EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Wednesday, June 11, 2008

Administrative Center – Room 3220

4:00 p.m.

MEMBERS PRESENT: Steve Doyle, Tara Johnson, Tom Rauk, Vicki Burke, Sharon Hampson, Roger Plesha, Charles Spiker, Andrea Richmond

MEMBERS EXCUSED: Don Meyer

MEMBERS ABSENT: None

STAFF & GUESTS: Steve O’Malley, Gary Ingvalson, Bill Shepherd, Marion Naegle, Bob Taunt, Mary Powell, Cheryl Stephen

CALL TO ORDER/ROLL CALL

Board Chair Steve Doyle called the meeting to order at 4:02 p.m.

APPROVAL OF MINUTES

MOTION by Spiker/Richmond to approve minutes of May 7, 2008. Motion carried unanimously; Meyer excused.

CONSENT AGENDA

MOTION by Plesha/Richmond to accept the following Consent Agenda items:

April 2008 Investment Report (County Treasurer)
June 2008 Account Transfers/Adjustments (Finance Dept.)
Check Requisitions (none presented)

Motion carried unanimously; Meyer excused.

PUBLIC COMMENT

None requested.

ETHICS BOARD REAPPOINTMENTS – ROLAND SOLBERG AND STEVE MADER (1^ST ALTERNATE) FOR THREE-YEAR TERMS ENDING APRIL 30, 2011

Chairman Doyle noted Mr. Solberg and Mr. Mader were contacted and both have agreed to their reappointments to the County Ethics Board. MOTION by Johnson/Richmond to recommend to the County Board the reappointments of Roland Solberg and Steve Mader, as 1^st Alternate, to the La Crosse County Ethics Board for three-year terms ending April 30, 2011. Motion carried unanimously; Meyer excused.

ORDINANCE TO AMEND SECTIONS 2.02(7)(A) AND (B) REGARDING “RESOLUTIONS”, CHAPTER 2 OF THE GENERAL CODE OF LA CROSSE COUNTY, WISCONSIN

The ordinance change reflects the new initial requirements on resolutions by the County Administrator, Finance Director and Corporation Counsel. Corporation Counsel was added plus 3 options for initials, those being: Recommended, Not Recommended, or Reviewed Only. MOTION by Rauk/Spiker to approve the ordinance to amend sections 2.02(7)(a) and 2.02(8)(b) regarding “resolutions”, Chapter 2 of the General Code of La Crosse County, Wisconsin, and to forward the ordinance on to the County Board. Motion carried unanimously; Meyer excused.

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RESOLUTION RE CREATION OF THE AGING & DISABILITY RESOURCE CENTER ADVISORY COMMITTEE

MOTION Hampson/Plesha to approve the resolution. Supervisor Hampson noted that it was approved unanimously by the Health & Human Services Board at their Tuesday night meeting. Motion carried unanimously; Meyer excused.

RESOLUTION RE ADOPTION OF SECURITY BENEFIT GROUP HEALTHCARE REIMBURSEMENT ACCOUNT FOR DEPUTY SHERIFFS

Bob Taunt reviewed, noting the Deputy Sheriff’s Association has agreed with the new healthcare reimbursement account as administered by Security Financial Resources, Inc. MOTION by Richmond/Plesha to approve the resolution. Motion carried unanimously; Meyer excused.

RESOLUTION TO ADOPT 457 DEFERRED COMPENSATION PLAN DOCUMENTS (SECURITY BENEFIT CO.)

Bob briefly reviewed, noting the Deputy Sheriff’s Association has also agreed with the Security Benefit Company 457 Deferred Compensation plan whereby the County will establish funding accounts with Security Benefit for investment options as selected by the Deputies participating in the plan. He also noted a small change in the fiscal note; it now reads: There are no fees billed to the County for this program, but the county will save 7.65% Social Security contribution for Deputies and reduced Overtime expense due to the funding of this deferred compensation plan rather than the funding of wages for employees of the Deputy Sheriff’s Association. MOTION by Richmond/Roger to approve the resolution, including the revised fiscal note. Motion carried unanimously; Meyer excused.

DISCUSSION REGARDING WCA BOOTH SPACE AT 2008 CONFERENCE IN WISCONSIN DELLS

Vendor booth space is offered at a reduced rate to next year’s host County. La Crosse County will host the 2009 Annual WCA Conference. The cost for the booth is $250 which is payable to WCA; regular price of the booth is $800. Brief discussion on whether a booth is beneficial; also time consuming to man the booth. General agreement to check with La Crosse Area Convention and Visitors Bureau (LACVB) to see if they are interested in sponsoring and/or manning the booth. Also noted that Margaret Wood volunteered to assist with the last booth that the County had; may also want to check with her. The matter was referred to the July committee meeting.

2008 & 2009 BUDGET AND DEBT MANAGEMENT UPDATE

Steve O’Malley gave a PowerPoint presentation, including distribution of hard copies, plus another handout “Debt Levy Recommendations” that included information on general levy debt, other debt service, Highway capital needs & 2 year funding recommendation, and 2-year preliminary plan for key areas of concern (rev. & exp.). Highlights of his presentation:

2009 budget challenges: 2% levy limit, health insurance increases (14% yr/ave), wages, low rates on investments, expect no growth in sales tax, capital improvements needs for Highway and Lakeview, plus increase costs in Courts & Justice Sanctions, cost of gasoline, decrease in jail revenue, decrease in indirect cost revenue (MCO), and Home Health restructure.
2009 opportunities: favorable bond rates, paying off pre-2005 debt or refinancing can be shifted to operating levy, health insurance fund and contingency in better shape than expected, strong financially/healthy reserves, MVHS/Lakeview collaboration save on levy costs, changing the

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timing of the new LEC debt issue, accelerate payoff of other debt, relocating old landfill waste reduced liability which frees up $2 million cash/DNR has accepted letter of credit.

2009 initial budget recommendations: split new LEC Bond issue (2008 & 2009) and change timing of payments, use 2008 budgeted LEC Debt payment to payoff Highway Shop (3 yrs. early & save on interest), fund Highway capital improvements @$2 million & delay/re-evaluate priorities and do same for 2010, use balance of old landfill for Highway capital improvements, refinance 1998 LEC debt at same term/save on interest, lower health insurance costs by using funds from health insurance fund and contingency, possible changes to fees & charges, target use of reserves if necessary, and no new positions/keeping positions open.
Additional review on specific items:

ü Bonds under $10 million are considered bank qualified and will get lower interest rates. For new LEC, bond $9.865 in fall 2008 and bond the balance in 2009.

ü Pay off Highway Shop bond 3 years early using 2008 LEC payment which will save $88,550 in interest and frees up $400,000/yr. of debt service.

ü Old landfill letter of credit frees up $2 million of which $1 million can be used for 2008 and 2009 for Highway capital improvements; this will save approx. $140,000/yr on the levy.

ü Refinance 1998 LEC bond debt, same term and get lower interest, from 4.9% to approx. 3.19% which frees up $400,000.

Lengthy discussion, questions, and answers. General agreement to present this information at the July 7^th County Board planning session.

FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS

Supervisor Johnson noted some attendance problems by new Supervisors. Discussion followed. General agreement to have Corporation Counsel research options on what can be done or how handled and report back to the July committee meeting; also general agreement to have Chairman Doyle contact those with absentee problems and to relay the importance of attending meeting. Supervisor Rauk also commented that there should not be such a thing as an excused absence; supervisors are elected and are obligated to attend meetings. Supervisor Spiker also raised concern, noting that if a supervisor plans to abstain from a vote, they should not be part of the discussion. Noted that Supervisors cannot be forced to vote (per Robert’s Rule of Order); an abstention vote is required if a Supervisor is expecting personal gain.

ADJOURNMENT

MOTION by Plesha/Richmond to adjourn the meeting. Motion carried unanimously; Meyer excused. The meeting adjourned at 5:25 p.m.

Disclaimer: The above minutes may be approved, amended or corrected at the next committee meeting.

Cheryl Stephen, Recorder