LA CROSSE COUNTY BOARD PROCEEDIN

The La Crosse County Board of Supervisors Special Meeting was held on April 9, 2007 in the Administrative Center, Room B410. Chair Doyle called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. The County Clerk, Marion I. Naegle, took attendance. All supervisors were present except as noted:

DISTRICT - NAME		DISTRICT – NAME

1	Richmond, Andrea	19	Keil, Robert - Excused
2	Geary Jr., Ralph	20	Bina, Donald.
3	Belzer, Keith	21	Hanson, J. Terry
4	Johnson, Jai	22	Ebert, Ray A. - Excused
5	Gamroth, Jacie	23	Kapanke, Brian - Absent
6	Billings, Jill	24	Pfaff, Leon – Excused at 7:15 p.m.
7	Plesha, Roger - Excused	25	Schroeder, Jeffrey – Excused at 7:48 p.m.
8	Freedland, Maureen	26	Burke, Vicki
9	Hampson, Sharon	27	Hammes, George
10	Wood, Margaret – Present at 6:05 p.m.	28	Doyle, Steve
11	Gillett, Jason	29	Pfaff, Brad – Present at 7:17 p.m.
12	Ehrsam, James	30	Spiker, Charles
13	Maney, Bernard	31	Fisher, Ann
14	Medinger, John D.	32	Schippers, Patrick - Absent
15	Montgomery, Lyell	33	Berns, Jim
16	Sebranek, Gerald	34	Rauk, Tom
17	Meyer, Donald - Excused	35	Bilskemper, Joe
18	Johnson, Tara

WHEREAS, La Crosse County employs over 1,400 people, working with an annual budget of $177.5 million dollars. Yet at the same time La Crosse County maintains the third lowest operating tax levy out of the seventy two Wisconsin Counties; and, WHEREAS, La Crosse County Government Employees are committed to excellence in their work. They celebrate public service, anticipate changing needs and respect diversity. La Crosse County Employees inspire integrity, pride, trust and respect within their organization, by encouraging employee involvement and creativity as a source of new ideas to continuously improve services. As stewards of community resources, they embrace the opportunities and challenges of technological advances, evolving demographics, urbanization, revitalization, and the changing role of government; and, WHEREAS, April 22-28, 2007 is National County Government Week. America’s counties provide a variety of essential services, many of which work to protect our communities; and, WHEREAS, Counties protect residents from natural disasters, terrorist attacks, crime and drug abuse. Counties are the first to respond to emergency situations and are primarily responsible for planning for disasters. Counties also work to protect families, children and youth; and, WHEREAS, Counties provide services that make America’s communities stronger, safer places to live and raise families. Counties police our streets, fight fires, save lives in hospitals, keep families healthy repair bridges, plow snow, help troubled youth, train laid-off workers and perform countless other jobs. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the La Crosse County Board of Supervisors does hereby proclaim the month of April La Crosse County Government Month.

Administrator O’Malley presented the Proclamation to the Board. Motion by L. Pfaff/Rauk to approve passed on a unanimous voice vote with 5 excused – Plesha, Meyer, Keil, Ebert and B. Pfaff and 2 absent – Kapanke and Schippers.

Chair Doyle asked for a volunteer to do the invocation for the April 17, 2007 meeting.

Supervisor J. Johnson announced that information had been placed on supervisor’s desks and in their lockers regarding an upcoming event at Viterbo University during Earth Week 2007. On Tuesday April 17, 2007 at 4:00 p.m. you can hear Mary Rehwald and Irene Blakely’s presentation on building sustainable communities. She encouraged supervisors to attend.

FRENCH ISLAND PLANT – There will be a tour of the French Island Waste to Energy Plant on Monday, April 16, 2007 at 3:30 p.m.

PROPERTY TAX RAFFLE – The drawing for the Property Tax Raffle will be held on Tuesday, April 17, 2007, at 5:30 p.m.

COUNTY BOARD RETREAT – There will be a County Board Retreat on Friday, April 20, 2007, at 8:30 a.m. at River Jacks Restaurant.

SPEAKER MIKE HUEBSCH - Speaker Huebsch talks to the Governor weekly, mostly on budget issues. K-12 schools will be the most important part of the State budget and will receive the most money. Second are Human Services issues, which includes Senior care. This year the budget will be $55 to $56 million. He is hopeful to have it completed by November.

SENATOR DAN KAPANKE – Senator Kapanke noted the budget has many proposals that have a lot of merit but not enough money. He spoke to the pros and cons of taxing oil companies. He also spoke to the 1% hospital tax and the concerns on whether the federal rules will even allow it.

Human Services Director Jerry Huber, Supervisor Tara Johnson and Melissa Gilbert, Project Coordinator for the West Central Consortium made a power point presentation.

RESOLUTION #108-4/07 RE: APPROVE SELECTION OF POTTER LAWSON / RIVER ARCHITECTS FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT CENTER (LEC) ADDITION PROJECT

WHEREAS, at the February 12, 2007 special meeting, the La Crosse County Board adopted a timeline for considering approval of a Construction Manager and an Architect for the LEC project, to work with the Carey Group under the oversight of the LEC Addition and Public Works & Infrastructure Committees; and WHEREAS, the County Board approved selection of Market and Johnson as Construction Manager during design and completion of the LEC addition project; and WHEREAS, a joint meeting of the LEC Addition and the Public Works & Infrastructure Committees was held on March 27, 2007 to conduct interviews of two proposals: Venture Architects (Milwaukee, WI) and a collaboration of Potter Lawson (Madison, WI) with River Architects (La Crosse, WI); WHEREAS, although both firms are well qualified to provide the services described in the Request for Proposal, the majority vote at this joint meeting was to recommend that La Crosse County Retain the collaboration of Potter Lawson with River Architects. NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the La Crosse County Board approves the selection of services Potter Lawson with River Architects under guidance of the LEC Addition and Public Works & Infrastructure Committee, as follows:

FISCAL NOTE: The initial planning, design costs were included in the 2006 Special Assessment LEC Capital Improvements Budget: Architect, Engineering & Construction Management - $500,000. If County Board authorizes project to proceed beyond Phase I, the design costs will be incorporated within the entire project costs. Phase I will be funded by Jail Assessment Fund Balance. The estimated Fund Balance for the Jail Assessments Undesignated Fund at 12-31-06 is $1,400,000, prior to this $500,000 Budget Allocation.

Motion by Spiker/Richmond to approve passed on a unanimous voice vote with 6 excused - Plesha, Meyer, Keil, Ebert, L. Pfaff and Schroeder and 2 absent – Kapanke and Schippers.

RESOLUTION #109-4/07 RE: ADOPTION OF CONTRACT FOR LOCAL 2484 PARA PROFESSIONAL EMPLOYEES

WHEREAS, La Crosse County and the Local 2484 Para Professional Employees Union have concluded collective bargaining negotiations for a successor union contract covering the period 2007-2008, and; WHEREAS, the parties have reached a voluntary tentative agreement on all issues raised through collective bargaining. NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the tentative agreements of the parties for changes to this contract for the years 2007-2008, including across the board wage increases of 2.0% for each year of the contract, be ratified as the changes to the working agreement between La Crosse County and the Local 2484 Para Professional Employees Union, effective as specified in the agreement which has been ratified by the Union. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Personnel and Finance departments are authorized and directed to take such action as is necessary to put said working agreement into effect and carry out the intent of this resolution. FISCAL NOTE: The estimated increase in cost of wage, fringe benefits and rollups for 2007 is $478,288 and for 2008 $468,414 which is within budgeted guidelines. For 2007 a total package cost of 4.48% consists of 33% wage, approximately 61% insurance and 6% rollup cost. There are approx. 252 employees in this bargaining unit.

Motion to approve the Minority Report by T. Johnson/Burke. Discussion ensued. The motion to approve passed on a roll call vote with 20 ayes, 6 nays – Geary, Sebranek, Bina, Hammes, Spiker and Hanson and 1 abstention - Ehrsam with 6 excused - Plesha, Meyer, Keil, Ebert, L. Pfaff and Schroeder and 2 absent – Kapanke and Schippers.

RESOLUTION #110-4/07 RE: ADOPTION OF CONTRACT FOR LOCAL 2484 HUMAN SERVICES AND HEALTH PROFESSIONAL EMPLOYEES

WHEREAS, La Crosse County and the Local 2484 Human Services and Health Professional Employees Union have concluded collective bargaining negotiations for a successor union contract covering the period 2007-2008, and; WHEREAS, the parties have reached voluntary tentative agreement on all issues raised through collective bargaining. NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the tentative agreements of the parties, a summary of which is attached hereto, for changes to this contract for the years 2007-2008, including across the board wage increases of 2.0% for each year of the contract, be ratified as the changes to the working agreement between La Crosse County and the Local 2484 Human Services and Health Professional Employees Union, effective as specified in the agreement when ratified by the Union. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Personnel and Finance departments are authorized and directed to take such action as is necessary to put said working agreement into effect and carry out the intent of this resolution.

FISCAL NOTE: The estimated increase in cost of wage, fringe benefits and rollups for 2007 is $453,437 and for 2008 $417,426 which is within budgeted guidelines. For 2007 the total package cost of 4.12% consists of 43% wage, approximately 48% insurance and 9% rollup cost. There are approximately 173 employees in this bargaining unit.

Motion to approve the Minority Report by T. Johnson/Gillett passed on a roll call vote with 20 ayes, 6 nays – Geary, Sebranek, Bina, Hammes, Spiker and Hanson and 1 abstention - Ehrsam with 6 excused - Plesha, Meyer, Keil, Ebert, L. Pfaff and Schroeder and 2 absent – Kapanke and Schippers.

Motion by Gillette/Hampson to direct staff to negotiate domestic partner benefits in current collective bargaining negotiations with Courthouse Paraprofessional Unit and Social Workers. Discussion ensued. The motion passed on a roll call vote with 22 ayes, 9 nays – Schippers, Keil, Ebert, Ehrsam, Bina, Schroeder, Hammes, Spiker and Hanson and 2 abstentions – Plesha and Geary with 1 excused – Maney and 1 absent – Belzer.

Motion by Gillett/T. Johnson to approve the minutes from the February 12, 2007 closed session passed on a unanimous voice vote with 6 excused - Plesha, Meyer, Keil, Ebert, L. Pfaff and Schroeder and 2 absent – Kapanke and Schippers.

Motion by Hanson/Billings to adjourn at 8:18 p.m. passed on a unanimous voice vote with 6 excused - Plesha, Meyer, Keil, Ebert, L. Pfaff and Schroeder and 2 absent – Kapanke and Schippers.

The above minutes may be approved, amended, or corrected at the next Board meeting.

I, Marion I. Naegle, La Crosse County Clerk, in and for the County of La Crosse, Wisconsin, do hereby certify that the foregoing is a true and correct copy of the Journal of Proceedings of the La Crosse County Board of Supervisors at the Special Meeting held Monday, Tuesday, April 9, 2007 and that it is the whole thereof IN WITNESS THEREOF, I HAVE HEREUNTO SET MY HAND AND AFFIXED THE OFFICIAL SEAL THIS 11^th DAY OF APRIL 2007.

STATE OF WISCONSIN	)
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COUNTY OF LA CROSSE	)