrin: I don't think you can anticipate making any changes until you find out really more about the office. Having gone through numerous Press-Citizen managing editors the only one who was successful started out by calling in the old people which included Johanna Beers and me and a few others and saying what do you think. And I think that's the first thing you have to do is talk to the staff and get response from them. They're the ones that see that the job gets done. I don't have a particular agenda at all. I would prefer to talk to the staff and get their feelings and move forward from that.
Jordahl: How will you work with the Recorder's Office study committee?
Perrin: I don't know who is on the study committee. Have the members been...
Jordahl: It hasn't been staffed yet, we're going to do that tomorrow.
Perrin: I would have no problems working with the committee. I was on the League Johnson County Study Committee initially. I would provide them any information that they need and cooperate in any way. Is that what you're asking? I'm not sure what...
Jordahl: Yes it is.
Stutsman: Why are you prepared to accept a position that may be eliminated in 20 months?
Perrin: In part it's because I'm old. If I were 30 years old, it might be more difficult.
Stutsman: So that's not going to be a problem for you if this position is eliminated?
Perrin: No. I think it's much less a problem than it is for someone who has more years of working life left.
Bolkcom: Sure.
Perrin: Although I don't feel old, I must say that.
Stutsman: You don't seem old at all.
Duffy: You look great. Do you plan to seek election for the Recorder's position?
Perrin: I've always said I was a terrible candidate. I ran for school board (inaudible) and am a terrible, terrible candidate. I guess you never say never, but at this stage that was not in my plan. I enjoy politics as an observer. I think I'd be a terrible candidate Charlie.
Duffy: I'm not so sure about that.
Bolkcom: Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
Perrin: Well I don't know if I'll be in California watching my grandchildren or if I'll be... I hope in 5 years I'm not working full time certainly. I don't know I haven't thought about that. I'd like to travel the world or something. I don't see myself in the middle of a high powered job in 5 years.
Jordahl: Describe your familiarity with the Recorder's Office itself?
Perrin: I have over the years I've used it frequently for research for the paper and also for myself on occasion. I am not familiar with every aspect of the Recorder's Office. I haven't gone in there to inspect them or anything of that nature. We used the Recorder's Office for research for the County Mapping Project, so I'm kind of familiar with what they have there and how it's changed over the years from the days when we used to haul down the great big books and look through all of the handwriting that nobody could use and its through the system now. They will be doing vital statistics which I guess I haven't really explored very much of in the Clerk's Office to this date, but it's mostly as a user.
Stutsman: What challenge do you see facing the interim Recorder?
Perrin: I think it will be a challenge to get everybody to get along. To kind of pave the way for whatever is to come and I don't really have a preconceived notion of what's to come. I think it may well be possible that it's time to eliminate the office. Maybe it isn't time. I think it should be looked at in a sort of dispassionate way. I'm not very much into power and authority. I think the particular challenge will be to get everybody to agree on something and to make it a sort of seamless transition which may be a considerable challenge.
Duffy: When can you start?
Perrin: That's a tough question.
Stutsman: You're in the middle of tax season aren't you?
Perrin: Yes. I can't do anything until after the 15th of April. I think I got in the mail Saturday, but I didn't open it a contract from Carol. So I haven't opened it yet, but I told Carol...
Stutsman: Carol Thompson?
Perrin: Yes, because I'm supposed to be evaluating agencies for her which is supposed to be completed by the end of April.
Stutsman: Oh my.
Perrin: But I definitely could not start until mid April and I would have to deal with Carol.
Jordahl: Do you mean evaluating agencies in terms of their budget?
Perrin: Well auditing agencies in terms of their contract compliance with the Juvenile Court Office.
Stutsman: That's due the end of April. OK.
Perrin: I purposely didn't open the letter, because I didn't want to (inaudible).
Stutsman: Deal with that on another day.
Jordahl: That does raise a question that you asked earlier to another applicant about your familiarity with budgeting and I wonder if you could respond to that.
Perrin: I haven't drawn up budgets in terms of doing that for anybody, that's not been part of my duties. As a tax person I've certainly been familiar with the money and I think I'm the only Press-Citizen reporter ever who ever understood them in terms of reading them. I remember one of the managing editor's wives telling me at one stage this was the first time she ever understood a budget story. But I haven't drawn them up.
Bolkcom: Marlene, do you have any questions for us this morning?
Perrin: Not directly, there is a lot of questions, but I don't know whether you know the answers.
Jordahl: Try us.
Perrin: Like will this really be a 20 month position?
Stutsman: Well we know it will be at least a 20 month position, beyond that we don't know.
Perrin: You don't believe anyone will force an election earlier than that?
Stutsman: Oh that I guess we don't know.
Duffy: That's right.
Jordahl: Yes, that's right.
Bolkcom: There is a chance that might happen.
Jordahl: The position is there for 20 months, the question of who is filling it, that may change due to special election.
Stutsman: That's beyond our... I don't think any of the Board is interested in a special election just for the fact that we're going through this process, but that's not to say that one can't make a petition.
Perrin: I didn't think you were, but I thought that was a possibility.
Jordahl: If there were a special election or if you were hypothetically running for this position now what campaign issues would you define?
Perrin: That's a good question and I don't know that I know the answer. I would like to see better relationships among all of the County offices quite frankly. I think there has been the perception at least that we have all of these little fiefdoms. Which I think is unfortunate from the County point of view, it's unfortunate from the public point of view and I would hope that my particular value would be that I think I can get along with everybody. I get along with Charlie. I get along with Joe, but I think there is that kind of perception among the offices and it would seem to me like everybody in this building ought to work together to provide the best services they can to the public. That would probably be my major goal. I think in terms of at least from my end in terms of service the Recorder's Office has been quite good. It's been very good. I don't have any criticisms of any individual or service.
Stutsman: Any other questions or comments?
Perrin: I don't think so.
Stutsman: Does the Board have any others? Guess that takes care of it. Thanks Marlene for coming in. I appreciate your interest in applying and for taking the time to go through the interview.
Perrin: I dreamed last night that I forgot to...
Stutsman: So you didn't sleep the rest of the night?
Perrin: Well actually last week a former Press-Citizen person called from Des Moines and wanted to come over and get his taxes done. So I said 9:00 Monday morning would be just fine except only for you Rodney, but I can help you if you come in at 9:00 and then I thought Oh, God.
Stutsman: Everybody's worst nightmare. I think we'll recess for a short break before we have another interview.
Recessed at 9:23 a.m.; reconvened at 9:30 a.m.
DEBORAH CONGER: INTERVIEW FOR INTERIM COUNTY RECORDER POSITION
Stutsman: Back in session after a short recess. Deb, I wanted to tell you before we get started that these interviews, it's up to you whether you want to go into executive session or open session. I think it's the Board's feelings being as that we are interviewing people for an elected position to act as an interim Recorder that we would prefer they be in open session but it's up to you, if you want to go into executive session we can certainly do that.
Deborah Conger: I'd prefer an open.
Stutsman: OK then that's great. What we've done is we've put together some questions and we'll take turns asking the questions and these questions have been compiled by the Supervisors and then some outside individuals too. You know everybody on the Board?
Conger: I do.
Stutsman: OK well then I'll go ahead and get started by asking first of all why did you apply for this position?
Conger: I applied for this position, because for the last 2 years I've been observing, evaluating, and studying County government. I've spent many hours of my own time attending County meetings, writing reports, making phone calls, researching materials and documents, interviewing residents of the County and I've even spent a day in the Recorder's Office observing the work flow and office procedures. As I see it this office is undergoing a major transition right now with the retirement of Mr. O'Neill and I think this is further complicated by the transfer of Vital Statistics from the Clerk of Court's office early this summer. Also I think there is a lot of issues surrounding technology and computerization that are impacting on this office. These issues are separate and apart from the impending consideration of consolidation which the citizens committee which you're appointing are going to be looking at. So as I see it this interim Recorder position is an opportunity to provide this County department with leadership and direction, to establish priorities, and to build a philosophy. In short I think it's an opportunity to develop a model County department from the inside out. I see this 20 month interim position as prep time. I'm comparing it to yeast in bread, without yeast the bread won't rise and I want to be the yeast.
Bolkcom: What administrative experience would you bring to this job, Deb?
Conger: I have experience managing offices. I've worked in offices for 20 years as office managers, as an executive secretary. I've also worked in the community in public service. I have built coalitions and brought together community groups. I've done a lot of organizing and coalition building. I'm research oriented and fact driven. I explore, I analyze, I ask questions, I share information. I feel I'm objective, I'm willing to explore options and change my point of view if the facts support it. I feel I'm trustworthy and honest. I think possessing personal integrity is really important to me. I'm computer literate. I'm aware of the impact of technology on work flow and contemporary office procedures. My administrative skills include focusing on the big picture, I'm interested in the long range, the big picture. I think I'm blessed with vision and a sense of mission. I'm interested in communication and information sharing and I'm open to that. I am in favor of inclusive rather than exclusive decision making processes. I want to act in the County's best interest. I would not serve in this office out of personal interest.
Bolkcom: So can I do a follow up on this? Specific administrative experience, you cited a lot of more general kinds of values that you have in terms of employment based administrative experience could you be a little bit more specific about that?
Conger: As far as managing?
Bolkcom: OK.
Conger: I worked as an office manager supervising employees. I've had responsibility for sales people. I worked in a music store in Des Moines where I basically managed that store selling pianos, harpsichords and organs. I've had experience with supervising employees and working with budgets, bringing people together. I think that's something I've even done that at the University with the job I have now with my coworkers, bringing them together, getting them organized, looking at the long range, what's in store for us there.
Bolkcom: Thanks.
Jordahl: I think maybe what Joe is asking is maybe to bring this down to the level of concrete a little more specifically what personnel experience do you have? How many people have you supervised and as a kind of follow part of the earlier question maybe separate you could address the question of budgets. You did mention budgets in your answer to the last question, but let's get back to the personnel question right now. How many people have you supervised in these various positions?
Conger: At the Center for Credit Programs I supervised 15 full time employees and also I think there were 7 work study students. Prior to that I worked at Hawkeye Food Systems, I did not manage anybody there because it was a small office of only 4 people, but I was in charge of the office and they were basically out working on jobs so as far as supervising people I didn't really have that experience there.
Jordahl: You mentioned I'm looking at your resume here there are a couple of positions outlined, it says Secretary to Director and Supervisor of Student Services and now when you're talking about supervising full time people that's the Student Services, the previous Secretary to Director that was... Does that pertain to the Supervision?
Conger: No that was prior to the supervisory position. I was given that after... I came in as the Secretary to the Director and then was given the supervisory position.
Jordahl: OK thank you.
Stutsman: Tied in with that Deb have you had any experience putting a budget together and implementing a budget?
Conger: In League, we have an annual budget and we prepare that every year annually and I've been involved in that for the last 8 years.
Stutsman: OK.
Jordahl: What's the size of that budget?
Conger: The League budget? It's around $4,000 - $6,000 a year.
Stutsman: Deborah, what are your most significant professional accomplishments?
Conger: Well I guess I would look most recently to the presidency of the League of Women Voters and serving on their Board of Directors. That's something I wasn't really expecting to do, but was put in as the President and I've also served in 1988 the American-Soviet Peace Walk I basically brought that together as the coordinator for Johnson County where we had 600 American and Soviet walkers coming in. That involved 15 separate committees, housing, food, there was entertainment, transportation, there was a lot of coordination that we had to figure out with that.
Stutsman: Charlie, do you have a question?
Duffy: What are your strengths and weaknesses? I always get to ask this question.
Conger: I think my strengths involve the ability to work with people. I think I'm easy to work with, I'm open, I'm a collaborator. I try to be objective, I want to look at the facts. I don't try to make quick decisions. As far as weakness, probably my weakness is that I want it done yesterday. I sometimes am impatient with the process.
Bolkcom: Deb, could you outline your experience with data base management knowing that a lot of new computer changes are coming in this department hopefully?
Conger: The way the Recorder's Office operates now is basically a manual process where they're using Xerox machines and copying and I think that in reading the Computer Needs Report, Technology Committee's Report, there is a lot that can be done I think to streamline and make this process in the Recorder's Office more efficient and I would like to observe and explore some of the recommendations that they're making in that. I think that data management is a big issue right now. I work in medical records at the Hospital, it's an issue that impacts how we're doing our work at the Hospital. Of course we're dealing with confidential records there and data management, security issues, confidentiality, that kind of thing is very important when you're talking about the management of data.
Jordahl: Are there other systems that exist in your present work that you think are related to the type of thing that could be brought into the Recorder's Office or is it an entirely different business?
Conger: I think it's an entirely different business.
Jordahl: Let's see here, staffing, you've already talked about this a little bit. How would you handle staffing in the Recorder's Office? There is a lot of anxiety and I think understandably over there about what's going to happen if there is a new person brought in. Do you see yourself making any changes in the staffing and how would you address this question with the staff with the Recorder's Office?
Conger: I would not at this point anyway be in favor of adding personnel or deleting anybody. I operate more on a mode of attrition. I realize after meeting with the staff and spending a day in the office that there is a lot of stress there, but I think these are good people, they've worked together for a long time. The range of employment there, I think the most recently hired person has been there for 7 years and it's a range from 7 to 29 years. So they are people who have worked together for a long time. I think they've worked well together and it would not be my intention to interrupt that flow of work at all. I think hopefully we can work together. I want to take a positive approach to provide leadership and direction and to try to make this transition as smooth and palatable as possible.
Stutsman: OK, your well aware that the Board is in the process of appointing a Study Committee to look at the Recorder's Office. How will you work with the Recorder's Office Study Committee?
Conger: I will fully cooperate with them. It's my intention that the person in this position needs to be able to fully cooperate with the Committee to share information, to be open to any questions they might have, any data they might need. I would also be interested in doing research on my own, exploring possibilities, giving them ideas for things that they might want to pursue in their study. I think it's a very good thing to look at the pros and cons of the consolidation issue, I'm very much in favor of that. I've spent...
Duffy: Why are you prepared to accept a position that may be eliminated in 20 months?
Conger: I have applied already... I'm eligible for a 2 year leave of absence from the University. I can take that leave of absence upon approval and I've talked with several people although it's not in writing yet that this is not a problem that I can take a 20 month leave. I think it's an opportunity to get this office up and going to bring new ideas and prepare it whether consolidation happens or not, to get it up and moving in this 20 month period. I just see it as a real opportunity to build and I'm a builder and I like that kind of challenge and so that's what appeals to me in this position. I'm not looking to build a political career. I'm not interested in running for political office. I'm more process oriented and I'm just not interested in a political career in elective office.
Bolkcom: So my follow up question was just answered, but I'll ask it anyway do you plan to seek election for the Recorder's Position?
Conger: No, I do not.
Jordahl: I could complicate that question by asking suppose a special election were called by petition in this interim period would you run for the position then?
Conger: Yes I would.
Jordahl: Why are those 2 answers different?
Conger: I'm not looking at this in the long term kind of a way, but I think it's very important that this position in this transition period, this 20 month time, be filled by someone that has the skills and the abilities that I feel that I have. So therefore for this time period I think that I can do the job. I'm not looking at it to retire from it in 30 years. To me this is a short term thing. I actually really like doing what I'm doing at the University and it's not something that I would like to long term get away from. I do want to get back into that.
Jordahl: Well that leads to the question I actually should be asking here and not to usurp this entire process I see it as a follow up here. Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
Conger: In 5 years I'm planning to start graduate school and I would like to eventually become a Tim Shields. Working with local government groups trying to build cooperation between them. And I've talked with Tim about this, I've kind of got in the process of formulating my plan on how to get from point A to point B and I can work in the meantime while I'm going to school and that's what's in my mind at this point.
Stutsman: Describe your familiarity with the Recorder's Office?
Conger: Well I have been looking at the Recorder's Office for the last 2 years in this League Study of County Government. I originally got involved in the Recorder's Office as a result of doing some research on home rule in government publications and I came across the fact that Woodbury County had consolidated their Recorder's Office. I started doing research. I talked with officials up in Woodbury County, with the League, with the Tax Research Conference up there and have just kind of followed through on that issue. I have not looked real hard at Johnson County, but I have spent a day in the Recorder's Office. I am aware of some of the issues and concerns there and I'm interested in seeing how that office can be brought up to speed. I think there's some changes that can be made in work flow that can streamline their work processes. Contemporary office practices...
Duffy: Well this one here kind of relates to some of the others, but what challenges do you see facing the interim Recorder?
Conger: I think one of the challenges is probably a staffing issue. I think there might be some resistance to change. They've been doing things the same way for a long period of time and I think that probably building this cooperation coalition type of interdepartmental sharing is probably going to be one of the major changes here. They've been working with the same person for a long number of years and so any kind of a change is probably threatening and stressful and I understand that and I would do what I could to solve that challenge and I think that's probably the major challenge of it. There is also technology and just looking at issues of data management and how it's done that are quite challenging about this position. The transfer of vital statistics, that's something I think the staff is feeling stressed about, that's going to increase their workload and how is it going to be done? I think there is quite a few challenges facing the office this next year.
Bolkcom: On the question of vital statistics as you know there is a new mandate, how would you implement the vital statistics mandate?
Conger: I have talked with the Iowa Department of Health regarding the vital statistics project. Their original intention was to have this as a temporary position in the Recorder's Office and in July of ‘98 to move to an on-line system so that documents would be recorded and retrieved on line. Their date on that has been moved back, because there are people involved in this... although 93% of hospitals are currently doing their vital statistics birth information on-line, most funeral homes are not. They are not into the computer age yet, so they have seen that this is not just a process of getting the State up and ready for the vital statistics transfer that it's also a question of preparing customers, their customer funeral directors and small hospitals in Iowa, getting them prepared for this transition to on-line access and retrieval. But I think eventually down the road that is where they are headed with this vital statistics project and that it's not going to be a permanent part of the Recorder's office as I understand it.
Jordahl: When can you start?
Conger: Monday.
Stutsman: Deb, do you have any questions for us?
Conger: The only thing I would like to make 2 comments basically. If I'm appointed to this position I am not going to be able to do this alone. I'm going to need your support. I'm going to need help problem solving and I'm hoping that we can work together and I can count on you to work with me in this position. I don't want to be an island. So as Supervisors I see you all as people who are experienced, most of you have been in office for a while. You know how this institution works and I need to be able to call on you for your expertise and advise. I would like to know that I can do that. The second thing that I would like to mention is that in my references I included the name of my supervisor Jane Sandberg who in December was diagnosed with cancer. She's extremely ill, she's taking radiation and chemotherapy I'm not exactly sure if you check references what her availability might be. She's not been in the office at all since January so I just wanted to mention that. I did not realize that she was in that serious of a condition.
Stutsman: That's unfortunate for her.
Conger: Yes it is.
Stutsman: Any other comments or questions?
Conger: No. I think I've pretty much covered what I wanted to say to you. I hope that you will consider me for this position, I'm very interested in it. I think I will do the job that you think needs to be done, that we all think needs to be done and I'm looking forward to your decision tomorrow.
Stutsman: Hopefully. We plan to discuss it tomorrow morning, the candidates and things.
Jordahl: Is there a third reference that you would choose to substitute if Jane Sandberg is not available? Do you want to give that some thought?
Stutsman: Actually there are 4 references.
Jordahl: Excuse me. I'm just looking at the application sheet.
Stutsman: On this page.
Conger: Yes, I actually have 4 on there.
Jordahl: Oh OK. Pardon me.
Bolkcom: Would there be another work related reference from... this is your current position.
Conger: There really is not...
Bolkcom: OK.
Conger: ...because we really work as an independent department. Unless I gave you the name of a co-worker, there really is not anybody familiar with my work. They did hire a new supervisor this last week and she started on Wednesday. We're in a real transition period there too right now.
Bolkcom: OK. Thanks.
Stutsman: Well Deb I thank you for your interest in the position and taking the time to come in and interview.
Conger: I would also like to... I have an information sheet here on the Recorder's office which I would like you to consider the information on this as you're making your decision. I know you are inundated with paper and probably the last thing you need is another sheet, but hopefully that will at least bring you up to date with or refresh your memories on what I believe the issues are in the office.
Jordahl: OK. Thank you.
Stutsman: Thank you.
Conger: Thank you.
Stutsman: We have about 6 minutes before the next interview, so I think we'll just recess for a couple minutes.
Recessed at 9:53 a.m.; reconvened at 10:01 a.m.